tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7167158129882415892024-03-13T21:03:44.375-07:00LA CUCINA LAURENTIMygem2 KitchenSadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-90106757742926822542012-05-24T17:40:00.001-07:002012-05-24T17:40:08.232-07:00<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It's noon on a Thursday afternoon and the local farm market is open! I went in at 12:10p.m. with the intention of finding something to make a salad for my chef event tonight, but I didn't just want a salad made with lettuce, so off to explore what is in season.....</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">21 Acres is our local Woodinville farm market and I'm excited to see what they have available. I browse at the table filled with fresh picked produce from the farm and I find lettuce in bright light and rich green colors, reddish, pinkish radishes that smelled divine, perfectly grown leeks that let out their aroma to tantalize my chef brain, then there was the beautiful family member of the Lilly, The Asparagus; that's it, Asparagus salad it is. I purchased three pounds of Asparagus and one Leek. I wasn't sure what I would accompany the asparagus with when I got home, but my brain was working it's creative side, thanks to the aroma of the leek (which I happen to love).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As soon as I got home, I looked in the refrigerator and I had four choices of cheese (goat, white cheddar and Gruyere and Gouda parrano). I chose the Gouda parrano. Next, I opened a bottle of Hearts of Palm, sliced them into bite sizes and soaked them in orange juice with balsamic. I went to my garden and cut some fresh Oregano.... A salad was created and it is very tasty, fresh and I have smiles that it was from our local farm 5 minutes from my house! Life is Good!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Enjoy this quick creation from today!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hk5SWdbkxvQ/T77Qhsi-TEI/AAAAAAAASRk/ROKtIfQpffI/s1600/asparagus+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hk5SWdbkxvQ/T77Qhsi-TEI/AAAAAAAASRk/ROKtIfQpffI/s320/asparagus+013.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Fresh Asparagus from 21 Acres Woodinville Farm</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Asparagus Salad with Hearts of Palm</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">recipe and photo created by Chef Sadie</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Serves 10-12 small salad plates</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 pounds Asparagus, cut into bite sizes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 Leek, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 8 oz jar Hearts of Palm (I prefer in bottle rather than in tin), cut into bite sizes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 tablespoon Walnut oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 cup Organic orange juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/4 cup Quality Balsamic</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 sprig Fresh Oregano, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 cup Grated Gouda Parrano (or a sharp Parmesan)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">salt</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Place Hearts of Palm in a bowl with the orange juice, balsamic and chopped fresh oregano. Set aside to marinade for an hour.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Prepare a pot with water and salt; bring to a boil. Prepare a bowl with ice and cold water to shock the vegetables. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Add a handful of asparagus slices to the hot, salted water and cook just until the color turns a deep green; about 3-4 minutes (work with small batches of asparagus). With a slotted spoon, remove asparagus from the boiling water and add to the ice cold bowl. Leave asparagus in ice cold bowl until the asparagus has cooled completely; then transfer to a salad bowl. Repeat until all asparagus has been blanched and shocked.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Heat a pan on medium high heat with walnut oil; add chopped leeks. Cook until translucent. Remove leeks from pan and add to the asparagus along with the walnut oil. Let the leeks cool on top of the asparagus.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After an hour when the Hearts of Palm have had a chance to marinade in the juice, with a slotted spoon, scoop out all the Hearts of Palm and oregano and add to the salad bowl with the asparagus.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Add balsamic and orange juice to salad and stir gently.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Top salad with grated cheese and serve!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-large;"> Buon Appetito!</span><br />
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<br />Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-31416473274683451612012-01-10T09:21:00.000-08:002012-01-10T09:23:17.945-08:00Business Marketing TrialLooking into the new year and trying to figure out how to utilize marketing dollars spent for the business in this economy in a smart way. One way to advertise my cooking and travels, can be through Thumbtack. I'm giving it a try to see what happens in the future in expanding our business.<br />
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</script>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-23799779108766797862012-01-09T10:42:00.000-08:002012-01-09T10:44:57.662-08:00Turkey Sliders wrapped with Kale<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">These past couple of years I have cooked with more ground turkey than I have in my entire cooking career. I find turkey to be clean, light and very tasty. </span><br />
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The Seattle weather this winter has been quite warm in comparison to other years. The weather has been gentle on my organic garden, in which, the kale and chard are growing beautifully. <em>When I say warm in Seattle, we are talking in NW terms of warm (50 degrees). </em>I'm dreaming of being back in my home State of Southern California with warm weather and visualizing my organic garden in full abundance of all the vegetables we enjoy eating. Kick, kick nudge, nudge.....back to reality, I'm in Seattle, back to turkey and kale.<br />
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This recipe is easy to prepare and very tasty. Think outside the box, make these ahead and leave them in the refrigerator for your kids to snack on, eat for breakfast, lunch, or just to have some cooked delicious protein on hand when you get a craving for junk food. I made these for a catering party as appetizers and the clients loved them. I assure you your kids will like these as well.<br />
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Sadie's Turkey Sliders hugged with Kale<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZafhHNooLXs/Tws1AijEmKI/AAAAAAAAP1U/GVzwzsMlsf8/s1600/december+417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZafhHNooLXs/Tws1AijEmKI/AAAAAAAAP1U/GVzwzsMlsf8/s320/december+417.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Makes about 12-14 sliders<br />
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1 pound of fresh ground turkey<br />
1 egg, beaten<br />
1/4 cup panko<br />
1 teaspoon soy sauce (I prefer the organic, no msg and gluten free san-j brand)<br />
1 teaspoon cumin<br />
1 teaspoon coriander<br />
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon<br />
1/4 teaspoon turmeric<br />
dash of ground cloves<br />
1 teaspoon Hungarian Paprika<br />
1 teaspoon brown sugar<br />
salt and pepper<br />
NOTE: You can use any spices or herbs as you wish<br />
7 Kale leaves<br />
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Preheat oven at 350*F<br />
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Combine turkey, beaten egg, panko, soy sauce and the rest of the herbs together. Make small balls (2-3 ounces) and flatten out the slider. Place on a sheet pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on both sides. <br />
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While Turkey Sliders are in the oven; place kale leaves in the microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minutes to soften (do not overcook them in microwave). Sprinkle some sea salt on softened kale. Cut kale from top to bottom and remove the center membrane. 1 leaf will become two ribbons for your sliders.<br />
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When the sliders are cooked, take one ribbon of kale and wrap around turkey slider and tie a knot. Serve with your favorite sauce, buns or no buns. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Buon Appetito</span></div>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-61016743865112164512012-01-04T11:24:00.000-08:002012-01-04T11:44:39.580-08:00Chile Relleno and Sopes with Beef<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I love Mexican food! In our home at least once a week, there is something Mexican served at the table for dinner. Authentic Mexican food is delicious, satisfying and very healthy, not like Tex-Mex food or American versions of Mexican food that have a pound of cheddar cheese served on your rice, beans or inside of a burrito. In my visits to Mexico, I rarely see cheddar cheese smothered on the food (except for in American tourist areas). A couple of my favorite common cheeses used in Mexico is Queso Fresco or Cojita which are sparingly served over beans, meats or rice. You can make queso fresco at home, as it is very easy to make. I learned to make queso fresco years ago in Mexico and it truly is easy to make. Here is a blog that shows you how to make your own queso fresco at home: <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/cheese/make-queso-fresco-the-cheesemonger-099011">http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/cheese/make-queso-fresco-the-cheesemonger-099011</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">So, now that we have the cheese for chile, let's stuff them, fry the and eat them! YUM! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">When choosing the chile for your recipe, you have a wide variety of choices: Anaheim, Poblano, Habanero, Marconi, Hatch or even Jalapeno chiles. You choose your favorite and I assure you they will turn out very tasty when made with queso fresco. I do prefer queso fresco over cream cheese or cheddar cheese to stuff chile peppers.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rEctg6fTbZ4/TwSU8wAULOI/AAAAAAAAP0k/odQk7LrwxzE/s1600/december+cooking+143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rEctg6fTbZ4/TwSU8wAULOI/AAAAAAAAP0k/odQk7LrwxzE/s320/december+cooking+143.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Sadie's Easy Chile Relleno Recipe</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Serves 6</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">6 Poblano or Hatch Chile (if in season), charred and peeled</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 pound of Queso Fresco, mashed with spoon</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Batter:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 cup flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 teaspoon baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 cup milk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 egg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">salt</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Vegetable oil for frying</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">If you have a gas stove, you can char the chile pepper on the stove top by turning frequently, until all sides are charred. If you do not have a gas stove, you can use the oven to roast the chile peppers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Preheat oven to 450*F</span><br />
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1. Place chiles on a sheet pan; roast in oven for 20 minutes; turning chile often, until all sides are done charring. You can remove the skins while still warm; they peel off very easily. I suggest that you <strong>do not</strong> run the chile under water to remove the skin as you will be washing away all the oils and sweetness of the chile down the drain. <br />
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2. While the chile is roasting, you can prepare the batter. Combine flour, baking powder, milk, egg, salt; mix well.<br />
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3. Once the charring and peeling is complete, slice one side of the skin (top to bottom) of the chile (careful not to run the knife through both sides) and spoon out the seeds. <br />
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4. Take the mashed queso fresco and stuff the chile (no measurements are given as the sizes of chile vary). You want to stuff them so that both flaps close together (do not over stuff).<br />
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5. If you own a deep fryer; heat your oil to 350*F. If not, use a deep pan and add enough oil (about 1 inch in depth) and heat over medium high heat.<br />
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6. Dip each stuffed chile in the batter and place in the hot oil to brown all sides. Remove from oil and place on a plate covered with paper towels to absorb the oil.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-03p-Ni15irI/TwSVSYebyoI/AAAAAAAAP0w/rBRJmFhPQlI/s1600/december+cooking+141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-03p-Ni15irI/TwSVSYebyoI/AAAAAAAAP0w/rBRJmFhPQlI/s200/december+cooking+141.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Serve warm with your favorite sauce or salsa. <br />
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<strong>SOPES - </strong>What are Sopes? They are a small version of corn tortilla (thicker) in the shape of a small frisbee or a small soup bowl, to hold meats, beans, salads in the middle. I had Sopes for the first time in a small Mexican Village named Santa Clara del Cobre in Michoacan, Mexico. I forgot about these delicious little corn disks, until a friend in Mexico City mentioned them, and it brought back such delicious memories of the first bite I had of Sopes with Frijoles (beans). I looked up several recipes on the Internet in Spanish, for an authentic recipe and found one from a Grandmother in Mexico. I love this web site/blog and will be using it for several authentic recipes in the future. If you speak and read Spanish, here is the link: <a href="http://www.lasrecetasdelaabuela.com/antojitos/sopes.htm">http://www.lasrecetasdelaabuela.com/antojitos/sopes.htm</a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9tZphCb9WoI/TwSl5xojSRI/AAAAAAAAP08/Y6x7Gx6ADoQ/s1600/december+cooking+148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9tZphCb9WoI/TwSl5xojSRI/AAAAAAAAP08/Y6x7Gx6ADoQ/s320/december+cooking+148.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sopes</td></tr>
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<strong>SOPES</strong><br />
<strong>recipe altered by Sadie</strong><br />
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Makes 24 <br />
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2 cups Masa Harina Corn Flour<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1 cup of hot water<br />
more hot water as needed<br />
Vegetable oil for frying<br />
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1. Sift Masa Harina and salt in a large bowl; make a well in the middle. <br />
