April 14th, 2013
Using spices like cinnamon and allspice bring out the flavor of the scallops. Jasmin rice is perfect for this recipe. It will soak up those aromatic juices.
Look for dry-packed scallops when pan-roasting or searing scallops. Dry packed scallops are not treated with preservatives used in the processing of wet scallops.
I have had this recipe for so long, but had never tried it. It is pretty easy and gluten free, as well. It uses canned chickpeas and most brands offer them gluten free.
Mandarins, Chickpeas, Pan-Roasted Scallops
4 large mandarin oranges (I used clementines)
1 pound bay scallops, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium seedless cucumber (I could not find it, so I used a regular cuke.)
1/2 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 cup canned, cooked, chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Salt, optional
Freshly ground black pepper
Peel the oranges, reserving some of the peel. Use a knife to slide the peel into very thin strips, to make about 2 tablespoons.
Combine the scallops, orange peel slices, cinnamon, allspice and oil in a large stainless-steel bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Segment the 2 peeled oranges. You can run a sharp knife along the sides of the dividing membranes to the core; twist the knife at the core to release the sections. I did not get that technical. Using clementines was easy and I just pulled them apart and cleaned the membranes as much as I could.
I have a juicer so I squeezed the juice of the other oranges into a small bowl and set aside. Since the clementines are a bit smaller than a regular mandarine, I used 4 of them instead of two in order to get more juice. It’s all up to you.
Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and use a melon baller (I did not have one) to scoop out balls of cucumber flesh. I cut mine in small pieces. Set aside.
Cook the jasmin rice according to package directions.
I assembled all the ingredients in bowls for easier and faster cooking.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Using a slotted spoon transfer the scallops and orange peel strips to the skillet. Sear, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes or just until the scallops are cooked through. Add the garlic, chickpeas, cucumber balls, and reserved orange juice, stirring to combine. Heat through and add salt and pepper to taste. Add the reserved orange sections and mix well, then remove from the heat.
Serve and enjoy….remember, make it your own!!
March 12th, 2013
I really did not know that one had to have an excuse to eat meatballs. Call it National Meatball Week or Day, meatballs are one of those dishes that have been made forever. Everyone has a recipe and so do I. Come to think of it I have a few.
Converting traditional recipes to gluten free recipes is easier than you think. Nowadays, there are so many substitutions. This particular recipe called for panko bread crumbs. A company by Aleia’s makes a gluten free panko bread crumb. You can find it at most grocery stores.
The Woscestershire Sauce was gluten free and low sodium, as well. The Dijon mustard I used was Emeril’s. The ketchup I used was Heinz; no salt. And, the brown sugar could be either regular or the Splenda Brown Sugar Mix.
Hope you like it.
Pork Meatballs with BBQ Sauce
1 lb. ground pork
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. minced onion or shallots
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
Salt (optional) and pepper to taste
BBQ sauce (follows)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Saute garlic and onion in olive oil until nicely caramelized, about 4 minutes.
Place mixture in a large bowl and let cool for a few minutes. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Roll mixture into 3/4 inch meatballs and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Place in the oven and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes.
While they are baking make the BBQ Sauce:
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 minced garlic
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp. brown sugar
3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups ketchup
Saute onions and garlic until golden in a large frying pan or saucepan. Add rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes. Cool a bit and blend in a blender until smooth. Taste it. I added a bit of apple cider vinegar…liked it better.
They say that we, Americans, eat our meatballs the wrong way. We should have the meatballs be the main event on the dish. The side dishes; pasta, rice, salad, should be just that…a side dish.
Well, I made this one my own by placing the meatballs over a coleslaw (traditional), and a mixture of veggie slaw.
Chit, Chat, & Chow!! Talk to you later…
January 29th, 2013
Creole cooking is indigenous to New Orleans. A mixture of French, Spanish, Italian, American Indian and African. Cajun cooking is also Louisiana born, but with French roots.
Someone asked me not that long ago…what dish can you make without even thinking about it? Shrimp Creole, no two bones about it, I love it. Based on the recipe by renowned Chef Paul Prudhomme. He has said in the past that he likes to share his recipes. I first tried the recipe in 1984. It is a recipe that is requested by my kids again and again.
I made his Shrimp Creole my own by changing a few things. Don’t get me wrong, the essence of the recipe is there. But, I just give it my own twist.
I think what makes this Shrimp Creole is the stock. It is made with the shrimp shells, onion, celery, bay leaves, and a whole shrimp, here or there. It really has so much flavor.
The sauce can even be made a day ahead. Next day, heat it to almost boiling point and then add the shrimp, turn on low, let them cook for about 8 to 10 minutes.
It is great for a party. Know your guests, make sure they do like seafood, adjust the heat.
