December 17th, 2011
Tiramisu is an Italian dessert that uses Ladyfingers dipped in coffee. The layers in between are filled with a mixture of whipped eggs, mascarpone cheese, a little liquor and a sprinkle of cocoa on top.
My goodness, there are so many varieties!! I like the traditional one the best. Some still follow the classics; others have evolved from those methods and have different additions.
For the person that has to eat gluten free, then there is the question of the ladyfingers. No way.
Gluten intolerance or sensitivity is one of the most common conditions at present. Celiac disease is an allergy. Both have to approach food in a very different way. No wheat or its derivatives.
Adhering to a gluten free diet is the only way to go and the only remedy. Once the diet is started the results are amazing; you start feeling so much better; tests results will show that, as well.
The most important thing to know is that it is not a fad diet. People with no gluten issues that follow the gluten free diet do feel better; I do.
Some time ago I found a company called Schar. It is from Europe. Their gluten free products are fantastic. You can find these products at Giant in Rehoboth Beach. I am sure you can also find them in nature stores, as well.
They do make ladyfingers that are gluten free. In the back of the box there was a recipe for Tiramisu. Ha…finally!!
This recipe is so easy. No cooking is necessary. At this time of the year, it can be made ahead of time. Everyone will love it.
Sweet endings; dessert. It is the final chapter of a meal…I love a good ending.
I always change a recipe, making it my own. In the ingredients on the box it said 3 egg yolks. But, in the preparation it said 4 eggs. I figured it was a typo and just used the 3 egg yolks.
Another ingredient I changed a bit was the sugar. Instead of 4 tablespoons, I only used 3.
It said to use rum but I used white wine. There are gluten free rums; I just did not have any in the house.
The glass container could have been a bit larger. I had some of the mascarpone mixture overflowing,
Other than that, it was really good.
Tiramisu
3 egg yolks
3 egg whites
3 tablespoons of sugar
8 ounces mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons white wine
A whole package of Schar Ladyfingers
1 cup of brewed espresso or coffee
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
Beat the egg yolks with sugar; then add the mascarpone cheese and the wine.
Beat the egg whites until stiff and carefully fold into the mixture.
Dip ladyfingers in the coffee. Arrange them closely together in a flat glass or ceramic dish.
Cover them with half of the mascarpone mixture, then add another layer of ladyfingers and top with another layer of the mascarpone mixture.
Sprinkle with cocoa powder and refrigerate for at least 4 – 6 hours.
It makes about 6 servings.
A little tricky cutting it but it is very delicious and light…..well it does have plenty of calories.
Note: Schar’s Ladyfingers are not quite as big as regular ones. If you want to buy 2 packages, do so and add a few more. I just used one package, though.
Have a good one!! Talk to you later. You can find Schar and AboutMyBeaches on Facebook.
December 8th, 2011
Every time I make this recipe I get those “ooohs and aaahs” you want to hear. It is, actually, pretty good. For lunch? For dinner? You decide.
It is really a healthy recipe; light and ready in no time. Great for a crowd; you can double it, or for just a few.
Hope you like it. Here it goes:
Asian Chicken Slaw
1 cup low calorie sesame-ginger salad dressing (I used Wish-Bone’s Light Asian with Sesame & Ginger Vinaigrette)
1 lb. chicken tenderloins or boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 can (14.5 ounces) Mandarin oranges
1/2 lb. sugar snap peas, sliced
1 cup fresh basil, cut into thin strips
2 bunches scallions, trimmed and chopped
1 bag (16 ounces) cole slaw mix
1/8 tsp. salt (optional)
1/8 tsp. black pepper
Combine 1/2 cup of the dressing with the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Let it stand for about 20 minutes.
Toast almonds in a non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Watch them so they don’t burn. You want to obtain a light brown color.
Remove chicken from marinade and add to that same skillet or use another one. Cook over medium-high heat until the chicken is nicely done, turning a few times. It might take about 7 minutes or so. You want it cooked through. Then, cut into bite-size pieces.
Drain Mandarin oranges, reserving 1/4 cup juice. Whisk juice into remaining 1/2 cup salad dressing.
In a large salad bowl, toss cabbage, sugar snap peas, basil, scallions, cole slaw mix, salt, pepper and chicken with dressing.
Add Mandarin oranges and almonds; gently stir to distribute well. Serve and enjoy.
If you would like more dressing…then you know what to do….yes, make it your own…..talk to you later….
