Beef Wellington

Y'all probably know that I love to experiment and try to recreate the classics as they were originally intended. As we have seen things like fusion food and product availability we have seen serious bastardizations. With this menu I kept things mostly classic, but made a few minor changes. Here is the menu: Beef Wellington Asparagus Duchesse Potatoes Hollandaise Scotch Sauce Pumpkin Log I will start by saying this menu is not for the underlie ambitious or the feint of heart. Including shopping this menu took a solid 8 hours to get to the table. The upside is that much of the preparations can be done a day or 2 in advance. I still think that components of this meal can be used for special occasions. The Beef Wellington was definitely the most challenging. I started by making a mushroom duxelle and a "mock" pate foie gras. CATEGORY: Meat Recipe Name: Pate foie gras *mock* Ingredients: 1 pound chicken livers 1-1/4 teaspoons salt 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon mustard powder 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon cloves 1/8 teaspoon cayenne 1 red onion Steps: * rinse chicken livers and trim them by pulling out connective tissue. * put chicken liver in a small sauce pan with 4 c water and bring to a boil. * reduce heat to a simmer, add salt and simmer for 20 minutes * cool chicken livers in water to room temperature * mince onion in food processor and put in a coffee filter over a cup to drain juice, until you get 2 tablespoons. Reserve onion for other use. * drain chicken livers and put in a stand mixer or food processor with remaining, butter, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, nutmeg, cloves, cayenne pepper, and onion juice into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. * mix until it forms a smooth paste. * press into a crock lined with plastic wrap. * refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving. Chicken liver pate may be stored under refrigeration up to 4 weeks. NOTES: Though I have made some minor changes to this recipe I do not feel I can call it mine. The original recipe can be found at the link below. Link (URL): http://homecooking.about.com/od/appetizerrecipes/r/blapp31.htm CATEGORY: Vegetables Recipe Name: Mushroom Duxelle Ingredients: 12 oz Crimini Mushrooms 8 oz White Button Mushrooms 2 T unsalted butter 1/4 c Shallots 1 t Garlic 1/2 t Salt 1/4 t pepper 1/3 c dry white vermouth Steps: * mince shallot and garlic in food processor * mince mushrooms in food processor * saute shallots and garlic in butter over medium high heat for 1 min * add mushrooms, salt and pepper to garlic and shallots, mixing well * reduce heat slightly and move mixture to the side of the pan to allow moisture to evaporate. Occasionally stir and push to side of pan again. * when mixture is dry stir in vermouth and evaporate as above * let cool to room temperature * use as called for in recipe NOTES: This recipe can be used in things like beef wellington, chicken wellington, added to a cream sauce or used with cream cheese for a dip. CATEGORY: Meat Recipe Name: Individual Beef Wellington for 9-12 Ingredients: 3-4 lb beef tenderloin 1/3 lb per portion 1 t salt 1 t pepper 1 t garlic 2 packages puff pastry 1 mushroom duxelle 1 pate foie gras ( or 3/4 lb braunschwager) 1 jar english mustard (colemans) 1 egg Steps: * trim tenderloin and cut it to desired portions * season each piece with salt, pepper and garlic * sear on all sides then cool in refrigerator for at least 1 hour *make Mushroom Duxelle and Pate Foie Gras * Thaw puff pastry * mix mushroom duxelle and pate foie gras together and portion equally * rub beef with english mustard on all sides * cut puff pastry sheets along folds and roll each piece to twice it's width and 1 1/2 times it's length * in the middle of the rolled puff pastry place duxelle/pate mix and then beef on top of it * fold the sides of puff pastry in first, then then the ends, overlap is preferred * repeat assemble for all pieces * place completed beef wellingtons, seam side down on a rack on a cookie sheet * return to refrigerator for 1-24 hours or freezer for 30 minutes * When you are ready to cook the beef wellington preheat your oven to 425 * scramble egg and brush over beef wellingtons * When oven is preheated put the beef wellingtons on the top shelf until the puff pastry is golden brown * immediately remove and let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving NOTES: If you want to make this recipe but don't have a big block of time this can be made over several days. The Pate Foie Gras can be made up to 2 weeks in advance, the Mushroom Duxelle can be made 1 week in advance, the beef seared 24 hours before assembly and assemble can be done 24 hours in advance of baking. I think that stretching any of these time lines further would deteriorate the quality of the product. This recipe can be simplified by making one beef wellington instead of individual. To do this use 1 box of puff pasty, overlapping the two sheets by 1" before rolling it out. Then spread the duxelle/pate mixture to all but 1" of the edge, instead of only having it on top. Leave the tenderloin whole and cook it for longer when you sear it. When you are done cooking it let it rest for 20-30 minutes before cutting. This also makes it easier to serve if you don't know exactly how many people will be at your table. This conclude part 1. More to come...

