Impress Your Guests With This Simple Strawberry Sorbet

A cool and delicious strawberry sorbet can be an impressive end to a meal on a hot summer’s eve. And the only special equipment required is a food processor or blender. But you don’t have to tell your dinner guests how simple the sorbet was to prepare. That can be your little secret.

Note: While sorbets are generally made without milk products, eggs, or gelatin, this recipe does call for sweetened condensed milk. This is all you’ll need:

1 quart sliced strawberries
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. lemon juice

Puree all the ingredients together in a food processor or blender. Pour the pureed mixture into a shallow metal pan and freeze until ice crystals form. Use a fork to break up the crystals about every 30 minutes or so and continue to let it freeze until it is solid enough to be scooped into balls. Makes about 6 servings.

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Simply Wonderful Scented Sugars

Scented sugars are so easy to create and they’re simply wonderful. They make perfect gifts too.

To make your own scented sugars you’ll need some clean, dry jars with good seals, cheesecloth, plenty of granulated sugar (and other sugars, if desired), and a nice variety of herbs, spices, and flowers (always choose fresh herbs and flowers that have NOT been sprayed with chemicals).

Try the following combinations, then experiment to come up with your own signature variety of scented sugar.

NOTE: The herbs and spices will begin to flavor the sugars in about 3 days, but let them sit in the jars, undisturbed, in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight, for about 2 weeks for the most flavor.

LAVENDER SUGAR

Put 2 tablespoons of dried lavender into a piece of cheesecloth and tie it closed. Place the cheesecloth in a jar and add 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

VANILLA SUGAR

Split a whole vanilla bean and put it in a clean, dry jar. Bury the bean in granulated or confectioners’ sugar. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

GINGER SUGAR

Mix 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar in a clean, dry jar. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

STAR ANISE SUGAR

To create this licorice tasting sugar, put 8 whole star anise and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar into a clean, dry jar and mix them together. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

CLOVES SUGAR

Combine 10 whole cloves with 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a clean, dry jar. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

CITRUS SUGAR

Use a vegetable peeler to remove long strips of zest (the outside peel) from a large orange, 2 medium lemons, or 4 medium limes. Put the zest in a clean, dry jar and bury it with granulated sugar. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

MINT SUGAR

Wash and thoroughly dry some fresh mint leaves (use your favorite variety of mint – spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint, etc.) Put a little granulated sugar in the bottom of the jar, then add a layer of mint leaves, then another layer of sugar. Keep layering the mint leaves and sugar until the jar is full. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

SCENTED GERANIUM SUGAR

Wash and thoroughly dry some leaves from a scented geranium (rose, lemon, orange, pineapple, or chocolate-scented geraniums, etc. – not regular geraniums). Put a little granulated sugar in the bottom of the jar, then add a layer of scented geranium leaves, then another layer of sugar. Keep layering the scented geranium leaves and sugar until the jar is full. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

TO USE THE SCENTED SUGARS:

Sprinkle any variety of scented sugar over fruit, or hot or cold cereal.

Use scented sugar instead of plain sugar in a sugar cookie recipe – or in any cake, cookie, or custard recipe that calls for granulated sugar.

Add citrus sugar to hot or iced tea.

Try a little vanilla sugar in coffee, or mix it with powdered cinnamon and use for cinnamon toast or French toast.

Add mint sugar to tea or lemonade.

Use scented confectioners’ sugar when making icings for cakes and brownies.

Final Note: Once the herbs, spices, or flowers have flavored the sugar, remove them from the jars if you will use the jars of sugars as gifts.

A Cool & Refreshing Appetizer for Summer!

These attractive cucumber and salmon appetizers are a snap to make with our Divine Dill Dip Mix. Simply add cream cheese or sour cream to the dip mix.

DILLICIOUS CUCUMBER & SALMON APPETIZERS

1/2 pkg. Divine Dill Dip Mix

1 c. sour cream OR 4 oz. cream cheese

1 large cucumber

1 pkg. (about 3 oz.) smoked salmon

Fresh dill or canned pimento

Combine the sour cream or cream cheese and Divine Dill Dip Mix and refrigerate for at least an hour, so the onions in the dip mix will soften and the flavors will blend with the sour cream or cream cheese.

