In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat until hot. Add the mushrooms and the shallots. Cook and stir until the mushrooms are tender. Remove from skillet. Set aside.
In the same skillet, add the port wine and bring it to a boil over high heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until reduced and syrupy. Reduce heat to medium.
Stir in broth, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, rosemary, and mustard. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Then add to sauce, stirring until the sauce has thickened.
Return mushrooms to the sauce. Serve sauce over steaks.
Prep Time: 10 mins • Cook Time: 35 minutes • Total Time: 45 mins Makes: 6 servings
INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 ribs celery, sliced
2 carrots, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
32 ounces vegetable broth
2 15-ounce cans butter beans, rinsed and drained
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 medium potatoes, diced
1 bay leaf, dried
coarse kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped kale
fresh chopped parsley, optional
fresh chopped thyme, optional
crushed red pepper flakes, optional
DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add the celery, carrots, onion, and garlic and cook, occasionally stirring until softened; about 10 minutes.
Add the flour and cook, stirring, for one minute.
Add the broth, butter beans, diced tomatoes, diced potatoes, and bay leaf – season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine, and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered for 10-20 minutes.
Stir in chopped kale; simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, thyme, and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.
With a few packages of store-bought crescent dough, you can serve up these delicious appetizers in no time at all.
Broccoli & Cheddar Pinwheels
Prep Time: 15 mins • Cook Time: 18-20 mins • Makes: 8 appetizers
INGREDIENTS
1 package of crescent dough sheets
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups of finely chopped broccoli
1 cup of shredded cheddar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Roll the crescent dough out retaining the rectangular shape and spread the softened cream cheese over it with a spatula.
Cover the cream cheese with the broccoli, pressing down lightly. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and onion/garlic powders.
Evenly cover with shredded cheese. Starting from one end, evenly roll making sure the filling stays inside.
Pinch the ends and lightly score to measure out 8 even slices; slice through with a sharp knife.
Lay the slices on a sheet pan lined with parchment and lightly sprayed with cooking oil.
Sprinkle with poppy seeds & bake for about 18-20 minutes; check to make sure the dough is cooked through and the bottoms are crisp.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Ham & Jam Pinwheels
Prep Time: 15 mins • Cook Time: 30 mins • Makes: 8 appetizers
INGREDIENTS
1 (8-oz) package refrigerated crescent roll dough
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons whole-grain, Dijon, or spicy mustard
1/4 lb thinly sliced deli ham
2 tablespoons jam, such as raspberry or apricot
3/4 teaspoon dried parsley
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F. Unwrap tube of dough. Halve the dough crosswise and unroll it into two long rectangles, pinching the perforations closed.
Spread the cream cheese across the two rectangles. Spread the mustard on top. Arrange the ham over the two rectangles. Spread the jam over the top.
Starting with the short side, snugly roll up each rectangle, ending with the seams under the rolls.
With a sharp knife, cut the roll crosswise into four rounds. Arrange in a single layer in a greased 13 x 9-inch baking dish, pinching the dough to secure each round shut. Sprinkle parsley over the top; bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Serve warm, or at room temperature.
48 cocktail-size smoked link sausages or hot dogs (from two 14-oz packages)
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 375°F. Unroll both cans of the dough; separate the dough into 16 triangles. Cut each triangle lengthwise into 3 narrow triangles.
Place sausage on the shortest side of each triangle. Roll up each, starting at the shortest side of the triangle and rolling to the opposite point; place the point side down on 2 ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown, switching the position of the cookie sheets halfway through baking. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.
These jalapeño poppers mix spicy heat with creamy cheese and crispy bacon on the outside. Perfect for a snack when watching the game or as a holiday party appetizer.
Prep Time: 15 minutes • Cook Time: 30 mins
INGREDIENTS
10 jalapeño peppers
20 bacon strips
1 cup cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, and cilantro in a medium-sized bowl.
Cut jalapeño peppers in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and membrane with a spoon and then fill each half with the cream cheese mixture. Wrap each half with a bacon strip and secure it with a toothpick.
Raspberry jam sandwiched between two delicate and buttery almond cookies, Linzer cookies are not only delicious they’re pretty too, making them a favourite for the cookie jar or for giving as gifts.
Prep Time: • Bake Time:
Makes: 24 sandwich cookies
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups butter, softened
⅔ cup granulated sugar
2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup ground almonds
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup Raspberry Jam
2 tbsp icing sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Beat, in a large bowl, using an electric mixer, butter and sugar until combined. Beat in next 3 ingredients, until a soft dough forms.
Shape dough into 2 flat discs. Wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate 20 minutes.
Roll, on a lightly floured surface, the discs to about ⅛-inch thick. Cut out cookies with a 2½-inch cookie cutter. Use a smaller cookie cutter to punch out a hole in the centre of half of the cookies. These will be the tops of the cookie sandwiches.
Place cookies on prepared baking sheets 1-inch apart.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack, 30 minutes.
Place cookies bottom side up and spread with 2 tsp jam. Top with a cutout cookie. Press lightly to form a sandwich. Sprinkle with icing sugar.
Note: While star patterns are the traditional cookie cut-out shape for Linzer cookies, you can use any shape you desire.
Ingredients:
