Bloody Mary Shrimp & Mango-Curry Shrimp At Nancy’s

March 16, 2019May 28, 2015 by Michel

Bloody Mary Shrimp & Mango-Curry Shrimp At Nancy’s

Bloody Mary Shrimp & Mango-Curry Shrimp in Wonton Cups

These two homemade shrimp appetizer’s are fun and delicious! Bloody Mary Shrimp and Mango-Curry Shrimp in wonton cups will soon be on your go to list for summer appetizers! My good friend Nancy passed these wonderful recipes on to me which she found at epicurious.com. They certainly have a an enormous assortment of recipes there to choose from and sometimes it can be overwhelming finding the ones you like so I feel fortunate to have a fellow foodie pass these on.

These two shrimp appetizer’s just might be the easiest and most delicious recipes you’ll have this summer. The Bloody Mary shrimp is so flavorful with all the same condiments that make up “the” cocktail including the vodka but in little nibble sizes. Serving up this appetizer on a spoon makes for a lovely presentation too. You can find these spoons at party stores and sometimes even at Stop & Shop.

The Mango-Curry Shrimp in wonton cups is another winner with a variety of fresh flavors from the green curry sauce to the mango chutney which both come prepared from the specialty section of the grocery store totally saving you time in the prep department …Hallelujah! You know me with the mayo thing … as much as I love my Hellman’s Mayo I do like to cut the mayo with some plain Greek yogurt to give it a little tang and a wonderful fresh texture so I give you that option in the list of ingredients for this appetizer.

It was an enjoyable day shooting this show and having my good friend Nancy share with us a couple of her favorite appetizer’s that she frequently entertains with. We will definitely be back cooking with Nancy this summer and visiting her garden to pick heirloom tomatoes for that scrumptious homemade Tomato Tartan! Hope you enjoy the show and let me know how you like the Bloody Mary Shrimp & Mango-Curry Shrimp appetizer’s.

Ingredients For THE BLOODY MARY SHRIMP:

1 pound medium shrimp in shell, peeled and de-veined
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery (2 -3 ribs)
1 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 6)

Directions For THE BLOODY MARY SHRIMP:

Bring a large saucepan of salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 2 quarts water) to a boil.
Add shrimp, then remove from heat and let stand in water until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Drain in a colander and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Cut shrimp into thirds and transfer to a large bowl with celery and scallions.

Ingredients For THE SAUCE:

1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup vodka (preferably Absolut Peppar)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons bottled horseradish (not drained), or to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco OR Siracha (also found where the tabasco is shelved at the store)
S&P to taste

Directions For THE SAUCE:

Whisk together all sauce ingredients
Just before serving, stir sauce into shrimp mixture.
Spoon 2 shrimp pieces with vegetables and sauce into each soup spoon and arrange spoons on a platter.

NOTE: Shrimp can be cooked and tossed with vegetables 4 hours ahead, then chilled in a sealed bag. Sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Mix the sauce and shrimp right before serving.

Ingredients For THE MANGO-CURRY SHRIMP:

12 wonton wrappers (from one 12-ounce package), each cut into squares
Vegetable oil
1/3 cup mayonnaise OR split the 1/3 cup mayo in half with Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
5 teaspoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons mango chutney
1 teaspoon Thai green curry paste (Thai green curry paste is available at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets)
12 ounces peeled cooked medium shrimp, coarsely chopped
1 cup Fresh cilantro leaves coarsely chopped

Directions For THE MANGO-CURRY SHRIMP IN WONTON CUPS – Pre-Heat oven to 325º:

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Place wonton squares on work surface and brush lightly with oil
Press each into miniature muffin cup, oiled side down
Bake until wonton cups are golden brown, about 10 minutes
Cool completely in tins -Can be made 3 days ahead
Remove cups from tins and store airtight at room temperature
Whisk mayonnaise, chopped fresh cilantro, lime juice, chutney, and curry paste in medium bowl to blend
Stir in shrimp. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper. (Salad can be prepared up to 1 day ahead – Cover and refrigerate
Place wonton cups on serving platter
Spoon 1 tbsp shrimp salad into each cup
Garnish with cilantro leaves

Homemade Salmon Gravlax

March 14, 2019May 16, 2015 by Michel

Homemade Salmon Gravlax

What a treat it is to have homemade salmon gravlax. It’s an even bigger delight to be able to make it yourself at home and have left overs the next day that are just as incredible as the first day they finished curing. Not to mention the money you will save from the astronomical price tag usually attached to those salmon gravlax or Nova lox if you were to buy them at a specialty shop!

