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Posts Tagged ‘Appetizer’

April 14th, 2010

Punta Santiago, Daniel, Restaurant, Review, Monkey Island, Iglesia Nuestra Senora del Carmen, Pastelillos, Salmorejo

 

I grew up on the eastern side of the island of Puerto Rico; specifically in the town of Humacao.  This is also the home of the “granitos”.  People come from all over the island to buy them. They have always been homemade and they are composed of fried rice flour with cheese in its center.  It is more like a snack food to be accompanied by a good cup of Puerto Rican coffee.

From the town of Humacao, the beaches were about 20 minutes away.  One stretch of beach near Humacao was Punta Santiago.  The mountains meet the sea on this amazing coastline.  This beach has both volcanic black sand and coral white sand, as well.

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I found that Punta Santiago still looks the same.  I was so glad.  The small church of Nuestra Senora del Carmen, who is the Patron of Fishermen and whose official Feast Day is July 16th, stands beautifully maintained. I got married in that small church. 

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Punta Santiago might not be for everyone but I remember it with fond memories. Every time we would want to go an eat at the beach; we always meant Punta Santiago.

Off of Punta Santiago there is a small island.  I loved to watch it from the beach, but you can take canoes and small boats around it.  The island is called Monkey Island. Its official name is Cayo Santiago.  About 1,200 Rhesus monkeys are the only inhabitants.  They are the offspring of an original group of monkeys imported from India that were used for scientific research in 1938.

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Monkey Island is run by the University of P.R.’s Caribbean Primate Research Center, the National Institute of Health, and Harvard University.  The monkeys’ behavior, demographics, genetics and physiological changes are being studied.  Definitely, the island is not open to the public; best viewing is from a kayak.

From that same spot on the beach, also in front of Daniel Seafood Restaurant, you can see at a distance the islands of Vieques and Culebra.

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Daniel is one of the few seafood restaurants in Punta Santiago. The telephone is 787-852-1784.  I wanted to get some salmorejo de jueyes which is the dish prepared with stewed land crabs.  I also wanted to get the pastelillos de chapin, which are like turnovers filled with a seasoned shredded fish called “chapin”.  They also fill these turnovers with land crab and lobster. Another “antojito” was the homemade hot sauce.

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The restaurant is so casual.  I would not call it a chinchorro since chinchorros are smaller local eateries.  I went right to their terrace overlooking Monkey Island and Vieques and Culebra.  The smell of the ocean was great.  Not like in Delray Beach, which I love or in the beautiful beaches of Delaware and Maryland.  The smell is distinct; only from a Caribbean Island.

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It was so much fun just watching them make the turnovers and taking the lobsters out.  The ever present hammocks of the Caribbean were there tempting me, but I am sure Sonia would have thought I was crazy.  We had so many important things still to do for the remaining of that day.

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Memories on that Friday, day and night…later…

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Information for this post was taken from www.puertoricodaytrips.com/monkey-island/ and www.puertorico.com/beaches/punta-santiago/

April 14th, 2010

Catano, Puerto Rico, La Lancha de Catano, Bahia de San Juan, Don Tello

 

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No, we did not take La Lancha de Catano, (ferry) from San Juan to the town of Catano.  Many years ago, taking La Lancha, was a novelty; probably to take a tour of the Bacardi Distillery; to sample Puerto Rican rum. I did that too.  So, if you want to learn about the rum manufacturing industry in the island and the Caribbean, this might be a good place to start. Afterall, it is one of the largest rum manufacturers in the world. 

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Last Saturday, we drove to Catano.  I did not dare to blink because I might have missed it.  It was busy because a new “politico” was going to make a speech in the afternoon. 

I was so pleasantly surprised to see the promenade along the San Juan Bay, where La Lancha launches.  It was really nice; clean, good landscaping and kept up. Several monuments and sculptures will be found on this promenade, as well, including the Monument to Taino (Indian) Culture.

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Just for information for anyone that does not know where Catano is, and that maybe on their next trip to PR might want to do something different, I will have to tell you more about this town.

Catano is located on the northern coast of Puerto Rico.  My friends that go to Rincon, well, this might be a little bit of a trip for you. Catano is also part of the San Juan Metropolitan Area.

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One of the first physicians that arrived in Puerto Rico during its colonization was Hernando de Catano.  Part of his payment, upon accepting his position, was a piece of land across the San Juan islet.  From then on, Catano was known by its owner’s name. 