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2. Add hot water 1/4 cup at a time and start mixing until you have a perfect dough consistency: a little firm with some spring, not completely firm and not dry or sticky.<br />
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3. Cover dough with a plastic cover and let sit for about 30 minutes.<br />
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4. Heat a cast iron skillet (preferably) to medium high heat.<br />
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5. Keeping the dough covered at all times with a damp cotton towel, take enough dough to form the size of a golf ball (2-3 ounces).<br />
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6. If you own a tortilla wooden press, you can line the inside of the press with plastic or wax paper (I prefer wax paper), to keep the dough from sticking to the wood. If you do not own a wooden press, you can roll out the dough to measure 1/4 inch thick and about 4 inches in diameter. You can shape the dough with a large round cookie ring or by taking a large water glass with a big mouth (I used a cookie ring to cut the dough).<br />
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7. On hot skillet, heat Sope on skillet until they turn brown on both sides (about one minute). Remove from skillet.<br />
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8. While still hot, shape the outside of the tortilla to create a lip on the outside of the tortilla. I used the bottom of a small pyrex glass bowl (1 cup Pyrex bowl) to shape the tortilla into the Sope. Press the glass in the middle of the tortilla and raise the sides to create a lip. Set aside and let cool until all tortilla disks are complete.<br />
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9. If you own a deep fryer; heat your oil to 350*F. If not, use a deep pan and add enough oil(about 1 inch in depth) and heat over medium high heat.<br />
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10. Place sope in hot oil and cook until crispy and brown on both sides. Place on a cookie sheet and cover to keep warm until ready to serve.<br />
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11. Sope can be filled with beans, meat, salad, seafood and served warm.<br />
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CHEF NOTES: The Abuela recipe from Mexico has a recipe for chiles that are made into a sauce and each of the sopes after the first heating, is coated with the chile sauce and then fried. This adds more spice to the sope (optional).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fmFCMIsKsvA/TwSmRKukoSI/AAAAAAAAP1I/1guUC4K2ZZo/s1600/december+cooking+146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fmFCMIsKsvA/TwSmRKukoSI/AAAAAAAAP1I/1guUC4K2ZZo/s320/december+cooking+146.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chile Relleno with queso fresco and <br />
Sopes with shredded beef, queso fresco and topped with Pico de Gallo</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Buen Provecho</span></div>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-70595700519336745782012-01-02T13:11:00.000-08:002012-01-02T13:46:31.053-08:00Mamey Sapote Shake<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Starting out my day with a delicious shake made out of a very tasty tropical fruit named "Mamey Sapote."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Mamey Sapote's origin is West Indies, it is shaped like a large, pointed peach and covered with a russet-brown rind that's thick, rough and woody. The flesh, which ranges in color from salmon-pink to golden-red, is firm and smooth with a sweet flavor reminiscent of apricots and almonds. <em>Definition taken from Sharon Tyler Herbst, author of Food Companion</em></span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><em>.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The information I have read on Mamey Sapote is that it has been a favorite fruit for generations in West Indies, Central America, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and introduced to Florida in the late 1880's. The seed has a short life span, which discouraged farmers in the Americas in the early colonial times, as they did not want to risk purchasing the seeds and having the seeds arrive at their expiration time. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">There are several orchards in Florida that grow Mamey Sapote and you can order on line to have it delivered right to your door. Contact Tropical Fruit Growers in Florida at <a href="http://www.tropicalfruitgrowers.com/">http://www.tropicalfruitgrowers.com/</a> to find a farmer. If you are lucky, you may find some Goya products in your neighborhood stores (not common here in Seattle), that carry frozen packets of Mamey Sapote. <a href="http://www.goya.com/english/">http://www.goya.com/english/</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Health benefits with Mamey Sapote and other fruits can be found in this web site <a href="http://www.healthaliciousness.com/fruits/mamey.php">http://www.healthaliciousness.com/fruits/mamey.php</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Well, since I am heading out to the Dominican Republic soon, I will have plenty of fresh Mamey Sapote; as harvest season begins in January.</span> Lucky ME!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cbdRCHUJD3k/TwIZFduxtrI/AAAAAAAAP0U/l3YUBVsDJ3w/s1600/Mamey+Sapote+Shake+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cbdRCHUJD3k/TwIZFduxtrI/AAAAAAAAP0U/l3YUBVsDJ3w/s320/Mamey+Sapote+Shake+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mamey Sapote Shake<br />
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</td></tr>
</tbody></table><strong>Sadie's Mamey Sapote Morning Shake</strong><br />
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<strong>Recipe:</strong><br />
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<strong>Makes 2 servings</strong><br />
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<strong>7 oz Mamey Sapote - fresh or frozen, I used Goya's frozen packet</strong><br />
<strong>16 oz Coconut Milk </strong><br />
<strong>1 tsp Flax seed powder (optional) *see notes</strong><br />
<strong>4-6 ice cubes or 1cup crushed ice</strong><br />
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<strong>In a high speed blender, blend together until desired consistency. I prefer adding crushed ice.</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>*Notes: Adding fiber to your diet is essential. I add 1-2 teaspoons of fiber in my daily diet. I prefer Hi-Lignan Flax Seeds. I purchase flax seeds that are produced locally in the Washington area, and I love all these products on this web site <a href="http://www.omeganutrition.com/">http://www.omeganutrition.com/</a> </strong>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-2894716897393986562011-12-31T19:41:00.000-08:002012-01-02T15:01:48.873-08:00New Year's Day-Black-Eyed Peas and Gluten Free Jalapeno Corn Bread<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-obCAHYswM6M/Tv_UE7sBkCI/AAAAAAAAPzU/Gk2jWIw5smc/s1600/december+cooking+160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-obCAHYswM6M/Tv_UE7sBkCI/AAAAAAAAPzU/Gk2jWIw5smc/s320/december+cooking+160.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simply Delicious!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="center"></div>RINGING IN 2012 with Black-Eyed Peas is known to bring you an abundance of Good Luck for the new year. Whether you believe this or not, it is definitely a great meal on a cold winter's evening. An article I read a few years ago from the Boston University paper from the school of Theology stated; "Eat poor on New Year's and eat fat the rest of the year." From good luck to prosperity! Hmm? It sounds promising.<br />
<br />
Tapping into some Southern roots with this dish is a sure way to satisfy all your taste buds. I have no Southern roots myself, but I suppose, if you're born anywhere near the South, you may just have some memories of a delicious dish with Black-Eye Peas. I do remember my Nana (surrogate mother, Mima), who had African/Cuban roots herself, and she made a delicious pot of black-eyed peas during the holidays with a Caribbean flair. I wish I would have taken the time to write down her recipe, but the memories of her delicious dish, are fond memories and my taste buds still remember the delicious flavors from her black-eyed peas dish. <br />
<br />
I looked up several recipes for Black-Eyed Peas, and the most popular one that I found is named "Hoppin' John. I'm not sure of the history behind this name, but I'm sure you can find something on the Internet that may describe the origins behind it. I found this link to be interesting and glad to read that it was originated in West Africa where my Nana's ancestors were from. It makes me feel connected to her, and all the good times we had together when she was alive. Life is Good with such great memories! <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoppin'_John">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoppin'_John</a><br />
<br />
This is not an authentic recipe as I adapted several variations to suit my style of cooking. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Prb-zHDoGyk/Tv_UeF-wfZI/AAAAAAAAPzg/OuOCH0CgxUM/s1600/december+cooking+151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Prb-zHDoGyk/Tv_UeF-wfZI/AAAAAAAAPzg/OuOCH0CgxUM/s200/december+cooking+151.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five ingredients and 5 simple steps</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K3thT4BzodM/Tv_UvCPt8EI/AAAAAAAAPzw/FOUrAQRFr5A/s1600/december+cooking+155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K3thT4BzodM/Tv_UvCPt8EI/AAAAAAAAPzw/FOUrAQRFr5A/s200/december+cooking+155.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pot of Black-Eyed Peas; Delicious!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<strong>Hoppin' John and Sadie -Black-Eyed Peas with Rice and Corn Bread Recipes</strong><br />
<br />
<em>Note: all ingredients are best when organic</em><br />
<br />
<strong>Bean Recipe</strong><br />
<br />
1 pound black-eyed peas (dry)<br />
1 onion, chopped<br />
2 garlic cloves, whole with paper removed<br />
2 bay leaves<br />
2 ham hocks with meat (ask your butcher for smoked ham hock)<br />
8 cups of water<br />
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350*F<br />
<br />
<ol><li>Rinse beans several times and discard water (about 4-5 times). No need to soak beans overnight.</li>
<li>In a Ceramic Bean Pot or a Dutch oven; heat olive oil and saute onions until translucent; add garlic, bay leaves, ham hocks, beans and water. Bring to a boil. </li>
<li>Cover pot with a lid or foil, and place in oven for 3 hours. Remove from oven and set aside to slightly cool.</li>
<li>When beans are slightly cooled; in a colander, drain beans. Reserve bean/ham stock.</li>
<li>Remove the ham hock and shred the meat. Add meat to drained beans; keep warm and set aside.</li>
</ol>While beans are in the oven: you can prepare the rice and corn bread<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Brown Rice Recipe</strong><br />
<br />
1 1/2 cups of organic brown rice<br />
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 onion, chopped<br />
1 red bell pepper, chopped<br />
5 vine riped tomatoes (organic), chopped<br />
1 tablespoon ground cumin<br />
1 tablespoon thyme<br />
1 teaspoon salt (add more to taste; I cook with low salt)<br />
1 tablespoon Cajun Creole Seasoning (if you prefer less spicy, add 1 teaspoon, and be sure you buy salt free, organic spices)<br />
1 teaspoon Hungarian Paprika<br />
1 teaspoon cayenne (optional)<br />
<br />
<ol><li>Wash rice thoroughly, until water is clear. Cook rice in rice-cooker, if you own one. *Cooking rice on stove top: Add 3 cups of water in a pot; add rice, and bring to a boil. Cover pot, and reduce heat to simmer. Cook about 10 -15 minutes, until rice is tender. </li>
<li>In skillet, on medium heat; add olive oil, red bell pepper and saute until onion and bell pepper are tender. Add chopped tomatoes and remaining spice ingredients. Cook on low heat until tomatoes are tender.<em> Do not overcook as you want to keep some of the tomato juices for the rice and beans.</em> </li>
<li>Taste for seasoning; at this point, you can add more spices or salt to satisfy your taste buds.</li>
<li>Carefully add cooked rice to tomato sauce; spoon in 1/2 cup of the reserved bean/ham stock, and carefully stir rice into tomato sauce. Gently add the beans and toss until rice and beans are completely married.</li>
</ol>Serve with Jalapeno Corn Bread<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WQIt64k1Igs/Tv_VYPR4fkI/AAAAAAAAPz8/NIXN-HYqH8c/s1600/december+cooking+171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WQIt64k1Igs/Tv_VYPR4fkI/AAAAAAAAPz8/NIXN-HYqH8c/s200/december+cooking+171.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jalapeno Corn Bread<br />
Gluten-Free</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<strong>Sadie's Gluten Free-Corn Bread Recipe</strong><br />
<br />
1 cup organic corn meal (Bob's Red Mill is my preference)<br />
1 cup gluten-free all purpose flour (Thomas Keller's "Cup4Cup" brand is my preference)<br />
4 tablespoons sugar<br />
1 tablespoon gluten-free baking powder (be sure to buy sodium free, gluten free and aluminum free baking powder for all your baking needs)<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
3/4 cup whole milk<br />
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 egg<br />
1/4 cup jalapenos, chopped<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 400*F<br />
<ol><li>Combine all dry ingredients, and sift (you can sift ingredients with a wire whisk).</li>
<li>Whisk milk, olive oil and egg. Add chopped jalapenos and stir.</li>
<li>Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until blended (do not over stir).</li>
<li>Spray medium size Cast Iron pan with oil or a Pyrex pie pan; add corn bread mixture and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown</li>
</ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ArgJGaFFRUI/Tv_VnjWJ2bI/AAAAAAAAP0I/dSI4mjzUZGI/s1600/december+cooking+165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ArgJGaFFRUI/Tv_VnjWJ2bI/AAAAAAAAP0I/dSI4mjzUZGI/s320/december+cooking+165.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>Happy New Year's and all the Best to Everyone in 2012!</strong> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>Eat organic, eat local sustainable foods; support your community!</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