A Cancer Fighting Party Menu

One of the groups I am associated with has teamed up with the local area Cancer Society for their grand opening. It is my pleasure to cater this event for them. When I originally started getting this together I was astounded at the variety of foods that fight cancer. Many of them are actually quite decadent. The challenge is to feature the foods that fight cancer. The meats were a little more of a challenge since the only meat with this benefit is Oceanic Salmon. Le Menu Veggie Tray An assortment of cancer fighting vegetables served with a Ranch style dip Mushrooms Cherry Tomatoes Carrots Edame (Soy Beans) Cauliflower Broccoli With a Ranch Sauce Puffs Mixed with milk, butter, eggs, salt & pepper and then baked to perfection to make bite size treats Sweet Potato Turnip Pumpkin Fruit Tartletts Fruit topping a shortbread tart with a cream cheese that is lightly flavoured with lemon and sugar, some topped with Dark Chocolate Shavings Raspberries Oranges Figs Cheese Dips Jalapeños, Roasted Garlic and Spinach with Artichokes mixed with cream cheese, yogurt and spices to make a delightful dip for Rosemary Bread and Flax Crackers Rosemary Bread Flax Crackers Candied Jalepeno Dip Roasted Garlic Dip Spinach Artichoke Dip Meat Spicy Andouille Meatballs mixed with Rice and Smoked Papaya and Garlic give this Chicken a Delicate Sweetness Pork lightly seasoned with Lemon and Ginger Beverages Coffee Green Tea Chai Tea with honey and milk Mulled Cider Ginger Tea

Green Beans

I have done this recipe with both fresh and canned green beans and both ways receive raves about the flavor. The cayenne adds just a little extra flavor that people love. CATEGORY: Vegetables Recipe Name: green beans Ingredients: 1 can green beans, drained or 2 c fresh green beans 1 T butter 1/4 t salt 1/4 t pepper small pinch cayenne Steps: * put all ingredients in pan * put lid on * Turn to high until butter melts * Turn off heat * Let sit for 5 minutes * Serve

Ginny Chicken and Dumpliings

As many of you know I have a few feasts to plan for the first part of next year. To me this means I have to start researching, making, tasting, testing and tasting some more. For one of the feasts I am thinking about something a bit lower key than usual. For one of the courses I want to do chicken with a dumpling soup. The chicken seasoning I am happy with (1 t juniper berries, 1 T kosher salt, 1 T Rosemary, 1 T garlic, 1 T pepper). I knew the juniper berries were risky because they have such a strong flavor, as anyone who has had cheap gin can attest. Fortunately it worked. The dumplings were a different story. I had to find out what a dumpling was in the middle ages. I suspected that they may have been thick noodles, not much different than gnocchi. Fortunately they are not too much different than modern dumplings except that many were stuffed or contained cheese and did not contain baking powder or baking soda. When it comes down to it the unstuffed medieval dumplings were a combination of flour, bread crumbs, egg, butter, firm and/or soft cheese, and occasionally onion or mushroom and seasonings. Amazingly it was easier to find acceptable recipes when searching for modern instead of medieval, once I figured out what the requirements were. I did my first batch today, for my husbands office. For the soup I basically made a chicken soup without the chicken. I used chicken broth, carrots, celery, onion, rosemary, garlic, salt, pepper, and thyme. I started by gently caramelizing the onions and carrots before I added everything else and brought it to a fast simmer or low boil. Then I went to work making the dumpling mix; 1 egg, 1/4 c flour, 3 T butter, 1/4 t nutmeg & 1/2 t salt. I did one batch with whole wheat flour and the other with white flour. As much as I am a stickler for the rules, if people aren't willing to eat it the authenticity means nothing. Fortunately the guys at the office did not notice a difference between the two and gave the dish thumbs up. I know the whole wheat will work flavor wise and it held well. The flavor of the soup in imperative because that is what gives the dumpling its flavor. Next I think I want to try a bit of herb and Parmesan in the dumpling and see how people like it. Don't get me wrong, both the chicken and the soup got thumbs up and I was left with empty pans. I just think I can make it better. Wait for the second trial of dumpling soup Anthoinette Genheimer

Diabetic Friendly Bread

I had a hard time posting this recipe due to the Soy Protein Isolate.  I don't know what it is, but my issue is that it is not in its natural state.  I ultimately decided to post it because people who have wheat issues would find this helpful.

Anthoinette

I found a Sandwich Bread that is for Diabetic's.   Ingredients  1/2 c. sesame seeds - ground 1/4 c. soy protein Isolate 1/4 c. soy flour 3 eggs lightly beaten 1/2 c. sour cream 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 c. olive oil   Cooking Instructions   You can also make it with 1/4 c. ground flax and 1/4 c. ground un hulled sesame. Mix all together and put into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350*F - 180*C  for 20 - 25 minutes

