October 8th, 2014
I have a friend that every time I put a recipe for “Meatless Monday” she always comments on my Facebook Page “I rather eat a hamburger.” She rarely comments, but on that day she does. This recipe is for her because Stuffed Pork is what’s for dinner.
On this recipe I measured everything with 1/4 cup. As usual, you can make your recipes your own…..add a little bit of this or a little bit of that.
YUMMY STUFFED PORK
1 1/2 lbs. pork loin (This one was already seasoned…that’s does not matter with this recipe. That’s all the grocery store had that day.)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dried figs
1/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained with juice reserved
pepper to taste
1 tsp. rosemary
1/4 cup whole cranberry sauce
1/4 cup of fig preserves
1/4 cup 100% Pomegranate Juice
Kitchen twine
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
The pork loin had a meat thermometer so I took it out and proceeded to make a slit on top not all the way to the bottom and not all the way (almost) to the sides. This is done to create a pocket for the filling.
In a bowl, mix the cranberries, raisins, figs, pepper, rosemary, and crushed pineapple. This is your filling…packed that loin up. Your fingers are the best tool for this.
Cut the twine in order to wrap the pork loin so that the filling stays put while cooking. Place in a baking dish. I inserted the meat thermometer on the side.
Bake for about 20 minutes. While it is cooking, make the sauce.
In a bowl mix the Pomegranate juice, the cranberry sauce, fig preserves, and reserved pineapple juice. Take the pork loin out of the oven and spoon the sauce on. Put back in the oven for another 25 minutes or so or until the meat thermomether pops.
Take it out and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing and taking the twine and thermometer out.
Slice and enjoy. This dish can go well with mashers, corn pudding or corn bread, green beans, a salad….Leftovers? Sandwich would be my suggestion…with some mustard, as well.
Note: When slicing just do it carefully. You might have to arrange it a bit if filling falls off somewhat. If you want more sauce just mix the ingredients on a small saucepan, heat and pour over.
Have a great day….gorgeous out there!!
September 29th, 2014
Tried and true recipes are always found on church cookbooks, school cookbooks, and other organizations. Anyone that likes to cook is a collector of these cookbooks. Having worked on a cookbook myself, it does take time to compile recipes. And, if you forget someone’s favorite recipe, forget it….chaos, and apologies will have to follow.
The Baked Eggplant Casserole recipe that will follow is from the recipe book of The Galleys of Nantucket. This cookbook was published in 1998 and it is now in its 17th edition. I bought Volume II. The Ladies’ Union Circle of The First Congregational Church in Nantucket, MA, are responsible for getting all these wonderful recipes. Many are given by the residents of Nantucket. The ones that don’t have any names are recipes used by the islanders; they just don’t know where the recipes came from.
I was reading the book and it does have great recipes. One, that was so simple, caught my attention and I think is perfect for Meatless Monday; a day of the week when maybe you might just want to leave meat aside. Really, it can be done any day, you know what I mean.
The recipe could be made gluten free by using gluten free barbecue sauce, and bread crumbs. These ingredients are easily found in any grocery store.
BAKED EGGPANT CASSEROLE
1 (1 1/2 lb.) eggplant
1/2 cup bottled barbecue sauce (your choice)
1 tablespoon instant minced onions
2 large tomatoes ( I used smaller tomatoes, therefore, I needed more than 2.)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
Peel eggplant and dice into 1 1/2 inch cubes.
Cook 10 minutes in boiling, and salted water. Drain.
Mix barbecue sauce and onion together. Let it stand 5 minutes. While waiting, slice the tomatoes.
Fold sauce mixture, eggplant, garlic and parsley. Looks messy, doesn’t it. It is pretty good. You’ll see.
Spoon 1/3 of the mixture into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Top with a layer of half of the tomato slices. Repeat, ending with a layer of eggplant.
Mix butter, bread crumbs and cheese.
Sprinkle over eggplant.
Bake for about 45 minutes and until it browns a bit on top.
Serve and enjoy!!
Note: You can easily double this recipe. It can be used as a main dish with other veggies on the side. The recipe really surprised me. It tasted so good. If you like eggplant, this one is a winner. You might want to double it if you have hearty eaters in your household.
September 22nd, 2014
Well, I was not sure how this recipe was going to come out. When I read it….it caught my attention. Meatballs, broccoli, cheese….I thought the almond gravy recipe I have would be great to dunk these little ones in. Plus, it is Gluten Free!
You can use your food processor, but I used the NutriBullet instead for the grinding of the almonds.
For the broccoli, I used the blender.
This is an easy one.
