I add the vinegar before eating not while cooking

Bread croutons can be used in place for the Quinoa. I also make this soup in a raw version (blender only). I don’t use oil then

THANKS FOR YOUR VISIT AND FAVES

ON THE REACTIONS I WILL TRY TO RESPOND BACK

De grote sponszwam (Sparassis crispa) is een eetbare paddenstoel hij heeft een echte paddenstoelensmaak die gedroogd het sterkst is, maar deze zwam komt gekookt het best tot zijn recht

Het schoonmaken van de Grote Sponszwam is een flinke klus, maar dan heb je ook wat! De Grote Sponszwam kun je ook bakken, of invriezen.

Recept

Spaghetti met sponszwam

De sponszwam goed schoonmaken en in kleine stukjes verdelen. Met wat knoflook, nootmuskaat en een scheutje room wordt het een verrukkelijke saus.

Ingredienten

1 stuk sponszwam (500 gr of meer)

1 à 2 tenen knoflook geperst (kwartier voor bereiding)

2 eetl ghee (of roomboter)

schutje slagroom

wat vers geraspte nootmuskaat

peper & zout uit de molen

Parmezaanse kaas of Remeker vers geraspt

250 gr spaghetti

Bereiding

De sponszwam zorgvuldig schoonmaken. Het zit ongetwijfeld vol met blad, dennenaalden, bosgrond en wat dan ook. Wij wassen het en verdelen het gelijk in kleine stukken. Dit duurt ongeveer een half uur. Maar het loont!

Laat uitlekken in een vergiet.

Zet het water voor de pasta op. Spaghetti koken zal vermoedelijk ergens tussen de 6 en 8 minuten duren. Het maken van de sponszwamsaus duurt langer. Houd daar rekening mee.

Smelt de ghee in een ruime pan. (Roomboter gaat bruinen.) Doe er de sponszwam en knoflook bij en schep goed om. Dan blijkt hoeveel vocht er nog in zit

Als het een tijdje heeft ingekookt (regelmatig omscheppen natuurlijk) met peper, zout en nootmuskaat toevoegen. En wat (slag)room.

Als de spaghetti gaar is, afgieten. Over de borden verdelen en er een gulle schep saus over doen. Bestrooi met wat geraspte kaas.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The large sponge mushroom (Sparassis crispa) is an edible mushroom, it has a real mushroom flavor that is strongest when dried, but this mushroom comes into its own best when cooked

Cleaning the Great Sponge Agaric is a big job, but then you also have something! You can bake, or freeze the Great Sponge Mushroom.

Recipe

Spaghetti with sponge mushroom 4 pers

Clean the sponge mushroom well and divide it into small pieces. With some garlic, nutmeg and a dash of cream it becomes a delicious sauce.

Ingredients

1 piece of sponge mushroom (500 gr or more)

1 to 2 cloves garlic pressed (quarter before preparation)

2 tbsp ghee (or butter)

dash of whipped cream

some freshly grated nutmeg

salt & pepper from the mill

Parmesan cheese or Remeker freshly grated

250 gr spaghetti

Preparation

Carefully clean the sponge fungus. It's no doubt full of leaves, pine needles, forest floor, and whatever. We wash it and divide it evenly into small pieces. This takes about half an hour. But it pays off!

Drain in a colander.

Turn on the water for the pasta. Cooking spaghetti will probably take anywhere from 6 to 8 minutes. It takes longer to make the sponge mushroom sauce.

Melt the ghee in a large pan. (Butter will brown.) Add the sponge mushroom and garlic and toss well. Then it turns out how much moisture is left in it

When it has boiled down for a while (toss regularly of course) add salt, pepper and nutmeg. And some (whipped) cream.

When the spaghetti is cooked, drain. Divide between plates and pour over a generous ladle of sauce. Sprinkle with some grated cheese.

1 head cauliflower

1 garlic bulb

1 leek - white part, thinly sliced

2 cloves black garlic - mashed

1 clove raw garlic - finely minced

1 quart vegetable stock

olive oil

1 tbsp butter

salt and white pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 420º. Cut the cauliflower head into equal sized florets. Speed evenly on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, lightly salt. cut off the top of garlic bulb and drizzle with olive oil; wrap in foil. Roast the cauliflower and garlic head for 30-35 min, until edges of cauliflower are well caramelized.

Meanwhile in a heavy bottomed soup pot, sauté leek in butter and olive oil until soft and just starting to color. Add mince garlic and black garlic and cook another minute. Add stock and simmer gently. Add the roasted cauliflower and roasted garlic cloves. Bring back to a simmer for 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender to completely purée the soup. Salt and pepper to taste. Add water if needed to thin the soup.

18:52 bokeh

Kitchen tested & approved

Finally found a recipe book that I like

A trail mix muffin.... with all healthy ingredients :D

Next up - chunky monkey !!

3/4 cup oat flour

3 tbsp ground flax

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3 lg eggs

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

6 tbsp almond butter

1/4 honey

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins)

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

350F oven for 15-18 mins

.....chunky monkeys are in the oven :D

Potato Latkes

Combine: 2 pounds of grated potatoes,

1 grated onion,

2 eggs,

1/4 cup of all-purpose flour (or matzo meal,)

½ tsp baking powder, and salt and pepper to taste.

Shape the mixture into pancakes, and fry them in a heavy-bottomed skillet until they are golden.

Serve with applesauce and/or sour cream.

Cheese Latkes

1 cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese

¾ cup flour

3 large eggs, separated

1/2 tsp salt

½ tsp baking powder

Oil for frying

Combine cheese, flour, egg yolk, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Mix until the mixture forms a thick batter. Beat egg whites until stiff and add to cheese mixture.

Heat skillet over medium heat (not too hot.) Put about 2-3 Tbsp of oil in the skillet.

Pour 1-2 tablespoon of batter onto the hot skillet to make small pancakes/latkes.

Fry the latkes for 2-3 minutes on each side until they turn golden brown.

Sprinkle with sugar.

Serve immediately. (These latkes can be served with preserves or sour cream.)

youtu.be/bSt4myecN_c?si=SrbAN9t9kWQJScE5

Thought all of you in the deep south blizzard could use some extra heat...

I’m not a native Texan, but anyway, here goes:

Texas Chili

No Beano

2 dried ancho chilies

2 dried guajillo chilies

2 chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

1 tbsp Mexene chili powder

6 cloves fresh garlic

1/2 cup beef stock

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp brown sugar

4 Strips thick cut bacon

1 1/2 pounds boneless beef short ribs cut into 1” cubes

Kosher salt/ground black pepper

1 red onion - fine dice

1 sweet onion - fine dice

1/2 red bell pepper - roasted, peeled, fine dice

12 oz Texas beer

1 tbsp ground cumin

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 bay leaves

2 Roma tomatoes (canned) hand crushed

Toast the ancho and guajillo chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until fragrant and lightly smoking. Pour enough boiling water to submerge chilies in a covered bowl and steep for 30 minutes. Drain completely.

Place rehydrated chilies, chipotle, chili powder, garlic, beef stock, vinegar and brown sugar in blender and puree thoroughly.

Season beef cubes well with salt and pepper. Cut the bacon into 1/2” lardons and render over low heat in cast iron Dutch oven. Remove and reserve the cooked bacon. Sear the beef cubes in batches in the bacon fat. Once all beef has been seared, remove and reserve. Sauté onions in the same pot until softened and translucent. Add the bell pepper and continue to cook. Return the beef and bacon back to the pot. Reduce heat to low.