Canning -from a reader

This list is about food so I may as well talk about food. Well preserving food anyway. I have a recipe to put up later. First I may as well talk about Canning. Canning is an almost lost art. I say art for it is that. Some have the knack for it some do not. Some try. I have a Niece that I should buy a Canning book for. She never ceases to amaze me with how she does her canning. I have often wondered why she has not poisoned someone. OK! Made someone pretty sick, that better. I have had the opportunity to try to teach her how to do this art. I was going to say dieing art, but I can not say that any more.  But with my Niece somewhere I must have failed her. That or she is afraid of the pressure canners. If she has been a lucky lady to have the food be OK after the way she told me she done beans and ham soup and carrots. Water Bath is so not the way to do these.  Foods class drums it into our heads that you need to kill the bacteria that comes with canning. Vegetables and meats are done in a Pressure cooker for a specified amount of time. Fruits and pickles can be done in a water bath. Jams and jellies are done in a water bath as well.  Or you freeze produce and meats etc. I have been after the new Blue Ball Book for a year now and I found one in Wal Mart of all places.  I was wondering if there was anything new in it. Yes I read it, I read everything anymore. And I take the time to read until I understand it to. I actually found some new things in the book and it has a section of Drying stuff in it and that is real helpful.  You are suppose to add lemon juice to your home canned tomatoes now. The book has a bunch of new recipes in it to. I have been buying jars again. I had about a thousand before we moved in to an apartment and there was no room for canning jars. I got rid of them all, except for some new ones I had in a box. I was looking at one other box I had and they was only $ 3.59 for a box of 12 wide mouth quart jars. The box had a bunch of rings and lids in that I kept, along with the canning tools. Will never see that price again for jars. Jars are hard to find, at least the used ones are. You could find them all over at one time. Now it is getting difficult to find new ones in stores, and they are not cheap. Ten years ago they was cheap compared to now. People are going back to this art, they are putting in gardens or buying produce and putting it in jars. The health thing is raging. Not to mention the stores are expensive with the healthy stuff. More and more people are needing to change their diets whether if they want to or not.   Will email the recipe later.  I need sleep.   Thanks for your time,   Kori       Don't let what you can't do interfere with what you can do! I said I would write a recipe. And here it is!!! I have lots of summer squash already in the freezer so I wanted to do something with the squash and not let it go to waste. I know a lot of people do Squash bars and bread. I can do them any time with the squash I have in  the basement canned up. As I was saying I got the new canning book so I was looking in there to see if there was any options for the stuff I got. There is just so much you can eat raw of squash. I found Zucchini Pickles. Now do I have the ingredients? Oh! Yes! And I have jars, yippee!! I read over the recipe and it sounded just like the one my Mom use to make with cucumber chunks that was so good. I never found a recipe to match it yet so will see. I also have some cukes from the garden that I can put in jars also with the same brine.   Zucchini Pickles 2 pounds Zucchini sliced (about 8 small) (I also added some crookneck summer squash) 1/3 pound Onion  ( 1 small, I had a nice red candy bunch left over from a huge onion that got sliced up for hamburgers for dinner) 1/4 cup canning salt 2 cups sugar (I used Splenda) 2 teaspoons mustard Seed 1 teaspoon celery salt 1 teaspoon turmeric   (I love this stuff) 3 cups vinegar  (Clear or they call it white)  (I found some made from white clover wine Yummy)  I also had as much for the cucumbers ( done the same way as the squash)   Combine zucchini and onion, sprinkle with salt, add cold water to cover. Let stand 2 hours. Drain, rinse, drain thoroughly. Combine remaining ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Pour vinegar mixture over squash and onions. Let stand 2 hours. Bring all ingredients to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Pack hot vegetables and liquid into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two=piece caps. Process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath canner. I got four half pints each using the 2 pounds. I made quarts after for I have four in my family. Once opened they do not last long.   Please be sure to wash and rinse jars real good, check for nicks, etc if any toss out. And keep hot until ready to use, boil some water to put the lids in. Put jars in boiling water making sure water is over tops of jars and when boiling again time from there for 15 minutes. Take out and  let cool. Test for seal and remove ring if you want, store in basement for 3 weeks  or more and then eat. Check online at your local home economist web site for proper ways to prepare jars. You can get your pressure canner tested there also to see if it is on as far as weights and sealing. Well you use to anyway.  I can not get use to the new terms they use in the new books and on the web sites. Telling my age there. Any questions! Please Ask!   Kori     Don't let what you can't do interfere with what you can do!

Enhanced Meats

Anyone who knows me knows I like my food in its god given natural state until I start making it into a tasty meal. I even by pigs and cows from farmers if I am able. One of the things that helps keep the budget from busting (too badly) is frozen meats. I have no issues buying things near expiration, or anything with a good price of a suitable quality and freezing it. Ideally you can buy things already frozen as to avoid the slight textural breakdown. ********************************************************************** Quick lesson: When food is professionally frozen it is I.Q.F. or Instant Quick Freeze. They freeze it at such a low temperature that ice crystals don't have time to form in the cells of the meat, or what ever else you are freezing. When you freeze it at home it is a much slower process so crystal from from the liquid in the cells and essentially tenderize the meat. This is why I freeze my briskets before using them. ********************************************************************** I have noticed that it is next to impossible to buy frozen meats that don't have some kind of "added natural solution" that is usually up to 15%. Is that 15% by weight or volume? Did you discount the price by 15% so I am not paying for your natural solution? Exactly what is in your natural solution? The answer that the percentage is by weight and no they did not discount it by that amount. You are paying for that extra percentage of meat you are not getting. To me it's just one more way for food manufacturers take food one more step from nature. Anyone out there that reads labels knows exactly what I am talking about. More importantly it takes control of your food out of your hands. After you have learned to rely on the enhanced meat for cooking you won't be able to properly cook real meat, it will always seem dry because you are used to over cooking it. I was able to find an excellent link on this subject: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/enhancedmeat.html I encourage you to read the whole article as the really good information is near the bottom. Anthoinette