Slice a large cucumber in half. With a vegetable peeler, peel the length of each cucumber, leaving narrow strips of the peel intact (see photo). Cut the cucumber into 1 to 2 inch slices, then make a little cup out of each piece of cucumber by hollowing out a bit of the cucumber. Put about a teaspoon of the dill dip mixture into the hollow space of each cucumber. Cut a small piece (about 2 inches or so) of smoked salmon and roll it up. Place the rolled salmon on top of the dill dip mixture that is inside the cucumber slice. Garnish with a little minced dill or a small piece of canned pimento. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve.

Try Truffles!

Want to serve an elegant, yet easy, dessert? Try truffles. The chocolate kind, that is. Not the fungi. These rich and creamy bite-sized indulgences are really quite simple to make. The secret is to buy the best chocolate you can afford.

For 25-30 basic chocolate truffles you will need:

4 oz. good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped in small pieces

4 oz. good quality semisweet or milk chocolate, chopped in small pieces

6 T. unsalted butter, cubed

2 tsp. instant coffee crystals dissolved in 3 Tbsp. warm water

1 Tbsp. of your favorite liqueur (optional)

COATINGS (Any or all of the following):

Unsweetened cocoa powder

Toasted, finely chopped pecans, almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts

Finely chopped sweetened coconut

Very fine graham cracker crumbs

Powdered sugar

Melt both chocolates, butter, and instant coffee liquid in a double boiler over simmering water. Stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate and butter are melted and smooth (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat.

Stir in the liqueur. Pour chocolate mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm (at least 1 hour).

Use a melon ball scoop or a couple of teaspoons to mold the cold chocolate mixture into truffles.

Put each of the coating items in a separate shallow plastic container that has a lid. Place each truffle into any one of the coatings and roll it around until covered (Hint: When you have 5 or 6 truffles in any one of the coating mixtures, put the lid on the container and gently shake it until the truffles are completely coated).

Store the truffles in an airtight container (in a single layer) lined with parchment paper. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.

Other Truffle Recipes to Try:

Peanutty Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate Orange Truffles

Toasted Almond White Chocolate Truffles

Make Your Own Irish Cream Liqueur

Irish Cream liqueur is delicious served straight, or on the rocks, in a glass. But my favorite way to enjoy it is in hot coffee, with a generous (okay, VERY generous) topping of whipped cream and a light dusting of cocoa powder.

Next time you’re hosting a dinner party, or just having friends over for coffee, make your own Irish Cream Liqueur. You won’t save money by concocting this creamy beverage yourself, but you will feel incredibly clever and your guests are sure to be impressed.

IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR

1 3/4 c. good Irish whiskey (I prefer Jameson’s brand)
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 c. whipping cream (straight from the carton, unwhipped)
4 eggs
2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
2 tsp. instant coffee
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into an attractive glass bottle and tightly cover. Store in the refrigerator. Stir before serving. Makes about 5 cups.

This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month, but it probably won’t last that long!

Oven-Dried Tomatoes

Love the taste of sun-dried tomatoes but hate the high cost of such a gourmet treat?

Then make your own.

Well, sort of.

Instead of sun-drying tomatoes outside, dry them inside in your oven.

First, be sure to get the proper tomatoes for drying. I like to use about 20 plump Roma (Plum) tomatoes for drying, but cherry tomatoes work well, too.

Set your oven to 200 degrees F. Slice the tomatoes in halves. Scoop out the seeds with your fingers or a fork. Place the tomatoes, cut side down, on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat. Sprinkle with a little kosher salt.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven for several hours (about 5 to 6, but longer, if necessary – see EXTRA TIPS below) turning it occasionally so all of the tomatoes dry evenly.

The tomatoes are done when they are dried but are still slightly plump. Allow them to cool at room temperature.

Once the tomatoes have cooled, put them in a jar or other container that has a tight fitting lid. Pour enough oil olive into the jar to cover the tomatoes. Put the lid on the jar very securely. Store the tomatoes in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

EXTRA TIPS:
If you have a convection oven (which is what I use for this) use it and the tomatoes will dry much faster. Keep checking the tomatoes periodically after a couple of hours.

