Category: Uncategorized

Summer Fest- Spiced Apple Dutch Baby

Posted in Uncategorized

Have you ever heard of Dutch Baby? Me either but when I saw
the recipe in the CIA cookbook and saw how simple it was I thought why not try
it.    According to Wikipedia a Dutch Baby
is a German pancake or popover baked in a metal pan that is traditionally
served for breakfast.  There is no leavening
in the pancake so it falls almost as soon as it’s taken out of the oven.  The CIA cookbook recipe called for whipped
cream topping, yogurt or sour cream and spiced peaches with it being served
immediately out of the oven.  As usual I
had to tweak it.  I caramelized some
apples with cinnamon and brown sugar for the topping and I did serve it with
sweetened fresh whipped cream.  I did
make it ahead of time and served it as a dessert.  I didn’t bake mine in a cast iron skillet,
but in a stainless steel sauté pan which I buttered.  If you do chose to use a sauté pan the more
butter the better, since mine did stick a little.
In the directions it says to bake the Dutch Baby for 20
minutes without opening the door then to lower the heat and bake for an additional
10 minutes.  There was an element of
surprise when I finally took it out.  It
was puffy around the edges, not at all what I expected. The pancake itself was
crispy on the edges and a little doughy in the center. The basic pancake gives
off a enticing aroma once it’s drizzled with fresh lemon juice. It’s then
finished with the spiced apples and softly whipped cream.   For a
first attempt I have to say it was tasty and not overly sweet for a
dessert.  I can see it being delicious
with a steaming cup of coffee on a cold autumn morning.
Be sure to read all the way to the bottom of this post for more amazing apple recipes from all the participants in Summer Fest.
To make Spiced Apple Dutch Baby you’ll need:
½ cup all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
2 large eggs
½ cup milk
¼ cup butter, melted
2 ¾ cups peeled and sliced apples
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
Powdered sugar as needed
¼ cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
1 tsp. lemon zest
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Sift flour and salt together in a small bowl.
Put the eggs in a blender and blend at low speed.  Add the flour mixture and the milk
alternately, in thirds.  Scrape down the
sides of the blender and continue to blend until smooth.  Blend in 2 tablespoons of the melted butter.
Pour the batter into a well-greased 10 inch cast iron skillet
or an ovenproof sauté pan.  Bake for 20
minutes without opening the oven door. 
Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake 10 minutes longer.
While the Dutch baby is baking, prepare the spiced
fruit.  Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons
of melted butter in a medium sauté pan over high heat.  Add the apples, cinnamon and brown
sugar.  Continue to cook until the apples
are soft and browned, about 5 to 6 minutes.
Remove the Dutch baby from the oven and drizzle with lemon
juice and sprinkle with powdered sugar. 
Fill the center of the Dutch baby with the hot, spiced fruit mixture.
Top with whipped cream and lemon zest and serve at once.

Jeanette’s Healthy Living:  Gluten-Free Jewish Apple Cake
Virtually Homemade:   Apple Pie Muffin
Daily*Dishin:  Easier-than-Pie Creamy Apple Bake
Chez Us:  Baked Apples With Creme Anglaise
Made by Michelle:   Pear Apple Crisp
Napa Farmhouse 1885:   Apple, Fennel and Cheddar Cheese Panini
Thursday Night Dinner:   Apple Bread Pudding
Devour:   7 Apple Desserts Beyond Pie
Healthy Eats:   Marrying the Apple With New Flavors
FN Dish:   Let’s Go Apple Picking

