October 12th, 2011
 Last year's nature turning on the color. It is that time of the year…I love it!! I cannot wait for the leaves to change and show those magnificent colors like last year. Awesome was the word.
The pumpkins are gorgeous. Have you seen all the roadside markets? Even though they have said it is not a good year for pumpkins, the ones that are out are very nice; all kinds of shapes, colors and sizes.
If you go on the left hand side of my website, AboutMyBeaches, you should click on the month of October, 2009 and then, scroll down to the 6th. You will find 3 recipes using pumpkins. Good for a stay home dinner, football nights or just dessert.
One one them was Pumpkin Bars. It is a great recipe. My problem? That in my household there is someone that has to eat gluten free. The recipe used a Duncan Hines Yellow Cake mix for the bars. A big no no.
Off to my daily trip to Giant, my supermarket. What got me into baking, I don’t know. I am not very good. Up and down the isles I went.
I decided to experiment and substitute with something else. Did not know with what.
Staring at me was a pancake mix by King Arthur Flour. It said that it was new. Gluten free, also soy free and nut free. Why not? If it was good for pancakes it would probably be good for the bars.
I have changed this recipe to be gluten free, and with less sugar by using Splenda sugar blend; regular and brown sugar.
I was worried. You will see from the pictures that they did look good. I can tell you they were because I tasted them. Then, the picky one of the house loved them too.
Total success!! So, here it goes.
My Somewhat Modified Pumpkin Bars
1 box (15 ounces) of King Arthur Flour (Pancake Mix) Gluten Free
1/2 cup melted butter
4 eggs
1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin
1 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
1/4 cup Splenda Sugar Blend
1/2 – 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup soft margarine
Confectioners Sugar for dusting the bars
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Remove 1 cup from pancake mix; set aside.
Mix together remaining cake, melted butter and 1 egg. Pat into a 13″ x 9″ pan; set aside.
Mix pumpkin, remaining eggs, evaporated milk, pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar; pour over first layer in pan. I used a hand mixer for this step.
Stir together reserved pancake mix, sugar, cinnamon, and soft margarine; sprinkle over pumpkin layer.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 – 50 minutes.
Cool, cut into bars, sprinkle with confectioners sugar and serve.
These bars are not overly sweet; just so. You can add ice cream…yum or have them with a nice cup of coffee.
Note: Just remember that if you think you want to follow the original recipe then either follow directions above to see the recipe on my site or just use a box of the Duncan Hines Yellow Cake mix. You can use the real sugars or the Splenda blends like I did.
Also please note that you can probably use any other kind of gluten free pancake mix on the market, as well.
Hope you like them….talk to you later….
October 2nd, 2011
Baking is not my strength. I love easy desserts; no fuss. When I found this cranberry and apple cake recipe I thought I could make it my own easily.
Credit has to be given to the Barefoot Contessa. Her recipes are very easy to follow. Due to dietary restrictions in my family I made this recipe gluten free and reduced the sugar by half. To tell you the truth if I had put all that sugar, I think it would have been too sweet.
Instead of flour I used Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix. All natural and gluten free. I get it at the supermarket. It is a baking mix used for waffles, cookies, crepes, muffins, pancakes…etc. I thought, why not for the topping? Guess what? It worked!
If you do not have dietary restrictions, then use all purpose flour.
Cranberry and Apple Cake
12 ounces fresh canberries
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced
1/4 cup light brown sugar (I used Splenda blend)
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (2 oranges)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/8 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar (I used Splenda blend)
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I used gluten free)
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup flour, either gluten free for dietary restrictions or all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
You won’t believe how easy this recipe is. First preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
In a bowl, combine cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Set aside.
Then, use an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed the eggs for about 2 minutes. Just on medium speed, add the sugar, butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat until just mixed. On the lowest speed, slowly add the flour and salt.
Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10 inch glass pie plate. My pie plate was a deep dish plate. Pour batter over the fruit, covering it completely. The batter will be somewhat thick so spread it with a knife or spatula.
Combine the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until you test it by inserting a toothpick or a knife, like I do, and it comes out clean. The fruit should be blubbling around the edges, as well.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Just by itself, with ice cream or accompanied by some good cheese, this recipe is a keeper!!
Enjoy!!….talk to you later….
September 26th, 2011
I had so many apples, courtesy of T.S. Smith & Sons, from Bridgeville, Delaware. I wrote a post on this oldest apple orchard in the State of Delaware. Just scroll down; you’ll see it.