Buon Appetito!</span></strong></div>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-40642030839161609342011-10-31T21:29:00.000-07:002011-10-31T21:30:46.924-07:00Tilapia with a Sweet Onion, Tomatoes and Tarragon Salsa<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Tilapia is not a common fish that I would go out and buy to cook; as it is mostly farm raised and I prefer wild fish. However, one of the chefs I was speaking to earlier this morning, was talking about the Tilapia Fish Tacos he had made last week and it was absolutely delicious, low in fat and very tasty. So, I did a bit of research on Tilapia and this is one of the facts I found out about Tilapia that got me to the Market today, to buy some for dinner tonight: </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Tilapia have very low levels of mercury, as they are fast-growing and short-lived, with a primarily herbivorous diet, so do not accumulate mercury found in prey. Tilapia is a low saturated fat, low calorie, low carbohydrate and low sodium protein source. It is a source of </span></em><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1151315598" title="Phosphorus"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">phosphorus</span></em></a><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">, </span></em><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1151315598" title="Niacin"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">niacin</span></em></a><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">, </span></em><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1151315598" title="Selenium"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">selenium</span></em></a><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">, </span></em><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1151315598" title="Vitamin B12"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">vitamin B<sub><span style="font-size: small;">12</span></sub></span></em></a><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> and potassium." </span></em></div><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Perfect. Low in saturated fat, low carbohydrate and vitamin B12, just what I was looking for in a meal. Now, let me just start adding ingredients to it to make it tasty and still keep it low in saturated fat.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Let the chef in the kitchen, apron on, hair in ponytail, heels on and ready to cook:</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dTlSHo15YeQ/Tq90uTUXZmI/AAAAAAAAPMI/GPehnY0fN-k/s1600/October+review+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dTlSHo15YeQ/Tq90uTUXZmI/AAAAAAAAPMI/GPehnY0fN-k/s200/October+review+036.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baked Tilapia ready to serve!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">Recipe</span></strong><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">1 pound Tilapia</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">1 medium sized organic sweet onion, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">1 medium sized organic tomato, seeded and chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">1 Bay leaf</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">2-3 tablespoons fresh Tarragon, chopped (I add 3 tbsp, as I love the flavor of tarragon)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dry basil</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">1 garlic clove minced</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">1 lemon</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">3 tablespoons of capers</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Salt and pepper (white pepper) to taste</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Fish should be refrigerated until ready to cook.</strong> </span><br />
<ol><li><span style="font-size: small;">In medium skillet pan, heat oil on medium low heat; add onions and cook until onions are translucent. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Add chopped tomatoes to cooked onions with bay leaf, tarragon, basil, minced garlic clove and red chili flakes; cook for about 5 minutes while stirring. Add a little bit of salt and white pepper to taste.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Let the mixture of onions, tomatoes and herbs cool completely (this can be made ahead and refrigerated; until ready to use). Squeeze 1/2 lemon juice and stir well.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Preheat oven to 375*F</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Rinse Tilapia in cold water and pat dry with paper towel.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Add some EVOO (1 tablespoon, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan) to a baking pan and place Tilapia on baking pan.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Spoon cooled onion and tomato mixture on top of Tilapia and add capers on top of each fillet. <em>Be sure you remove bay leaf and discard.</em></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Place in the center of the oven and Bake for 30-35 minutes</span></li>
</ol><span style="font-size: small;">Serve this recipe with 1/2 cup of rice medley (brown rice, wild rice and heirloom red rice) and some sliced lemon!</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uIIYIIEaZRc/Tq91Kdjc94I/AAAAAAAAPMU/5X7p-aaXnzo/s1600/October+review+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uIIYIIEaZRc/Tq91Kdjc94I/AAAAAAAAPMU/5X7p-aaXnzo/s320/October+review+038.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Buon Appetito</span></strong></div><br />
<span id="goog_1151315605"></span><span id="goog_1151315606"></span></span>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-39077876848274147492011-10-30T21:20:00.000-07:002011-10-30T21:32:38.420-07:00Croque Monsieur<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There is nothing better than the smell of fresh baked bread in your home; it is truly blissful! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I just finished baking Brioche, but not just any brioche; Thomas Keller's brioche, which is found in all his cook books in honor of his friend Jean-Louis Palladin; one of the greatest French chefs that immigrated to the USA in the late 70's. You can read about Jean-Louis Palladin here <a href="http://www.jamesbeard.org/index.php?q=education_jlp_about">http://www.jamesbeard.org/index.php?q=education_jlp_about</a> </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TVtjPpWnYpM/Tq4hh-H_vwI/AAAAAAAAPMA/LJ_siBlw4K4/s1600/review+octover+063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" ida="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TVtjPpWnYpM/Tq4hh-H_vwI/AAAAAAAAPMA/LJ_siBlw4K4/s320/review+octover+063.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Croque Monsieur</td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Bless the French for their incredible culinary cuisines; Croque Monsieur is definitely one of the best ham and cheese sandwiches our family loves. For years, we have eaten Croque Monsieur or even a Croque Madame (notes on the Madame later) in fine restaurants, but nothing compares to eating this sandwich in France. Our girls love, love eating Croque Monsieur whenever it is offered on a menu and lucky for them; they've had it in many of our travels such as: France, London, Canada and when we visit my home town of Los Angeles. When we dine at Bouchon in Beverly Hills and they have it on their menu; we are definitely ordering it. We also loved Croque Monsieur at Anisette Brasserie located in Santa Monica, which sadly closed this year; but it was outstanding and one of our favorite places that made it very similar as our favorite restaurants in France. In Seattle, well, we have yet to find a great Croque Monsieur we like in a restaurant, but we sure love it at home at the Laurenti Whitley Casa.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">For the Brioche recipe; well, I cannot share Thomas Keller's recipe on my blog (it really is Jean-Louis' recipe), but you can purchase any of Thomas Keller's cook books and you are sure to find it in there. Thomas Keller made sure to have the recipe [printed] in his cook books as it is the best brioche recipe and definitely, the best I've ever tasted. You can find part of the recipe written without measurements at <a href="http://www.imafoodblog.com/index.php/2009/02/04/how-to-make-brioche-the-keller-method">http://www.imafoodblog.com/index.php/2009/02/04/how-to-make-brioche-the-keller-method</a> , but I highly recommend to buy one of his books (for the at-home-cook, buy Ad-Hoc, it's one of his easiest cook books to follow and with ingredients you can find in your local grocery stores.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Sadie's Croque Monsieur Sauce and Sandwich Recipe for 4</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Mornay Sauce with Dijon</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">2 tablespoons butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">2 tablespoons flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 cup of whole milk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">freshly ground nutmeg (dash)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard "Grey Poupon" is my favorite</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">1/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">salt</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Making a roux for 4 Croque Monsieur sandwiches.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Melt butter on medium low heat, add flour and stir with whisk for about 4 minutes. Slowly add milk while whisking; add nutmeg and mustard and continue whisking until roux is almost thick; add cheese and salt; continue to whisk until thick. Set aside<br />
<em>(If holding sauce for a while, be sure to cover the surface with a plastic wrap so that it does not create a crust on top).</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Ingredients for Sandwich</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">4 slices of a high quality black forest ham</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">4 slices of a high quality Gruyere </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Freshly baked Brioche; cooled and sliced (4 slices for open faced sandwich or 8 slices for sandwiches)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">1/2 cup grated Gruyere</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">2 tablespoons of melted butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 sheet pan covered with parchment paper</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Heat oven on Broil and while it is heating, build the sandwiches</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">1. Heat a skillet pan (preferably a cast iron skillet)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">2. Brush melted butter on outside of bread</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">3. Build sandwich with a little bit of Mornay Sauce on the inside of your bread, gruyere cheese and ham; top with second slice of bread. <em>If making an open faced sandwich, do not add second slice of bread on top. </em>Brown sandwich in skillet; carefully turning over to both sides. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">4. When both sides are toasted, place sandwiches on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper (the pan is covered with parchment, not the sandwiches).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">5. On the top slice of your bread add Mornay Sauce and top with grated Gruyere. <em>(For open faced sandwich, top with Mornay Sauce and Gruyere on top of the ham).</em></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Broil sandwiches for 1-2 minutes until sauce and cheese begin to bubble and turn slightly golden in color.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Serve with French Fries or serve on its own.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Wait, did you think I forgot about Madame? No, I did not. Croque Madame is the recipe above, but with a fried egg to complete the top of the sandwich. Place the egg on top of your sandwich after the sandwich comes out of the broiler. It's common to have it on an open faced sandwich, but I've seen it served with a full sandwich as well and it is just as delicious!</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">Bon Appetit</span></div>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-44160344724301754532011-09-23T13:42:00.000-07:002011-09-23T13:42:29.660-07:00Summer Ends and Autumn Begins... Scalloped Potatoes with Beecher's CheeseWelcoming Autumn in New England, where the Autumn colors dance in the wind as you drive by with a sigh. Breathtaking!<br />
<br />
Summer was absolutely fun this year with all my travel experiences. I got to travel this summer to many places, but my most favorite was in Tegucigalpa, Honduras to visit an orphanage (N.P.H., Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos) <a href="http://www.nph.org/">www.nph.org</a> and I spent the most amazing time there with babies, children, teenagers, university students, grandparents, special needs kids and adults and all the volunteers that are called out by the name Tia's and Tio's, which is auntie's and uncles in Spanish. My favorite time there, well, it was all great, but I did enjoy the kitchen of course. I got to help cook with women that were wholeheartedly dedicated, happy and amazing women. We cooked fresh corn tortillas daily, chicken soup with vegetables from the garden at the orphanage, beans and rice which are both a staple food in their daily diets and vegetable soups. Feeding 500 people daily, three times a day, was a lot of work, but the joy in my heart being in a kitchen filled with women that truly enjoy their jobs and helping at the orphanage, was an incredible experience for me. This is what true "unconditional love" is all about. Breaking bread, well tortillas, with these women was a blessing daily. <br />
<br />
Another one of my favorite places this summer, was Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands. My favorite restaurant there is Allium and Chef Lisa Nakamura, is an incredible chef de cuisine. It's nice to live in Seattle, where you can do day trips to any of the San Juan Islands, ahh, the joys of the N.W. Visit Allium at <a href="http://alliumonorcas.com/">http://alliumonorcas.com/</a>.<br />
<br />
As Autumn is here and we crave comfort food, our bodies feel the cold breeze coming in and we want a warm and healthy meal. This is a simple and delightful Scalloped Potato served in individual ramekins.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wqUX0Idn-Jw/TnztdT8bVVI/AAAAAAAAOd4/lWmcdUpz5M8/s1600/august+photos+232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wqUX0Idn-Jw/TnztdT8bVVI/AAAAAAAAOd4/lWmcdUpz5M8/s320/august+photos+232.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Scalloped Potatoes Sadie's Style<br />
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Serves 4 individual ramekins<br />
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4 medium red potatoes (1 per person)<br />
1/2 cup grated or crumbled Beecher's cheese (this is a N.W. favorite, but you can substitute with your favorite cheese)<br />
8 tablespoons heavy cream<br />
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning (thyme, rosemary)<br />
salt and pepper <br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 375*degrees<br />
Wash and scrub potatoes clean; slice thinly (1/8 inch thick)<br />
Prepare square ramekins (4 3/4” x 3/4”), by coating them with a light layer of butter.<br />
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Lay first layer of potatoes in an overlapping pattern in the ramekin dish. In order, sprinkle salt, pepper and Italian Seasoning on potatoes. Take about 1 tablespoon of grated cheese and sprinkle on first layer.<br />
Repeat second layer as before. Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream to top layer and add leftover cheese on top.<br />
Place ramekins on a sheet pan and bake uncovered for 35 minutes. <br />
