February 22nd, 2010
Bored and don’t know what to make this week for dinner? Sometimes it is such a chore. Believe me, I like to cook but plenty of times I really don’t make up my mind until the last minute. Some people don’t give it another thought; they figure it is just another meal. But to me it is the experience of making something from scratch; not opening another package loaded with salt, fat and “seasonings”. I like to see what I am chopping. I like to smell my food cooking and the combinations of foods on my plate.
Keeping it simple is the best way to go about it. So, the following recipes are easy and I think you might like them.
Baked Chicken Breasts With Parmesan Garlic Crust
1 cup breadcrums, fresh are the best
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese (grate it yourself, it is better)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 6-7 oz. each
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1/4 mayonnaise
lemon wedges for serving
Adjust oven rack to upper middle position. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl.
Pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Place in a 9″ x 13″ baking dish.
Combine mayonnaise and basil in a small bowl and spread evenly over chicken.
Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over mayonnaise, pressing lightly.
Bake for about 1/2 hour until the crust gets a nice brown color. Since you are cooking on a higher heat, please make sure you check them so they don’t burn.
Serve it with a nice salad. This recipe is good at any time of the year.
Shrimp and Tomato Chowder
2 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 13.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, undrained
8 ouces medium and peeled, cooked shrimp
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup water
ground pepper
slivered fresh basil
In a large saucepan, cook celery and onion in hot oil until just tender.
Stir in tomatoes; heat through.
Add shrimp, cream and water. Cook over medium heat until hot.
Season to taste with pepper.
Ladle chowder into bowls; garnish with basil.
Makes 2 to 4 four servings depending how hungry you are or if you are serving as a main meal. You can easily double this recipe.
Note: If you can get foccacia wedges from the grocery store or an Italian market, it would really complement the chowder.
Smithfield Ham and Potato Casserole
8 large potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8″ thick
1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup mayonnaise
2 cups diced Smithfield ham
1 small onion, minced
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cook the potatoes in slightly salted (optional) water until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and put in a large bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and mix together.
Place in a well greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Watch closely so the cheese does not burn. You may choose to cover the dish for the last 15 minutes of baking.
Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Makies 8 to 10 servings.
Again, this is one of those dishes you might want to adjust to your tasting. You may even substitute the Smithfield ham but that its up to you.
You can use this dish as a side dish or for breakfast with fresh fruit. It could be served at dinner time with fresh asparagus and a salad.
Make it your own and enjoy….See you soon…
February 16th, 2010
It does not matter where you find yourselves, either at the beaches, the mountains or on the bayou, but you have to admit that Carnival is that special time of the year where a celebration is needed. And, Fat Tuesday is definitely a celebration.
Mardi Gras or Carnival are the celebrations that start on or just after the Epiphany and end on Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is the French for Fat Tuesday; it is the last night of eating richer and fatty foods before fasting during Lent. In English the name is Shrove Tuesday; confession before Lent begins.
In celebration of Fat Tuesday, my menu tonight will be Shrimp Creole with white rice and spinach salad.
My family loves this recipe. I first had it at my old neighbors’ house in Bethany Beach many years ago, the Rooneys. She had been married to a Cajun and had perfected this type of cooking, with heat and strong flavors being the main ingredients.
My Shrimp recipe is from the book by Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen. He elevated Louisiana cooking to an international level. He opened his K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen restaurant in the late 70’s. The recipe serves 10 but you can adjusted to half that amount, but I never do since leftovers are so good. I think the flavor just gets better. The other thing you might want to do is substitute some of the fats for leaner fats like olive oil; don’t change the butter, it really adds to it by enriching the flavor of the dish.
Shrimp Creole (a lot of ingredients but don’t be intimidated; it will be easy)
3 1/2 lbs. medium shrimp (I buy the easy to peel shrimp)
2 1/2 cups Basic Shrimp Stock (see below)
1/4 cup chicken, fat, pork lard or beef fat (substitute olive oil)
2 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
1 3/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 1/2 cups finely chopped green bell peppers
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt (you can adjust this portion)
1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
1 teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sweet basil leaves
3 cups finely chopped tomatoes (this time of the year use canned)
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
For an easy and flavorful stock: Peel the shrimp and put shells in a large saucepan. Set shrimp aside. Add enough chicken broth to make 2 1/2 cups. Cut an onion in half and add it without peeling it. Add a few celery ribs and a bay leaf. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes then turn it off and let it just sit there while you prepare the rest of the recipe. Drain, reserve stock when ready to use.
Heat the fat or other fat over high heat. I really substitute that fat in the recipe for olive oil and then as an extra I add a little bit of sausage and let it crumbled up in the olive oil. Probaly just about 2 tablespoons.