Add the chili paste mixture to the pot

Add all remaining ingredients and simmer on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Do not add any beans lest you be shunned and scorned.

hello dear friends and happy friYAY! These apple pies look so good, and I looked high and low for an apple recipe from my Mom but sadly, I cannot find one =( however, I did find a yummy apple squares recipe for you and hope you will try it and enjoy. take care and i hope you have a wonderful weekend. hugs, Nadia ♥

Apple Squares

3 eggs room temp

1 3/4 cup sugar

1 cup vege oil

2 cups sifted flour

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

(sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt)

1 cup chopped walnuts

5-7 apples sliced and each slice cut in 1/2

Beat eggs and sugar until thick and creamy, add oil, mix and add sifted dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly and add apples and nuts.

Bake at 350 degrees for one hour

Grease & floured pan 13x9x2

Cool, cut in squares

Enjoy with a nice cup of tea ♥

GUMBO

7 oz (by volume) duck fat [oil, butter, or lard if there’s no quacking going on]

8 oz (by weight) wheat flour [gluten-phobes find something else to eat]

1 pound Andouille sausage sliced

4 chicken thighs skinned, deboned, and cubed. Season with salt & pepper

2 pounds cooked and cleaned crawfish tails [can substitute shrimp]

2 steamed blue crabs (top shell removed, crabs cleaned of gills and broken in half)

[I will typically use a pound of jumbo lump crabmeat but the price has gotten out of control right now…]

2 large onions diced

1 large green bell pepper diced

3 large celery stalks diced

6 garlic cloves minced

1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped

2 bay leaves

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

1 1/2 tbsp Creole seasoning

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp ground cayenne

3 Liters homemade stock (I used crawfish stock but shrimp stock, fish stock, or even chicken/turkey stock can be used here.)

3 tbsp gumbo filé (powdered sassafras leaves)

Scallions sliced for garnish

White rice for serving (Cajuns will often have potato salad in the gumbo but that’s not typical in New Orleans Creole families)

You’ll need:

cast iron Dutch oven

larger soup pot

balloon whisk

flat edged wooden spoon

a beer or a Sazerac cocktail whilst stirring the roux

Over medium-high flame, sear the sliced sausage in the Dutch oven. Once completely browned, remove the sausage and reserve. Deglaze the pot with water and pour this in with the reserved sausage. Refrigerate.

In the same Dutch oven, brown the chicken thighs in the same manner and deglaze again with water, pouring in with the reserved chicken. Refrigerate.

ROUX

Add duck fat to the Dutch oven and heat over medium flame. Once hot, whisk in the flour and blend until uniform consistency; it should be like wet sand, add more flour to reach that texture if needed. Stir the roux constantly with the wooden spoon taking care to scrape the bottom and sides well. You are looking for the roux to reach a dark brown color; this will take some time and patience, maybe even 45 min to and hour. The roux will transition from white, to blonde, to peanut butter, to milk chocolate, and ultimately to dark chocolate fudge color. Aroma should be a nutty character but not acrid or burning. A burnt roux cannot be used and must be re-started. You will know it’s burned if numerous black specks begin to appear in the mix.

Once the roux is dark brown and slightly smoking add the vegetables starting with the onions, then the celery and bell pepper. Cook the aromatics (known as the Trinity) in the roux until quite softened and translucent. Then add the garlic and cook for another few minutes. Add thyme, basil, Creole seasoning, black pepper and cayenne; mix well.

Begin adding stock to the pot and stirring in well. It will be quite thick initially; this is a good time to transfer to the larger soup pot.

In the soup pot over medium-high heat, continue adding the entire three liters of stock gradually as you stir it in.

Once simmering, add the Andouille, the chicken, and the crabs to the pot. Add the parsley.

Turn down the heat and cook at a low boil/simmer for two hours and have another beer.

After two hours, add Crawfish (or shrimp) and cook for another 15 minutes. Add additional salt or Creole seasoning to taste.

Add gumbo filé to the pot right before serving and stir in well.

Serve in bowls with hot rice and garnished with scallions.

nigel slater's lemon & orange parfait www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2010/mar/07/nigel-slater...

a dessert with oodles of calories but delicious :)

500ml double cream whisked until soft and thick

8 tbsp lemon curd (homemade) www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/lemon_curd_68499

180g meringue (homemade) broken into pieces of various sizes flic.kr/p/2oapKrK

orange and lemon zest

all ingredients gently mixed together being careful not to overmix

spooned into a lined container

placed in freezer for minimum of four hours (can be kept in freezer for much longer)

finally, 30 minutes before serving, frozen lemon & orange parfait removed from the freezer

in the freezer, made from the same batch of ingredients, is another lemon & orange parfait the same size as above. maybe i should have halved the ingredients never mind it won't last long :)

notes

next time i'll try making it with natural yoghurt 10% cream www.aytacfood.co.uk/product/aytac-strained-yoghurt-1-kg/

once both lemon & orange parfaits are frozen, cut into slices, box and return to the freezer, each slice to be eaten as and when

lemon & orange parfait displayed on a large dinner plate

ps i'm not recommending any of these cookery adventures. they suit my taste. photographing to encourage myself to eat more healthily

www.flickr.com/groups/cooking_is_my_hobby/ helps to gather ideas and encourages me to continue with healthy eating by learning from others if you're interested in cooking, sometimes or a lot, or enjoy the cooking of others, you're always welcome ...

Boiled Raisin Cake

1, 15oz box raisins

1 cup sugar

1 1/3 cups water

1/2 cup margarine

In a saucepan, combine raisins, sugar, 1 1/3 cups water and 1/2 cup margarine.

Bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and let cool half an hour.

Mix together the following dry ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cloves

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. allspice

2 tsp. nutmeg

When cool, add raisin mixture to the dry ingredients, then add:

Walnuts: 1 cup, chopped

1 tsp. vanilla or 1 tbsp. rum extract

2 eggs, beaten

Oven: 350 F

Transfer batter to two greased and floured 8x41/2-inch pan and bake about 55 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean and cake springs back when lightly touched in center.

July 24, 2016

Delectable:

[dih-lek-tuh-buh l]

adjective

1. delightful; highly pleasing; enjoyable:

a delectable witticism.

2. delicious

noun

3. an especially appealing or appetizing food or dish

-----

It's been another fairly hot week in the city, so as the temperatures were rising and I was trying to decide on Sweet Sunday it became very clear to me that baking wouldn't be an option.

Something frozen sounded good to me, and I had a bag of black cherries in the freezer so I thought I'd try my hand at this instant cherry sorbet to see what it's like.

I think next time I'd add a little cherry juice to the blend, but otherwise, this is a simple and tasty treat!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

- 2 cups of frozen black pitted cherries

- 2 tablespoons of superfine sugar

- 2 tablespoons of amaretto (I don't have amaretto in the house, I used 1 tablespoon of almond extract instead)

- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.

- Chopped Almonds

Directions:

01. Whirl 2 cups frozen black cherries with 2 tbsp superfine sugar in a food processor until crumbly.

02. With the motor running, gradually pour in 2 tbsp amaretto (or 1 tbsp of almond extract) and 1 tsp lemon juice until smooth but not runny.

03. Serve topped with chopped almonds. (Optional)

Hope everyone has had a good day.

Click "L" for a larger view.

I promised Brandi I would post photos and the recipe. :) Adapted from a Cooking Light recipe.

EASY CHICKEN ALFREDO LASAGNA.

