23 June 2018 Tangy Carrot and Celery Slaw

Tangy Carrot and Celery Slaw

June 23, 2018 By

In the summertime, I’m always looking for easy and tasty recipes for side dishes to serve at outdoor parties. While I love my mom’s potato salad is always a hit, I was looking for a tangy, vinegary slaw to serve. I found the perfect slaw in this week’s Blue Apron box! It’s made with sweet carrots and crunchy celery with a bit of heat from the sweet piquante peppers.

Sweet piquante peppers are found typically jarred and are also known as peppadew peppers. They’re great on sandwiches, in salads and in this easy slaw recipe. 

The recipe can easily be doubled or quadrupled based on the number of guests being fed. I even scooped this slaw on tacos and it added great crunch and tang.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
  • 2 stalks of celery, sliced
  • White part of 2 scallions, diced
  • 2 medium sized carrots, peeled and grated on the large whole side of a box grater
  • ½ ounce sweet piquante peppers (about two peppers), roughly chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • Pinch each of salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sliced celery, scallions, grated carrots, chopped piquante peppers and vinegar.
  2. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate, stirring occasionally, at least 10 minutes, but no more than an hour.

Makes two side servings.

Filed Under: American, Appetizers, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,
21 June 2018 Maple Bread Pudding Mugs for Two

Maple Bread Pudding Mugs for Two

June 21, 2018 By

I love bread pudding. The custardy bottom and the slightly crispy top make for a perfect dessert that can be changed up based on the season and most importantly, what’s in the house. I had leftover sourdough bread from last weekend’s party, so I used two thick slices of that for these two mugs.

Maple Bread Pudding
Maple Bread Pudding

At my home, I’m the only one who likes bread pudding….my guy calls it peasant food and he means that in a negative way! I love the comforting dish and recreated it in mugs, just enough for two people (or for one person, in a double serving).

This bread pudding variation pays homage to my Quebec roots and is made with and then topped with Quebec maple syrup. Oh yeah, and topped with maple-scented gelato also…..why not!?

Ingredients:

  • 2 thick slices of day-old bread (or 3 slices of standard cut bread)
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup light cream (whole milk would also work)
  • 4 Tbsp. pure maple syrup DIVIDED
  • ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • Maple-scented or vanilla gelato/ice cream, optional but not really

Directions:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Spray the inside of two 8-ounce oven-proof mugs with cooking spray (could use ramekins also).
  • Cut the bread into 1” pieces.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and vanilla.
  • Add the bread to the bowl with the egg mixture and stir until fully combined. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes so the bread soaks up as much of the egg mixture as possible
  • Divide the bread/egg mixture between the mugs. Place the mugs on a small baking tray and bake for 30 minutes, until the tops of the bread puddings are lightly golden and the custard is set.
  • Serve each mug while warm with the remaining 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and a scoop of gelato/ice cream.

Makes 2 servings.

Filed Under: American, Canadian, Desserts, Eggs, Maple Syrup Tagged With: , , , , ,
19 June 2018 Cognac Cocktails to Rock Summer

Cognac Cocktails to Rock Summer

June 19, 2018 By

I love serving signature cocktails when guests come to my parties. During the summer months, I’m always looking for new drink ideas that aren’t being served everywhere, so when the fine folks at Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac shared some interesting facts about the region and the spirit, along with cocktail recipes, I was thrilled.

About Cognac

The Cognac region is situated in southwestern France, about 75 miles north of Bordeaux. The region known for its  maritime climate and chalky soils, has been producing spirits since the 16th century, when the Dutch  introduced the process of distillation — which the French improved by the creation of the double distillation method. 

82.6 million bottles of Cognac were exported to the USA in 2017, making the United States Cognac’s largest export market.

Here are 3 Cognac Cocktails to Rock Summer:

Corny Alexander
Photo by: Stacie Grissom

CORNY ALEXANDER (Recipe by: Stacie Grissom)

Ingredients: 

  • 5 oz Cognac V.S.
  • 5 oz simple syrup
  • .75 oz lime juice
  • Handful of fresh sweet corn kernels cut off the cob (about 1/4 cup)
  • Basil for muddling and garnish

Directions:

  1. Blend the Cognac and corn together and strain through a fine mesh strainer into a cocktail shaker- tip: use the back of a spoon to push all the liquid out of the corn solids.
  2. Add simple syrup, lime juice, and basil to the shaker and muddle the basil.
  3. Shake with ice.
  4. Strain and serve in a coupe glass.
  5. Garnish with corn husk curl, corn kernels and a sprig of basil.