Summer Fest- Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Napoleon

Posted in Uncategorized

I’m not a beet fan. I’m not sure why they just have never
been my favorite vegetable.  Whenever
possible, my dad would always ordered pickled beets and its funny my husband is
the same way.  This like in all my
recipes I take something familiar and give it a little twist.  Instead of pickling the beets, I roasted
them which gives them a more intense, sweeter flavor.   And to give them a little more
flavor I tried the classic combination of goat cheese and beets.  As my husband describes it, salty goat cheese
and sweet beets are a great combination.
As with every Summer Fest installment there will be LOTS of beet recipes that follow after this post from more Summer Fest participants. So check ’em out!
Cooking beet greens was a first for me.  I guess I should have paid more attention to
my mother in law when she made Sunday supper, but I didn’t.  I checked a couple of cookbooks for recipes
for beets greens (they came with the beets and I didn’t want to waste them!)
and all the recipes sounded pretty straightforward.  Take the leaves off the stems, wash them and sauté
them.  Straightforward, right?  Not sure what I did wrong but the greens were
bitter and tough.
To top off the Napoleon I decided to make a balsamic and
orange reduction as sort of a sauce.  I
thought it tasted pretty good but my husband really didn’t taste the
orange.  Maybe he just needed more sauce
on his Napoleon.
Beets and goat cheese are a classic and unbeatable combination,
even without the greens and the balsamic reduction.  Roasting the beets make them even sweeter but
there are a few tips I would like to share.
<TIP>
Beets stain everything! 
Place the beets in a casserole dish, like a Pyrex or Le Creuset with a
little water in the bottom.  This will
make clean up easier.

<TIP>
Be sure to clean your beets thoroughly.  I think one of the reasons I never liked
beets is that they always smelled like dirt to me. 
<TIP>
When peeling the beets (after they are cool enough to
handle) hold them the stem and use a fork or knife to help you peel the skin
off.  It will save your hands turning a magnificent
shade of pink.  You can also use kitchen
gloves. Either way you’ll be happy you protected your hands.
<TIP>
For the beet greens, cut them off from the beet and leave
about an inch.  This will make it easier
to hold while peeling, as explained above. 
Be sure to wash the greens thoroughly and take them completely off the
stem, so they will be tender after they cook.  If you have a favorite recipe for collard greens it will work great for beet greens too.

If you want to make Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese Napoleons you’ll
need:
1 pound of beets, about 4 med.
4 ounces or one small log of goat cheese
¾ cup balsamic vinegar
1 large orange, juiced and zested.
Wash beets thoroughly and remove the leaves, leaving about an
inch of stem.  Place the beets in a
casserole dish and add about 1 inch of water. 
Season the beets with salt and pepper. 
Cover the dish with foil and place in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour
or until the beets are fork tender. 
Remove from the oven and let them cool enough to handle, then peel them.
To make the balsamic glaze:
In a non-reactive pan on medium heat, warm the vinegar and
cook until it reduces by about half. 
Once the vinegar has reduced, then add the orange juice and cook for
about another 3-4 minutes.  The reduction
should be a sweet and sour sauce with just a hint of orange.
To cook the beet greens:
Heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet.  Add ½ cup chopped onion, sauté the onion
until soft.  Add the washed and dried
beet greens to the pan and cook until wilted. 
Season with salt and pepper.
To make the Napoleon:
Place some of the cooked beet greens in the bottom of a
shallow bowl.  Slice one of the beets
into 3 pieces. Place a slice of beet on top of the greens, then place a slice
of goat cheese on top of the beet. Repeat topping with the last slice of
beet.  Spoon some of the balsamic glaze
over and garnish with orange zest.
Whenever I develop and write about a recipe I like to give as many variations as I can. I like to use the ingredients so that you can make it all or just part.  So if you’re not a fan of the greens, that’s okay.  If you don’t want to try the balsamic glaze, no problem.  But if you do make any part of the recipe, I really suggest roasting your beets.  After you try them like this, you’ll be a fan for life!

If you’re looking for more beet recipes, check out the list below:

Jeanette’s Healthy Living:   Roasted Beet and Apple Walnut Salad With Honey Yogurt Dressing
What’s Gaby Cooking:  Beet, Corn and Quinoa Salad
Chez Us   Pickled Beets
Feed Me Phoebe:   Spaghetti With Beet Greens and Blistered Tomatoes
Virtually Homemade:  Orange Roasted Chicken With Beets and Green Beans
Napa Farmhouse 1885:   Roasted Beet and Avocado Salad With Meyer Lemon Marmalade Vinaigrette
Thursday Night Dinner:   Beet, Carrot and Ginger Soup
HGTV Gardens:  Garden-to-Table: Beets
Cooking With Books:   Roasted Beets, Carrots and Goat Cheese Tartine
FN Dish:   Better Beets

Product Review – Orville Redenbacher's Ready to Eat Popcorn

Posted in Uncategorized
Recently I received a free sample of Con Agra Foods new
product, Orville Redenbacher Ready to eat Popcorn.  Everyone’s heard of Orville Redenbacher’s
popcorn – popcorn kernels and microwave popcorn.  So when I heard about this new product I
thought what a great add-on to this already well -known brand.