July 9th, 2011
It is a typical summer day in Florida; rain and more rain. But guess what? I went to Publix, the local supermarket. Strolling around the different isles, thinking how nice the snow birds are gone. I don’t consider myself a snowbird. I come to Delray a few days here or there, at the most 10 days at a time.
Something caught my attention at the produce stand; green bunches. I wondered if they were quenepas. I have not had that fruit in probably 30 plus years. It said they were mamoncillos from the Dominican Republic. I had forgotten that was one of the other names given to this tropical fruit. I took some and had to open one right then and there. I was not mistaken; the taste of this fruit brought me back to my years growing up in the Island of Puerto Rico. The street vendors used to sell them in paper bags. Fear had been instilled in all of us children because the fruit is, actually, very slippery. Definitely not for unsupervised kids.
Quenepas are also called Spanish limes. They might look like a small lime but that’s where the similarities stop. It is a tropical fruit of South and Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean and some parts of Africa and the Pacific.
Quenepas grow in bunches. Summer is their season. In Puerto Rico, the quenepas are from the town of Ponce. I think my cousins, who lived in Ponce had a tree in their backyard. Maybe if they read this post they will confirm it.
In describing the fruit, I think the best I can come up with is, that it is a cross between a lychee and a lime; maybe. It has a good layer of skin. The way to eat it? Just crack it with your teeth then put it in your mouth and suck around the large seed. Sorry, but that’s how you do it.
The pulp can be tart, tangy and usually, so deliciously sweet.
Quenepas stain. It is a brown, ugly stain, so watch it.
Another interesting fact about quenepas is that they are used to make Bili, which is a drink that ferments rum, preferably pitorro (Puerto Rican moonshine). Bili is indigenous to the islands of Vieques and Culebra. Both of these islands are located between Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Back on April 13, 2010 I wrote a post about this drink and a few others. If you would like to see it, just click on the month of April, 2010 and scroll down to the 13th.
Still enjoying the quenepas as I write this post….waiting from my brother, Miguel….we will see if he is surprised, or not….or does not care at all….talk to you later….have a good one!!
Update: Miguel just arrived bearing from his yard the most amazing mangoes, which are the next best thing to quenepas. He screamed when he saw the quenepas; many years have passed since he had seen them, as well.
May 7th, 2011
We really had a gorgeous day here in the Delmarva Peninsula. When Spring shows its colors, it is truly beautiful. Definitely, my favorite times of the year are Spring and Fall. A day like today, I could take it every day.
I got an e-mail from the Delray GreenMarket and it was so cute. It was about the reasons why Moms deserve their own Holiday.
She brought you into this world — through her own body.
For at least 2 years, she changed your dirty diapers.
Her first instinct was and is always to stick up for you.
Her lullabies, and later her lectures, could put you to sleep. Isn’t that the truth!!
“When you’re a mother, you’ll understand” turned out to be true.
Her chauffeur services and there were many, were first-rate.
She cooked your favorite meal when you came hom from college. Cooked for your friends too.
She did your laundry when you came home from college.
 The golf course looked fantastic!! Two words; homemade pie.
Mom does the worrying for everyone in the family!!
She taught you to play fair and watch your mouth.
She is there 24/7!! That’s my own comment.
So, to all of you who are Mothers in many ways; an aunt, a mentor, a grandmother, a stepmother, a teacher, I wish you a great day.
March 2nd, 2011
Risotto is usually served as a primo, or first course. I like it as a main course; yes, it is pretty filling. Usually, I like to cook it when I have had enough chicken, beef or seafood. Served with a green salad, it does make a nice meal. Add your favorite wine; and then it is not just a nice meal, but the perfect meal.
This Italian dish of rice cook in broth in a creamy consistency is also perfect on chilly nights. That is has a lot of carbs? Well, that’s true; still good, though.
Arborio is the rice used for risottos. It is a short gran rice, named after the town of Arborio. The round grains are firm, creamy, and chewy. Also, this rice is used in rice pudding.
The other night I fixed a very simple risotto with a little Asiago cheese, green onions and peas. I know, it is sort of a pain to stir the rice until the broth evaporates, but it is worth it.
A Simple Risotto
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup green onions
3 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
1 cup small peas
1 cup Asiago cheese, grated very thin
Saute onion and butter on medium heat for a few minutes; I did 5 minutes.
Add rice and also stir for a minutes, as well.