BROCCOLI PARMESAN ‘MEATBALLS’
1/2 cup raw almonds
1 bag of frozen broccoli florets, defrosted…enough to make 2 cups
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese…the finer the better
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 egg, slightly beaten
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place the almonds in the NutriBullet or food processor. Go ahead and process until coarsely ground. Transfer them to a medium size bowl.
Place the broccoli florets in the blender or food processor. Pulse until chopped.
Add the chopped broccoli, cheese, and garlic to the almonds and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in the egg.
Spray a mini-muffin tin with cooking spray. Form the broccoli mixture into 12 balls, squeezing them a little to make sure that they hold their shape.
Place each one in its own cup in the muffin tin.
Bake until they are golden on the outside and heated through. Even though the recipe said 20 minutes, mine took about 10 more minutes.
Remove tin from the oven and run a butter knife along and underneath each meatball to loosen them before gently popping them out.
Sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese and serve with Almond Gravy….recipe to follow.
ALMOND GRAVY
1/2 cup raw almonds
1 large clove garlic
2 medium tomatoes (I used the cocktail tomatoes that are larger than the grape tomatoes. I cut them in half; enough to make about 1 1/2 cups.
1/4 teaspoon sweet paprikra
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (I used any infused Balsamic vinegar on hand.)
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons fresh basil or 2 tablespoons Basil Paste found in the vegetable section at grocery stores.
Process almonds in a food processor or in the NutriBullet with the garlic, tomatoes, paprika, vinegar, basil, and milk. Process until smooth.
You don’t have to heat this gravy…it is great also on steamed veggies.
Enjoy and make it your own!!
July 30th, 2014
It is the end of July and…have you found any zucchini in your garden the size of a baseball bat? It seem that happens overnight. How can they grow that fast?
Anyway, years ago, my friend, Deveraux, and I thought we were such good gardeners. The zucchini we grew were huge. Little did we know that the smaller zucchini tends to be tender and more flavorful. That came with time and cooking experience for us.
I am not a baker but at times an easy recipe comes along and I make it my own. This is one of them.
Some weeks ago when I bought some zucchini I decided they were too big so I turned them into my old recipe. This recipe is easy, have it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or just with a cup of coffee in the p.m.
ZUCCHINI BUNDT CAKE
3 EGGS
1 CUP VEGETABLE OIL
2 CUPS SUGAR
2 CUPS GRATED ZUCCHINI
2 1/2 CUPS FLOUR
1 TSP. BAKING POWDER
3 TSPS. CINNAMON
1 CUP CHOPPED WALNUTS
2 TSPS. BAKING SODA
1 TSP. SALT
2 TSPS. VANILLA
1 SMALL CONTAINER OF SOUR CREAM
Grate zucchini to make 2 cups. Set aside.
Beat eggs lightly. Beat in sugar, gradually, then oil….mix well.
Sift flour with soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Add to egg mixture, alternating with zucchini.
Stir in vanilla, and sour cream.
Add the walnuts. Mix well.
Grease the bundt pan. Pour mixture into pan and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for between 45 to 60 minutes. Test it with a knife inserted in the middle….came out clean? It’s done!!
Let it cool off and then place on your favorite plate to be frosted.
CREAM CHEESE ICING
1 BLOCK OF CREAM CHEESE – ROOM TEMPERATURE
POWDER SUGAR
Mix powder sugar into the cream cheese and beat until smooth. You may add a bit of lime juice or even some vanilla, if you wish. Spread on the bundt cake.
When I made it a few weeks ago, it got good reviews in my household….I served it with a little spoonful of frosting on the side, as well.
June 9th, 2014
Meatless Monday is a trend that has been taking the nation by storm…..just a day to stay away from meat!! So, as the weather in Rehoboth Beach turned a little cloudy, I thought that the Red Mushroom Bisque would be a good alternative to anything else you might have thought preparing.
First of all, the original recipe has been completely deconstructed….it is my own now. Hope you like it.
RED MUSHROOM BISQUE
2 tablespoons vegetable oil; more if needed
1 1/4 lbs. mushrooms…..I used two different types of mushrooms; your favorites will do.
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup Sherry or Madeira wine….or a bit more, if you want to.
3 cups unsalted vegetable broth, plus more if desired.
2 cups almond cream (recipe will follow)
Chopped Chives for garnish
White Truffle Oil for garnish
Basil paste for garnish (found at grocery stores, by the fresh veggies)
Heat a large soup pot on medium high heat. Add the vegetable oil, then mushrooms. Cook, stirring often until the mushrooms begin to brown. Remove from the heat, spread on a plate and let them cool off.
Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper.
In the same pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the onions, cooking them until translucent and slightly browned. Add the garlic, then, the Madeira or Sherry, scrapping the bottom of the pot.