Casino Collins
Photo by: Jorge Gera

CASINO COLLINS (Recipe by: Bridget Albert, SGWS National Director of Education Beam Suntory)

Ingredients:   

  • 75 oz Cognac V.S.O.P.
  • .5 oz fresh lemon juice
  • .5 oz simple syrup
  • 4 oz Prosecco
  • .25 oz of Absinthe Float MetHOd

Directions: 

  1. Combine Cognac, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup in a Collins glass, add ice.
  2. Top with Prosecco.
  3. Add Absinthe.
  4. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Sur La Charante
Photo By: Geert Teuwen

SUR LA CHARENTE (Recipe by: Ezra Star, General Manager Drink, Boston)

Ingredients:

  • 5 oz Cognac V.S.O.P.
  • .5 oz lemon juice
  • .5 oz Amaro Montenegro
  • .5 cinnamon syrup
  • 2 dashes Angostura

Directions:  Shake the ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled coupe.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Cocktails Tagged With: ,
16 June 2018 Easy Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

Easy Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing

June 16, 2018 By

Every summer, I try to reinvent the wheel when I host outdoor parties when it comes to food. What do I serve that’s tasty, different, can be made in advance and that my guests will enjoy? Another challenge is to find a side or starter that’s refreshing in contrast to the heavier food served at grilling parties. My answer, the mighty wedge salad.   

It’s not innovative but it’s pretty close to perfect on hot summer days with its crisp, cold lettuce, decadent blue cheese dressing and fun toppings that can be customized to please your guests.

Another perk of this easy side dish or starter is that it’s very affordable. You can easily get four servings out of a head of iceberg lettuce and I oftentimes get six servings out of a larger head.

A fun way to serve a wedge salad is by serving the toppings on the side so that each guest can add or omit whatever toppings he/she likes…..think salad bar!  

Ingredients:

  • 1 large head of iceberg lettuce, cut into four or six wedges
  • About 2 cups chunky blue cheese dressing, homemade or store-bought
  • 1 cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)
  • 1 cup cooked bacon, crumbled (optional)
  • 1 cup cherry/grape tomatoes, chopped (optional)
  • 3 scallions, chopped (optional)

Directions:

  • Place a wedge of lettuce each on cold salad plate.
  • Drizzle a few tablespoons of blue cheese dressing on each wedge.
  • Optional: Top with crumbled blue cheese, crumbled bacon, tomatoes and scallions.

Serves 4-6 guests.

Easy Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
Serves 4
An easy and tasty salad for summer parties that guests will love.
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Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Total Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. • 1 large head of iceberg lettuce, cut into four or six wedges
  2. • About 2 cups chunky blue cheese dressing, homemade or store-bought
  3. • 1 cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)
  4. • 1 cup cooked bacon, crumbled (optional)
  5. • 1 cup cherry/grape tomatoes, chopped (optional)
  6. • 3 scallions, chopped (optional)
Instructions
  1. • Place a wedge of lettuce each on cold salad plates.
  2. • Drizzle a few tablespoons of blue cheese dressing on each wedge.
  3. • Optional: Top with crumbled blue cheese, crumbled bacon, tomatoes and scallions.
Notes
  1. A fun way to serve the wedge salad is by serving the toppings on the side so that each guest can add or omit whatever toppings he/she likes…..think salad bar!
Food & Wine Chickie Insider https://www.foodandwinechickie.com/

Filed Under: American, Appetizers, Bacon, Cheese, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,
15 June 2018 Strawberry Maple Butter

Strawberry Maple Butter

June 15, 2018 By

Every late spring, I make it my mission to go strawberry picking at Donaldson Farms, and amazing local farm. My love for picking berries started a long time ago when my grandma would take me to pick wild/wood strawberries in Quebec as a toddler. She’s sit me in the field with a pail and tell me to pick berries around me. Of course, that ended up with me eating the strawberries around me, but it’s a very fond memory nonetheless.

Cultivated strawberries are so easy to pick as farmers have rows and rows of plants with an abundant amount of berries on them. Within a few minutes, I have more strawberries that I know what to do with!

One way I like to use up my fresh berries is by making a very simple butter using maple syrup from back home in Quebec. This butter can be used on toasts, waffles, pancakes/crepes and in a multitude of ways. It keeps a couple of weeks in the fridge and it’s delicious!

Hope you make it out to a u-pick-it berry farm near you, it’s a fun and tasty activity for the whole family.

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups of fresh, chopped strawberries
  • 2/3 cups maple syrup
  • 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Directions:

  1. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the chopped berries, the maple syrup and the butter. Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium-low and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Turn the heat off, add the vanilla and salt and stir to combine.
  3. Puree the berry mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth, 30 seconds or so. You may need to puree in batches if your food processor/blender is on the small side.
  4. Pour the strawberry maple butter in small glass jars and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 6 small canning jars.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Breakfast, Canadian, Desserts, Fruits, Sides
17 May 2018 Chicken Bites with Tarragon Dipping Sauce

Chicken Bites with Tarragon Dipping Sauce

May 17, 2018 By

These Chicken Bites with Tarragon Dipping Sauce are a great little dish to make when company comes over and you don’t want to slave over a hot stove at the last minutes.