You won’t believe how easy it is until you make these gourmet salmon gravlax for yourself. It is very important that when you do decide to make my homemade salmon gravlax to buy wild salmon and NOT farm raised. The wild salmon is definitely going to be pricier then the farm raised but you will still be saving a ton from having a specialty shop cure and sell them to you.

Now there is a little difference between salmon gravlax and Nova lox. Nova lox come from Nova Scotia and are cold smoked after the curing or brining process using some kind of brandy, gin or lemon vodka. Gravlax is the Scandinavian preparation of lox with just the curing or brining using dill and other spices like juniper berries, pepper corns as well as a liquid like an aquavit or vodka. Gravlax actually originated a lot like how sushi evolved in Asia where they buried the fish in rice to preserve and ferment. Gravlax was made by fishmen who salted and fermented it by burying it in the sand …hence the Scandinavian word “grava” meaning to dig.

This homemade salmon gravlax recipe of mine came from a good friend, Jim, who is a saucier himself and always has an endless assortment of great recipes up his sleeve. His wife Jen and him are also big foodies and a lot of fun has been had with them in our own “kitchen cook-offs”! Needless to say I have been making these homemade salmon gravlax for over fifteen years and the results are always amazing. They are for sure “easy gourmet”.

With all the graduations and summer parties around the corner I think you better get busy and invest in some Coho wild salmon or do a little fishing yourself. I actually bought my Coho wild salmon that’s in the cooking show at Whole Foods Market. Their Coho wild caught salmon is packaged and flash frozen by the fisherman to a certain degree required by FDA law to kill any parasites and is ready for distribution. You may never buy store bought salmon gravlax or Nova lox at specialty shops again after eating this incredible delicacy! I hope you Enjoy the “Homemade Salmon Gravlax” show!

INGREDIENTS for Salmon GRAVLAX:

1 1/2 -2 lbs. fresh Wild Coho Salmon (flash frozen or right out of the ocean!)
3-4 tbsp sea salt ( USE 2 tbsp PER POUND of salmon)
3-4 tbsp sugar (USE 2 tbsp PER POUND of salmon)
2 tbsp vodka or aquavit
1 lg bunch of fresh dill
2 tbsp pepper corns -OPTIONAL -for a little spice (Use pepper corns not ground pepper)

DIRECTIONS for Salmon GRAVLAX:

Cut 2 lb salmon filet in 1/2 so we can sandwich the halves together with salmon flesh facing the inside
Whisk dry ingredients together salt, sugar and peppercorns
Sprinkle about 1 tsp of vodka on the flesh sides of each of the salmon halves
Rub all of the dry mixture onto the flesh sides and skin sides of the salmon halves…most of the rub should be on the flesh side though
Lay fresh dill bunch onto one the the salmon fillets, on the flesh side
Sandwich the other salmon fillet on top so that the flesh sides are facing each other
Place into a Ziploc baggie and place in a glass baking dish
Top the salmon fillets with cast iron pans and large cans – YOU NEED TO WEIGHT THE SALMON DOWN (tomato or vegetable cans work great)
Place into the frig and cure for 3 days (2-3 days preferably 3)
Flip the curing salmon every 24 hours making sure to out the weights back on
On day 3 remove the salmon from the baggie and pick off all of the toppings (dill, pepper corns) and give a QUICK rinse or rub off toppings with a damp paper towel (you don’t want to run water over your cured salmon … it’s a QIUCK rinse)
Pat completely dry and sliced salmon on a bias as shown in the show
Serve with mustard sauce or cream cheese-caper mixture and bagels or rye bread rounds and a sprig of fresh dill on top
Mangia mangia

