Apple Cake with Toffee Sauce

 

Cooling from the oven

Slice and serve with toffee sauce

Scatter slivered almonds and roasted apple wedges on bottom of pan.

fold remaining roasted apple pieces into the batter.

This cake was really moist, easy to serve and extra yummy, drizzled with the toffee sauce.

The recipe recommended baking at 375 degrees for 70-80 minutes.  I wonder if it was a typo, because

I ended up reducing the oven temperature since the cake was cooking too fast. As it was, I felt 

the bottom of the cake browned more that it should have and the decorative display of 

apples and almonds which should have been a pretty display, were darkened by the cooking. 

All in all this was really delicious and I will make it again.  

As Always,

ENJOY!

Recipe Source by: Margaret M. Johnson

Buttermilk-Chive Mashed Potatoes ( Irish Christmas Eve )

Really delicious and smooth! I love good creamy mashed potoatoes, thank you 

to my sister-in-law Kimberly for preparing these.  You must have potatoes

with an Irish meal and these went perfectly with the food.

As Always

ENJOY!

Recipe Source by: Margaret M. Johnson ( The Irish Spirit )

3 lbs. baking potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces

1/2 c. Kerrygold Irish butter

1 c. buttermilk

1/4 c. half and half

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

3 Tbs. minced fresh chives

salt and fresh ground pepper

 

Pork Tenerloin with Apple Cider Sauce

Hot and ready to serve!

place sautéed apples over the browned pork loin pieces.

When the pan has been deglazed with the hard cider, then the sauce can be made.

Once thickened it can be poured over the pork loin and apples.

Serve with buttermilk mashed potatoes.

Recipe Source by: Margaret M. Johnson ( The Irish Spirit )

As Always, 

ENJOY!

Ingredients

2 pork tenderloins, 12 oz. each

salt and freshly ground pepper

4 Tbs. Kerrygold Irish butter

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and quartered

2 Tbs. minced shallots

1/2 tsp. crumbled dried sage

1/2 c. Irish Cider

1/2 c. cider vinegar

1 c. chicken stock

2/3 c. heavy cream

1 Tbs. minced fresh flat leaf parsley

 

 

Craggaunowen Chicken ( Irish Christmas Eve )

 Festive food preparation for a holiday, something special and

out of the ordinary. 

This delicious dish was prepared by my sister-in-law Kimberly. 

We all discovered, thanks to her purchase of Mead for the recipe, 

that we have a new beverage to enjoy with the family!

These thin pieces of chicken breast were stuffed with a filling soaked  in Mead.

Each bite was a tasty morsel of multiple flavors.

Serve with buttermilk mashed potatoes.

Recipe Source: Margaret M. Johnson ( The Irish Spirit )

As Always, 

ENJOY!

Ingredients

6 boneless chicken breasts

1/2 c. finely chopped white mushrooms

1/2 c. fresh white bread crumbs

1/2 tsp. dried tarragon

1 Tbs. minced fresh flat leaf parsley

5 Tbs. golden raisins

5 Tbs. chopped walnuts

1 small Granny Smith apple, unpeeled, cored and finely chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 c. Bunratty Mead

6 Tbs. Kerrygold Irish butter, melted

1 c. chicken stock

fresh parsley sprigs for garnish

Guinness and Malt Wheaten Bread ( Irish Christmas Eve )

 

Dense, heavy and moist!  What a fantastic bread.  I have made lots of Irish Brown Soda  Bread,

but none that compare to this.  Excellent toasted for breakfast.  I like to toast is twice to gets lots

of crunch from all the nooks and crannies in the bread.

This Recipe makes one very large loaf.  I cut each slice in half again for serving and

to fit in the toaster.

Recipe Source by: Margaret M. Johnson ( The Irish Spirit )

As Always,

ENJOY!

