Food

Clafouti (French peasant pear pie)

Ingredients: 3/4 cup flour 2/3 cup sugar large eggs 3/4 cup milk butter 3 ripe pears (cut in small pieces) Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees Mix flour, sugar, eggs and milk in mixer until creamy and lump-free. Butter a pie pan and fill with the cut pears and cover with the custard like mix. Bake in 375 to 400 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. Other fruits work too like ripe peaches, plums etc. Want to share your…

Apple cake with maple-walnut cream cheese frosting

Time consuming, but a fabulous dessert, worthy of your most elegant dinner parties. Ingredients: Cake: 1 lb. Pippin Apples (about 2 medium) peeled, cored, diced ¼ cup water 2 ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking soda 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp ground cloves 1 cup dried currants 1 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped 2 cup sugar 1 cup unsalted butter, room temp. 1 Tbsp brandy 1 ½ tsp…

Beer braised barbequed pork

Ingredients: For the dry rub: 2 Tbsp salt About 40 grinds black pepper 2 Tbsp chili powder 1 Tbspn garlic powder 2 tsp ground coriander 2 tsp ground mustard seed To add when cooking: 12 oz. good ale or dark beer, such as Bass 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1 5lb pork butt (shoulder of the animal) To add to the pan juices: 1/2 cup ketchup 2 Tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1/3 cup dark brown sugar…

Moroccan bites

Ingredients: Crusts: 1 loaf of good quality grain bread 1 jar green olive tapenade 8 oz. imported camembert cheese Carrot mix: 1 and 1/2 tsp lemon juice 1/8 cup olive oil 2 Tbsps Moroccan spice mix (see below) 2/3 lb carrots (about 3 medium) grated Moroccan spice mix: 1 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp sweet paprika 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp cayenne 1/2 tsp salt Directions: Whisk together the lemon juice, oil, and spice mix in a…

Fig tart with caramelized onions, rosemary, and stilton

Ingredients: 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp olive oil 2 large onions, chopped quite finely sprig rosemary 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp sherry or red wine vinegar 1/4 cup milk 1 egg 3/4 lb prepared puff pastry or home made( shortcrust pastry using 11.4 c flour, 8 oz. butter, about 2 tbs cold water, pinch salt – make in usual way and refrigerate for at least an hour.) 1 pint fresh figs, halved 2 oz. stilton cheese 2 tbsp pine nuts…

Gingered carrot soup

This is one of the soups that impresses people the most and is one of the simplest to make. You can substitute any root vegetable in place of carrots to slightly alter the flavor. Sweet potatoes and butternut squash are great to use!

Mini pumpkin tarts

Ingredients: 3 packages (15 per package) frozen mini phyllo pastry shells 1 15 oz. can pumpkin 2 cups (plus extra for garnish) frozen whipped topping, thawed 1 teaspoon (plus extra for garnish) pumpkin pie spice 1 3.4 oz. packed cheesecake-flavored instant pudding and pie filling (use vanilla if you can’t find this) mint leaves for garnish Directions: Remove shells from wrapper and allow to thaw 15 minutes. Combine pumpkin, whipped topping and spice in medium bowl. Whisk until smooth. Add…