Fresh Carrot & Nut Coffee Bread

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup quick cook oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 t. baking powder
1 1/4 t. salt
1 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 chopped walnuts or pecans
2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and combine with melted butter and milk. Add to flour mixture along with carrots, nuts, and raisins. Stir just until combined - do not over-stir. Pour batter into greased tube pan.
Bake 20-22 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Cool 15 minutes and then invert onto serving plate or cake pedestal. Serve with Pineapple Cream Cheese (recipe below). Serves 12.

Pineapple Cream Cheese:

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained thoroughly
4 T. sugar

Combine ingredients and chill until slightly firm.

Orange-Cherry Juice Spritzers

1 qt. orange juice
1 qt. ginger ale
1/2 cup maraschino cherry juice

Chill all ingredients until ice cold. Combine in a 2-qt pitcher. Serve over ice and garnish with maraschino cherries.

Sunrise Egg Baskets

1 pkg. refrigerated pie crust (contains 2 crusts)
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 T. oil
1/2 pkg. (8 oz.) bulk sausage
8 eggs (small or medium)



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Unroll both pie crusts and cut each crosswise into quarters. (8 pieces total). Cut 8 squares of aluminum foil slightly larger than the pie crust pieces. Lay each piece of pie crust on top of a foil square and gently press into muffin tin. Arrange or flute the edges of each pie crust.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat and saute onions and pepper until soft. Add the sausage and brown until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat. Spoon 2 T. of the sausage mixture into each pie basket. Press down firmly with the back of the spoon.

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and crack an egg into the top of each basket. Carefully return to the oven and bake an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Eggs will be soft baked with slightly runny yolks. Salt to taste.

Crusty Irish White Bread

5 cups all purpose flour
3 t. baking soda
2 1/2 t. salt
3 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place dry ingredients in mixing bowl and stir vigorously with a whisk to fully incorporate. Create a "well" in the center and pour in half of the buttermilk. Using a mixing spoon, pull the flour from the sides into the buttermilk and mix. Add remaining buttermilk. At this point, it is helpful to use your hands to incorporate the dough. Combine thoroughly. Turn the dough out onto a generously floured surface. Knead for about 2 minutes, adding additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. Shape dough into a loaf and place in a well greased, medium size loaf pan.
Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake additional 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Wonderful served with Irish butter!

Fresh Irish Pub Salad

Layer in a serving bowl any of the following fresh ingredients:

Fresh greens (Bibb lettuce, spinach and watercress work well)
Thinly sliced cucumbers
Sliced red onion
Chopped tomato
Sliced celery
Sliced hard boiled eggs
Shaved Irish Cheddar Cheese or crumbled Irish blue cheese

Drizzle with Irish Sour Cream Dressing.

Irish Sour Cream Dressing

1 (8oz.) container sour cream
1 T. apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup half-n-half
1/2 t. salt
2 t. sugar
1 t. dry mustard
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth. If you prefer a chunkier dressing, then coarsely chop the eggs and combine the ingredients in a bowl by hand.

Dublin-Style Roasted Potato Soup

3 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 large onion, chopped
4 T. oil
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 T. butter
1 1/2 t. salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Place potatoes and onions in single layer on large baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat thoroughly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, tossing occasionally, until onions are soft and potatoes are golden brown.

In large saucepan, heat 2 cups chicken broth, whipping cream, butter and salt until piping hot. Add roasted potatoes to saucepan and boil gently 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Using a hand-held emulsion blender, carefully puree the mixture until smooth and creamy. (Note: If you do not have an emulsion blender, you can transfer the mixture to a blender - in 2 or 3 batches - and blend until smooth; then return to the saucepan). Add remaining 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth and heat soup until piping hot. Serve as is, or top with a sprinkling of cheddar or Irish cheese and sliced green onions. If mixture is too thick, it may be thinned with additional chicken broth.

Serves 6

Shrimp and Crab Newburgh in Phyllo Purse

1 cup small or salad shrimp, fresh or frozen, peeled and deveined
4 oz. crab claw meat (1/2 of an 8 oz. container)
2 T. butter
1/8 cup sherry
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 egg yolks
1/4t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. paprika
1/4 t. salt

1 pkg. frozen phyllo dough sheets (8 sheets will be used)
4 T. melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Follow package instructions for defrosting phyllo dough sheets. Keep sheets covered with damp paper towels to ensure phyllo dough does not dry out.