1 box whole wheat lasagna (I used Gia Russa Egg Lasagna... really good-tasting whole wheat lasagna with NO BOILING necessary)

3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast

10 oz box of chopped spinach, defrosted and drained well

1 cup jarred roasted red sweet peppers, drained and chopped

1 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

20 oz reduced-fat Alfredo sauce (they recommend refrigerated but my store didn't have it, so I ended up with some "light" Ragu alfredo... not toooo bad)

3/4 cup italian cheese blend (I used Kraft 2% variety)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

1. If you're using regular lasagna noodles, you will want to cook them as the package directs. Set aside.

2. Saute about 2 lbs of chicken breasts in a tablespoon of olive oil, seasoning with some salt and pepper and whatever other herbs inspire you. Let cool and then chop into chunks.

2. (optional) Saute mushrooms and spinach and red peppers on medium high until mushrooms look less raw. You can even brown them a little if you want. (I just don't like the raw mushroom texture, but you can omit this step or leave out mushrooms entirely.)

3. In a large bowl mix spinach, red peppers, mushrooms, chicken, alfredo sauce, black pepper and lemon juice.

4. In a 13" X 9" glass or ceramic baking dish lay out the lasagna noodles 3 or 4 at a time to form the bottom layer. Spread a third of the chicken mixture on top of these noodles. Layer 3-4 more noodles, then more chicken mixture, repeating until your noodles and filling are gone. My top layer was noodle, so I took some of the leftover Alfredo sauce and spread on top before baking.

5. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45-55 minutes. Remove foil and cover with cheese, spray with cooking spray (preferably the olive oil kind), and bake 5 more minutes, or until cheese is melted, browned and pretty like the picture. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes, or it'll be impossible to cut.

Makes about 9 servings.

1 pound dried black beans

1 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion - fine dice

1 purple carrot - fine dice

4 Chipotle chilies (canned in adobo sauce) diced

6 cloves garlic - micro-grated

1 tsp Mexican oregano

1 tbsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper powder

2 bay leaves

2 tsp chili - lime seasoning

1 can Rotel® tomatoes

juice of 1/2 lime

1 quart stock (I used turkey stock) \ additional water as needed

1 smoked turkey neck (optional)

Salt and black pepper to taste

Rinse black beans thoroughly. In a heavy bottomed soup pot add olive oil and sauté onion and carrot over medium heat until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, cumin, and cayenne cooking for about another minute, until garlic is fragrant. Then add bay leaves, chili - lime seasoning, tomatoes, lime juice, and stock. Bring to a boil, and turkey neck if using and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours until beans are tender. Stir every 30 minutes and add water in order to keep beans just submerged. When finished cooking, shred meat from the turkey neck and return the meat to the soup if desired. Serve hot.

Garnish with sliced (or diced) avocado, brunoise onion, cilantro, sour cream, and pickled jalapeño slices.

THANKS FOR YOUR VISIT AND FAVES

ON THE REACTIONS I WILL TRY TO RESPOND BACK

Biefstukzwam (Fistulina hepatica) is een eetbare paddenstoel maar niet iedereen is even enthousiast

Recept !!!

Geroosterde biefstukzwam met visbotersaus

400 g biefstukzwam

2 sjalotten

220 g boter

20 cl witte wijn

20 cl witte port

40 cl visfond

1 el slagroom

olijfolie

Borstel de biefstukzwam goed af en snijd hem in plakken. Snijd 200 g boter in blokjes en zet die in de koelkast. Fruit de fijngesneden sjalot in 20 g boter en blus af met de port en wijn. Laat inkoken tot een vijfde. Voeg de visfond toe en laat inkoken tot de helft. Voeg de slagroom toe. Temper het vuur. Klop de blokjes boter door de saus met een staafmixer tot ze zijn gesmolten en de saus is gebonden. Warm op, maar laat niet meer koken. Breng op smaak met peper en zout. Bestrijk de plakken biefstukzwam met olijfolie en strooi er wat zout en peper over. Rooster ze circa 3 minuten aan elke zijde. Dien op met de saus.

De biefstukzwam is een vaak geziene paddenstoel aan de voet van eiken of in holten van stronken dicht bij de grond. De zwam groeit in de herfst.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beefsteak mushroom (Fistulina hepatica) is an edible mushroom but not everyone is equally enthusiastic

Recipes !!!

Roasted beef mushroom with fish butter sauce

400 g beef mushroom

2 shallots

220 g butter

20 cl white wine

20 cl white port

40 cl fish stock

1 tbsp whipped cream

olive oil

Brush the beef mushroom well and cut it into slices. Cut 200 g butter into cubes and put it in the fridge. Fry the finely chopped shallot in 20 g butter and deglaze with the port and wine. Reduce to a fifth. Add the fish stock and reduce by half. Add the whipped cream. Temper the fire. Beat the cubes of butter through the sauce with a hand blender until melted and the sauce is thickened. Warm up, but do not let it boil anymore. Season with salt and pepper. Brush the slices of beef mushroom with olive oil and sprinkle some salt and pepper on top. Roast them for about 3 minutes on each side. Serve with the sauce

The beefsteak mushroom is a mushroom often seen at the base of oak trees or in hollows of stumps close to the ground. The fungus grows in the fall.

Dit is een vegetarische burger, die je gemakkelijk zelf kan maken. Bijgaand het recept

This is a picture of a vegetarian hamburger you can make yourself

English follows:

Nodig: (voor 2 burgers)

200 gram gekookte aardappel, 50 gram fijngehakte noten (niet fijngemalen), 1 ei, 2 el havermout (voor extra stevigheid), 1 fijngesneden uitje, 1 tl sumak, kruiden naar smaak, bijvoorbeeld (gerookte) paprika, kerrie, peper en zout.

Maken:

Prak de gekookte aardappels met een vork, voeg overige ingrediënten toe en meng alles. Vorm met een lepel en vork een burger van het mengsel, eventueel met behulp van een ring als je ze mooi rond wil.

Verwarm twee lepels olie of margarine in een koekenpan op middelmatig vuur. Als het vet heet is bak je de burgers langzaam bruin aan beide kanten.

You will need: (for 2 burgers)

200 grams of boiled potato, 50 grams of finely chopped nuts (not finely ground), 1 egg, 2 tbsp oatmeal (for extra firmness), 1 finely chopped onion, 1 tsp sumac, herbs to taste, for example (smoked) paprika , curry, pepper and salt.

To make:

Mash the boiled potatoes with a fork, add other ingredients and mix everything. Use a spoon and fork to form a burger from the mixture, possibly with the help of a ring if you want them to be nice and round.

Heat two spoons of oil or margarine in a frying pan over medium heat. When the fat is hot, slowly brown the burgers on both sides.

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 red onion fine dice

3 scallions (white part) 1 inch sliced

3 small jalapeño peppers diced

4 cloves garlic minced

1 lbs collard greens Chiffonade cut

1/4 cup Shaoxing wine

2 large king oyster mushrooms sliced lengthwise

1 tsp Creole seasoning

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp ground white pepper

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

Heat oil in wok over high heat. Stir fry the onions, jalapeños, and garlic until softened. Add collard greens to the wok and mix in. Add cooking wine. Cover the wok for 2 minutes then remove lid and stir fry as greens wilt. Add mushrooms and remaining seasonings and continue to stir fry until the mushrooms have softened and released their liquid. Serve right away while piping hot.

Frozen tart shells from the grocery store - I meant to make some mincemeat tarts at Christmas... 8 tart shells - defrosted while I mixed up 3 eggs, one Tbsp whipping cream, 1 tsp fish sauce and some thyme. Put some goat cheese in each shell, topped with crabmeat then filled with egg mixture. Baked at 350 for 20 minutes, let rest for 10 minutes and served with a green salad. There's four left in the fridge 😀 #yummy #tasty #easy Yellow

Frosty:

[fros-tee]

adjective

1. characterized by or producing frost; freezing; very cold

2. consisting of or covered with a frost

3. lacking warmth of feeling; unfriendly

4. resembling frost; white or gray

5. of or characteristic of old age

-------

It's been another hot weekend so turning on the oven just was not an option.

