Chicken Breasts Stuffed With Asparagus

Celebrate the rites of spring.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed With Asparagus
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Ingredients
  1. 4 Whole chicken breasts, halved, boned and pounded
  2. 24 medium asparagus spears, lightly blanched
  3. 1/4 cup butter, melted
  4. 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  5. 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  6. 1/4 cup white wine
  7. 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
  8. 1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
  9. 2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
  10. Book Reference – The Best of the Best – Vol. 1 (Page: 212), Aces (Page: 120
Instructions
  1. Prepare chicken and asparagus. Combine butter, mustard, garlic and wine. Dip chicken breasts in this mixture to coat. Place 3 asparagus spears on each breast and roll securing with a toothpick. Mix bread crumbs, Parmesan and parsley together and roll breasts in this mixture. Bake 30 minutes at 350 F. Serves 4 – 6. Pass the blender hollandaise sauce and hear the raves.
Notes
  1. Serves 4 – 6. Pass the blender hollandaise sauce and hear the raves.
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Fresh Pear and Curry Pasta

Vegetarian dinner for 2. You can never find ripe pears! Buy some a couple of days ahead and ripen in a paper bag. Enjoy the rest for dessert with Stilton cheese!

Fresh Pear and Curry Pasta
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Ingredients
  1. Vegetarian dinner for 2. You can never find ripe pears! Buy some a couple of days ahead and ripen in a paper bag. Enjoy the rest for dessert with Stilton cheese!
Ingredients
  1. 1/2 small onion, chopped
  2. 2 Tbsp. oil
  3. 2 garlic cloves, minced
  4. 1 Tbsp. medium curry paste
  5. 1 tsp. tomato paste (store the rest in the freezer for future use)
  6. 2 Tbsp. honey
  7. 2 cups chicken broth
  8. 1 unpeeled ripe pear, sliced in thin wedges
  9. 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
  10. 2 Tbsp. cream or milk
  11. 3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
  12. pasta for 2: rotini or bow ties
Instructions
  1. In a frying pan over medium heat, saute onion in oil until soft. Add garlic and curry paste and stir 2-3 minutes. Add tomato paste and honey and stir another 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, increase heat to medium high and boil gently, reducing liquid to less than 1 cup. (This takes about 15 minutes: now is a good time to start cooking the pasta.) Add pear slices and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cream and stir another 2 minutes. Stir in chopped cilantro. Pour over pasta and toss gently. If your dinner companion insists on meat, serve with grilled chicken breast or pork tenderloin. Mixed greens and balsamic vinaigrette is perfect compliment.
Instructions
  1. In a frying pan over medium heat, saute onion in oil until soft. Add garlic and curry paste and stir 2-3 minutes. Add tomato paste and honey and stir another 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, increase heat to medium high and boil gently, reducing liquid to less than 1 cup. (This takes about 15 minutes: now is a good time to start cooking the pasta.) Add pear slices and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cream and stir another 2 minutes. Stir in chopped cilantro. Pour over pasta and toss gently. If your dinner companion insists on meat, serve with grilled chicken breast or pork tenderloin. Mixed greens and balsamic vinaigrette is perfect compliment.
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Land of Nod Cinnamon Buns

Who would think you could be this organized so early in the a.m.!!

Land of Nod Cinnamon Buns
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Ingredients
  1. Who would think you could be this organized so early in the a.m.!!
Ingredients
  1. 20 frozen dough rolls (or 1 frozen bread loaf, thawed (approx. 1 hour) until sliceable and cut into 12 pieces
  2. 1 cup brown sugar
  3. 1/4 cup vanilla instant pudding
  4. 1-2 Tbsp. cinnamon
  5. 3/4 cup raisins (optional)
  6. 1/4-1/2 cup melted butter
Instructions
  1. Before you put the cat out and turn off the lights, grease a 10″ bundt pan and add frozen rolls. Sprinkle with brown sugar, pudding powder, cinnamon and raisins. Pour melted butter over all. Cover with a clean, damp cloth. (leave out at room temperature). Turn out the lights and say goodnight!
Notes
  1. In the morning, preheat oven to 350 F. and bake for 25 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes and then turn out on a serving plate. Now, aren’t you clever?
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Cocktail Crisps

