Spoon Bread
August 26, 2010
This souffle - like corn bread is enjoyed in the South and adorns many a Kentucky Derby spread.
3/4 cup stone - ground yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 cup 1% low - fat milk
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 large egg whites
Cooking Spray
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large saucepan; stir in milk and hot sauce. Cook over medium heat until thick (about 15 minutes), stirring constantly. Place egg yolks in a medium bowl. Spoon 1/2 cup hot cornmeal mixture into egg yolks. Stir egg yolk mixture into remaining conrmeal mixture. Add butter, stirring until butter melts.
3. Place baking powder and egg whites in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold one - fourth of egg white mixture into cornmeal mixture. Fold remaining egg white mixture into cornmeal mixture. Gently spoon mixture into an 11 x 7 - inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until lightly browned and puffy. Serve immediately.
Pesto Vinaigrette
August 18, 2010
Here’s the taste of a summer herb favorite in a light drizzle that’s perfect over fish and veggies just off the grill. We loved it with thickly sliced, grilled eggplant and Vidalia onion.
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup extravirgin olive oil
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano - Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves
Place all ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Herbed bread - stuffed Tomatoes
August 11, 2010
Look for “100 percent whole wheat” or “100 percent whole grain” on the label. The bread and tomatoes in this recipe supply about 20 percent of the day’s fiber, while the touch of sharp Parmesan boosts a serving to provide 10 percent of daily calcium needs.
6 ripe firm plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces whole wheat bread, toasted and cut into 1/2 - inch cubes
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1 1/2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Scoop pulp and seeds from tomato halves into a sieve over a bowl; press with a spoon. Reserve 1/4 cup liquid in bowl. Discard pulp mixture.
3. Place tomato halves, cut sides up, in an 11 x 7 - inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place bread in a bowl; drizzle with tomato liquid. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, basil, oil; oregano; thyme, and garlic. Fill tomato halves with bread stuffing, pressing gently. Sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
Chipotle Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Strawberry Avocado Salsa
August 10, 2010
If pressed for time, grill the pork a day ahead, refrigerate, and serve it at room temperature; slice the pork just before serving.
Pork:
1/4 cup minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 cups slices onion
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 pork tenderloins trimmed
1 teaspoon salt
Cooking Spray
Salsa:
5 cups quartered strawberries
1 1/3 cups chopped peeled avocado
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1. To prepare pork, combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip - top plastic bag. Add pork; seal and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.
2. Prepare grill.
3. Remove pork from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle pork evenly with 1 teaspoon salt. Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 155 degrees (slightly pink), turning occasionally. Let stand 10 minutes; slice.
4. To prepare the salsa, combine strawberries and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl; toss gently. Serve immediately with pork.
African Ground Nut Stew with Sour Cream - Chive Topping
August 2, 2010
This is African cuisine start with peanuts, so they called ground nut.
1 cup fat - free sour cream
1/4 cup minced fresh chives
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 1/4 cups thinly sliced yellow onion
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped unsalted, dry - roasted peanuts
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 cups (1 - inch) cubed peeled sweet potatoes
2 1/2 cups quartered small red potatoes
2 1/2 cup organic vegetable broth
1 (28 - ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1. Combine sour cream and chives in a small bowl; cover. Refrigerate 2 hours.
2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium - high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; saute 30 seconds. Stir in peanuts, salt, and crushed red pepper; saute 2 minutes. Add potatoes, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Place 1 2/3 cups stew into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with about 2 1/2 tablespoons sour cream mixture.
Simple Beef Enchiladas
June 6, 2010
If you like beef enchiladas, these are so simple. Take a box of frozen taquitos and put them in a large pan for the oven. Heat the oven up to 375 degrees. Cover the taquitos with 2 cans of red enchilada sauce and a ton of cheese. Throw them it the oven for about 30-40 minutes and you are done. These are so easy and so yummy!
Proper Storage of Fetta Cheese
March 31, 2010
Fetta is classified as a fresh unripened cheese. It is traditionally made from sheep or goat’s milk, but today is more commonly made from cow’s milk. It is shaped into large blocks that are salted, sliced and salted again, then packed in whey for about a month before sale.
