I am a GREAT BIG football fan. I’ve cheered for the Miami Dolphins since 1970. There have been some highs (Dan Marino’s amazing records) and some lows (did you watch the end of the Houston game this season…?). But, the constant in all of the football watching has been the food. Football food is fabulous. From first quarter appys to half time hoagies, to the final play where chocolate is the total fan equalizer; good food outweighs a bad loss.
This season I prepared a twist on an old recipe from my At Home Entertaining book, titled Fiery Beef and Black Bean Chili (page 181). I updated the recipe first, by using a slow cooker. In the past, I shied away from crock pots because the food that came out of them was usually bland and mushy. But, the newer machines give you the latitude of several settings, so that you can actually achieve a rolling boil or allow a finished dish to stay warm for hours. My favorite machine is the All-Clad 99009 Stainless-Steel 6-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker I like the removable ceramic insert because it is a breeze to clean. There is another version of this machine that has a cast aluminum insert that can be removed to the stove top in order to sear meats before cooking. This one is substantially more expensive. For the money, I don’t mind searing in a pan and then dumping everything into the slow cooker. It’s not that big of a deal.
The other updates I made to the recipe included a change in ingredients. The original recipe called for “boneless beef chuck”. I upgraded to use the hormone and steroid free beef roast that I found in the local farmer’s market. I had to increase the amount of beef in the recipe, as this natural version tends to be leaner. This roast also cooks up quicker, so my browning process went faster. I actually browned the beef the night before, placed it into a resealable plastic bag (when it cooled), and stored it in the fridge until Sunday morning. Then I placed the meat into the crock pot and followed it with the other ingredients.
Another change to the recipe was the substitution of frozen corn for canned corn. I have learned that canned veggies may contain more sodium than frozen, and being the cooking control freak that I am, I want to be the one to add the salt that the dish needs. Finally, the original recipe calls for a cup of sour cream and a garnish of brown rice. I changed that to a garnish of sour cream and eliminated the brown rice. I topped each bowl with fresh chunks of avocado and ripe, purple tomatoes. I served it with a simple quick bread filled with bacon and sharp cheddar cheese.
So, as we Dolphin fans prepared to celebrate a victory with a 5 point lead and only 2 seconds left on the clock, we watched the Houston quarterback throw a bullet pass into the end zone; for a TOUCHDOWN!!! I decided to serve my updated Fiery Beef and Black Bean Chili with warm slices of Bacon, Cheddar and Sage Quick Bread. Luckily, when it comes to disappointing losses, being a damned good cook has its benefits.
Go Dolphins….. There’s always another game… perhaps next time I’ll prepare Soft Shell Crab Po’ Boys……..
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Open Face Smoked Salmon Breakfast Sandwich
If you crave smoked salmon and cream cheese on a freshly toasted bagel, you will love this breakfast starter. You can make it in minutes. Salmon is full of omega-3 essential fats that we need in our healthy diet. Don’t be afraid to use a tablespoon of whipped, full- fat cream cheese; it’s deeply satisfying and brings everything together in this quick, grab and go dish.
1 slice whole grain marbled rye bread
1 tablespoon organic whipped cream cheese
½ teaspoon capers, drained
2 thin slices smoked salmon (about 1 ounce)
1 small ripe tomato, cut into ½-inch slices
Thinly sliced red onion
Chopped fresh dill
A pinch of sea salt and a grind of fresh pepper
Toast the bread and place onto your serving plate. Spread the cream cheese onto the toast. Sprinkle the cream cheese with capers. Lay the salmon on the cream cheese. Top with tomato slices, red onion and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the sandwich into two triangle halves and munch away.
Yield: 1 sandwich
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Sources and Substitutions
Thinly sliced whole grain pumpernickel or whole wheat bread is a fine substitution for this sandwich. If you are a tuna lover, you can replace the salmon with tuna. Substitute any fresh herb that you have on hand. Parsley and even tarragon are great. You can add chopped hard boiled egg and slices of fresh cucumber for a bigger, bolder breakfast sandwich. Tomatoes, onion and parsley are filled with antioxidants. The capers add a punch of flavor.
Thinly sliced whole grain rye, pumpernickel or whole grain bread is dense and filling. Each slice has less than 100 calories, compared to a large pumpernickel bagel, which has 320 calories. You can find whole grain breads in the bakery section of your grocery store, the local bakery, or as the finished product from you own kitchen bread maker.
You can’t beat the flavor of cream cheese. By choosing the whipped variety, you have air whipped into the product, so you end up using less cream cheese on your open face sandwich. Choose good quality smoked salmon for this dish.
