Shortbread Cookies

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Queen of Scots Shortbread
From Dorothy McNett’s Recipe Book at www.dorothymcnett.com.

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 teaspoon real vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose unbleached organic flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With electric beater, beat butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat about 5 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl and add slowly to the butter mixture, beating only until well combined. With floured hands, gently pat the dough into ungreased 8 inch round cake pan. Score the shortbreads into eighths, and flute the edges. Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Gently cut through the marked off edges and lift out of the pan and allow to cool completely on a rack. Sprinkle with sugar gems, if desired.

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Puffy Omelette

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

4 eggs, separated
1/4 cup milk or cream
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Separate eggs, beat egg whites until stiff. Set aside. Beat egg yolks, milk, salt and pepper until thick and lemon colored. Gently fold into egg whites. Heat 10 – 11inch skillet with oil or butter. Pour mixture into hot pan, reduce to low heat and cook until light brown underneath but still bubbly and moist on the top. (takes about 4 – 6 minutes). Place skillet in oven and bake about 7-8 minutes, to brown. Make a 1/2 inch deep crease across omelette and fold omelette in half…then roll it out onto an oval platter. Garnish with grated cheese, snipped parsley, or a creamy sauce and serve immediately.

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Candy Cane White Chocolate Bark

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Our Famous December Candy
From Dorothy McNett’s Recipe Book at www.dorothymcnett.com.

1 pound Guittard’s white satin chocolate
1 cup almonds
1 teaspoon butter
2-3 candy canes, chopped

Microwave candy in batter bowl on high for 1 minute. In another bowl, microwave the almonds and butter on high for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave another 1-3 minutes, or until toasted. Stir into the chocolate. In processor, chop peppermint and add to candy. Spread onto a piece of waxed paper and allow to harden. Break into pieces

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Homemade Nocino

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

From Nocino Liqueur, Makes a Perfect Summertime Backyard Party, by Martha Holmberg, June 09/July 09

30 fresh walnuts, quartered (pod and all)
1 liter vodka or grain alcohol
1 liter white wine
1 kilo (2.2 pounds) granulated sugar
Pared zest of one lemon
3 cinnamon sticks
40 whole cloves

Put everything in a clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Let sit in the sun for about 5 months, shaking it every day. Around Thanksgiving, start tasting.

Strain the nocino through a colander first to remove the large pieces, then strain again through a coffee filter or other super-fine mesh several times, until most of the sediment is gone. Let the strained nocino sit indoors in a clean bottle for any more sediment to settle to the bottom, then carefully pour it off into small decorative bottles

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World’s Best Fruit Cobbler

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Nectarines, Peaches and Plums - So Good!

Use ANY fruit, such as peaches, apples, apricots, cherries, plums…

1/2 cup butter
3-4 cups fruit and its juices
1-2 tablespoons crystalline candied ginger, if desired
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch of sea salt
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1 cup milk

Put the butter in a deep casserole at least 9 inches in diameter, (2 – 3 qt oval casserole works as well) put it in a cold oven, and preheat to 350 degrees. Prepare fruit, slicing if necessary, and put into a bowl. Toss in the ginger, if using. If the fruit is not juicy, sprinkle it with some of the sugar. Set aside.
In a batter bowl whisk together the sugar, baking powder, salt and flour. Add the milk with extract and mix well. Mixture will be thin. When the butter has melted and the oven has reached 350 degrees, pour the batter all at once into the dish, then pour the fruit and juices into the center of the batter. Do not stir. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the batter is done and the top is golden brown. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

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Brown Sugar, Cinnamon Pull Aparts or Monkey Bread

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Cinnamon, Brown Sugar Pullaparts! Sweet.

Ingredients

3 (12 ounce) packages refrigerated biscuit dough (Like Grands) or make your own biscuits (see below)
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup margarine and/or walnut oil
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease one 9 or 10 inch tube/Bundt® pan.
2.Mix white sugar and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Cut biscuits into quarters. Shake 6 to 8 biscuit pieces in the sugar cinnamon mix. Arrange pieces in the bottom of the prepared pan. Continue until all biscuits are coated and placed in pan. If using nuts and raisins, arrange them in and among the biscuit pieces as you go along.
3.In a small saucepan, melt the margarine with the brown sugar over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Pour over the biscuits.
4.Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Do not cut! The bread just pulls apart.