Shrimp Creole
2 lbs. (1 lb. large shrimp and 1 lb. medium shrimp). Try to get the easy peel. Visually, I like to see the 2 sizes of shrimp on my plate…your choice.
2 cups of shrimp stock (recipe follows)
A little bit of fat: 1 or 2 slices of bacon, chopped, 2 sausage links (maple or regular), also chopped, or 2 tablespoons of olive oil….your choice, just select one.
1 1/2 cups, finely chopped onion.
1 cup finely chopped celery
3/4 cup finely chopped green peppers
2 tablespoons of butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt (I never add salt, but again, it is your choice.)
3/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried sweet basil leaves
1 1/2 cups stewed tomatoes, chopped with juice
1 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Cooked white rice
Stock: In a saucepan put 2 1/2 cups of chicken broth. I used low sodium. Then add the shrimp shells and one whole shrimp. Add a small onion (cut in half), a celery top, a bay leaf, a garlic clove. Bring to a boil, cover, and then lower to simmer for about 15 minutes. You just want a rich broth. It makes all the difference in the world and it is done in no time.
In a large saucepan cook your choice of fat on medium high heat, for a few minutes. Add half of the onions and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring. Make sure they don’t burn. Add remaining onions, celery, bell pepper, and butter. Cook for about 5 minutes until tender. Stir a bit.
Add the garlic, bay leaf, salt and peppers; stir well. Add the Tabasco, thyme, basil, and 1/2 cup of the stock. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add stewed tomatoes, cook for a couple more minutes. Stir and scrape the bottom of the saucepan.
Stir in the tomato sauce, and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining 2 cups of stock and sugar. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust accordingly (more salt, more heat, more sugar).
Increase the temperature to medium high, add the shrimp, cook for a couple of minutes.
Turn it off and let them sit cooking for another 8 minutes until they are plump and pink.
Prepare rice by following the directions of your favorite rice. This can be done ahead of time. Just keep it warm.
I like to serve this dish in a shallow bowl. Rice and then the Shrimp Creole over it. Make sure you pour plenty of broth and veggies. Add a salad to complete the dinner. Delicious!!
Note: This recipe is gluten free. Check the chicken broth, the tomato sauce, the stewed tomatoes. Plenty of brands that are gluten free, including the store brands of grocery stores.
Making it your own is the best part. This recipe is never the same in my household. At times, I like to add cilantro, which I like. Other times I make extra stock because I really do like it.
January 27th, 2013
It’s 30 degrees at the Delaware Beaches. That calls for a homemade soup; comfort food.
A few yeas ago I was watching Rachael Ray on t.v. and she mentioned a recipe that her mother used to make all the time. Well known cooks do like those meals they grew up with. A well known chef from the Delaware Beaches told me that he still makes those green bean casseroles, etc. etc. during the holidays. They are recipes that are simple, nutritious and well seasoned…most of all, they bring good memories.
Most of the time I pick up a recipe, look at it, make it the way it says it should be done, then, a little bit of this and a little bit of that and it will be changed by adding or deleting ingredients…making it my own.
This recipe was not gluten free, but I have made it so by using ingredients that are gluten free. For example, gluten free flour, cider, and broth. I never buy shredded cheese. A lot of times they put a preservative that has gluten, therefore, I grate my own.
Hope you enjoy it!!
Cider Beef with Smashed Cheese Potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
2 lbs. top sirloin, cut in 1 1/2 inch cubes. (Any other preference of beef, you know what to do. I had some fillet and that’s what I used.)
Salt is optional…black pepper? Always.
1 chopped large yellow onion; the ones that make you cry.
3 medium carrots, chopped (I never peel them, but do so, if you want to.)
1 lb. turnips, peeled and chopped
4 tablespoons of all purpose flour (I used a gluten free flour; rice, almond.)
3 cups of good quality, dark and cloudy apple cider…check the ingredients if you are making this recipe gluten free.
1 1/2 cups of beef broth or stock (I usually buy low sodium. Plenty of them are gluten free.)
2 pounds potatoes, chopped (Again, if you want to peel them, you know what to do.)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar cheese (I did not have any so I used what was in the refrigerator…I think it was Colby.)
snipped chives for garnish
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
Place an oven proof pot (make sure you have a lid) over medium high heat on the stove top. Add the olive oil and butter. Season the beef with salt and pepper and add to the pot once the butter and oil have melted.
Brown on all sides. It will take about 5 minutes or so.
Add the onions, carrots, turnips, and cook for about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the flour and stir to combine and coat, about 1 minute.
Stir in the apple cider and the beef stock, or broth.
Transfer to the oven and braise it for about 45 minutes.