My family has a love affair with popcorn.  It’s a go to night time snack. It’s a go to
afternoon snack.  So to have a trusted
brand like Orville Redenbacher in a ready to eat form, well it was just perfect
for us.  There are times when you want a
snack right now, and this ready to eat popcorn comes in some pretty great
flavors.  


Con Agra sent me a sample of the sharp white cheddar.  I have to say I’m not usually big on flavored
popcorn because it can be overly flavored and messy to eat.  This popcorn had just the right amount of
cheddar flavor without getting your fingers stained.  The kernels (just like all Orville’s popcorn)
were large and according to the bag 30% fluffier.  It’s a snack you can feel good about giving
your kids since it’s a whole grain snack.
My daughter liked the sample so much she went and bought
several bags and she is a popcorn connoisseur! 
For a convenient, lightly flavored, tasty, healthy snack try Orville
Redenbacher’s new ready to eat popcorn.  It’s
a snack you can take anywhere with you, no microwave required.
You can find Orville Redenbacher’s Ready to eat Popcorn in
the snack aisle at your local supermarket or grocery store.  It comes in other flavors –  Farmhouse Cheddar, Signature BBQ and Kettle
Corn.  Try them all!
The opinions of this product are my own.
The sample provided by ConAgra was a free sample supplied to
me by them for my opinion.

Ratatouille Fresh from the Garden

Posted in Uncategorized
It’s time for another installment of Summer Fest. This week
is eggplant. Now I’m not a huge fan of eggplant but I do like vegetable stews,
one in particular – Ratatouille, which contains mushrooms, zucchini and
eggplant with tomatoes, onions, garlic and green peppers. The result is a
flavorful, simple to make dish that is perfect for any night of the week.  Leftovers can be served over rice for a quick
and healthy lunch.
As always there will be a list of other fantastic recipes using eggplant, so be sure to read all the way to the bottom so you don’t miss any of them from this talented group of bloggers/cooks.
This ratatouille recipe comes from the Culinary Institute of
America Cookbook I received when I took a class there last year.  I will have more recipes from this cookbook
when I start my “cookbook of the month” review series.  The CIA cookbook has a great selection of
recipes from different cuisines and uses techniques that range from simple to
advanced, but more about this cookbook in another post.  Right now let’s get to the ratatouille!
This is a one pot meal which makes it perfect for a weekday or weekend meal. It’s quick cooking so it helps to have all your ingredients ready to be added.  A recipe like this one is good for practice  knife skills, since there is a lot of chopping involved.  The fresh herbs added to this dish gives it a
fresh flavor that compliments the fresh veggies.  Not one of the veggies are the star of the
show, but if you like one vegetable more than another you can always add more
of it.  This dish is a great use up for
all those farmer’s market finds at the end of summer when there seems to be an
abundance. 
To make ratatouille you’ll need
2 T olive oil
3 T minced garlic
2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 T tomato paste
¾ cup chicken broth
4 cups chopped eggplant
1 1/3 cups sliced zucchini (quartered lengthwise before
slicing)
1 cup quartered mushrooms
1 cup diced green peppers
2 cups chopped tomatoes (peeled and seeded)
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup chopped basil
Salt and pepper as needed
Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the
garlic and sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute.  Add the onions and sauté until translucent, 4
to 5 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and cook over medium heat until it
deepens in color and gives off a sweet aroma, about 1 minute.  Add the broth and stir to deglaze the pan,
scraping up any browned bits from the pan bottom.
Add the eggplant, zucchini , mushrooms and green pepper and
simmer until the vegetables are tender but not falling apart, 10 to 12
minutes.  Stir in the tomatoes and
continue to simmer until the tomatoes are heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the parsley and basil.  Taste, season with salt and pepper then
serve.