Then, a recipe on Facebook from Back to the Kitchen Healthy Living with Real Food was on my line of view. It looked easy enough. Peeling was the only tedious part. You can also get this and other recipes from http://www.nancynewcomer.com, who also owns the Back to the Kitchen Healthy….
I had various types of apples, some tart, some sweet, some big and some rather small. All were going into my large crock pot.
I did change the recipe somewhat. In her recipe the ingredients were apples, water, cinnamon, juice of a lemon. My variation went the following way.
Homemade Applesauce…Slow Cooking and So Easy
Fresh apples – about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pounds, peeled and cut in slices or chunks.
1/2 to 3/4 cup of fresh apple cider
Juice of a lemon or lime
3 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
Optional: Sugar to taste or Splenda Blend
Peel the apples and place in crock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
If you would like it to be sweeter, then you know what to do.
On high for a few hours. Please check after an hour and if you need more apple cider you can add some more. Make sure you don’t add too much.
If you like your applesauce chunky just check its consistency.
Remember you do have to make it your own, but it is so easy.
Note: Applesauce is so versatile. Use instead of oil, with pork, on top of ice cream….I almost forgot…it is gluten free!!
Enjoy!! Talk to you later….
September 17th, 2011
Well, it certainly got a little rainy on this Saturday. My thoughts went to a nice warm soup for dinner. That’s all I wanted.
The recipe I chose I have made it my own by adding a little bit of this, a little less of that.
A butternut squash is a type of winter squash. It has a nutty, sweet taste; you know, like a pumpkin.
It can be roasted, toasted, mashed into casseroles, breads, and muffins. It can also be pureed into a soup. That’s where my recipe comes into play.
I hope you like it. It does have curry. Get a mild curry, if you want. It is up to you. But, curry does add a lot to it.
Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups yellow onions (chopped)
2 tablespoons mild curry powder
2 medium to large butternut squash
4 sweet apples
2 1/4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
salt (optional) Kosher salt to taste
2 cups Apple Cider
Warm butter and olive oil in a large pot. Add the onions and the curry powder. Cook, uncovered until the onions are tender. About 12 minutes or so. Stir them occasionally.
The squash is a little hard to peel, but please do so, then cut in half, remove seeds. Cut into chunks.
Next step is to core the apples and cut into chunks. I did not peel the apples. If that is what you like; you know what to do.
Add the squash, apples, salt, pepper and the chicken broth to the pot. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for about 1/2 hour or until the squash and apples are very soft.
In a food processor or blender, take your time to blend the majority of the soup. Return to the pot to keep hot. Make sure you keep chunks of squash, apples and onions whole so that you have more than a pureed soup. You can do this by just taking them out of the soup prior to pureeing, or just puree 3/4 of the soup only.
Add the 2 cups of apple cider. Stir.
As the pureed soup is kept warm, swirl into the soup the other 2 tablespoons of butter. This is an optional step. You can also add more butter, if you want to.
Serve garnished with homemade croutons, with an additional sprinkle of curry powder.
Note: My croutons were made with gluten free bread, but if you don’t want the croutons then a nice crusty bread will do.
I think this soup is buttery including a great balance of flavors, as well.
This soup is gluten free.
Enjoy!! Remember to make it your own. It will certainly, keep you warm…
August 22nd, 2011
I had to laugh. I got an e-mail from the Delray Beach Green Market. This market is the one I visit when in Delray Beach, Florida. Just like the markets in Delaware, it is that time of the morning when you can stroll and get fresh baked goods, produce, and flowers, while sipping your coffee. Great way to start the day, by the way.
I laughed because it said that in August, in South Florida, the mangoes are falling off the trees. Ha ha. Here, in Delaware, I found that Giant was having a sale; 4 for $5.00. I bought them. Why not? I love mangoes, probably as much as I love ice cream.
Growing up in Puerto Rico I remember sitting with a bag of mangoes and just diving into them; peeling them with my teeth; eating that sweet flesh. I am not kidding, no knife was needed. Some of the mangoes had fibers and some of them were just perfectly round.
If you do want to know how to eat a mango without getting messy, then go to You Tube and on the search put How to Eat a Mango. There is an informative video for you to check out. Still, in my book, you need to get messy!!
In a perfect world I would love to pick them directly from the tree. But, since beggars can’t be choosey, then a grocery store is probably the best bet on my neck of the woods.
