Roasted Pears w/ Blood Orange & Pomegranates Recipe

I am first and foremost a gardener ~ pleased as punch to say that after 7 years of tender loving care, I have a pear crop! (Find the yummy recipe at the bottom of this blog post.)

I also have a few plums, apples, cherries and crab apples. (Look out!) I planted these saplings to feed the birds. Feel sorry for them in this harsh, high plains desert. Though I also wonder about their intelligence. Since they can fly for free, why don't they go some place lush and lovely?

Because that's what I do. Every time I bank enough frequent flier miles to do so.

Anyhoo! Planting fruit trees has worked out better than I ever expected. The birds love 'em and so do my dinner guests. This autumn I'm cooking up all kinds of special goodies...

Did you know? Each Pomegranate contains about 800 seeds and they make a delightful sweet tart garnish for pretty much anything.

Roasted Pears with Blood Orange & Pomegranates Recipe

• 3/4 cup Red Zinfandel wine
• 3/4 cup Pomegranate juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tablespoon cloves
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
• 1 blood orange, peeled, sectioned

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Plus:

• 1/3 cup sugar

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Top with:

• 1/2 cup fresh Pomegranate seeds
• Truly fabulous vanilla bean ice cream

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How to:
Combine top list of ingredients (everything except the sugar and pom seeds) in a sauce pan, over low heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Add sugar, stir until dissolved.

Take 6 ripe, luscious pears and partially peel them ~ create stripes by peeling lengthwise, leaving a space and peel another strip. (Makes them look very pretty and unique.) Remove the core from the bottom of the pears. Leave the stems on.

Spritz a square glass baking dish with cooking spray. Pour sauce over the pears. Roast @ 350 for about an hour.

Dried Garden Tomatoes: Save A Fortune, Come Winter

Took a walk through the Veggie Garden of Wunx last night. She had plenty of pretty flowers but what struck me when I rounded the garden corner were tomato vines, taller than me. She must have had 300 luscious tomatoes, ripening on the vine.

It got me thinking about how tricky tomato seedlings can be.

Sneaky, conniving little monsters. They act so sweet and innocent in the springtime. So tiny. There's room! Let's plant a few extras!

Twelve weeks later all hell breaks loose and, well, you can run but you can't hide.

So, it IS Labor Day weekend and these tomatoes SHOULD be red by now. They'll probably get there but how does one cope with a truckload of tomaters?

Never fear. Hazel is here. She dries tomatoes in her oven and Wunx can, too. :)

Oven-Dried Tomatoes

• Start with firm, ripe (not overly ripe) fresh-picked tomatoes.
• Slice cherry tomatoes in half, slice larger tomatoes into 1/2 inch pieces.
• Sprinkle sea salt to improve flavor and speed up the drying process.
• Set the oven to 175 - 200 degrees (F).
• Place tomatoes, skin side down, on a baking sheet. Perforated pizza pans are great because they allow air circulation.
• Slowly roast these babies. It could take anywhere from 3-12 hours (depending upon the size of the tomato slices.)

How to Know if You've Screwed Up:
√ Dried tomatoes are done when they feel pliable, kind of leathery.
√ If your tomatoes are brittle, they're over-done and you get an A for effort, nothing more.

To Rehydrate Dried Tomatoes:
Soak in water for 1-2 hours or toss directly into soups and stews.

You can dry green tomatoes. However, you might be a whole lot happier if you ripen them the old fashioned way and dry them when they're ready. That's why windowsills were invented, way back when.

Dolled Up Chocolate Chip Cookies ~ Recipe

I live in a world class ski resort town, which means this joint is crawling with two types of year 'round residents. The obligatory ski bums plus an astonishing number of highly talented pastry chefs ~ because tourists love to eat almost as much as they love to ski.

It gets pretty intimidating showing up at parties when your friends are paid professionals but this dolled-up recipe of my Mom's get's them every time.

Mom used to make these with milk chocolate and peanut butter chips. (Personally, I think it tastes better that way.) But, these rich, dark chocolate chips, coupled with the sweet, smooth taste of white chocolate chips makes this look like one very cool cookie...

