The Weekend Epicure

CHOCOLATE-WALNUT PIE

makes 8 servings

Use a standard ½ -inch-deep 9-inch pie plate.

½ (15-oz.) package refrigerated pie crusts  or 1 deep dish pie crust

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

½ cup all-purpose flour     

½ cup margarine, melted

¾ cup chopped walnuts

¾ cup semisweet chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Fit pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate according to package edges under, and crimp.

2. Stir together sugar and next 4 ingredients until well blended; stir in walnuts and chocolate morsels Pour filling into pie crust.

3. Bake at 350° on lowest oven rack for 30 minutes or until pie is set; cool on a wire rack.

The Weekend Epicure

This dish is an excellent food item for a holiday brunch or dinner. It takes the Creole dish shrimp and grits to a new level.  You can substitute crawfish for the shrimp when in season. A dash of Tabasco Sauce will give this main dish a holiday flare. 

 Shrimp And Andouille Sausage With Asiago Grits

makes 6 servings 
1 ½ lb. unpeeled, medium-size raw shrimp
1 Tbsp. butter
½ lb. Andouille sausage, diced
1 cup whipping cream
½ cup chicken broth
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
¼ tsp. ground white pepper
Asiago Grits
Garnish: chopped fresh chives
Peel shrimp; devein, if desired. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add sausage; cook, stirring constantly, minutes or until lightly browned. Add shrimp, and cook, stirring constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Remove shrimp and sausage mixture from skillet.
Add cream, broth, and wine to skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in cheese and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, 6 to 8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Stir in shrimp and sausage mixture. Serve over Asiago Grits. garnish, if desired.
Asiago Grits
makes 6 servings prep: 5 min. cook: 20 min.
(14-oz.) cans chicken broth
½ cup freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
¾ cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
¼ tsp. ground white pepper
(8-oz.) container chive-and-onion cream cheese
Bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; gradually whisk grits. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 12 to 15 minutes until thickened. Add cheeses and pepper, stirring until melted.

Drink of the Week

This punch will get the party started! Perfect for the holiday house/cocktail party, Use an ice ring so you wouldn't water down the flavor of the punch. 

Raspberry Mojito Punch

Ingredients

¼  cup sugar

¼  cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves

3 cups cold water

1 ½  cups white rum

1 12 ounce can frozen raspberry juice blend concentrate, thawed

½  cup lime juice

1 ½  cups carbonated water, chilled

  Ice cubes

  Fresh raspberries, lime slices, and/or fresh mint (optional)

Directions

In a punch bowl combine sugar and the ¼  cup mint. Using the back of a wooden spoon, lightly crush mint by pressing it against the side of the bowl. Add the cold water, the rum, juice concentrate, and lime juice, stirring until sugar is dissolved. If desired, cover punch bowl and chill for up to 24 hours.

Slowly pour carbonated water down the side of the bowl; stir gently. Add ice cubes. If desired, add raspberries, lime slices, and/or fresh mint sprigs.

The Weekend Epicure

New Potato Salad with Feta Cheese is an all purpose/all seasons salad that will meet the call of duty no matter what the menu.  It can be served as a main dish salad with crusty bread all with a nice Pinot Noir as an accompaniment. Or it can be serve with roasted chicken, French-cut green beans and a chilled Chardonnay for that special guest for dinner. Having pot-luck at the office; bring this dish and leave with an empty container. This salad will quickly become part your go to bank of all purpose dishes.

NEW POTATO SALAD WITH FETA CHEESE

serves 6 as an ample main dish.

 As a side dish, it will serve 8 to 10.

3 lb. small new potatoes

⅔ cup olive oil   

1 bunch green onions, sliced

½ cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

¾ tsp. salt           

1 (4-oz.) package crumbled garlic-and-herb feta cheese

¾ tsp. pepper   

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Mixed salad greens (optional)

Bring potatoes and water to cover to a boil, and cook 25 minutes or just until tender; drain well. Cool slightly, and cut into wedges.

Whisk together oil and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; add potatoes, green onions, and cheese, tossing to coat. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours. Sprinkle with parsley before serving. Serve over mixed salad greens, if desired.

Drink of the Week

 KAHLÚA CHOCOLATE AND PEPPERMINT MOCHA

Ingredients

1 part Kahlúa Peppermint Mocha Liqueur®

2 parts espresso

2 parts heavy cream

4 parts whole milk

1/3 cup semisweet dark chocolate chips

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

Ice cream or whipped cream (optional)

Directions

Boil the milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the chocolate chips and coffee and stir until everything dissolves. Remove from heat, add the Kahlúa, then add the heavy cream and stir together. Top with some chilled heavy whipped cream and serve immediately. You can even use half a scoop of ice cream on the top instead of whipped cream.

The Weekend Epicure

Served this moist and flavorful dish with wild rice and steamed broccoli for a weekend dinner that will have your guests thinking you spent all day Saturday in the kitchen. You can substitute the stuffing mix with season Panko crumbs,and the prepared mustard and Tabasco sauce with spicy Creole mustard . 

Wine pairing: Cali White Zinfandel

Deviled Chicken

yield 4 servings

1 tablespoon butter

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Dash of Tabasco sauce

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

salt and pepper to taste

½ (16 ounce) package herb-seasoned dry bread stuffing mix

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Melt butter/margarine and mix in a small bowl with mayonnaise and mustard. Pour mixture into a shallow bowl or plate.Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Roll seasoned chicken breasts in mayonnaise mixture, then dip in mixed herbs and place in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for  1½  hours.

The Weekend Epicure

Braise Chicken with Tomatoes and Olives

Featuring olive oil and the combined herbs and produce of the south of France, this one-dish country dinner will transport you to a café table in Aix in a heartbeat.

ingredients

1 pound tomatoes (3 to 4 medium), cut into wedges

1 large onion, cut into wedges, leaving root ends intact

1/2 cup drained brine-cured black olives, pitted if desired

4 large garlic cloves, sliced, plus 1 teaspoon minced

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 teaspoons herbes de Provence, divided

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds)

preparation

Preheat convection oven to 400°F or regular oven to 425°F with rack in middle.Toss together tomatoes, onion, olives, sliced garlic, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence, fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a 13- by 9-inch or other 3-quart shallow baking dish. Push vegetables to sides of dish to make room for chicken.

Stir together minced garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, remaining teaspoon herbes de Provence, and remaining tablespoon olive oil. Remove excess fat from chicken and pat dry, then rub inside and out with seasoning mixture. Tie legs together with string, then put chicken in baking dish. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of a thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170°F, about 1 hour in convection oven; 1 to 1 1/4 hours in regular oven. Let chicken stand 10 minutes before carving. Serve with vegetables and pan juices.

 notes

Herbes de Provence (French pronunciation: ​[ɛʁb.də.pʁɔ.vɑ̃s]) is a mixture of dried herbs typical of Provence. Formerly simply a descriptive term referring to herbs typical of Provence, in the 1970s, commercial blends started to be sold under this name. These mixtures typically contain savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, oregano and, for the American market, lavender leaves, and other herbs, though lavender was not used in traditional southern French cooking.