The Domestically Challenged Cook

Roasted Salmon with White Wine Sauce

2010-10-28T18:29:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite recipes for salmon. I believe that I originally found it on Martha Stewart's website. It is nice to serve at a dinner party because it is quick to fix leaving you plenty of time to spend with your guests. Find a nice white wine to serve with it. Personally, I like a Riesling. Hope you enjoy it!

Roasted Salmon with White Wine Sauce

1 large skinless salmon fillet (1 1/2 pounds)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place salmon on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Roast until opaque throughout, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium. Add flour, and cook, whisking, 1 minute. Add wine, and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until liquid is reduced by half, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in chives; season with salt and pepper. With a fork, gently break salmon into large chunks, and serve topped with white-wine sauce.

Sauteed Spinach with Feta Cheese and Pine Nuts

2010-10-21T22:11:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite ways to serve spinach. The main thing to remember when cooking fresh spinach is that it wilts down to almost nothing. Make sure that you buy plenty of spinach! It makes up fast so it's a good side dish for a busy day.

Sauteed Spinach with Feta Cheese and Pine Nuts

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 bags (5 ounces each) baby spinach
1 clove of garlic
1/2 cup feta, crumbled (2 ounces)
1/3 cup pine nuts
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Saute garlic. Add as much spinach as will fit in pan; season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes, until spinach is tender, tossing spinach and adding more to skillet as space becomes available. Remove from heat; drain off excess liquid. Stir in feta, pine nuts, and lemon juice. Serves 4.

Buffalo Chicken Wings

2010-10-15T16:43:00.000-05:00

This week I have been sorting through old pictures and old recipes. I came across this recipe for Buffalo Chicken Wings that the family greatly enjoyed in the past. I'm not sure when or how it fell out of favor, but it's time that recipe move to the front of the book again.

Hope your enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Wings

16 chicken wings
¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp salt
1 ½ cups blue cheese
1 cup Hellmans mayonnaise
¾ cup sour cream
2 Tbsp milk
¾ tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ tsp salt
¾ tsp black pepper

Cut the chicken wings in thirds, cutting between the bones. Discard the wing tips. Melt the butter and add the cayenne, Tabasco, and salt. Put the wing on a sheet pan and brush them with the melted butter. Broil them about 3 inches below the heat for 8 minutes. Turn the wings, brush them again with the butter, and broil for 4 more minutes or until cooked.

For the sauce, place the blue cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process until almost smooth.

Serve the chicken wings hot or at room temperature with the blue cheese dip.

Frozen Beer Margaritas

2010-09-30T10:31:00.000-05:00

In south Texas, October means that one can venture outdoors again without sweltering. That means we can eat outdoors on the patio again. This week I will be pulling up all the plants that burned to a crisp in the heat this summer and planting a few things that reflect the fall color. As soon as that is done, we will be ready for family gatherings on the patio. While we wait for the steaks to grill we enjoy a south Texas style cocktail. This recipe for frozen beer margaritas is easy to make and delicious to drink. Hope you enjoy dining outdoors this fall as much as I do!

Frozen Beer Margaritas

1 – 6 ounce can frozen limeade
¾ limeade can of tequila
½ to 2/3 limeade can of beer (do not use dark beer)

Mix all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth adding ice as needed.

Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia Sandwiches

2010-09-22T10:10:00.000-05:00

These sandwiches are SO good! If you are looking for a quick meal to fix on a week night, then this is the one. Stove top to dinner table is about 30 minutes. Add a fruit salad and some french fries and dinner is complete. Those of you who love seafood po'boys will love this sandwich for sure!

Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia Sandwiches

3 T. yellow cornmeal
1 T. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper
4 tilapia fillets
1 T. canola oil
2 avocados
2 T. diced red onion
juice of 1/2 lime
1 T. chopped fresh cilantro
sliced tomatoes
leaf lettuce
4 french bread sandwich rolls

Peel and seed the avocados. In a bowl, mash the avocado with a fork. Stir in the diced onion, lime juice and cilantro. Set aside. Heat a large skillet and 1 T. canola oil over medium heat. Mix the cornmeal and spices together in a container large enough to be able to lay the fish. Dry the fish with paper towels, then dredge the tilapia in the cornmeal mixture. Shake off excess. Lay fish in the hot skillet and cook about 3 minutes, and then turn over. Cook about 3 more minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove fish from skillet to a platter. Toast the sandwich rolls under the broiler if desired.
To assemble the sandwiches;
Spread the avocado mixture over each roll half. On the bottom half, lay the fish fillet, then a couple of tomato slices and the leaf lettuce. Top with other half of roll. Open mouth and insert sandwich! Enjoy!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

2010-09-09T12:34:00.000-05:00

There's nothing better than a delicious muffin and a hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning. Here's a recipe for one of my favorites. Hope you enjoy!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed (about 3/4 cup)
1/3 cup milk
2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1 cup cinnamon chips

Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until they're smooth. Beat in the egg, flavoring, banana and milk.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients, then gently stir them into the butter mixture.

Spoon the batter into 18 regular-sized lightly greased muffin cups. Bake the muffins for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Remove them from the oven, and after 10 minutes turn them out of the pan to cool.

Yield: 18 muffins.

