Pork Enchiladas with Green Chile Sauce

Recipe for Pork Enchilada with Green Chile Sauce. 

This recipe is for a "deconstructed" version of enchiladas.  The recipe uses the smallest size of tortilla.  I lay them flat in the baking pan, top with meat filling, then place a layer of flat tortillas on top.  This is because my time is too short to spend rolling enchiladas! 

You can modify this recipe to a "rolled" version of enchiladas by using the large size tortillas.   Roll the filling into the tortillas, then place the rolls side by side in the baking pan.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground pork.  Any ground white meat can work: pork, chicken, turkey.   I prefer pork because it has more substantial flavor than turkey or chicken.
• Taco seasoning OR make your own, as I do.  Key ingredient:  GROUND CUMIN.
• Frozen corn or corn-combination (succotash or corn/red pepper)
• 1 can Garbanzo beans (Chickpeas), drained.  Drained black beans would also work.  I was going for a lighter taste in this recipe.
• Wedge of Fontina cheese w/ Red wax coating (Danish/Swedish style).   See here for the styles of Fontina. (Try Trader Joe's or Wegman's)  Pictured: BelGioioso brand.
• 1 can, jar or packet of Storemade Green Chile Sauce (Try Trader Joe's or Whole Foods') OR make your own (as I often do).  Pictured: Frontera brand, as shown on Netrition.com
• 1 package of Soft White Corn Tortillas.  I use small size for a "deconstructed" enchilada.  (No rolling required.)  Do you like to roll?  Buy the large size of tortillas.  Pictured: Mission brand. Find stores on Google.com.

  

  Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350.  Spray a glass baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Bring the cheese and tortillas out of the refrigerator to warm up to room temperature.
3. Oil and heat a skillet on the stoveteop.  Brown the meat.  
4. Add taco seasoning when meat juices run clear. Add a small amount of water to the pan.
5. Add frozen vegetables.
6. Add beans.
7. When skillet mixture is fully cooked, set aside on a cool burner while you prepare the baking pan.
8. As we setup the baking pan, please refer to the discussion at the top of this page about how to make Deconstructed enchiladas Vs. Rolled Enchiladas.  The directions that follow are for deconstructed enchiladas:   Cover the bottom of the baking pan with a layer of flat tortillas.  Top with meat filling.  Make a top layer of flat tortillas.
9. Top tortillas with green sauce.
10. Top with a thick layer of grated fontina cheese.
11. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through.
12. Serves 6.   

Leftover apple cider pancakes

It's apple cider time of year.  The time of year when gallon jugs of brown juice find their way into the refrigerator on a whim..... And sit there for weeks.    You should know that apple cider can make you sick if it is left in the refrigerator too long, especially if the juice is from a farm stand. 

Despite what you hear in the news about the evils of pesticides and the benefits of organic produce, "locavores" should ensure to quickly drink the apple cider from farmstands, preferably within 3 to 5 days.  Why?  Because bacteria can grow in the apple cider.  Many farms do not pasteurize the apple juice in the way that the "evil" mass-marketed juices do.  This shortens the life of the juice and can result in very serious illness that can have long-lasting effects. 

You might notice that your juice does not indicate whether it has been pasteurized or not.  You're not off the hook yet!  The FDA does not require fresh squeezed juice sold at orchards, farmstands, and some restaurants to carry a warning label about pasteurization. 

Therefore, be smart when drinking cider.  Use your nose to smell the juice before pouring in order to get a sense of the freshness.  Do not drink after the recommended date.  Seal juices tightly and store opened juice in temperatures of 40 degrees fahrenheit or below.

Uses for leftover apple cider

Leftover cider pancakes - Add apple pie spice for a delicious pancake.  Don't have apple pie spice?  Make your own from cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and cardamom.
Apple cider doughnuts - Fry your pancake batter in oil for quickie doughnuts.  Adorn with powdered sugar.
Cider popsicles - Infuse with lemon and a sprig of thyme for an herbal twist on the traditional popsicle.  This is a grown up version of the popsicle.
Mulled cider - Mix cider with orange juice and heat on the stovetop.  Add spices like whole cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, brown sugar, orange peel or lemon peel.  Spike it if you want with brandy or spiced wine.   Classic mulled cider recipe from Taste of Home

Brussels sprouts with fennel in fruit vinagrette

Brussels sprouts are coming into season.  I couldn't resist the fresh look of them at the market last weekend.  Here's a side dish that the whole family loves.