Melt 4 T. butter in skillet or small dutch oven. Add shrimp, crab and sherry. Heat through.

In small saucepan, whisk egg yolks into cream. Heat mixture over medium heat until thickened, 4-5 minutes. Add salt and spices. Add half of the cream mixture to the shrimp and crab. Reserve the remaining cream sauce for serving.

Take 4 sheets of phyllo dough and trim to form a 9" x 9" square.
Repeat with a second set of 4 sheets. Brush melted butter between each phyllo sheet. Divide shrimp mixture into 2 portions and place in the center of the phyllo sheets. Gently pull up the sides of the phyllo square, joining the edges at the top. Squeeze firmly to seal the top. Brush with a little of the remaining melted butter.

Bake for approx. 25 minutes or until golden brown. Spoon warm cream sauce over phyllo purses just before serving.

Warm Forelle Pear Salad

A Serving for Two:

2 Forelle pears, cut in half and cored
1/4 cup sugar
3 T. oil
2 T. white wine vinegar
2 T. sugar
2 cups fresh greens (spring mix or bibb lettuce works well)

Place cut pears in a saucepan with boiling water and cook 13-14 minutes until tender. Remove from water.

Heat small skillet over medium heat. Place 1/4 cup sugar on plate
and press each pear half into sugar on both sides, coating generously. Place pears on dry skillet and cook until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Flip pears and cook an additional 3-4 minutes.
Important Note: Keep the heat at medium to medium-low so the sugar darkens, but does not burn.

Remove pears from skillet and place 2 halves on 1 cup of greens. Repeat with remaining 2 pear halves.

To the skillet with the pear drippings and sugar, add 1/4 cup water and cook for 1 minute until syrupy. Add oil, vinegar and remaining 2 T. sugar. Whisk vigorously over medium heat until warm and fully incorporated. Spoon immediately over pears and greens. A nice addition: top with crumbled gorgonzola and toasted nuts.

Serves 2

Dark Chocolate Fondue for Two

Treat yourself - and your honey - to this dark and decadent dessert for two. The great news..it will only take a few minutes to whip up!

1 (12 oz.) bag Ghiradelli dark chocolate morsels
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Warm the cream in a double boiler - or a glass bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Add the dark chocolate morsels and stir until melted, smooth and glossy, 2-4 minutes.

Transfer chocolate to a small serving bowl, fondue pot or tiny crock pot.
Serve with your choice of dippable items: strawberries, raspberries, bananas, marshmallows, chunks of pound cake, pretzels, etc. Use small salad forks or fondue forks. Enjoy!

On the Show - January 19 - Succulent Balsamic "Every Day" Pot Roast

What are the three essential steps to a perfect pot roast every time? Brown..Deglaze...and Braise. The browning and deglazing intensifies the flavors while the braising ensures your roast is moist and succulent.

The most difficult part of this fabulous pot roast will be waiting the 2 hours while it slow braises in your oven! Warm, tender and bursting with deeply infused flavor, it is the ultimate comfort food. Try serving it atop Creamy Horseradish Whipped Potatoes (recipe below).

3 1/2 - 4 lb. chuck roast
4 T. oil plus 2 T. oil
2-3 large onions, quartered and sliced thick
1 (8 oz.) package sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 (3 oz.) package sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup beef broth or stock
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup red wine
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. smoked paprika
2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
2 T. flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Trim the chuck roast, removing large strands of visible fat and cutting the roast into 6-8 pieces.
In a 5-7 qt. dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat in a single layer and brown for 3-4 minutes on each side (meat may need to be browned in 2 batches).

Remove the meat to a plate. Add remaining 2 T. oil, onions, mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes to the dutch oven. Saute until the onions are tender. Add the flour and stir. Add the beef stock and deglaze the pan by scraping up any brown bits that have formed on the bottom of the pan (they have intense flavor). Add the balsamic vinegar, red wine, garlic, smoked paprika and salt and pepper. Stir until ingredients are combined, then return the chuck roast pieces and juices to the dutch oven.