Homemade Biscuits
Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

1 1/4 C. cake flour
3/4 C. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/4 C. butter, cut into small chunks
3/4 C. buttermilk (or 3/4 cup milk and 1 tsp vinegar)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Prepare ingredients: Cut butter into small chunks, place in a bowl and return to fridge. Measure out buttermilk and set aside. Sprinkle flour on a work surface and have extra flour nearby for your hands and biscuit cutter. Have biscuit cutter and an ungreased baking sheet handy

3. Mix dough: In a medium-large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt until very well blended. Add butter and cut into flour using a pastry blender, two knives or your fingertips, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in buttermilk and stir lightly until dough comes together in a ball.

4. Knead dough and cut biscuits: Dump dough mixture out onto floured work surface. With floured hands, lightly knead dough a few times until it is fairly well blended. Pat out into a circle, 3/4 – 1 inch thick. Dip cutter into flour and cut biscuits without twisting the cutter. Form the dough scraps into an extra biscuit-like shape instead of re-rolling the dough. Place cut biscuits together on the baking sheet so that the sides are touching. Brush tops with melted butter, if desired.

5. Bake biscuits: place baking sheet in the middle of a preheated 400 degree oven and bake for 40 minutes until they are golden brown. Remove biscuits to a wire rack to cool for a few minutes.

Awesome Breakfast!

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Roasted Tomato Fennel Soup

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Roasted Tomato Fennel Soup

I woke up this morning wanting to make soup for my office luncheon meeting. Up at 5:00 AM, roasting vegetables. Husband looking at me oddly, and finely asking, “What are you making?”. As the vegetables roasted I grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down with Dennis for a few minutes of morning chit chat. I love the mornings, lighting the fireplace, having coffee, talking about the day ahead of us.

27 years married, work in a business together, we have much to discuss.
We discussed issues quickly and made decisions and moved from topic to topic. This is our time to discuss our calendars, potential conflicts, kids, vacation ideas, work strategy.

I learned a long time ago to keep our discussions for the morning. Discussing issues at night when we are both tired, just led to a restless, sleepless night for both of us. Everything is shelved when I come home until the morning. It makes for a harmonic evening.

My tomato plants are nice this year. Already have quite a few tomatoes, so soup has been on my mind. My fennel is also ready to pick. And lucky me, someone gave me some fresh squash. Happy girl I am!

1 pan of quartered fresh tomatoes, 6-8
2 yellow onions sliced
2 cups squash, sliced
2 bulbs fennel, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
Drizzle olive oil over vegetables on separate sheet pans – one layer 400 degrees for 40 minutes

8 cups chicken broth
3 cans diced chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp tarragon
juice from 2 lemons
Bring broth to a boil and add the vegetables after roasting. Simmer for 20-30 minutes allowing the soup to reduce. Using a stick hand blender, puree the vegetable soup.
Serves a crowd 15-20 friends.
Pour soup into crockpot to keep warm and take to your office and serve them lunch.
Serve with grated parmesan and croutons.
Excellent soup. You’ll love it!

Order a cheese pizza and serve with the soup. You office mates are goin’ love you.
Want more? Serve with Chicken Ceasar Salad.
Awesome!

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Strawberry Spinach Salad

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Strawberry Spinach Salad

I love this salad. I remember going to Kansas City and Dennis ordered this salad. Inspired, I went home and imitated it!
Easy to make, family and friend favorite. Dennis loves it without the bacon as well. Who would have guessed that!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar or balsalmic
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced onion
10 ounces fresh spinach – rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
1 quart strawberries – cleaned, hulled and sliced (No stawberries?
1/4 cup almonds or walnuts, blanched and slivered
1/4 cup sliced red onions on garnish
4 slices of bacon, crisp (crumbled)

Directions
1.In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour. (You can also mix with your blender.)
2.In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Or make it Hot spinach salad –
I have prepared this two ways: hot and cold. Fried and crumbled bacon, then added all dressing ingredients till sugar dissolved. Pour this hot dressing over spinach/strawberries: outa this world! Also delicious prepared cold.