As promised here’s the list of more eggplant recipes.
Feed Me Phoebe:   Grilled Eggplant Baba Ganoush
Jeanette’s Healthy Living:   Asian Grilled Eggplant With Soy-Sesame Sauce
And Love It Too:  Slow-Cooker Paleo Eggplant Parmesan
Big Girls Small Kitchen:   Homemade Baba Ganoush
Made by Michelle:   Eggplant Zucchini Muffins
Cooking With Elise:    Stuffed Eggplant
Virtually Homemade:   Layered Ratatouille la Ratatouille
Napa Farmhouse 1885:   Roasted Eggplant and Peppers Dip
HGTV Gardens:   Garden-to-Table: Eggplant
Thursday Night Dinner:   Eggplant Flatbread
Healthy Eats:   Going Meatless With Eggplant
Devour:   Giada’s Rigatoni With Eggplant Puree
Cooking With Books:   Sriracha and Honey Eggplant Rice
FN Dish:   Eggplant: Champion of the Meat-Free Meal


Who knew eggplant was so versatile? Have a favorite eggplant recipe? I’d love to hear it. Be sure to leave it in the comments below!

Summer Fest- Grilled Peaches with Ginger Caramel Sauce and Pound Cake

Posted in Uncategorized

Time for another installment of Food Network’s blog – FN Dish.  This week it’s all about peaches.  To me nothing says summer like the smell of a fresh, ripe peach. The aroma is intoxicating!  And I know I’m not the only one that feels that way – so be sure to read all the way to the bottom for more links from the fabulous Summer Fest bloggers.

The recipe I chose to make combines two of summers greatest things – peaches and grilling.  Don’t worry if you don’t have a BBQ grill, an indoor grill will do just fine!  Nothing gives food the flavor that cooking it on the grill does, even if it is indoors.

The best way to pick a peach is to smell it.  I know, I know it looks weird to hold it up to your nose and sniff, and if your nose actually touches it you feel obligated to take it.  But it’s really the only way to get a good peach.  It should smell unmistakenly like peach.  The peach should have some give to it with no blemishes.

This recipe is simple, but oh so flavorful with the addition of the ginger caramel sauce.  If you don’t want the sauce, that’s fine.  But be sure to have some ice cream handy, home made or store bought  doesn’t matter.

To make Grilled Peaches with Ginger Caramel Sauce and Pound Cake here’s what you’ll need:

3-4 ripe peaches, medium size
3/4 c sugar
2 teaspoons grated ginger (more or less to taste)
2 T butter
splash of cream
salt
store bought ice cream (or home made)
store bought pound cake (my favorite cake)

Makes 6 servings.

Slice the peaches in half and lay them on a low- medium heat grill.  This will work great after you’ve grilled your main course and the coals have burned down a little.  You don’t want the grill or grill pan too hot or the peaches will burn.

Cook the peaches just until they are warm, soft and caramelized.

For the Ginger Caramel Sauce

Add the sugar to a skillet on low heat.  Keep an eye on the sugar, it can go from caramel to burnt in an instant.  Swirl the pan occasionally to allow the heat to distribute.  Once the sugar starts to caramelize add the grated ginger.  Swirl again to combine.  Once the sugar is caramel color add the butter and cream.  The pan will sizzle so beware.  It’s okay!  Stir to combine and set aside.

To assemble:
Slice the pound cake and place on the grill just long enough to get some grill marks and warm it through.

Place the pound cake on a plate.  Top with the grilled peaches, a scoop of ice cream, then drizzle with the caramel sauce.

That’s it! A simple dessert that will “WOW” your cookout guests!!  And a delicious new way to enjoy peaches.

Have a favorite peach recipe? Looking for a new way to enjoy this summer time favorite fruit?  Then look no further than the list below for more creative, yummy recipes…..

HAPPY SUMMER FEST!!

Jeanette’s Healthy Living:   Peach Blackberry Arugula Salad
Cooking With Elise:   Streusel Topped Peach Muffins With Peach Butter
Heather Christo Cooks:   Peach Coconut Pancakes
Ingredients, Inc:   Easy Peach Pie
Dishin & Dishes:   Peach Lacquered Chicken Salad
Big Girls Small Kitchen:  Easy Peach Limeade
Napa Farmhouse 1885:   Fresh Peach and Coconut Cake
Daily*Dishin:   Caramelized Grilled Peaches
Delicious Lean:  Smokey Peach Chipotle Grilled Chicken
Thursday Night Dinner:  Peach Shortbread
Sweet Life Bake:    Jicama Tortilla Salad With Peach Dressing
I Am Baker: Cilantro Peach Salsa
Zaika Zabardast:  Donut Peach Quesadilla
And Love It Too:  Peachy Coconut Streusel Muffins
Daydreamer Desserts:  White Peach Margaritas
Cooking Channel:  4 Savory Uses for Peaches
Healthy Eats:  What to do With Overripe Peaches
FN Dish:  Peaches Move to the Big Kids’ Table