Cocktail Crisps
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Ingredients
  1. 1 cup butter 250ml
  2. 8 oz. pkg. Imperial cheese (sharp cold pack cheddar cheese) 250g
  3. dash of salt
  4. 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper or tabasco 1ml
  5. 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1ml
  6. 1 1/2 cups flour 375ml
  7. 4 cups Rice Krispies
Instructions
  1. Cream butter and cheese together. Add seasonings. Beat in flour then add Rice Krispies. Mix well. Shape into balls. Press down with a fork which has been dipped in cold water. Bake at 350F (180C) for 15-20 minutes, until lightly browned.
Notes
  1. Makes about 4 dozen.
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Our favorite cocktail cookie – freezes well. Package up a bundle to make a delicious hostess gift.
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Family Favourite Meatloaf

We are amazed at how often we are asked for good old meat loaf – Here’s our favourite.

Family Favorite Meatloaf
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Ingredients
  1. 1 lb. ground beef (500 g)
  2. 1/2 medium onion, chopped
  3. 1/2 cup milk (125 mL)
  4. 1 egg, beaten
  5. 8 crushed soda crackers
  6. salt & pepper to taste
Sauce
  1. 1/4 cup ketchup (60 mL)
  2. 1/4 cup water (60 mL)
  3. 1 tsp. dry mustard (5 mL)
  4. 1/2 cup brown sugar (125 mL)
Instructions
  1. Combine ground beef, onion, milk, egg, crackers, salt and pepper and mix well. Place in a large loaf pan and make a groove down the center of loaf. In a bowl combine ketchup, water, mustard and brown sugar. Pour over meat and bake at 350 F (180 C) for 1 hour; drain. Serve with baked potatoes and a green vegetable. Serves 4-6.
nstructions
  1. Combine ground beef, onion, milk, egg, crackers, salt and pepper and mix well. Place in a large loaf pan and make a groove down the center of loaf. In a bowl combine ketchup, water, mustard and brown sugar. Pour over meat and bake at 350 F (180 C) for 1 hour; drain. Serve with baked potatoes and a green vegetable. Serves 4-6.
Notes
  1. Book Reference – The Best of the Best Vol. 1 (Page: 236), Winners (Page: 107)
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Tourtiere With Mushroom Sauce

A Christmas eve tradition and a perfect gift. Save time and your sanity – make ahead and freeze.

Tourtiere With Mushroom Sauce
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Ingredients
  1. Enough pastry for 3, 2-crust pies
  2. 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground pork 750g
  3. 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef 750g
  4. 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion 375ml
  5. 1 tsp. thyme 5ml
  6. 1 tsp. sage 5ml
  7. 1 tsp. dry mustard 5ml
  8. 2 tsp. salt 10ml
  9. 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 125ml
  10. 2 garlic cloves, minced
  11. pepper to taste
  12. 1 cup water 250ml
  13. 1 cup bread crumbs 250ml
  14. or 2 cups (500 ml) mashed potatoes
  15. Mushroom Sauce
  16. 2 Tbsp. butter 30ml
  17. 3 cups sliced mushrooms 750ml
  18. 1/2 cup sliced onions 125ml
  19. 2 Tbsp. butter 30ml
  20. 2 tsp. flour 10ml
  21. 1 cup beef broth 250ml
  22. 1/2 cup dry red wine 125ml
Instructions
To Make Filling
  1. In frying pan, lightly brown meat. Drain off fat. Add onion and stir in seasonings. Add water, cover and simmer 15 minutes, or until most of liquid is absorbed but mixture is still moist. Add bread crumbs. Let cool. Spoon mixture into pastry-lined 9″ pie plates. Cover with top crusts, seal and flute edges. May be frozen at this point. Cut slashes on top to release steam. Bake 425 F for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 350F and bake 30 minutes or until well browned. This recipe can also be made as an appetizer using tart shells.
  2. To Make Mushroom Sauce: Saute mushrooms and onions in butter for 10 minutes. Remove to plate. Melt butter and blend flour and a few tablespoons of beef broth into pan juices. Stir in remaining beef broth and wine. Bring to a boil until mixture thickens. Add mushrooms and onions back into sauce. Serve warm with tourtiere.
  3. For a change and less work you can serve with cranberry sauce on the side and a dollop of sour cream.
Instructions
  1. To Make Mushroom Sauce: Saute mushrooms and onions in butter for 10 minutes. Remove to plate. Melt butter and blend flour and a few tablespoons of beef broth into pan juices. Stir in remaining beef broth and wine. Bring to a boil until mixture thickens. Add mushrooms and onions back into sauce. Serve warm with tourtiere.
Notes
  1. For a change and less work you can serve with cranberry sauce on the side and a dollop of sour cream.
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Light Christmas Cake