Adding chicken chunks and kiwi is another wonderful variation for a complete, colorful meal in a bowl!

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Tomato, Sweet Pepper and Garbanzo Soup with Rosemary

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Roasted Tomato and Sweet Peppers with Garbanzo Beans and Rosemary
Ingredients:
32 oz of Clamato Juice
4 cups of chicken broth – may need to add more as you go
4 12.5-ounce can of garbanzo beans, drained
3 Tablespoons Cumin
1 Tablespoon Paprika
2 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
4 chopped celery stems
6 cups fresh tomatoes, oven roasted, roughly chopped
3 cups sweet red peppers, oven roasted
Drizzle of olive oil, enough to coat the tomatoes and peppers
Salt and Pepper to taste
7 sprigs of Rosemary for garnish, fried in olive oil

Serving suggestion: Side of Pita Bread, or French bread
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Place tomatoes and peppers on a baking sheet. Drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes.
2. In a large-sized soup pot or Dutch oven sauté chopped onions and celery until tender. Add Clamato juice and chicken broth and all ingredients except the garbanzo beans and rosemary and bring to simmer.
3. After 30 minutes add the tomatoes and peppers that are roasted.
4. Process the hot soup in a blender to smooth consistency and put back into soup pot.

5. Add garbanzo beans to the soup pot, sea salt and pepper to taste and ½ the rosemary. Cover and let simmer 20 minutes. minutes.

To serve: Ladle into bowls and top with fried rosemary sprigs for garnish.

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Fettuccini with Cilantro Lime Shrimp in Ginger Cream Sauce

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Sandy

Fettuccini with Cilantro Lime Shrimp in Ginger Cream Sauce
16 oz heavy cream serves 4
2 T powdered ginger 30-45 minutes to prepare
2 eggplant – 1 cut in batonetts using the outside aubergine edges.
1 eggplant cut diagonally into ¼ inch diagonal slices (To be used as garnish).
2 zucchini cut in batonettes using the outside peel edges.
4 T Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 pound of fettuccini noodles
1 ½ pounds of shrimp Approximately 24 Shrimp shelled and de-veined, with tails on.
2 T butter
2 T Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
¼ cup finely chopped sweet onion
¼ cup cilantro chopped and 10 whole leaves for garnish
1 Can – 12 ounces of Canada Dry Ginger Ale
4 limes – juice 3 and serve the last as garnish on each plate.

Add 6 quarts of water and salt to stock pot and bring to boil. When water is boiling, add pasta and cook until just al dente.
In heavy small sauce pan, add cream and ginger. To attain the delicious creamy texture, you can use cream chargers delivery Melbourne. They have the best collection of equipments. Bring to boil then reduce heat to simmer and allow to reduce to 1/3.
Lightly coat eggplant and zucchini with oil and salt and pepper, bake eggplant and zucchini batonetts for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Top eggplant slices with cilantro leaf using oil to stick the two together. Bake until just slightly browned. Set aside.
Your pasta should be in the pot cooking before this next step of cooking the shrimp.
Heat a sauté pan on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium high and add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter melts, add the garlic. Sauté for a minute and add onion and sauté for another couple of minutes. Add Shrimp. Then add ginger ale and stir to combine and coat the shrimp with the butter. Spread shrimp in even layer in the pan. As soon as the shrimp are almost all pink, add ginger cream sauce and lime juice and cilantro. Add fettuccini to pan, stir allowing to absorb the cream sauce.
Add zucchini and eggplant batonetts: plate pasta, divide shrimp equally among 4 plates, garnish zucchini and eggplant batonetts, cilantro, lime, and zucchini and eggplant slices.
Variations: Serve with linguini, rice or crusty bread. If you want to heat it up, you can add diced jalapenos while sautéing the onions for the shrimp.

Cilantro Lime Shrimp, Ginger Cream Sauce - Aubergines and Zucchinis

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