Thanks for visiting my food blog and checking out what's cooking in my kitchen. This is not a literary chronicle, but a place for family and friends to get a recipe or tip for their own creations in the kitchen. I have a link to my personal chef site for clients that wish to request something for their meals.

Collecting recipes has been a favorite past time for me and a tremendous help in planning a great meal. I get so excited when I find a great cookbook in the local thrift shop or on the best seller's list at Amazon. It's my intention to share the recipes here and give credit to the source and/or chef that created it.

I hope you enjoy visiting and will find something useful for your own culinary delights.
















Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Smoked Salmon Mousse in Cucumber Cups



1 4 oz. piece smoked salmon
2 tbs. heavy cream
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tbs. fresh prepared grated horseradish
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temp
2 seedless cucumbers, cut into 1/4 inch slices

Remove the skin from the smoked salmon. Put the flesh into the bowl of a food processor and chop until very fine. With the machine still running, add the cream in a steady stream. Add the salt and pepper, lemon juice, and horseradish.
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Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the cream cheese. Blend until well combined and smooth. Using a rubber spatula, press the mixture through a fine sieve to remove any lumps. Refrigerate until ready to use.
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Using a pastry bag fitted with a decorative tip, pipe 1 teaspoon mousse onto the center of each cucumber slice or create a cup by scooping the flesh from the center leaving a small rim around the edges.

Recipe taken from "Martha Stewart's Hors d'oeuvres Handbook"
** the book calls for smoked trout, but I substituted smoked salmon instead.

Roquefort Red Grapes w/ Pistachios



10 oz. almonds, pecans, or your favorite nut
8 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. Roquefort cheese
2 tbs. heavy cream
1 lb. red seedless grapes

Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Spread the nuts evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted and aromatic, 8 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly.
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Chop the toasted nuts in a food processor or by hand. Transfer to a platter and spread out evenly.
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In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, Roquefort, and cream and beat on low speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Drop clean, dry grapes into the loose cream cheese mixture. Use a rubber spatula to stir the grapes in the loose cheese mixture until each grape is coated. Working one at a time, transfer the grapes to the chopped nuts and roll the grapes in the nuts until they are well coated. Transfer the grapes to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving.

Recipe taken from "Martha Stewart's Hors d'oeuvres Handbook"
** This is a light, refreshing hors'doeuvre and seems to be a favorite at parties.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Roasted Red Pepper- Goat Cheese Spirals




1/2 cup (about 1/4 lb.) soft mild goat cheese, room temp
1/3 cup minced chives
2 7 oz. jars roasted red peppers, rinsed & patted dry
4 tbs. basil flavored olive oil

In a bowl combine the goat cheese, chives, salt and pepper to taste. On a sheet of plastic wrap arrange enough of the red pepper pieces, smooth sides down, trimming the pieces necessary, to form a 6 inch square and spread half the goat cheese mixture onto the peppers, leaving a half-inch border on the side farthest from you. Using the plastic wrap as an aid, roll up the pepper layer jelly-roll fashion away from you to enclose the goat cheese mixture. Wrap the pepper roll tightly in the plastic wrap and make another roll in the same manner with the remaining peppers and cheese. Chill the red pepper rolls for at least 3 hours. The rolls may be made 1 day in advance and kept wrapped and chilled.
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Discard the plastic wrap, pat the peppers rolls dry with paper towels and with a sharp knife cut each roll crosswise into 10 spirals. Just before serving, spoon the oil over the spirals.