Found this recipe online and thought to myself, 'could be good, or could be disgusting', so I figured I'd try it.

In the end, it's alright. Not my favourite, but not absolutely awful so I won't complain!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 Large avocado, pitted and peeled

1 (14oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk

1 package of instant pistachio pudding mix

2 tbsp of lemon juice

2 cups of heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup of shelled salted pistachios, roughly chopped

Directions:

01. Combine the avocado, sweetened condensed milk, pudding mix and lemon juice in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

02. While that's blending beat the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.

03. Fold in the pistachio mixture until fully combined, then stir in the chopped pistachios.

04. Pour the mixture into a freezable container. Freeze for at least 4 to 6 hours, or overnight.

Enjoy!

Hope everyone has had a good day.

Click "L" for a larger view.

Baked Chicken

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp mustard

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 lbs.)

2 Tbsp seasoned matzo meal or breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 425°.

In medium bowl, combine mayonnaise with mustard. Dip chicken halves in this mixture, then dredge in seasoned matzo meal or breadcrumbs.

Arrange chicken on baking sheet, then, sprinkle with olive oil.

Bake until chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 25 minutes.

Served with mashed potatoes and eggplant salad.

Eggplant and Red Pepper Salad

2 medium red bell peppers

1 medium tomato, peeled and seeded

3 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

Dash of ground red pepper

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 pound eggplant, cut into (1-inch) cubes

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 12 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and dice.

3. Place tomato in a blender; process until smooth. Combine tomato puree, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, ground red pepper, and garlic in a blender; process until smooth.

4. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add eggplant; cook 30 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in bell pepper and tomato mixture. Cook 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper.

ME: "Well, maybe you could sit a bit further away to "just look" at it Radcliffe"...

RADCLIFFE: "But, I like to sit close to your food"...

ME: "Sigh...................... how well I know it"...............

RADCLIFFE: "If a 'fur' gets on it will you still eat it?"....

ME: "If a "fur" gets on it, you are in big trouble, buddy".....

~~late for Happy Teddy Bear Tuesday...~~

```here is the recipe if anybody wants to give it a try. I'll put Geoff's site on here too...he has some good things...``

geoffsbakingblog.com

~~~Geoff’s Pumpkin Streusel Muffins~~~

250g (1 2/3 cups, based on scooping packed flour into a 250ml cup) plain flour

425g (1 15 oz can) pumpkin puree

170g (1 1/2 sticks) softened unsalted butter

300g (1 1/2 cups) caster sugar (I used less)

2 medium eggs (large in USA)

6g(2 1/2 tsp) pumpkin spice (or speculaas spice), or a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves

