Lacy Parmesan Crisps

 These pair very well with similarly made salami crisps for the perfect salty snack or appetizer.

Ingredients

Thickly shredded Parmigian

Process

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

2. On a Silpat or parchment lined baking sheet, place tablespoon mounds of the shredded cheese. Keep the mounds separated. 

3. Bake, on  a center rack, until golden brown and melted, about 5 minutes. 

4. Cool on wire rack and Enjoy!

Pasta al Limone

 Quick simple and yummy, I highly recommend this. It would also be great with shrimp. Serves 4 and easily double. I  originally got this recipe from WellPlated.com but we made some modifications along the way.

Ingredients

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed

8 ounces pasta of choice (spaghetti or fettuccine ideally)

5 Tablespoons butter

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium lemons

1 cup finely grated parmesan

1/2 cup White Wine

 Salt

lots of Ground black pepper

Process

1. Thinly slice one lemon and render in 2 Tablespoons butter in a saute pan (like for a masala). Remove and dice. 

2. Add oil to the pan and saute the chicken cubes. Add the rendered lemon slices and simmer. Put aside to be added back in at the end. 

3. According to the pasta instructions, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve one cup of pasta water. Then  drain. 

4.  Melt the remaining butter in a large pan, add the garlic, and cook for about a minute. 

5. Immediately add the hot pasta to the garlic skillet. Add 1/2 cup reserved water and the white wine. Toss to combine and continue cooking. Add the chicken and lemons and continue to saute. 

6. When ready to serve, serve with zested lemon rind and lemon juice form the remaining lemon. Sprinkle on the Parmesan and stir to combine. Keep stirring until it is smooth. 

7. Transfer to plates and season with salt and pepper.

Tait Pumpkin Pie

 The Tait Pumpkin pie is a boozy and delightful treat for Thanksgiving and Christmas. You need to prepare them days ahead so that they can cure (in other words, have some of the booze evaporate). This recipe makes three pies, so you have plenty to share or gift to others. This recipe is from my childhood next door neighbor "Granny Boultbee" and I had the pleasure of playing with her grandchildren when ever they visited.

Granny's daughter Marion shared the recipe with a little tale of it's origins.

"Mum kept the bottom of her no-longer-functioning pressure cooker just to make the pie filling. The Testa girls and I shed a tear when we dumped it as we were cleaning out the kitchen after Mum died. BTW, the recipe comes to us from Mum's mother's family, who came from Virginia/Maryland.  There's a family legend that my great grandmother (Mae Easter) was a Rebel spy, dancing with Union officers in Alexandria.  So of course, we always said the booze in the pie comes from our "southern roots." 

 And I thought they were Canadian! lol

Ingredients

4 cups canned pumpkin

2 sticks butter, softened

8 Tablespoons flour

2 and 1/3 cup Half & Half

2 and 1/3 cup white sugar

1 cup Molasses

Grated peel of 2 oranges

3 and 1/3 teaspoon cinnamon

3 and 1/3 teaspoon ginger

1/3 teaspoon ground cloves

1/3 teaspoon allspice

1/3 teaspoon mace

2/3 teaspoon salt

10 eggs

4 tsp rum

4 tsp brandy

3 pie crusts

Later: 1/2 cup rum

           1/2 cup brandy

Garnish: Whipped cream

                chopped nuts (optional)

Process

1. Measure pumpkin and set aside. 

2. In a heavy pot, cream the butter and flour. 

3. In a bowl, mix the spices with the sugar.  

4. Place pumpkin, cream, molasses, sugar, spices, and orange peel in the pot with the butter-flour mixture. 

5. Heat to bubbling hot, stirring often. 

6. Take off the heat. 

7. Beat eggs well with the teaspoons of liquor. 

8. Add 4 or more Tablespoons of the hot mixture to the eggs. 

9. Gradually work the eggs into the hot mixture, being careful not to cook the egg. 

10. Bring to bubbling hot again, stirring all the way. 

11. Stir and cook for two minutes. 

12. Set aside to cool. 

13. When cool, stir in the 1/2 cups of rum and brandy. 

14. Age in a cool place for at least 3 or 4 days before proceeding. It keeps well in the refrigerator but also freezes well. 

15. Fill uncooked pie shells generously. 

16. Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes, then at 350 degrees until crust is done (about 30 minutes). 

17. Top with whipped cream and nuts (if you wish) and enjoy!

Mulligatawny soup

 This recipe was my beloved Shani's favorite version of this Indian classic. Serves 4 to 6 people.

Ingredients

1 cup red split lentils, picked washed and drained

7 cups chicken stock

3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 medium potato

7 cloves garlic, peeled

2" cube fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 

1.5 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Process

1. Combine the lentils, chicken stock, and turmeric in a heavy, medium sized pot and bring to a boil. 

2. Cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar, turn heat to low, and simmer gently for 30 minutes. 

3. While the soup simmers, peel the potato and cut it into 1/2 inch dice. 

4. When the soup has cooked for 1/2 hour, add the cut potato and cover slightly ajar again, and continue simmering for another 30 minutes. 

5. During the second simmer, put the garlic and ginger into a blender, adding 5 Tablespoons water and blend until smooth. 

6. Once the soup base has finished simmering, add the contents of the blender to the soup and the spices and then blend using an immersion blender. 

7. Add the lemon juice and adjust seasonings according to taste. 

 

 

Serve as a first course to any Indian meal or enjoy this hearty soup any other time!