November 28th, 2012
Moroccan food is a blend of cuisines from different nationalities. It is refined and it is very flavorful. I have had this recipe for a long time. And, every time I make it, I give a little twist. You know, a little bit of this and a little bit of that.
It calls for boneless chicken thighs. To tell you the truth, you could probably, make it with chicken breasts, but I think the dark meat gives it that extra flavor and moisture. So, here it goes.
Moroccan Boneless Chicken Thighs
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into bite size pieces
1/2 chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup figs, quartered (I used my frozen figs, but you can buy fresh ones at the supermarket. If all fails, then buy dried figs.)
1/2 cup chopped green olives
4 garlic cloves, chopped
6 tablespoons Madeira wine
3 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I used Pompeian…it is gluten free.)
3/4 teaspoon coriander
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken; cook until browned; about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir frequently.
Stir in the chopped cilantro and remaining ingredients; reduce heat to medium, and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
I did not garnish it, but you can do so with a few sprigs of the cilantro.
It is supposed to be served over a bed of couscous, but due to gluten allergy, the choice for that evening was mashed potatoes.
It is so easy; takes no time to assemble and cook. The flavors of the honey and vinegar give it a unique taste.
Enjoy and make it your own!!
October 29th, 2012
Cooking is therapy. “Making meals can soothe jangle nerves, heal broken hearts, and cure boredom, insomnia, and anxiety. Fattening or not, it’s effective.” rosemary black
Emotionally and physically tired after preparing for Sandy. So many pictures and posts. Sharing, commenting….could not get off the computer. Well, maybe a little. Then, right back on it. I did not want to miss a thing.
Since the whole state was housebound, I decided to start cooking, in the event the electricity would go out. Even though we have had our share of flickers, nothing has happened yet. But, the night is young and stormy.
For Sandy I made a Cheddar, Potato & Corn Chowder, Egg Salad, Potato Salad, Roasted Peppers, Roasted Asparagus and a final dish of black beans and rice.
But, guess what? I really cheated. In a perfect world I should have bought dried black beans. I should have soaked them overnight and then proceeded to cook them. But, in a perfect world, we would not have been hit by the perfect storm, either.
So these beans are A Little Bit of this & A Little Bit of that! For many Latins, beans; red or black are comfort food. Just like potatoes.
2 cans Progreso Black Beans….cheating!!
1 slice bacon, chopped (make sure it is gluten free if you are following this recipe as a gluten free recipe.)
1 medium onion, chopped
half of a green pepper, chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil, or even a bit more
a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
a dash or two of Tabasco
In a large frying pan, put 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Add, bacon, onion, green pepper, garlic. Cook until done for a few minutes, while stirring.
Add black beans, and bay leaf. Continue cooking and stirring for about 6 minutes. Add the rest of the olive oil, the apple cider vinegar, the sugar and the Tabasco.
Adjust seasonings. And, I mean you can add more olive oil, vinegar, Tabasco. Just let them cook for another 10 minutes on low.
Serve over rice, Puerto Rican style, or mix them with rice, Cuban style.
This is one of those recipes that calls for “making it your own”. Add your style to it, and enjoy.
October 27th, 2012
The weather is, definitely, calling for some soup. This Cream of Zucchini is easy and it does keep well. Guess what? It is gluten free!!
It does not call for cream. Once the soup is blended, it thickens. You’ll see.
Cream of Zucchini
2 lbs. zucchini (about 4 medium size)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon olive oil or a bit more, if you like
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups chicken broth (I used Pacific Foods gluten free, but there are many on the market; check your local grocery store.)
1/2 cup packed basil leaves
Scrub the zucchini and then chop. Do not peel.
Cook onion and garlic in oil for 5 minutes in a soup pot.
Add cut zucchini and salt and cook 5 minutes. Add broth and simmer 15 minutes.
Stir in basil. Puree in a blender.
Adjust seasonings and consistency. If it is too thick for your liking, just add more broth.
Serve plain, or add your preferred garnishes.
I sprinkled some Tabasco for color and added kick.
Just enjoy it and make it your own!! Talk to you later.
August 30th, 2012
How can one tree produce that many figs? Over 100 per day. I have my whole neighborhood eating them. I have given them to restaurants; they are never ending. I have had this fig tree for about 11 or 12 years. Believe me, every year it has been producing a consistently good crop. But, this year, it went all out. It has also been the year when I have not been that into them. Let me tell you, I am fig-ed out, and my friends are too!!
So, tonight, as I picked another hundred, I decided I was going to do something with them. Bear with me, this recipe is not going to be too organized, but it turned out to be quite easy. And, it was delicious!! It really was.
Ingredients:
A reduction of balsamic vinegar. A week or so ago, I made a balsamic reduction by emptying a bottle of balsamic vinegar in a saucepan; cooking on low for about 1 1/2 hours, until a thick consistency. I keep it in the refrigerator. For this recipe only a few dots here or there of this reduction.