INGREDIENTS for CREAM CHEESE SPREAD:

6 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
2 tbsp finely chopped red onion
2 tbsp small capers
1/2 fresh squeezed lemon
2 tbsp chopped fresh dil

Bring cream cheese to room temperature, add remaining ingredients and mix to combine

INGREDIENTS for MUSTARD SAUCE:

2 tbsp Dijon
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp finely chopped red onion
2 tbsp finely chopped dill
3 tbsp “seasoned” rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp good olive oil

Put first 4 ingredients in a medium size bowl, add in vinegar and begin to whisk in olive oil

Gourmet Crispy Oven Fries

March 3, 2016April 20, 2015 by Michel

Gourmet Crispy Oven Fries

These gourmet crispy oven fries are super easy and delicious. Now that’s a combination we can all live with. I’m not into fussing around with rinsing, soaking, pre-boiling, semi-nuking, and then baking or doing a double frying. What, we don’t have anything else to do with our time! There aren’t enough hours in a day as it is so why waste our valuable time with unnecessary steps when it can be done so easily.

My gourmet crispy oven fries recipe is so easy you will think you are missing a step! I have been making these oven fries for years and I am still getting wonderful results. Granted, everyone’s oven runs a little differently so that’s why I have you check the fries at the 30 minute mark to make sure they are not getting too dark. Keeping them all the same size is key to having great fries so they all finish browning at the same time. I have also never stopped using olive oil to make these fries. Of course, I have done trial runs testing with other oils like vegetable or canola oil but the fries are always stuck to the cookie sheet in the end and that for me seems to happen because they are a thinner oil. I really like the ease of using olive oil and they get that pretty golden color that I want. You still have to use a spatula to remove the golden fries from the tray but it’s an easy release.

Having a homemade dipping sauce as tasty as my remoulade sauce made with greek yogurt is pretty much a no brainer for me. This sauce has the tang from the yogurt, a little sweet from the ketchup and a nice spice from the fresh garlic and Siracha…..yum. You need to try this sauce with my c rab cakes ,bacon wrapped sea scallops or my baked coconut shrimp recipe. It’s such a nice combination and a change up from plain ketchup! This gourmet remoulade sauce is outrageous on sandwiches too especially turkey burgers or even beef for that matter!

INGREDIENTS FOR GREEK YOGURT REMOULADE SAUCE:

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/3 cup Hellman’s mayo
3 tbsp. ketchup
1 dash Siracha – OPTIONAL (Siracha is a hot chili sauce sold next to the Tabasco at the store or what ever your favorite hot sauce is!)
Juice from 1/2 lime
1 lg. garlic clove (put thru press )
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar (I use “seasoned” rice wine vinegar)
Freshly chopped chives to sprinkle on top of finished remoulade

DIRECTIONS FOR REMOULADE:

Whisk all of the ingredients except the chives in a mixing bowl, then top with chopped chives

Ingredients FOR GOURMET OVEN CRISPY FRIES:

4 Med. size Russet potatoes OR Yukon potatoes sliced into sticks and pat dry with paper towels
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp onion granules
FOR GARLIC FRIES: 4 cloves fresh chopped garlic and 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley with 1 tbsp butter heated for 5-8 minutes in oven while it’s pre-heating for fries to take the bite out of the garlic or heat in a small pan on the stove on low for 10 minutes

Directions FOR GOURMET OVEN CRISPY FRIES:

Pre-heat the oven to 450º.
Slice potatoes in 1/4″ sticks or wedges – NOTE: if you cut into wedges you need to keep an eye on them because the thin pointy edges might burn before they are done
Dab with paper towels to dry excess potato moisture (starch) IMMEDIATELY or they will turn brown and layer cut up potato fries in between layers of paper towels while you are cutting
NOTE: if any of the fries do turn brown just quickly rinse and blot dry
Toss all the cut up fries onto a cookie sheet
Drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp garlic, onion and salt
Mixed with hands and then spread out into even layer on cookie sheet
Bake for 35 minutes BUT check at 30 minutes…No need to flip because the bottom gets cripsy….just leave them alone til the end

Gourmet Caesar Salad

March 14, 2019April 6, 2015 by Michel

Gourmet Caesar Salad

Caesar salads are probably one of my favorite salads of all time. So many wonderful flavors and textures in this combination from the crunchy garlic croutons (shown below) to the sharpness of the Reggiano Parmesano shaved on top. Then there’s a creaminess with the grated Parmesan and dijon in the actual dressing itself and a tang from the lemon and Dijon. Let’s not forget about that savory flavor in the undertones that you just can’t put your finger on with the anchovy paste and Worcestershire sauce. This Caesar salad is a winner all around!