Ingredients

Fresh Brussels sprouts, whole, 2-3 handfuls, Cleaned (remove bottoms and outer leaves), and sliced in half or thirds.  Whole is OK if they're on the small side.  Quarters will cook too quickly.

Fennel, suit your taste.  Licorice lover? Use a lot.  Not into it? Use just a couple of pieces.

Balsalmic vinegar, 1/4 cup

Fruit vinagrette - 1/8 cup (or switch portions with balsalmic if you like it on the sweeter side).  You can use any or even a dash of wine or sherry.  I had Cape May Vineyards Beach Plum Vinagrette on hand. (More on beach plums below)

1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Directions
Boil the brussels sprouts and fennel with lemon juice and drain.  Empty out the pan and add the vinegar, sweetener (fruit vinagrette or wine), sugar and salt.  Heat while stirring.  Add brussels sprouts back into pan and mix to coat.  To serve the sprouts, you can top with grated cheese, toasted nuts or breadcrumbs, or bacon or pancetta.

Related Links:

More Brussel Sprouts Recipes from Serious Eats
Brussel Sprouts Chips from Eat Real

Martha's Vineyard Times article on Beach Plums and Recipe for Jelly

Pasta salad without the calories: Asian inspired

Low-calorie Pasta Salad can be nutritious and delicious!
This recipe ditches mayo for vinegar and oil.  The recipe uses mild rice vinegar, therefore it does not leave your palate overly "greasy" as with mayo, or "thirsty" as with other vinegars.

Recipe

1.  Boil the salad's main ingredients al dente.  (I boil them together.)  Drain and set aside in a bowl.

1.5 c Barilla Piccolini Pasta - High fiber white pasta
1 c Fine sliced carrots - Julienned, and sliced down to bite size
1 c Pre-cooked, frozen Edamame beans -Try Seapoint Farms

2.  Add fresh herbs to the salad.


2 stalks thinly sliced Scallions, also known as green onions or spring onions

 Photo by TheRoamingKitchen

 1 bunch minced Cilantro, known as "Mexican parsley" in some regions of the U.S.

Photo by GlobalHealingCenter

3. Add sauce ingredients.  Stir well.   Done!

1 tbsp Sesame oil or olive oil - Like Eden Organic

 

2 tbsp rice vinegar - Like Mitsukan

 

1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp powdered ginger (Grate fresh ginger root1/2 tsp if you have it on hand)
1/8 tsp lemon grass spice - Or buy fresh at Produce Junction - A tropical grass with lemon flavor, true to its name.  Substitute with grated lemon peel.

1/8 tsp white pepper spice. White pepper has a "smoky" flavor compared to Black pepper.  It is not sweet like red pepper nor tart like black pepper.  You can substitute with either of those, just be aware that the taste will change accordingly and you might need to counterbalance.

Have An Olympic Picnic

Today we got into the spirit of Team USA.   We showed our true colors in our LUNCH!   Here's the recipe for a tasty Olympic picnic in red, white and blue.

Olympic cocktail

Top a frozen lemon-lime margarita with red and blue. How to do it: 

1.  The white ice of the margarita gives the "white" effect.
2. Use a few drops of food coloring to give the margarita a blue tint.  (I omitted because I don't generally use food coloring but a blue frozen drink would achieve same effect.)
3. Then top the margarita with a few maraschino cherries and run some cherry juice down the sides for effect!

Olympic Entree
Fire up the grill and cook up a batch of red, white and blue chicken burgers.  You won't miss the beef in this burger, I promise!

Recipe for red, white and blue Chicken Burgers:
1 lb ground chicken
Diced onion, 1/3 of small white onion
Diced red pepper, 1/4 of pepper
Drained, chopped black olive pieces
Pinch of ground garlic spice
Dash of lemon juice
Salt and pepper to preference.  I use fresh ground salt (kosher) and peppercorns (mix of colors).
Bread crumbs and/or egg to your preference of thickness for the burger
The "perfect ten" ingredient that gives this burger a "gold" finish:  Add 2/3 cup Shredded mac n cheese blend cheese (New at Giant): A blend of New York Sharp Cheddar, American, and Swiss Cheese (Serving size 1/4 cup, Calories 110)

There is only one word for this burger..... Delicious!

Olympic side
Every athlete needs their veggies.  It's not blue but it's veggie!!  To make it blue, you might top with crushed "blue corn" tortilla chips.