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Simple and delicious!<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">This recipe can be made one day ahead and reheated in the oven for 10 minutes at 400*degrees or in a microwave. It also freezes well. Another favorite in my house is the scalloped potato for breakfast. If I make these the night before and cool them in the refrigerator; in the morning, I scramble 3 eggs with some cream and fill the ramekin until it reaches just below the lip of the ramekin. I place it in the oven for about 10 minutes at 400*degrees and add a little sprinkle of cheese on top to brown. It's delicious! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9zM12EXKM3E/TnztpXxRvkI/AAAAAAAAOd8/_C8Qui04fGM/s1600/September+2011+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9zM12EXKM3E/TnztpXxRvkI/AAAAAAAAOd8/_C8Qui04fGM/s320/September+2011+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Buon Appetito!</strong></span></div>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-82199470224317532492011-05-26T21:40:00.000-07:002011-05-26T21:50:34.615-07:00Memorial Day Menu<strong>Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service (quoted by </strong><a href="http://www.usmemorialday.org/"><strong>www.usmemorialday.org</strong></a><strong> ). </strong>We gather with family and friends to celebrate Memorial Day; we share stories of our ancestors that served in the military, share photos, attend parades and gather together and eat. To enjoy everyone's company on Memorial Day, it is great to have a menu that we can prepare a day or two ahead of time.<br />
<br />
Who doesn't love a menu that you can prepare a day or two ahead of your party? My friend Dawn and her business partner Elizabeth posted a great menu for Memorial Day weekend that you can "Make Ahead" of your party and on the day of the party, you can relax and enjoy your family and friends! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UTmJMEqltRU/Td8pOkATAkI/AAAAAAAANqk/_f3Js5zC4J4/s1600/Memorial+Day+BBQ+Pulled+Pork.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UTmJMEqltRU/Td8pOkATAkI/AAAAAAAANqk/_f3Js5zC4J4/s400/Memorial+Day+BBQ+Pulled+Pork.JPG" t8="true" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BBQ Pork Sandwich<br />
photo by Sadie Laurenti Whitley</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <strong>For Complete Menu, go to <a href="http://www.partybluprintsblog.com/party-themes/make-ahead-memorial-day-menu">http://www.partybluprintsblog.com/party-themes/make-ahead-memorial-day-menu</a> </strong><br />
<br />
Thank you Dawn for giving us permission to post your recipes on our blog. <br />
<br />
Happy Memorial DaySadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-90982504190998056222011-05-22T12:48:00.000-07:002011-05-22T14:04:13.560-07:00Egg Nests<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Egg Nests, or as I have been calling them all morning, "Egg in a basket full of cheese!" A great Sunday morning breakfast and very simple to make. </span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Sometimes you have to be grateful for some downtime; as I have for the last 72 hours with a horrible case of fever, cough (bronchitis) and aches. Why? Because thanks to our world of technology, we can be on our wireless iPads, computers, phones, Kindle, etc, catching up with news on Twitter, FB and all other Social Network media. That's exactly what I have been doing in bed for the past 72 hours. Following my friends on Twitter that attended the "blogher" event and reading recipes. Such as the one that Simply Recipes posted over the weekend about Egg Nests <a href="http://simplyrecipes.com/">http://simplyrecipes.com/</a>. Great way to start a Sunday morning when you are ready to head back into the kitchen to cook. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HMXMvrKfa8Q/TdldpupmkWI/AAAAAAAANp4/2xxKNTbC3P8/s1600/Egg+Nests.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HMXMvrKfa8Q/TdldpupmkWI/AAAAAAAANp4/2xxKNTbC3P8/s200/Egg+Nests.JPG" width="200" /></a> </td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egg Nests Ingredients<br />
Organic Farm Eggs, A Fine Cheese & Salt, that's all!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m2Evj3nfjD4/TdleDWv_VnI/AAAAAAAANqA/OA0Ktr73AD4/s1600/Egg+Nests+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m2Evj3nfjD4/TdleDWv_VnI/AAAAAAAANqA/OA0Ktr73AD4/s200/Egg+Nests+%25282%2529.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And then, you whip the egg whites <br />
and fold in the cheese!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKaTuaXxoR0/TdleqP3Wy5I/AAAAAAAANqE/ezBKTRLxqfw/s1600/Egg+Nests+%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZKaTuaXxoR0/TdleqP3Wy5I/AAAAAAAANqE/ezBKTRLxqfw/s200/Egg+Nests+%25283%2529.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to bake in a 450*degree oven</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yvW0LUCJDBg/TdlfbXHlp8I/AAAAAAAANqI/iUV4jkijsws/s1600/Egg+Nests+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yvW0LUCJDBg/TdlfbXHlp8I/AAAAAAAANqI/iUV4jkijsws/s200/Egg+Nests+%25287%2529.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong>Voilà !</strong> <br />
<br />
Ready to serve <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NmqOeTYnn_k/TdlngNGTviI/AAAAAAAANqg/HiyyhEZAG9c/s1600/Egg+Nests+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NmqOeTYnn_k/TdlngNGTviI/AAAAAAAANqg/HiyyhEZAG9c/s200/Egg+Nests+%25285%2529.JPG" width="200" /></a></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"> </div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RSXAuCh2UCg/TdlhGHN0RhI/AAAAAAAANqQ/M0ahH4XlwR4/s1600/Egg+Nests+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RSXAuCh2UCg/TdlhGHN0RhI/AAAAAAAANqQ/M0ahH4XlwR4/s200/Egg+Nests+%25284%2529.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Egg Nests or as I called them this morning;<br />
Egg in a basket filled with cheese!<br />
Served it with a slice of Jambon!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
This recipe was written from a French Cook Book for Children and Simply Recipes shared it on their site for all of us to enjoy!</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><strong>Indeed, it was a great way to start a Sunday morning with my family.</strong></div> <br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">Chef Notes:</div><div style="text-align: left;">1. Easy recipe</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. If you select a different cheese than what the original recipe calls for, as I did, be sure you reduce or omit the salt all together. I chose to use a fine Ewephoria Sheep Milk Gooda (yes, spelled Gooda not Gouda), from one of my favorite Seattle cheese importers; which you can find on-line at <a href="http://www.cheeselandinc.com/">http://www.cheeselandinc.com/</a>. This cheese is considered the "candy" of cheeses, it's got an amazing nutty taste and it is delicious! I omitted the salt in this recipe, because I knew this "Gooda" was going to give it enough flavor without the salt. <br />
3. I cooked the eggs in the oven a little longer (3 extra minutes) to get a medium doneness (I don't like runny eggs). So, in total, I cooked everything for 9 minutes, instead of 6 minutes that the recipe states.</div><br />
I give this recipe a 5 star! Thanks to <a href="http://www.simplyrecipes.com/">http://www.simplyrecipes.com/</a> for posting this on Twitter! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kQ46e8IMi70/TdlmE_Um0aI/AAAAAAAANqU/OeSzaSYOM00/s1600/Egg+Nests+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kQ46e8IMi70/TdlmE_Um0aI/AAAAAAAANqU/OeSzaSYOM00/s200/Egg+Nests+%25286%2529.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Oh, if you serve this </div>and the kids, (including your husband), <br />
decides to play with their food; <br />
this is the picture you will end up with!<br />
A very Happy Face!<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;">Bon Appetit!</span></strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-54282753363052250192011-05-12T08:55:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:28:00.128-07:00Fried (not) Italian Chicken in the Oven with HazelnutsA guilt free fried chicken and very tasty. Everyone loves fried chicken once in a while, but with our health conscious society and adopting "healthy options" in our daily nutrition, this recipe is not just delicious, but very satisfying and guilt free.<br />
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I learned this recipe many years ago when I was just starting to play in the kitchen in my 20's. I had several friends from Greece and from the middle east at the time and I learned from them, to use yogurt in savory cooking. At that time, I had no idea that yogurt could be used for cooking other than for a breakfast item. I did not grow up eating yogurt at all; as a matter of fact, the first time I ever tried yogurt was in my 20's with my friends and it was not a store purchased yogurt in a container, it was the real thing, made at home by my friends whom had learned these skills from their mothers & grandmothers. It was beyond delicious! They served it with fruit at the bottom of the bowl or honey and then yogurt on top. Nothing else, that was it and it was delicious. I learned how to make yogurt from my dear friends and then I learned to incorporate it into my savory and sweets. Have you ever tried a brownie made with yogurt? It's delicious and very healthy!<br />
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Spending time in the kitchen and recreating recipes is one of my passions; it's actually, every chef's passion. You recreate a dish that is to your liking with your favorite herbs, spices and ingredients. This recipe is written with Italian spices and with hazelnuts, but you can change it to be a Moroccan fried chicken with Moroccan spices and add walnuts or almonds, an Indian fried chicken with Indian spices, a Greek fried chicken with oregano and served with yogurt Tzatziki sauce or a Mexican fried chicken and serve it with salsa and beans or even better, a Jamaican/Caribbean fried chicken and topping it with a mango salsa! I've tried all these at home through the years and it is quite delicious, but it is also fun to feed my family different meals by changing the spices and the side dishes. Create what you like by changing the spices in this recipe and enjoy a different way to eat a healthier and tastier meal without the guilt. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jgpNt78Jb0U/TcwKB12wNUI/AAAAAAAANpk/iQUf0AaQpLs/s1600/DSC_0318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" j8="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jgpNt78Jb0U/TcwKB12wNUI/AAAAAAAANpk/iQUf0AaQpLs/s320/DSC_0318.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fried Italian Chicken Breast in the Oven with Hazelnuts</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Leftovers you say? Oh yes! Next day for lunch, slice the chicken breast and eat it on a bed of organic greens! <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-izmmfwd9j-c/TcwQkVX0X9I/AAAAAAAANp0/b8hrJE9gq7w/s1600/Fried+Italian+Chicken+on+salad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" j8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-izmmfwd9j-c/TcwQkVX0X9I/AAAAAAAANp0/b8hrJE9gq7w/s200/Fried+Italian+Chicken+on+salad.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salad for lunch</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
CLICK BELOW FOR RECIPE:<br />
<a href="http://lacucinalaurenti.com/recipes.aspx">http://lacucinalaurenti.com/recipes.aspx</a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Buon Appetito!</span></div>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-18724255241414279332011-04-23T21:44:00.000-07:002011-04-24T07:53:02.880-07:00Indian Curry Deviled EggsDeviled Eggs are one of our favorite protein treats at home. I love that you can play around with spices, herbs and create a new flavor with deviled eggs. I have made so many different flavors through the years and most recently; creating a Southwestern, Moroccan and Indian flavored deviled eggs. <br />
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When I was in culinary school, we had to create a quick appetizer in 30 minutes and present it to our chef instructor as a two bite appetizer. The rule was that we had to use whatever was available to us in a "mystery basket". When the chef instructor started the clock; the first thing that I thought of was making deviled eggs, so I quickly grabbed a few eggs, boiled them and looked around the class "mystery basket" to see what I could find to create a gourmet and different deviled egg. There was no mayonnaise available and I certainly did not have the time to make my own in just 30 minutes, but I did find a fresh bottle of "school-made" Harissa (a Tunisian hot red pepper sauce), Bells and Whistles went off in my head and I quickly created this delicious tasting deviled egg with Harissa. It was so tasty and I got a high score on my two bite deviled egg. Not only did I get a high score and a high five from my instructor, but I was asked to make 300 deviled eggs for a special function at school...Oh yeah, that was the first time working with so many eggs and I was so nervous that they would not turn out as the one that I had made in class in 30 minutes. Well, I succeeded in creating the same flavor for the 300 deviled eggs and received many praises. Ever since, I have loved making different flavored eggs and the bonus is, that my family enjoys them as well. A healthy protein treat for everyone to enjoy!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lqit5fA6BjI/TbOpyKJOgcI/AAAAAAAANpg/m6EHk-cpB44/s1600/april+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" i8="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lqit5fA6BjI/TbOpyKJOgcI/AAAAAAAANpg/m6EHk-cpB44/s320/april+009.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indian Curry Deviled Eggs with sprinkled paprika and fresh leaf of oregano</td></tr>
</tbody></table>CLICK BELOW FOR RECIPE:<br />
<a href="http://lacucinalaurenti.com/recipes.aspx"><strong>Indian Curry Deviled Eggs</strong></a>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-83378607632070592122011-03-01T18:24:00.000-08:002011-03-01T19:23:22.930-08:00Gateau Basque Recipe made Gluten Free<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Gateau Basque is a French dessert with a bit of history. Gateau (pronounced Ga-toh) in French means cake (s), sweet or savory. Basque is a region sandwiched between France and Spain; a place well known for gastronomy experience and its beauty. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">This dessert is a cake filled with a vanilla custard and a favorite fruit preserve. The sponge cake is very similar to a torte, but since it is made with flour and baking powder, it is denser than a cake and not as dense as a torte. It's a perfect consistency and it is so very delicious!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The original recipe is from Food and Wine website <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/gateau-basque">http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/gateau-basque</a> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I decided to make this dessert gluten-free, so I mixed my favorite flours together (for cakes and cookies) and reduced the amount of sugar to create a perfect and delicious cake.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Gluten-Free flour mixture can be found in this Blog under my recipe "British Christmas Cake"</span><br />
<a href="http://mygem2.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=13">http://mygem2.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-08%3A00&max-results=13</a><br />
