pizza omlette

Ever been too busy to fold an omelet? Apparently I have. But, as a great disguise for kids who don't like their veggies, you can call this a omelet "breakfast pizza". I made mine with baby, organic mushrooms and red pepper; sharp, white cheddar and green onions.



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Tropical pancakes

After my Piña Colada New Year's celebration I found that I had a bit of Crema de coco left. It occurred to me later that I could use it in just about anything to coconut whatever up a bit. What goes great with coconut? Why banana's and Pinapple of course.

So, I am a lover of banana pancakes, so I thought, eh, why the Hell not.

Tropical pancakes

This recipe is easy.


Directions:

• Follow the directions for whatever pancake recipe you have, but add *one mashed banana and about 2-3 table spoons of crema de coco to the mix.
  
  
• If you have an coconut extract, you can add some too. Apply to your own taste.
  
  
• Cook the pancakes as normally you would until each side is a golden brown.
  
  
• Top with butter and pineapple rings and coconut is you like, pinapple jam if you have any.

Notes:

• You may have to increase the amoutn of dry mix to compensate for the new liquid, but that is something you have to figure out yourself.
• *I've based this of a halved recipe on a Bisquick box. You'll have to figure out how much banana you will need for more than a 6 pancake result.
  

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Confit D' Oignon - French Onion Marmalade

In addition to the jelly Jody and I made, we also made a marmelade.

Confit D' Oignon
French Onion Marmalade

Ingredients

• 1 kg onion, red or yellow, peeled & cut in half & sliced thinly
• 100 ml olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 150 g soft brown sugar
• 75 ml dry white wine
• 75 ml red wine vinegar
• 25 ml balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. In a heavy frying pan, heat up the olive oil and add the finely sliced onions - toss around to make sure they all have a coating of oil.
   
   
2. Cover & cook over a gentle heat until they start to colour.
   
   
3. Add the salt, pepper, bay leaves & rosemary sprigs & cook for a further 20 to 30 minutes, until the herbs have wilted.
   
   
4. Take off the lid and add the sugar, wine & vinegars.
   
   
5. Bring them to the boil and keep stirring al the time; then lower the heat & simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes until the liquid is all dissolved and the onions are soft & sticky.
   
   
6. You will need to be very vigilant towards the end of the cooking - stirring all the time so the onions do not stick and become burnt and scorched.
   
   
7. Pick out the rosemary & bay leaves and spoon the confit into a clean, dry & sterilised jar & seal straight away.
   
   
8. Ready to eat after 2 weeks, but better if kept for at least 1-2 months.

Notes:

• We had issues with the oil during the rendering process. We had to sop most of it out.

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Spiced Cranberry Jelly

One of the recipes that Jody and I made over my annual visit to see here was a Spiced Cranberry Jelly. It turend out fairly well and is delicious.

Spiced Cranberry Jelly

Ingredients

• 48 ounces (or 3 pounds) of fresh or frozen cranberries
• 4 cups of water
• 3 cups of orange juice (or all orange juice or all apple cider)
• 6 cinnamon sticks
• 12 whole allspice
• 40 cloves
• 1 T butter
• 1 box regular Sure Jell for jelly making
• 5 cups sugar

Directions

1. Place cranberries, water, juice, cinnamon sticks, whole allspice, cloves, and butter in a large pan. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered for about 15-20 minutes to release juices of cranberries. Almost all berries should burst to know when it is finished simmering. Remove the cinnamon sticks before straining.
   
   
2. Rub through a screen strainer to remove skins and small seeds of cranberries.
   
   
3. At this point you have juice and can follow the directions of the Sure Jell. Which is to bring the juice to a full rolling boil along with the packet of pectin, add the sugar and bring to a full rolling boil for 1 minute.
   
   
4. Ladle into sterilized jars....
   
   
5. I usually end up with around 9 jars for one batch of jelly.

Notes:

• Jody and I agreed that it is a good idea to measure the amount of liquid you have strained to determine the appropriate amount of pectin you need. Yu might get a more liquid jelly like we did if you don't.

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Salmon Cakes

I found another Yahoo! recipe. Salmon Cakes. I love salmon cakes, but I have really only had them as my mother has prepared them. Like her meatloaf, I am sure there is a more enticing way to prepare it.

Salmon Cakes

Ingredients

• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 15 ounces canned salmon, drained
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 3/4 cups fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs (see Tip)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill or parsley
• 1 pinch Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
   
   
2. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in parsley; remove from the heat.
   
   
3. Place salmon in a medium bowl. Flake apart with a fork; remove any bones and skin. Add egg and mustard; mix well. Add the onion mixture, breadcrumbs and pepper; mix well. Shape the mixture into 8 patties, about 2 1/2 inches wide.
   
   
4. Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in the pan over medium heat. Add 4 patties and cook until the undersides are golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a wide spatula, turn them over onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining patties.
   