3g(1/2 tsp) salt

2 g(1/2 tsp) baking powder

6g(1 tsp) baking soda/bicarbonate of soda

```Streusel Topping```

40g (5 tbsp) plain flour

70g (5 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

62g (5 tbsp) Demerara sugar (granulated sugar will be ok, but not quite as good) (I used Golden Brown sugar)

90g (3/4 cup) roughly chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Place ingredients for the streusel topping into a bowl; mix to thoroughly combine then set aside.

Mix the flour, spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda together and set aside.

In a large bowl or in a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until fully combined.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat again until light and fluffy.

Empty the can of pumpkin puree into the mixture and beat again until combined.

Add the flour and stir in until everything is just combined; do not overmix.

Spoon the mixture, in equal quantities, into the 12 holes of the muffin pan and level off a little.

Spoon the streusel topping, breaking it up if it has hardened, over the top of the muffin batter.

Bake the muffins at 350F (180C) for about 35 minutes or until skewer poked into the centre comes out clean.

I love Italian food. This is a new recipe (for me), and one of the best things I've ever made. I never cook with things like heavy cream (or salt- I hate salt!), but I wanted to follow this to a "t" - and I have to say, it turned out incredible. The only thing I would change: it calls for one red pepper. I encourage two peppers. I'll include mushrooms next time, as well.. Also, I doubled the garlic. Because of vampires this time of year. And because you can never have enough garlic.

Tuscan Garlic Chicken:

Ingredients

4 each (4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 1/2 cups flour, plus 1 tablespoon

1 Tbsp salt

2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 lb fettuccine pasta, cooked according to package directions

5 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp garlic, chopped

1 red pepper, julienne cut

1/2 cup white wine (I used a cheap bottle of Sutter Home Chenin Blanc)

1/2 lb whole leaf spinach, stemmed

2 cups heavy cream

1 cups Parmesan cheese, grated

Procedures

Pre-heat oven to 350ºF.

1. MIX 1½ cups flour, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in the mixture, shaking off any excess.

2. HEAT 3 Tbsp oil in a large skillet. Cook chicken breasts 2 at a time over medium-high heat until golden brown and crisp (2-3 min). Add more oil for each batch as necessary.

3. PLACE cooked chicken breasts on a baking sheet and transfer to preheated oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

4. HEAT 2 Tbsp oil in a sauce pan. Add garlic and red pepper and cook for approximately 1 minute. Stir in 1 Tbsp flour, wine, spinach and cream and bring to a boil. Sauce is done when spinach becomes wilted. Complete by stirring in parmesan cheese.

5. COAT cooked, drained pasta with sauce, then top with chicken and remaining sauce. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese.

in my opinion, the best grits in the U.S. but maybe a bit overpriced:

getmesome.carolinacreole.com/luquire-family-foods-sofi-aw...

and my collard greens recipe:

16 oz of fresh collard greens, washed well

3 strips of thick-cut bourbon bacon cut in 1” slices

1/4 cup sweet onion finely minced

1 tbsp crushed garlic

2 cups turkey stock

2 tsp smoked sea salt

2 tbsp brown sugar

1-2 tsp red pepper flakes

In a Dutch oven cook the bacon until almost crisp over medium heat. Pour off all but about 3 tablespoons of the fat. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Deglaze the bottom of the pot with some stock. Put all of the greens in the pot, pour in the stock, and cover continuing to cook over medium heat. In about 5-10 minutes the volume of the greens will decrease. Using a sturdy wooden spoon carefully turn over the greens so that the bacon and onions get mixed well all over the greens. Add the sugar, salt, and pepper flakes, stir again. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for two hours and serve.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour (for dredging)

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 cups breadcrumbs or matzo meal

About 1/4 cup canola oil

Chopped parsley

Lemon wedges

Place chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound chicken breasts to uniform thickness.

Place flour on a plate and mix in salt and pepper.

Beat eggs and Dijon mustard in a shallow dish.

Place bread crumbs on another plate.

Working with 1 chicken breast at a time, dredge in flour, then dip into egg mixture, turning to coat evenly; carefully coat with crumbs.

−Heat about 4 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add chicken breasts to skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides, 8-10 minutes per side (flip only once, it keeps the schnitzel moist.)

Transfer chicken breasts to a paper towel-lined plate.

Add more oil to skillet and repeat with remaining chicken breasts.

Transfer chicken breasts to plates and garnish with lemon wedges.

Drop by Tablespoonful...

Thanks very much for Explore! Much appreciated :-)

Lunch

Hummus made with stick blender

Can of chick peas

3 tbsp tahini

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp cayenne pepper

Ground pepper

Sea salt

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp water

Throw it all into a big jar

Blend in place on low to start

Finish on high

Eat some now

Put the lid on the jar and chill

Faff about with garnish if you must... Parsley, more oil, pretty red things like pomegranate seeds or chili flakes if feeling macho

Takes about 10 mins including washing up

The cayenne is a nice afterglow and my lips are still tingling.

Fruity coffee pancakes

To make the crepes, mix the flour and salt then gradually beat in the eggs then the milk/water until you have a smooth batter. Mix in the melted butter and teaspoon of coffee granules.

Melt a little butter in the bottom of a frying pan - just enough to grease it. Wait until the pan is really hot before pouring in a little of the batter and waiting for the underside to cook before flipping and cooking the other side. If you want to attempt to toss the pancakes, use a frying pan with a curved side rather than one with sides that meet the base in a sharp corner.

You can keep pancakes warm by putting them on a plate balanced on another pan full of hot water, with the pan lid on top of the pancakes.

Meanwhile, to make the filling, remove the rind from the oranges with a zester. Cut off as much of the remaining pith as possible then slice in between each segment to cut the orange flesh into a bowl. Mix the orange mush, cornflour and honey and heat in a pan until thickened. Add the bananas.

Fold the pancakes into triangles and fill with the fruit.

Mmmmmmmmmmm :-P

© Susannah Relf All Rights Reserved

Unauthorized use or reproduction for any reason is prohibited

Tuna Salad

1 can of tuna drained

1/2 can of chick peas rinsed and drained

1/4 cup minced red onion

3 dill pickles chopped

1 carrot grated

1 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tbsp of yogurt (or yesterday I used Renne's yogurt/dill dressing.. yum!!)

1/2 juice of 1 lemon

Mix together and serve over spinach leaves, with rice crackers, with pasta or even on bread!

See you tomorrow for dinner :)

Of course, nobody but me would think of putting soup in a tea cup... when they say cup of soup in a restaurant...it's bowl size... or at the very least...small bowl size.

But, there was such a tiny bit left... and I wanted it in something pretty to photograph...so ..I hunted out a vintage bone china cup that used to belong to my Mom.

That was tasty soup let me tell you.... even in a plain old bowl.. but in a fancy cup?.. even better.

I add a few extras or don't always use exactly what the recipe calls for ... but, here is the basic recipe.

Asparagus Soup

1 pound of asparagus, chopped into small pieces

1 onion, finely chopped

3 or 4 sprigs of parsley

3 to 4 cups chicken stock

3 TBSPS Butter

2 TSBPS flour

1/4 tsp. mace

1/2 cup heavy cream

Wash scrape and trim asparagus. (I didn't do this; just used it after rinsing) Remove tips for garnish if you like.

Melt butter and cook onions slightly... add the flour and cook a bit more..stir it around a bit. Add the chicken stock gradually while stirring... if it gets a few lumps...just keep stirring.. they disappear. Then add parsley and chopped asparagus. Add some salt and pepper and bring to a boil... lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

When asparagus is nice and soft... use hand blender to make it into a creamy consistency. (you can use a blender, but be careful it's hot soup!) Add the heavy cream into the soup.. .. a bit at a time or temper it with some of the hot soup first.. then add. Milk will work equally well. I used a little sprinkle of nutmeg rather than the mace suggested. Who keeps mace around? .. not me.

Divide some of the reserved asparagus tips into each bowl before ladling in the soup if you like. I just used all the asparagus in the soup... we sprinkled on a few home made croutons of a light rye bread that I made.

It was pretty yummy.

as with all soups... add or subtract as you please....

"Bumblebearies"

425° F

Quarter 1 pound of radishes. Toss with ghee or neutral oil (such as avocado), parsley, salt and pepper

Spread in 9 x 13 baking pan.

Bake 15 minutes, add 2-3 tbsp minced garlic and turn radishes.

Bake 10 more minutes (until fork tender)

Add additional parsley and enjoy!

CREAMY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

3 chicken cutlets, rotisserie chicken seasoning

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 onion diced

2 carrots diced

3 ribs celery sliced

1 tsp oregano

1 quart chick stock (homemade is best but not required)