Add 3 cups of unsalted vegetable broth and half of the cooled mushrooms. Simmer and remove from heat.
In your blender, blend the mushroom mixture. Return the blended mixture to the pot.
Whisk in the almond cream.
Heat the soup, having in mind that it could thicken as it heats up. If it does that, you can add a bit of the unsalted vegetable broth and that will take care of it. I don’t think you will have any problems, though.
ALMOND CREAM
1 cup raw almonds
1 large clove garlic
6 or 7 cocktail tomatoes cut in half….they are bigger than the grape tomatoes.
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons of basil paste, found by the fresh veggies in the grocery store.
In a high powered blender or Nutri-Bullet, which is what I used, put all the ingredients and blend until smooth. That’s all! It will be like a cream, not totally smooth, but close to it.
Serve your Red Mushroom Bisque on a pretty bowl and garnish with chives, basil paste and drizzles of truffle oil. If you do not have truffle oil, you can use your favorite oil.
Enjoy!!
Last year, Rehoboth Beach VegFest was a one day event….this year is the whole week-end, but the day to really go and enjoy the tastings, recipes, and talks will be on Saturday, June 14th. All the details can be found at http://www.rehobothvegfest.org.
Have a great day!
April 8th, 2014
There is no place like Dewey Beach during the summer at the Delaware Beaches. It is a playground for both, the young, and the more matured…..having the Atlantic Ocean on one side of the road and the Bay on the other is “fun land”.
The town is very small and very casual. Plenty of restaurants, bars, and entertainment once the summer season starts. So, what’s going on?
It seems that this coming week-end is the official opening of Dewey Beach. If you are visiting us at the Delaware Beaches we hope you have an amazing time. Shop local, eat local….stay awhile!
Friday, April 11th – Sunday, April 13th – GREYHOUNDS – SPRINGTIME FOR GREYHOUNDS IN DEWEY BEACH – Spring Dewey is small and friendly. Join a bunch of beautiful greyhounds for a relaxed week-end of uncrowded beaches, low-key activities. For more information, please visit http://www.deweyspring.info.
Saturday, April 12th – DEWEY BEACH TREASURE FEST – COMMUNITY YARD SALE – 8 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. with a rain date of Sunday, 4/13. Location? Rusty Rudder Parking Lot on Dickinson Street and the Bay. There will be yard sales at homes around town. A map is available. There will be free parking and free admission. Guess what? Free food and coffee from Jimmy’s Grill. Anyone can be a vendor. For info., please call 302-228-3701 or visit http://www.deweybusinesspartnership.com.
Saturday, April 12th – RUSTY RUDDER’S GRAND OPENING – CHILI COOKOFF with Big Hat No Cattle Band from 1 until 4 p.m. At 9 p.m. the new Rockets will be entertaining the crowds…Free!
Do you like chili? It was the perfect dish this past winter. It is comfort food. If you want a good chili using chicken, please click on the post dated February 14, 2013 on AboutMyBeaches, right there on the left hand side of this blog. The recipe came from Fifty Shades of Chicken.
Did you know that there is an International Chili Society? To know more about it and to see the recipe that won $25,000, please visit http://www.chilicookoff.com.
Saturday, April 12th – 5TH ANNUAL DEWEY BEACH BREWFEST – Sponsored by Gary’s Dewey Beach Grill. This event is fundraising for Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, helping to raise awareness through education. It will take place from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. and from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. By tickets for either times or for both. More info? Please visit http://www.garysdeweybeachgrill.com. Tickets are $25 in advance…visit the website. Or, $30 at the door. There will be plenty of tastings and live music, as well. For more information on the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, please visit http://www.debreastcancer.org.
Saturday, April 26th – DOODLES IN DEWEY – This is an annual Spring Event on Dewey Beach…Love Doodles? Check http://www.doodlesindewey.com. This event started in 2005 as a fundraiser for the Food and Friends organization. It was a way to honor a young man who died from AIDS. He was a teacher, a counselor and a dog lover. Please visit the website for more info. and also to find out where to stay with your pooch.
Saturday, April 26th – DEWEY BEACH BACON FEST – I really don’t know why the do this to us. It is a rollercoaster. Fat, a little fat, lots of fat….anyway if you can’t fight them join them. Who doesn’t like bacon? It is in every restaurant I have been lately. The new “it” food. So, Dewey is having its first Bacon Fest on Saturday, 4/26 from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. You can find info on Facebook or visit http://www.idewey.com. You may also call 302-227-7796 or 302-227-6779.
The photo above is from a recipe called Sweet Southern Bacon Bites. Totally delish!! You can find it by clicking on AboutMyBeaches on March 2, 2014. The recipe is right there. Check it out.