Once the fat is heated, then add 1 cup of the onions and cook over high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. The onions should take a rich brown color, but don’t burn them.
Add the remaining onions, the celelry, bell peppers and butter. Cook over medium high heat until the pepper and the celery start to get tender. Stir.
Then, add garlic, bay leaf, salt and peppers; stir well.
Now, add the Tabasco, thyme, basil and 1/2 cup of the stock. Cook over medium heat. What you are trying to do is marry these seasonings and at the same have the veggies brown further.
Add the tomatoes, then turn the burner to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring and scrapping the bottom.
Add tomato sauce and stir for a few minutes and then add the remaining 2 cups of stock and sugar. Continue to simmer for about 10 minutes.
The perfect way to cook the shrimp for this dish is to add them now, turn the heat off and let the shrimp stay there until plump and pink. It will take only about 5 to 10 minutes because the sauce is so hot.
Serve it over rice and a side spinach salad.
Note: This dish is perfect for a party, granting you don’t have a guest with a seafood allergy. You can assemble it up to the point before adding the shrimp. Just put it in the refrigerator and the next day heat it and then add the shrimp just as I mentioned above.
This recipe is not hard. You just have to chop and add here and there. Once you make it and adjust it to your taste, you will love it. You want less heat then do so by adjusting the peppers.
Happy Fat Tuesday!!! Talk to you later…..
February 11th, 2010
Comcast was here even though they could not promise me anything this morning. I was so nice; not upset or frustrated that they decided to make my stop the last one of their route. They really looked tired.
I have pictures of the different storms we have had but, you know what? I am finished with the snow. It is getting old. I am looking forward to an Easter Pet Parade in Delray, green grass, clear beaches, the awakening of Spring and Summer. So, the following pictures are a reminder of better days to come:
 Dog Days of Summer  Spring!!  Fresh Seeds  Easter!!  Figs Growing!!  Paradise Island  Puerto Rico  Nantucket  Pacific Highway, California  Malibu, California  Captiva, Florida - The whitest sand  Beautiful Rehoboth Beach
The perfect pairings with Spring and Summer could be:
Rum Collins
2 ounces white Puerto Rican rum
1 fresh lime, halved
1 tsp. sugar
Soda Water
Squeeze half a lime and drop into a highball glass. Add and dissolve sugar.
Add ice cubes and rum.
Stir and fill with soda water.
Rum Martini
2 ounces white Puerto Rican Rum
Dash of dry vermouth (to taste)
1 fresh lime peel
small white onion or stuffed olive
In a cocktail shaker, stir rum and vermouth with ice and pour.
Add twist of lime peel and onion or olive.
This can also be served on-the-rocks.
Rum Sour
1 1/2 ounces dark Puerto Rican rum
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1 tsp. sugar
Orange slice
Maraschino cherry
In a cocktail shaker, shake rum, lime juice and sugar with ice cubes.
Strain into sour glass and garnish with orange slice and cherry.
Cruzan Swizzle
1 bottle (4/5 quart) St. Croix rum
4 ounces fresh lime juice
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) sugar
1/2 tsp. Angostura bitters
3 cups crushed ice
Pour all ingredients in a large pitcher and mix well with swizzle stick, until pitcher frosts.
Serve, unstrained, in a tall glass
It serves 6.
Note: Dark Puerto Rican rum can be used instead of St. Croix rum.
A Salsa Cruda should carry you over until dinner:
Salsa Cruda
1/2 large garlic clove
1 large jalapeno pepper
1/4 medium onion
1/4 cup of cilantro leaves, chopped
1 1/4 cups unpeeled ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup black beans
Peel garlic and chop. Cut pepper in half and remove seeds and ribs, then chop.
Peel onion and also cut into small pieces.
Mix all ingredients. Serve at room temperature or if made ahead, just place in the refrigerator.
Note: You can also chop the vegetables in a food processor.
It will make about 2 cups. Serve it with your favorite chips, on top of a baked potato, over a salad, add chopped avocados. Really, whatever makes you happy.
Remember to enjoy it and make it your own.
See you soon…..
January 27th, 2010
It started with my husband watching the Food Network Channel. All of a sudden they were talking about a restaurant in Bal Harbour called La Goulue; a replica of a Parisian bistro with the best cheese souffle. Well, that is all it took. We wanted to go there, especially after watching the t.v. show and drooling at the site of such a magnificent dish.
Since we were in Florida, at the time, we were willing to drive over an hour to try La Goulue. I called the restaurant to find out if the souffle had flour. I thought that it might. I have never made one. Well, of course, it did, and you already know that in my household we eat gluten free, which means no wheat, flours and derivatives thereof. Well, that was a short trip!!