1 cup fine egg noodles

1cup milk (room temp)

2 tbsp parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Season the chicken cutlets with rotisserie chicken seasoning. Roast the cutlets in the oven at 350º (I actually used the air-fryer) until the chicken has started to brown. Remove the cutlets when they reach about 160º and cut into small bite-sized pieces; set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and whisk constantly making a roux. Cook the roux until it just starts to show some light tan color. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the hot roux and increase the heat slightly. Stir in the aromatics well and cook until the mirepoix has softened (about 7-19 minutes), stir frequently to keep from scorching. Add oregano. Add the chicken stock to the pot 1 cup at a time, stirring well to blend allowing the heat to recover. Bring the pot to a boil, add the chicken and reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes.

Bring the pot back to a boil and add the egg noodles. Cook for 3 minutes then slowly stir in the milk and return to a boil. Add the parsley and now simmer and taste the soup for salt and pepper. Make sure to scrape to bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon frequently to avoid scorching the starches.

EXPLORE, #69 June 17, 2007

A little ice & water

Kalojam, also known as Black Plum, is an evergreen tropical tree native to Bangladesh, India and Indonesia region. This fruit is available only during Aashar month (আষাঢ়). They might look similar to Blackberry but their taste varies a lot!!

We, Bengali, usually eat them making 'Bhorta' by smashing some with salt, sugar, green chilies. It's quite funny to eat since you have to throw the seeds away on every bite!!!

You can make some sweet n' sour squash out of it too! Here's the recipe for you--->

- Take 1kg of Kalojam on a deep bottom pan. Add water just to submerge the berries. Boil them for 10 mins or so, just to soften the berries enough to make pulp. Turn off the flame & let it cool down a little bit.

- While it's still warm, use your washed hand to crush them well to separate the seeds.

- Take a cheese-cloth, with the help of a spoon, put few of this pulp and squeeze them very well & let the juice pour into a new clean deep bottom pan. This way all the juice will be out leaving the pulp & seeds out (thus making a clear squash).

-Now measure the juice. For 4 cups of Kalojam Juice, add 3 cups of sugar. (Remember this measurement & calculate yours)

-Bring it to boil till the sugar melts. Some foam might create while boiling. Don't discard them as they will dissolve while cooling down.

- Add 1 Tsp of Citric acid. Boil for 1 more minute & turn off the flame.

-Let the squash cool down completely. Pour them into clean dry bottles & you can keep them in refrigerators for up to 1 month.

- Add few Tbsp of this squash in a glass, add some ice & water. You can add some rock salt & ground cumin if you want to make it taste more fancy Bengali flavor!!!

©All rights are reserved 2020.

Lime Chicken

Grill boneless, skinless chicken thighs over medium heat, keeping away from direct flame.

Combine red pepper flakes, Serrano pepper (1/2 pepper), onion (chopped/minced), garlic (1 clove), olive oil (2 tbsp), juice of 1/2 lime).

Pour mixture over chicken during cooking, making sure to cover evenly.

Cook till juices run clear.

Salsa:

2 whole tomatoes

1/4 cup onion (chopped)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp lime juice

2 tbsp jalapeno

1/2 red pepper (chopped)

2 tsp Habanero pepper

1 1/2 tsp cilantro (chopped)

Mix all ingredients together, let stand ~ 30 min, serve.

EDIT: I also sprinkled a bit of dill on top.

As always, your thoughts, critiques and comments are welcome.

Thanks for viewing!

I made this a while back.. oh, it is yummy. Well, I should say was instead of is....it WAS yummy ... because, of course, it was gone in a few days...

It is very easy no knead bread and tastes amazing.

Geoff's Focaccia

If you are like me and want to watch it being made..go to Geoff's site and watch his video.. if you're good with just a recipe...here it is..from his site.

I use traditional dry yeast..so let that proof for 10 mins and then add the other liquids to it and then..the dry. I use my stand mixer instead of doing it by hand.

I add some grated cheese to the mixing dough as well as on top... add whatever you please. On the top this one has sautéed onions, sun dried tomatoes, also, crushed garlic and tiny sprigs of fresh Rosemary in olive oil and some cheddar grated on at the end. Oh, YUM! (and...have lots of paper towels on hand ..it is greasy to do..even though I use a small rubber bristled brush to brush on the oil... you still have to make indents with fingers)

Ingredients:

428g(2 3/4 cups + 1 1/2 tbsp, based on scooping packed flour into a 250ml cup) bread flour

340ml( 1 1/2 cups) lukewarm water

30ml(2 tbsp) olive oil, for the dough

30mll(2 tbsp) olive oil, for the pan

15ml(1 tbsp) olive oil to drizzle on top of the dough

8g(1 1/4 tsp) salt

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp mixed herbs

10g(3 tsp) instant yeast

28g(1/3 cup) cheddar cheese powder)or grated cheese

parmesan cheese for grating on the top of the dough, to taste

Method:

Place the flour, salt, cheese powder and Italian seasoning into a large bowl.

Mix around to combine.

Add the yeast into the warm water an stir around.

Add 2 tbsp olive oil into the water.

Add the water to the dry ingredients and used a dough whisk or a spoon to mix for two minutes until all is combined and a stretchy dough has formed(you can do this in a mixer too)

Place 2 tbsp oil into a 9×13 inch(24×33 cm) pan that has about 2 inch sides.

Brush the oil over the base and up the sides of the pan.

Place the dough into the pan and use oiled hands to press it levelly over the base.

Cover the pan with plastic wrap and leave to rise for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/ 3575 F.

Drizzle some oil over the dough and use a hand to gently wipe it all over the surface.

Use the tips of the finger on one hand to make indentations all over the surface of the dough.

Sprinkle mixed herbs over the top.

Grate parmesan over the top too.

Bake in the over for 35 to 40 minutes until the focaccia is baked through and is nicely browned on top.

Remove from the oven and leave for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

I dont try much non-indian cooking but this turned out really delicious. The chorizo was firm and fiery but well balanced by the mushroom .

Soak 200gm mushrooms in boiling water for 10 minutes and drain. Chop the mushrooms. Add 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp olive oil to a pan and add 2 cloves chopped garlic and fry for 20 seconds. Add the mushrooms and stir. Fry for 3 minutes. Add 2 sliced salsa peppers and 25gm sliced chorizo sausage and fry for 5 minutes.

Thanks to the haven of gorgeous wonders that is Doves Farm, here we have a gluten-free, brown bread flour that is at once easy to handle and completely delicious. For those of you who like to prepare and blend (even grind) your own flours - and I will join you, eventually - I have listed the flour ingredients in order of largest amount first but for now I must allow your experience (or intuition if you're new to blending) to be your guide when it comes to relative proportions. It is my intention to contact Doves Farm, organic farmers and cultivators of home baking, regarding the reverse engineering of product components for home use. In my mind I group such things as knowledge of organic farming, recipes and ingredients with the free software movement but who knows which of my favourite gluten-free-product-producing companies share... well, anything. A topic for a post to the upcoming blog, perhaps.

Currently, I'm making this for one (I miss you, BooBoo) so...

Handmade, gluten-free, brown bread pitta

Ingredients:

about 100g Doves Farm Brown Bread Flour

(components: rice, tapioca, potato, maize, sarrasin & carob flours, sugar beet fibre, xanthan gum)

generous pinch of salt

2 tbsp oil (olive, vegetable and sunflower all work well) + a few drops for the pan

between 60ml and 90ml semi-skimmed milk

Utensils:

a 1lt glass mixing bowl

a metal fork

a metal tablespoon

a small wooden spoon, about 1½" x 2" (~4x5cm) at the bowl part

a shallow dinner plate, preferably glass without raised rim,

though any portable, flat, glass or marble surface will do

a large (at least 9" (23cm) diameter) shallow frying pan or skillet

flat metal spatula or pizza slice

a bread knife

(no scoffing at utensil specification, please. It's important!)

Method:

1. put the flour in the mixing bowl

2. add the pinch of salt, then a tiny bit more for luck ;-)

3. mix lightly but quite thoroughly with a metal fork

4. give the bowl a little tap to level the flour

5. measure each tablespoon of oil and drizzle over the flour

6. mix the flour and oil with the fork until small spheres of various sizes are formed

7. using the metal tablespoon, scrape any residual flour+oil from the fork into the bowl

8. add a little of the milk and with the back of the wooden spoon begin gathering the mixture together with circular movements, first around the inside wall of the bowl, then through the centre of the mixture. When it looks a bit dry and starts to separate, add a little more milk and repeat, making sure that with each sweep of the spoon you transfer sticky mixture from the bowl surface to the dough

9. mix and gather the dough quite loosely into a sticky ball. It should only take about four or five tablespoons of milk (about 2-2½fl oz (60-75ml)) to achieve the correct consistency

10. dust a big pinch of flour over the top of the dough and another into the bowl around its base