Lay a piece of aluminum foil on top and carefully press down until it touches the entire surface of the pot roast. Tightly seal the edges of the foil, crimping them over the top of the dutch oven. Put lid on top. Place in the lower half of the oven and allow to braise for 2 hours. Excellent served over white rice or Creamy Horseradish Whipped Potatoes.

Substitutions: Try experimenting with different combinations of liquids and spices. 2 cups of liquid and a few teaspoons of spices for a 4 lb. roast is a good rule of thumb. Water, red wine, beef broth or stock, and beer are are excellent liquid choices. Garlic, rosemary, thyme and paprika (sweet or smoked) make wonderful spice additions to your roast. Salt and pepper is always a must.

Creamy Horseradish Whipped Potatoes - Short Cut Version

If you are serving more than 4 people, you'll want to double this recipe.
This short-cut version calls for refrigerated fresh mashed potatoes which will save you a good deal of time. It is an acceptable substitute to hand-mashed potatoes, especially considering you will be embelishing them with milk, butter, salt and horseradish. You can increase the amount of horseradish if you like more zip.

1 (24 oz) package refrigerated fresh mashed potatoes.
2 T. butter
1/4 cup milk or half-n-half
2 t. prepared horseradish (not horseradish sauce)
2 t. salt

In a medium saucepan or dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add mashed potatoes and stir until smooth. Add milk, salt and horseradish and continue to stir over medium heat until piping hot. Serves 4.

Cool Weather Citrus Salad with Sweet Sesame Dressing

This fresh citrus salad is divine in its simplicity. The winter months produce the sweetest oranges, tangelos and tangerines. Do what I do and ask your produce grocer, "What's best this week?" He'll be happy to tell you. The week I prepared this dish for the Every Day show, Mineola tangelos were superbly sweet. So that's what I used. Florida or California navels, Valencia or even those cute little Clementines would also work well. (Hey, if you're in a real pinch, open a can of mandarin orange segments..with this recipe, you'll have a new appreciation for canned fruit.)

4 cups orange segments (peeled with toughest membranes & seeds removed)
1 (4 oz) pkg. crumbled feta cheese
1 (3 oz) pkg. sliced or slivered almonds
2 T. butter
1 t. salt
1 recipe Sweet Sesame Dressing

Melt butter in microwave. Toss with almonds and spread on baking sheet. Broil in oven until golden and toasty, tossing once or twice for even browning. (Watch carefully) Sprinkle with salt. Set aside to cool.

This salad is best assembled right before eating. Arrange orange segments on platter, shallow bowl, or individual salad plates. Drizzle with a generous amount of Sweet Sesame Dressing. Sprinkle with the desired amount of feta cheese and toasted almonds. Serve and enjoy!

Sweet Sesame Dressing
This recipe produces about 2 cups of dressing which is more than needed for 4 servings. It will keep for up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator and is excellent on green salads and all kinds of fruit.

1/3 c. cider vinegar
3/4 c. sugar
1 t. dry mustard
1 t. onion powder
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. paprika
1 cup oil
3 T. sesame seeds (buy them on the Asian food aisle - much cheaper than the spice aisle!)

Mix vinegar and dry ingredients (except sesame seeds) in blender until smooth. Gradually add oil until fully incorporated. Transfer to bowl, serving jar, or storage container. Stir in sesame seeds by hand. Shake or stir before serving. Keeps up to 3 weeks in refrigerator.

On the Show - December 4 - Fresh Pineapple Christmas Wreath

t The first time I made a Williamsburg-inspired Christmas wreath, I followed the overly complicated directions I found in an old dusty book entitled...what else?..."How to Make an Overly Complicated Williamsburg-Inspired Christmas Wreath". It involved a piece of plywood, a can of green spray paint, lots of screws, and a few power tools. In my lifelong pursuit of the answer to the question, "Is this really necessary?", I've determined that there is nearly always an easier way to do everything. Save yourself the trouble and try my shortcut approach to an impressive "Williamsburg-Inspired Pineapple Christmas Wreath". Your neighbors never have to know how easy it was!