The word souffle is the past participle of the French verb souffler, which means to blow up or puff up. This is what happens when you combine egg yolks, egg whites and other ingredients. An enriched sauce with egg yolks and lightened with beaten egg whites, is what it is.
My husband kept dreaming about the cheese souffle and tonight his dream came true.
The following recipe is Gruyere and Parmesan Cheese Souffle. I have substituted the all purpose flour for a Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix made by Arrowhead Mills. It worked perfectly and the rest of the ingredients are gluten free as well. I hope you like it. It was so easy to make.
Gruyere and Parmesan Cheese Souffle
Grated Parmesan cheese – Buy a good wedge and grate it, finely, yourself.
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
5 tablespoons Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Mix. If you don’t have an allergy, then use all purpose flour.
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 cup dry white wine
6 large egg yolks
8 large egg whites
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons (packed) coarsely grated Gruyere cheese (about 6 ounces)
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
Generously butter one 10-cup souffle dish; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to coat.
Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, cayenne pepper and nutmeg. Cook without browning until mixture begins to bubble, whisking constantly, a little over 1 minute.
Gradually whisk in milk, then wine. Cook until smooth, thick and beginning to boil, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes or so. Remove from heat.
Mix yolks, salt and pepper in a small bowl and add the mixture all at once to the sauce and whisk quickly to blend.
Fold in 1 1/4 cups Gruyere cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (cheeses do not need to melt).
Using an electric mixer, beat whites in a large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/4 of whites into the souffle base to lighten and then fold in the remaining whites.
Transfer mixture to prepared dish. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons of Gruyere cheese.
 Before Place souffle in oven; reduce heat to 375 degrees. Bake souffle until puffed, golden and gently set in the center. This will take about 45 minutes. Take it out of the oven and serve immediately.
 And After Serves 4 to 6 guests.
I think your guests will be very impressed. This is the type of dish that can be served with a salad and a green vegetable like asparagus, which is what I did.
Remember make the recipe your own; adjust it to your needs.
Bon Appetit!!
Note: This recipe was taken from www.epicurious.com and the information on the word souffle was taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/souffl%C3%A9.
January 13th, 2010
It is still so cold and even though I had a few events to report and a prepared post, I put them aside and thoughts of biscuits, cornbread, and muffins were dancing in my head because they are comfort foods and would be great with a good, full bodied cup of coffee. So, here they go.
Best Ever Buiscuits
2-2 1/2 cups self rising flour
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup milk
Place flour in a large bowl and make a well in the flour.
Add shortening and milk to that well in the flour.
Start mixing with your hands until flour leaves the bowl.
Flour your hands and pinch off dough to make the biscuit.
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in the top part of the oven at 500 degrees until brown.
Church Supper Cornbread
Boil together:
3 cups boiling water
1 stick of margarine
Mix well:
2 cups white corn meal
1/2 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
Pour boiling water mixture over dry ingredients and mix very well.
Add 1 1/2 cups cold milk. Mix.
Add 3 well beaten eggs and mix well.
Pour into a greased, floured pan (9″ x 13″).
Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.
Beer Muffins
4 cups Bisquick
2 tblsps. sugar
1 can room temperature beer
Mix all together. Put in muffin tins and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Remember to get some good coffee and sit back and relax…
January 8th, 2010
You know they are coming. Whether you have invited them or not, those foodies will be showing up to watch their favorite teams. I will be watching the Ravens.
You need to be prepared. It will be a cold week-end ahead. So, here is a little bit of help, just in case friends are coming to your house.
Black Bean Salsa
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (17 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 purple onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3-4 tbsps. fresh lime juice
2 tbsps. olive oil
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Mix together all ingredients and refrigerate. Very good with corn chips. And so versatile that you can put it on eggs or baked potatoes.
Note: This recipe is gluten free. Read labels of canned goods.
Oyster Broccoli Chowder
3 cups milk
2 (11 oz.) cans condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped broccoli
1 cup frozen loose-packed hash brown potatoes
1 small onion, chopped
1 pint shucked oysters or two oz. cans whole oysters
In a 3 quart saucepan, combine milk and soup.
Stir in broccoli, potatoes, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until bubbly, breaking up broccoli with fork until thawed. Simmer, covered for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat; cool. Cover and chill.
At serving time, reheat soup. In a saucepan place the fresh undrained oysters; cook over medium heat until edges curl.
Add to broccoli mixture; heat through.
Note: If using canned oysters, just add undrained oysters directly to soup and heat through.