Menu Sampling at Comfort Kitchen

Posted in Uncategorized
I was invited to a menu sampling at one of Saratoga’s newest
restaurants – Comfort Kitchen, which is located in the Marketplace downtown. To
me the name “Comfort Kitchen” is a little bit of a misnomer. When I think of
comfort food (being from the south) I think of fried chicken, mashed potatoes,
chicken fried steak, biscuits and gravy, chicken and dumplings. Not burgers,
tots and salad.  But I guess it’s a
North/South thing. And I do have to say that the menu we sampled was the “summer”
menu. For southerners summer menus consist of BBQ, potato salad and sweet tea.
 The crowd consisted
of other local food bloggers. I really love it when I’m in a room full of
people who photograph their food before they eat it. Makes me feel normal.
 Parking downtown is
always at a premium especially during track season so I ended up parking about
3 blocks away in a garage.  Made it
easier for me to maneuver my huge SUV and I didn’t have to try to squeeze into
a tiny spot on the street.  As I was
walking, it occurred to me that Saratoga is a microcosm of a large metropolitan
city.  It was after 7 pm so the sidewalks
were lined with diners at the many restaurants and bistros along Broadway.
Clothing racks were still outside some of the shops, and families, couples (old
and young) were walking the sidewalk. But I think the one thing that I like the
most about walking along Broadway on a summer’s evening is the street
performers.  There is such a wide range –
from the guy playing the Barney theme on his banjo, to the woman playing
classical music on her violin.  It’s all
these things – and more that make Saratoga a thriving mini-metropolis.
Comfort Kitchen is in the Marketplace in a former cupcake
bakery.  But as owner Rory Moran said,
“there’s no cupcakes here.” Instead you will find comfort food in many forms,
from hamburgers and mac and cheese to tater tots and cookies and milk.  
Our first sampling was tater tots (which are
deep fried) with different sauces.  One
of the sauces is called their awesome sauce, which they use on their burgers
also. Awesome sauce is their version of a secret sauce  (although I did get a few of the ingredients:
ketchup, mustard, siracha, honey, vinegar)  
It’s a little spicy but not too bad. 
Another sauce is their house made blue cheese that they serve on their
cobb salad.  
We were then served the veggie burger.  I had high hopes for this patty made from local
zucchini, carrots and black beans, but I found it to be spicy and then topped
with another spicy sauce –chipotle aioli 
and pickled red onions just made it too much. Even though it was topped
with a couple of slices of avocado I think it needed more balance of another
cooling agent like  sour cream.  I like spicy food, although I’m the first to
admit, I’m pretty wimpy. But there is a difference between spicy and just plain
unpleasant, and this burger fell closer to the latter than the former.

Then it was onto what I would call the main event, the basis
for many a comfort food meal –burgers and mac and cheese.  Here I would have to say Rory gets it
right.  The burger is made from a custom
ground blend of meats that are freshly ground for the Comfort Kitchen. The
burger is served with American cheese (a classic) along with Awesome sauce and
house-made bread and butter pickles on a potato roll. 
The burger is cooked in a cast iron skillet, the way Rory’s mom (and mine) used to.
The mac and cheese is made to order. I think any restaurant
that makes anything to order should get “props” and this mac and cheese
deserves them!  It’s made with a four
cheese blend that is creamy and a little unusual with the addition of rosemary,
(I’m not sure if it was in the herbed bread crumbs or in the sauce itself). I
was a little apprehensive about the rosemary because it’s such a pungent herb
but here it worked.  The mac in the mac n
cheese wasn’t the usual (and comforting) elbow macaroni but cavatappi which is
a cork screw shaped pasta. This large pasta makes it actually easier to eat
because you can pick them up with your fork one at a time.
Rory told us a little bit about himself and his vision for
the restaurant.  He has worked in
restaurants most of his life, one of them being Max London’s.  He hopes to create a farm to table type
restaurant using the best of what local farmers have to offer while still
bringing customers back to memories of their childhood table.  By using local ingredients Comfort Kitchen is
able to serve a fresh spin on classics. 
I guess being from the south myself I was a little surprised by what
Rory thinks of as “comfort food.” 
Southerners think fried chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits and gravy —
not really burgers and salads.  But there
is enough on the seasonally changing menu to satisfy anyone’s need for comfort.
Who doesn’t remember coming home after school to a plate of cookies and a glass
of cold milk? Comfort kitchen offers cookies baked daily.