 


Cook shredded broccoli, shredded cabbage, diced onion and handful of rice or egg noodles in chicken broth. Use just enough broth to cover the vegetables and pasta so that it will boil down as the food cooks.  Add salt and pepper.  Once it is boiled down, lower heat and stir in Philadelphia Cream Cheese.  Stir in some more of that Mac and Cheese shredded blend of cheese, between 1/2 to 2/3 cup.  Top with diced fresh tomato.

Olympic dessert
Nothing says summer or red-white-blue like Shortcake, of course!  Top with mixed berries (Strawberry or Raspberry; and Boysenberry or Blackberry). 

Recipe: Father's Day Croque Monsieur Sandwich

In my house, Father's day is more like Father's Weekend.  After a busy day Saturday, everyone slept in on Sunday morning.  I made my way to the kitchen and browsed what was available in the fridge.  I came up with a version of Croque Monsieur that was inspired by BBQ on the grill, a passion associated with many dads.  This sandwich looks like it came out of a fancy restaurant while being a snap to make with ingredients on hand.  Another plus:  It's made in one skillet for easy cleanup!

Recipe:   Father's Day Croque Monsieur Sandwich

Ingredients

Sourdough bread
Eggs
Butter
Salt and Pepper
White sugar
1 large or 2 small peaches
Medium soft block of cheese
1 can baked beans
Chives for garnish.

Directions

1. Toast the bread.   Heat a skillet.  Butter both sides of bread and toast in the skillet.  Set aside, 1 large slice per serving plate.
2. Carmelize the peaches.  Slice or dice the peaches and cook in the skillet with sugar and butter.  The peaches will take on a grilled effect if the heat is high.  A caramel sauce will form.  Divide the peaches and sauce between each plate.  You can substitute mangoes or apples for the peaches.  Apples will take longer to cook.
3. Cook the eggs.   Rinse out the skillet from the peaches and heat/oil the pan for eggs.  You don't have to scrub the pan here.  A quick rinse is enough to remove the sugary sauce and keep your eggs from tasting odd.  It's OK for some caramelized pieces to stick to the pan. Cook the eggs to your liking:  scrambled, fried, or like me, over easy.  Serve by placing on top of one half of the toast.
4. Warm the cheese by slicing the cheese into 1 cm thick slices sized to 1/3 of the bread and heating gently in the pan to soften.  Any medium soft cheese will do - Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss, Provolone. My grocery store sells "cheese ends" for a buck each.  They are the leftovers from behind the deli counter that are too small to run through the slicer but too big to throw away.  This week I had provolone.  Use a spatula to slide the cheese slices from the skillet to atop the bread slices waiting on each plate.
5. Open the can of baked beans and heat in the skillet.  Plate the beans.
6. Garnish the plate with chives.
7. Some like to eat the sandwich as egg-and-cheese with beans and fruit on the side.  For the perfect bite, I like to make an egg-and-cheese-and-peaches-and-beans sandwich.  Fresh sourdough bread should be pliable such that you can fold the sandwich in half in a "chalupa" style.  When you bite into the sandwich, the eggs done over easy will run with the caramel sauce and cheese to make a gooey backdrop to the crunchier fruit and beans.  Mmmmm.

Summer Dinner, 15 min or Less: Smoked spiced whiting with Cucumber mozzarella pasta

Recipe:   Smoked Whiting with Pasta Salad

Smoked Whiting: Served cold

Whiting is a mild flavored fish that is, as the name suggests, white fleshed.  Its firm texture makes it ideal for smoking.  The term whiting is applied to several types of fish around the world.  In the Pacific, it refers to Australian whiting or Pacific/Japanese hake.  Out here on the east coast, it refers to Atlantic (English) whiting.  Summertime is a great time to enjoy this fish because smoked whiting is served cold.  That's right, there's no slaving over the stove once the smoking process is done.  You just pull the fish out of the fridge, slice, and serve.   Traditionally, fisherman have smoked their catch to create this delicacy.  In modern times, you can buy prepared smoked whiting that is ready to eat. I like it as a lunch or dinner course.  The smoked fish could sub for lox on a bagel, too.


Redner's Warehouse Markets sells spiced, smoked whiting.  The barbecue spices on the their version make this fish absolutely delectable, even for the fish-finicky.  For under $10, you can feed a family of four with a fish raised right here in the USA. 