Macaroni & Cheese Salad
1 (16 oz) pkg. Rotelle large shells
1 1/2 lbs. sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small squares
1 pkg. radishes
2 medium green peppers
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
2/3 cups milk
3/4 tsp. salt (optional)
1/2 tsp. cracked pepper
Sugar to taste
Cook macaroni, drain and set aside.
Cut cheese, radishes and green peppers to bite size pieces.
Mix mayonnaise, milk, salt, pepper and sugar together.
Combine everything together and serve at room temperature or chill.
Note: Just add a tsp. of sugar first, then taste it and adjust.
To make this recipe gluten free you will need to get gluten free pasta.You will only be able to get the small shells. Buy the block of cheddar cheese and shred it yourself. Hellman’s mayonnaise is gluten free.
Shrimp Cakes
4 cups chopped cooked shrimp
2 cups mashed potatoes
2 tsps. dry mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsps. Old Bay Seasoning
4 tbsps. chopped parsley
1 1/2 cups shredded potatoes
Mix first 6 ingredients; cover and chill.
Form into patties then coat with shredded potatoes.
Pan fry until golden on both sides.
Makes 8 cakes.
Note: To save time you can buy the frozen shredded potatoes. Make sure you chop the shrimp in very small pieces. If you decide to serve them as an entree then just add a salad. But, you can make them smaller and serve them as an appetizer. Have a little bit of tartar sauce for dipping.
To make this recipe gluten free you should shred your own potatoes and instead of tartar sauce you can just dip the cakes in Emeril’s mustards.
If you really have a large crowd, then you can try this recipe. Just let me know how it comes out.
Elephant Stew
1 medium size elephant
2 rabbits, optional
Lots of brown gravy
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cut elephant into small bite size pieces. This will take approximately 2 months.
Add enough brown gravy to cover. Cook over a kerosene fire for about 4 weeks at 465 degrees.
This will serve approximately 3,800 people.
If more are expected, the 2 rabbits may be added, but do this only if necessary, as most people do not like to find hare in their stew.
I just want to make sure you are reading the blog….
Make them your own and talk to you later…
January 1st, 2010
We all make the yearly resolutions; never to really go through with them. The following is a recipe that I found some years ago in a recipe book. It is easy and perfect for 2010 and beyond.
The Recipe for a Healthy, Happy, and Active Life
3 cups full of faith
2 heaping cups of a healthy diet full of well balanced, nutritional meals including fruits, veggies, grains, dairy and meat
1 1/2 cups cool, clean water
1/2 cup of vitamins, minerals and good supplements
1/4 cup of plenty of sleep each night
2 tbsps. of truly supportive, giving, loyal friends and family
1 tblsp. positive attitude filled with gratefulness, integrity and hope
1 tsp of exercise to walk the stress away
1 heaping helping of hugs and kisses galore
1 pinch of patience and understanding from that special someone
A measure of compassion for those less fortunate
Mix all of the above ingredients together and gently fold with love, mercy, joy, peace, forgiveness and kindness.
Bake at 365 days a year for a healthy, happy and active life.
Serve to as many people as you can.
Feliz Ano Nuevo!!…
December 31st, 2009
Never know who is staying over for New Year’s? Waking up tomorrow morning to face hungry guests could be easier than you think with the perfect morning casseroles. They are easy to make; anyone can cook them.
But, what is a casserole? It is from the French for “saucepan”. The casseroles today used are a modern invention. In the 18th century they consisted of rice that was pounded, pressed, and filled with a flavorful mixture of meats like chicken or sweetbreads. After the 1870s casseroles changed to what we make today.
Common in most nations, they became more popular in America around the 1950s. New lightweight metal containers appeared on the market; the earthware containers then became a thing of the past. And, really, by the 1970s casseroles took on a less-than sophisticated image.
Nevertheless, casseroles are the perfect dish when serving a hungry crowd.
The following 2 recipes are usually served for breakfast or brunch and definitely great for busy holiday mornings!!
Sausage & Egg Casserole
1 lb. sausage
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp. dry mustard
2 slices cubed bread
1 cup grated cheese
Crumble sausage, fry and then drain off fat.
Mix remaining ingredients and add sausage. Pour in greased casserole, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Bake uncovered in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes until brown.
It serves 4 and can be doubled.
Egg Casserole
1 lb. sausage
1 block shredded sharp cheddar cheese
6 slices buttered bread
5 eggs
2 cups Half & Half (you can use milk too)
1 tsp. dry mustard
Fry sausage and drain off fat.
Mix all ingredients except bread.
Place egg slices in a casserole dish
Pour mixed ingredients over the bread.
Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 40 to 60 minutes.
Note: It can be made ahead of time and frozen.
Make it your own and enjoy it!!!
See you…
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