Dolled Up Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup Better'n Eggs liquid eggs* or 2 large eggs
2+1/4 cups flour
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips

How to:
It's easier if you use 2 bowls: cream butter and sugars in one bowl. Combine dry ingredients in the other. Then stir it all up and make sure it tastes great by gobbling a good bit of the dough.

Bake @ 350 for about 10 minutes.

* Two traditional large eggs adds an extra 10 grams of fat to this recipe. I often use liquid eggs in decadent recipes because they are fat free. No one notices the difference since these recipes are so high in fat from other ingredients. Most liquid egg products contain onion powder. Better'n Eggs does not and so it doesn't mess with the flavor of my cookies. :)

Fresh-Picked Raspberry Muffin Recipe

My hard gardening work is finally paying off. The raspberry bushes in my garden are producing enough fresh fruit that I can actually make something with them!

I've baked these muffins using blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries. They're very tasty as a triple berry muffin but raspberries are my most favorite thing in the world.

We LOVE a big burst of raspberry flavor so instead of stirring the berries into the muffin mix I place them on top.

Raspberries are very fragile - this method keeps them intact while baking. The muffin mixture will rise up and gently cover the fresh berries as it bakes.


Fresh-Picked Raspberry Muffin Recipe

• 1 stick butter
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

* PLUS! 1 cup fresh raspberries.

First:
Melt the butter.
Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Combine eggs, butter and milk, add to dry ingredients.

Next:
Use a non-stick cooking spray or line muffin tins with baking cups.
Fill the muffin cups to about 2/3 full.

Last but not least! Sprinkle fresh raspberries on top of the muffin mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.

* Makes about a dozen muffins.

Medium Rare Aspirations

Meet The Beast. Got this BBQ behemoth as a birthday present. Apparently, it's quite state o' the art.

The only real downside to The Beast is that I'm afraid to turn it on. (I'm more of a Weber girl.)

Scrap whatever you're planning to make for dinner. Get thee to the store and start shoppin' for Paprika. Yup. You read right. Paprika!

You can make your own Paprika, ya know. It's not that hard. All you need to do is... whoa! Who cares? Back to the matter at hand.

I've found a steak recipe that deserves mention in my will.

You're gonna need a whole bunch of these. To blend. To roast. And, to munch on while you're cooking up a storm.


It's a dry rub plus an amazing steak sauce after which you will very quickly discard any bottles of A1 that happen to be kicking around your frig:
Here's the rub recipe:
And, the steak sauce:

All created by Iron Chef extraordinaire, Bobby Flay.

I imagine I'm breaking all sorts of laws by posting his recipe in my blog. But, once again, who cares? He's cute! If I make him so mad he calls me up and hollers at me... well... that wouldn't be half bad.


Paprika is made from grinding the dried pods of mild pepper plants. Like most things American, the paprika we're familiar with is bland to the point of being tasteless. However! Spanish and Hungarian Paprikas impart great flavor to foods. You can grow these little goodies in your garden but then you already knew that, didn't you?

Sweet Tart Pomegranate Sauce

I'm not a trend setter or a trend follower but I make an exception when it comes to the exotic fruits showing up in plentiful supply at my local supermarket. If you have not yet sprinkled a bunch of fresh Pomegranate seeds on your salad, give it a try! They are quite delightful.

And, so is the plant. Dwarf Pomegranate Trees grow happily in a sunny window. Laden with bright orange flowers, producing edible fruit about the size of a silver dollar.



Sweet Tart Pomegranate Sauce
Serve on chicken, turkey or pork.

• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped, fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
• Salt to taste
• Garnish with 1/2 cup Pomegranate seeds

Heat chicken broth, pomegranate juice and balsamic vinegar in a skillet.

Add cornstarch, brown sugar and seasonings.

Bring to a boil; reduce and simmer until sauce thickens.

Garnish with Pomegrante seeds (officially called Arils.)

Breakfast Cookies

For years, now, people have been preaching about how breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Especially if you're trying to manage your weight. I didn't understand this. Where I'm concerned, eating does not occur to me until later in the day. And, I'm talking real late. I can get up at 6 and not feel hungry until noon, or later. But, the thing is... once I start eating I don't stop nibbling until I go to bed.

Being the pseudo-scientist that I am, I decided to test this out. I forced myself to eat within 20 minutes after crawling out of bed. And, this is what I discovered: It works.