AlwaysFreshFish.com hails locally from Toms River, New Jersey.  They ship fresh smoked whiting to your door, as pictured in the photo below, for about $40 for five lbs.

Recipe: Cucumber mozzarella pasta salad

Pasta salad: Served warm or cold

Kauffman's golden nugget radiatore pasta is available online direct from PA Dutch Country.  Or, you can visit them in person in Bird-In-Hand, PA!

Ingredients:

Bite size pasta; I like golden nugget radiatore
1 cucumber
Fresh herbs; I like basil and curly parsley
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Cook radiatore pasta al dente.  Drain and set aside to cool.  Add ice cubes to the strainer if you like yours more cool than warm. Chop a cucumber into bite size pieces.  Add chopped herbs, salt and pepper.   Add olive oil and pasta and gently stir.  Gently mix in the shredded mozzarella cheese.  If the pasta is still a little bit warm, the cheese will melt slightly.  I like my pasta salad this way.  If you want your cheese to be more firm, make sure the pasta is fully cooled.  Serve with main course and enjoy.

Wine Review: Give me the Red Guitar Sangria

Sangria is a heavy wine, a hearty wine for enjoying with cherished friends and loved ones. To me, Mother's Day seemed like just the occasion for an outdoor barbecue with a side of sangria.  (Although it's likely raining when you read this, it truly was a spectacularly sunny Mother's Day last weekend.)  Yes, the sangria paired nicely with fresh sliced tomatoes and spicy grilled corn on the cob!  The burgers weren't bad either.

Red Guitar is a Spanish brand of table wines, and who better to sell you a Sangria than a Spaniard?  The Red Guitar Sangria lives up to its description. It tastes like grapes, oranges, cherries and lemons.  It is a summer sipping wine.  Too heavy for fine dining but perfectly suited for casual, close-knit occasions like making mom feel special.  You can find it at Wegmans and PA liquor stores.

The Red Guitar Satisfaction Chart

Buying a Gibson Les Paul red guitar costs approximately $1600.00

Buying a bottle of Red Guitar Sangria comes in a lot cheaper at around $10.00

Recipe: Spicy Grilled Corn on the Cob

Do-ahead:  Boil the corn on the cob and set aside in a covered container directly after cooking.

Note: Boiling the corn before grilling will produce a softer, less crisp kernel of corn.  If you prefer a crunchier kernel: Try grilling the corn in the husk or else wrapped in aluminum foil.

Ready to cook:  Peel back the top inch of the wrapper of a brand new stick of butter.  Butter the corn with the stick of butter like you were applying lipstick.  Then rub the corn in the spice mixture before grilling.  Grilling will take a lot less time if the corn was boiled ahead of time, about 10 minutes.  If you are cooking fresh corn, allow 30 minutes.

Spice mixture:  Mix the spices in a bowl:  Salt (kosher), Smoked Spanish Paprika, Sugar (white), Cayenne Pepper or substitute red pepper flakes if you must, Dill and/or Chopped Cilantro else substitute chives if you must, Thyme

Wine Review: Boy-oh-Bolla

Lately I have been relying quite a bit on the Bolla brand for entertainment and personal pleasure.  I have certainly had this wine served to me many times before but never sought it out particularly in the wine store until now, and they've got me coming back.  Bolla is the familiar taste you have had at a wedding or graduation party.  It brings back good memories.  And the great thing about the Bolla brand is that all of the varieties taste above average to average!  There is not a bad drop in your glass, no matter which wine you prefer, white or a red!  Bolla is one of the oldest wine imports to the United States.  They were cheap and ubiquitous for many years mid-century - - still are - - however I am led to believe that the quality of the wine has improved despite the low price tag.  Personally what I have enjoyed about the brand is getting a full flavor in my glass without a roaring headache!  The second thing I have truly enjoyed is the versatility.  Because the Bolla wines have a softer edge to them, it is easy to pair them with a variety of foods.  I have been drinking the Chianti and Chardonnay.  The specialty varietals from Bolla's region of Italy, Veneto, are the white Soave and red Amarone.  Personally I am not the biggest fan of Soave on account of its dryness.  However when you look at Soave as one taste component as part of a whole meal based on the location and culture of Veneto, then the wine makes sense.  As for Amarone, I have never had it - - Will let you know when I do!