While braising, fix the “smashed” potatoes, by boiling potatoes in a large pot, about 15 minutes. Drain and return them to the pot.
Add milk, sour cream, and cheese. I used a mixer to mash them because it gives them a smoother consistency.
Serve the soup, top it with the mashed potatoes…garnish with the chives and extra grated cheese.
You want more potatoes than soup? You decide. Enjoy!!
Add a salad and you have a complete meal. That was easy.
Note: You can cut the ingredients in half to make it for just a few of you.
January 13th, 2013
I am trying to stay ahead of the flu. Believe me, I have been overexposed. Some have it in my household…I got the flu shot, vitamins, and tons of liquids since I decided to start juicing. Getting those nutrients directly from fruits and vegetables. I hope it works.
I shopped for the juicer at some of our stores in Rehoboth Beach. I decided on Jack LaLanne’s Power Juicer. First of all it is a proven juicer. Secondly, the price was $99. There were some that were $49 but I did not know how they would hold. And, then, there were the ones that were $200 and up. I am a novice at this. The third attraction to this juicer was easy clean-up.
Juicing is expensive, no two ways about it. I usually buy fresh but when you are juicing you need to buy in larger quantities. I have beets, turnips, celery, oranges, melons, greens…I got avocados and bananas. Please note that the juicer is strictly a juicer. No smoothies; avocados and bananas do not have liquid, therefore blend those in a blender or food processor and then add to the already made juice.
I love Gala apples so this was one of my first juices.
Freshly squeeze orange juice is always a treat. Juiced with the rind so as to absorb all vitamins.
Look at the color of the celery juice. Celery is full of vitamins and low in fat. It is also a natural diuretic. Something new I learned is that some people are allergic to celery. In Europe they disclose if products contain celery.
I decided to make popovers. I have not been too successful at them. It could be the gluten free flour used. I am getting better. I want them to be light but they still come out more muffin-like. They were delicious, don’t get me wrong. I used the pulp collected in the pulp collector to give my popovers added flavor.
Before I post the recipe, let me tell you that I used an interesting gluten free flour. Mama’s Almond Blend. It has white rice flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, sweet rice flour and almond meal flour. It is a light flour; non gritty. To learn more visit http://www.glutenfreemama.com.
I also used a 100% Coconut sugar. It is, apparently, the “in” sugar to use. I, actually, won it at Good Earth Market & Organic Farm, located in Clarksville, Delaware. http://www.goodearthmarket.com. It is organically grown and more nutritious. It smells like coconut, but it does not taste like it. The taste is more like raw sugar with a hint of caramel. Diabetics, please listen, because coconut sugar ha a low glycemic index, it is better for you.
Orange Popovers
3 eggs (room temperature)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups gluten free flour (if not Celiac or without gluten sensitivity, use regular flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons of orange zest or pulp
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
In a large bowl whisk the eggs with sugar and zest.
Whisk in milk and 3 tablespoons of melted butter.
In another bowl whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt.
Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until small lumps only remain.
Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and brush the inside of the popover or deep muffin pan.
Place the empty pan in the oven for about 10 minutes. Don’t worry if the butter starts browning.
Take it out and then, carefully, fill them half way. You can sprinkle some of the rind or pulp on top just before putting them in the oven.
Bake for about 40 minutes.
Nice and hot, ready to eat.
Great with honey. I added to my raw honey some freshly squeeze orange juice and rind. The Country Harvest raw honey came from Manchester, Maryland. Dip or spread.
 
Enjoy!!
December 10th, 2012
I was trying to come up with a heading that would be a little bit more attractive. The word “fried” turns some people off. Too much fat, too greasy….more calories.
No other way getting around it….the dish is fried fish. The batter is the center of attention on this particular post. It is gluten free!! Gluten free or not, this recipe is a winner for the ones that love a light crunchy batter, full of flavor. I have made the recipe a couple of times and it is still a winner.
Fried Fish Batter
1/2 cup gluten free flour (plenty of them at the grocery stores. I used a brown rice flour.)
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 tablespoon gluten free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional (I did not use salt.)
Club Soda
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Slowly, start adding club soda, whisking, until a coating consistency is obtained. You want to be able to dip the fish pieces and have a thorough coating.
I was looking for cod today, but could not find any. Instead, I got fresh rock fish. Cut it in bite size pieces. A nice coating of batter, fried for a few minutes and served.
Broccoli was the vegetable I chose. Two sauces were made. One with ketchup and horseradish to taste. The other, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar and relish.
This was sooo easy. Guess what? Like a beer batter better? Several gluten free beers are on the market. Substitute the beer for the club soda.
Note: This recipe can be doubled.
Like it a bit spicier? You know what to do…add more cayenne. Make it your own!! Enjoy!!
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.
 
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