Bacon Tortellini

This is a very powerful and rich flavors. CATEGORY: One Pot Wonder Recipe Name: Bacon Tortellini Ingredients: 1 bag cheese tortellini/ravioli or other pasta 1/2 lb bacon 2 c diced tomatoes 1/2 c red vermouth 1/2 t basil 1/2 t fennel seed 1/2 t garlic Steps: *boil water for pasta w/ 1 T salt *dice and cook bacon until soft *add in tomatoes and cook until juicy *add vermouth *stir in basil, fennel, and garlic *cook for 5 more minutes *Cook pasta according to directions *mix pasta in with sauce and serve. NOTES: would be great with mushrooms, maybe 1/4-1/2 c sliced sauteed in

Stuffed Hubbard Squash

This is a beautifully simple dish that requires no seasoning except for the butter. CATEGORY: Vegetables Recipe Name: Stuffed Hubbard Squash Ingredients: 1 Blue Hubbard Squash or Pumpkin 1 Acorn Squash 1 Butternut Squash 4 Granny Smith Apples 1 c Butter 1 c Crasins Steps: * Cut off top of Hubbard Squash and remove seeds * Cut off skin and seed Acorn and Butternut Squashes * Cut Butternut and Acorn Squashes into bite size pieces * Core Apples and cut into bite size pieces * Cut Butter into small pieces * Mix together Butternut Squash, Acorn Squash, Apples, Craisins and Butter and put into Hubbard Squash, putting top back on * Bake at 350 for 3-4 hours until all squash is tender when pierced with fork NOTES: * If you want to bake this quicker you can bake the filling on a sheet pan and the Hubbard by itself.

Mead, no longer a vial liquid sitting in my basement that I detest

Here is the update. Thanks to a few of my members Bardic Forest and James de Hagethorn for giving me some well needed advise on mead. Today I racked it for the first time and got a lot of bubbles, which I take as a good sign. I also used the Hydrometer and got readings from 28 to 31 and 65 on the Melomel with Pomegranate. I think that is good. I will keep track of the readings every time I rack the mead. I also added the nutrient and energizer that we previously bought, can't hurt, right? Yes I know I should have gotten the hydrometer reading before any fermentation. The flavors: the melomel has a soft fuzzy sweet and rich flavor, where as the meads vary between a definite mead, to apply and then a fuzzy mead flavor. I am feeling a lot better about this project and am looking forward to racking it again next month. Thank you for your support and patience. Anthoinette

Mead, the good, bad and ugly of getting started

This post is more for my own sanity than for actual information, that is unless you plan on making mead. Earlier this month I took a class on making mead and was inspired to try my hand at it. We were told you need bottles, airlocks, sanitizer, honey, distilled water and yeast, with some nutrients and energizer for the yeast. When we go to get the yeast and other supplies from a wine making shop we are given a bunch of information completely contrary to what I was told in the class. O.K. we can deal with this, it sounds good. OOPS our bottles are too small and my husband wants more information. So we go to another wine shop where they basically tell us completely different information than either my class or the other person. My husband buys a book. We put the mead and 1 melomel together, careful to follow the directions that we think are correct. Thursday comes and we only see minimal proof of any kind of fermentation. So, back to store 2 to get more yeast. Where the guy gives us more information, tells us that we need to know some kind of gravity to determine the sweetness of the start product and finished product and that it is not an issue that we haven't seen any real movement of fermentation yet?????HUH??????I have no idea how the thickness of the beginning process tells us how sweet it is. Then he proceeds to tell me that you HAVE TO ADD SULFITES TO ANY BREWED PRODUCT LIKE MEAD OR WINE!!!!! BULL$#!+!!!!! At which point I explain to him not only are there wines on the market that have no added or detectable sulfites but that the added sulfites and naturally occuring sulfites bond differently and the added ones are the sulfites that cause people issues. He finally offers me a different option of preservation at the end of potassium sorbate. So, I guess what we have learned is that no two people are able to agree on one method of making mead. So, if you plan on doing any brewing either get a book or only ask 1 person, because if you ask more you will end up confused, frustrated and broke!!!! Tomorrow we are planning on re-bottling the mead, adding the new yeast and adding nutrient and energizer. We will see how that goes. Thank you for reading my MEAD rant. Anthoinette

Breakfast Sausage

In some earlier messages I discussed sausages; the process and different recipes. I have finally come up with a good breakfast sausage and here it is. This recipe received favorable reviews at a recent event. People loved it on Scotch Eggs. My husband feels that more sage would be nice, so next time we will take the sage up to 1 1/2 T. CATEGORY: Meat Recipe Name: Breakfast sausage Ingredients: 3 lbs pork or other meat 1/2 t allspice 3/4 t caraway 1/2 T marjoram 1 T white pepper 1 T salt 1/2 T garlic 1 T sage Steps: mix all ingredients and leave loose or case NOTES: We use boneless pork rib ends for our sausage but you can use ground chicken just as well. This would probably require more spice or less meat if you used ground beef.

