New Years

Champagne Cocktails

December 31, 2011

Champagne Cocktails

By the mid 1800’s the classic Champagne Cocktail was all the rage in genteel society. Cocktails using champagne as a base are as old as the beverage itself. Add fruit to anything that fizzes and you’ve got a drink that’s been around for hundreds of years. One has to believe that the monks who invented champagne put in some local fruit during their experimentation with the bubbly wine that they created. Today champagne cocktails are as hip as ever!

Champagne Cocktail Basics

1. Chill your champagne to 42 to 45° F.

2. Do not use cheap champagne for cocktails.

3. Good ingredients make for a good drink.

4. Use dry champagne for cocktails because most champagne drinks are on the sweet side.

5. Chill the glass/flute ahead of time.

6. Pour small amounts at a time to prevent a foam over. Repeat until the glass is filled.

Classic Champagne Cocktail (From the Metropolitan Hotel, NYC circa 1935)

1 Sugar Cube

Angostura Bitters

Chilled Champagne

Lemon Twist

Champagne Flute

Soak the sugar cube with a couple of good splashes of Angostura

Bitters and place in the bottom of a large champagne flute. Fill

Slowly with the sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist.

For a stronger drink add a “float” of cognac to your Champagne Cocktail or add a splash of Campari instead of the cognac and you’ve got a “Goodnight Kiss.”

Prepare the lemon twists one or two hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate them until they are needed. Lemon twists are made from the entire peel. Peel half a lemon with your thumb (as you would and orange) and then cut several twists from the peel. A twist should be about ¼ inch wide and 1 inch long.

Kir Royale

½ Ounce Crème de Cassis

Champagne

Lemon Twist

Large Wine Glass

Pour the champagne into a large chilled wine glass. Add ½ ounce of crème de cassis and gently stir. Garnish with a twist of lemon.

Mimosa

1 Ounce Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

5 Ounces Champagne

Orange Slice

Wine Glass

Pour the champagne and orange juice into any chilled wine glass and gently stir. Garnish with an orange slice.

Ginger Shrimp

December 28, 2011

Ginger Shrimp

INGREDIENTS

24 Shrimp With Shells On

1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

4 Cloves Chopped Garlic

4 Tablespoons Julienned Fresh Ginger

1 Tablespoon Sugar

¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt

¼ Cup Soy Sauce

¼ Cup Brandy

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over a high heat. Add the shrimp quickly and stir fry. When done remove the shrimp from the oil and set aside. Add the chopped garlic and julienned fresh ginger to the hot oil. Also add the sugar and salt to the wok. Add the shrimp back to the mixture and continue to stir fry. Season with the soy sauce. Add the brandy to flambé. Be very careful as the pan must be very hot in order for it to ignite and you are about to have a large flame coming out of your wok. Do not attempt to do this near any flammable materials or too close to your guests. Once the alcohol has cooked off the dish is ready to serve. You can serve this dish over rice, noodles or its own. Serves 2

Glazed Ham

December 26, 2011

Glazed Ham

A Boxing Day Tradition!

INGREDIENTS

1 Five Pound Cooked Ham

¼ Cup Whole Cloves

¼ Cup Maple Syrup

2 Cups Honey

2/3 Cup Butter

Score the ham and stud with the whole cloves. Place the ham in a foil lined pan. Preheat the oven to 325° F. Using a double boiler, heat the maple syrup, honey and butter. Keep the glaze warm while baking the ham. Brush the glaze over the ham and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Baste the ham every 10 minutes with the glaze. During the last 5 minutes of baking, turn on the broiler to caramelize the glaze. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serves 15

Perfect Pecan Pie

December 25, 2011

Perfect Pecan Pie

INGREDIENTS

9 Inch Pie Shell

3 Large Eggs (Room Temperature)

1 Cup Light Corn Syrup

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/3 Cup Packed Light Brown Sugar