In the middle of the 19th century, Catano became one of the most prosperous “barrios” of Bayamon. They were trying to separate themselves from Bayamon all the time.  Finally this happened in 1893 and Catano became a municipality called “Hato de Palmas de Catano”; shortened to Catano.  It is the smallest municipality in Puerto Rico.

Catano has its own Flag and its own Coat of Arms.  It also has several “apodos” or nicknames; “La Antesala de la Capital” (the Foyer of the Capital) because of its location across the Bay from San Juan.

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Back to Don Tello; it really was the reason why I had been taken to Catano.  I told you before, Puerto Ricans take their eating seriously.  Don Tello is located at Avenida Las Nereidas #36, across from the ferry terminal.  The telephone is 787-721-5000.  Its website, www.dontellorestaurant.com.  They are open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. and on Sundays from 12 until 8 p.m.  The specialty?  Typical Puerto Rican food, of course.

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Don Tello came from the town of Utuado with his wife, Louisa and 13 children.  Again, I keep saying; Yikes! But, his real passion was the instrument called the “Cuatro”.  The Cuatro is unique to Puerto Rico, smaller than a guitar with a violin shape.  It is carved from solid blocks of Laurel woods.  Originally, it only had 4 strings, but later changed to 5 sets of double strings.

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One of the most attractive features on anyone is a smile.  Don Tello’s waiters definitely had that smile and friendly disposition.  A good sign.

Sonia, Mr. P. and I sat there, outdoors for quite some time.  I had to be outdoors.  The breeze, the palm trees, the sunshine, the conversation, and the view, all complemented that moment.

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Some of the drinks made with rum were Passion which had Bacardi Apple, Passion & Guava Mix.  Another was called Catano Vice which had Bacardi Select with Island Oasis Pina Colada & Strawberry.  Mojitos are everywhere, so one with Bacardi Rum was also on the menu.  The Rum Island Ice Tea had Bacardi Limon, Razz, Coco and Big Apple with Sour, coke and splash of cranberry.

We had appetizers of Sorullos de Maiz, which are corn sticks, mini alcapurrias, which are made with plantains and need to be fried, pastelillos, which are turnovers, croquettes, queso frito which is fried cheese (local), and fried beef. 

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Carne Frita and Tostones (plantains)

Carne Frita and Tostones (plantains)

We left Catano pretty much satisfied and to La Plaza del Mercado in Rio Piedras, just for me to see all the little restaurants surrounding it.  So much info. for my blogs, so little time, though.

 

That was it….We were saving for a big paella that evening…

 

Note:  Information for this blog was taken from http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Cata%C3%B1o,_Puerto_Rico

February 11th, 2010

Beaches…Palm Trees…A Rum Collins…and a Salsa Cruda…Delaware Beaches…Ocean City, MD…Delray Beach, FL…

 

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

Dog Days of Summer

Spring!!

Spring!!

Fresh Seeds

Fresh Seeds

Easter!!

Easter!!

Figs Growing!!

Figs Growing!!

Paradise Island

Paradise Island

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico

Nantucket

Nantucket

Pacific Highway, California

Pacific Highway, California

Malibu, California

Malibu, California

Captiva, Florida - The whitest sand

Captiva, Florida - The whitest sand

Beautiful Rehoboth Beach

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…..

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January 10th, 2010

Casa DiLeo…”It’sa that Good!”…Restaurant…Review…Delaware Beaches…Rehoboth Beach…

 

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For being the first week-end after New Year’s I was surprised to see that Rehoboth and Coastal Highway were crowded.  I thought everyone would be pretty much worn out after all the shopping, partying, and eating.

Debbie and I were getting together for lunch.  You remember her?  She went kayaking with me this past summer in Fenwick Island and has been with me to some of the restaurants I have reviewed.

We ended up at Casa DiLeo on 721 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971.  Tel 302-226-8660.  The owner and Executive Chef is John J. DiLeo.

Casa DiLeo has been in the area for some time now.  It has a big following and back in October they expanded their restaurant.  This is the first time that I have seen the expansion and it looked good and certainly added more seating availability.

The hours of operation are:  Mondays through Thursdays 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Any time that my friends and I get together for breakfast, lunch or dinner, we must drive the wait staff crazy.  We just talk, might glance over the menu, and without missing a beat we keep on talking. We tell them to come back in a little while, many times.  It’s just the way it is.  But, isn’t it nice to be able to share a meal with best friends?  I love it.