Recipes/Wine pairings, from Bolla's website:

Grilled Pizza with Wild Mushrooms and Blue Cheese - Bardolino (red)

Italian Chicken Pasta - Pinot Grigio (white)

Veal Scallopine alla Florentine - Merlot (red)

Wine Review: Wine by Joe, Jose's Rose, 2010; RECIPE: Savory herb-cheese biscuits

For the next wine review, I went out on a limb of my own and selected a Rose from Oregon's wine country:  2010 Jose's Rose of the label "Wine by Joe" from winemaker Joe Dobbes, a relatively new winemaker on the scene but an experienced one.  At the wine and spirits store, I selected the wine based on (1) the inclusion of "watermelon" in the taste description. (Accurate. Why don't more wines have a note of watermelon?); (2) the alcohol content (13.5%) (not overly weak); and finally, (3) the color: healthy pink.  Not peach or sullied peach.  Actual pale pink! 

The taste was dry, tart-sweet, with a little bit of marshmallows mixed in.  Watermelon, a little bit of honeydew melon,together with citrus and sweet fruit.   Take note:  This wine makes you pucker!  My first food-wine pairing with it was not successful.  It was with peaches. The second time, was well done.  Paired with savory herb-cheese biscuits.  The rosemary in the biscuits was cleansing to the acidity of the wine.  When drinking the wine, I was a sipper at first.  Pinot is not my favorite grape. Soon I was a swigger, however!

As it turns out, I am not the only one giving Wine by Joe a chance.  Last month the brand was tagged as a small winery to watch by Wine Business Monthly.  Looks like my wine picking was right on the mark! The Rose is available in Penna Liquor Stores for under $15.  See below for my recipe for savory herb-cheese biscuits.


joedobbeswines.com


RECIPE: Savory herb-cheese biscuits

1. Preheat oven to between 420 and 450 degrees F.
2. Use your favorite quick-biscuit mix. (I use Bisquick)
3. Mix with your preferred milk/soymilk product.
4. Add shredded mexican cheese blend and grated parmesan cheese.
5. Add spices: kosher salt and ground peppercorns.
6. Add herbs: dill and rosemary.
7. Bake for 10 min.

Wine Review of Carl Reh Riesling with Recipe for Balsalmic Pasta with Asparagus Tips and Pickled Beets

The next selection of the "virtual wine tour club" was Carl Reh Riesling.  To my disappointment, my local wine store did not have any of the top selections from the Riesling chapter of the book "Unquenchable", so I went with one of the "notable mentions".  (Note to blog readers from out of state:  It is illegal in Pennsylvania to import wine; we must buy from the state wine store.)

Fresh off my delectable experience drinking the Shiraz Cabernet, I went into the Riesling experience with very high expectations.  Riesling is one of my favorite types of wine to drink because it is very adaptable to contemporary American cuisine.  My expectations should have been adjusted for drinking a "notable mention" instead of a true recommended wine brand from the book.  The Carl Reh didn't live up to the hype.  It was uncomfortably dry and a shade too sour for Riesling.  It tasted like a cousin of pinot grigio.  Perhaps it was too old.  It was a 2009 and we are in 2012.  I definitely did not enjoy drinking a glass of the Carl Reh Riesling by itself.  I became frustrated because the riesling did not pair with the usual foods that I would serve with it.  Glaring at a 3/4 full bottle, I was determined to find at least one food to match the wine's flavor.  This mission was fully accomplished by making a cold pasta salad served as a side dish to pork chops.  Rest assured, when you make this salad it will take the sour edge off of the Carl Reh wine.

Recipe:  Balsalmic Pasta with Asparagus Tips and Pickled Beets


A sweet and sour pasta salad balances flavors on top of vegetables.



Ingredients: 

• Balsalmic viniagrette (can be store-bought or homemade; mine is homemade)
• Asparagus, cleaned, cut into tips
• Rapini (also known as Broccoli Raab or Broccoli Rabe), stripped of leaves, 1:4 ratio with asparagus
• Jar of pickled beets, drained
• 2-3 small yellow or heirloom tomatoes, sliced and de-seeded.
• Pasta of choice (I used "wagon wheels") 
• Bread crumbs
• Gorgonzola cheese crumbles

Cooking directions:

1. Blanch asparagus and rapini; set aside to cool; top with lemon juice.
2. Cook pasta al dente; set aside to cool.
3. Prepare a viniagrette. Add bread crumbs, salt, pepper, herbs, and cheese crumbles.
4. Stir in viniagrette mixture to pasta.  Combine with asparagus and rapini.   Be careful with the rapini.  Too much will make the dish sour.
5. Add tomatoes and combine.  Do a taste test. Add a sprinkle of fine white granulated sugar if sweetness needed.
6. Add pickled beets last, carefully combining so as not to make the entire dish turn purple.  Serve immediately.  
7. The leftovers can be placed in refrigerator. The purple may run but the salad is still edible.
   