You will really like how perfectly simple this recipe is and how you can totally make the croutons ahead of time, even weeks ahead. One of the reasons I love this recipe is the make ahead concept which makes our busy lives more enjoyable. You can make my homemade garlic croutons weeks ahead and keep them fresh in a Ziploc baggie in the freezer. Then make my gourmet Caesar salad dressing the morning of your event storing it in a container in the refrigerator until needed. Last but not least the romaine, which you can clean and cut up the night before storing that in a Ziploc baggie while taking the air out ensuring the freshness as I show you in my VIDEO. Cutting up the romaine into 1/2″ strips is key to serving this at a party or picnic making it easy to eat and eliminating the need for unnecessary utensils.

Now there’s the whole dilemma on whether or not to use a raw egg yolk. If I am having a small group of foodie friends over I would definitely add in a raw egg yolk to my Caesar salad dressing because it makes it that much more decadent. If you have never tried it with a farm fresh or organic egg yolk yet you should definitely treat yourself! When I do use an egg yolk I drizzle in the full half cup of olive oil and also add in an extra tablespoon or two of rice wine vinegar and lemon juice . Adding in a tablespoon extra of each will give it a nice balance. It’s basically to get the desired thickness you want because that added yolk offers up an extra thick and creaminess to the dressing this way you thin it out a pinch. For the most part when I make this gourmet Caesar salad for parties and picnics where I’m not sure if there will be someone there with an allergy I play it safe and omit the raw egg. And NO, I am not worried about salmonella with the raw egg because I only use farm fresh eggs directly from the farm or organic brown eggs from the food market. The ONLY time I would buy bulk white eggs from the store is when we are boiling and dyeing eggs for a holiday like Easter. You have to be picky about your ingredients, even the eggs are very important.

A large shallow dish like the one I have in the photos and in my video show is a great investment for salads like this. I have found many gorgeous platters and bowls like this at very economical prices at stores like Home Goods and TJ Max…you should definitely check out those deals! When I have many friends over for dinner I often serve the Caesar salad in that large shallow bowl and if it’s a more intimate dinner party I even plate up individual size portions which also make for a pretty presentation.

Not only can this bold full flavored salad hold up on its own as an appetizer but you can certainly pear it up with some crab cakes, lazy mans lasagna, lobster mac & cheese, or some pulled beef taco’s and ending with chocolate eclairs would just put it over the top!

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CAESAR SALAD DRESSING

CAESAR SALAD DRESSING RECIPE:

1 large/2 medium cloves of garlic put thru garlic press
1 egg yolk farm fresh or organic brown eggs ONLY – EGG YOLK OPTIONAL
1 Tbsp Dijon – Grey Poupon or Maille
1 Tsp anchovie paste
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fine blk pepper
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar “seasoned” (this comes original or seasoned …I prefer seasoned)
between 1/3 – 1/2 cup good olive oil
1/4-1/3 cup grated Reggiano Parmesan
2 good dashes of your favorite hot sauce (I use Siracha in this recipe)

DIRECTIONS for the CAESAR DRESSING:

In a medium bowl add garlic thru press, anchovie paste, salt, pepper and Dijon
Mash these items together with the back of a spoon to combine and form a paste in a wooden bowl
Transfer paste to a large glass bowl
Add in 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce, dash of Siracha and rice wine vinegar/ lemon juice mixture
Separate egg yolk from white and add to glass bowl (EGG YOLK OPTIONAL) and whisk immediately
Then very slowly whisk in olive oil so it emulsifies JUST DRIZZLE IN DROPS AT A TIME or IT WILL NOT EMULSIFY and you will have to start over
NOTE: Adding in the egg yolk makes it super easy to emulsify the dressing
Lastly, whisk in 1/3 grated Reggiano Parmesan
Put the dressing into a canning jar for ease and pop it into the frig til you are ready to use
Be sure to take out 30 minutes before you use the dressing so it can come to room temperature
Will be good for a few days in the frig