Green tomatoes; some already were turning.
1 ear of corn
4 slices of bacon cut in half
corn starch
pepper
butter
honey
About a cup of figs cut in half
Okay. Here it goes.
The first thing I did was cook the bacon in a large pan. Place the cooked bacon on paper towels to drain. Keep the dripping on the frying pan intact. Oh, I guess I forgot to tell you that this recipe is not low in calories, by any means.
Peel the corn husk from the corn and cut the kernels off. Set aside.
Use a gallon plastic bag and put about 1 cup of corn starch and about a teaspoon of pepper. If you want more, you know what to do.
Cut the green tomatoes in slices. Place in the plastic bag to coat with corn starch.
To the bacon drippings in the pan add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Heat to medium high. Fry the green tomatoes. Turning them over once after about 4 minutes or so. Just check that they have a nice color before turning them over.
Once the tomatoes are done, then take them out of the frying pan and place on paper towels.
Heat about 1 tablespoons of butter in a smaller frying pan and add the corn that you had set aside. Quickly cook it for a few minutes. Take it out and put on a plate.
Put another tablespoon of butter in that same smaller frying pan and add the figs. They will cook quickly. Add about 2 teaspoons of honey to the pan. Turn it off. Move from the heat.
Get ready to assemble the Stack.
On you dinner plate, first start with the corn, then put a fried green tomato, followed by a couple slices of bacon, adding a few figs and repeat again, ending with a fried green tomato.
The extra figs can be put around the stack with some of the butter/honey drippings.
A little drizzle of balsamic here or there will be a great addition to your dish.
Then, all you have to do is enjoy!! If I say so myself, it was really good. It was also gluten free!!
Make it your own!!
August 11th, 2012
It does look like a winter squash, but, once cooked it does look more like spaghetti. Low in calories and full of flavor. And, if you are watching your waistline, well, at only about 40 calories per cup, it is perfect.
This step can be done before or while the bolognese is cooking. I usually microwave the squash. Prick it with a fork in various places. Put in microwave for about 6 minutes. Turn around and microwave for another 6 minutes. This is for a medium size squash. Cut in half, scoop the seeds out. With a fork separate the spaghetti-like strands and place in a bowl until the bolognese is ready.
Easy Ground Turkey Bolognese
3 bacon slices (cut into small pieces) or about 2 ounces of sausage (your choice)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced small
1 large carrot, diced small
1 celery stalk, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. ground turkey
2 cups crushed tomatoes from a 28-ounce can
red-pepper flakes
some sea salt and ground pepper
grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
In a large nonstick skillet, cook bacon or sausage over medium heat for about 8 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and cook until vegetables are tender.
Add turkey to skillet and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon until almost cooked through. Add bacon, vegetables tomatoes, and a pinch of red-pepper flakes. Simmer and cook until the sauce is thickened.
 
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve over the spaghetti squash and sprinkle with Parmesan.
Enjoy and make it your own!!
Note: This recipe is gluten free. Please check bacon, sausage and tomatoes to make sure they are gluten free.
July 20th, 2012
The Spanish word “picar” means to “mince” or “chop”…..A picadillo is just that; everything is either minced or chopped. It is made with spices, tomato sauce, raisins, olives, garlic, and pretty much, beef is what it is used.
The plantains are so versatile. They are from the banana family; they are a starch, but they do have less sugar than the banana. When they are green they are used to make “tostones” and “mofongo”. But as they ripen, they can be stuffed and even made into a dessert.
Considered a comfort food for so many that have plantains available year-round.
So, there I was looking at two ripe but firm plantains with spots on them. They were not totally ripe, which is exactly how you want them when making Stuffed Canoes. Green plantains are my favorite but I was not going to let these ones go to waste.
The first thing you need to do is peel them. They are much easier than the green ones. A few slits here or there and the skin comes off.
Deep fry them until a golden color. Drain on paper towels and then put aside until ready to stuff.
As I was looking for items to make the picadillo I had to do with what I had on hand. So, basically, the picadillo was made with pork sausage. Actually, it turned out pretty good.
My recipe for Picadillo is called “What kind of Picadillo is that?
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 lb. pork sausage (I used Jimmy Dean, which is gluten free.)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup sliced manzanilla olives with pimiento
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil
4 ounces of tomato sauce
A few dashes of Tabasco (optional)
Pepper to taste
A couple of ounces of Velveeta Cheese chopped
Grated Parmesan (about 1/4 cup)
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
In a frying pan, add the Olive Oil, heat and add the pork sausage. Cook for a few minutes and then add the onion. Continuing cooking until sausage is totally crumbled and the onion is soft.
Add manzanilla olives, sun dried tomatoes, and stir.
Add tomato sauce, pepper and Tabasco. Stir and remove from heat.
Add the Velveeta Cheese. Mix it in. (If you want to add another kind of cheese, you know what to do.)