Our friend Irene doubles this and bakes in 2 – 9″ x 13″ pans. When cooled, she cuts the cakes in half lengthwise,then divides into three. She has 12 nice gifts for her best friends – that’s us!

Light Christmas Cake
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Ingredients
  1. 1/2 lb. butter 250g
  2. 1 1/2 cups white sugar 375ml
  3. 6 eggs
  4. 1/2 cup orange juice 125ml
  5. 3 cups regular flour, sifted 750ml
  6. 1 tsp. baking powder 5ml
  7. 1 tsp. salt 5ml
  8. juice and zest of 1 lemon
  9. 1/2 lb. red glace cherries 250g
  10. 1/2 lb. green glace cherries 250g
  11. 1/2 lb. citron peel 250g
  12. 2 slices each, red and green pineapple, cut up
  13. 2 lbs. Sultana raisins 1k
  14. 1/2 lb. blanched almonds 250g
  15. 1/4 cup Rum, optional 60ml
Instructions
  1. Preparation: Line the sides and bottom of a three-sized christmas cake tin set with buttered brown paper (or parchment paper). The night before you make the cake, pour boiling water over the raisins, drain, and dry on paper towelling. Leave overnight. Place fruit in a bowl and mix with 1/2 the flour. Cream sugar and butter, add beaten eggs, orange and lemon juice and zest. Add remaining flour, baking powder and salt. Mix well. Add floured fruit and chopped almonds. Pour into pans. Place a pan containing about 2″ of water on the bottom oven rack while cake is baking. Bake at 275 for two hours. Check the baking time after one hour. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick – it should come out dry. Cool cakes. If desired, poke cooled cakes with a skewer and drizzle with rum.
Notes
  1. Wrap well and store in cool place.
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I love playing the violin, especailly when I am depressed – it helps me keep my chin up.
 

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

You’ll be ‘thankful’ for this one.

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
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Ingredients
  1. You’ll be ‘thankful’ for this one.
Ingredients
  1. 1 envelope unflavoured gelatin (1Tbsp.) 7 g
  2. 1/2 cup cold water 125ml
  3. 4 eggs, separated
  4. 1 cup evaporated milk 250ml
  5. 1 cup canned pumpkin 250ml
  6. 1/2 cup brown sugar 125ml
  7. 1/2 tsp. salt 2ml
  8. 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 2ml
  9. 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 2ml
  10. 1/4 tsp. ginger 1 ml
  11. 1/4 cup brown sugar 50ml
  12. 1 – 9″ baked pie shell 23cm
  13. 1 cup whipping cream, whipped 250ml
nstructions
  1. Soften gelatin in cold water. Set aside. In double boiler heat egg yolks, milk, pumpkin, 1/2 cup brown sugar and spices. Cook, stirring for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add gelatin, stirring until dissolved. Refrigerate until thick. Beat egg whites and 1/4 cup (50ml) brown sugar until thick. Fold into pumpkin mixture. Turn into pie shell, top with whipped cream and refrigerate until ready to serve
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