Caramel Coffee Liquere

CATEGORY: Beverages Recipe Name: Carmel Coffee Liquer Ingredients: 1 c whole coffee bean (sumatra is excellent) 1 1/2 c vodka 1 c water 2 c raw sugar Steps: * mix sugar, coffee and water and bring to boil * let mixture cool * add vodka and let sit for 1 month ***QUICK METHOD*** *boil coffee beans in 3 c water until it boils down to 1 c *strain out beans * mix coffee with sugar and let cool * mix with vodka and bottle NOTES: The quick method is not quite as rich as the slow method, but will make most people just as happy. ***PEPPERMINT SCHNAPPS*** CATEGORY: Beverages Recipe Name: peppermint schnapps Ingredients: 1 c water 2 c sugar 1/2 c loose mint leaves 1 1/2 c vodka Steps: * bring water, sugar and mint leaves to a boil * stir until sugar is completely dissolved then cool until tepid * Pour in a bottle a bottle, straining out mint leaves top with vodka NOTES: This does not need to be aged just start enjoying. This will last on the shelf for at least 6 months, I would say years is likely.

Fresh Herb Marinade for Meats

All winter long I use dried herbs. Then spring comes, I plant my garden and my herbs magically appear, beckoning me to use them. In most cooking it is fun to just add fresh herbs whole or chopped in place of dry. Though my favorite use this year is to make marinades for meat. The other night we grilled some chicken that had marinated for 24 hours in mint, thyme, lemon balm, rosemary, grape seed oil, garlic, salt and pepper. It got rave reviews and I have been requested to post the recipe. Unfortunately I can not give the exact recipe, only the ingredients, technique and suggestions. I believe I covered this before, but just in case. When I season food I try to think of it like music. The flavors fall into 3 basic categories, base, or earthy, mid tones and treble or bright tones. I will try to give you a better idea. The base tones are things like meat, oregano, salad greens, smoke flavor. These are the flavors that act as a platform that all the other flavors build on. The mid tones are flavors like thyme, rosemary, and tomato. The high tones are the high lights that you want to be ever so gentle with as to not overpower the dish. This would be things like citrus, vinegar, salt, fennel, basil, garlic, and peppers. A good way to establish where seasoning fit in this palette is to taste them and see how they feel to your taste buds. Does it feel earthy, then it is a base flavor. Does it make your mouth zing, then it is a high tone. If it lies somewhere in the middle then yes it is a mid tone. When I am seasoning a dish I taste it and search for proper balance, but if it is not balanced then I can discern what tone I need to adjust and start searching for the appropriate flavor to add. But, I digress. The reason this is so important is because with marinades it is equally important to find the right balance. If you are using a stronger meat like lamb, game or beef you can use more of the stronger herbs, or highlights to cut through the flavor. Though if you are using meats like pork or chicken you need to use more of the earthy and mid tones and be careful with the high lights as to not overpower the meat. When I go my herb garden I already know the flavor of the meat and may or may not have an idea for the finished flavor. I usually see what herb call out to me first. One of my favorites is Lemon Balm because it has a light citrus flavor that goes well with almost anything. Rosemary, sages, and thyme are equally as versatile and used in many cultures foods. Mint is very Mediterranean and middle eastern and should be used with caution. I am not saying don't use it, only to use it in small amounts as it can overpower quickly. Fennel, dill and oregano also need to be used with caution. For me a little oregano can really add to a dish. If you add too much it tastes burnt to me. Fennel and dill work best with Chicken and fish and you can use the fronds as well as the seeds. I would never discourage experimentation but if you choose to use these herbs with other meats, use them sparingly. Now that herbs are selected and cut bring them in the house, wash them and put them in your blender or food processor with a little garlic, salt, pepper and grape seed or other high temperature oil. When this is mixed marinate the meat for 5 minutes to 3 days. If you are concerned about a long marinade because of the potential for the meat to go bad, remember that bacteria needs air, water and protein. When you coat a meat in oil it makes it so the air can not get in. Also if your fridge is closer to freezing than not proteins will last longer. I hope this inspires a love of fresh herbs. If you absolutely can not get the fresh herb you can do the same with dry herbs but it will need to sit longer.