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Chef Notes: The gluten free flour mixture is more than you need for this recipe. Keep remainder gluten free mixture in a tin for future use. Also, remember to use a gluten free baking powder; if you decide to bake this gluten free.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1feIi1dZIck/TW2nb9GZChI/AAAAAAAANnE/fb5J7muNZV0/s1600/february+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" l6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1feIi1dZIck/TW2nb9GZChI/AAAAAAAANnE/fb5J7muNZV0/s200/february+010.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gateau Basque</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_FAGXBLUf_I/TW2nmV4NW4I/AAAAAAAANnQ/-yaiD69u834/s1600/february+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" l6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_FAGXBLUf_I/TW2nmV4NW4I/AAAAAAAANnQ/-yaiD69u834/s200/february+016.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cake, Custard and Fruit, Oh my!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beauty of a cake</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-0EdHkcEKKTU/TW2n0O2kFzI/AAAAAAAANnc/YrfH077otCI/s1600/february+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" l6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-0EdHkcEKKTU/TW2n0O2kFzI/AAAAAAAANnc/YrfH077otCI/s320/february+015.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bon Appetit</td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: right;"></div>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-1292178908565827392011-02-19T17:49:00.000-08:002011-02-22T18:10:41.174-08:00Sadie's Vegetarian Lasagna<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lasagna is a layered Italian casserole with meats, cheeses, vegetables and sauces. In Northern Italy, you will most likely be served a lasagna with a white sauce known as Bechamel; it is made with butter, flour and milk with a dash of nutmeg. In the Southern parts of Italy, you will be served a lasagna with a red sauce made out of tomatoes or ragu, which is a tomato and meat sauce. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">I love both sauces and I find them to compliment each other in this recipe. I have made this vegetarian lasagna for years and it is far from traditional; but it is delicious. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: small;">After many years of making this recipe, I finally took it from my head and wrote it on paper. This recipe will be added to my cook book and I thank my friend Hayven A. for asking me if I had a vegetarian lasagna recipe; which I did, but it was in my head. So I took the time to write it down and it feels great to have this complete on paper. I'm sure it will run its course of editing, but at least I have it down on paper. Thank you Hayven for encouraging me to get this done and I hope when you make this recipe that you and your family will like it.</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Sadie’s Vegetarian Lasagna </span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif"; line-height: 115%;">Where North meets South (white sauce and red sauce) in the Laurenti Kitchen</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">INGREDIENTS:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"><br />
4 tablespoons plus extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)<br />
½ cup sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped (reserve olive oil )<br />
4 medium sized zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick<br />
1 whole red onion, diced<br />
4 medium sized carrots, grated<br />
2 portabella mushrooms, diced<br />
1 packet (1oz.) porcini mushrooms, hydrated for 20 minutes, discard water and chop<br />
2 garlic cloves, minced<br />
1 tablespoon dried thyme<br />
1 tablespoon dried oregano<br />
1 tablespoon dried basil<br />
1/4 tsp nutmeg<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
16 ounces of fresh baby spinach <br />
2 cups ricotta cheese, drained<br />
2 – 3 cups of mozzarella cheese, grated<br />
½ cup parmesan cheese<br />
1-28ounce can of Marinara sauce (I like Trader Joe’s brand)<br />
1 pound lasagna noodles (I use the no cook from Trader Joe’s when I don’t make it myself)<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Béchamel sauce<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>recipe: go to</b> (</span><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/bechamel-sauce-recipe/index.html"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/bechamel-sauce-recipe/index.html</span></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">PREPARATION:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Preheat oven 425*F</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Place sliced zucchini on a sheet tray (cookie sheet); combine reserved olive oil from dried tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of EVOO and brush both sides of zucchini with oil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Place sheet tray on top rack and bake for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Turn zucchini over and bake until golden brown. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"><em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Roasting the zucchini </span>helps to bring out the sweetness of the zucchini and reducing the amount of moisture in the vegetable. It also enhances the flavor in the lasagna with its sweetness.</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><em> </em> </span>When done, remove from oven and set aside to cool.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"><strong>Reduce oven temperature to 350*F</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">In a large sauté pan, over medium heat; saute onions in reserved 2 tablespoons of EVOO, until golden. Add grated carrots, chopped sun dried tomatoes, both types of mushrooms, garlic, herbs, nutmeg, salt and pepper and place lid on sauté pan over medium-low heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until carrots are tender (al dente).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remove lid and cook for another 5 minutes while stirring occasionally, until liquid has reduced by 25% <em>(the mushrooms are very moist and when cooked with a lid, it will release some of its moisture). T</em>he liquid from the mushrooms will add a rich flavor to the vegetables<em>.</em><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add salt and pepper to taste again (if needed).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When done, remove from heat and carefully stir in roasted zucchini to the cooked vegetables. Let cool.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"></span><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Make Béchamel sauce:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like Mario Batali’s recipe, it is very similar to mine and very tasty. Go to web site for recipe: <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/bechamel-sauce-recipe/index.html">http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/bechamel-sauce-recipe/index.html</a> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">In a 3 quart (13x9x2) pan, coat bottom of pan with tomato sauce (marinara) to keep pasta from sticking to the bottom of pan.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">First layer: pasta, a good coat of tomato sauce, mixed vegetables, a handful of fresh spinach to layer vegetables, dollop ricotta over spinach (using a tablespoon, dollop ricotta every 2-3 inches apart), sprinkle mozzarella.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Second layer: pasta, a good coat of béchamel sauce, mixed vegetables, a handful of fresh spinach to layer vegetables, dollop ricotta over spinach (using a tablespoon, dollop ricotta every 2-3 inches apart), sprinkle mozzarella.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Alternate layers with tomato sauce and béchamel sauce and ending with a little of both on top (be sure to coat top layer of pasta well with sauces) and add mozzarella and parmesan cheese.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Bake for 45 – 55 minutes until bubbly and cheese is golden brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Set aside for 15 minutes before serving.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 2in; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Buon Appetito!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Chef Notes:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Use fresh herbs if they are available, instead of dried herbs. If using fresh herbs, be sure to increase amount using as dried herbs are more potent than fresh herbs.<br />
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When I am not making my own tomato sauce and pasta, I like using Trader Joe’s Marinara sauce and their no cook lasagna noodles. Bonus for an easy bake lasagna.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Use a ladle to spoon in tomato sauce and béchamel sauce on each layer instead of a spoon.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">I prefer not to steam or cook the spinach before layering this lasagna. I prefer that the spinach cooks together with the vegetables in the oven, so that it releases its vitamins in the baking process rather than loosing it in the pre-cooking state. If you want to steam or cook your spinach beforehand, you can.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 376.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Place a sheet pan underneath the lasagna pan to catch drippings (makes it easier on oven cleaning).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 376.5pt;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";">Always be sure that you let your lasagna sit to cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This helps all the juices to quiet down and become absorbed by the pasta and ingredients. Also, so that you don’t serve a saucy and super hot lasagna that will burn your mouth of your guests and family.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia", "serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;">Enjoy! </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-52308365379897474992011-01-19T16:42:00.000-08:002011-02-22T08:56:00.468-08:00Sadie's Cannellini, Chicken, Swiss Chard and Kale StewI love winter soups and stews! This is a very nutritious, light and perfect winter stew for the family. <br />
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My garden this summer consisted of several different organic vegetables; some of our favorite greens in the garden this year were the Italian Kale and Rainbow Swiss Chard. Kale is a member of the cabbage family, but it does not grow a head like cabbage, it is a leafy plant, but the flavors are very similar (tastier) than cabbage. The kale that we grew in our garden this year was a deep green/purple color and a flat leaf, not the curly leaf as found in most grocery stores. Our kale did survive the winter storm and the cold weather, so I cut the few leaves that were still in the garden for this delicious stew. Swiss Chard is a member of the beet family and it is a beautiful green leaf with reddish-purple, yellowish veins and stalk. It is delicious in soups, salads or as a roll stuffed with rice...mmmm, delicious!<br />
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Kale and Swiss Chard are very nutritious and known as a great source to have in your diet during the winter as it is high in vitamins A, C, folic acid, calcium and iron; all the wonderful vitamins we need during the winter season. <br />
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This is a very easy stew to make and the prep time took me about 10 minutes. My family loves these green vegetables and this recipe sure complimented the greens well! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An excellent winter stew filled with lots of great vitamins!</td></tr>
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RECIPE:<br />
Cannellini, Chicken, Swiss Chard and Kale Stew<br />
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2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 large red onion, chopped<br />
1 chicken breast, cut into bite sizes (1 inch)<br />
3-4 leaves of kale, chopped into bite sizes (1 inch)<br />
3-4 leaves of swiss chard, chopped into bite sizes (1 inch)<br />
1 garlic clove, minced<br />
32 ounces of chicken stock (preferably organic)<br />
28 ounces plum tomatoes, peeled and seeded and chopped<br />
2 (15 oz) cans of cannellini or fresh made cannellini (see recipe below for fresh)<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes<br />
1 teaspoon thyme<br />
1 teaspoon rosemary<br />
1 teaspoon sage<br />
<em>(Chef notes on herbs: I used fresh herbs and used approximately 1-2 tablespoons of each after they were chopped finely)</em><br />
2-4 tablespoons of tomato paste to thicken stew <br />
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PREPARATION:<br />
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Preheat oven to 350*degrees<br />
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In an 8 quart oven proof soup pot; on medium low heat, add the olive oil (evoo) and saute the onion until tender. Add the rest of the ingredients except the tomato paste to the soup pot. Bring to a boil and return the heat to low. Stir frequently and adjust flavor of soup with salt or herbs after 15 minutes, to allow the chicken to cook thoroughly. Place the oven proof soup pot with lid in the oven and cook for 45 - 50 minutes. Return to stove top; on low heat, stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste (at a time) until the stew thickens to your liking. You may not need to add the tomato paste, but we like our stew slightly thick. Serve with your favorite bread.<br />
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Yields 6-8 servings<br />
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Chef Notes: I used a ceramic bean pot to cook this stew and it turned out delicious. I love using my ceramic pots to cook all sorts of stews in the oven. If you own one and it is stove top safe as well as oven safe, I would recommend to use it; the flavors turn out tastier.<br />
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RECIPE:<br />
Cannellini Beans<br />
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1 pound dry Cannellini beans<br />
4 fresh sage leaves<br />
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil<br />
4 garlic cloves, whole<br />
water<br />
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Soak beans overnight. Drain beans and discard water. Place beans, sage, olive oil garlic and 12 cups of water in a soup pot. Cover with the lid and cook on medium-low heat for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until tender. When beans are tender, drain the beans and store in the refrigerator until needed for stew or in a salad. <br />
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Chef notes: <br />
