Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Monte Cristo Sandwiches 

2 large eggs

1/4 cup 2% milk

4 slices bread

4 slices Swiss cheese 

4 slices Black Forest ham or equivalent leftover ham, sliced 

1 tbsp butter 

Dipping suggestions:  black currant jam, red pepper jelly, maple syrup 

In a shallow pan whisk eggs with milk. 

Place 2 slices of bread n a cutting board. Top each with a slice of cheese, then top with 2 slices of ham and thentopmwith remaining cheese. Top with remaining bread. Dip each sandwich into egg mixture, soaking for 15 seconds per side. 

In a large skillet melt butter over medium high heat; cook sandwiches, turning once until golden, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to baking pan lined with parchment paper and bake in a 350% oven until sandwiches are warmed through and cheese is melted. 

Serve with suggested dipping sauces. 

Tomato Platter with Herb Oil

Tomato Platter with Herb Oil

1/2 cup cold pressed sunflower oil or pumpkin seed oil

6 fresh chives, torn in quarters 

1/2 cup packed fresh basil

1 tsp fresh rosemary

1 small clove garlic, minced 

1/2 tsp Salt 

1/2 tsp Freshly ground pepper 

8 - 12 heirloom tomatoes and/or 1 - 2 cups cherry, grape or mini tomatoes, whatever is in season

1 tbsp roasted pumpkin or sunflower seeds 

Kosher salt 

Combine oil, chives, basil, Rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper in a mini chopper or use a stick blender to purée until fairly smooth. Cover and let stand for 4 hours at room temperature. Or refridgerate for up to one day and then allow to come to room temperature for a minimum of 4 hours before using. 

Cut tomatoes cross wise into thick slices if large or cut in half crosswise if small. Mini tomatoes can be left whole. Arrange on a platter. Drissle with herb oil, sprinkle with toasted pumpkin or sesame seeds, kosher salt and serve. 

Serves 12 

Spring Roll Soup

Spring Roll Soup

2 lbs lean ground pork

1 tbsp olive oil

1 white onion, diced 

3 cloves garlic, minced 

1 small green cabbage, shredded 

6 - 8 cups beef stock 

1 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tbsp sugar 

1 package beef soup base 

Salt and pepper to taste 

1 small package vermicelli rice noodles 

Additional toppings 

* toasted sesame seeds

* thinly sliced green onion

* wonton strips, home made or store bought 

Add olive oil to a large stock pot and heat over medium high heat. Add ground pork and scramble fry for 5 - 6 minutes, stirring occasionally until pork is lightly browned. 

Add onion and sautée for approximately 5 minutes. Add carrots and garlic & sautée an additional 2 minutes. Add cabbage, stock, beef soup mix, crushed red pepper, sugar, salt and pepper. 

Continue  cooking until soup reaches a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the carrots and cabbage are nice and tender. Taste and season with a few generous pinches of salt. 

Bring water to boil in a medium pot. Add rice noodles and cook for approximately 3 minutes. Strain and set aside for addition to the soup. 

To serve, place a scoop of rice noodles in the bottom of a soup and add soup. 

Top with suggested additional toppings and serve 

Coq Au Reisling

Coq Au Reisling 

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 

1/2 cup pancetta, diced

1 lb mushrooms, small hole, large cut in half 

1 red onion, cut in wedges 

1/2 lemon, sliced 

1 tsp salt 

1 tsp pepper 

1 cup Reisling

1 cup 35% cream 

2 tbsp Dijon mustard 

2 large cloves garlic, minced 

8 sprigs fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken skin side up in a roasting pan. Arrange pancetta,  mushrooms, red onion and lemon around the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until pancetta is crisp approximately 30 minutes. 

Whisk together wine, cream, mustard and garlic. 

Remove pan from oven, pour wine mixture around chicken, avoiding skin. Gently stir in thyme and roast until sauce is thickened and chicken is browned, 30 - 40 minutes. 

Discard thyme and serve chicken over rice. 

Sweet Potato Cornmeal Biscuits

Sweet Potato Cornmeal Biscuits 

Nonstick Spray

2 eggs 

3/4 cup sour cream 

1/2 cup grated sweet potato, about 1 small 

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal 

1/4 cup sugar 

2 tsp baking powder 

2 tsp dry mustard 

1 tsp salt 

1/4 cup chopped cilantro 

1 cup grated cheddar cheese 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and spray muffin pan with nonstick spray 

Combine eggs, sour cream, sweet potato and oil in a bowl. 

Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, dry mustard and salt in a separate bowl. Mix the dry ingrediants into the wet ingrediants. Stir in the cilantro and cheese until just combined. 

Evenly distribute mixture between 12 muffin cups. Place muffin pan on a baking sheet.  

Bake 17 to 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly, remove from muffin pan and serve warm. 

Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole 

3 large or 4 medium sweet potatoes 

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs, lightly beaten 

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted & divided 

Pecan Topping 

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1 cup chopped pecans 

1/3 cup flour 

1/4 cup butter, melted 

Marshmallow Topping 

4 cups mini marshmallows 

Pecan & Marshmallow Topping 

1/2 pecan topping ingrediants 

2 cups mini marshmallows 

Coconut Pecan Topping 

1 cup pecans, chopped 

1 cup flaked coconut 

1 cup brown sugar 

1/2 cup flour 

1/4 cup melted butter 

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 3 litre casserole dish. 

Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1" pieces. Place in saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat to medium low and cook for approximately 15 minutes until the potatoes are very tender. Drain, mash and let them cool slightly. 

In a large bowl combine the mashed sweet potato with brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk and melted butter. Blend thoroughly and spoon mixture into the prepared baking dish. 

Pecan topping:  mix all ingrediants, sprinkle over sweet potato mixture and bake 35 - 40 minutes until filling is hot and topping has browned. 

Marshmallow topping:  bake for 30 minutes and then cover with marshmallows and bake an additional 10 minutes ou till the marshmallows are browned.  

Pecan and Marshmallow topping:  reduce the pecan topping ingrediants by half, sprinkle around the edge of the baking dish and bake for 30 minutes. Fill the centre with the marshmallows and bake an additional 10 minutes until the marshmallows are browned. 

Coconut Pecan Topping:  mix all ingrediants until crumbly, sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture and bake 35 - 40 minutes. 

Seafood Boil

Seafood Boil 

20 cups water 

1/2 cup Old Bay seasoning 

1 tbsp kosher salt 

4 tsp minced garlic 

2 lbs baby potatoes 

4 corn cobs, cut in thirds 

2 lbs crab legs 

2 lbs 16 - 20 size shrimp peeled 

4 chorizo sausages 

Place first four ingrediants in a large stock pot and bring to a boil. 

At the same time preheat grill to high. Place sausages on the grill and grill 6 - 8 minutes turning occasionally until cooked through OR preheat oven to 400 degrees and cook sausages on a raised rack over a baking sheet for approximately 20 minutes, turning several times until cooked through. 

Once stock pot is boiling, add potatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Add corn and cook for 5 minutes. Add crab and cook 2 minutes. Add shrimp and cook an additional 4 minutes. 

Scoop seafood, potatoes and corn into a large bowl. Add sliced grilled chorizo and serve.