For dessert we were promised something special – ice cream
sandwiches.  Yeah, I know, they’re all
the rage these days, but I make ice cream for a living and after all the spicy
food I just wanted something chocolate. 
Instead we got vanilla cookies with strawberry ice cream.  The ice cream wasn’t really ice cream but
custard. When I asked Rory how he made the ice cream he said it was heavy
cream, sugar, vanilla, eggs- that’s a crème anglaise (the base for custard) that
is then cooked, cooled and then put into an ice cream maker.  Frozen custard is usually rich and thick with
a smooth texture. Unfortunately this ice cream wasn’t rich, thick or smooth. It
was icy and the unsweetened berries made the flavor less than pleasant.  But like I said I make ice cream for a
living, so I’m spoiled.
To recap:
PROS:
Comfort Kitchen specializes in fresh, local ingredients
Most of the food is made from scratch
It’s a “gem” in Saratoga and fills a niche
CONS:
In some respects the dishes aren’t ready for “prime time”
Veggie burger is too spicy to eat.
Prices are a little high for food I make at home all the time.

So if you are, then stop by Comfort Kitchen and give the menu a try. I’d like to know what YOU think.

Food Network's Summer Fest – Tomato Jam

Posted in Uncategorized

The bounty of summer tomatoes often leaves us scratching our
heads. What to do with all those gorgeous, ripe tomatoes? Tomatoes are a
versatile fruit that can be used in a number of applications so when I came
across this recipe for tomato jam I thought now this is an unusual, simple and
incredibly tasty way to use up garden fresh tomatoes.  And the best part –you can freeze it, so you
can enjoy this treat even when the snow is piling up outside!
What is tomato jam? I know, jam made from tomatoes sounds odd
and maybe even a little gross, but trust me, this flavorful spread will liven
up any meat or pasta dish and can even be spread on some toasted bread with a
little goat cheese or feta to make a snack with Mediterranean flair. Tomato jam
is a combination of savory and sweet: balsamic vinegar and brown sugar, garlic
and onions along with chopped tomatoes that simmers on the stove and fills the
house with tantalizing smells.  The jam
is then cooled and stored in the fridge to be used on just about anything.

To Make Tomato Jam you’ll need:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 pound of ripe plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons brown sugar, I used dark brown
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp salt
Heat a pan over medium high heat and add the oil. Once the
oil is hot add the onions and sauté for 3 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic
and continue to cook.  Meanwhile dice the
tomatoes then and the diced tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients. Bring to
a boil then turn down to a simmer. Simmer for 25 minutes. With an emersion
blender or in a food processor gently break up the jam until it is still
slightly chunky. Set aside and let cool completely. Store in the fridge for up
to 5 days or in the freezer for several months. 
If you freeze the jam place it in a food storage bag, making sure to
squeeze out all the air and store flat.
French bread topped with soft scrambled eggs and tomato jam.
  
This recipe was adapted from the original recipe found in
the Sparkpeople cookbook.  It was a
delightfully versatile recipe I just had to share. With my own little tweak
added of course. For more interesting, versatile and of course delicious
recipes be sure to check out the other bloggers below. You won’t be
disappointed!!

Cooking With Elise:   Fresh Tomato Sauce
Jeanette’s Healthy Living:  Tomato Gazpacho Salsa
Napa Farmhouse 1885:   Tomato Cobbler Anyone?
Virtually Homemade:   Spaghetti With Tomatoes, Prosciutto and Fresh Corn
What’s Gaby Cooking:  Chicken Kebabs With Romesco Sauce
Big Girls, Small Kitchen:   Salmon Spaghetti With Plum Tomatoes and Avocado
Feed Me Phoebe:   Roasted Fresh Tomato Puttanesca Sauce
Chez Us:   Easy Tomato Tart

FN Dish:  Tomatoes Go Beyond Salads

Summer Fest – Stir Fry with Summer Squash and Red Pepper

Posted in Uncategorized
When you want to beat the heat and use up your abundance of
zucchini and yellow squash, stir fry just might be the answer.  It takes little time so you don’t have to
heat up your kitchen for long. And this particular stir fry is an all veggie
version which makes it perfect for using up your garden goodies.