11. roll the ball around in the flour with the back of the wooden spoon until the dough is covered with flour. At this point you can form the dough into more of a sphere by pulling it in various directions up the sides of the bowl with the back of the wooden spoon but don't press too hard into the dough as this will expose the sticky part and cause the sphere to split

12. pick up the ball and form it gently with your hands. Doesn't it feel nice? 8-)

13. dust the plate or flat surface with flour and place the ball in the centre

14. with the flat palm of your least dexterous hand, begin flattening the ball, little by little in the following way: press with the palm, then with your hand still on the dough, pinch the edge with the thumb of the same hand to help keep the edges of the emerging circle from splitting. Rotate the plate or surface a little with your dexterous hand and repeat. When the circle is about 5" (12cm) diameter, carefully lift the dough and dust more flour underneath. Replace the dough, dust a little flour over the top and continue, now working from the centre outwards to carefully expand the circle, keeping the surface as even as you can. Continue until the dough is roughly 3/16" (4mm) thick (thin!) and about 8" (20cm) in diameter

15. oil the surface of the pan. I do this by adding a few drops and spreading it all over the surface with my hand. Well it works! Place over a medium (or just below medium) heat

16. while the pan heats up for about a minute, carefully slide the pizza slice under the dough, bit by bit, rotating the plate as before to ensure no part of the circle is sticking

17. slide the dough circle into the pan, give it a bit of a shake to centre and cook for about four minutes each side

After three minutes or so air pockets will start to form and expand. It is at this point you know you did your mixing correctly and will ultimately have somewhere to stuff the filling of your choice. A little scorchin' is desirable so don't worry if your pitta has a few dark marks on it; they taste good!

Let your finished pitta cool a little before cutting it across the middle, then carefully open up each half with a bread knife.

Voi - là!

English follows

Sesam-mie met courgette/Thaise roerbakmix en tempeh

Nodig voor 4 personen:

1 pak pittige tofublokjes, 75 ml woksaus sweet & sour, 1 teentje knoflook, 1 pak eiermie, 2 el olie, 1 zak Thaise roerbakamix (400 gram) of 2 courgettes in blokjes, 3 el sesamzaad

Bereid de mie volgens de aanwijzingen op de verpakking. Verhit de olie en roerbak de Thaise mix of courgette vijf minuten. Schep de tofublokjes, de woksaus erbij en roerbak nog vijf minuten. Verhit een droge koekenpan en strooi het sesamzaad erin en rooster het al omschuddend goudbruin. Giet de eiermie af en schep het sesamzaad erdoor. Serveer met het tofu-groentemengsel.

Sesame noodles with zucchini / Thai stir-fry mix and tempeh

Necessary for 4 persons:

1 pack of spicy tofu cubes, 75 ml wok sauce sweet & sour, 1 clove of garlic, 1 pack of egg noodles, 2 tbsp oil, 1 bag of Thai stir-fry mix (400 grams) or 2 zucchini in cubes, 3 tbsp sesame seeds

Prepare the noodles according to the instructions on the package. Heat the oil and stir-fry the Thai mix or zucchini for five minutes. Spoon in the tofu cubes, the wok sauce and stir-fry 5 minutes more. Heat a dry frying pan and sprinkle the sesame seeds in it and roast until golden brown while shaking. Drain the egg noodles and add the sesame seeds. Serve with the tofu vegetable mixture.

Dinner last night. Basically a throw-together dish of a gratuitous amount of random vegetables and garlic, dressed in a light sauce of tamari, rice vinegar, sugar and pepper flakes.

These are the amounts I used (for one serving... I'm a pig :-) ):

•Pinch red pepper flakes

•1/2 tbsp soy sauce

•1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

•1 tsp brown sugar substitute

•1/4 white onion, diced

•2 cloves garlic, minced

•1 medium carrot, julienned

•4 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced

•2 oz snowpeas, halved

•6 oz parboiled cauliflower florets

•1/2 medium zucchini, julienned

•3 oz beansprouts

•8 oz baby bok choy, halved

yummysmells.blogspot.com/2009/05/greening-up.html

It is a dish made by cooking the cabbage leaves of a medium savoy cabbage in salty water with 5-6 cloves of garlic, 2 pieces of bay and 1 tbsp caraway seeds, layering them with 2 cups of cooked rice and 800 g ground meat flavored with 1 medium onion, 1 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika and 1 tsp marjoram pouring 3 cups sour cream on top and baking it in the oven. Cooked by my husband, Feri. I scattered it with fresh minced dill and served it with sour cream.

My photo presents a big portion for a very hungry man!

I served it on my great grandma's antique parsley patterned Herend plate.

November 27, 2016

Soliloquize:

[suh-lil-uh-kwahyz]

verb (used without object)

1. to utter a soliloquy; talk to oneself.

verb (used with object)

2. to utter in a soliloquy; say to oneself.

-----

After breakfast this morning, I got to baking while Sylvia sat around and relaxed. I thought these had nice look to them so I thought I'd give them a shot.

They actually have an interesting taste to them too, almost like a brownie cookie and really, who can resist that?

Recipe for those interested:

Ingredients:

- 2 cups of all-purpose flour

- 1 cup of Unsweetened Cocoa powder

- 1/2 tsp of baking soda

- 2 tsp of baking powder

- 1 tsp of salt

- 8 tbsp of unsalted butter

- 8 oz. of Chocolate Baking Chips Unsweetened

- 3 cups packed of brown sugar

- 6 eggs

- 2 tsp of Vanilla Extract

- 8 tsp of instant Espresso Powder

- 1 cup of granulated sugar

- 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

01. Preheat oven to 325F degrees with the rack in the middle.

02. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

03. In a bowl whisk or sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

04. In a separate bowl microwave chocolate chips and butter in short intervals, stirring in between until the chocolate is mostly melted. Continue stirring until all chocolate is melted.

05. In a bowl whisk sugar, eggs, espresso powder and vanilla extract together.

06. Add melted chocolate to the mixture and whisk until combined.

07. Add the flour-cocoa mixture and fold until no streaks of flour are seen.

08. Let sit for 10-15 minutes for the mixture to cool down and harden slightly.

09. Set two bowls with granulated sugar in one and confectioners sugar in another.

10. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of batter and drop it into the granulated sugar mixture first. Roll around in the sugar, then roll into a ball with hands. Next drop into the confectioners’ sugar until coated.

11. Place coated cookie balls onto a baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.

12. Bake for 6 minutes, rotate the sheet, and baking for another 4-6 minutes, 10-12 minutes total. Cookies should be set around the edges and still soft in the middle.

13. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.

Hope everyone has had a good day.

Click "L" for a larger view.

Orange Beef with Noodles

by Weight Watchers Magazine

Course: light meals

PointsPlus™ Value: 6

Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 9 min

Cooking Time: 11 min

Level of Difficulty: Easy

We use flank steak, but you can also use boneless top round steak.

Ingredients

4 oz packaged rice noodles

2/3 cup(s) fresh orange juice

2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp dark sesame oil

1 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp chili sauce, (chili paste)

1/2 pound(s) raw lean flank steak, trimmed of all visible fat and sliced thin across the grain

6 medium scallion(s), cut into 2-inch slices

2 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced (medium)

2 tsp ginger root, minced, peeled, fresh

Instructions

Prepare the noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Combine the orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, oil, cornstarch, and chili paste in a bowl until blended and smooth; set aside.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over high heat. Add the steak and cook in batches, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the scallions, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the orange juice mixture and cook until the sauce boils and thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in the noodles; heat through. Serve at once.

Notes

When browning meat, make sure it is cooked over high heat in a single layer. If your pan is not big enough to accommodate all the meat at one time, cook it in batches, otherwise the meat will steam instead of brown.

Shell dough made with cinnamon knots recipe. Half recipe yields 5 shells. Dough rolled out thinly and layered with dough strips colored by cocoa powder. Dough strips is ¼ of dough. Rolled tightly to form shell and create layers (though i had rolled a couple of them too tightly).

Perfect (smallest) size is 1in width and 3in length. Texture is crisp on the outside perimeter (¼ in thick) and soft at center which is ½ of width like equal parts soft and crunchy. Thinner than 1in has too much crunchy than soft, and thicker shells have more bread-y and soft center. I'll make them thicker next time.

Chocolate sauce made with 1 cup coconut milk, 5 tablets Malagos chocolate, 50g brown sugar, 1½ tbsp cornstarch, 1 egg.

LOBSTER BISQUE

Seafood stock:

4 cold water lobster tail shells

shells from 1 pound of shrimp

2 tbsp olive oil

2 carrots rough chop

1 onion rough chop, skin on

2 celery stalks rough chop

1 leek rough chop

1/2 fennel bulb rough chop

4 cloves of garlic smashed

2 tomatoes rough chop

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 bay leaves

1 cup dry white wine

3 quarts water or chicken stock

pinch salt

pinch white pepper

pinch cayenne

Bisque preparation:

1 onion fine dice

2 carrots fine dice

2 celery stalks fine dice

1/2 fennel bulb fine dice