DIRECTIONS- for Assembling the Caesar Salad:

Cut ends off of romaine hearts then cut them in half length wise
Wash and spin leaves
Lay the leaves down on paper towels to catch any additional moisture
Put 3 or 4 pieces at a time layered on top of one another and slice into 1/2″ strips which make it ideal for a party so there no need for a knife
Here you can put the cut romaine pieces into large freezer Ziploc baggies and into the frig til you are ready to assemble the Caesar salad OR
Put into a large shallow bowl, add dressing, and toss
Top with shredded Parmesan and Italian garlic croutons (shown below) and mangia-mangia!

Garlic Croutons

INGREDIENTS FOR GARLIC CROUTONS: Makes 12 -13 cups of Croutons – 1 Ex-Lg Ziploc Freezer Baggie of Croutons:

1- 1 1/2 large loafs of good Italian bead (14-15 cups croutons-use 1/2 stick butter and 3 tbsp olive oil if you have 10 cup of bread cubes)
- 4 large garlic cloves put thru garlic press
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3/4 stick butter (salted) melted
- 4 tsp garlic granules (not powder) – Sprinkle 2 tsp per cookie tray
- 1 tsp salt
- A couple dashes of your favorite hot sauce Siracha -you can find this with the other hot sauces at the super market
- 2 cookie trays

DIRECTIONS FOR GARLIC CROUTONS:

Pre-heat oven to 400º
Slice bread into 3/4″ slices length wise
Then slice into 3/4″ squares, you don’t want them to be perfect – that’s what’s lovely about hand made croutons they don’t look like they came from a box
Melt 3/4 stick of butter
In a large mixing bowl add 1/4 cup olive oil, 3/4 stick melted butter, 4 garlic cloves thru garlic press, 1 Tsp salt, and whisk to mix
Divide this mixture into two and pour onto the 2 cookie trays spreading them evenly all over the tray
Divide up Italian bread cubes into 2 and put onto the 2 cookie trays right on the olive oil mixture
Stir the cut up bread cubes all around the cookie tray to evenly coat and soak up all of the olive oil mixture. I use a pastry scraper (see photo) to do this…a tool which I use a lot!
NOW sprinkle 2 Tsp of garlic granules on each of the cookie trays filled with Italian garlic croutons
Put into the oven for 12 minutes til golden
IMPORTANT – they go quickly at the end so you really need to watch them so they don’t burn
Let the Italian garlic croutons cool before putting them into a Freezer Ziploc baggie
I usually keep them on the counter for a few days then throw them into the freezer to store and keep fresh

Arancini Reuben Balls

March 29, 2020March 14, 2015 by Michel

Arancini Reuben Balls

My homemade Arancini Reuben Balls are absolutely gourmet. Arancini balls, also called risotto balls, are an Italian appetizer made with left over risotto, stuffed with mozzarella and prosciutto, then breaded and deep fried! Oh boy, they are out of this world. They are crispy on the outside, and creamy and cheesy on the the inside. You can eat them plain or serve them with a tomato sauce.

My homemade Arancini Reuben Balls are made with risotto, diced corned beef, Swiss cheese, cream cheese and sautéed jalapeño’s to incorporate that “popper” flavor! I serve them with my gourmet thousand island dressing which I make with Greek yogurt and a creamy horseradish to compliment the corned beef. The flavors of the risotto balls paired up with the thousand island dressing are outstanding!

Do you remember having poppers? You know, those deep fried jalapeno’s stuffed with cream cheese? Wow, I used to love those little morsels and I haven’t had them in ages so that’s why I thought it would be fun to put a twist on my Risotto Reuben Balls. It was a great idea too because the cream cheese lightens up the risotto balls and the jalapeno’s give it that something extra special!

