SPRING MUSHROOMS

22 Monday May 2017

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Thoughtful and generous friends delivered a bounty of freshly harvested Morel Mushrooms. I was absolutely thrilled as I had not seen or tasted this elusive wild forest fungus, and was eager to experience the joy and reverence they inspire.

We gave the mushrooms a light dusting of flour and pan cooked them in butter, as our friends suggested, and still had enough to cover with cream and bake in the oven with our fresh yard eggs.

EGGS AND MORELS BAKED IN CREAM

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 small shallot, finely chopped

8 fresh morel mushrooms, diced

salt

1 cup cream

4 eggs

freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

Heat oven to 375F. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add shallot, cook, stirring constantly, until shallot has softened, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes. Add cream, bring to a simmer. Immediately remove from heat and let mushroom mixture cool 5 minutes.

Butter four ramekins, place dishes in a rimmed baking sheet. Crack an egg into each baking dish and season with salt and pepper. Pour the mushroom-cream mixture into dishes, dividing evenly, and sprinkle with chives. Bake on baking sheet until the egg whites are just set, 9 to 12 minutes.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

www.marthastewart.com/

SPRING WEATHER – WINTER RECIPES

29 Saturday Apr 2017

Posted by Ceri Wilkin in Beef, Recipes, Vegetables

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beef, flooding, healthy, hearty, heavy rainfall, Pasta, pomegranate, potatoes, rice, spring, vegan, vegetarian, warming

It’s spring in Arkansas, which means we have encountered almost every kind of weather over the past week, and experienced deeply fluctuating temperatures – enabling us to go from gloves and coat on our morning walk, to sitting outside in a tank top, sweating by mid-afternoon.

With the current heavy rainfall – causing flooding all over the area, and cooler temperatures, augmented by gloomy, grey skies – it seems appropriate to return to hearty, warming, winter dishes.

water in our basement with the heavy rainfall we are experiencing

RIGATONI WITH BEEF AND POMEGRANATE RAGU

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound ground beef

2 ribs celery, chopped

2 shallots, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup tomato paste

4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 3/4 cups beef stock

1 cup pomegranate juice

cooked pasta for serving

1/2 cup plain yogurt for serving

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high. Add the beef, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the celery, shallots and garlic, season.

Cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and rosemary and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Stir in the stock and pomegranate juice. Simmer the ragu over medium-low, stirring often, until the liquid is thickened, about 25 to 30 minutes, season.

Divide the pasta among bowls, top with the ragu and yogurt.

Enjoy!

CREAMY CHICKPEA CURRY

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 onion, diced

1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons curry powder

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 1/2 cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoons tamari

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3/4 pound potatoes, cut into pieces

1 carrot, diced

4 cups cauliflower florets

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas

1 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

1/2 cup frozen peas

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Melt coconut oil in a pot over medium heat. Saute onion until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add curry powder, pepper flakes, broth, tamari, maple syrup and tomato paste and stir.

Add potatoes and carrot, cover pot and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to a simmer.

Cook just until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add cauliflower, chickpeas, coconut milk and cilantro. Stir gently to incorporate. Return to simmer and cook just until cauliflower is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Fold in peas and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Serve with rice and garnish with cilantro.

Enjoy!

FRESH STRAWBERRY BARS

01 Sunday May 2016

Posted by Ceri Wilkin in bars and cookies, Recipes

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easy, peanut butter, spring, summer

These Fresh Strawberry Bars, topped with a flutter of mint, would be perfect packed in a picnic basket and carried outside to celebrate May Day!

FRESH STRAWBERRY BARS

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup strawberry jam

4 cups strawberries, quartered

Heat oven to 350F. Line a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with foil.

In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in sugars, baking powder and salt until combined. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until combined. Beat in flour with mixer.

Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake 25 minutes or until top is lightly browned and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

Cool completely. Remove from pan by lifting foil. Spread jam and top with berries. Cut into bars and garnish with chopped mint.

Enjoy!

EGG SALAD and DEVILED EGGS WITH PANCETTA AND TARRAGON

28 Monday Mar 2016

Posted by Ceri Wilkin in Eggs, Recipes

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best, delicious, dyed eggs, Easter, easy, hard boiled eggs, spring

A brilliant idea for using up those beautifully dyed and decorated Easter Eggs.