Word of the Day: REMOULADE **RECIPES INSIDE**

The word of the day came to me recently when I ate a lunch salad served with a remoulade.  I was pleased with myself for just being able to pronounce the name of the sauce.  I observed other diners pause in front of the cafe item's label and scratch their heads.  I ordered it anyway.  The sauce was pink in color and mildly spicy.  I was not entirely sure of the composition.  It tasted like a cousin to Thousand Island dressing with more taste of lemon, cream and capers. The texture was a thick cream with bits of tomatoes, capers, and pickles within.  The remoulade sauce made a fine accompaniment to seafood served cold on top of a salad.  Back at home, I looked online for more information about the sauce.

Remoulade is a French sauce with a mayonnaise base that is used for dipping or topping meat.  It is served with seafood in America and Europe, and at times with beef products in Europe.  European remoulades are typically parsnip in color (see photo below!), owing to the use of mustard seed. 

Parsnips

 

 European versions often include celery root or cabbage in combination with herbs and spices.  American remoulades tend to be more vibrant in color, either pink or yellow, due to the addition of paprika or curry to the base.  Remoulades have a mild pungency of flavor that is tempered by the mayonnaise.  It is suitable for serving with appetizers, brunch, or as a dipping sauce for fish.  All ages can enjoy remoulade sauce.  Caution for anyone with allergy to EGG, NUTS or SHELLFISH; ask the cook for the ingredients before ingesting.  I've scoured the web to bring you the best recipes for

• FRENCH REMOULADE
• LOUISIANA REMOULADE
• OIL-BASED REMOULADE
• DANISH REMOULADE

Enjoy!!
Gardentina

 Click for the recipe!

French-style Crab and Celery Remoulade

  Click for the recipe!

Louisiana-style Remoulade

Occasionally a remoulade is made with an oil base in place of the mayonnaise base.  Chef Emeril LaGasse's version is an example of this take on the sauce.

Click for the recipe!

Oil-based Remoulade

Danish remoulade is simple to make and much sweeter in taste than traditional remoulade. It is used there as a sauce for everything from fried fish to hot dogs.

Click for the recipe!

Danish-style Remoulade

Find more recipes and crafts at blog parties online:

Recipe for Quick Almost Tiramisu

Try this recipe for Quick Almost Tiramisu!  

Are you out of time to bake dessert for guests and out of money to buy a fancy cake?  NO PROBLEM!  Pickup a carton of rice pudding and a pack of sugar wafer cookies. The rest of the ingredients are in the pantry!

Secret Ingredient #1 of 2:  Rice Pudding (like Kozy Shack)

 Secret Ingredient #2 of 2:  Sugar Wafer Cookies (like Murray)

Recipe:  Quick Almost Tiramisu

Ingredients:

• Rice Pudding * Available in gluten free
• Sugar Wafer Cookies, cut into bite size pieces  *Available in Sugar Free
• Ground coffee
• Cocoa powder
• Cinnamon, allspice, or other spice (to taste)
• Granulated sugar (to taste)

Directions:

Mix the toppings (cocoa, coffee, spice and sugar) together in a bowl.  Assemble the dessert in layers like a lasagna:  Cookies, Pudding, Sprinkled Toppings.  Cookies, Pudding, Sprinkled Toppings.  Just like that, you're done in minutes!

Q.  Why rice pudding? 

A.  It gives the mouth a good texture to offset the airy feel of the sugar wafers.

Q.  Can I use the pink (strawberry) sugar wafers?  Or the chocolate (brown) ones?

A.  Of course!  In a glass bowl or serving dish, you can create dramatic effect by layering the different colors of wafers. 

Frequently Asked Recipe Question: Why aren't exact measurements given?

Answer:  (1) To keep the cooking explanation simple.  (2) To encourage your own modification. Every cook likes a different taste!  However, feel free to comment to the blog post for guidance!