Chicken BitesI make the tarragon dipping sauce the day before and keep it in the refrigerator until I’m ready to serve the dish. This saves some time and keeps you out of the kitchen and with your guests come party time.

The bites will please adults and children and I often double the recipe as they’re a huge hit at parties. You could make the bites a little ahead of time and fry just 8 minutes then reheat in the oven, or my favorite, the toaster oven, for 2-3 minutes right before you want to serve the bites.

Bites Ingredients:

  • 2 cups peanut oil
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, patted dry and cut in 1½ inch bites.
  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ tsp. poultry seasonings
  • ¼ tsp. garlic powder
  • ½ tsp. dry thyme
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • ½ tsp. each salt and pepper (plus additional salt for seasoning the cooked chicken)

Dipping Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ¼ Dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp. dry tarragon or 1 Tbsp. fresh tarragon
  • 4 drops of hot sauce
  • Pinch of salt and pepper

Bites Directions:

  1. In a heavy saucepan or ideally a deep cast iron pan, warm the oil over medium-high heat until the temperature reaches 350°F.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, poultry seasonings, garlic power, thyme and ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
  3. In another medium bowl, add the buttermilk.
  4. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk, shake to remove excess and toss in the bread crumb mixture to fully coat each piece. Add the coated chicken to the oil and cook in batches for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. You don’t want to crowd the pan with too much chicken or the oil will drop in temperature and your chicken will get soggy from oil penetrating the chicken instead of cooking the exterior. Place cooked chicken on paper towels and season with a pinch of salt.

Dipping Sauce Directions:

While the bites cook, in a medium bowl, add all the ingredients and whisk well to fully combine. Serve with the bites.

Serves 6-8 as appetizers/hors d’oeuvres.

Filed Under: American, Appetizers, Chicken, Starters Tagged With: , , ,
7 May 2018 Two Cheese Baked Macaroni

Two Cheese Baked Macaroni

May 7, 2018 By

I love making big batches of marinara sauce and freezing some for easy weekday dishes. I took out 2 cups of sauce from the freezer and added it to some cooked ground beef, combined that with leftover Ricotta cheese and the recipe came together in the time it took to boil the macaroni and it’s tasty and satisfying….and cheesy.

Ingredients:

  • ½ pound macaroni pasta (I use Delverde brand)
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef, I use 20% fat
  • Pinch of salt and pepper
  • 2 cups Easy Marinara Sauce (or other marinara sauce)
  • ½ cup Ricotta cheese
  • I cup grated Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Cook pasta 1 minute short of the directions state on the packaging.
  3. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the beef, the salt and the pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and add the sauce. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add the cooked pasta and the Ricotta to the sauce and gently toss to combine. Place the pasta in a baking dish, top with the Mozzarella and cook for about 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden brown.

Makes 2 generous entrée-size servings.

Filed Under: American, Beef, Cheese, Entrees, Italian, Pasta Tagged With: , , ,
4 May 2018 Cheese Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Cheese Stuffed Poblano Peppers

May 4, 2018 By

Poblanos are mild chili peppers with lots of great flavor and just a bit of spice. The peppers originated in Puebla, Mexico and can also be found dried, where they’re known as ancho chile.

Cheese Stuffed Poblano

I’m always looking for low-carb side dishes to serve when we grill meats. That’s not easy as we often go to carby sides when we grill…potato salad, mac & cheese, pasta.

Last weekend, I’d made some of my fresh salsa (chopped tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno and minced onion) for another meal and thought…what if I used this tasty salsa to top a stuffed poblano!? This was a well-received and easy-to-make side dish that we served alongside grilled pork chops. One other thing I loved was that I was able to make these in the toaster oven so I didn’t have to heat up the whole kitchen with my standard oven – winning!

You can make these peppers in advance, cool them then reheat them for a few minutes in a 425 degree oven – party perfect!

Ingredients

  • 2 large poblano peppers
  • 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • Pinch of sales and pepper.
  • 4 ounces grated Cheddar/Jack cheese mix
  • Homemade or store-bought salsa
  • 2 Tbsp. Crema Mexicana or sour cream
  • ½ lime

Poblano Cheese Stuffing

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Find a flat spot on the poblano and lay it on your work surface. With a sharp paring knife, cut the top of the pepper (leaving the end and stem intact) to make an opening for the cheese to go into.
  3. Rub the oil over the peppers then salt and pepper the interior.
  4. Divide the grated cheese between the two peppers, note that you may have too much cheese depending on the size of your peppers.
  5. Place the stuffed peppers on a baking sheet and cook for about 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and beginning to brown.
  6. Top each pepper with fresh salsa and a drizzle of Crema Mexicana (or sour cream). Squeeze the lime over the peppers.