Be sure to read all the way to the bottom of the page for
more creative and delicious ways to use up your summer squash.
The original version came from my mother in law who took out
the mushrooms.  I added them back because
I think it gives the dish a meatier taste and adds texture.  I like to have a sauce with my stir fry but
you can omit that.  In this recipe I’ve
chosen to serve the stir fry over pasta a la lo mein style, but of course you
can have rice or just eat it bare.

To season the stir fry I chose a little red pepper flake,
some fresh ground ginger (my new go to spice) and garlic, and of course a
splash of bottle stir fry sauce.

To make Summer Squash and Red Pepper Stir here’s what you’ll need:

1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
1 red pepper
1/2 yellow onion
1/2 pound crimini mushrooms
green onions for garnish
2 large cloves of garlic, minced or grated
1 -2 teaspoons of grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons stir fry sauce or tamari
a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, to taste
Rice or noodles

Heat a wok to very, very hot.  Add the first 5 ingredients and stir fry, but only until veggies are tender crisp.
Season with salt, pepper, garlic and ginger. Continue to stir fry until fragrant.
Add the sauce and continue to cook briefly until thickened.
Serve over rice or noodles.

<TIP> Stir fry goes fast so have all your ingredients
chopped and ready to go. That way the veggies will be tender crisp and there
won’t be any possibility of forgetting something. 

<TIP> Be sure to have your pan as hot as you can get
it so as you add ingredients it won’t lose heat.
 <TIP> Keep it moving. As you add your ingredients be
sure to keep tossing them in the pan. This will insure even cooking.

Stir fry is one of those versatile dishes I love to
make.  You can make it so many ways – all
veggie, with tofu, with just about any kind of meat. Plus you can experiment
with sauces and flavorings.

Check out these great blogs for more ways to use summer squash:

Jeanette’s Healthy Living:  Quick and Easy Sesame Summer Squash Stir-Fry
Cooking With Elise:    Orange Summer Squash Bread
Feed Me Phoebe:  Summer Squash and Cornmeal Cakes With Tarragon
Chez Us:   Zucchini Pancakes With Minty Dill Crème Fraiche
And Love It, Too:   Peter Pan Squash Spiced Oven Fries
Made By Michelle:  : Pattypan Squash and Tomato Frittata
Cooking Channel:  Our Top 5 Favorite Squash Recipes
Daily*Dishin:   Summer Squash Confetti Salad
Delicious Lean:  Summer Squash Ribbons With Feta and Pine Nuts
Napa Farmhouse 1885:    Summer Squash Chips
Ingredients, Inc.:   Summer Squash and Kale Sauté
Thursday Night Dinner:   Summer Squash Medley
Sweet Life Bake:  Zucchini Fried With Tequila-Spiked Avocado Dip
Dixie Chik Cooks:   Fried Summer Squash Parmesan Sliders
Healthy Eats:   Summer Squash Any Way You Slice It
FN Dish:  Cheesy Summer Squash















Food Network's Summer Fest – Plum Upside Down Cake

Posted in Uncategorized

It’s time for another installment of Summer Fest — this time it’s plums.  I have to be honest — I’m not much of a plum eater. I really prefer peaches, but I thought that I would give it a try and make something for plums.  My mom used to make the best pineapple upside down cake.  She would take a cast iron skillet, melt butter and brown sugar in it and then carefully lay out the pineapple rings with a cherry in the middle of the center one.  It was always a big Ta da when she flipped it over and revealed her beautiful work.  So I thought, what about doing the same thing but with plums.  I did a little research (since I don’t really eat plums, I wasn’t sure what flavors actually went with them) and this is the recipe I came up with based on the upside down plum cake I found on epicurious.com

For even more ideas on how to use plums read all the way to the bottom of this post for the list of other Summer Fest participants!

The bottom layer – which in fact becomes the top- started out with melted butter, brown sugar and a little honey.

After it was melted I poured it into a 9 inch cake pan.