Hummus

I have to thank one of my readers for reminding me to try to make this. Hummus is a simple and old middle eastern recipe. You can add different things to it like spices, peppers, eggplant, cucumber, or what ever your heart desires. I am a purist and like it plain. CATEGORY: Appetizers/finger food Recipe Name: Hummus Ingredients: 1 c dry chick peas juice of 2 lemons 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil 1/3 c sesame seeds 2 T garlic, minced 1 t salt 1 t pepper Steps: * soak chick peas/garbanzo beans overnight in a 1 quart container filled with water. * rinse, cover with 2 quarts water and bring to a boil for 1 hour then drain *mix all ingredients in a food processor, or mixer until smooth * refrigerate and serve NOTES: Chick peas and garbanzo beans are the same thing If you want to use canned beans use 2 (16 oz) cans and drain. This is a basic recipe that can be adjusted to your hearts content

Creamy Salsa Dip

This is great with chips, crackers, pitas, or maybe over a salad or meat. I think this recipe is a lot more versatile than it originally appears. CATEGORY: Appetizers/finger food Recipe Name: Creamy Salsa Dip Ingredients: 3 C or 24 oz cream cheese 1 avocado 4 jalepenos, sliced 1 bunch cilantro 1 lime zest and juice 2 (16 oz) cans diced tomatoes drained 1 t salt 1 T garlic, minced Steps: * whip cream cheese until soft * chop cilantro leaves off bunch * remove skin and pit from avocado * add cilantro leaves, avocado, lime zest and juice, diced tomatoes, salt and garlic to cream cheese * mix until evenly combined NOTES: * Spice warning. This is hot. If you have a delicate palate cut the jalapenos down to 1 or 2.

Pancakes

I have always made good pancakes. It's waffles that are the bane of my quick bread existence and unfortunately I am not at liberty to share the wonderful waffle recipe I recently acquired, as it is a friends family secret. Anyway, back to pancakes. I had always used Betty Crocker's pancake recipe, adjusting the liquid, less for thicker pancakes and more liquid for thinner pancakes. We have a restaurant around here that has fluffy, spongy, addictive pancakes that I can not get enough of. Being me, I had to figure out how they got that texture. I had to know. I had to be able to make these pancakes to feed my addiction. This is what I came up with. CATEGORY: Breakfast Recipe Name: pancake Ingredients: 1 c flour 1 c milk 1 egg 1 T honey 1 T grapeseed oil 1 T baking powder 1/2 t vanilla Steps: * mix all ingredients until smooth * warm skillet on med-med-low * lightly oil skillet * pour desired amount of batter into pan and cook about 3 minutes until all bubbles form and almost all bubbles pop * flip pancake and cook for an additional 30-60 seconds * serve NOTES: This batter creates a spongy pancake like a local restaurant makes that I am in LOVE with!

Pound Cake

This is another recipe with deep roots. The original pound cake is equal parts by weight of flour, sugar, butter and egg. It doesn't require baking powder or baking soda because the egg and butter leaven this cake. I use raw sugar and add just enough lemon zest to make the flavor less heavy. In my kitchen I use a scale. The measurements here were done on an online converter and should each equal 1/2 lb. CATEGORY: Desert Recipe Name: pound cake Ingredients: 2 1/4 c ap flour or 2 1/2 c cake flour 1 1/4 c raw sugar 1/2 lb butter 1 c egg (4 I think) zest of 2 lemons Steps: * preheat oven to 450 * mix all ingredients until smooth * pour all ingredients into shallow buttered pan * bake for 25 minutes NOTES: This is lighter that one might expect but dense enough that a thin cake is all you need. I make mine in a cookie sheet pan. It is denser the second day.

Stone Fruit Salad

This would be great with ice cream, a cake, whipped cream, vanilla pudding or just by itself. CATEGORY: Vegetables Recipe Name: Stone Fruit Salad Ingredients: 3 apricots 2 peaches 2 nectarines 1 mango 2 T honey 1/2 t cinnamon 1/4 t ginger pinch nutmeg pinch clove Steps: * peel and slice mango off pit * 1/4 apricots *1/8 peaches and nectarines *Lightly grill fruit if desired for added richness * mix in spices * add honey to taste NOTES: * if your fruit is fully ripe then you will not need to add any honey. If your fruit is less cooperative, as mine was you will need to add just enough honey that you don't get any bitterness, not really to sweeten.

Popovers, Yorkshire Pudding, Batter Bread Revisited

These are all names for the same thing depending on when and where you are. This is one of the simplest breads out there and the texture and flavor is fabulous and versatile. CATEGORY: Starches Recipe Name: batter bread Ingredients: 1 c egg 1 c milk 1 c flour 2 T oil (grapseed, extra light olive oil, bacon dripping, peanut oil-must be high temp safe) Steps: *preheat oven to 450 * put oil in metal pan and put in preheated oven for 2-5 minutes * mix flour, milk and eggs until smooth and pour into hot metal pan with grease * bake 30 minutes NOTES: This is a soft, fluffy bread that can be used for sweet or savory. It is excellent with jam or meat dripping. If you make it with whole wheat flour it tastes like french toast.