Mangoes are native of India and are the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world. Full of vitamins, as well.
The Fresh Mango Salsa is one of those that you can add a little bit of this or a little bit of that. You want a little more of a kick? Then, add more jalapeno. Don’t like the cilantro? Well, then you know what to do, but it does add so much.
The Mango Salsa is very versatile; on fish, pork, hamburgers, salads, omelettes, corn chips, or you can do like I did and top corn fritters with it.
Mango Salsa
1 mango, peeled, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
2 green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 fresh jalapeno, chopped (I used canned jalapeno wheels; chopped)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and allow the salsa to rest at least 30 minutes before serving. It is really good. I love the combinations of the jalapeno, mango and cilantro along with the citrus flavors of the lime and lemon juices.
Corn Fritters
When I first came to Baltimore in 1976 someone introduced me to a place in Maryland that used to serve Whiskey Sours with a basket of corn fritters. I always remember that and as I made them, my thoughts went back to those times long ago.
There are so many recipes for corn fritters. I have to use gluten free flour so I decided to use Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix. This mix is for waffles, cookies, crepes, muffins, and more. When I saw that it said “and more”, I made the corn fritters using:
1 cup of Pamela’s Mix
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 can corn, drained
You want the mixture to be nice and thick in order to drop them by the spoonfuls in hot oil.
Fry them until they achieve a nice golden brown color. Careful not to burn. Place on paper towels to drain. Then, just serve them like I did; with the Mango Salsa. Could be an appetizer, a tapa, or a side dish.
Corn fritters go well with ham or poultry. But, they are delicious with maple syrup, butter or jelly.
Traditional Corn Fritter Recipe
1 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 (20 ounce) can cream-style corn
1/2 cup canned corn, drained
1 egg, slightly beaten
Sift dry ingredients.
Combine corn and egg. Stir corn and egg mixture into sifted dry ingredients until just blended.
Drop batter by tablespoons into hot oil. Fry for a few minutes, turning once during frying. Drain on paper towels.
Note: Since we have an abundance of corn in the summer, using fresh corn is the way to go. In a hurry? Use canned corn.
Enjoy and make it your own!!…Talk to you later…
August 7th, 2011
I wish I could take credit for this recipe. I don’t. It was in a Southern Living Magazine some years ago. Roberta, one of my usual suspects, gave it to me. I have passed it around. I put it here, on my blog, without pictures, last year. The other night I had that craving for it. Then, I took a couple of pictures. I am not kidding. It is pretty good.
It is not the concept of a meatloaf (icky, mushy and nasty). Tha’s what some might say. It is the way it has been prepared. There are more people that don’t know how to cook a good meatloaf, than the ones that do. Does it make sense? Or, you might not even care. Once you try this one, you might think twice about it.
Meatloaf has its origins in Europe. It is a traditional German, Belgian and Dutch dish. It is said that it is a cousin of the Italian Meatball. But, here, they say that meatloaf has its origins in scrapple? What? No wonder I like it. Scrapple is one of my favorites. My friend, Missy, loves it too.
So, here is the recipe again, with photos.
Sweet and Saucy – A Meatloaf
For the meatloaf you will need:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb pork sausage (I used Jimmy Deans low fat)
1 cup fine breadcrumbs (I made my own; gluten free)
1 large egg, beaten
1 medium, onion diced
1/2 cup milk
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tblsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 tblsp. curry (mild or hot)
1 tsp. salt (optional)
1/2 tsp. pepper
Pre-heat oven to 375 degres.
Combine the ingredients that are in the meatloaf. Shape into a loaf and place in a very lightly greased pan.
You can place the meatloaf in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes while you make the sauce.
Sauce:
2 tblsps. butter
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (I used Splenda Brown Sugar Blend)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup beef broth (I used the low salt)
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1 tblsp. instant coffee (decaf or regular)
2 tblsps. rice vinegar
2 tsps. lemon juice
 It is a sauce full of flavor. Melt butter in a deep skillet or other pan and heat. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup Ketchup and the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat immediately, and simmer for 10 minutes.
After the meatloaf has been baking for 30 minutes, then pour 1/2 of the sauce over it and bake for another 45 minutes. Soon it will be ready with a wonderful color.
I served it just with a salad. But if you are in the mood for comfort food, then add mashers or rice.