This recipe makes more beans than needed for stew. It is always great to have fresh beans on hand. If you want to freeze the beans, be sure to keep the liquid they were cooked in and when cooled, place them in a freezer proof container (I use Pyrex) or a ziplock freezer bag with liquid. If you use a freezer bag, be sure to seal with a little air in the bag, so that there is room for expansion in the freezing process for the liquid. Place the bag flat in the freezer on a sheet pan, until fully frozen; then remove sheet pan. <em>Having a sheet pan underneath the bag will collect any liquid if you did not seal it properly.</em><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: x-large;"><em> </em>Buon Appetito!</span></strong>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-49662617152757619452011-01-19T14:26:00.000-08:002011-02-22T08:58:10.837-08:00Toad In The Hole<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Oh the curious Toad-In-The-Hole British recipe. Yes, that is right, "Toad in the Hole." It is very peculiar to me, why this tasty dish would be named toad in the hole, but, leave it to the British to come up with the most humorous names for dishes. I found several interesting notes on the Internet on this dish and some that I will not write as it is not very appetizing. It is an 18th century recipe that apparently has a lot of arguable points on the naming and the origin of this dish. I reckon that this recipe in the 18th century, was a way to stretch a meal by adding batter to the meat, just as Italians in southern Italy would stretch their meals by adding more sauce to the meat and pasta dishes. It is a very popular and a well known dish amongst the British; it is such a great "Pub" food item along with Bangers and Mash. In our home, my family truly enjoys toad in the hole as dinner, lunch or even as a breakfast meal and we often have "Bangers and Mash with Heinz Beans" - yes, this is the only can of beans that I will open in my house as it is a MUST according to my husband (no argument there). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When I prepare Toad-In-The-Hole for my family, I sometimes make them individually in a muffin pan, so that we can enjoy them for breakfast and lunch. It's a great idea to have in the refrigerator for an after school treat as well. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When Jamie's recipe calls for "Quality Sausage", truly, we all mean "Quality Sausage"! and that would be a British version of sausage also knows as "Bangers" which is most delicious. <em>Bangers are white in appearance, and are composed primarily of pork butt, a small amount of breadcrumbs, and water. They are normally pleasantly spiced with both sweet and savory spices. The average banger will have both salt and pepper, as well as sage, ginger and mace or allspice. Spices differ depending upon the brand.</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Now, we call the English sausage at home as a "British" banger sausage, but the Irish will probably argue that they are the ones that introduced this version of sausage to the British. No arguments from me, I'm just glad they exist!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You may be able to find the English sausages (bangers) in your local grocery stores or at a specialty store that sells British groceries. If you cannot find these sausages, I am sure that whatever your choice of sausage, it will be just fine for this recipe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I used Jamie Oliver's recipe for Toad-In-The-Hole with this very tasty "Onion Gravy" recipe that accompanies the toad in the hole quite deliciously. I will direct you to Jamie's web site for the recipe </span><a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pork-recipes/toad-in-the-hole"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pork-recipes/toad-in-the-hole</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Whatever the history or the origin of this recipe, I will assure you, that you will really enjoy it. Hey, here in America, I make these for Superbowl!! Enjoy Mate!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TTdg4cgeyxI/AAAAAAAANlk/IiFiojENr8Y/s1600/Toad+in+the+Hole.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="239" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TTdg4cgeyxI/AAAAAAAANlk/IiFiojENr8Y/s320/Toad+in+the+Hole.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TThDcKWa_HI/AAAAAAAANl0/iSQv3e4My38/s1600/review+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="212" s5="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TThDcKWa_HI/AAAAAAAANl0/iSQv3e4My38/s320/review+009.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Toad-In-The-Hole and Onion Gravy</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-79040385571264019582011-01-04T18:57:00.000-08:002011-02-22T08:58:41.887-08:00Sadie's Simple Leek Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Leek Soup</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Holidays are over and you want a break from the starches and creams for the night; here is a recipe you will love. It's a simple, clean soup without the starches and the cream; an easy recipe that will satisfy all your taste buds.</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My family loves leeks; they will eat anything made with leeks. <em>I read that in the sixteenth century A.D., the Welsh made leeks their national symbol because they were convinced that the leeks they wore on their helmets to distinguish them from their enemies; strengthened them and helped them win wars. </em>True or not, leeks are a gem in my kitchen and any recipe with leek, is a winner! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The fragrance and the flavor of leek is mild compared to its relative: garlic and onion. If you have never used leeks in your dishes in the past, I would highly recommend cooking a recipe with them and taste for yourself.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I usually make a Potato and Leek soup with a cream base, but today, we wanted something simple, clean and tasty. I used 4 ingredients to make this recipe, now that is simple!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sadie's Leek Soup</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TSPCl5KnvUI/AAAAAAAANk0/K1JVatAnrZ8/s1600/iphone+review+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" n4="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TSPCl5KnvUI/AAAAAAAANk0/K1JVatAnrZ8/s320/iphone+review+011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">RECIPE</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 medium sweet onion, diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">3 leeks, sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 32oz organic chicken broth/stock</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">salt to taste</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">INSTRUCTIONS</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">In a medium soup pot, sweat onion and leeks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Puree the onions and leeks with 2 cups of chicken broth/stock; in a food processor or use a hand held immersion blender. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Add the remaining chicken broth/stock to the soup pot with the onion and leeks and heat for about 20 minutes on medium low heat. Add salt to taste. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Serves 4 - 6</span><br />
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<div align="justify"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> <span style="font-size: large;">Buon Appetito!!</span></span></div>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-14517004435459168972010-12-15T15:10:00.000-08:002011-10-26T13:51:39.972-07:00Gluten-Free British Christmas Fruit Cake<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My attempt to bake this gluten-free fruit cake; was amazingly successful! It was pleasing to the eye, smelled sweet with all the scents of Christmas (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg), it is light, very tasty and I can hear myself oooing and aahhhing with delight. Definitely five senses engaged!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The recipe was very easy to create gluten-free from the original recipe; most recipes can be adapted gluten-free, just give it a try. There is a gluten-free mix that I suggest; at the bottom of this recipe, so you can have a gluten-free mix on-hand for other recipes or to bake this one again. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I decided to use miniature bundt pans/tins (8oz), that I purchased for $1.49 each, at World Market. I've had a lot of use for these miniature bundt tins, so it was worth purchasing a couple dozen to keep for other recipes.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Happy Baking and Happy Christmas as they say in England!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TQlLTzIreyI/AAAAAAAANkk/vAbsoTYYcUU/s1600/Gluten+Free+British+Christmas+Cake+%252813%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="212" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TQlLTzIreyI/AAAAAAAANkk/vAbsoTYYcUU/s320/Gluten+Free+British+Christmas+Cake+%252813%2529.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TQlLbhvTPRI/AAAAAAAANko/uPt9IfAGPpQ/s1600/Gluten+Free+British+Christmas+Cake+%252815%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="212" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TQlLbhvTPRI/AAAAAAAANko/uPt9IfAGPpQ/s320/Gluten+Free+British+Christmas+Cake+%252815%2529.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">RECIPE FOR CAKE</span></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Makes 8 miniature bundt cake pans or 1 regular bundt cake</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Step 1</span></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 oz sultanas</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 oz raisins</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 oz currants</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/4 cup Whisky </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">zest of 1 orange and juice</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Directions:</span></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Combine all ingredients in a glass bowl and soak for 4-8 hours or overnight.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Step 2</span></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 tablespoons of butter, to prepare pan</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">5 oz unsalted butter, softened</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">5 oz dark brown sugar</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 eggs</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 tbsp milk</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 tbsp honey</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Step 3</span></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">5 oz of cake flour (Gluten-Free flour mix, see below)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 tsp Gluten-Free baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 tsp xanthan gum</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 tsp cinnamon</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 tsp ground cloves</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">dash of nutmeg</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1/2 tsp all spice</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(Sift all ingredients and set aside)</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DIRECTIONS FOR STEP 2 & 3</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Prepare cake pans with butter. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Preheat oven 350*degrees</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In a mixing bowl with paddle; add butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Add eggs one at a time.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Add milk and honey.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Add flour mixture a little at a time. Once flour mixture is combined; Add soaked fruit with juices and stir a few times.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Spoon mixture into prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes in miniature tins. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">For regular size bundt cake pan; bake for 1 1/2 hours until center of cake comes out clean when inserted with a skewer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Cool cakes in tin.</span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Step 4</span></strong><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">6 tbsp apricot jam, warmed</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4 oz mixed dry fruit (cherries, apricot, fig, oranges)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 oz nuts (either almonds, hazelnut, walnuts or pecan)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">DIRECTIONS:</span></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">On medium-low heat, heat jam and dried fruit and nuts for a few minutes until glazed. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">To decorate the top of your cake, drizzle the warmed jam with fruit and nuts over the top.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Chef Notes:</span></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>In Step 1 - </strong>If you do not want to use a liquor, you can use apple cider juice in place of the whisky.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>In Step 3 - </strong>If you do not want to bake this gluten-free, use cake flour, regular baking powder and omit the xantham gum.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>In Step 4 - </strong>Topping is optional. You do not have to use dried fruit or nuts, but the presentation is beautiful when you do decorate this cake.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This cake can be stored undecorated for up to a month in an airtight container. You can also freeze this cake when it is undecorated for up to 6 months (if properly stored in freezer). To defrost, leave in refrigerator or counter at room temperature and decorate.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Gluten-Free Mixture</span></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">10 ounces - fine corn/polenta flour</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 pound plus 2 oz - brown rice flour</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">8 ounces - garbanzo and fava bean flour</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mix all ingredients and store in airtight container. Can be used for cakes, cookies and banana bread.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"> Buon Appetito !! </span></strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