2 c. fine whole wheat flour

2 c. coarse whole wheat flour or 1c. each wheat bran and quick cooking oatmeal(McCann's Irish oatmeal)

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 c. Kerrygold Irish butter, cut into small pieces

1 1/2 tsp. barley malt extract

1 1/4 c. buttermilk

1 1/4 c. Guinness Stout

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9x5x3 loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine, flour, sugar, soda, salt.  With a pastry cutter work in the butter until it resembles a coarse meal.  Make a well in the middle and add the malt, buttermilk and stout. Mix with a wooden spoon to a porridge consistency. 

Pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle additional flour on top. Bake for 30 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees for another 30 minutes longer.  Turn off the oven and let the bread cool in the oven with the door open for another 30 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack before slicing. 

Granary Bread ( Irish Christmas Eve )

 Granary Bread is made with a flour that contains malted barley flakes. 

Really delicious but not easy to find.  I was lucky to have a friend bring the flour back 

from the UK for me. 

One recipe ( 500 grams of flour) produces two medium loaves.

This bread is wonderful with soup, salad, or toasted for breakfast!

As Always, 

ENJOY!

Irish Fish Soup ( Irish Christmas Eve )

 

                                                 

Large chunks of a variety of fresh fish, added just before serving so they remain tender.

Freshly chopped chives added just before serving, or sprinkled a top individual bowls.

Thank you to my Irish sister-in-law Irene for preparing this lovely fish soup. 

Somewhat of a classic for Christmas Eve. 

The key to delicious fish soup is a really good homemade fish stock!

This soup was so good I could have made this my whole dinner!

Resource by: Food 52

As Always,

ENJOY!

• Fish Stew
• 2 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into ¼” cubes
  
• 1 medium onion, chopped into ¼” pieces
  
• 1 tablespoon flour
  
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
  
• 3 cups fish stock 
  
• 4 small new potatoes, red skin scrubbed and left on, cut into ½” pieces
  
• 1 medium turnip, peeled and cut into ½” pieces
  
• 1 branch of celery, cut into small pieces, about ¼” thick
  
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  
• 1 pound cod fillets, rinsed, patted dry and cut into 3” chunks (or a selection of white fish)
  
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
  
• 2 tablespoons parsley, minced
  
• 1 tablespoon chives, minced
  

• Fish Stock 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 large onion, chopped
  
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
  
• 3 dried shitake mushroom 
  
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  
• 3 pounds fish heads, bones, fins, or whatever is available
  
• 3 cups dry white wine
  
• 6 cups water
  
• 1 fistful of parsley stems
  
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  
• 5 whole black peppercorns
  
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt

Smoked Salmon and Crab Roulade with Walnut Vinaigrette ( Irish Christmas Eve)

 Beautiful on a large platter to serve a group in a buffer setting, or go ahead and serve

as individually platted salads. 

Thank you to my sister-in-law Jill for preparing this delicious dish!

Smoked salmon is, in my opinion, a quintessential Irish item.

In planning this menu I was happy to come across this salad recipe 

to include in our evening repertoire of Irish dishes.

Resource by: Margaret M. Johnson ( The Irish Spirit )

As Always,

ENJOY!

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

3 Tbs. walnut oil

1 Tbs. canola oil

1 Tbs. white wine vinegar

salt and freshly ground pepper

Roulades

3/4 c. mayonnaise

2 Tbs. Jameson Irish Whiskey

1 lb. fresh crabmeat

1/2 tsp. fennel seeds

8 thin slices smoked salmon

3 c. mixed salad greens 

1 avocado peeled, pitted, and cut into slices

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

Delish served with Brown Soda Bread

Shake vinaigrette ingredients together until well blended.  Set aside.

In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise and whiskey. Stir in the crabmeat and fennel seeds. Spread the crabmeat mixture onto the slices of salmon. Roll up into cylinder shapes and refrigerate for 15 minutes. 

Divide the mixed greens among 4 salad plates. Place 2 roulade and 2 slices of avocado on each, and sprinkle with the walnuts. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the greens.  Serve with Brown Soda Bread. 

Irish Fondue ( Irish Christmas Eve )

 These were incredibly delicious!  An unexpected treat!

Thank you to my niece for preparing these! 

I even started to nibble on these before a photo got taken.

