A Spring Breakfast ~

 

We've had a long, cold and snowy winter this year.  And our Spring has not been much better.  However, this week the weather has warmed and the trees and flowers are in full bloom.  And everything is beautiful once again.  Living in New England has been tough this year, but now we will forget all about it and enjoy the months ahead.

I also made a quick and easy breakfast treat this past weekend.  It was for a brunch I was attending and literally ran out of time to make anything from scratch.  So I wanted to share this quick and easy recipe with you, because in this busy and hectic life we live, it's great to have a couple of things to whip up in five minutes flat. 

This is one of those dishes ...

Sausage and crescent bake.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

You'll need two cans of refrigerated crescent rolls
1 egg (slightly beaten)
1 lb.roll of sausage meat
1 8oz. package of cream cheese (I used less fat)
1 tsp. Ancho Chili pepper (or any spice like it)


Saute sausage in a large skillet on medium heat, add chili powder.  Turn off heat and pour sausage to drain on a paper towel for a minute or two.  Put sausage back into the warm skillet and add in the cream cheese.  Stir until blened, set aside.

Open and press one of the cans of crescent rolls into a 9 x 13 retangular baking dish.  Pinch seams together.

Spread sausage mixture over top.

Unroll and place second can of crescent rolls on top, pinching seams together and lightly pressing top and bottom pastries together.  You don't have to fuss with this at all.

 

Brush top with egg wash and place on middle rack in oven for twenty minutes, or until golden brown.

 

Let cool for five minutes and cut into small squares.  Served with a fruit salad, this makes a delicious and quick breakfast.

Enjoy ~

Shrimp, fresh tomatoes, basil, linguine ~

 

I've posted Shrimp Scampi before, I use Ina Garten's and it's fabulous.  This is similar to it, but I love the addition of fresh tomatoes and white wine.

1lb. extra large shrimp, deveined and shelled
1 bunch of fresh basil, torn into large pieces
1 oz. of freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 roma tomatoes, seeded, cored and diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
12 oz. of linguine or spaghetti
1 T. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
3 T. butter

In a large dutch oven filled with water, add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt.  Bring water to a rapid boil and add pasta.  Cook as package directs.  When done, save aside 1 cup of pasta water.

In a large skillet on medium heat, melt butter.  Add shrimp and cook for three minutes, turn shrimp over, add garlic and black
pepper.  Cook for 2 minutes and add tomatoes and stir.  Bring to a simmer and add wine.  Add pasta, basil and toss.  Let simmer on low for about 1 minute. Taste for seasonsing, add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt if needed.  Place on platter and top with parmesan cheese.  Lightly toss.

Oh, can you notice any difference in the quality of my two pictures?  Just wondering, because the first one I took with my camera and the second I took using my Samsung Galaxy tablet.

Hmmm.... either way, dinner was quick, easy and delicious.

Enjoy ~

A gorgeous presentation in a snap ~

I have shared this recipe for Lidia's ricotta cheesecake on here before. 

I decided to decorate it with fresh strawberries and kiwi fruit this time.  I was so pleased with the presentation, so I shared my picture.

Isn't it gorgeous?  My guests thought it took hours, when literally it took about 15 minutes!  I fanned four straberries and peeled and sliced two kiwis.  Voila ~  A dessert that looked like I either slaved over it, or bought it at a french bakery. 

I believe if you give your family and guests food that comes from your own hands, then it shows how much you love them.  Even if it's only takes an extra few extra minutes to make.

 

A picture perfect day ~ Ogunquit Beach, Me.

It's been a long, cold and snowy Winter here in Boston.  And with May approaching, Spring has been dragging it's feet.

But yesterday was a gorgeous day and I met up with a friend who has the same love of the ocean as I do.

So with the weather people predicting near 70 degrees, we decided to go to the beach.  She asked me if I wanted to go to Ogunquit and I realized that I have never been to this particular one.  It's funny because I thought I have been to almost every beach in Southern Maine.  But each and every beach has it's own character and this one is no exception, just gorgeous.  I fell in love and hope that if you get the chance to, you'll do the same.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you haven't been to the Coast of Maine, as you can see it's very rocky.  I have no special photo equipment, so these pictures are not edited.  This blue, is the color we saw all around us yesterday.  Like I said, just picture perfect and all natural.

 

 





 

 

 

 

 

 

This shot is much like the first shot, but I can't figure which one I like the best.  So here is another, much like the first.  And I can't wait to go back.

 

Don't you agree?  Just gorgeous ~

 



 

A Quick and Easy Brunch ~

I made a great little brunch for a close friend and boy was it easy and delicious.  It gave us plenty of time to sit and chat, which is what we both wanted to do.  So I did this easy and quick menu.

Fresh Strawberry and Kiwi Salad

dressing:
1 small shallot, minced
1 teaspoon of honey
1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons of good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Whisk vinegar, honey and olive oil.  Add shallot and whisk again.  Add salt and pepper, set aside.

salad:
1 qt. fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 kiwi fruit, washed and sliced

Put strawberries and kiwi in a low sided bowl.  Right before serving, add dressing.  This presentation is beautiful and the salad itself is delicious.