Here's what you'll need:
One 24" fresh Christmas wreath (frazier, juniper, or any variety you prefer)
Heavy gauge green florist wire
Green florist picks
Fresh Pineapple and other assorted fruit (lemons, limes and apples work well)
Optional: Pinecones and sprigs of fresh greenery (Nandina and Magnolia leaves work well)

1. Be prepared to man-handle your wreath. Commercial wreaths are supported from behind by a circular metal frame that is relatively pliable. Grab the sides of your wreath firmly and squeeze them together (this takes a little muscle) so that your wreath goes from a circle shape to an oval shape. You want to close the opening in the center of the wreath.

2. Lay your squashed wreath on a stable work surface. Clean your fruit and wipe with a little mineral oil. Take 3 feet of florist wire and wrap the middle of the wire 2-3 times securely around the pineapple at the base of the stem. You should have at least 15" of wire on either side of the pineapple. Lay the pineapple in the center of the wreath in the indentation formed by the closed center. Pull the wires firmly around the sides of the wreath and carefully turn the wreath and pineapple over so that you can work on the back of the wreath. Pull the wires as tight as you can (so the pineapple does not sag) and secure with a knot. Twist the ends and tuck them into the wreath so they do not scrap the surface of your door. Turn the wreath back over.

3. Once your pineapple is securely mounted, you can begin to embelish your wreath with other natural elements. Insert a florist pick midway through each piece of fruit. I usually remove the piece of wire that comes atached to each florist pick. Using your free hand, you can locate places throughout your wreath where the branches are bound together and attached to the metal frame. These places are relatively easy to find and provide secure spots in which to wedge the florist picks and support the fruit. Distribute your decorative elements evenly throughout the wreath. Additional wire can be used if extra support is needed.

4. Additional fresh elements can be added at the top or the base of the wreath. Red Nandina sprigs or magnolia leaf bundles are lightweight and can easily be inserted ino the wreath.

5. Your wreath can be hung from the door on a nail or an over-the-door wreath hanger. I hang mine by the wreath's metal frame, but you can also create a secure loop out out florist wire and attach it to the frame for hanging.

6. Your fabulous, fresh Christmas creation will last outside for 2-3 weeks. You may have to replace an occasional piece of fruit if it goes bad or, as in my case, gets attacked by birds and squirrels. Merry Christmas!

On the Show - December 4 - Festive Sugared Fruit

There are so many versatile ways to enjoy fabulous, festive sugared fruits...and not just at Christmastime. They make wonderful garnishes for all your culinary creations! You can "sugar" just about anything. Be creative. Crab apples, Meyer lemons, limes, or even mangoes are beautiful when they glisten with a sprinkling of super fine sugar.

1. Start with fresh (or slightly under ripe) fruit. Clean and dry thoroughly.

2. Make an egg wash by combining 2 egg whites and 1/4 cup water. Spoon or brush the fruit evenly with the egg wash.

3. Immediately sprinkle the fruit with super fine sugar (I like creme brulee sugar, but regular granulated sugar can also be used.) Do not completely cover the fruit. Allow some of the fruit's natural color to be exposed.

4. Allow the sugared fruit to dry thoroughly. Enjoy!

On the Show - November 27: Turkey and Gruyere Quiche

1 unbaked 9" pie crust
1/2 cup milk or half-n-half
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 T. cornstarch
2 t. salt
1 1/2 cups chopped roast turkey
1/3 cup sliced green onion

Whisk together milk, eggs, mayonnaise, cornstarch and salt until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients and combine. Pour into prepared pie crust. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees or until set. Excellent served with cranberry sauce.

Turkey, Blue Cheese and Almond Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

To make individual salads, layer the following to your liking on dinner plates:

1. Fresh greens (bibb lettuce or spring mix are excellent choices)
2. Leftover white or dark roast turkey, cubed
3. Crumbled Blue or Gorgonzola cheese
4. Dried Cranberries (Craisins work well)
5. Chopped or sliced almonds (I love Sunkist's "Almond Accents" - Butter Toffee Glazed sliced almonds. They can be found in the produce section of your grocery store).
6. Salt & pepper

Drizzle with delicious Cranberry Vinaigrette and enjoy!
Excellent served with a slice of crusty french bread.