   
5. Bake the salmon cakes until golden on top and heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare Creamy Dill Sauce. Serve salmon cakes with sauce and lemon wedges.
   
   
6. For creamy dill sauce: Combine mayonnaise, yogurt, scallions, lemon juice, dill (or parsley) and pepper in a small bowl and mix well.

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Orange Yogurt Mousse

Yahoo! Food does have some good recipes. I found this one a few weeks ago. I haven't tried it yet, but it looks like a tasty and refreshing dessert. It's a Martha Stewart recipe.

Orange Yogurt Mousse

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup navel orange juice
• 1 navel orange, zested
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 (.25 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1 (32 ounce) container plain low-fat yogurt
• 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, chopped
• Additional navel orange zest for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. In a saucepan, combine orange zest, 1/2 cup cream, sugar, and salt over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep 20 minutes.
   
   
2. Pour orange juice into a medium bowl; sprinkle with gelatin and let soften, 5 minutes. Bring cream and sugar mixture to a simmer again; pour through a fine-mesh sieve onto gelatin, pressing on zest to extract flavor. Discard zest. Whisk until gelatin has dissolved, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in yogurt. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes, or use quick-chill method (see note, below).
   
   
3. In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat remaining 1 cup cream until soft peaks form. Fold gently into yogurt mixture. Divide among 6 glasses, and cover each with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. To serve, sprinkle with pistachios and, if desired, orange zest.

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Ham, Fontina and Spinach Bread Pudding

Here is another recipe I am stealing from Jody's Yahoo! 360! Blog. She says, "This is a great winter recipe".

Ingredients

• 1 large baguette
• 1/2 stick butter, melted
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb "cooked" ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 large eggs
• 4 C whole milk
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
• 6 C spinach leaves, coarsley chopped
• 3/4 lb fontina cheese, grated*
• black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat broiler
   
   
2. Diagonally cut baguette crosswise into 3/4-inch thick slices and brush both sides with butter. Toast on a baking sheet under broiler until golden. Shut off broiler and preheat oven to 350.
   
   
3. Whisk eggs in a large bowl and whisk in milk, salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Add toasted bread and toss gently. When bread is saturated, transfer it into a shallow 3-quart casserole, slightly overlapping slices. Add any remaining egg mixture.
   
   
4. While bread is soaking, cook onions in oil stirring occasionally until golden. Add ham and cook, stirring occasionally, until ham is lightly browned.
   
   
5. Tuck spinach and ham between slices, reserving a little ham for the top. Sprinkle cheese on, lifting slices with a spatula to allow some to fall between them. Sprinkle reserved ham on top and bake in the middle of the oven until puffed and the edges of the bread are golden. (I usually put this on a cookie sheet just in case it 'boils' over, so I don't have a burnt mess on the bottom of the oven.) Cook until custard is set in middle, about 45 minutes to an hour.

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Gazpacho blanco/White Gazpacho

Many many years ago, I purchased a low-fat Mexican cook book from the bargain bin of my local Waldenbooks. To be honest, I have only ever tired a few recipes out of it. This is not to say that there aren't plenty of really good recipes in it though. The one that I love, LOVE, the most is the White Gazpacho or Gazpacho blanco. ¡Es la bomba! It's da bomb.

According to Wikipedia, Gazpacho originally started out "white" coming Southern Spain's Andalusia area. But, post 1492 (Colón a España le dijo "adiós") and with the arrival of the tomato to Europe, Gazpacho became red and renown. Either way it is a delightfully refreshing and satisfying dish.

This is a great vegetarian dish or just a good way to get a serving of vegetables into your diet for a couple of days. See also Vulcan Plomeek Soup.

Gazpacho blanco/White Gazpacho

Ingredients


Original version

• 1 European cucumber (the long skinny kind)
• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons of sliced green onions (scallions)

My version

• 4 cucumbers (the fat American kind)
• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons of sliced green onions (scallions)

Directions

1. Peal and coarsely chop the cucumbers. In a blender or food-processor whirl the chopped cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice and garlic until smoothly puréed
   
   
2. Pour purée into a 2 quart container and stir in broth
   
   
3. Cover and refrigerate until cold (2 hours) or until the next day, then stir in cilantro and onion
   

Serving

• Pour into a non-metal bowl or pitcher.
• Serve in bowls or glasses.
• Garnish with cilantro and onion.

Notes

• I have wanted to use the Eurpean cucumbers because the seeds are usually not and issue.
• I use whole, plain yogurt. It gives a better consistency.
• I usually have it with some crusty bread (a batard or a baguette) and a nice cheese.

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Connie Tinnick's Pickled Eggs

For as long as I can remember, my mom's pickled eggs have been the best ever. I have never found one anywhere else that can compare. She makes them for all the major holidays, and it is something that we all look forward to eating.