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</span></div>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-68991198312027253372010-12-06T17:47:00.000-08:002011-02-22T09:01:04.912-08:00Beef Wellington with Prosciutto and Cheese<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If you want to woo your guests or make a romantic dinner for that special person in your life; this is a delicious recipe filled with flavors that will have them eating each bite with umms, oooh and ahhs! <em>In Italy, it is not very customary to make the sounds of umms, oooh and ahhs when you take a bite of your meal at the table, but here in America, it is acceptable, so go for it! </em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This recipe can be prepared the night before your meal. It does take some time to prepare; if you are preparing a meal for 8. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I've added some photos to assist you with the process. My photos show 6oz, 8oz servings of filet mignon, so you can see the difference in size. It is preferrable to serve the 6oz filet mignon as a single serving.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I have made this recipe with different types of cheeses from the N.W. ; since this is where I live and I try to buy locally. However, I originally made this with a Blue Stilton and it is absolutely delicious. The Blue Stilton just adds a milder taste that enhances the flavors of the prosciutto, filet mignon and the hint of truffle if you choose to add the truffle paste to this recipe (I highly recommend it). Since Blue Stilton is a favorite in England during the holidays, this recipe will definitely be a favorite with your guests.</span><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TP2Lbg-Wk1I/AAAAAAAANj8/RbkV4xbjZ3A/s1600/Beef+Wellington+with+Prosciutto+.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Searing and cooled</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prosciutto</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TP2Lbg-Wk1I/AAAAAAAANj8/RbkV4xbjZ3A/s1600/Beef+Wellington+with+Prosciutto+.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TP2Lbg-Wk1I/AAAAAAAANj8/RbkV4xbjZ3A/s200/Beef+Wellington+with+Prosciutto+.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plastic food wrap layered with prosciutto, mushroom mixture, cheese and filet mignon</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wrap tightly and refrigerate 1-2 hours or it can be refrigerated the day before your dinner.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TP2Lz2oj9tI/AAAAAAAANkQ/JUMknjxDtoI/s1600/Beef+Wellington+with+Prosciutto++%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TP2Lz2oj9tI/AAAAAAAANkQ/JUMknjxDtoI/s200/Beef+Wellington+with+Prosciutto++%25283%2529.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day of dinner; unwrap and place on puff pastry sheet, brush with egg wash and enclose puff pastry over filet. <br />
*Chef note: I made my own puff pastry; so this one may look different from the store purchased puff pastry.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TP2L9VQ-UnI/AAAAAAAANkU/utPzA085soQ/s1600/Beef+Wellington+with+Prosciuto++%252810%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TP2L9VQ-UnI/AAAAAAAANkU/utPzA085soQ/s320/Beef+Wellington+with+Prosciuto++%252810%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">8 oz and 6 oz Beef Wellington<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TP2MEFtj_7I/AAAAAAAANkY/GbRG8QoJz0A/s1600/Beef+Wellington+with+Prosciuto++%252812%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TP2MEFtj_7I/AAAAAAAANkY/GbRG8QoJz0A/s320/Beef+Wellington+with+Prosciuto++%252812%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baked to medium rare. Delicious!</td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Sadie's RECIPE:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Beef Wellington with Prosciutto and Cheese</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Serves 8</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 package dry porcini mushrooms (*about ½ pound)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">8 – 1 ½ inch thick, 6 - 8 oz) center cut Filet Mignon </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 tablespoons olive oil</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">salt and pepper </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 tablespoons unsalted butter</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 tablespoons shallots, chopped</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">½ cup *Beecher’s Flagship or *Cougar Gold cheese or a Blue Stilton cheese (my original recipe)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 tsp truffle paste (optional)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">8-10 slices of prosciutto </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 large eggs, beaten</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 (17.5 oz package) frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Flour for dusting</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Preheat oven to 450* degrees F</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Place porcini mushrooms in a large bowl filled with water and rehydrate (about 15 -20 minutes). </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Remove Filet Mignon from refrigerator about 30 minutes before preparing. Pat filet mignons dry and season with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper. In a large skillet (cast iron works best) on high heat, sear filets on both sides. Note: allow filet to sear well on each side, turning over once (about 2 – 3 minutes each side). Set aside.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Remove mushrooms from water, pat dry with paper towel and chop. Discard water.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In heavy skillet, on medium heat, add butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté porcini and shallots until tender. Place mushrooms and shallots in a bowl; add truffle paste (optional) and stir together, let cool. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Crumble cheese in a bowl and set aside.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">For each preparation; cut a sheet of plastic food wrap and place on counter. On top of the plastic food wrap, place the following in order: one slice of prosciutto, mushroom mixture, 2 tablespoons of crumbled cheese and Filet Mignon. Take plastic wrap to fold prosciutto and toppings over filet mignon. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 – 2 hours before next step or you can prepare the day before your dinner.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In a small bowl beat together eggs for an egg wash and set aside.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Roll out puff pastry dough; place on a lightly coated counter with flour; cut puff pastry into squares to fit around your Filet Mignon (around 6- 7 inch squares).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">For each square: Unwrap Filet Mignon carefully and place on puff pastry square (discard plastic wrap). Using a pastry brush, brush egg wash on side of pastry and fold opposite corners to enclose completely. Place seam side down on baking pan and brush with egg wash on top and on sides. Score the top of puff pastry with a sharp knife a couple of times. Bake for 10 minutes at 450*F and then reduce heat to 425*F and bake for 10-15 minutes, until pastry is a golden brown.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*Beecher's and Cougar Gold Cheese are from the N.W. You can find Cougar Gold cheese through W.S.U. web site and Beecher’s cheese directly through Beecher’s (<a href="http://www.beechershandmadecheese.com/">http://www.beechershandmadecheese.com/</a>) or on Amazon.com. These are both rich white cheddar cheeses that are absolutely delicious with this recipe. The original recipe I created was with the Blue Stilton and it is quite delicious as well. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">*Porcini is usually difficult to find as a fresh item; some specialty food stores will carry fresh porcini, but most of the time it is dried. The packages will usually tell you the equivalent weight to fresh porcini. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Suggestions: Serve Beef Wellington with Demi-Glace and roasted potatoes (fingerling potatoes) and with a green vegetable</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Buon Appetito!</span></strong></div>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-58812783085710551932010-11-09T10:35:00.000-08:002011-02-22T09:01:36.180-08:00Apple Butter Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Sadie's Apple Butter Cake</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">After 12 hours of cooking the Apples for Apple Butter (recipe on previous BLOG); you end up with the most delicious Apple Butter that is tasty and ready to eat. You can make so many things with Apple Butter; such as, cookies, breads, cakes, use as a spread and much more. I decided to test a cake with a standard cake recipe and it turned out absolutely delicious, it was moist and the texture was just perfect. It made a great dessert cake served with some creme fraiche and/or a very nice cake in the morning with tea or coffee. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: small;">This cake reminded me of the British version of the Malt Loaf; very similar flavors and texture. Enjoy!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moist, sweet and Delicious!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TNl8QCJBB8I/AAAAAAAANjs/33xgXKd5BSI/s1600/October+review+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" px="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TNl8QCJBB8I/AAAAAAAANjs/33xgXKd5BSI/s320/October+review+007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sadie's Apple Butter Cake Recipe</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Ingredients:</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">2 tablespoon unsalted sweet butter</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 1/4 cup Apple Butter </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">3/4 cup organic brown sugar</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 egg (gently beaten)</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1/2 cup heavy cream (you can substitute for milk)</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">2 teaspoons vanilla extract</span><br />
<div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">2 cups all-purpose flour</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">2 tablespoons baking powder</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1/4 teaspoon salt</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 teaspoon ground cinnamon</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 teaspoon ground allspice</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">2 teaspoons ground ginger</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1/4 teaspoon nutmeg</span><br />
<div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3/4 cup of sultanas or raisins</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Preparation:</span><br />
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</div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Preheat oven to 350*F.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Prepare a round cake pan (I used a 10 x 3 round cake) with a light coat of butter or cooking spray and a light coat of flour (shake off excess flour).</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Sift all dry ingredients together: Flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg and sultanas and set aside.</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Melt butter on low heat until it becomes golden brown (do not overcook butter). Add butter into a mixing bowl with Apple Butter, brown sugar, olive oil and mix until all ingredients are combined to a smooth consistency. To the Apple Butter mixture, add beaten egg, cream or milk, vanilla and mix just until combined. Add dry ingredients to mixture a little at a time until well combined.</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Pour cake mixture into round baking pan and bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until pierced with a toothpick and it comes out clean. </span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Cool cake for about 10 minutes and then remove from pan to cool completely or serve warm.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><br />
Serve this cake with a dollop of creme fraiche or whipped cream and/or even with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.</span></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Chef Notes:</span></div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">I use all organic ingredients when available. I used a homemade Apple Butter, but you can buy Apple Butter at any grocery store in your area. Also, you can substitute the Apple Butter for a Pear Butter or even a Pumpkin Butter for the holidays!</span></div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">Buon Appetito!</span></div><div align="left"><br />
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</div></div>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-56981854850422709132010-10-24T16:44:00.000-07:002011-02-22T09:01:58.809-08:00Apple Butter<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It is that time of the season where the cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg come to play in Autumn and Winter cuisine. It is my favorite time of the year! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Making Apple Butter in the slow cooker brings a delightful aroma to your kitchen and it is such a great way to accompany some of your desserts and entrees. I use it in my special "Bran Muffin Top" recipe, cookies, cakes, fish (especially on cedar planked salmon), chicken and even on pork chops. I make plenty of it to keep on hand through the winter (if it lasts that long). You can freeze the apple butter (I usually portion out 1 cup at a time and freeze in individual bags) or if you know how to preserve your food by "Canning", it is best to preserve in this method. Here is a link to the "Ball Company" on how to preserve foods and they also give you "step by step" for freezing and preserving. </span><a href="http://www.freshpreserving.com/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://www.freshpreserving.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This recipe can be adjusted to your liking; I have found that using less sugar is best, depending on the apples that you use. I prefer sweeter crisp apples such as Honeycrisp, Gala and Jonagold apples that are available in Washington during September and October season. I do add a Granny or two to this recipe, for the tart flavor, but you can use any apple of your choice. Also, just remember that the sweeter apples that you may choose for this recipe, do not need as much sugar.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Happy Autumn Season! This photo is from our yard and our neighbors tree; what a lovely site to see nature in the works, during Autumn.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">APPLE BUTTER RECIPE </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">in a Slow Cooker</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">6 pounds of apples -approximately 20- 25 apples (choose different apples such as Honeycrisp and Gala)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 Granny Smith apples </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/2 cup apple juice (use organic) - I use Washington's Gala Apple Juice</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 1/2 cups organic brown sugar</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1-2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (I add 2 tablespoons as I love the cinnamon taste)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 teaspoon ground cloves</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/4 teaspoon salt</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1. Peel, core and slice apples. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2. Place apples in slow cooker with apple juice (I own a 7 Quart slow cooker and it is a little large, but it works well). </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">4. Add dry mixture to apples and juice and mix well.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">5. Cover slow cooker and cook for 10-12 hours on low setting.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">6. Stir occasionally (I never have to until the end)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">7. Taste for sweetness. If you need more sweetness (to your taste) you can add more brown sugar 1/4 cup at a time during cook time. Again, depending on the sweetness of your apples, you may not need to add more sugar.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">8. Cool and place in sterile containers to preserve (if there are a lot of juices in your slow cooker, place in a colander until most of the juices drain and then add to containers. You can use the juice for other recipes).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TMTDfvc-81I/AAAAAAAANjg/kBAp6uj7S48/s1600/Apple+Butter+Recipe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" nx="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TMTDfvc-81I/AAAAAAAANjg/kBAp6uj7S48/s320/Apple+Butter+Recipe.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong>Apple Butter on Fruit and Nut Crostini</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Note: Anjou Bakery in Cashmere, WA makes the most delicious Fruit and Nut Crostini. Sold in many local grocery stores and at Whole Foods. <a href="http://www.anjoubakery.com/">http://www.anjoubakery.com/</a> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">CHEF NOTE: You can use this same recipe to make Pear Butter. Yes, it is absolutely delicious and again, it can be used in many of your recipes as well. If you decide to make Pear Butter, omit the juice in the recipe; all else is the same. Pear Butter tastes great on Swordfish, Halibut and Chicken.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> Buon Appetito</span></strong></div><br />