1/3 Cup Sugar

2 ½ Tablespoons Melted & Cooled Unsalted Butter

1/8 Teaspoon Salt

2 Cups Pecan Halves

1 Cup Chilled Heavy Whipped Cream (Optional)

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line the pie pan with the pastry and crimp the edges and store in the refrigerator while preparing the filling. In a large bowl beat the eggs until blended, but not too much. You don’t want the eggs to be frothy. Stir in the corn syrup and the vanilla. In a separate small bowl mix together the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Make sure there are no lumps. Add the sugars, the melted butter and salt into the egg mixture. Spread 1 cup of the pecans on the bottom of the pastry shell. Pour the filling mixture over the pecans. Pour the remaining 1 cup of pecan over the top of the mixture and even them out. Bake the pie for 60 minutes until the filling is slightly puffed and the inserted knife comes out clean. Allow the pie to cool to room temperature. If you would like to serve whip cream then whip the cream and serve it on the side. Serves 8

Cotswold Potatoes

December 25, 2011

Cotswold Potatoes

These mashed potatoes are made with Cotswold cheese. If you don’t have Cotswold cheese then cheddar will do fine.

INGREDIENTS

2 Pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes

1 Cup Heavy Cream

5 Tablespoons Butter (Room Temperature)

1 ½ Cups Shredded Cotswold Cheese

¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt

¼ Teaspoon Paprika

Boil the potatoes, in a medium size saucepan, for 20 minutes until tender. Drain well. Put the potatoes back in the saucepan and stir over a low heat for 2 minutes until dry. Remove from the heat and add ½ cup of the cream and butter. Mash well. Add the grated cheese and seasonings. Combine with a wooden spoon. Add the remaining cream and serve. Serves 4

Perfect Prime Rib

December 25, 2011

Perfect Prime Rib

Prime Rib Roast or Standing Rib Roast is a cut of beef from the rib section. The entire rib section comprises ribs six through twelve of the cow, but can comprise anywhere from two to seven ribs. A slice of Prime Rib Roast will include portions of the “eye” of the rib as well as the outer, fat marbled muscle known as the “lip” or “cap.” The traditional preparation for this roast is to rub the outside with salt and seasonings and slow-roast with dry heat. In the U.S., it is common for bbq purists to apply smoke to the uncooked rib roast at low heat for 2 to 3 hours before dry roasting. In England, Yorkshire Pudding is frequently served as a side dish with prime rib.

INGREDIENTS

3 ½ Teaspoons Sea Salt

1 ½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

3 Cloves Roasted Garlic

4 Tablespoons Softened Butter

1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Fresh Thyme Leaves

1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Fresh Rosemary

1 Prime Rib Roast of Beef (4 to 6 Bones)

2 ½ Cups Red Wine

2 ½ Cups Beef Stock

Preheat the oven to 450° F. Place the garlic cloves in a small bowl and mash with the back of a fork until mostly smooth. Add softened butter, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, the rosemary and thyme, and stir to blend. Pat the mixture evenly over the top and sides of the roast. Season the roast all over with the remaining 2 ½ teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Place the roast in a roasting pan and add 1 ½ cups red wine and ½ cup beef stock to the bottom of the pan. Roast for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350° F and continue to roast to the desired degree of doneness. Roast 18 minutes per pound for rare and 22 minutes per pound for medium. Let stand at least 5 minutes before carving.

To make the au jus, place the roasting pan on the stove burners over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup of the red wine and scrape the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add 2 cups beef stock and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 5 minutes until the wine is reduced by half. Strain the sauce through a sieve to remove the solids before serving. Degrease if necessary. Servings 4 to 8 depending on how hungry you are!

Seared Scallops

December 24, 2011

Seared Scallops

So easy and so delicious! Perfect for the Feast of the Seven Fishes!