A number of years ago she told me that she got the recipe from my fifth grade teacher's wife. As luck would have it, I ran into them both for the first time in years at out local Lowe's hardware. I seized the opportunity to thank her for sharing her wonderful recipe.

Now I share it here.


Ingredients

• 2 cups of water
• 2 cups of drained beet juice
• 2 cups of vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of cloves
• 1 tablespoon of allspice

• 3 dozen eggs
• 2 large cans of tinned beets

Directions

1. Hard boil the eggs. Allow to cool, shell and rinse.
2. Separate both the beets and beet juice and reserve.
3. In a large combine all the liquids (water, vinegar, beet juice) and spice (cinnamon, cloves and allspice) and bring to a boil. Allow to cool.
4. When all ingredients are room cooled, combine them into a large sealed container and refrigerate.

Notes:

• I think this recipe would be phenomenal with fresh ingredients.
• I have thought about adding black pepper, a few cardamom and bay leaves to the boiling process. I think that would give it a real boost.
• Put it in a sealed container, beet-juice stains horribly
• I would prepare at least two days in advance before eating. All the flavor really seems to come together by then.
• You can continue to add new eggs and beets to the liquid if you run out. Ours usually last a week or more... not sure if that's a good thing or not. I asked mom and she said she uses 3 dozen eggs. Taylor as needed.
  

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Vicki's Peach & Raspberry Crisp

This is another Vicki Lawrence recipe share with me by Jody. I haven't made it yet, but it seems delicious. If you do make it, take a picture and send me it and I will put it in the blog. ☺

Vicki's Peach & Raspberry Crisp

The Ingredients

• 10-12 large peaches (4-5lb)
• Zest of one orange
• 1 ¼ C granulated sugar
• 1 C light brown sugar, packed
• 1 ½ C plus 2-3 tbsp all purpose flour
• ½ pint raspberries or blueberries
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 C quick cooking oatmeal
• ½ lb cold unsalted butter, diced

The Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Butter the inside of a 10x15x2 ½ inch oval baking dish. Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then put them in cold water. Peel the peaches and slice them into thick wedges and put them in a large bowl. Add orange zest, ¼ C granulated sugar, ½ C brown sugar, and 2 tbsp of flour. Toss well. Gently mix in the berries. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. If there is a lot of liquid, add one more tbsp of flour. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and gently smooth the top.

Combine 1 ½ C of flour, 1 C granulated sugar, ½ C brown sugar, salt, oatmeal, and cold diced butter in a bowl. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer until the butter is pea sized and the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the peaches and berries. Bake for one hour until the top is brown and crisp and the juices bubbly. Serve warm from the oven with vanilla ice cream.

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Vicki's meatloaf

One of the bane's of my existence is "meatloaf". Every time I see it I am both revolted and driven hungry simultaneously. What's more is that my mother's meatloaf is, in a word, bland. On rare occasion has she ever altered her recipe, successfully mind, but she has never stuck with it.

Jody sent me this recipe for meat loaf that she got from a friend who saw Vicki Lawrence live recently. The program for the show contained four recipe from Vicki herself. Jody is passing them on to me. Unfortunately, I got it too late as mother made meatloaf before I got the recipe. Oh well, maybe next time.


The Loaf

Mix together with your hands:

• 2 ½ lb lean ground beef
• 1 Log Jimmy Dean Sausage (I prefer sage)
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 cup crushed saltines
• 4 beaten eggs
• 1 16oz can tomato sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A liberal sprinkle of Italian seasoning (I probably use 2 tbsp)

The Directions

Shape Mixture into 2 loaves.
Use 5x9 inch baking pans.
Bake at 350° for 1 to 1 ¼ hours.


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Hasperat/L'Haspèrat bajorien

Many, many, many years ago, one of my friends bought me a cookbook... The Star Trek Cookbook. I'm fairly certain it was Jody which is totally cools since we both love to cook and both love, LOVE Star Trek.

I've never cooked anything from it before. To be frank, the book is awesome, but there was always a little part of me that was disappointed because... well, all the ingredients come from Earth. I know! It's a TV show!!!

Recently I have been watching again Star Trek: Voyager and have been reminded and inspired to give it a try. So I picked out a couple of recipes that I want to try over the next few months.

The first dish I tried is called Hasperat /HĀSS, pər-rāt/. It is a dish that was introduced to the Trek Universe through The Next Generation series when Ensign Ro Laren came aboard introducing viewers to Bajor culture and later through Deep Space Nine.

Hasperat is a tremendously popular national dish. It is a spicy Bajoran dish resembling a sliced Earth burrito, but filled with a carefully processed brine. A properly prepared Hasperat will set one's tongue on fire and bring tears to the eyes. It can also be served as a soufflé, by blending the hasperat and baking it in a deep pan.