You’ll be so happy when you make these homemade gourmet Arancini Reuben Balls with your left over St. Patrick’s Day corned beef. They freeze up really well too which will make for a nice little treat at a later date although I highly doubt you’ll have any left behind.

My thousand island dressing is fantastic as a dip for my baked sweet potato fries too. You might want some other appetizer’s to go along with the Risotto Reuben Balls like my crab cakes, or bloody Mary shrimp. You could even serve them as an appetizer to a homemade pasta dinner served with a Caesar Salad and some chocolate pecan pie for dessert! Hope you enjoy the show 🙂

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Risotto Ingredients and Directions – Total time to make approx. 30 minutes:

I halved my recipe specifically for the Arancini Reuben Balls but I usually make full a full recipe, double the amount below

1 cup Arborio Rice
3/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
2 tbsp butter and a drizzle of olive oil
1/3 cup white wine
4 cups hot chicken broth – homemade or store bought
1/2 cup grated Reggiano Parmesano

Directions:

In small pot heat 4 cups chicken stock til simmering
Add onion to medium size pot to 1 tbsp. butter & sauté on low til soft
Stir in 1 cup Arborio rice and sauté til the rice looks chalky
Add in 1/3 cup white wineat a time, keep stirring, when wine is absorbed begin to add in 4 cups of simmering chicken stock ONLY 1/2 cup at a time-it will be approx 4 minutes for each addition
ONLY add in chicken stock when previously addition is completely absorbed while STIRRING all the time
Stir in 1 tbsp butter and 1/2 cup Reggiano Parmesano after the last of the chicken stock is absorbed, then let cool to make Arancini Reuben Balls.

Ingredients- Makes 20 – 1 1/2″ Arancini Balls:

1 1/4 cup diced into 1/4″ pieces of corned beef
2 cups cooked risotto (see below for recipe my recipe for risotto)
4 oz. softened cream cheese
1/4 cup grated and packed Jarlsberg swiss cheese
1/4 cup grated and packed mozzarella cheese
2 jalapeno’s finely diced and sauteed just til barely softened 2 minutes
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 lg eggs
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Directions for Arancini Reuben Balls:

Put all of the above ingredients into a large bowl and stir with spatula til mixed
Use cookie scoop and from balls, roll in hands after scooping to get nice and round
Whisk eggs in a med. bowl
Add bread crumbs to another and begin the dip formed risotto balls into egg and them into bread crumbs and place on dish
Put breaded risotto Reuben balls in frig for 20-30 minutes
When the Reuben balls are chilled heat 1/2″ vegetable oil in medium size pan and begin to heat on low for 5 minutes and then turn up to med/high to 350º
Add in Arancini Reuben Balls in 2 batches into hot oil
Fry for about 2 minutes and then turn over for another 2 minutes til golden
Remove to cookie rack covered with paper towels to absorb excess oil
Plate up Arancini Reuben Balls with my homemade gourmet thousand island recipe below 🙂

This Thousand Island Dressing is great on Reuben Wraps also

INGREDIENTS FOR THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING:

1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2/3 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
1/2 cup ketchup
1 Heaping tbsp finely chopped cornichons
1/3 cup sweet relish
1 Heaping tbsp grated sweet onion
1 Heaping tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
3 tbsp creamy horseradish
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp “seasoned” rice wine vinegar
1-3 dashes of Siracha

DIRECTIONS:

Put all ingredients into a large bowl and whisk til combined

Crazy Good Candied Pecans

March 16, 2019January 29, 2015 by Michel

Crazy Good Candied Pecans

This crazy good candied pecan recipe came from a golfing friend, Denise, who brought them to the annual Christmas party years ago and I have been making them ever since. They make for a wonderful holiday treat and certainly don’t last very long when you put them out. If you want any for yourself you may have to stash some away. The candied pecans are very addictive and everyone will be asking you for the recipe. In fact, I did have some requests so I promised to get the recipe out this week…..enjoy!

During the holiday season I make several batches of these pecans and give them as party favors and Christmas gifts in decorative bags with pretty ribbon and everyone goes crazy for them. Hence, the name “Crazy Good Candied Pecans”. Don’t miss my YouTube show “Crazy Good Candied Pecans” on how to make these addictive little morsels.