I would compare these to the best grilled cheese sandwich you may have

ever eaten.  Three Irish cheeses all melted together for perfect 

gooey and crunchy crust deliciousness! 

Feeds a crowd and is prepared the day ahead, only cooked just before serving.

Resource by: Margaret M Johnson ( The Irish Spirit )

As Always, 

ENJOY!

Ingredients

1/2 c. Kerrygold Irish butter, room temperature

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 tsp. chopped chives

salt and freshly ground pepper

16 slices firm-textured white bread, such as Pepperidge Farm Brand, crusts removed

1 c. shredded Kerrygold Blarney cheese

1 c. shredded Kerrygold swiss cheese

4 large eggs

1 c. milk

2/3 c. Bunratty Mead

2/3 c. heavy whipping cream

1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 c. grated Kerrygold Dubliner cheese

In a bowl, blend the butter, mustard, garlic, chives, salt and pepper. Spread an equal portion on each slice of bread.  Fit 8 slices buttered side down into the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish. Sprinkle the Blarney and swiss cheese over the bread. Place the remaining bread, buttered side up on top of the cheese. 

Whisk together eggs, milk, mead and worcestershire sauce.  Pour over the bread. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Uncover baking dish and bake for 45 minutes.  Sprinkle with the grated Dubliner cheese and continue baking for 10-15 minutes longer or until lightly browned and set. 

Remove from oven and let rest for 15-20 minutes. Cut into bite sized squares and serve warm.

Dublin Bay Shrimp Toast ( Irish Christmas Eve)

 These started to disappear before I could get a photo in!!

The Tradition carries on with our family!!!

Food from a different country for every Christmas Eve.

These were so tasty and a wonderful appetizer that is easy to do ahead.

The real surprise was a bit of Irish Mist in the shrimp and cream cheese

mixture. I made my own rye bread squares, as it seems impossible these 

days to find the cocktail rye bread. 

Resource by: Margaret M. Johnson (The Irish Spirit )

As Always,

ENJOY!

Ingredients

8 oz. cream cheese

4 oz. can shrimp

1/4 c. mayonnaise

2 Tbs. Irish Mist Liqueur

1 Tbs. Lemon Juice

1 Tbs. minced fresh flat leaf parsley

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 lb. package cocktail rye bread

20-25 small shrimp, cooked and peeled

Combine first seven ingredients. Stir until smooth. can be made a day ahead. 

Toast rye bread squares.  Spread shrimp mixture on toasted bread, top with 1 whole cooked shrimp. 

Serve. 

Lebanese Anise seed Cookies

Anise is one of my favorite flavors in baked goods.

With a hot cup of tea, I could enjoy piles and piles of these. 

A simple Lebanese cookie, slightly sweet and a hint of Anise 

to make it special.

Lebanese Christmas Eve, 2019

As Always,

ENJOY!

Lebanese Keffe Dessert

After baking turn upside down to a serving platter.

Drizzle the crunchy outside with orange blossom water.

The simple syrup should cover all parts of the crust.

Sprinkle with ground pistachio and serve.

This was a labor intensive dessert, but I think my daughter did 

a great job! It was so delicious and unlike any baked dessert we have here. 

The flavors and texture were all unique to the middle east. 

Lebanese Christmas Eve 2019

As Always,

ENJOY!

Lebanese Pistachio Yogurt Cake

Desserts from other countries can be tricky.  

I think my son did a great job on this cake! 

Really moist with a nice crust and aromatic rich 

taste of pistachio!

Lebanese Christmas Eve 2019

As Always, 

ENJOY!

Lebanese Spinach and Walnut Tarts

Phyllo dough stuffed and baked!

Yummy filling of spinach and walnuts with a crisp

buttery crust of phyllo! 

Lebanese Christmas Eve 2019

As Always,

ENJOY!

Lebanese Walnut and Cayenne Dip

Not Italian Pesto, but similar!

Really yummy fun spread to go with pita bread 

and your favorite cocktail!

Lebanese Christmas Eve 2019

As Always,

ENJOY!

Lebanese Eggs and Cumin

What a fun appetizer!