Casa DiLeo is a fullfledge restaurant, but I am going to be reviewing lunch time.  That is why I went there today.  My favorite room is really the first one when you come in.  As I come in, the music is playing and I feel the welcoming atmosphere of a Italian trattoria.  The colors, the prints; all add to that feeling. 

A trattoria is an Italian style eating establishment, less formal than a restaurant, but more formal than a tavern.  The service is casual, with the food being mostly regional and local.

Casa DiLeo has a full bar and a very good selection of wines, including the PortoVino Italian wines.  Try them and let me know how you like them.

This restaurant has take out and delivery.  The specialties are New York Style Pizza, Pasta, Subs, Calzone/Stromboli, Soup and Salads. For dinner, some of their offerings are: Chicken & Eggplant Parmesan, Chicken or Veal Marsala, DiLeo’s Homemade Chesse Lasagna, which is very good, DiLeo’s Homemade Meat Lasagna, which is also delicious.

I usually get the Greek Salad with their balsamic dressing.  Both, Debbie and I ordered it today, but we added a slice of pizza for each of us.  I had really forgotten how big their portions are.  But, check the picture of one slice of NY Style Pizza.  The salad was fresh, full of vegetables with a nice slice of Feta cheese on top.100_0117

Casa DiLeo has a wide variety of subs.  From the traditional subs like Italian to the unique ones like Sausage Parmesan or Veal Parmesan.

The same goes for the Calzone and the Stromboli.  Chef DiLeo has his own “Boli” like the DiLeo Boli which is ground beef, Italian seasonings, sauce and cheese. 

Calzone? Stromboli?  A Calzone is like an Italian turnover which is stuffed with tomato and mozzarella and possibly other ingredients like pizza toppings.  The stromboli is a type of turnover filled with various cheeses, Italian meats and veggies.  The dough is Italian bread dough.

Everyone has something to say about pizzas.  Whether you like the thick or thin crust, I would have to say that Casa DiLeo has a pretty good one.  They have non Premium Toppings like tomatoes, low fat cheese, mushrooms, onions, sausage, etc. and they also have Premium Toppings like Bacon, Spinach, Feta Cheese, Anchovies, Portabella Mushrooms and more.

The House Specialty Pizzas; Low Fat Veggie, Diablo Pizza (red devil-hot), Supreme (8 toppings), New York White Ricotta, Mediterranean which has feta cheese, Kalamata olives, spinach, artichokes, fresh tomatoes, and extra virgin olive oil. I have had the Diablo Pizza in the past and really enjoyed it. 

Casa DiLeo offers about 8 pasta sauces, so you have your pick from tomato sauce to Pomodoro (red) clam sauce.

We come to the sweet endings and how could you leave without having a Canolli with DiLeo’s homemade cream? Very popular and award winning is DiLeo’s Chocolate Mousse, and one of my favorite desserts is the Zabaglione with fresh berries.  We did manage to leave without having dessert.

Zabaglione is a dessert made with egg yolks, sugar, Marsala wine or Prosecco and sometimes cream, mascarpone cheese or whole eggs. It is a very light custard.

And off we went, with a slower gait, but happy…

Another cold night in the beautiful Delmarva Peninsula…but I will talk to you later…

 

Note:  Information on trattoria, Calzone, Stromboli and Zabaglione was taken from:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/trattoria http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/calzone http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/stromboli_(food) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zabaglione

January 8th, 2010

Playoff Platters…Recipes…Delaware Beaches…Ocean City, MD…Delray Beach, FL…

 

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…

December 17th, 2009

Asian Noodle Salad…Always a Hit at the Delaware Beaches and…Ocean City, Maryland…

 

We managed to get together again Tuesday evening.  It was so nice of Donna to open her home to us.  We all brought appetizers to eat and some wine as well.  It really turned out so well because some of us had not seen each other in a long time and we were able to catch up in a comfortable setting instead of a restaurant.

The topics of conversation were varied and interesting.  It was an all women’s soiree, what can I say?

Donna’s house was fully decorated for the Holidays.  I love the traditional colors and her house had all those beautiful reds and greens; so pretty and festive this time of the year.

I decided to make an Asian Noodle Salad that has been pretty popular for some time.  The recipe was given to me a long time ago by Mary Jo.  I used to make it a lot but then I took a break from it.  I thought that for our get together it would be the perfect dish since it is easy to assemble and it is served at room temperature.  So, here it goes:

 

Asian Noodle Salad

 

1 lb. fresh or dried Asian wheat noodles.  I used regular thin spaghetti.

