USVI-On-Line

palmiers are just a sheet of puff pastry that I rolled. they aren't as pretty as they should be but that's ok. I think I will go spiral next time, maybe that is easier.
I rolled the sheet out on parmesan cheese and then for the ham one I spread mustard on the pastry, the shredded grueyere and thin ham slices.
The pesto one was just that .. pesto spread out then rolled.
I did these a few days ahead and rolled them in parchment and back in the freezer. I thawed in the fridge the day before and then just sliced and baked on Christmas day.

Forgot to photo the tart

Palmiers - I'll have to remember that - might try those soon.

mbw1024 wrote: Forgot to photo the tart

I forgot to photo the "phooey" potatoes too.

CG - I hope you get better really soon. This was probably not your favorite holiday season!

jayseadee wrote: CG - I hope you get better really soon. This was probably not your favorite holiday season!

With my house torn apart and being sick, we just sort of skipped all the usual Christmas stuff this year. That means TWICE the Christmas next year!

mbw1024 wrote:no pictures but I made this last night and it was very good.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008 ... en-thighs/

I made that for dinner tonight. It was very good, but the photo's came out blurry for some reason. There must be a boycott on fresh basil in my neighborhood - I checked 3 places and no one had any so used dry.

I made this for breakfast this morning:

http://www.mrbreakfast.com/superdisplay ... cipeid=804

It wasn't very photogenic - it's very easy and tasted pretty good. I used the leftover ham from the boring Christmas dinner instead of sausage; and I would cut down on the cheese and add some minced onion. I also used Cream of Celery soup since I couldn't fine Cream of Onion.

Where's Beck been? Isn't she cooking this holiday season?
Tonight's dinner was a mish mash of what was in the fridge. Papradelle with sausage, shrooms and blue cheese. It was saucier than it looked. Pretty good dish!

hey what's that squiggly line in my picture? Not making me happy! I get that a lot.

Janet, Charlie had the last piece of Cranberry tart tonight so here it is.

I'm here! I have been cooking but have been lazy about taking pictures. Here are photos though from an "antipasto" I did yesterday.

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/3144740203/" title="meat plate and white beans by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3237/314 ... da1fa4.jpg" width="416" height="500" alt="meat plate and white beans"></a>



<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/3145569786/" title="marinated veggies and cheese by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3222/314 ... 66dd74.jpg" width="401" height="500" alt="marinated veggies and cheese"></a>


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/3145570032/" title="meatballs and sausages by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3078/314 ... 96497d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="meatballs and sausages"></a>


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/3145569506/" title="fritatta and roasted onions by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3246/314 ... daa1fe.jpg" width="500" height="404" alt="fritatta and roasted onions"></a>


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/3144740477/" title="mini antipasto by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3253/314 ... 8da27e.jpg" width="368" height="500" alt="mini antipasto"></a>


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/3145570356/" title="ravioli and mushrooms by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3211/314 ... eb7cfe.jpg" width="358" height="500" alt="ravioli and mushrooms"></a>


John and I are off this week and I have some cooking experiments planned. I'll try and be better about taking photos!

I love your breadsticks in the vase. Good idea!

I haven't been taking many photos lately either. I have felt rather blah this year!

I wanted spicy food so made indian food last night. From the top right, there is mater paneer, potato-ginger stuffed paratha, chole chaat, yakhni pulao, and plain naan. I picked up the naan already made at the grocery store and just reheated it. It was actually quite good. I think the brand was famous flatbreads.


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28539958@N00/3150014727/" title="12-29 indian food by liamsaunt, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3091/315 ... a58626.jpg" width="500" height="366" alt="12-29 indian food"></a>

Jeez Becky - that looks like you got it at a restaurant!!!!

Mary Beth - can you post the recipe for that sausage and shroom pasta please?

Elizabeth, I had to go back and look at what I posted because nothing was coming to me on a pasta dish! Ha! But I remember now. Sorry to say I don't have much in way of recipe, it was a clean out the fridge dish. But I will try and recall what I did.
First I will tell you that I made XIG's blue cheese mousse and had it left over. It's a mix of 8 oz. cream cheese and blue cheese. I used a Maytag Blue. Now X is fancy and she pipes her mousse. I'm lazy and just served it as a spread with veggies and crackers. This left over is what inspired this dish.

I took 3-4 hot sausage links, removed them from the casing and browned the meat. When that was brown I removed it and sauteed sliced baby bellas in EVOO with some thyme, salt and pepper. I also added in some red pepper flakes.
To that I added the blue cheese/cream cheese mix and when that was really melty I added the sausage back in.
To enhance the sauce I used about a cup or maybe a little more of pasta water. Then I added my cookedpapradelle in to the sauce mixture and let it all cook together for about 2 minutes.
Plated and topped with fresh grated parmesan.

Oh wait .. some where in there I added in some fresh parsley, chopped. I think I added it after the blue cheese mixture.

I think that was it!

In what is becoming a tradition, my grandaughter and her friend came over and helped me make pralines. I made them by myself for about 5 years, but it became too much of a chore so I tried to stop. But due to popular demand and my grandaughter volunteering to help, we still produce about six dozen pralines each year.

TEXAS CHEWY PRALINES

2 cups white sugar

2 cups light corn syrup

1 pound butter

2 cups heavy cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

8 cups pecan halves (toasted on a cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees)


A candy thermometer is needed for this recipe!

Line several baking sheets with foil. Coat with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large saucepan (at least 3 quart) over medium heat, combine sugar and corn syrup. Heat to 250 degrees F (120C), stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted. Gradually stir in cream.

Return to heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until temperature reaches 242 degrees F (116C). I usually have to turn up the heat on our gas range to full blast to achieve this temperature, as the moisture from the cream needs to evaporate. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and pecans. Drop by spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Cool completely, then wrap pralines individually with plastic wrap or waxed paper.

A few things to ring in the New Year (or - what to do when Football season is ovah!)

This is X's Creme Brulee French Toast - very good and very easy! And the leftovers heat up nicely.


Chicken Marsala
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Roasted Potatoes and Pearl Onions


Split Pea Soup (made with boring Christmas ham bone) -


Don thought the soup was awesome. But, what else would he say? It's his favorite soup and this is the first time I made it - and only because I found a "starter" kit at the Christmas Tree Shop. Why he likes this better than my delicious Chicken Soup with Meatballs and Acini de Pepe is beyond me???

Grilled ham, cheese and tomato for the Split Pea Soup non-lovers (aka ME!).

Eliazabeth, thanks. I have been working on my indian cooking, and it is getting better.

Also, YUM, Janet! I am STARVING right now, coming off a horrible stomach bug that John and I both have. I have eaten nothing but dry toast and crackers for the past three days. But now I want a big melty cheesy sandwich. So, thanks for that. I am going to make one now.