Make a slit in each plantain from top to bottom but careful not to go completely through. You will find that the plantain is very pliable. It will give as you stuff it. Put enough picadillo, just like in the picture.
Then, sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until completely heated through.
To serve you can do several things. You can give one to each person, which looks nicer, or just a half. You can serve it with a green salad. The colors would be really nice.
Make them your own. Remember I just kept adding ingredients that I usually like when cooking. I did not have raisins but I would add a couple of tablespoons, as well.
Enjoy them. It is a good combination. The sweetness of the plantains with all those other ingredients make them “deliciosos”.
Have a good one!!
July 14th, 2012
Is it French or American? The debate is still going on. Doesn’t matter; this is one of those soups that is refreshing during the hot summer season. It is sooooo easy to make. I do it all in the blender; 2 batches. If I have leeks; I add them, if not I improvise. As long as it is velvety smooth, we are in business.
I was looking at the little creamery potatoes on my counter. They were not completely round; elongated, mostly. The first thing I did before assembling the ingredients was boiled them in low sodium chicken broth until fork tender. No peeling either; I like the skin. Put them aside.
Vichyssoise
3 medium size leeks; white part only, chopped (If you don’t have them, improvise with shallots or green onions.)
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium size onion, chopped
1 container of the creamery potatoes (Other small white potatoes will do or about 4 medium size potatoes.) Already cooked in low sodium chicken broth; chop for easier blending.
3 cups of chicken broth (I used low sodium.) Note: Use more if needed.
1 cup of half and half
1/4 teaspoon mace
Salt and white pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chives (I did not have fresh, so I used dried.)
Sautee the onions in butter for a few minutes. Place aside.
In the blender, add about 1 cup of chicken broth, then add the potatoes. Process them, adding more broth, if needed.
Add the rest of the ingredients, including the chives. I know, the chives are supposed to be a garnish, not this time, though. Blend. If it gets too thick then, do it in two batches and add more broth and cream. You want it to be smooth; not lumpy.
Taste and adjust seasonings.
Garnish:
I have been in a roasting pepper frame of mind. I had roasted the peppers on a 375 degree oven by first cutting them in half, seeding them and then cutting them again in quarters. Olive oil and a little salt and pepper. In the oven until nice and soft for about 25 to 30 minutes.
I have also been making my own balsamic reduction. One bottle of Pompeian balsamic vinegar on medium low until it completely reduces to about 1/2 cup. It takes some time before it reduces, though. Great on veggies and I even drizzled some on the Vichyssoise.
That was it!!
Serve and enjoy…plenty of leftover soup to be eaten on the next heat wave, which I hear is coming way too soon.
Talk to you later and Happy Bastille Day!!
June 19th, 2012
Where can I get good crab cakes in Delaware? I was asked that question a month ago. Did not even know what to tell her. Everyone has a special recipe…restaurants boasts that they have the best.
Jumbo lump vs. lump? At times your wallet will have a say on that question. Crab meat is expensive. It did not used to be, but it is now.
To me, there is nothing like the Maryland blue crab. There is such a sweetness to it; so delicious. The taste is unique. I love everything crab; love to pick crabs and truly love softshells the best.
I have been trying some of the crab cakes at the Delaware Beaches. They have all been different. Some better than others, but all equally good.
When I make crab cakes, I add a little bit of this and a little bit of that. It depends on my mood. At times I add Old Bay; others more lemon juice, or both.
The same with the cooking method. Some are sauteed in butter; I mean real butter. Others, are broiled. Such were the ones I fixed the other day.
This recipe is easy. It calls for 5 saltine crackers. There is a gluten allergy in my house, so I substituted the crackers for gluten free ones.
I Love Crab Cakes Recipe
1 pound Jumbo Lump or Lump crab meat
5 saltines (If eating gluten free, substitute with your favorite cracker.)
1 egg beaten
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard (I used Emeril’s because it is gluten free.)
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
Pepper to taste
A couple of dashes of Tabasco (optional)
2 tablespoons good quality mayonnaise (more, if desired). I make my own or use Duke’s.
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon of butter
A sprinkle of paprika
Turn the oven to Broil
Line a cookie with foil. I used non-stick foil, otherwise, oil it a bit.
Go through the crab meat carefully and discard any shells found. Make sure you do this gently because you want to preserve the crab lumps.
Add all the ingredients, except the butter and paprika.
If you like big crab cakes, then out of the pound, form 4 cakes. If you want slightly smaller ones, then form 6 cakes. At times you can squeeze one more cake.
You can sprinkle them with paprika and dot the crab cakes with the butter. Place them in the middle rack in the oven.
Depending on the size of the crab cake, it will take probably 8 to 10 minutes. But, it could take also a couple of minutes longer, depending on the oven. You just want a light crust on them.
Serve them with your favorite summer vegetables…..if local corn is available, then that would be my other side dish.
Enjoy and make them your own!!
 
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