1 leek fine sliced

4 clove garlic minced

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp fresh thyme

1 tsp fresh tarragon

6 tbsp butter

6 tbsp all purpose flour

1 cup dry sherry

seafood stock from above

1 cup heavy cream

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

1 tsp cayenne

2 tsp paprika

Lobster:

Meat from 4 lobster tails cut into bite sized sections

1 shallot fine dice

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup dry white wine

Garnish:

Fresh chives, tarragon, fennel fronds, crème fraîche

Equipment:

Stock pot, soup pot, medium stainless skillet, fine mesh strainer/chinois, blender (or immersion blender)

A good idea to do all of your mise en place at the beginning. Split the lobster tails with a large chef’s knife or kitchen shears. Remove the lobster meat and discard the ‘vein’. Slice the tail meat into spoon sized sections along their natural creases. Reserve the meat and refrigerate until later.

Add olive oil to stock pot and over medium high heat, sauté the shells, breaking them up with a mallet or potato masher. Sauté until shells are bright red. Add shrimp shells, carrots, celery, onion, leeks, fennel, tomatoes, bay leaves and garlic; continue to cook over medium high heat. Add tomato paste and cook to caramelization. Deglaze the pot with the white wine. Add chicken stock or water enough to cover ingredients. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Bring to a boil and reduce to a medium simmer. Simmer partially covered for 1 1/2 hours. At the end of cooking, strain the stock through the chinois removing all the solids. Set aside the stock in a separate container and cover. This stock can actually be portioned and frozen for later use if desired.

Melt 6 tbsp butter in your soup pot, medium high heat. Add the mirepoix, leek, and fennel and cook until vegetables have softened, about 10-12 minutes. You do not want heavy caramelization here. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add flour to create a roux and cook until a light fond starts to form on the bottom of the pot. Deglaze pot with dry sherry. Add thyme and tarragon. To the pot add lobster stock gradually, stirring in to mix well and develop the consistency you desire, thinner than gravy but not watery. Simmer the pot for about 45 minutes to meld the flavors. At this point you are going to blend the soup. An immersion blender can work but my upright blender is faster. Only fill blender jar 1/2 full and remove the center filler cap on the lid. Cover the hole with a kitchen towel. Blend on low at first and then gradually increase speed all the way to high. (if you do not follow this precisely, your blender will explode and you will paint your kitchen walls Lobster Orange). Blend in batches if necessary.

Blend for about a minute and a half depending on the power of your blender. You are looking for silky smoothness. If using an immersion blender, turn off the heat on the stove and carefully blend for about three to four minutes, again depending on the power if your blender.

Once blended, return soup to the pot and simmer. Add heavy cream and stir in completely. Add lemon juice, nutmeg, cayenne, and paprika. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary. You can add an ounce of cognac for extra depth; I did not think it needed it. Keep warm at a low simmer; do not let it boil.

Melt 2 tbsp butter in a medium stainless steel skillet. Sauté shallot until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add wine and reduce but 1/2. Once wine has reduced, all lobster pieces and cook until just firm and white (~5-7 minutes / internal temp 140º). Remove from heat.

Serve bisque in warmed bowls garnishing with lobster meat, chives, tarragon, and crème fraîche.

bon appétit!

Hand made without using the rolling pin, eaten with vegetables or bhaji..

www.indobase.com/recipes/details/jowar-roti.php

Jowar Roti Recipe

Jowar Roti is a popular recipe eaten in the summer month in Rajasthan. Learn how to make/prepare Jowar Roti by following this easy recipe.

ngredients:

• 1 cup Jowar Flour

• 1 cup Warm Water

• Salt to taste

• 1 tbsp Ghee

How to make Jowar Roti:

•Mix the Jowar flour, warm water and salt to form smooth dough and leave it for 15-20 minutes.

•Knead well and divide it into equal portions.

•Roll out each portion into a roti and put it on a hot griddle over medium flame.

•Cook from both sides and then put it directly on the fire to puff up.

•Turn it over during puffing and put off the flame.

•Now smear a 1/8 tsp of ghee over the Jowar Roti. Serve hot.

PointsPlus Value: 6

CORE

Servings: 8

Preparation Time: 5 min

Cooking Time: 30 min

Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Course: main meals

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp fat-free sour cream

1 tsp paprika

1 Tbsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp table salt

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium carrot(s), peeled and chopped

1 medium onion(s), chopped

1/2 cup frozen green peas

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1 3/4 pound raw extra lean ground beef

1 cup fat-free beef broth

1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth

2 pound whole uncooked white potato, peeled and cubed

Instructions

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine sour cream and 1/2 c. chicken broth. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.

While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef or lamb. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat for 3 or 4 minutes. Add chopped carrot and onion to the meat. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

In a second small skillet over medium heat whisk together cornstarch, 1 c. beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute.

Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas. Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned. Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.

PointsPlus value: 7

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp olive oil

4 Tbsp fresh lime juice, juice from one lime

1 large carrot(s), peeled and grated

3 clove garlic clove(s), minced

1 medium onion(s), chopped

4 bell pepper(s), remove tops, ribs and seeds

1/2 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped

2 cup cooked brown rice

15 oz canned diced tomatoes, 1 can, drained

7 oz canned black beans, 1/2 can, drained and rinsed

1/2 pound uncooked ground turkey breast

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Brown meat in oil with carrots and onions. Add garlic. Add tomatoes and beans.

Mix with brown rice. Add lime juice and herbs and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Boil peppers for a few minutes so they're soft. Drain on paper towel. Place each pepper in a baking dish and fill with rice mixture.

Bake for 20 mins.

Adapted from Eat Clean Diet Cookbook.

ATTN: If anyone makes this, could you please send a photo to KristanAnne19@aol.com ? Thanks!

I used ground elk and the tubed organic polenta from Trader Joe's. Kept the same points value. I suggest using the green chilis, or it will be a bit bland. It is very filling and a LOT of food for the points.

POINTS® Value: 5

Servings: 6

Preparation Time: 18 min

Cooking Time: 12 min

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Seasoned ground beef and vegetables are spooned over homemade polenta. Then they're topped with traditional Mexican ingredients like cheese, salsa and fresh cilantro.

Ingredients

1 pound(s) uncooked lean ground beef (with 7% fat)

1 small onion(s), chopped

14 1/2 oz canned diced tomatoes, with chiles, drained, reserve 1 Tbsp of liquid

1 cup(s) canned yellow corn, drained, or frozen, thawed corn kernels

10 items olive(s), Kalamata, sliced

2 tbsp canned jalapeno peppers, pickled, chopped (optional)

3/4 tsp table salt, divided

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/8 tsp black pepper

3/4 cup(s) polenta, quick-cooking

3 cup(s) canned chicken broth

1/3 cup(s) salsa

1/3 cup(s) shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese

2 tbsp cilantro, or scallion, fresh, chopped (optional)

Instructions

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook beef and onion, stirring frequently, until meat is fully cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes; drain off any liquid. Stir in tomatoes and reserved liquid, corn, olives, jalapenos (if using), 1/4 teaspoon of salt, cumin and pepper; simmer 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Meanwhile, in a small pot, combine cornmeal, broth and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt; stir well. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until cornmeal is thick, about 5 minutes.

Spoon polenta onto a large serving plate and top with beef mixture. Top with salsa, cheese and cilantro (or scallion). Divide into 6 portions and serve.

Notes

The polenta will still be soft after cooking but will firm up if allowed to stand for a few minutes before serving.

Apple Cake. Gâteau aux pommes

3 - 4 apples - peeled, cored and cut into chunks

½ C. white sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 Tbsp margarine

Sprinkle sliced apples with 5 tablespoons white sugar and the ground cinnamon. Toss to coat.

Sauté apple chunks 5 minutes in margarine. Drain and set aside. (You should have about 3 cups of apples.) Sprinkle a bit of flour on the apples.

Mix together:

3 cups all-purpose flour

4 eggs

2 ¼ cups granulated sugar

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup orange juice

2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 10 inch tube pan.

2.Mix the flour, eggs, 2 1/4 cups sugar, baking powder, salt, vegetable oil, orange juice and vanilla until well blended. Batter will be fairly stiff. Add apples.

3.Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 70 minutes.

Let cake cool in pan before unmolding.