Dammit all! I'm thinner now than I was during the skipping breakfast years. Though the big problem is finding something palatable to eat first thing in the morning. Nibbling on a breakfast cookie generally does the trick.

Yummy Breakfast Cookies

Mix it up:

• 3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/3 tsp. Salt
  

Stir it in:

• 1/2 cup Butter
• 1/3 cup Dark Brown Sugar
• 2 tsp. Vanilla
• 1 Egg
  

Grab that wooden spoon & add...

• 1.5 cups Oatmeal (not cooked)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped Apples
• 3/4 cup Craisins
• 1 cup shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese*

Bake for 15 minutes @ 375 degrees.

Good to go. These work particularly well for me because I'm too impatient to make breakfast. I stick these in my pocket and gobble them up while I'm walking to the stables. Horses like 'em, too.
* I'm a cheese lover. Therefore I love this recipe. If you're not much of a cheesehead substitute nuts and favorite dried fruits for the Cheddar cheese.

Small Batch Raspberry Jam

My first Raspberry harvest! Don't they look yummy?

Unfortunately, this is the ENTIRE raspberry harvest ~ 7 berries. Oh, well.

Flowers are my forte, they're so easy to grow. Fruits and veggies, I've discovered, are a much bigger challenge. This summer I've harvested 5 tomatoes, 3 zucchini and 1 lemon cucumber with a bug inside.

Plus 7 raspberries. So, things are looking up.

Are you a jam lover? I used to be. These days, I'm spoiled rotten by homemade spreadable fruit though I still call it jam. Sounds nicer.

Small Batch Raspberry Jam
* This recipe takes about 20 minutes, stays fresh in the frig for about 6 weeks.


Over low heat, dissolve 1 packet unflavored gelatin in 1/3 cup water.



Stir these goodies into the saucepan and bring to a boil:
3 cups fresh raspberries, 3 tbs honey, 2 tsp lemon juice, 2 tsp lime juice.



Hey! Nobody told you to stop stirring! Reduce heat, cook for 5 more minutes. Poor into jam jars and refrigerate.


* No pectin, all fruit, quite yummy, must be stored in the frig.
** Yes, you can use this recipe with other fruits, but why would you want to?

Mediterranean Garden Salad

Big Bruiser Heirloom Tomato*
Feeds at least a dozen guests

I spoke excellent French the whole time I was taking French classes in South Dakota. Then I went to France, where people really speak French, and realized how badly I'd been taken on those tuition payments.

It was remarkable how consistently I screwed up deciphering the menus. One evening, my entree turned out to be a tomato the size of my head. Whenever I get together with old friends they tease me about my big tomato night. :)

I didn't know such great, big goodies were available here until I arm wrestled another shopper for this 3-pounder at the Farmer's Market.

* The actual name is the Marvel Stripe Heirloom Tomato, which generally tips the scales at 2-3 pounds.

How did this happen?
Garden zucchinis, apparently, are over-achievers no matter what kind I plant. This 1.5 pound giant was lurking under the vines in my (alleged) miniature veggie garden.

Mediterranean Garden Salad:

• One big ass heirloom tomato
• As much ripe zucchini as you need to get rid of.
• Fresh Mozzarella and Feta cheeses
  
• Balsamic vinegar
• Sprinkle with fresh basil and mint leaves (chopped very fine.)

Lobster Bisque

Make it pretty: Dollops of sour cream, snips of green onion tops and a drizzle of cocktail sauce.

This is the easiest dinner to cook for a girl's night! Soup, wine and crusty artisan bread for dipping.

Speaking of dipping... finish the meal with a gigantic bowl of strawberries and packaged chocolate fondue.

Lobster Bisque Recipe
Steam: As much lobster as you can afford. I used about 1 pound.
Simmer: 1 cup chicken broth and 1/4 cup finely diced yellow onion.
In separate pan:
Melt 2 tbsp. butter. Stir in 2 tbsp flour.
Add 2 cups milk, bring to boil (I use half and half which is why it tastes so yummy. You could go completely nuts and use heavy cream!)

Stir In: Chicken broth, onion, plus:

• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 4 tbsp. Cocktail Sauce
• Salt and pepper, to taste

* This decadent mess can simmer or crockpot for however long you want. I usually add the lobster about 20 minutes before serving so it has a fresher flavor.