Some directions for oven-dried tomatoes include marinating the tomatoes in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and parsley before drying them. This gives the tomatoes a rich flavor, but will increase the drying time to about 16 hours or longer. Once the tomatoes have been in the oven for a few hours, keep checking them to determine when they are dried but not leathery.

Quick and Easy Olive Dip

Here’s a recipe that’s quick and easy yet delicious!

1 1 /2 c. green olives, chopped
1 (6 oz.) can black olives, chopped
1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 c. green onions, chopped (optional)
1 c. mayonnaise

Mix all ingredients and bake in an uncovered dish at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Serve with your favorite crackers, flatbread, or pita triangles.

Tuscan Cherry Tiramisu

Here’s a dessert that’s sure to impress your dinner guests, yet it’s very easy to prepare! You’ll need:

1 c. ricotta cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. sour cream
1/4 c. coffee liqueur
1 1 /2 c. shortbread cookie crumbs (about thirty 2″ cookies)
1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling
Grated chocolate or mint leaves for garnish (optional, but really makes an impressive presentation)

Directions:
Combine ricotta cheese, powdered sugar, sour cream, and coffee liqueur in a large mixing bowl; mix well. Set aside.

In a blender or food processor, process cookies until finely crushed. Remove 6 cherries from filling; reserve for garnish.

Spoon 2 tablespoons ricotta mixture into six 8-ounce parfait glasses. Add 2 tablespooons cookie crumbs to each glass; top each with 2 tablespoons cherry filling. Repeat layers. Top off with ricotta mixture. Garnish each with a reserved cherry, grated chocolate or mint leaf. Makes 6 servings.

Food with a Sense of History

As an author myself, I love reading (and writing) historical fiction. I find it particularly delightful when a novel includes a recipe that reflects the times of the book.

Signora Da Vinci is a new historical novel from Robin Maxwell. It takes the reader back to the Italian Renaissance as seen through the eyes of Leonardo da Vinci’s mother, Catrina. Throughout the book, Catrina serves guests this Grape and Olive Compote. I finished reading the book last night and I was delighted to see the recipe in the back pages.

I already had all the ingredients in my kitchen, so I just finished baking the compote. M-m-m…my house smells pleasingly like olives and balsamic vinegar. I can’t wait to try the compote later this evening with some goat cheese and a crusty baguette.

Grape and Olive Compote

1 bunch seedless red grapes
1 jar (or equivalent) Kalamata olives, pits removed
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme (optional)

Mix all ingredients in an ovenproof dish and bake uncovered for one hour at 350 degrees, turning the fruit every twenty minutes with a spoon to recoat them with the oil and vinegar. Serve warm or cold with soft goat cheese on crusty bread or with crackers, or use as a side dish with fish or poultry.

Read the book: Signora Da Vinci

Tags: Da Vinci, grape and olive compote, Robin Maxwell

Simple Raspberry Sauce

June 10, 2009 by Suzanne Lieurance  
Filed under Recipes

1 Comment

Take a trip to the farmer’s market for some fresh raspberries and try this simple sauce. You’ll want to make several batches and freeze a couple of them to save for the winter months.

I got this recipe from THE PROVENCE COOKBOOK by Patricia Wells. But I found I have to add a bit more sugar than her recipe calls for, especially with red raspberries, which are my favorite. Otherwise, the sauce is too tart.

The only equipment you need for this is a blender or food processor and a fine-mesh sieve. This sauce makes a delicious topping for ice cream, angel food cake, brownies, and even waffles or pancakes.

FRESH RASPBERRY SAUCE

1 lb. (about 4 cups) fresh raspberries (I used red raspberries for the sauce for the ice cream in the photo above)

1 Tbsp. powdered sugar (I use a bit more, particularly with red raspberries)

2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Puree the raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a blender.

To remove the seeds, strain the sauce through a sieve (set over a large bowl). Pour the strained sauce into a plastic container with a lid (particularly if you want to freeze the sauce) and seal it tightly.

This sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

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