Leftovers? I love a good meatloaf sandwich!!
Make it your own and enjoy!!….Talk to you later….
July 13th, 2011
Woke up early in Delray Beach, Florida. There was a plane to catch. Comfortably seated on Southwest with 2 well behaved boys next to me. That’s when the screams started. Not an emergency; a little toddler. She screamed for over an hour and she was in closed proximity to my seat.
And, guess what? Upon landing, she decided to fall asleep. You know what my thoughts were, right?
After driving for a few hours I was received in Rehoboth with the question I had not heard for a whole week. What’s for dinner? A blank look is what I returned. I regained my composure. Yeah, it was back to reality. Off to Giant I went and the following recipe is what I thought would be good for dinner.
Pork Chops with Caper Sauce
4 lean pork chops, about 1 1/4 inch thick
salt and pepper to taste (optional)
2 tablespoons salad oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup of chicken broth
4 tablespoons of drained capers
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons of fresh sage
1 tablespoon butter
parsley for garnish
Heat salad oil in a skillet large enough to hold chops in 1 layer. Add chops and cook over medium-high heat for 7 minutes on each side. They should be lightly browned.
Remove chops and keep warm. I just put them on a plate.
Since the chops should be lean, no need to pour off excess fat from the skillet. Add onions and garlic and cook until wilted.
Then, add vinegar, cook for a minute or so. Continue then by adding the chicken broth, capers, mustard, tomato paste and sage. Cook for about 3 minutes or until nice and hot but not boiling.
Reduce heat to low and add the pork chops with any juices that accumulated on the plate back into the pan and heat. Swirl in butter and check the seasonings.
This sauce is so delicious. And, the recipe can easily be doubled. I usually do that because I like a lot of sauce with the pork chops.
I mashed yams, put a little brown sugar and that was our dinner this evening.
Garnish with a little bit of parsley, if you want.
Note: This recipe is gluten free. If you don’t like yams, then you know what to do; mashed potatoes, rice, or polenta.
Talk to you later….Remember to make it your own….
July 4th, 2011
 I found him in the neighborhood. “Let’s go blueberry picking”…I can still hear myself telling that to a good friend, Deveraux. At other times, it was to Shelley or Nancy. All summer long we would go, at least once a week, to Ryan’s Blueberry Farm located at, where else but at Blueberry Lane in Gumboro, Delaware. This was west of Bethany Beach, crossing over Rt. 113.
Later on, as we all had kids, at times, we would put them on our backs and still go blueberry picking. Then, the older ones had their own empty margarine buckets with holes on the sides and string over their necks for “easy” and “faster” picking. I don’t know who picked or ate more from the blueberry bushes. My older son thought his were bigger than anyone else’s, except we might have been picking from the same bush. It was so much fun. We used to get so dirty.
But, that seems like ages ago. Wow, it was. On May 8, 1999 the United States Department of Agriculture proclaimed July as the National Blueberry Month.
As July gets underway with a celebration, I thought a blueberry crisp was a good addition to my crab, corn and tomato eating extravaganza. It is an easy recipe with that buttery crunchy top; warm it up, top it with vanilla ice cream and, oh boy, it is so delicious!!
At the present time, North America produces 90% of the world production of blueberries. The harvest runs from mid-April to early October; the peak harvest being in July.
Hope you like this recipe because it is so easy; can be doubled and can also be adapted so that people with gluten allergies can enjoy it, as well.
Blueberry Crisp
2 1/2 cups of fresh blueberries, washed and drained well
1/4 cup granulated white sugar (I used Splenda blend)
1 tablespoon corn startch
2 teaspoons lemon juice
a sprinkle of black pepper
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (I used Splenda Blend)
1/2 teaspoon (or more) cinnamon
1/3 cup of flour (I used Pamela’s Pancake & Baking Mix Gluten Free)
3/4 cup quick cooking rolled oats (I used Lara’s Rolled Oats)
Pinch of salt
1/2 stick softened butter (about 4 tablespoons)
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a bowl combine the blueberries, granulated sugar, corn starch, lemon juice, and pepper. Mix and combine evenly.
Pour into a buttered baking dish.
In the same bowl combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, oats, salt, and butter. Stir with a fork until the mixture is crumbly and evenly blended.
Spread the mixture over the berries and bake in a 375 degree oven for 40 minutes.
Let cool to warm before serving.
Enjoy…..and make it your own….talk to you later…
 
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