Stir in 1 cup of broth and keep on stirring until the broth is absorbed. If the medium heat is too high then lower it a bit. You want the rice to keep absorbing the broth; be patience. Cooking cannot be rushed.
Gradually, keep adding the rest of the broth, 1/2 cup to 1 cup at a time. I did it 1/2 cup at a time. You want the broth completely absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup.
Taste it and if you feel it needs more broth, well you know what to do. Then add 1/2 cup of the Asiago cheese and stir. You can add more, if you want to.
Then the peas should be added. Stir it all together.
Serve and garnish with more Asiago cheese. Add a salad and you will, definitely, have a meal.
Note: Serves 4. By the way, this recipe is gluten free.
Enjoy and make it your own….talk to you later….
February 23rd, 2011
Phad Thai is one of Thailand’s national dishes. It consists of stir-fried rice noodles with eggs and fish sauce; other combinations can be added like bean sprouts, beef, shrimp, chicken or tofu. Crushed peanuts is the garnish that finishes the dish.
Last night I was in one of those moods. A simple recipe that would not take long and pretty much a one dish meal. Most of Thai food is gluten free, so this was a no brainer. I added tofu, but it is not necessary.
Phad Thai with Tofu
1 package (13.2 ounces) of rice sticks. I bought Sun Luck
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
4 eggs
5 tablespoons of fish sauce (or, to taste)
3 bunches of green onions cut into 1/2 inch lengths
1/4 cup or a bit more of chicken broth (low sodium)
2 tablespoons of sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons of paprika
1 cup of bean sprouts
1/4 cup ground peanuts
1 cup of extra firm tofu cut in pieces (optional)
In a large bowl soak rice sticks for about 45 minutes, until tender, but firm.
In a skillet put 1 tablespoon of oil and fry the tofu pieces until they brown but do not burn. Take them out and put them aside.
In a large frying pan, large enough that the noodles will fit when added, put the 3 tablespoons of oil in a medium high heat. Add the garlic and then the green onions; stir fry for a few minutes.
Add the eggs and scramble them until done.
Drain the rice sticks well and add to the egg mixture. Even though it looks like a lot in the pan, they will cook down. Keep stir frying until the rice stick become translucent, at the same time adding chicken broth to the frying pan. Stir fry away. You might not need all the chicken broth. I usually do use that amount of broth, though.
When the rice sticks begin to stick together then add the fish sauce, sugar and paprika and bean sprouts. Then, add the tofu if desired or shrimp, beef, chicken, or nothing at all.
Continue to cook until dry; add crushed peanuts and serve. This particular dish is not spicy. If you would like to add a little kick to it, just add a chili pepper or your favorite “heat”.
Please note that this recipe will serve 4 hungry people. Otherwise, leftovers will be great the next day.
Please enjoy this recipe and make it your own…
Have a great day!!!……talk to you soon….
January 26th, 2011
Looking out my window…. all I see is dark skies, rain, wind; probably cold, but have not been outside yet even though, Addy, my dog, is looking at me with skeptical eyes.
I had not posted a recipe that I made the other day because I was looking for the perfect day; I think today this post is perfect.
The recipe has Ancho Chili Powder. If you are wondering if it is going to have too much heat, don’t worry because ancho chili powder is a ground powder made from the poblano pepper. It is called ancho when it is dried. It is also dark, smokey, with rich flavor. It is considered mild, so perfect if you don’t like too much heat; just enough. There are times when a poblano pepper could have more heat than usual, though. You won’t find that in this dish.
The recipe also uses Cumin Powder. This spice has origins from the East Mediterranean to East India; used in many types of cuisines.
During the Middle Ages it was thought that the use of cumin would keep the chickens and lovers from wandering…..
It is also the second most used spice, after black pepper, in the world.
Years ago I went to a cooking class given by Gretchen at a home in Bethany Beach. I have modified this recipe here or there a bit. Yes, made it my own. Here it goes:
Ancho Chili and Black Bean Chicken
4 boneless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lbs)
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup green pepper
1 tablespoon fnely chopped jalapeno (to taste, or not at all)
1 tablespoon Ancho Chili Powder
1 tablespoon Cumin Powder
1 1/2 cups chicken broth (I used low sodium, organic)
1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 can cooked black beans, undrained
cilantro, optional
Cubed avocado for garnish
You can either prepare the dish with the whole boneless chicken breast or cube them, like I did. If you like thighs better then get the ones that are already deboned; you will get more meat.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. If you are on a low sodium diet, then you know what you need to do.