 

 

 

I decided to make a frittata with ingredients I had in the house.

 

 

Ingredients:

 

6 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon cream

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup shredded gruyere cheese

1 roma tomato, seeded, diced and patted dry

4 green onions, white and light green parts, sliced

8 oz. of cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon of butter

1 tablespoon of olive oil

 

Whisk eggs, cream, salt and pepper.  Set aside.

 

 

In a 9 to 10 inch non-stick skillet, heat oil and then butter, on

medium heat.  Add mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add green onion, stir and cook for 2 minutes longer.

 

Turn on broiler.

 

 

Turn heat to medium low and add eggs.  Gently stir eggs around a bit, just for a minute.  Add diced tomatoes and sprinkle cheese.  Turn burner off and place skillet under the broiler.  Watch carefully until top of frittata is turning light golden brown, about 2 minutes.

 

Remove frittata from oven.  Let sit for another two minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use a spatula to loosen sides and slide frittata to plate.  Garnish with sliced green scallion.  Cut into wedges to serve.

 

 

 

Serve with bagels, coffee and champagne.

 

Delicious and easy, what a nice combination ~

 

 

 

 

 

Filipino Chicken Curry ~

 I wanted to try something different with chicken thighs this week.  So I searched my recipes and found this one tucked away, on my "to make" list.  It comes from someone who posted this a few years ago on PW's site, moonglow.  I love curry and coconut milk together.  And a splash of the fish sauce at the end, helps gives it a salty, sweet, tangy flavor.  I served it over basmati rice.  It was yummy.  And easy, which is such a plus on a busy week night.

Oh, aren't my place mat and napkins just darling?  They are a gift from a dear friend down South.  Thank you C.
 
Filipino Chicken Curry

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1inch cubes (I didn't add)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves, cut into cubes (I used bone in, skin on chicken thighs)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons curry powder
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 can coconut milk
1 cup peas (frozen are fine)
1 roasted red pepper, sliced thinly (I didn't add)
1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce

Directions
1.In a skillet with olive oil, brown potatoes and set aside.
2.Season chicken with fish sauce, and brown in the same skillet. Set aside.
3.Saute garlic until fragrant, followed by onions, curry powder and brown sugar.
4.Return chicken and potatoes to the skillet, add coconut milk, roasted pepper slices, peas, and chili sauce (you may omit or add more for heat).
5.Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is tender.
6.Serve with steamed rice

I'm joining Michael at Foodie Friday's Blog this week at Designs By Gollum.

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Lidia's Torti di Ricotta ~



I watched Lidia make this on her show Lidia's Italy,  recently and was suprised at how easy it is to make. I decided that I would add it to my family's Easter desserts.  And I am so happy I did.  It's a delicious cheesecake and everyone loved it. 

It tastes much lighter than the New York style cheesecakes that I have made in the past.  I made a strawberry reduction sauce to serve on the side. 

This cake is made with both ricotta and mascarpone cheese which makes it so creamy.

The most work one has to do when making this dessert is to drain the ricotta cheese in a sieve or a cheesecloth for a few hours before making it.  Other than that, it's a breeze to make.  And it takes literally minutes to put together and put in the oven.  I can't recommend this cheesecake enough and I'll make it from now on when I want to make an impressive dessert.

I omitted the raisins and pine nuts, but it was still fabulous.  I also didn't feel like I needed to go buy amaretti cookies, just to use 4 or 5 of them.  So, I crumbled digestive biscuits instead.  You can use any vanilla based cookie and it will be fine.

Lidia Bastianich's Torti di Ricotta ~

2 tablespoons softened butter
1/2 cup amaretto crumbs from about 4 or 5 amaretti
1/2 cup golden raisins
3 tablespoons dark rum
5 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups drained fresh ricotta, at room temperature
1 cup mascarpone, at room temperature
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Brush an 8-inch spring form pan with butter on the bottom and sides. Coat bottom and sides with amaretto crumbs, tapping out excess. Put raisins in a small bowl and pour rum over, let soak while you make the filling.

In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat eggs, sugar and salt at high speed until foamy and the sugar has dissolved and no longer feels grainy, about 2 minutes. Add ricotta, mascarpone and zests. Drain raisins, set aside and add leftover rum to the mixer, mix on medium until smooth and fluffy, about another 2 minutes. Fold in raisins and pine nuts by hand.

Put spring form pan on a baking sheet and pour batter into pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake until edges are set and light golden but the center is still a bit jiggly, about 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack completely before cutting and serving.

Strawberry sauce:

1 lb. bag of frozen whole strawberries
1 cup of sugar
1 orange zest and juice (zest first and squeeze second)
1 Tbsp. orange liquor

In a medium saucepan on the stove, bring all of the ingredients to a boil.  Turn it down to a simmer and let it reduce and thicken.  Add 1 tablespoon of orange liquor and turn off stove.  Let sauce cool down to serve on the side.

Enjoy ~