Makes two side dishes.

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Mexican, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , ,
13 April 2018 Pancetta and Sundried Tomato Creamy Spaghetti

Pancetta and Sundried Tomato Creamy Spaghetti

April 13, 2018 By

Here’s a new installment in the “There’s Nothing to Eat in this House” series featuring an easy pasta dish. When lunch plans get cancelled at the last minute and the fridge is low on supplies because I’m heading out of town, I make pasta with pantry and fridge staples.

Pancetta and Sundried Tomato Creamy SpaghettiToday, I had some leftover pancetta so I sautéed it with some jarred/in oil sundried tomatoes then added a bit of light cream and freshly-grated Parmesan for a tasty, creamy sauce. I then tossed some Delverde spaghetti (best dried pasta ever) in the sauce and BOOM, there was a tasty, quick lunch ready to eat in 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. diced pancetta
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped sundried tomato
  • ½ cup light cream
  • ¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, divided
  • 1 ½ cups cooked spaghetti (or other cooked pasta)
  • Pinch each salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil.
  2. Add the pancetta and cook for 2 minutes, until lightly-browned.
  3. Add the sundried tomato and cook for another minute.
  4. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the cream, and cook for a minute, stirring to prevent scorching.
  5. Add the ¼ cup of cheese and cook an additional 30 seconds.
  6. Add the pasta to the sauce and cook for 30 seconds until well-coated in sauce.
  7. Season with salt and pepper then top the pasta with the tablespoon of Parmesan.

Serves one.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Entrees, Italian, Pasta Tagged With: , ,
7 April 2018 Cognac Cocktails for Spring

Cognac Cocktails for Spring

April 7, 2018 By

It’s spring yet it still feels like winter for many of us. I love Cognac cocktails and pleased to have an opportunity to share spring-minded cocktails featuring this warm and cozy spirit.

Ophelia’s Drift, which uses chamomile tea, pineapple syrup and ginger liquor to enhance cognac’s layers of flavors, is a refreshing punch that can brighten any rainy day. Experiment with spring’s bounty to make a cognac cocktail that celebrates the season with the Rhubarb Daisy. And with the Kentucky Derby just around the corner, the Antebellum Mint Julep is a tried-and-true cognac cocktail to get you through the race.

No matter the reason, there is a cognac cocktail to get you through the changes of this season.

Antebellum Mint Julep

Recipe published in Saveur, 2011.

Antebellum Mint Julep

Antebellum Mint Julep. Photo by Jason Plummer

  • ¼ ounce simple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp. water
  • 6 mint leaves, plus 2 sprigs for garnish
  • 2 oz. VSOP cognac
  • 2-3 dashes Angostura Biters (optional)

Directions:

Add simple syrup and 1 tbsp. water in a highball glass or silver julep cup. Add mint leaves; gently crush with a spoon or muddler. Fill glass 3/4 full with cracked ice and pour in cognac; stir until chilled, about 15 seconds. Fill glass with more ice; garnish with mint sprigs and two straws. (Optional) Add 2-3 dashes angostura biters.

Ophelia’s Drift

Ophelia’s Drift

Ophelia’s Drift. Photo by komich.com

Recipe Credit: Kellie Thorn, Beverage Director, Empire State South, Atlanta

  • 2 ounce VS Cognac
  • .25 ounce Barrows Ginger Liqueur
  • .25 ounce Strongly chamomile tea
  • .25 ounce pineapple syrup
  • .5 ounce lemon juice
  • Dry sparkling wine
  • Simple syrup, to taste

Directions: Shake all ingredients except sparkling wine with ice. Straining over ice in a chilled rocks glass. Top with sparkling wine. Garnish with flowers and a lemon wheel. 

Rhubarb Daisy

Rhubarb Daisy

Rhubarb Daisy. Photo by Stacie Grissom

Recipe Credit: Stacie Grissom

  • 5 ounce VS cognac
  • 1 ounce chilled Rooibos tea
  • .75 ounce rhubarb simple syrup
  • .75 ounce fresh lemon juice
  • Edible flower and rhubarb ribbon for garnish

Directions:

Add cognac, rooibos tea, rhubarb simple syrup, and lemon juice to an ice-filled shaker. Shake, strain, and serve in an ice-filled Collins glass. Garnish with a flower and a rhubarb ribbon. (Tip: use a vegetable peeler to get beautiful, uniform rhubarb ribbons!)

Filed Under: Cocktails Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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