In a heavy skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and sear until well browned on both sides. Transfer the chicken to another plate.
Then, reduce heat to medium.
Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet. Add 2 cloves of garlic, 1 cup diced onion, 1/2 cup green pepper, 1 tablespoon of chopped jalapeno, if desired.
Then saute for a couple of minutes. Add 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder and 1 tablespoon of cumin. Continue to saute on that medium heat until fragrant.
Add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, bring to a boil and add 1 can petite tomatoes, drained. Bring to a simmer. Cook until slightly thickened; about 6 minutes or so. Then add 1 can black beans.
Return chicken and juices to the skillet; reduce heat to low.
Simmer until heated through; nice and hot. At this point, if you would like to add the cilantro, then do so. Serve it over rice and garnish with cubed avocado.
Rice: You can use any rice you like. I used on this particular night a blend of black and mahogany rice, Lundberg Black Japonica. It is grown in the Sacramento Valley.
Please note that this recipe is gluten free.
Just remember, make the recipe your own. You have the basic recipe, but if you like more juice, or less beans, or more tomatoes, then experiment and enjoy it.
Have a great day….talk to you later….
January 20th, 2011
I started my website on July of 2009. I cannot believe that it has been a year and a half since I started AboutMyBeaches, written in a blog style. I think I achieved the look I wanted for the site. Clean, bright, easy to read and most of all, available to all.
I write pretty much every day. I take a lot of pictures, as well. I am not a professional, but I think you can see that in some of my posts, pictures and even recipes, since there are plenty of those too.
This is my business. I started it always with the idea that it would become a business. But, you needed to get to know me through my writings first.
You know that I have lived at the Delaware Beaches since 1981. My children were born here and I truly love the area. I have seen it grow in so many different directions; pretty much all good.
I am promoting the Delaware Beaches, Ocean City, Maryland and also Delray Beach, Florida. That’s another town that has become a second home to me. I love to walk around Delray, enjoy the restaurants and the beach and I respect the devotion that its residents have towards keeping the town the jewel it has become. All you have to do is visit this Village by the Sea and you will want to get to know it much better.
 Delray Beach, Florida  Delray Beach, Florida So, in my travels, camera in hand, I review restaurants; no credentials, but I know what I like and how I want to be treated. I also promote the arts and entertainment; I will be sure to tell you what’s going on. I hope you will log on to www.aboutmybeaches.com to find out about, events, restaurants, reviews, where to shop and what to cook for dinner.
 At Venus in Dewey Beach I consider myself “the word of mouth”. It is the best advertisement. I have written so far 530 posts. I have experienced all those posts, as well. I had to in order to pass the information on to you. On average the website is getting 5,500 hits per month. That’s between 150 to 200+ per day, depending on the subject. Most of the writings are from the Delaware Beaches, but a lot are from Delray Beach, Ocean City and from wherever I find myself at a particular time.
 Milton Theatre  The whale that washed up in Fenwick
Advertising on AboutMyBeaches is as follows:
$500 for 1 year
$300 for 6 months
$200 for 1 year if you are only using a business card
At the bottom of the website you will find my contact information.
I have a webmaster that will put your website on my site. The day the website goes on, anyone reading my posts will be able to access your website with just a click. That ad is your spot for the time contracted. Go on www.aboutmybeaches.com right now and see for yourself by testing the other ads already there. If this is the first time you are reading my post, then check the whole site. I can guarantee you that you will find it interesting and some times even entertaining.
 Greyhound in Dewey Beach  New in Lewes
You bet you will get my personal attention. Once you advertise on AboutMyBeaches, that’s what you will get. If you need to announce something immediately, then all you have to do is send me an e-mail. I will post your information on the website and then is good to go. Once I post, then I send it to Facebook, my personal one and the one for AboutMyBeaches. After that I send it to Twitter and then to Linkedin.
It really is inexpensive. Think about it, $500 for one year is about $1.36 per day.
I don’t take these coastal towns for granted. It really is great living here and visiting the other beach towns that I do. I don’t even take my AboutMyBeaches for granted either. I have learned so much.
For 2011, so many places to be revisited and so many other ones to be discovered; trying to keep it interesting, yes, I am a local but not a native and word of mouth is Priceless!!
Talk to you later….you know I will….
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