prosciutto wrapped figs

recipe and photo found at Guilty Kitchen
Prosciutto Wrapped Figs
4 Fresh Figs

100 g goat’s cheese

8 slices of prosciutto, sliced very thin

1 tbsp oil

1. Split the figs into quarters.

2. Depress the centres of the figs slightly to accommodate the cheese.
3. Pinch off teaspoon size pieces of the chèvre and roll in the palm of your hand into small balls.
4. Place cheese balls into depression in fig slices.

5. Slice prosciutto into two pieces each, either vertically or horizontally, whichever will be large enough to wrap around the figs. I did vertically.

6. Place fig and cheese combo on one end of a slice if prosciutto and roll up into little cigar shapes.

7. Coat in oil and set aside. Continue with remaining ingredients.

8. Heat BBQ grill to medium high and place oiled wrapped figs directly on grill.

9. Grill on each side for about 1 minute. Just long enough to achieve grill marks and warm the centres within.

10. Remove from grill and devour as an appetizer or as a side dish to a summer salad.

mussels with fennel, cracked mustard, and apple crema

While visiting Boston this fall, Em and I stumbled across a quaint dinner in the north end where we shared the most delicious muscles. I attempted to recreate these mussels for our new years dinner last night - and was quite successful.

mussels with fennel, cracked mustard and apple crema

~ recipe by me

1/4 cup butter

1 cup chopped fresh fennel bulb

3 shallots chopped

5 garlic cloves chopped

2 tsp fennel seeds

3 tbsp cracked dijon mustard

2 cups apple juice

4 tbsp apple sauce

2 cups of dry white wine

1 cup whipping cream

2 tsp chopped rosemary

Melt butter in large pan over low - medium heat. Add chopped fennel, shallots, garlic, fennel seeds and dijon. Saute until fennel is tender, about 5 minutes. Add apple juice and simmer for 5 minutes. Blend with hand blender or in food processor. Return mixture to large pan add wine and cream and boil until liquid thickens slightly - about 10 minutes. Add rosemary simmer for 1 minute. Add mussels cover and cook on medium - high heat for about 5 minutes (until mussels have opened). Divide mussels among bowls (discard any mussels that do not open). Ladle broth over mussels and serve with warm crusty french bread.

raincoast crisps

This recipe was given to me by my Aunt and became an immediate favourite for family and friends. The recipe successfully replicates the delicious raincoast crisps found in grocery stores.

Rosemary raisin pecan crisps

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped becans

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add buttermilk, brown sugar and honey and stir a few strokes. Add raisins, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseed and rosemary and stir just until blended. Pour batter into two 4x8 loaf pans that have been greased. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.

(at this point you can freeze the loaves for another day or continue on making crackers)

The cooler the bread, the easier it is to slice really thin. Slice loaf as thin as you can and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Reduce heat to 300F

Bake for 15 minutes, then flip them over and bake for another 10-12 minutes.

The 2 loaves make about 8 dozen crackers.

some other options - substitute raisins, pecans and rosemary for:

dried cranberries and hazelnuts

kalamata olives, figs and pecans

dates, almonds and sprinkled with sea salt

cinnamon, raisins and pecans