Today we are celebrating online blog party with:

and

Blogger's Test Kitchen: Salt Baked Potatoes

Come along for a test drive of a recipe from the September 2011 issue of Cooks Illustrated, relative of "America's Test Kitchen".  We are trying out Salt Baked Potatoes.  The concept is to pack potatoes in regular Morton salt, layer in some herbs, and wait for the outcome.  The hypothesis is that the salt makes the potatoes more tender. My potatoes were fully immersed in salt.  (Note: I would have done sea salt, but since the fancy cooks at the magazine didn't, this home cook's not going to question it!)  Surrounding the potatoes were shallots, rosemary, and cloves of garlic.

Salt dipped potatoes going into the oven

The potatoes baked happily along for normal length for baked potatoes, at the usual temperature.  Really the "trick" in the recipe was to douse them in salt.  The aroma coming out of the oven was not the best. It smelled like potato skins.  The potatoes looked amazing when they were done.

Potatoes oven-baked in herbed salt

The moment of truth came when the potatoes were served!  They were DRY beyond belief.  The potato SKINS were nice and salty, but....a skin does not a meal make! 

VERDICT:  Serve your potatoes with salted herbed butter instead of baking them in salt!   It was a totally fun experiment to try out the recipe though!

Grilled Chicken or Veggie Burgers with Asparagus and Mushrooms

RECIPE:   Grilled Chicken or Veggie Burgers with Asparagus and Mushrooms

1. Stir fry asparagus and mushrooms in wok or skillet.  I used olive oil, kosher salt, and a variety of peppercorns for seasoning.  Red pepper flakes would give a nice kick for those of you who like things spicy!
2. Cook the chicken burgers.  Once cooked, top with cheese to make cheeseburgers if you like.  I used a white cheddar cheese.
3. Top burgers with stir fried veggies.  To keep the burger from being too dry, I recommend a very light spread on the bun of mayonnaise, Miracle Whip or soy/vegan mayonnaise.

ENJOY!

Recipe for Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls

 Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls

 

 

 

Recipe:  Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls

1. The recipe will dress up your favorite brand of instant Cinnamon Rolls placed into a greased glass dish.
2. Peel and dice 3 apples.  Layer in pan.
3. Chop nuts to bite size (I'd use walnut or pecan nuts).  Layer in pan.
4. Top with brown sugar and any spices you desire.  I had apple pie spice on hand.
5. Top with pats of butter.  Bake in oven at 350 degrees.
6. When rolls are baked, top with caramel sauce if desired, in place of the sweet cream cheese icing that comes inside the cinnamon roll package.  Even better than store-bought is home-made caramel sauce, but we'll leave that recipe for another day.   Enjoy breakfast!   - Gardentina

Cinnamon rolls going into the oven

 

Frequently Asked Recipe Question: Why aren't exact measurements given?

Answer:  (1) To keep the cooking explanation simple.  (2) To encourage your own modification. Every cook likes a different taste!  However, feel free to comment to the blog post for guidance!

How To Make A Gourmet Fruit Smoothie At Home

Yesterday I told you about my smoothie maker.  Today I'm going to show you how to make a gourmet fruit smoothie at home.

• Eat beyond strawberry and banana.  

An easy rule of thumb to follow is to eat fruits that are in season.  Here are some tips for winter.

- - Cranberries pack a powerful antioxident punch.  As a bonus, cranberries have a long shelf life in the refrigerator.

- - Apples are the basis of most fruit juices sold in America, therefore they lend a familiar base flavor to smoothies.  Apples can be added with the skin on as long as the core is removed.  For a less pulpy smoothie, peel the apple prior to cutting or coring.

- - Veggies can be added to the equation. Yes, you read correctly.  V-E-G-E-T-A-B-L-E-S.  In small doses, they will not hurt you!   Go for tiny tastes.   A slice of avocado.  A few shredded carrots.  A bit of celery.  A sprig of cilantro.

• Yogurt sparingly.

The mass marketed yogurts in America, even the "plain" flavors or "Greek" yogurts, are loaded with sugars that are empty calories.  The question is then, How to make a smoothies without yoghurt, the "go-to"?  First you do not need to exclude yoghurt entirely.  Try to simply cut back on it while adding small amounts of other proteins as a substitute.

- - Egg whites are a time-tested way to add protein.  However, I do not regard eggs as the best way to add protein to a smoothie, due to the health risks of consuming raw egg products.  Stay away, salmonella!

- - Good old milk is an option that's readily available, although admittedly not for everyone. My smoothie tactic is often to add a small amount of milk in combination with other liquids.  The lactose and sugars in a small amount of milk with not irritate most people's digestion nor tip the scales.  My mantra on milk in smoothies is to use milks in moderation.