Needless to day, this terrestrial version is not that hot, though it could be.

The cookbook doesn't give measurements on this particular recipe, so I winged it according to my own tastes.

Hasperat/L'Haspèrat bajorien

The Cream

• One large clove of garlic grated.
• A few drops of sesame oil. (I don't know why.)*
• 1/2 teaspoon of crushed dried tarragon. (I don't know why.)**
• 2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro chopped up .

I added all the above to one room-temperature package of organic cream cheese and mixed well.


The Stuffing

• Roast 2 organic peppers (red and yellow), cool and slice in to thin slices.
• Rough tear about half a bag of watercress ( I tore away the big parts of the stems but they are just as tasty and edible).

The Construction

• One a room-temperature tortilla wrap of your choice, place enough of the cream mixture on the wrap to nearly cover its diameter and with enough to be able to press in the pepper slices.
• Press in some of the roasted pepper slices.
• Top with watercress.
• Roll up the wraps in foil and refrigerate until time to serve or eat immediately.

Notes:

* I suppose you could use some hot-sauce or hot-oil you may have.
** Tarragon has a nice, fresh, unique scent and flavor. I just thought it might work with the vegetables.

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Pakat!

A friend of mine has introduced me to cooking with Indian style sauces. Today I bought some Pakat brand sauce. IT was something new that I found while I was shopping at Wegman's. There were a few sauces that I had my eye on, but in the end I decided on just two.

On was Tangy Lemon and Cilantro and the other one was Spicy Tomato and Cardamom. I used the first one tonight in a dish. I sliced up a tuna steak and grilled it up with some olive oil and pepper. After the tuna was cooked, I spooned about 5 tablespoons of Tandy Lemon and Cilantro into the skillet and simmered for about five minute. In the mean time, I re-steamed some jasmine rice.

It turned out to be a really good meal, sauce, meat and rice. Next time I am going to use chicken.

So, don't be afraid to try out the cooking sauces in the Indian food section of your local grocer. My apologies on the overexposed picture.


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Captain's log: Supplimental - Stir fry

I don't typically have more than one entry per day, but today is special... I guess. Working of the entry from my regular today concerning photos and food, I have entered another picture of the lunch I made for myself this afternoon.

Let me preface everything by stating that I love stir-fry. It's quick. It's easy. And, if you do it right, it's healthy. My stir-fry usually consists of chicken, but on occasion I will make it our of tuna or beef.

I start off by cooking up my rice in a rice-cooker. A rice cooker is an indispensable kitchen-aid. If you don't have one, you should consider yourself a "looser". Last year I was introduced to the best rice in the world, Jasmine rice. It cooks up perfectly every time (in a rice-cooker) and is very much like, but better, the kind of white rice you get at a good Chinese take-away. Cook time is about 1/2 an hour.

While the rice is cooking, I chop up my veggies in what ever style takes my fancy that day. Sometimes it's julienne, sometimes it's chunk. I heat and oil my skillet and quickly fry my veggies before my rice is done. I typically will use either garlic or ginger, seasoned salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to season my veggies. Sometimes I will use old-bay.

• Today I steamed some snap-peas and some carrot strips. I also quickly stir-fried my ginger and orange pepper in some olive oil, season salt and pepper.

When the veggies are done, I set them aside on my plate and cook the meat. I like my tuna-steak to be blackened, but sometimes I will use lemon and dill or tarragon, rosemary or thyme as a herb. Mostly I use chicken as I mentioned before. Today I used light soy-sauce and hot-oil I had on hand and some salt and pepper then stir-fried that to a dark, golden brown. On occasion I will use a thicker, brown sauce, but not often.

• Today I used some prepared cubbed chicken pieces.

When the rice is done, I throw it all onto a plate and sit down to have a nice meal. Of course, I'm sure this is no gourmet meal, it's fairly simple and probably most people wouldn't care for it.



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Double Peanut Butter Paisley Brownies/Des Blondies à cacahuètes doubles

Inspired from my most recent trip back in October to Jody's while were were visiting Ashcombe's Nursery, I found a very nice recipe for a Blondie. A blondie is the name used in much of America for a Brownie that is made with peanut-butter instead of chocolate.

I am not a big fan of brownies to tell the truth, but Blondies, I love.

While this particular recipe is no where near as delicious as the one I bought at Ashcombe's it is very nice none the less. The original recipe take from Hersey's Holiday Favorites cookbook 2007 page 16.

Double Peanut Butter Paisley Brownies
Des Blondies à cacahuètes doubles

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick butter or margarine, softened)
• 1/4 cup Reese's Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 2/3 cup (10oz pkg.) Reese's peanut butter chips
• 1/2 cup Hershey's syrup or Special dark syrup

My version

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  
• 1/4 cup Reese's Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups bread flour
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 2/3 cup (10oz pkg.) milk chocolate chips
• 3/4 to 1 cup raw peanuts
  
• 1/2 cup Hershey's syrup

Directions

• Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease 13x9x2 inch baking pan. *
  
• Beat Peanut butter in large bowl. Add Granulated Sugar and brown sugar; beat well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in Vanilla.
• Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; mix into peanut butter mixture, blend well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Spread half of the batter in prepared pan; spoon syrup over top. Carefully spread the remaining batter; swirl with metal spatula or knife for marbled effect.
• Bake 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares.

Notes:

• I use bread flour to make my cookie-esque dessert. Bread-flour gives you a fluffy chewy cookie.
• I use unsalted butter especially if there is salt added in the recipe by itself.
• I adjust the ratio of baking powder by 25% and replace subtracted with baking soda. I could explain but it would take too long.
• If using imitation vanilla, I have found it good policy to increase the quantity by 50%.
• I like nuts, so I added raw, fresh, organic peanuts to this recipe.
• I replaced the peanut butter chips with chocolate chips since there was already so much peanut in the original recipe.

*When cooking in glass, reduce heat by 25ºF and allow for a longer cooking time.
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Apricot Glazed Pork Medallions/Les Medaillons du porc doré d'abricot

With the onset of Winter and a distinct lack of enthusiasm for any culinary adventures, I am stealing this recipe from my friend Jody's former Yahoo! Blog in order to try to keep up with my 2 recipes per month quota. Regretfully, there is no photo.

Jody is adventurous in her cooking style and she always has something unique for me when I visits or share when I can't

Apricot Glazed Pork Medallions/Les Medaillons du porc doré d'abricot

Ingredients

• 1 pound pork tenderloin, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds (you can buy them cut)
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 1/4 cups apricot preserves
• 1/4 cup tamari sauce (just use soy sauce)
• 1 tablespoon chopped pickled ginger

Directions

• Season both sides of pork with salt and black pepper.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add pork and sear 2 minutes per side.
• Add apricot preserves, tamari sauce and ginger and bring to a simmer.
• Simmer 5 minutes, until pork is cooked through and sauce reduces.

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Double Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal Cookies/Les biscuits à la farine d'avoine avec noix de coco et chocolat double

Trixie and I have been doing some cooking recently. She introduced me to a few cook books she had found at the local grocery store. There was one that I bought for myself because it had so many great recipes in it. It lead me to make the best cookie I have made in quite some time. It has superseded the 7 layer cookie. Original Recipe take from Hersey's Holiday Favorites cookbook 2007 page 12.

Double Chocolate Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
Les biscuits à la farine d'avoine avec noix de coco et chocolat double

Ingredients

• 1 cup of shortening
• 1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 cups of rolled oats
• 2 cups chocolate chips (your choice)
• 2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup coarsely copped nuts

My Version

• 1 1/2 cups regular mayonnaise
• 1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/3 cups of bread flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 cups of rolled oats
• 2 cups chocolate chips (your choice)
• 2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
• 1 cup coarsely copped nuts

Directions

• Beat the Mayo, brown sugar and vanilla in a bowl until well blended.
• Sift and stir in the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder and baking soda, and salt).
• Add water.
• At this point you might think you've made a horrible, HORRIBLE mistake by the consistency of the batter, but no. When you add the oats, it will all be fine.
• Stir in the chocolate chips, the coconut and nuts.
• Blend well.
• Refrigerate for two hours

• Heat over to 325 degrees.
• Using an 1/4 cup ice-cream scoop, drop scoups of dough onto a greased cookies sheet about 3 inches apart.
• Smash down the dough a bit for quicker cooking, add additional nuts, coconut and chips to the tops if desired.
• Bake 10-12 minutes or until dough is set (don't over bake).
• Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Note:

• You can divided the coconut using one cup in the dough and saving one cup to sprinkle over the tops of the dough. I just add both cups of coconut in the mixing stage.
• Cool cookies sheet bottom with cool water before placing new dough on the sheet. This is a source of bottom burning.
• The original cooking temp is 350. This has always burned my cookies, so I reduce temp to 325 and cook slightly longer. It works for me.
  

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French Tuna Sandwich/Pan Bagnat

One of my favorite Food TV programs is Alton Brown's Good Eats. It's a cooking show for geek basically. Not the recipes themselves per se, no, but the break down of the process and the techniques used are very precise and explained scientifically.

Anyway, one show last year was about sandwiched. He had done several in the program as I remember but the one that stuck for me was Pan Bagnat, a French Tuna fish sandwich from the Nice Province.

This is a nice tuna sandwich for people who don't like Mayo and Tuna. It combines all the things I love in one sandwich, and it's French, so... Oh là là.

French Tuna Sandwich/Pan Bagnat

Ingredients

• 1 crusty Batard (French loaf, non-baguette), approximately 16 to 18 inches long
• 12 ounces canned tuna packed in oil or water, drained and crumbled
• 1 small green pepper, sliced into rings
• 1 small red onion, sliced into rings
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
• 1 cup chopped kalamata olives
• 1 tomato, thinly sliced
• 2 table spoons balsamic vinaigrette
  

Directions

• Horizontally slice the French loaf into 2 pieces.
• Tear out some of the soft bread in the center of each side, making a slight well in the bread.
• Place the tuna, green pepper, red onion, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and tomato on the bottom side of the bread in that order.
• Drizzle the vinaigrette over the vegetables, top with the second piece of bread, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
• Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours before serving.

Notes:

• Use the palm of your hand, thumb up, placed firmly on the loaf to hold the bread steady as you cut the length of the loaf with a knife.
• I found using Burgundy Olives is nicer than black olives.
• If you don't have extra wide cling-film, make a big sheet by putting tow together slightly overlapping side-by-side. Or, section the sandwich and wrap individuals.
• I take the boiled egg on the side.
• 2 Tbsps of vinaigrette is a general rule, apply as desired.
• I followed the wrong order in picture. Alton had his reasons, but the sandwich doesn't exist for very long after it is made, so...

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Bourbon Balls/Boules de bourbon

Jody and I made these last time I was down to visit. They were holiday favorites of hers from her youth, ::insert me gushing over the flavor::

Jody writes:

My mother made these when I was a kid, I remember the smell distinctly. This is my grandmother's recipe. The reason I'm posting this now is that these MUST be made several weeks in advance of eating them in order for the flavors to truly develop. Make sure you store them in something air tight.

Bourbon Balls/Boules de bourbon

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoon cocoa
• 3 tablespoon Karo corn syrup
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup dates, chopped
• 1 lb. vanilla wafers, crushed well
• 1/2 cup bourbon whiskey
• powdered sugar

Directions

• Combine sugar, cocoa and wafers in a food processor.
• Pulse until mixture is mostly free of large chunks.
• Rough chop and add to the mix the dates and then the pecans.
• Pulse until mixture is of the roughly same consistency.
• Slowly add the Karo syrup and whiskey
• Form into small (3/4") balls, then roll in powdered sugar.

Notes:

• I used some left over sugar and cinnamon mix to coat the balls.
• I think it is a good idea to chill the mix before rolling them into individual servings.
• It might make a good log.

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West Indian Pumpkin Soup/La soupe de citrouille de l'Indie de l'ouest

I had originally planned to serve this at my Autumn Festival party this year. Unfortunately I had to cancel the party. However, Jody and I had the opportunity to make during my little vacation there last week.

I got this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens' America's Ethnic Cuisines.

West Indian Pumpkin Soup
La soupe de citrouille de l'Indie de l'ouest

You can serve this creamy, richly spiced soup cold or hot. Look for pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas) at Latin American or Mexican markets, if they're not already roasted, toast the raw seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet for 10 minutes in a 350º F oven.

Prep: 1 hour
Roast: ¼ hours
Cook: 40 minutes
Oven: 350°F
Stand: 10 minutes
Makes: 10 cups


Ingredients

• 2 pounds butternut squash or cooking pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large Spanish onion, chopped
• ½ Scotch bonnet chile or 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped*
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons snipped fresh thyme or
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme, crushed
• 2 teaspoons finely grated orange peel
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 small bay leaves
• 6 cups chicken broth
• ¼ cup whipping cream
• ¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1//2 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and diced (optional)

Directions

• In a large roasting pan toss together the squash, sweet potatoes, butter, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Roast in a 350° oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in chile, garlic, and ginger; cook 1 minute more. Add thyme, orange peel, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. Cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat vegetables. (The mixture will resemble a paste and begin to stick to the bottom of the Dutch oven.) Add the roasted vegetables and any pan liquid, stirring until well combined.
• Pour in broth and bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes to cool. Discard cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Place a small amount of soup at a time in a blender container; blend or puree until smooth. Return pureed mixture to Dutch oven. Stir in cream and coconut milk. If desired, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Serve cold or reheat.
• To serve, ladle soup into shallow bowls. Sprinkle soup with toasted pumpkin seeds and, if desired, diced apples.

Notes:

1. A Dutch Oven is just a large, deep pot.
2. I used Jalapeño as I have never cooked with Scotch Bonnets before.
3. Instead of roasted pumpkins seeds we used spiced apple rings. Everyone agreed this was a good choice.
4. Matt suggested that is wasn't spicy hot enough.
5. Jody and I think it could have used more nutmeg and possible cinnamon.
6. I think it could use some clove.
7. The soup is nice cold, but I think I like it better hot.
8. It's much better to serve it a day or so after you make it.