1 slice whole grain marbled rye bread
1 tablespoon organic whipped cream cheese
½ teaspoon capers, drained
2 thin slices smoked salmon (about 1 ounce)
1 small ripe tomato, cut into ½-inch slices
Thinly sliced red onion
Chopped fresh dill
A pinch of sea salt and a grind of fresh pepper
Toast the bread and place onto your serving plate. Spread the cream cheese onto the toast. Sprinkle the cream cheese with capers. Lay the salmon on the cream cheese. Top with tomato slices, red onion and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Cut the sandwich into two triangle halves and munch away.
Yield: 1 sandwich
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Sources and Substitutions
Thinly sliced whole grain pumpernickel or whole wheat bread is a fine substitution for this sandwich. If you are a tuna lover, you can replace the salmon with tuna. Substitute any fresh herb that you have on hand. Parsley and even tarragon are great. You can add chopped hard boiled egg and slices of fresh cucumber for a bigger, bolder breakfast sandwich. Tomatoes, onion and parsley are filled with antioxidants. The capers add a punch of flavor.
Thinly sliced whole grain rye, pumpernickel or whole grain bread is dense and filling. Each slice has less than 100 calories, compared to a large pumpernickel bagel, which has 320 calories. You can find whole grain breads in the bakery section of your grocery store, the local bakery, or as the finished product from you own kitchen bread maker.
You can’t beat the flavor of cream cheese. By choosing the whipped variety, you have air whipped into the product, so you end up using less cream cheese on your open face sandwich. Choose good quality smoked salmon for this dish.
Deviled Eggs for Breakfast
This dish is perfect for hectic mornings because you can prepare the eggs the evening before- just grab them from the fridge as you dash off to school and work.
4 extra large organic eggs
1 ounce pancetta, about 2 thin slices, diced
1 teaspoon good quality mayonnaise
1 tablespoon organic sour cream
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
A pinch of sea salt and a grind of fresh pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Place the eggs in a single layer in the bottom of a pot. Cover the eggs by 1 inch with cold water. Place the lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Once the eggs have boiled, turn off the heat and let sit for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and place the eggs under cold running water. Peel the eggs.
Heat a small sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until crisp and golden. Remove the pancetta to paper toweling to drain.
Cut each egg horizontally, into halves. Remove the yolks to a small bowl. Place the egg halves into an egg platter. Use the back of a fork to mash the yolks. Stir in the mayonnaise, sour cream and mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
Fill each egg with a spoonful of the yolk mixture. Sprinkle with crisp pancetta and chopped fresh parsley.
Yield: 8 deviled eggs
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes to hard boil the eggs
Sources and Substitutions
You can substitute with your favorite herbs. You can choose nitrate-free bacon in place of pancetta.
Eggs that come from properly raised hens are an egg-cellent source of protein and good fat. Choose a good quality mayonnaise that has limited amounts of additives, sugar and salt.
4 extra large organic eggs
1 ounce pancetta, about 2 thin slices, diced
1 teaspoon good quality mayonnaise
1 tablespoon organic sour cream
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
A pinch of sea salt and a grind of fresh pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Place the eggs in a single layer in the bottom of a pot. Cover the eggs by 1 inch with cold water. Place the lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Once the eggs have boiled, turn off the heat and let sit for 15 minutes. Remove the lid and place the eggs under cold running water. Peel the eggs.
Heat a small sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until crisp and golden. Remove the pancetta to paper toweling to drain.
Cut each egg horizontally, into halves. Remove the yolks to a small bowl. Place the egg halves into an egg platter. Use the back of a fork to mash the yolks. Stir in the mayonnaise, sour cream and mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
Fill each egg with a spoonful of the yolk mixture. Sprinkle with crisp pancetta and chopped fresh parsley.
Yield: 8 deviled eggs
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes to hard boil the eggs
Sources and Substitutions
You can substitute with your favorite herbs. You can choose nitrate-free bacon in place of pancetta.
Eggs that come from properly raised hens are an egg-cellent source of protein and good fat. Choose a good quality mayonnaise that has limited amounts of additives, sugar and salt.
Blueberry Pie Muffins
The aroma of these muffins, when you bring them out of the oven, will remind you of blueberry pie. They taste just as good. All purpose flour lightens the batter just a bit. You may want to serve these with a slather of protein-rich nut butter for a longer lasting energy boost. They are best served warm, but they’re pretty darn good the next day, too!
2 cups whole-grain pastry flour or whole wheat flour
¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup organic unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
1 cup all natural granulated sugar
3 large organic eggs
¾ cup organic milk
Juice of ½ medium lemon, about 1 tablespoon
Zest of ½ medium lemon, about 1 teaspoon
1 pint fresh blueberries, about 2 cups
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper baking cups.
Whisk together both flours, the baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, milk, lemon juice and lemon zest.
Coarsely chop half of the blueberries using a knife, or briefly pulse with a food processor. Add the chopped blueberries into the butter/egg mixture. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the remaining whole blueberries. The batter will be thick.