One type of milk that's used often enough is coconut milk or, preferably, coconut water.  Coconut beverages are becoming more commonplace across the U.S. these days.  As with regular milk, you need to watch the amount of sugars in the drink.

- - Whey protein is the best option I've found.  Whey fills you up without weighing you down with the "full" feeling you get from drinking a glass of milk (or yoghurt).  A smoothie with whey tastes somewhat like the protein shakes by Naked, Odwalla, or Starbucks except that you can customise (cut back) the amount of whey according to your own taste, which makes it much more palatable in my opinion.

Packets of flavored whey protein are found at health stores and vitamin shops for about $2 each and they come in yummy flavors like chocolate and peach.  You do not have to use the full packet in one smoothie.  Doing so might overload your tummy or your tastebuds.  Too much whey has a chalky taste.  I use 1/3 to 1/2 packet per smoothie.

Incidentally, whey is a dairy byproduct.  Therefore, you should consult your doctor to ensure that whey protein is suitable for your diet.  For obvious reasons, whey is not recommended for vegans or anyone with lactose intolerance.  I want all the vegans and lactose intolerant people out there to know that you are not left in the cold, however!  Soy-based and non-soy based protein alternatives are available.  There are even low-lactose whey protein powders on the market for those with some limited tolerance of lactose.

When considering any whey or non-whey protein, do be sure to examine the amount and source of sugars.  How is the product sweetened?  (Natural sugar, sucralose, aspartame, stevia)  The reason we examine sugars is to evaluate whether we are substituting high-sugar yoghurt with high-sugar powder.

Do your homework and consult with experts to find a protein product that works for you.  Many health insurance plans, such as Blue Cross Personal Choice in Philadelphia, cover annual sessions with a registered dietitian.  You might be surprised at the results!

• Go nutty, seedy and spicy!

Nuts are an excellent source of protein and "good" oils.  Walnuts, almonds, pecans - - All can be added to your smoothie.  Seeds are another excellent source.  Flax seed is the most common.  Sesame seed is another choice.  I strongly recommend using seeds very lightly at first, then gradually increasing the amount of nut seed to your preferred taste.

What about oils?  Well, nut oils including olive, sesame and grapeseed, are fine to add to a smoothie, provided they are added carefully so as not to overpower the flavor of the smoothie or alter its texture.

Some people are concerned with finding ways to mask the flavor of nuts in their smoothie.  You do not necessarily need to reach for pure sugars nor sugary fruits like strawberries to counter the taste of nuts in your smoothie, my dear readers!  Spices are an effective way to add low calorie flavor.  Cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, lemongrass are a few ideas to get you started.  Who are we kidding, though.  Go ahead and sprinkle some apple-pie spice or pumpkin-pie spice in that smoothie.  Yes, there are trace sugars in some spices, and yes, it's OK, you're allowed to use sugars in moderation.  It's better than holding the sugar can over the blender and pouring it blindly into the mix.

With my smoothie tips, you have the tools you need to create a gourmet fruit smoothie at home.  Bon Appetit!

Mint Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Let us count the ways to enjoy mint chocolate...

Baked Dessert: Cookie / Brownie / Pretzel (after all, this is Philly!)
Made locally by Asher's



Dairy Dessert: Ice Cream / Meringue / Whipped Cream
Made locally by Turkey Hill

Flavored Drinks:  Coffees / Cocoas / Teas / Liqueurs
Coffee found online at Frankenmuth coffee company

Tea available in shopping malls at Teavana



...And now, The Mint Chocolate Chip Pancake!

Steps to creating the goodness:

Recipe:  Mint Chocolate Chip Pancakes



1.  Add chocolate chips and 1/4 to 1/2 tsp Mint Chocolate Cocoa Mix to pancake batter.

The green tint is the camera, not the batter.

Secret Ingredient:  Mint Hot Cocoa Mix

 
2.  Cook pancakes on stovetop

3.  Enjoy with your favorite topping.... Gardentina's kitchen tester used traditional maple syrup.... Is anyone brave enough to eat with Chocolate Sauce, Whipped Cream, and a sprig of mint?....

Mmmm!......



Recipe Features:  Budget-Friendly, Easy



Related articles:
The story of Greek mythology character Menthe  (about how mint got its scent)
Many health benefits of mint