Americans have deviled eggs and here the 

Lebanese sprinkle the boiled, peeled and quartered eggs

with cumin and salt. Delicious!

Lebanese Christmas Eve 2019

As Always,

ENJOY!

Lebanese Carrot Ginger Salad

Unexpected flavors that blend perfectly together. 

Mixing golden raisins in with the carrot salad gives just the right 

balance of sweetness to this versatile root vegetable.

Lebanese Christmas Eve 2019

As Always, 

ENJOY!

Lebanese Lamb Meat Pies

Fun and delicious Lebanese Treat.  We served these 

as part of the appetizers for the Lebanese dinner.

Lebanese Christmas Eve 2019

As Always, 

ENJOY!

Lebanese Zatar Bread

Warm the pita bread and then brush with olive oil and a sprinkle of 

Zatar seasoning( a mixture of herbs, spices and sesame seeds)

Lebanese Christmas Eve 2019

As Always,

ENJOY!

Lebanese Hummus

No meal is complete without Hummus. 

Top with good olive oil and a sprinkling of pine nuts.

Accompany with fresh flatbread or pita bread.

Lebanese Christmas Eve 2019

Lebanese Wild Thyme Chicken

Seasoned with Zatar and wild thyme

Fresh cut lemon wedges and chopped parsley

give a fresh finishing touch to this baked chicken.

Lebanese Christmas Eve 2019

Lebanese Tripoi Fish

Herbs, Pine Nuts and seasoning give this fish dish 

a unique flavor. 

Lebanese Christmas Eve 2019

Lebanese Fattoush Salad

Top with Feta cheese just before serving.

Break up the dried Pita Bread into large chunks.

Toss well to moisten all ingredients evenly.

Fattoush Salad is so fresh with good olive oil and lemon juice, all the vegetables 

pop with freshness, and the moistened bread adds extra texture to the recipe.

This salad is gives freshness and balance to a meal full of richness and spices. 

Lebanese Christmas Eve 2019

As Always,

ENJOY!

Lebanese Rice Vermicelli

Aromatic Rice seasoned to perfection. 

This dish compliments all the other Lebanese food.

Lebanese Christmas Eve. 2019

As Always,

ENJOY!

Lebanese Baked Lamb Kibbi

Rich Lebanese Ground Meat dish

After baking, drizzle with melted butter

and sprinkle parsley and pine nuts on top.

Before going in the oven, score the top

with a diamond cross hatch pattern. 

For many years I have posted the dishes our family has prepared for 

our special Christmas Eve Tradition.  

December 2019 the food was Lebanese for Christmas Eve.

Circumstances delayed the posting until now.

So for all of my family who worked so hard in making such 

delicious contributions to our meal, 

a huge Thank You!

As Always, 
ENJOY!

Lemon Baked Fish

Delicious and Moist

 Striped fresh fish from the fish monger.

 Season with olive oil, salt and pepper

Place thinly sliced lemon on top

before baking

Topping any baked fish with thin cut lemon slices helps to keep 

the fish moist, as well as making it look beautiful for serving. 

No lemon wedges on the side of the plate necessary here. 

The baked lemon slices have softened in the oven and the juices easily run over 

the baked fish.  Perfect for serving!

As Always, 
ENJOY!

Cinnamon Swirl Sweet Rolls

 Hot out of the oven

Raised and ready to bake

This recipe comes from my Mom!!

This was always a treat for a holiday breakfast.

Stuffed with plumped raisins, cinnamon, dotted with butter, rolled, sliced and 

placed in a brown sugar and  butter paste. Once in the oven it carmalized 

into a delicious sticky topping. 

As Always,
ENJOY!

French Apple Pie

Perfectly browned

Room for a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Cuts without making a mess

No puddling juices in the pan

If all apple pies would turn out contest worthy!!

Achieving all the pefect elements to a pie is not always as easy as it seems.

But keeping the pie intact and not loosing the filling to the pie pan is the ultimate goal.

We all want that perfect slice with a scoop of ice cream!

As Always,
ENJOY!