Lavender Cookies

French Lavender (Lavender stoechas, zone 8) grows fast by seed in a sunny window, with true flowers vs. narrow sprigs.

All Lavender is edible but most of them don't taste that great. Grow English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) if you plan to cook with it.

Lavender Cookies
1.25 cups butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 cups flour
4 tablespoons fresh lavender flowers, crushed

Cream together butter, sugar and eggs. Mix in the flour and lavender flowers. Spoon onto a cookie sheet. Bake about 15 minutes @ 350 degrees F. (You might as well double the batch right now because you know in your heart that you want to...)

Forced Tulips and French Lavender spend their days sunning themselves on my deck. Both warm their toes, indoors, at night.

Glazed Baby Vegetables

I've been deputized, by Sandy, to host Easter dinner. Clearly I am slipping. For years, I've suckered her into doing all that hard work.

This, of course, has inspired a cleaning frenzy, indoors and out. It's also prompted me to stir up a few side dishes recipes that take no time at all.

Easter Side Dish: Sweet Baby Veggies
1/2 lb. miniature carrots
1/4 lb. miniature zucchini
1/4 lb. patty pan squash
3 tbs. butter
2 tbs. dark brown sugar
Sprinkle with lemon pepper and chopped fresh chives

Steam veggies to crisp-tender. Melt butter and brown sugar in a stir-fry pan. Toss baby vegetables for about 5 minutes, until warm and nicely glazed.

Cornbread Skillet Breakfast Recipe

This oven-baked beauty is a real stick-to-your-ribs kind of breakfast. Great fuel for a full day of fun on the ski slopes. Works best with a heavy, cast iron skillet.

Cornbread Skillet Breakfast Recipe
1/2 pound bacon
1/2 pound Italian turkey sausage
1 cup diced yellow onion
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped small
1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
6 farm fresh eggs
1/2 cup cream cheese
1 cup skim milk
12 oz. premixed cornbread, with 1 tablespoon flour

Cook bacon, sausage and onions. Toss in the peppers for the last few minutes of cooking time. Prepare cornbread mixture, adding 1 tbs. flour to adjust for high altitudes. Give cast iron skillet a good spritz of nonstick cooking spray. Pour half the cornbread batter into the skillet. Add the cooked meat and veggies. Whip the eggs, milk and cream cheese together. Pour over the meat and veggies. Cover with the Cheddar cheese. Top this delightful mess with the rest of the cornbread batter.

Bake @ 400 degrees (F) for about 30 minutes.

* In the mountains, cornbread and other quick breads can sometimes brown too quickly on top, before the batter underneath is completely done. Cover loosely with aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes.

Natchitoches Meat Pies

I may live in the mountains, but I dream of the Deep South. I have family in New Orleans and I've spent a whole lotta time enjoying the downright crazy lifestyles of the folks who call Louisiana home.

So why would I bastaradize their time-honored tradition of the fried meat pie? I didn't! My aunt did.

For as long as I've known her, this life-long resident of Metairie, LA. has been trimming the fat off Louisiana cooking. (In this case, not much fat at all.)

Natchitoches Meat Pie
* The real Natchitoches meat pie is a hand-held, oil-fried masterpiece of flavors. Aunt Florence lightened this up with ground turkey vs. beef, baked vs. fried, pre-made puff pastry vs. homemade pie crust. So, I guess when you get right down to it, this thing tastes nothing at all like that famous pie. :)

• 1/2 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped green onions
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 1-2 tablespoons flour
  
• Hot pepper sauce, to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Puff pastry sheets

Cook turkey, pork, yellow onions, with the garlic and olive oil in a heavy skillet. Half-way through this cooking process, toss in the peppers and green onions. Spice it up however you please. Stir in the flour.

Drain any excess liquid from skillet, allow mixture to cool. Spoon this delightful mess onto a puff pastry sheet, roll it up. (Or, use puff pastry squares to create individual pies.) Brush with a mixture of egg and water. Bake @ 375 (F) for approximately 35 minutes.

Until the real ones are available west of the Mississippi, this recipe will have to do.

Cool place to stay in Natchitoches.