Saturday, May 10th – 3rd ANNUAL DEWEY BEACH ARTS FESTIVAL – Calling Artists – Juried Art and Craft Show. 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The rain date will be Sunday, 5/11. Location? Dagsworthy Ave. in Dewey. Applications can be found at http://www.deweybusinesspartnership.com.
Have a great time!!
March 27th, 2014
Using pearl barley instead of rice when making a paella might not be looked upon as the traditional Spanish dish. But, after having 50 pounds of pearl barley sitting in my freezer, every time I see dishes incorporating this healthy grain, I try them.
It is so interesting because since we got the pearl barley many of the magazines offering new and innovative ways of cooking, barley has become center of attention.
Pearl barley has a very low glycemic index, no cholesterol or salt.
Paella recipes for the most part have a pinch of saffron added to the pot. Saffron is very expensive. You can use smoked paprika instead and it will be just as good.
Paellas also turn to be dryer and I prefer my paella to have more broth than usual. So, needless to say that my easy one pot wonder is a tad different. I find recipes, I change them to my taste and then make them my own.
This Barley Paella has medium shrimp, but feel free to make it with bite size pieces of chicken, or a combination of both.
PEARL BARLEY PAELLA
1 cup barley
2 1/2 cups water
3 tablespoons Olive oil
1 onion chopped (any size)
1 small red pepper, cut in strips
1 small yellow pepper, cut in strips
1 small fennel bulb, remove stalks, cut also in strips
2 large garlic cloves crushed
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 1/4 cups of vegetable stock, heated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound medium shrimp
1 cup peas
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups marinated artichokes, drained and quartered
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, halved
Mix the barley with water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and boil for about 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it sit for an hour. You want the water to be absorbed.
Peel the shrimp and place the shells in a saucepan with the vegetable stock. Heat and cook for about 5 minutes, turn off and let it sit. This will give added flavor to the broth. Discard shells before adding to the pot.
Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. I don’t have a paella pan so I used the largest pan I could find. Add onions, cooking until soft, then add the peppers and fennel. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook for a bit longer.
Add bay leaves, paprika, turmeric, and cayenne. Mix in the barley. Cook for a few minutes and add the vinegar, 2 cups of stocks and salt (optional). Bring to a simmer.
Stir and cook until liquid reduces by half, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer until some of the liquid is absorbed.
Stir in shrimp, peas, tomatoes, artichokes, olives and remaining 1/2 of stock. Simmer for a couple of minutes and then turn off the heat. Cover and let it rest 10 minutes or until shrimp are just cooked through.
I served the Shrimp Pearl Barley Paella over steamed asparagus and to tell you the truth it was so good!!
I also sprinkled a few peas over the dish for added color.
Enjoy!
January 22nd, 2014
Looking forward to a cold, and snowy winter day at the Delaware Beaches. And, good morning to you too wherever you are. It is 9 degrees in Rehoboth Beach as I sat down to write this post. Can’t wait until this p.m. when temperatures will be soaring to a mere 18 degrees!! Love the changes in season, that’s why I can’t wait for Spring!! By the way, they say if you want to be warm today, you have to go to Phoenix, Arizona. No mention of South Florida.
It is what it is….so how about some Scrapple Muffins this morning. I am sure you have Scrapple in your refrigerator. Love the RAPA brand. The two brothers Ralph and Paul Adams many years ago developed it and it is the largest scrapple producer in the world. It is located in the town of Bridgeville, Delaware. Please note that you can order scrapple from RAPA from November through February. To read more about it, please visit http://www.rapascrapple.com.
I have made these Scrapple Muffins before. Besides the original Scrapple from RAPA, others are now in the market; Chipotle, Bacon, and their newest…Turkey Scrapple. It is really good and definitely lower in fat.
The recipe is a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Want it hotter? Then add the jalapenos, just like I did.
First cook the scrapple….well done; crispy. Take out of frying pan, chop and save.
Chopped onion…about 1/2 cup.
Chopped pickled jalapenos…that’s your call.
Add to the onions in the frying pan.
Once that’s done, add the chopped scrapple.
The muffin mix can be store bought or you can make your own. Therefore, you will need eggs, and milk. I like evaporated milk because it makes a delicious muffin. Add 1/2 cup of grated extra sharp cheese. My pan was deep and 6 big muffins is all I could get.
Add the scrapple mixture to the muffin mix and pour into your favorite lightly greased muffin pan. Sprinkle with extra grated cheese.
It took about 1/2 hour or so to bake these muffins. Just test them by inserting a knife in the middle. If it comes out clean…they are ready!!
Take out of the oven….let them cool a bit.
Enjoy!!
 
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