8 ounces snow peas cut on the diagonal into rectangles

1 cup finely chopped green onions, including some green tops

1 cup coarsely chopped unsalted dry roasted peanuts

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1 cup chopped poached chicken breast, roasted duck, or cooked shrimp (optional)

 

Asian-Style Vinaigrette:

1/3 cup rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce (I use reduced sodium soy sauce)

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

1 teaspoon minced or pressed garlic

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2/3 cup cooking oil, using equal parts sesame oil, vegetable oil and hot chili oil

In a bowl or covered jar, combine rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, salt and pepper.  Whisk or shake well to blend.  Add the oils and, again, whisk or shake until emulsified.  Use immediately or let stand at room temperature for as long as overnight.

In a large pot, bring water to a rapid boil; drop in noodles and stir.  Cook, stirring frequently until barely tender and still quite firm to the bite.  About 1 minute for fresh noodles or 5 to 8 minutes for dried.  Do not overcook.  Drain; rinse quickly under cold running water and drain again.

Transfer the noodles to a large bowl; add about half of the vinaigrette and toss well.  Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to keep noodles from sticking together.

Bring water in a large saucepan to a boil.  Add the snow peas and cook until tender-crisp, about 1 minute.  Drain, then plunge into ice water to hald cooking and preserve color.  Drain well.

Add the snow peas, green onions, peanuts, and cilantro.  Then add chicken, duck or shrimp, if desired, and remaining vinaigrette to the noodles and toss gently but thoroughly.

Serve at room temperature.

This recipe will serve approximately 10 people as a salad course and about 6 for a light main course.  It is the perfect entree to take to someone’s house, just like I did.

Note:  To make this recipe a day ahead, omit snow peas, onions and peanuts when tossing.  Cover and refrigerate.  Bring to room temperature; add snow peas, onions and peanuts.  Toss and serve.

I would like to mention that you may be able to make this recipe gluten free by using rice noodles or any other gluten free noodle and wheat free soy sauce.  You will also have to make sure that the peanuts do not contain any wheat.

 

So, enjoy it and make it your own….See you later….

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November 26th, 2009

At the Delaware Beaches….Ocean City, Maryland….Delray Beach, Florida….Happy Thanksgiving to All….

 

I love the smell of the turkey cooking in the home on Thanksgiving Day.  I also like to have a gray and cooler day.  I have tried different ways of cooking turkeys and bought the organic ones, the free range ones, the different brand ones but one of my favorites has been the turducken.

I have also have bought the turducken from a few companies but my best one has been from a company called the Cajun Grocer, from LaFayette, LA. Their website is www.cajungrocer.com.  Besides being delicious, it is also a conversation piece.

A turducken is a semiboneless turkey stuffed with a deboned chicken, stuffed with a deboned duckbreast.  In between each bird a Cajun dressing is placed to create 6 layers of stuffing.  Different varieties of dressings are available. 

As you sliced the turkey, you will get a taste of all the different birds.

Its funny when you start thinking what to do with the turkey leftovers.  Sometimes I really don’t have that much leftover; maybe for one more meal. But, if you do have leftovers, here are a few recipes that you might enjoy.

 

Quick Curried Turkey

 

3 cups hot cooked white rice

1 medium green pepper

1 medium red pepper

4 cups turkey, either chopped or shredded

1 tblsp. ground curry powder

2 tsps. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. salt

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 can (14 ounces) light coconut milk

1 can (24 ounces) pineapple chunks in juice, drained

2 tblsps. chopped cilantro leaves

Chopped peanuts or toasted coconut

 

Prepare rice according to directions.

Cut peppers.  In a bowl, combine curry powder, cornstarch, ginger and salt; mix well.  Add turkey and toss to coat evenly.

Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium heat until hot.  Lightly spray pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Add turkey and garlic.  Cook and stir about 5 minutes.  Remove f rom skillet.

Add peppers and cook for a couple of minutes.  Stir in coconut milk, pineapple and turkey and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer over low heat about 10 to 15 minutes or until sauce thickens.  Add cilantro and mix gently. 

Serve over the rice.  Sprinkle with the peanuts or toasted coconut or both.

Note:  To toast the coconut, just spread it on a cookie sheet and put it in a 350 degree oven and keep watching it because it will toast before you know it.