I then sliced about 5 small black plums…..

…and arranged them on top of the melted butter and brown sugar mixture.

The cake is a basic white cake flavored with ginger to enhance the flavor of plums and then topped with toasted slivered almonds.  The cake batter is poured on top of the arranged plums and then baked  –the result was a sweet, almost caramely top with a light cake, delicious with some whipped cream or even a scoop of ice cream. 



Topping the cake with toasted slivered almonds not only covers where the cake might have stuck to the pan but also gives a little added crunch.

To make Plum Upside Down Cake here’s what you’ll need:
6 Tablespoons of butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
5-6 medium sized plums

In a large heavy bottomed skillet melt the butter, brown sugar and honey.  Once melted, pour into a 9 inch cake pan.  Slice plums and arrange on top of the butter/sugar mixture.  Set aside.

For the cake:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt

6 Tablespoons of butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk

In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt.  Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the butter until light. Add in the eggs and beat until light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla.
Combine the flour mixture with the butter/egg mixture alternatively with the milk until the cake batter comes together.

Top the butter/sugar/plums with the cake batter and smooth out the top, which now will be the top.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-55 minutes.
Let the cake cool for about 5 minutes before turning it out onto a large plate or platter.

In a small skillet, toast 1/4 cup slivered almonds on low heat just until the nuts are toasted and fragrant.  Sprinkle the top of the cake with the nuts.

Makes 8-10 servings.

For more ways to use plums be sure to check out these recipes from the other participants of Summer Fest!

Ingredients, Inc.  Pork, Plums and Rosemary Kabobs
Virtually Homemade:   Grilled Plum Pizza With Goat Cheese
Cooking Channel:  Best Plum Dessert Recipes
BGSK:  Grandma Esther’s Plum and Walnut Cake
Delicious Lean:   Plum Delicious Pork Chops
Daily*Dishin:   Roasted Chicken With Plum Chili Salsa
Healthy Eats:   6 Ways to Cook With Plums
Napa Farmhouse 1885:    Time for Plum Cobbler?
Thursday Night Dinner:   Plum BBQ Chicken
Cooking With Elise:   Vanilla Plum Tart
Sweet Life Bake:   Plum Pineapple Margarita
And Love It Too:  Plum Pickin’ Pineapple Jam
FN Dish:    Perfect Plum Recipes







































Food Network's Summer Fest — Marinated Cucumber Salad

Posted in Uncategorized

It’s that time again – summertime and that means Food
Network’s FN Dish is sponsoring Summer Fest. 
What is Summer Fest?  It’s a group
of food bloggers who participate weekly throughout the summer posting amazing
and unique recipes using the best ingredients Summer has to offer. This week is
all about cucumbers.  Be sure to read all the way to the bottom of the page for all the other Summer Fest links!

When I lived in St. Louis we would have dinner out with my
parents 2-3 times a week, and one of our favorite places to eat was Miss Sheri’s
Cafeteria.  Every time they would have
it, my dad would get a side dish of marinated cucumber salad.  When I saw that this week’s topic was
cucumbers, it was the first recipe that came to mind.  It’s a simple salad that can be made days in
advance – it really tastes better after the third day. 
To make marinated cucumber salad you will need:
2 medium size cucumbers, sliced thin
1 medium size onion (yellow or Vadallia), sliced thin
1 cup of apple cider vinegar
¼ cup of white sugar
Salt and pepper
Slice the cucumbers very thinly using a knife or mandolin.
Place in a non-reactive bowl.  Slice the
onion also very thinly and mix with the cucumbers.  On the stove (in a non- reactive sauce pan)
warm the apple cider vinegar. Once warmed, add the sugar, and dissolve. Set
aside to cool.  Season the cucumbers with
salt and pepper and pour the dressing over the vegetables. Mix to combine.  Store in the fridge.
 <TIP> For a little extra zing, you can add some red
pepper flakes or a seeded and chopped jalapeno pepper.
<TIP> Also remember the longer it sits, the better it
gets.  So try to make it at least 3 days
before you want to serve it.

The Sensitive Epicure:  Chinese Style Cucumbers
What’s Gaby Cooking: Cucumber, Herb and Pita Salad
Ingredients, Inc.:   Easiest Cucumber Salad

Virtually Homemade:   Cucumber Strawberry Cooler