Fetta has a moist, often crumbly, texture that varies from soft to firm, depending on the manufacturer. Fetta is best eaten within a couple of days of buying or opening.
To store, place the cheese and any accompanying brine (liquid) in a sealed container - glass or china is preferable, as some plastics can absorb fats and odors. Fetta can also be covered with olive oil with the addition of herbs or peppercorns.
Freezing fetta is not recommended, unless it is to be used in cooked foods such as pastries, quiches or pies.
Use Olive Oil
January 5, 2010
If you don’t use olive oil to cook with, then you should probably reconsider. The benefits associated with olive oil keep coming over and over. As far as we know, olive oil helps prevent heart disease, it lowers cholestrol, it lessens the risk of the development of gallstones, and it has been proven to decrease the risks of colon cancer. Plus, if you use extra vergion olive oil, then you’re using a version that has more anti-oxidants. This version of olive oil has been processed the least, so it still contains a good supply of Vitamin E and phenol, two especially helpful anti-oxidants.
Plus, in addition to the health benefits, olive oil gives food great flavor. I keep a jar beside my stove and add olive oil to vegetables, rice, and even potatoes. Olive oil is oil- which means it does contain fat, but you’ve got to keep in mind that it’s the good fat. In other words, it’s a monosaturated omega 9-oil. In laymen’s terms, that means it’s the good fat, and believe it or not, it’s important to get some fat in your diet.
Easy Appetizers for New Years
December 28, 2009
If your hosting a New Year’s party, then you’ll proabably serve cocktails. If this is the case, you’ll want to provide finger foods for your guest to snack on througout the night. Don’t ruin your day by slaving in the kitchen. Use these simple ideas to provide easy, tasty apps for your guests.
1. Make a veggie plate. Buy pre-cut veggies, and fill a bowl with ranch dressing.
2. Cut up velveeta into cubes and throw them in a crock pot. Add a can or two of rotel tomatoes, and throw some tortilla chips in a bowl.
3. Buy cocktail weenies. Throw them in a crock pot with a bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce.
4. Mix a cup of oil with your favorit spices. Garlic salt, lemon pepper, red pepper, and cumin all work well. Use the oil mixture to coat pretzel sticks by shaking them in a bag.
5. Place bowls of mixed nuts in various rooms.
6.Buy cheese, summer sausage, and crackers, and place them on a serving dish. Add a small bowl of your favorite mustard, and you’ll have a yummy station.
7. Buy a plate of fresh fruit. In a bowl, mix whipped cream with vanilla yogurt for a tasty fruit dip.
8. Buy a bag of party mix, and place it in bowls in various rooms.
Make your holiday simple, and you will be relaxed. Your guests will appreciate your mood, and they’ll enjoy munching on these tasty snacks.
how to cook
December 19, 2009
About Mushrooms
At the market look for mushrooms that appear fresh, feel firm and smell good. They should not look dry, shriveled, or darkened – these signs indicate the mushrooms are old.
They can be stored in the refrigerator for several days but they must have good air circulation. Store them in a paper bag with a few holes punched in it. Do not store them in plastic – they will sweat and rot quickly.
To prepare them for cooking, trim away any darkened or discoloured parts with a knife and remove the stems. Use as little water as possible to clean them. A soft-bristled dry brush is good for removing most dirt. A dampened paper towel can also be used to wipe them clean.
Large Portobello mushrooms should be peeled and the dark gills under the cap removed. (The gills will impart an unpleasant brown colour to anything they’re cooked with.) Cut the cap in half. Place the cut-side on the work surface. With a sharp paring knife slice off the dark gills as though you’re slicing a piece of bread from a loaf.
Spears of asparagus are the tender young shoots of a large Eurasian perennial plant, asparagus officinalis. It grows into a four-foot tall, fern-like plant, each plant requiring several square feet of space. For this reason it isn’t very practical to grow in a small kitchen garden.
The spears are harvested in the late spring when they are between 6 and 12 inches above the ground and quite green. The first spears to be harvested can be very thin; the stalks fatten and get juicier as they mature. For this reason always look for the fattest specimens.