If you want some appetizer’s to have before these treats check out baked asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto, roasted garlic bean dip, buffalo chicken dip, or spanakopita and end with chewy chocolate chip cookies to go with the candied pecans!

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Ingredients:

4 cups of whole pecans
1 extra lg egg white
1 Tbsp water
1 cup sugar
1 Tsp cinnamon
1 Tsp salt

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 275º.
Beat egg white and water in a large bowl until frothy (not stiff) with a fork or whisk
Add pecans and mix to coat.
Then add the last 3 ingredients and stir until coated.
Coat the cookie sheet with 2 tbsp room temp butter to lightly cover the bottom, then spread the pecans onto the coated cookie sheet in an even layer
Take out to stir pecans around at the 25 minute mark and then gently shake pan to evenly distribute pecans on tray and back into the oven
Bake for total of 55 minutes – til fragrant
Take the pecans out of oven and run a spatula under the pecans to loosen them from the tray and then let the pecans cool right on the same baking tray
When the candied pecans are completely cooled up can package them up…enjoy!

Caesar Salad

March 16, 2019May 6, 2014 by Michel

Caesar Salad

Caesar salads are probably my favorite of all time. So many wonderful flavors and textures in this combination from crunchy and garlicky with the Italian garlic croutons, to a sharpness from the shaved Reggiano Parmesano sprinkled on the top of the romaine and a creaminess with the grated Parmesan in the actual dressing itself. Then there is a tang from the lemon and Dijon, and an extra savory flavor in the undertones that you just can’t put your finger on but tastes delicious from the anchovie paste and Worcestershire sauce!

Wow, you will really like the simplicity of this recipe and you can make the croutons a day or more ahead of time and make the dressing the morning of your lunch or dinner. It makes for such a nice presentation if you can use a large shallow dish like the one in the photos. When I have friends over for dinner I often serve the Caesar salad in that large shallow bowl and then add slices of grilled or sautéed chicken breasts, or grilled salmon pieces going all around the outer edges and everyone loves it. Have fun with this and enjoy!

CAESAR SALAD DRESSING RECIPE:

1 large/2 medium cloves of garlic put thru garlic press
1 egg yolk farm fresh or organic brown eggs ONLY – EGG YOLK OPTIONAL
1 Tbsp Dijon – Grey Poupon or Maille
1 Tsp anchovie paste
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fine blk pepper
2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar “seasoned” (this comes original or seasoned …I prefer seasoned)
between 1/3 – 1/2 cup good olive oil
1/4-1/3 cup grated Reggiano Parmesan
2 good dashes of your favorite hot sauce (I use Siracha in this recipe)

DIRECTIONS for the CAESAR DRESSING:

In a medium bowl add garlic thru press, anchovie paste, salt, pepper and Dijon
Mash these items together with the back of a spoon to combine and form a paste in a wooden bowl
Transfer paste to a large glass bowl
Add in 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce, dash of Siracha and rice wine vinegar/ lemon juice mixture
Separate egg yolk from white and add to glass bowl and whisk immediately
Then very slowly whisk in olive oil so it emulsifies JUST DRIZZLE IN DROPS AT A TIME or IT WILL NOT EMULSIFY and you will have to start over
Lastly, whisk in 1/3 grated Reggiano Parmesan
Put the dressing into a canning jar for ease and pop it into the frig til you are ready to use
Be sure to take out 30 minutes before you use the dressing so it can come to room temperature
Will be good for a few days in the frig

Directions for Caesar Salad:

Cut ends off of romaine hearts then cut them in half length wise
Wash and spin leaves
Lay the leaves down on paper towels to catch any additional moisture
Put 3 or 4 pieces at a time layered on top of one another and slice into 1/2″ strips
Here you can put the cut romaine pieces into large freezer Ziploc baggies and into the frig til you are ready to assemble the Caesar salad OR
Put into a large shallow bowl, add dressing, and toss
Top with shredded Parmesan and Italian garlic croutons and mangia!