Drop the batter by rounded tablespoons into the muffin tin. (An ice cream scoop is perfect for this task!) Bake until the muffins are golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then remove the muffins to a rack to cool completely.
Yield: 12 muffins
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 to 30 minutes
Sources and Substitutions
Organic, whole wheat pastry flour is a little lighter than regular whole wheat flour. It works very well in place of all-purpose flour in most baking recipes, and can be found in most super markets.
The recipe used here is a perfect basic muffin recipe. It screams for your inventiveness. You can use any fresh fruit that you like; all berries, chopped peaches, apples and bananas are perfect. You can incorporate oats, nuts or chocolate chips; add flavorings like vanilla, instant coffee, peanut butter – it all works!
2 cups whole-grain pastry flour or whole wheat flour
¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup organic unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
1 cup all natural granulated sugar
3 large organic eggs
¾ cup organic milk
Juice of ½ medium lemon, about 1 tablespoon
Zest of ½ medium lemon, about 1 teaspoon
1 pint fresh blueberries, about 2 cups
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper baking cups.
Whisk together both flours, the baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, milk, lemon juice and lemon zest.
Coarsely chop half of the blueberries using a knife, or briefly pulse with a food processor. Add the chopped blueberries into the butter/egg mixture. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in the remaining whole blueberries. The batter will be thick.
Drop the batter by rounded tablespoons into the muffin tin. (An ice cream scoop is perfect for this task!) Bake until the muffins are golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then remove the muffins to a rack to cool completely.
Yield: 12 muffins
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 to 30 minutes
Sources and Substitutions
Organic, whole wheat pastry flour is a little lighter than regular whole wheat flour. It works very well in place of all-purpose flour in most baking recipes, and can be found in most super markets.
The recipe used here is a perfect basic muffin recipe. It screams for your inventiveness. You can use any fresh fruit that you like; all berries, chopped peaches, apples and bananas are perfect. You can incorporate oats, nuts or chocolate chips; add flavorings like vanilla, instant coffee, peanut butter – it all works!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Welcome Fellow Foodies
This is my first attempt at “blogging”. I’m looking forward to this journey and welcome you into my culinary world. The first thing you need to know is that I am a darned good cook. Even if you are not crazy about what I have to say, you might just enjoy some of my recipes, so stay with me for a minute or two.
I’ve written five cookbooks. So why the blog? Well, while submitting proposals for a new cookbook, my publisher suddenly decided that blog readership may equate to book sales. Who knew?!!??
For example, he is very excited about the possibility of acquiring a book by a new author on the subject of searching out meals as a vegan in an urban setting. Now, vegans represent one quarter of one percent of the entire population of the United States. I am not exaggerating when I say that this is a pretty small group. When I questioned him as to his opinion on the actual number of cookbook buying vegans in cities, his response was that the author has a readership of 30,000 on her blog. Dumbfounded, I suggested to him that by definition vegans eat practically nothing (no animal products or animal by-products what so ever – not even honey….) and asked him how diverse the recipes could be in a cookbook. I mean, just how many ways can you prepare veggies, remembering that you cannot use things like butter, eggs or cheese to dress up the dish. His answer – “but, she has readership on her blog….”
So here we are – the beginning of my blog.
For starters, rest assured that I eat everything! I am a FOOD LOVER. I eat red meat, I eat pig, I eat chicken, I eat egg yolks. I pair all of these with an abundance of fresh fruits and veggies. Where I make a distinction is in the quality of these foods; each has to be impeccable. I shy away from most processed food, with the noted exception of San Marzano canned tomatoes – which are just amazing.
My publisher says that I lack specific focus. For an example his fall catalog includes titles that have subjects, like “a trillion ways to use deli cooked chicken” and “a gazillion ways to improve on boxed cake mixes….”
Welcome to my uphill battle!!
Hopefully, through this blog, you can help me find my focus. It will be a partnership! I’ll give you recipes to try at home, and you can give me feedback as to what you want to see in a new cookbook. Such a deal!!
Let’s start with a recipe for Lemon Chicken, which I created last evening for my hubby, hungry middle son and his cute girlfriend. They LOVED it. Let me know if you do, too!
I’ve written five cookbooks. So why the blog? Well, while submitting proposals for a new cookbook, my publisher suddenly decided that blog readership may equate to book sales. Who knew?!!??
For example, he is very excited about the possibility of acquiring a book by a new author on the subject of searching out meals as a vegan in an urban setting. Now, vegans represent one quarter of one percent of the entire population of the United States. I am not exaggerating when I say that this is a pretty small group. When I questioned him as to his opinion on the actual number of cookbook buying vegans in cities, his response was that the author has a readership of 30,000 on her blog. Dumbfounded, I suggested to him that by definition vegans eat practically nothing (no animal products or animal by-products what so ever – not even honey….) and asked him how diverse the recipes could be in a cookbook. I mean, just how many ways can you prepare veggies, remembering that you cannot use things like butter, eggs or cheese to dress up the dish. His answer – “but, she has readership on her blog….”