INGREDIENTS

16 Sea Scallops

¼ Teaspoon Sea Salt

¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper

½ Cup Cold Unsalted Butter (Cut Into Small Pieces)

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

½ Juiced Lemon

1 Tablespoon Flat Leaf Parsley

Season the scallops with the salt & pepper. In a large skillet warm up 1 tablespoon of the butter and the olive oil over a medium heat. Add the scallops. Make sure not to overcrowd them in the pan. Leave them alone until they form a crust on the bottom. Turn them over on the other side and cook them until the crust forms. Remove the scallops from the pan and place them in a baking dish. Place them in a preheated 450° F oven for 5 minutes. Melt the rest of the butter in a separate pan on the stove. Add the lemon juice and parsley. Stir. When the scallops are ready take them out of the oven and place on a serving platter. Add the butter sauce and serve. Serves 4

Victoria’s Lemon Meringue Pie

December 23, 2011

Lemon Meringue Pie

For a perfect cut before cutting each slice from a meringue topped pie, dip the knife in water and do not dry it off.  This prevents the meringue from sticking to the knife. For a perfect cut before cutting each slice from a meringue topped pie, dip the knife in water and do not dry it off.  This prevents the meringue from sticking to the knife. For a perfect cut before cutting each slice from a meringue topped pie, dip the knife in water and do not dry it off.  This prevents the meringue from sticking to the knife. 

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Sugar

2 Tablespoons Unbleached Flour

3 Tablespoons Cornstarch

1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 1/2Cups Water

2 Juiced & Zested Lemons

2 Tablespoons Butter

4 Beaten Egg Yolks

1 Nine Inch Baked Pie Crust

4 Egg Whites

7 Tablespoons Sugar

In a medium size saucepan whisk together 1 cup of sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Stir in the water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over a medium high heat. Make sure to stir frequently. Cook until the mixture comes to a boil. Stir in the butter. In a small size bowl beat the egg yolk and then gradually whisk in ½ cup of the hot sugar mixture. Whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until the mixture becomes thick. Remove from the heat and pour the filling into the baked pastry shell. Preheat the oven to 350° F. For the meringue you will need to get either a large glass or metal bowl. Whip the egg whites until they are foamy. Add the 7 tablespoons of sugar gradually. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread the meringue over the pie and make sure to seal the edges at the crust. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until the meringue is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool. Refrigerate and serve. Serves 8

Holiday Spinach Dip

December 21, 2011

Holiday Spinach Dip

This is a quick and easy dip to make when just a few people are coming over or you are hosting a large holiday party. It is best when made one day ahead. Everyone seems to love this Spinach Dip!

INGREDIENTS

2 Large Bell Peppers

¼ Cup Olive Oil

2 (10 Ounce) Packages Frozen Chopped Spinach – Defrosted & Squeezed Dry

1 Cup Ranch Dressing

1 Cup Sour Cream

1 Cup Chopped Water Chestnuts

2 Teaspoons Teriyaki Sauce

1 Teaspoon Minced Garlic

½ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

Turn your oven to broil. While the oven is heating up place the bell peppers on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Rub the bell peppers with the olive oil. Place the baking sheet under the broiler for 5 minutes each side. Remove from the oven and place in a heatproof bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand until they are cool enough to handle. Keeping the peppers whole, peel them, cut off their tops and scoop out and throw away the seeds and ribs. Dice the peppers and keep ½ cup for the dip. Wrap and refrigerate any leftover diced peppers for future use. In a medium size bowl combine the ½ cup diced peppers and all of the other ingredients. Mix well and place in a covered container. Refrigerate at least one day ahead. Makes 3 cups.

English Toffee

December 8, 2011

English Toffee

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Unsalted Butter

1 1/3 Cups Sugar

1 Tablespoon Light Corn Syrup

3 Tablespoons Water

1 Pound Bittersweet Chocolate

1 Pound Ground Pecans

Melt the butter and sugar in a medium size saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the corn syrup and water. Boil over a high heat until the candy thermometer reads 300° F. Pour onto a greased cookie sheet. Melt the chocolate over a low heat in a small saucepan. Evenly spread the toffee with the melted chocolate. While the chocolate is still warm cover with the ground pecans. Cool for 20 minutes and then cut into pieces. Serves 10

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