Historic Deviled Eggs

Dating back to Roman times there has been some variation of the food we call deviled eggs. Before the common advent of mayonnaise people used butter, cheese, or other dairy products for the creamy texture. The current name comes from the Victorian Era where Deviled referred to a highly spiced food. These eggs definitely fit that bill. CATEGORY: Appetizers/finger food Recipe Name: Stuffed Eggs modernly Devilled Eggs Ingredients: 1 dz eggs 1 T vinegar 1/2 t salt 1/2 t white pepper 1/2 t mustard powder 1 t dill (+ for decoration) 3 T butter Steps: * Hard boil eggs * Peel, cut in half lengthwise and put yolks in mixing bowl * mix remaining ingredients with egg yolks * pipe or spoon yolks back into whites * top with a light layer of dill NOTES: Either use a mixer or food processor for mixing the yolks. This is a different consistency than modern deviled eggs but pleases the palate all the same

Sage Pesto Pork

This was inspired by my lovely husband. The key is to use proportionate amounts of rub and meat, otherwise you risk overpowering the meat. CATEGORY: Meat Recipe Name: Sage Pesto Pork Ingredients: 1 c olive oil 1/2 c peppercorns 1/2 c garlic 1/4 c kosher salt 1 c sage Steps: combine all ingredients in food processor and mix until an even paste is formed. for steaks or chops coat sparingly and cook immediately or marinate for a few hours for roasts coat liberally and marinate 1 hour to 4 days in the refrigerator. cook to desired doneness.

Walnut Olive Dip

This was inspired by a dip at a friends party. It is not quite the same but, if you serve it at room temperature it is fabu with crackers or tortilla chips. CATEGORY: Appetizers/finger food Recipe Name: Walnut Olive Dip Ingredients: 8 oz cream cheese 2 c walnuts 1 c green olives 1 c black olives 1 c burgundy olives 1 t garlic Steps: mix all ingredients in mixer or food processor until desired consistency is achieved

Pickled Red Cabbage

I can not claim this recipe as my own. I have merely made some minor modifications. If you like you pickled cabbage a bit sweet, either use more honey, or brown sugar as the original recipe called for. I personally like it both ways. CATEGORY: Vegetables Recipe Name: Pickeled Red Cabbage Ingredients: 3 large heads of Red Cabbage 2 qts. Red Wine vinegar(originally called for Wine Vinegar) 1 c. Honey(originally called for brown sugar) 1/2 c. mustard seed 2 c canning salt For Spice bag: 1/4 c. whole cloves 1/4 c. nutmeg(originally called for mace) 1/4 c. whole allspice 1.4 c. peppercorns 1.4 c. celery seed 3 sticks cinnamon (broken in half so it is about 1 1/2 inches long) Steps: * core and shred cabbage, layering it in a bucket with salt between each layer and leave overnight to 24 hours in a cool spot * rinse cabbage thoroughly and press water out * pack into either 5 qt jars or 10 pint jars tightly, leaving 1/2" head space *put vinegar, honey, mustard seed and bag O' spices in a pan and bring to boil for 10 minutes * once brine is slightly cooled remove spice bag and pour over cabbage to cover. If you don't have enough you can top it off with a small amount of water. * heat process for15 minutes NOTES: This recipe comes from a canning book, via a friend and I have made a few minor changes.

Spaetzle in a Mushroom Cream Sauce

CATEGORY: Starches Recipe Name: Spaetzle sauce Ingredients: 1 bag spaetzle 2 T butter 2 T flour 2 c milk 1/4 onion, diced 1/4 lb mushroom, sliced 1/4 t salt 1/4 t pepper 1/4 t nutmeg 1 t garlic Steps: * put water on to boil to cook spaetzle * saute onion and mushroom in butter * coat with flour then whisk milk in and bring to boil, mix in remaining ingredients and lower to simmer stirring frequently * pour spaetzle into water * serve immediately NOTES: * If this will not be served immediately or some will be saved as leftovers toss spaetzle with some butter to coat before mixing with sauce to help it not soak in all the sauce

Sulfites, Sulfates, Wine, Food and You

Sulphites, Sulphates, Sulfites, Sulfates, Surphur Dioxide, it all comes from the same place, Sulphur and it leaves many people with varying issues. With the exception of Ferrous Sulphate (Iron) if it sounds like sulphur it probably is. Some derivative of SULPHUR is almost as common in food as SOY which is most of the time. Dried fruits, grated cheeses, mashed potato flakes and wines. Today I am going to focus on wine. Not all Sulfite/Sulphites are created equally in wine. Sulphites are naturally occurring in the wine making process. If those give you issues then just go on the wagon and give up alcohol for good. The sulphites in wine that typically give people issues are the ones ADDED as a preservative. The naturally occurring and the suplhites that are added bond differently in your system. The Sulphites that naturally occur in wine are already bonded to the wine. The added supphites are free to bond to you. What does this mean? This means that labeling is your friend. Even though some of the labeling is confusing, it is still your best friend. ORGANIC: This is the funny one. I actally consider this a bit of a joke. I really do. If the wine is Organic, then no sulphites can be added. If it is made with organically grown grapes then they can add sulphites. NO SULFITES DETECTED is exactly what it says. They did the testing and there were no sulphites detected. NO SULFITES ADDED is once again exactly what it says. Seeing this label is no different than an organic label when you looking for sulphites. All of these labels will be plainly on the front of the bottle. If it's not there, don't bother looking because it's not hiding in the back. WHAT TO LOOK FOR? N.S.A. Certified Organic Wines Organic Wines No Sulfites detected No Sulphites added WHAT NOT TO LOOK FOR? Made with Organically grown grapes The other thing to think about is which wines naturally have more sulphites that others. Dry Red Wines will have the least, followed by sweet red wines, dry white wines and then sweet white wines will have the most. Where to buy. If you are lucky enough to have some local wineries you may be able to get it from them. Fresher is better, because sulphites are used as a preservative you want wines that don't need to be preserved because they are fresh. You can also look at places like Whole Foods or other trendy health food mega marts. Ask a wine steward. WHAT BRANDS SHOULD I LOOK FOR? I have found some wonderful brands, unfortunately the differing wines can be hit or miss. I try not to pay no more than $10 and will not pay more than $15 a bottle. I love my wine... FREY: Lovely Syrah, and Caberet Sovengion, but their red table wine, not so much OUR DAILY RED: This is a cooking wine, and nothing more! It is very dry and tanic and not at all pleasant BADGER MOUNTAIN: I am in love Here are a few more http://www.mamasfineitalian.com/files/FREE-NO_ALC.pdf I hope this helps renew your love of wine.