So here we are – the beginning of my blog.
For starters, rest assured that I eat everything! I am a FOOD LOVER. I eat red meat, I eat pig, I eat chicken, I eat egg yolks. I pair all of these with an abundance of fresh fruits and veggies. Where I make a distinction is in the quality of these foods; each has to be impeccable. I shy away from most processed food, with the noted exception of San Marzano canned tomatoes – which are just amazing.
My publisher says that I lack specific focus. For an example his fall catalog includes titles that have subjects, like “a trillion ways to use deli cooked chicken” and “a gazillion ways to improve on boxed cake mixes….”
Welcome to my uphill battle!!
Hopefully, through this blog, you can help me find my focus. It will be a partnership! I’ll give you recipes to try at home, and you can give me feedback as to what you want to see in a new cookbook. Such a deal!!
Let’s start with a recipe for Lemon Chicken, which I created last evening for my hubby, hungry middle son and his cute girlfriend. They LOVED it. Let me know if you do, too!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Dark Chocolate Cake with Rich Chocolate Icing
Using oil in the batter makes the cake moist and dense. The icing is smooth and shiny. The combination is deadly delicious!3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups strong, hot, brewed coffee
¾ cup canola oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup butter, melted (1 stick), room temperature
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 ¼ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ¼ cups cream
¼ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder mixed with 1 tablespoon warm water
2 teaspoons vanilla
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
Whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, ½ cup cocoa, baking soda and salt into a large bowl.
Place the coffee into a separate bowl. Stir in the canola oil, vinegar and vanilla. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined.
Divide the batter between 2 (8-inch) round cake pans, coated with vegetable oil spray and lightly dusted with flour. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Transfer to a rack and cool completely.
For the frosting, use an electric mixer to combine the melted butter with the confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Stir in 1 ¼ cups cocoa. Stir in the cream, sour cream, coffee mixture and vanilla, until smooth and shiny. If the mixture is too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until spreadable.
Use a serrated knife to split each cake layer horizontally. Place one cake layer onto a cake stand. Spread a layer of frosting over top. Continue layering and frosting. Spread the frosting on the sides and finally, the top of the cake.
Servings: 8 to 10
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 30 to 35 minutes
Cumin Crusted Salmon with Tarragon Caper Sauce
This is by far one of the most popular dishes that I prepare. It’s fancy enough to serve at your next dinner party, yet easy enough to make for an after-work supper. Serve with creamy cheese grits and roasted veggies.
1 (2 ½ pound) center-cut whole salmon fillet with skin
Juice of 1 medium lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup cream
3 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place the whole fillet, skin side down, on a rimmed baking sheet, coated with vegetable oil spray. Drizzle the lemon juice on top.
Combine the brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Rub this mixture all over the salmon, coating well. Drizzle the top with olive oil.
Place the salmon into the oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. Roast until the salmon is rare in the center, about 8 minutes per inch of thickness, or about 15 to 30 minutes for the whole fillet.
For the sauce, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, cream, capers, tarragon vinegar and fresh tarragon. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the salmon with the sauce on the side. Garnish with fresh lemon or orange slices and fresh tarragon sprigs.
Servings: 6 to 8
Preparation Time: 100 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Sources and Substitutions
You don’t need to use an entire fillet for this recipe. For fewer servings, you can use individual fillets or salmon steaks. Feel free to cut the sauce in half – or prepare it as listed, and save extras for crudité dipping. The salmon is equally terrific served warm from the oven or at room temperature on a buffet table. Use left over salmon to create a wonderful salmon salad.
1 (2 ½ pound) center-cut whole salmon fillet with skin
Juice of 1 medium lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup cream
3 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place the whole fillet, skin side down, on a rimmed baking sheet, coated with vegetable oil spray. Drizzle the lemon juice on top.
Combine the brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Rub this mixture all over the salmon, coating well. Drizzle the top with olive oil.
Place the salmon into the oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. Roast until the salmon is rare in the center, about 8 minutes per inch of thickness, or about 15 to 30 minutes for the whole fillet.
For the sauce, stir together the sour cream, mayonnaise, cream, capers, tarragon vinegar and fresh tarragon. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the salmon with the sauce on the side. Garnish with fresh lemon or orange slices and fresh tarragon sprigs.
Servings: 6 to 8
Preparation Time: 100 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Sources and Substitutions
You don’t need to use an entire fillet for this recipe. For fewer servings, you can use individual fillets or salmon steaks. Feel free to cut the sauce in half – or prepare it as listed, and save extras for crudité dipping. The salmon is equally terrific served warm from the oven or at room temperature on a buffet table. Use left over salmon to create a wonderful salmon salad.
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