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
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
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!
Steamed Lobster
Easier to cook than to eat! All you need is a large pot and water!
INGREDIENTS
Water
2 Lobsters (2 Pounds Each)
Melted Butter
In a pot large enough to hold both lobsters add 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. If you have a steaming rack for your pot then use it as it will help prevent the lobsters from touching the bottom of the pot and charring. If you don’t have a steaming rack then don’t worry about it. Add the lobsters and steam for 15 minutes. Remove the lobsters and let them cool for 10 minutes before removing the claw and tail meat from the shells. Serve with melted butter if you desire. Serves 4
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
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
Spaghetti With Mussels
INGREDIENTS
½ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 Thinly Sliced Garlic Cloves
1 Cup White Wine
2 Pounds Small Mussels (Scrubbed & Debearded)
1 Pound Spaghetti
¼ Cup Finely Chopped Italian Parsley
Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes
Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add 2 tablespoons of salt. In a 12 inch sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook until light golden brown (for about a minute). Add the wine and raise the heat. Bring to a boil and then add the mussels. Cook, stirring and tossing, until all of the mussels have opened up (about 4 minutes). Meanwhile, drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain well. Add the pasta to the pan with the mussels and cook over high heat for 1 minute. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and serve immediately.
Butterscotch Pie
INGREDIENTS
¾ Cup Brown Sugar
¼ Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Unbleached Flour
2 Cups Scalding Milk
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
3 Eggs Separated
1 ½ Tablespoons Butter
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Baked Pastry Shell
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Combine the brown sugar and white sugar with the flour. Gradually add the hot milk. Stir constantly to make a smooth mixture. Add the salt and cook in the top of a double boiler for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally until thickened. Pour part of the hot mixture slowly onto the well beaten egg yolks. Stir constantly. Pour back into the double boiler. Mix well and cook not more than 3 minutes. Stir constantly. Add the butter and stir until melted. Cool. Add the vanilla and stir. Pour into the baked pastry shell. Make the meringue by beating the egg whites until they are stiff. Add the sugar and beat. Gradually add the vanilla and beat until well blended. Cover with the meringue using the remaining egg whites. Brown in the preheated 300° F oven for 20 minutes. Makes 1 pie.
Cauliflower With Bread Crumbs
I absolutely LOVE this cauliflower side dish. Lots of butter and bread crumbs makes it so delicious! When I have leftovers I puree it in the food processor and spread it on sandwiches.
INGREDIENTS
1 Head Cauliflower
½ Cup Butter
½ Teaspoon Coarse Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
½ Cup Bread Crumbs
Remove the outer green leaves from the cauliflower and wash. Break apart into flowerets and cook uncovered, in a medium sized pot, in salted boiling water until tender but not mushy. Drain in a colander and set aside. Heat the pot over a medium heat and add the butter. Cook the butter until almost melted and then add the salt, pepper and bread crumbs. Stir until combined. Add the cauliflower and stir into the butter and bread crumbs. Cook for 3 minutes stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and place in a serving dish. Serve warm. Serves 4
Root Beer Float
I remember many a Root Beer Float at the A&W Drive-In when I was young. I still love Root Beer Floats. They are so simple to make and are delicious!
INGREDIENTS
2 Quarts Chilled Good Quality Root Beer
8 Scoops French Vanilla Ice Cream
8 Ten Ounce Drinking Glasses or Float Glasses
Place 1 scoop of ice cream in each glass. Top with 8 ounces of Root Beer. Serve immediately with a straw and a long handled spoon. Serves 8