EGG SALAD

1 dozen boiled eggs

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream

1/4 teaspoon paprika

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons horseradish

1/2 cup cooked bacon, chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Peel and chop eggs. Mix with mayonnaise, sour cream, paprika, Dijon mustard, horseradish and bacon. Season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from All Recipes, April/May 2015

allrecipes.com/

DEVILED EGGS WITH PANCETTA AND TARRAGON

4 to 6 ounces of pancetta

6 hard-cooked eggs, cooled and peeled

3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon, divided

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan

1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream

1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise

juice from half a lemon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook pancetta in a skillet over medium heat, until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Drain, let cool and finely chop.

Slice eggs into halves lengthwise and scoop egg yolks into a bowl. Set whites aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of tarragon and remaining ingredients to egg yolks and mix until thoroughly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Spoon yolk mixture back into egg white halves and garnish with a sprinkle of remaining tarragon.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Relish, March 2013

relish.com/

LAMB CHOPS AND MASHED POTATOES WITH PEAS AND HERBS

27 Sunday Mar 2016

Posted by Ceri Wilkin in lamb, Recipes

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Easter, family, spring

HAPPY EASTER!!

LAMB CHOPS AND MASHED POTATOES WITH PEAS AND HERBS

4 potatoes, peeled and cubed

salt

4 to 6 lamb chops

pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

4 cloves garlic, 2 crushed and 2 whole, divided use

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup beef stock

juice of half a lemon

1/2 cup mascarpone

1/4 to 1/2 cup cream

1/4 cup chives, finely chopped

small handful of mint, finely chopped

small handful of parsley, chopped

2 cups peas, cooked in boiling water for 1 minute

Place the potatoes and two whole garlic cloves in a medium pot, cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high. Season with salt and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.

Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add the oil. Add the lamb and cook, turning once, until browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter and crushed garlic. Using a spoon, baste the lamb with the pan juices, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Add a splash of stock. Add the lemon juice and remove the skillet from the heat.

Drain the potatoes and garlic cloves and return to the hot pot. Add a splash of stock, the mascarpone, 1/4 cup cream and the herbs, season. Add half of the peas and coarsely mash the potato mixture. Stir in the remaining peas and the remaining cream if desired.

Divide the potatoes and lamb among plates, drizzle with pan juices.

Enjoy!

RISOTTO WITH PEAS

13 Sunday Mar 2016

Posted by Ceri Wilkin in Recipes, rice

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Daylight Savings, easy, parmesan, prosciutto, quick, rice, Risi e Bisi, spring, time efficient

As we lost an hour to Daylight Savings with the time change, I wanted to make a dinner that was simple, very quick and time efficient, and evocative of the approaching Spring.

RISOTTO WITH PEAS

4 tablespoons butter, divided

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 onion, chopped

3/4 cup diced prosciutto

4 cups frozen peas

1 teaspoon salt

chicken broth as needed

2 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and onion. Saute until translucent. Add the prosciutto, peas, salt and about 1/3 cup broth.

Add rice and some broth and continue cooking, stirring occasionally and adding more broth as needed.

Cook until rice is al dente, about 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Add the remaining butter and olive oil and the parmesan and stir to combine. Let rest, covered, for three minutes. Stir in parsley and serve.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Glamour

www.glamour.com/about/food-recipes

BERRY MANDARIN TOSSED SALAD

03 Wednesday Jun 2015

Posted by Ceri Wilkin in Recipes, Salad

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almonds, delicious, dressing, fresh, healthy, honey, mandarin oranges, mustard, spring, strawberries, summer, teacher appreciation

Today is the last day of school for part of our family, and I can’t even begin to say how very excited we are for the long, lazy and fun summer stretching endlessly ahead, and there is no way to even begin to thank the Teachers and Staff at the school who have made it such a wonderful year – for me, my husband and our children!

There is one week during the year, officially dedicated to Teacher Appreciation activities, one of which is a lovely luncheon traditionally held off-campus, where parents bring dishes according to the theme, which was BBQ this year. I made a Berry Mandarin Tossed Salad with home made vinaigrette, and added a few store brought varieties of dressing to go alongside the salad, smoked meat, rolls, beans, potato salad and coleslaw.

It is always one of my favorite events to organize and help out with, but it never feels like enough thanks or recognition for all that our incredible teachers do!!

Happy Summer!!

BERRY MANDARIN TOSSED SALAD

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/3 cup vegetable oil

salad greens

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained

1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cider vinegar, honey, lemon juice, paprika, ground mustard, onion powder and celery seed, season with salt and pepper.

Cook on medium-low, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Whisk in oil. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

In a salad bowl, combine the salad greens, strawberries, oranges and almonds. Drizzle with dressing or serve dressing on the side.

Enjoy!