Cranberry Vinaigrette:
3/4 cup oil
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup cranberry sauce
3 T. sugar
1/4 t. salt
Whisk until cranberry sauce is fully incorporated.
Store up to a week in the refrigerator.

Quick & Easy Thanksgiving Leftover Ideas

Try these simple ideas for giving new life to your Thanksgiving leftovers:

1. Stir leftover sweet potatoes into pancake batter for delectable sweet potato pancakes.

2. Form leftover mashed potatoes (while cold) into patties, dredge in crispy
bread crumbs (panko crumbs) and pan fry in oil for delicious fried potato cakes.

3. Layer all leftovers for a super-easy Turkey Shepherd's Pie.

4. Blend leftover cranberry sauce with vanilla ice cream for a seasonal cranberry milkshake.

5. Dress up your cranberry sauce with some chopped pecans and grated orange peel. Delicious!

On October's Show: Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce

1 1/4 c. milk (whole or 2%)
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 t. pumpkin pie spice
3 large eggs, beaten
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
5 cups cubed (1/2") challah bread (challah bread w/ raisins can be used)
butter
1/3 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine first 5 ingredients in large bowl.
Add the challah bread and toss gently. Grease
8-inch square baking pan generously with butter.
Add bread mixture, sprinkle with pecans and cover with foil. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes or until pudding is set. Serve bread pudding warm with Rum Sauce and a dollop of whipped cream.

Hot Buttered Rum Sauce:

Combine in saucepan over medium heat until smooth and hot:
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
1/2 c. light cream
1 t. rum extract
1 c. sugar

On October's Show: Taste of Autumn Creamy Pumpkin Soup

2 T. olive oil
3 c. chopped yellow pepper (about 2 med.)
1 1/2 c. chopped carrot (about 2 med.)
1 c. chopped onion (about 1 med.)
3/4 t. smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups chicken broth, divided
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin
3 t. salt
2 T. sugar
1 c. whipping cream

Heat oil in Dutch oven and saute yellow bell pepper, carrots and onions over medium-high heat until soft and tender, about 20 minutes. Add garlic, paprika, and 2 cups chicken broth; bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Transfer vegetable mixture to a food processor, add pumpkin and process until smooth. Return mixture to Dutch oven and add remaining 3 cups chicken broth, salt, sugar and whipping cream. Whisk until smooth and heat until piping hot. Ladle into individual soup bowls and garnish with large crispy croutons.

On September's Show: A Mexican Fiesta Buffet

Fabulous Peach and Bean Salsa

1 lg. can kidney beans, drained
1 reg. can black beans, drained
1 can yellow corn, drained
1 can garbonzo beans, drained
1 lg. can sliced peaches, drained and diced
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 lg. green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Mix all ingredients and toss with marinade:
3/4 cup oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup lime juice
2 T. sugar

This is delicious right away - and even better if left to marinate.
Serve with tortilla chips.
Keeps 3-4 days in the refrigerator.


Zesty Taco Salad in Tortilla Bowl

Makes 10 Taco Salad Bowls:

1 pkg. (10-count) medium size flour tortillas
2 cups water
4 T. vegetable oil
5 empty cans, labels removed (med-size vegetable cans work well)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place empty cans on baking sheet, open end down. Combine water and oil in shallow dish. Dip tortillas, one at a time, into water and remove quickly. (Submerging tortillas for more than 2 or 3 seconds will cause them to become soggy). Gently drape tortillas over cans and flute the edges, taking care not to pull or tear the tortillas. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until crisp. Cool completely before removing tortillas from the cans. When cool, gently twist the bottom of the tortillas to loosen them and then carefully remove from the cans. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. (Don't feel bad if you break one - I always break at least one! It's still delicious.)

Brown 2 lbs. ground beef. Drain. Add 1 1/2 cups water and 2 taco seasoning packets. Simmer over medium heat until water has evaporated. Add 1 can tomato paste and combine thoroughly.

What can you put into your taco salad bowl? Try layering any of the following:
- Seasoned taco beef
- Shredded Pepper Jack cheese
- Salsa
- Black beans
- Shredded lettuce
- Guacamole
- Sour cream
- Sliced green onions

Muy delicioso!