Yogurt, Greek Yogurt, and Skyre

Yogurt is one the healthy foods that the food industry has not only made unhealthy but destroyed! Pick up a container of Yoplait or some other trendy yogurt and read the ingredients. You will find gelatin, High fructose corn syrup and a number of other sins that have no place in yogurt. I have actually seen foods claiming to be yogurt without any live cultures in them at all! Just get plain acidophiles yogurt. The only ingredients that should be in it are milk and (live)culture. Don't bother with Yoplait, any of the trendy or generic brands. Go for the ones with rustic names like "Mountain High" or "Old Home". Most major grocery chains will have some and it might be in the health food section. ********************************************************************* You can actually buy Greek Yogurt or Skyre, a Norwegian counterpart, and use it to the same purpose. I have yet to try true Skyre. I have been told that it is a tangier non-fat version, of yogurt, that uses a cousin of the live cultures used in standard yogurt. Greek Yogurt is an item that I mention in the Ranch Dressing recipe and I am certain you will see me mention it again. On this item I cheat. No, really I cheat on this one. I take a quart size tub of plain acidophiles yogurt and cut an "X" into it, down to the bottom, then I strain it through a coffee filter for about 3 days in the refrigerator until approximately 2 cups of liquid have drained. At that point you have homemade greek yogurt. I personally am very fond of this because I can use it anywhere sour cream is called for without sacrificing flavor and you drop a lot of the fat. I have put this out in place of sour cream on multiple occasions and people generally don't know the difference, or if they do notice, it is a question of curiosity not distaste. I hope this helps you better explore the world of yogurt.

Salad Dressings Revisited

A while back I gave you recipes for Blue Cheese and Ranch dressings. I have tinkered with them and added another one to the mix. Not to long ago I came up with a "kitchen sink" honey mustard dressing that was to die for. Unfortunately I had tinkered so much that I had no idea what was in it. So this time I took a simpler approach and came up with a very pleasant version. CATEGORY: Vegetables Recipe Name: Honey Mustard Dressing Ingredients: 1/2 c honey 1/2 c Dijon or stone-ground mustard 1/2 c apple cider vinegar Steps: Mix together and serve NOTES: * use less vinegar for a thicker dressing * This is a very basic and easy dressing. ************************************************************** The ranch dressing is still a basic in most homes in the U.S.A. My version is tangy and a bit thin. I have modified the remedies for those who consider that a problem. CATEGORY: Vegetables Recipe Name: Ranch Dressing Ingredients: 1/4 t Dry Mustard 1/2 T Garlic 3/4 t Onion 1 t Dill 1/2 t Salt 1/2 t White Pepper 1 T Apple Cider Vinegar 1/2 c Yogurt or Sour Cream 1/4 c Mayonnaise 1/4 c Milk Steps: * Blend all ingredients together in blender NOTES: My husband says this is Ranch. I find it to be tangy. Many people here like tangy Ranch. After a few days in the fridge the flavors blend and mellow. If you are not into the tangy flavor I would suggest cutting back a bit on the salt, garlic and mustard. Sour cream will make it thicker, where as yogurt will make it thinner. If you want to use yogurt but still have it thick, either use greek yogurt or substitute yogurt for the milk as well as the original amount. ************************************************************** The original Blue Cheese I posted was way too thick for my taste. With the minor modification I made we still have to shake the cruet with the lid on before we can pour(I use that in the loosest way possible) it onto our salads. I firmly believe that further modification would really take it away from being a good blue cheese dressing. CATEGORY: Vegetables Recipe Name: Blue Cheese Dressing Ingredients: 1/2 c Yogurt or Sour Cream 1/4 c milk 1/4 c Mayonnaise 4 oz Blue Cheese Steps: Mix all ingredients together in blender. If you like it chunky then crumble the Blue Cheese and add it separately NOTES: modification of recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book