If you do not have enough turkey, you can substitute chicken. If the turkey or chicken is raw then add more minutes to the cooking on the skillet.

Serves 4.

 

Sweet ‘n’ Sour Turkey Sloppy Joes

 

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 red pepper, finely diced.

3 scallions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, sliced (optional)

1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp. black pepper

4 cups turkey, shredded or finely chopped

1 can (8ounces) tomato sauce

1/2 cup bottled barbecue sauce

2 tblsps. sugar

4 hamburger buns or soft rolls

In a medium size skillet heat oil over medium heat.  Add red pepper, scallions, garlic, Italian seasoning and pepper.  Cook for about 4 minutes or so.

Add turkey and cook until well heated.

Stir tomato sauce, barbecue sauce and sugar.  Simmer about 3 or 4 minutes until slightly thickened. 

Remove from heat and spoon into hamburger buns or rolls.

Note:  If you don’t want to have the rolls then serve it with tortilla chips as a dipping/salsa sauce.

Serves 4 with rolls and a few more if used as a dipping sauce.

 

Note:  The above recipes can easily be adjusted to be gluten free. 

 

Have a Great Day!! Happy Thanksgiving or Feliz Dia de Accion de Gracias!!

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November 14th, 2009

Beseme (Kiss Me), An Eclectic Bistro, at the Delaware Beaches, in the historic town of Lewes…

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Beseme, Besame or Dame un Beso, all mean the same; Kiss me.  This bistro wants you to remember their food like an unforgetable kiss; to “linger in your mind long after it’s gone from your lips”….

I wanted to go back to Beseme since I have not been there in ages and Lewes is one of my favorite towns.  So, Debbie, Cindi and I decided to make that restaurant our meeting place today.  The 3 of us have not had lunch together in a long time and I really do enjoy keeping in touch with friends.  I think you know that already.

For a Saturday, and with the weather not been the nicest, Lewes was crowded.  Actually, the Delaware Beaches were all crowded.

Beseme is located on 142 Second & Market Streets in historic downtown Lewes.  The telephone is 302-645-8108.  The website is www.beseme.biz. It is open year round.  Breakfast from 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. and dinner from 5 p.m.

I entered through the entrance on Market Street, which is the main entrance.  The entrance on Second Street is through the Hotel Rodney.000_0002

Beseme is bigger than it appears from the outside.  A very pretty bar with lots of wood is the first thing I saw.  Two rooms for dining that were nicely decorated and not crowded.  This is a historic building so the woods and atmosphere are very warm and inviting.000_0004

We were presented with the lunch menu.  There were soups and starters, salads as main courses, omelettes, crepes, and burgers with your choice of bison, lamb or beef.

Their all natural meats come from BAR Farms in Lewes and Wells Meats in Philadelphia.

Since I already knew I would be posting on my blog, I asked that we all have something different.  I decided to go with the bison burger with provolone cheese, Debbie had the Macho salad which had roasted chicken, goat cheese, figs, baby corn, tomatoes, pine nuts, avocado, cornmeal croutons, with a champagne vinaigrette.

Cindi had the Temptation Omelette, which had eggplant, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, Gruyere & Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Their organic eggs come from Cleckner Farm in Bivalve, Maryland.

We all decided that our food was very good.  My burger came with their house cut waffle chips.  I would say that you could get addicted to those.

For our sweet ending we ordered only one dessert and we chose the crepe with berries.  Our waitress throught we would like that one.  This restaurant is known for their crepes and this one was light and refreshing.  Really, a perfect ending to our lunch.000_0003

I would suggest that you go and visit Beseme’s website.  They have events and menus plus a lot of other pertinent information.

Tomorrow, Sunday, the 15th at 6 p.m. Keith Mack will be performing.  And, on Tuesday, the 17th at 7 p.m. the Rehoboth Beach Writers Guild will have poetry, short stories and prose.

Besides their lunch menu, they also have the traditional dinner menu and a small plates menu, which is like a tapas way of dining.  With this type of dining you can order several dishes for the table and everyone can sample the food.  The restaurant has a full bar but you may also get wines by the glass and they have a very good selection from Chile, Italy, South Africa, Spain, California and Argentina.

As usual, part of having a good meal is sharing it with the people that mean a lot to you.  Cindi, Debbie and I have been friends for a long time and every time we are together laughter is not far behind.

We really did enjoy Beseme so let me know how you like it.

See you soon….

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