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Aunt Shirley's Seven Layer Cookies/Les biscuits à sept niveaux de ma tante Shirley

Holiday cookies are just as big a part of my family's seasonal traditions as any others. Just about every year one of my Aunts will bring over a plate or a tin of home-made cookies. One of my favorites is my Aunt Shirley's Seven Layer Cookie. It's probably something she picked up from someone else along the way, and is no secret... unlike my sister-in-law's Lumpia recipe.

Anyway, ♪♫'tis the season to make cookies fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la♫♪, so I made a batch of them before I went on my autumn vacation get way to give out as gifts Chez Jody. I gave some to her mom and co-worker both of whom asked for the recipe. What perfect timing for a Culinary Delights of the Delta Quadrant blog entry.

Aunt Shirley's Seven Layer Cookies
Les biscuits à sept niveaux de ma tante Shirley

Ingredients

• 9 x 12/14 baking dish
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 bag of Rolo candy
• 1 bag of milk chocolate chips
• 1 bag of white chocolate chips
• 1 bag of butterscotch chocolate chips
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 package of graham crackers
• unsweetened coconut
• walnuts

Directions

• Layer 1: Chunk up the butter into the baking dish a micowave until melted. When the butter is melted coat the bottom and ths sides of the dish.
• Layer 2: Crush the graham crackers finely leaving some dime size bits adn sprinkle evenly over the butter.
• Layer 3: Unwrap about 90% of the bag of Rolos and place evenly about 1 inch apart over the graham crackers.
• Layer 4: Fill in the spaces between the Rolos with the milk chocolate chips creating a layer of milk chocolate. Use about 90% of the bag.¹
• Layer 5: Create a butterscotch layer, another 90%.
• Layer 6: Create a white chocolate layer, 90%.
• Layer 7: Create a walnut and coconut layer to your own preference.²

1. Evenly pour the entire can of sweetened condensed milk over the layers.
2. Bake in a preheated 350º oven for 30 minutes.³
   
3. Cool for 30-45 minutes and precut into 1 to 1 & ½ inch pieces.
4. Allow to cool completely and cover with plastic wrap.

Notes:

1. Using a whole bag will be a problem because you will run out of height in your dish.
2. I put the coconut on last. It makes it pretty. If you don't like coconut, make sure the white chocolate chips are the last layer. It's about presentation. Of course, you don't have to listen to me. What the Hell do I know, right?
3. When this stuff cools completely, it is hard to cut. So save your knife and your wrist and and precut.

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French Onion Soup/La soupe à l'oignon

Recently I have noticed a number of restaurant in the area offering French Onion Soup on the menu. I enjoy the soup and jump on the opportunity to have it when eating out. It occurred to me a few weeks ago that I have never made a soup before and that I am sure it was well within my abilities to do so.

So I did some research on the soup and settled on a recipes from the Food Network's Good Eats program hosted by Alton Brown. I love Brown's humor and approach to cooking.

French Onion Soup/La soupe à l'oignon

INREDIENTS

• 5 sweet onions (like Vidalias) or a combination of sweet and red onions (about 4 pounds)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups white wine
• 10 ounces canned beef consume
• 10 ounces chicken broth
• 10 ounces apple cider (unfiltered is best)
• Bouquet garni; thyme sprigs, bay leaf and parsley tied together with kitchen string
• 1 loaf country style bread
• Kosher salt
• Ground black pepper
• Splash of Cognac (optional)
• 1 cup Fontina or Gruyere cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS

• Trim the ends off each onion then halve lengthwise.
• Remove peel and finely slice into half moon shapes.
• Set electric skillet to 300 degrees and add butter.
• Once butter has melted add a layer of onions and sprinkle with a little salt.
• Repeat layering onions and salt until all onions are in the skillet.

Do not try stirring until onions have sweated down for 15 to 20 minutes. After that, stir occasionally until onions are dark mahogany and reduced to approximately 2 cups. This should take 45 minutes to 1 hour. Do not worry about burning.

• Add enough wine to cover the onions and turn heat to high, reducing the wine to a syrup consistency.
• Add consume, chicken broth, apple cider and bouquet garni.
• Reduce heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
• Place oven rack in top 1/3 of oven and heat broiler.
• Cut country bread in rounds large enough to fit mouth of oven safe soup crocks.
• Place the slices on a baking sheet and place under broiler for 1 minute. (a.k.a. toast some special bread in a toaster)
• Season soup mixture with salt, pepper and cognac.
• Remove bouquet garni and ladle soup into crocks leaving one inch to the lip.
• Place bread round, toasted side down, on top of soup and top with grated cheese.
• Broil until cheese is bubbly and golden, 1 to 2 minutes. (a.k.a. screw the broiler, use a toaster oven)
  

Note:

1. There were no amounts indicated for the bouquet garni, so I just kind of winged it.
2. I used all but a cup of a bottle of wine
3. I used the full 14 oz. of the consumés
4. I will probably use less onions next time as with the amount indicated there was a lot, A LOT.
5. I bought the Cognac, but I forgot to use it.

