Chocolate Dipped Pears

Chocolate Dipped Pears

1 ripe pears per person, sliced in eights
1/2 package of chocolate melts or chips
1/2 cup nuts of your choice chopped very small

Everyone thinks of chocolate dipped strawberries. Why not try different fruits, even bacon. Wash ripe pears and slice into eights. Melt chocolate. If chocolate is too thick, add a bit of heavy cream. Dip end of each pear in warm chocolate. While chocolate is still warm on the pear, dip the end in chopped nuts. Dessert will be ready in a little bit of time.

How about bacon dipped in chocolate. Be adventuresome. You might like it!

Mascarpone Scrambled Eggs

Mascarpone Scrambled Eggs

2 large eggs
2 heaping tablespoons mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter

salt and pepper to taste

Crack eggs and beat well.. Add marscapone cheese and beat into eggs till mostly smooth. Add olive oil to small frying pan and the butter. Heat on medium low till butter is melted. Add egg mixture and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook on low while using a rubber spatula and folding edges of eggs into the middle slowly going around the eggs till just cooked through. Eggs should be soft and creamy. Serve immediately. This is one serving, double or triple the ingredients if more servings are needed.

Sweet Onion or Poppy Seed Dressing

 

Sweet Onion or Poppy Seed Dressing

2 small shallots peeled and chopped very fine
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons celery salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon (or more) poppy seeds

Had this dressing at a local restaurant and liked it. I decided to give it a try. Recipe calls for using a blender but I might sauté the shallots since Gary doesn't like raw onion. I did sauté the shallots till very soft but not browned, and I'm glad I did. I just whisked ingredients together well. For poppy seed dressing just add more poppy seeds. I used apple cider vinegar which gave a different cast of color to my version  of the dressing. If I was to make it again I'd use a clear vinegar. Store any extra dressing in a mason jar in the fridge. No additives or preservatives in home made dressings. What could be healthier than that.

Julianne Snow Peas & Ginger Orange Sauce

Julianne Snow Peas & Ginger Orange Sauce

6 ounces or one package of fresh snow peas
2 garlic cloves minced
1 small shallot chopped fine

scant amount of olive oil to sauté
1/3 cup white wine or sake
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce or aminos
2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
3/4 cup fresh orange juice and zest of orange
2 teaspoons granulated or brown sugar
1 tablespoon corn starch dissolved in 1/3 cup water

1 tablespoon white sesame seeds (optional)

I was pleasantly surprised at the nutritional benefits of snow peas. The difference between snow peas and sugar snap peas is the sugar snaps have larger peas in the pods. Snow peas pods are edible and they can be eaten whole. Remove strings from the snow peas. Julianne the snow peas lengthwise (as above), blanch for 1 minute, or longer if you prefer them softer, drain, and set aside. I did blanch mine longer. 

In a medium frying pan sauté shallot till soft, then add minced garlic and ginger and sauté for one more minute.  Add remaining ingredients, except corn starch slurry, and cook for 5 minutes. Last add corn starch slurry and cook till sauce is thickened. Add blanched snow peas to sauce and serve immediately. Sprinkle with sesame seeds when plating if desired.