SALMON WITH MASHED PEAS AND TARRAGON BUTTER

27 Wednesday May 2015

Posted by Ceri Wilkin in Fish, Recipes

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delicious, healthy, outdoor dining, spring, tablescape, wine

After spending an afternoon in the garden planting herbs, I had three small, adorable rosemary plants left over. They looked so pretty, I decided to put them in pots on the back porch to enhance our tablescape.

I cleaned off the outdoor furniture and dusted off the pillows and we sat down that evening to a wonderful spring dinner of Salmon with Mashed Peas and Tarragon Butter. Since then, we have been out on the back porch as much as possible, for every conceivable meal and occasion, whether enjoying a cup of coffee and reading the paper in the morning, entertaining friends or having a glass of wine before dinner.

SALMON WITH MASHED PEAS AND TARRAGON BUTTER

12 ounces to 1 pound of frozen peas

7 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, plus 6 tablespoons cubed

1/2 cup cream

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup white wine

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped tarragon

4 6-ounce salmon fillets

2 tablespoons olive oil

In a large saucepan of boiling water, cook the peas until tender, 3 to 4 minutes, drain. In the same saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the cream. Add the peas and mash with a potato masher until chunky. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Heat oven to 400F.

In a small saucepan, simmer the wine with the lemon juice over moderate heat until reduced to 1 tablespoon, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter, one cube at a time, until the sauce is thickened. Whisk in the tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a small bowl and keep warm.

Rub the salmon with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Bake in oven until browned and just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Spoon the mashed peas onto plates and top with the salmon. Spoon the tarragon butter sauce around the peas and serve.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, April 2014

www.foodandwine.com/

TANGY TOMATO BASIL SOUP and RICOTTA, PEAS AND MARINATED MUSHROOMS ON GRILLED BREAD

17 Sunday May 2015

Posted by Ceri Wilkin in burgers and sandwiches, Recipes, Soup

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cool, delicious, healthy, inviting, ladies, light, lunch, sandwich, Soup, spring, summer

I am very fortunate to have wonderful friends – one group of which make arrangements to get together regularly for lunch. When life doesn’t intervene to postpone our carefully made plans, we usually meet in a restaurant, but I recently invited these fabulous ladies to dine out on the back deck – one of my favorite spots in our home, during one of my favorite times of the year to be outside.

I chose a light menu, cool and inviting to compliment the perfect outdoor weather, and then completed our unassuming meal with a bowl Parmesan Ice Cream with a Balsamic Vinegar Drizzle (https://recipedoodle.com/2015/05/18/parmesan-ice-cream-with-balsamic-vinegar-drizzle/).

TANGY TOMATO BASIL SOUP

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon sugar

3 tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped

2 green onions, chopped

1 garlic clove

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt

fresh basil leaves

Combine buttermilk, basil, olive oil, lemon juice, sugar, tomatoes, green onions and garlic in blender. Season with salt and pepper, and blend until smooth.

Divide soup among bowls and top evenly with yogurt and basil leaves.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

www.cookinglight.com/

RICOTTA, PEAS AND MARINATED MUSHROOMS ON GRILLED BREAD

4 green onions, sliced

1 cup green peas

2 cups mixed mushrooms

1 red chili pepper, sliced thin

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cups ricotta cheese

1 baguette, sliced

salt and freshly ground black pepper

pea shoots for serving

Blanch the green onions and peas until tender, about 3 minutes, drain and reserve.

Prepare the mushrooms: wipe off dirt with a damp paper towel. Chop and sauté in a little oil over medium-high heat until lightly browned. Add chilies, cook for 1 minute, add salt and pepper to taste, followed by the vinegar. Simmer for 3 minutes, then remove from pan and stir in 1/4 cup olive oil.

Mix ricotta with pea mixture, season with salt and pepper.

Grill the baguette slices, top with the ricotta mixture, some marinated mushrooms and top with the pea shoots.

Enjoy!

Recipe Doodle

Tag Archives: spring

SPRING MUSHROOMS

SPRING WEATHER – WINTER RECIPES

FRESH STRAWBERRY BARS

EGG SALAD and DEVILED EGGS WITH PANCETTA AND TARRAGON

LAMB CHOPS AND MASHED POTATOES WITH PEAS AND HERBS

RISOTTO WITH PEAS

BERRY MANDARIN TOSSED SALAD

SALMON WITH MASHED PEAS AND TARRAGON BUTTER

TANGY TOMATO BASIL SOUP and RICOTTA, PEAS AND MARINATED MUSHROOMS ON GRILLED BREAD