* Legend has it that the soup was created by King Louis XV of France. Late one night, he discovered he only had onions, butter and champagne at his hunting lodge, so he mixed them together to create the first French onion soup. Alternate stories attribute the creation to King Louis XIV.
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Sweet Chili Thai Sauce/La sauce sucrée de chili thaï

A while back I had made something called Sweet Chili Thai Sauce from the chilies that Tracy had given me. Now, you can follow the recipe that is provided in the link, or you can follow what I did. Basically, I took example from the notes that other people had left on the page concerning their experience with the recipe.

Sweet Chili Thai Sauce/La sauce sucrée de chili thaï

Mild version

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons hot chile pepper, minced
• 2 teaspoons Tomato Paste
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch

Hot and Sweet version

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger root, minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 to 3 teaspoons hot chile pepper, minced
• 2 teaspoons Tomato Paste
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch

DIRECTIONS

• Pour water and vinegar into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Stir in sugar, ginger, garlic, chile pepper, and ketchup; simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in cornstarch.
• Remove saucepan from stove to cool.
• Then transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until needed.

Notes:

1. I used jarred, non-pickled ginger that I found in the Asian food section of my grocery store.

2. A large clove of garlic should be about a teaspoon when chopped.

3. I used the real, whole, dried chilis Tracy got me from the Mexican isle at Wegman's. I assume Fresh would work nicely too, but I should think the dried pepper flakes that have been sitting on a shelf for God knows how long would be a bad choice.

4. Remember wear latex when handling fresh chilis, wash hands thoroughly and don't touch your eyes or nose for three days.

5. This is an excellent substitute dip for the orange sauce that comes with Sweet and Sour Chicken.

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Lemonade | La Limonade

I have gone off the pop, sweety. I do have a glass occasionally maybe every few months or so when I eat out. But, I no longer buy it myself, and I am definitely not drinking it in the quantities I used to. I've lost some weight too from not taking on so much sugar.

Instead, I have replaced pop with more water, teas (hot and cold), lemonade and low-sugar juices (cranberry, pomegranate etc...).

So because of this, I decided to make some lemonade from scratch. I like tart lemonade, the kind where you can really taste the lemon rather than the sugar. I looked at a few recipes and came up with my own, and I thought I would take a moment to share it here.

Lemonade | La Limonade

Lemonade

• In a two quart container dissolve 3/4 to 1 cup of sugar in 2 cups of warm water and set aside.
• Seed and juice 7-8 fresh lemons. This will render about 1 3/4 to 2 cups of lemon juice ¹.
• Combine the sugar water and lemon juice.
• Add an additional 3 to 4 cups of cold water to fill the 2 qt. container
• Stir until will mixed and any remaining sugar is dissolved
  

Notes:

1. I like pulp so I leave it in, but you can strain it if you like.
2. Add fresh mint sprigs if desired.
3. Add ice-cubes before topping off with water for insta-cold lemonade.
   

¹ I went with a straight 1 cup of sugar and 2 cups of lemon juice, but you can modify according to individual taste.
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My Fruit Salad | La salade des fruits à moé

My Fruit Salad | La salade des fruits à moé

I threw this fruit salad together in need of using up some fruit quickly before it spoiled. It has gotten some small-town acclaim. Here's how I make it.

• 1 lg. Golden Delicious apple
• 1 lg.peach
• 1 lg. lemon
• 1 8oz can of chunk pineapple in its own juice
• 2-2 1/2 cups of red seedless grapes
• Vermouth
  

Syrup

In a 1 cup measuring cup...

• Seed and juice the entire lemon
• Combine with the pineapple juice from the canned pineapple ¹
  

This will give you about 1/2- 2/3 cup of juice.

• Fill to 3/4 cup with honey
• Top off to 1 cup with Vermouth ²

Stir until honey is well dissolved. Set aside.


Salad

• Put the drained pineapple chunks in a mixing bowl (with lid preferably).
• Core and pit the apple and the peach and dice into bite-size chunks, add to pineapple.
• Pick and wash thoroughly 2-2 1/2 cups of red seedless grapes. Add to the mixing bowl.

After you have chunked the fruit, pour the juice mixture over the fruit. Stir, cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Serve cold. Even better the next day. Serves 4-5.

Notes:

1. Add honey to sweeten.
2. The honey, lemon juice and alcohol will keep the salad fresh for days more than your typical fruit salad.
3. If peaches are out of season, you might substitute with Honeydew, Mango or Papaya.
   

¹ I have not used fresh pineapple with this before. I can only imagine it would be even more fantastic. If you do use fresh pineapple, be sure to pick up some pineapple juice.

² The syrup comes out to be approx. 1/4 cup each of honey, lemon juice, pineapple juice and vermouth.
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