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</div>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-14321521985510102582010-07-23T23:14:00.000-07:002011-02-22T09:08:55.056-08:00Sformata di Pollo<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TEppt05FaPI/AAAAAAAANic/oLoRc8CFiJA/s1600/Sformata+di+Pollo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" hw="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TEppt05FaPI/AAAAAAAANic/oLoRc8CFiJA/s320/Sformata+di+Pollo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Sformata di Pollo</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">Chicken Flan</span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Wondering at times what to do with leftover baked chicken from the night before? Chicken salad, chicken sandwiches, chicken enchiladas or tacos? You can make lots of dishes with leftover chicken, but tonight, I revisited Italy again by creating a simple dinner with leftover baked chicken and some Italian fresh herbs.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Sformata is the feminine spelling of Sformato; which is similar to a soufflé without the fluffy/airy texture. The word Sformato derives from the word Sformare which means to unmold. Sformata is made with eggs and usually baked in Ramekins in a Bain Marie. Try this recipe for a light lunch or dinner, I assure you, it is easy and quite delicious!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Ingredients:</strong></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1/2 Walla Walla sweet onion, diced small </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 clove of garlic, minced<br />
1 Tablespoon EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1 teaspoon thyme<br />
1 teaspoon rosemary<br />
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped<br />
4 large eggs</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1/2 cup heavy cream</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">pinch of nutmeg</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Parmesan cheese, grated </span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">salt and pepper to taste</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">2 Tablespoons of butter</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">1/2 cup balsamic<br />
Basil for garnish</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Equipment:</strong></span><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Prepare 6 Ramekins and spray with oil and dust lightly with Parmesan cheese.<br />
Prepare a deep baking pan for Bain Marie (water bath)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Preparation:</strong></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Preheat oven to 400*F</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In a medium skillet, heat olive oil and cook onions over medium heat until translucent. Add minced garlic, thyme and rosemary to skillet and cook for about 30 seconds; add cooked chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Whisk the eggs, heavy cream and nutmeg. Add the chicken mixture to the eggs and mix well. Spoon mixture into prepared Ramekins until 3/4 full.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Fill the 12 inch baking pan filled with 1/4 hot water (Bain Marie). Place Ramekins in baking pan and bake uncovered for 30 - 35 minutes until lightly browned on top and test with toothpick comes out clean. Remove Ramekins from baking pan and cool for about 5 minutes. Take a sharp knife around the mold and gently unmold Sformata onto a serving dish. Garnish with basil and drizzle with some reduced balsamic.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">***Prepare reduced Balsamic while Sformata is cooling. Place Balsamic in a pan on medium-low heat, whisk frequently until consistency has reached desired thickness.</span></div><div align="center" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Buon Appetito</strong></span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TEqF4EmE-GI/AAAAAAAANik/QdcSkPVgd6Q/s1600/Sformata+di+Pollo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TEqF4EmE-GI/AAAAAAAANik/QdcSkPVgd6Q/s320/Sformata+di+Pollo+(3).JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TEppZiA979I/AAAAAAAANiM/GTFygB2ZMvY/s1600/Sformata+di+Pollo+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" hw="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TEppZiA979I/AAAAAAAANiM/GTFygB2ZMvY/s320/Sformata+di+Pollo+(2).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-73583964237956870902010-07-17T09:41:00.000-07:002011-02-22T09:02:53.497-08:00Heirloom Tomato Bundt Cake and Brown Butter Icing<div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TEHUXkqXk9I/AAAAAAAANVM/jHjmhC-MUyA/s1600/Heirloom+Tomatoes.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TEHUXkqXk9I/AAAAAAAANVM/jHjmhC-MUyA/s320/Heirloom+Tomatoes.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Heirloom Tomatoes are sweet and delicious</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TEHU0Ru-4rI/AAAAAAAANVc/PrvGbhSLc6I/s1600/review+nikon+july+482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" hw="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TEHU0Ru-4rI/AAAAAAAANVc/PrvGbhSLc6I/s320/review+nikon+july+482.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TEHUdfakTxI/AAAAAAAANVU/H2Wcyb_mi90/s1600/Heirloom+Tomato+Bundt+Cake2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TEHUdfakTxI/AAAAAAAANVU/H2Wcyb_mi90/s320/Heirloom+Tomato+Bundt+Cake2.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Heirloom Tomato Bundt Cake with Browned-Butter Icing</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Heirloom Tomato Cake recipe dedicated to my friend Krista "June"</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Ingredients:</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">14 oz. (2 cups) sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">16 oz. (3 cups) all purpose flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 teaspoon cinnamon</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 teaspoon baking powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 teaspoon salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">¼ teaspoon nutmeg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">3 eggs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">2 large diced heirloom tomatoes </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">6 oz. (1 cup) sultana raisins</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Preparation Instructions:</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Preheat oven to 350*F</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Prepare Bundt pan by coating it lightly with butter (you can use Pam as well) and flour dust the pan lightly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Combine all dry ingredients and set aside.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Combine butter and sugar in Kitchen Aid with paddle and beat until creamy. Add one egg at a time (use rubber spatula if needed to scrape sides) until well incorporated (2 minutes).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Add dry ingredients slowly to creamed mixture. Mix well. Using rubber spatula, add tomatoes and sultanas to cake batter and stir gently until well incorporated. Spoon batter into prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 70 minutes to 80 minutes, until wooden tester comes out clean. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Cool on wire rack for at least 10 minutes in Bundt pan and then remove from pan after 10 minutes onto a cake plate. Let cool completely.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Brown Butter Icing:</span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 stick of butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">4 oz (1 cup) confectioner’s sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1 tsp vanilla</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Melt butter on low heat, in a sauce pan. Cook butter until it starts to lightly brown (smells like popcorn). Whisk in sugar and vanilla until smooth. Frost cake on top and let the sides drip.</span><br />
<br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Chef Notes:</span></strong><br />
I prefer measuring all my ingredients by weighing them as I feel it is more consistent and accurate when baking. This recipe is converted from ounces to cups for the American cook.<br />
<br />
The cake recipe is dedicated to my dearest friend Krista "June"; We both took a trip to Italy together and we were both in awe with the beautiful Heriloom tomatoes at the market. Krista always talked about a Tomato Cake that she bakes every year for her family on their birthdays. Krista always mentioned how delicious it was, but I just cringed at the thought of having a tomato cake, hmm? that just did not sound delicious at all. Well, I never got Krista's Tomato Cake recipe, but yesterday, I created one after being inspired by my Heirloom tomatoes blooming and a recipe that I came across for a green tomato cake. Personally, this cake is absolutely delicious and definitely a favorite at home now! So, Krista "June", here is my recipe dedicated to you, in memory of our oustanding trip together in Tuscany!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Buon Appetito Bella!</span></strong></div>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-716715812988241589.post-7493762637352470662010-06-17T12:50:00.000-07:002011-02-22T09:03:36.990-08:00Sadie's Meatball Stew<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TBpCCtibBnI/AAAAAAAANFQ/m90usjH_tRc/s1600/23353_1467437855531_1521096525_31140858_7374816_n%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qu="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_-luDP22i4wg/TBpCCtibBnI/AAAAAAAANFQ/m90usjH_tRc/s320/23353_1467437855531_1521096525_31140858_7374816_n%5B1%5D.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Meatball Stew</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What to cook for dinner? I had fresh Roma tomatoes, onions and my favorite organic grass-fed ground beef and my garden vegetables that I can harvest...so, I decided on meatballs for dinner. I was thinking of making meatballs and spaghetti, but it turned out that the sauce was so delicious, that I skipped on the pasta this time around and made a stew out of it instead. This is the life of a chef, create as you cook! FUN!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Meatball Recipe</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 pound organic grass-fed ground beef (I buy my beef locally at Bill the Butcher in Redmond; see web site below)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 red onion, chopped (reserve second half for tomato sauce)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 clove of garlic, minced</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 egg</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 teaspoon thyme (if you have some in the garden, fresh is best)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 teaspoon sage (if you have fresh sage, take 2 leaves and chop)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 teaspoon chili pepper flakes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">sea salt and pepper to taste</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Combine all ingredients gently (do not overwork the ground beef. You want to keep the consistency of the ground beef and not turn it into mush). If you want to weigh each meatball, I usually weigh 3 oz each, which makes a good portion size. Place the meatballs on a sheet pan (use a sheet pan with a lip on all four sides). Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Sauce</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/2 red onion sliced </div>6 Roma tomatoes, blanched, peeled and chopped and reserve juices (you can buy organic whole Roma tomatoes in a 1 lb can)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4 organic Kale leaves, chopped</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4 organic Chard leaves, chopped</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 teaspoon thyme</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1 teaspoon rosemary</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">dash of nutmeg</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1/4 cup red wine (optional)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">sea salt and pepper to taste</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Caramelize onions on medium-low heat *see notes for caramelizing onions. When onions are caramelized, add 1/4 cup of red wine to <span class="goog-spellcheck-word">deglaze</span>, cook for a few minutes and add Roma tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let cook for about 5 minutes on low heat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Remove meatballs from oven and place in tomato sauce and cook for another 10 minutes on low heat until meatballs are well coated.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Serve with pasta or eat alone as a stew.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">*Caramelizing O<span class="goog-spellcheck-word">nions</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Place onions in a pan on medium-low heat, when onions become a little dry and start browning, add some water to the pan and stir the onions (about 2-4 tablespoons of water at a time). When onions dry and they start turning brown again, add more water and repeat this process at least 6 times until onions are golden brown and well caramelized.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong>Bill the Butcher Organic Meats </strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.billthebutcher.us/"><strong>http://www.billthebutcher.us/</strong></a><strong> </strong></div>Sadiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06793587395451177118noreply@blogger.com0