Movie Munch

2010-08-31T23:28:00.003-05:00

Fall isn't too far away! I love curling up on the couch and watching an old movie when the weather turns cool. Gone with the Wind, The Bells of St. Mary's, In Harm's Way...are some of my favorites. Instead of snacking on plain popcorn while watching your favorites, try this recipe for Movie Munch. It's a wonderful combination of salty popcorn and white chocolate. Let me know how you like it!

Movie Munch

1 bag microwave buttered popcorn
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 (12 oz) package white chocolate chips
1 cup Cheerios (you can use Cocoa Krispies, Rice Krispies, or any other cereal)
2/3 cup M&M’s (or whatever candy you like)

1. Microwave the bag of buttered popcorn and set it aside to cool.
2. In a bowl, microwave the peanut butter and package of white chocolate chips until smooth (in 30 second increments).
3. Take popcorn out of the bag by hand so that you don’t get any unpopped kernels, and put in a large mixing bowl. Add the Cheerios to the popcorn and mix. Slowly pour in the melted chips and peanut butter and mix into the popcorn until it’s all coated.
4. Add M&M’s or your candy of choice. Spread the mixture onto waxed paper on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for about an hour.
5. Break the popcorn up into clusters and serve in a big bowl. Store in the refrigerator so it doesn’t melt.

Wild Rice Crusted Salmon

2010-08-26T15:16:00.006-05:00

I tried a wonderful new recipe this week that I found at goosevalley.com. Goose Valley Ranch is a family owned producer of organic wild rice. They are located in the Shasta Mountains and their name alone makes me want to pack my bags and pay them a visit. The rice has a delicious nutty flavor that I don't find in all wild rices. Check out their website. They have a lot of wonderful recipes and personally I can't wait for cooler weather so that I can try the Turkey Tarragon Wild Rice Soup. Their Wild Rice Stuffed Squash will definitely be on my Thanksgiving menu! Check it out, I think you'll be as impressed as I was.

Below you will find their recipe for Wild Rice Crusted Salmon. Hope you enjoy!

Wild Rice Crusted Salmon

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs salmon fillet, cut into 6 pieces
½ cup flour
2 eggs
3 tbsp half and half
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups wild rice, cooked
½ cup Italian style breadcrumbs
6 tbsp olive oil

PREPARATION:
Dredge salmon pieces in flour and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, half and half, salt and pepper. In a wide bowl, mix together rice, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Dip salmon in egg wash then coat with rice mixture, pressing rice onto salmon. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in skillet and sear two pieces of salmon at a time for two minutes on each side. Set salmon aside on plate. Repeat to finish. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot or cold.

Mango Slaw with Cashews and Mint

2010-08-17T09:26:00.004-05:00

I picked up this recipe from one of my favorite food blogs, smittenkitchen.com. You should check it out, it is a beautiful and yet practical blog. This recipe for Mango Slaw just screams summer to me. Hope you enjoy it!

Mango Slaw with Cashews and Mint

2 mangoes, peeled, pitted and julienned
1 to 1 1/4 pounds Napa cabbage, halved and sliced very thinly
1 red pepper, julienned
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
6 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, from about two limes
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons oil of your choice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste (or omit this and whisk in a chile paste to taste)
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup toasted cashews, coarsely chopped
Toss mangoes, cabbage, pepper and onion in a large bowl. Whisk lime juice, vinegar, oil, salt and red pepper in a smaller bowl and pour over slaw. You can either serve this immediately or leave the flavors to muddle for an hour in the fridge. Before serving, toss with mint leaves and sprinkle with cashews.

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

2010-08-05T10:09:00.007-05:00

There is a reason why I titled this blog The Domestically Challenged Cook and that reason was well demonstrated this week when I made this soup. I made quite a mess. When the directions said to puree the soup I put the soup in the blender, put the top on, turned the blender on, then made the mistake of turning my back for just one second. You would think that not much could happen in that brief amount of time, but no-o-o. In my case the top came flying off and soup went flying all over the cabinets, walls, floors, and yes, the ceiling. Not to mention me.

The good news is that the dogs helped me to clean the floor and they seemed to really enjoy the soup! As my sweet friend Dori said, the tongues of the puppy dogs never lie!

With the country in the throes of a massive heat wave, some of you may be wondering why I am posting a recipe soup, but this one is just as good cold as it is warm. And the soup has AMAZING flavor. This is the perfect time of year to make this soup with all the fresh tomatoes and basil available in the farmers market. I hope you try it, you will not be disappointed. I serve mine with grilled cheese sandwiches made with smoked fontina cheese and fresh mushrooms.

Be sure to check out other recipes on the blog. One year ago I posted a great recipe for Sauteed Chicken in a Mustard Cream Sauce. thedomesticallychallengedcook.blogspot.com/2009/08/sauteed-chicken-in-mustard-cream-sauce.html

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup plus two tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
A pinch of sugar
2 cups chopped yellow onion
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28 ounce) can plum tomatoes, with juice
4 cups fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 quart chicken stock or water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together 1/4 cup olive oil, a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8 quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil, butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes or until the onions begin to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Puree in a blender. Taste for seasonings. (I frequently add a little sugar at this point). May be served hot or cold. Freezes well.

Serves 8

Pecan Wild Rice

2010-07-28T12:32:00.004-05:00

I was looking through some old family recipes this week and came across this one for Pecan Wild Rice. It instantly brought back childhood memories of large family dinners around a big dining table in Austin, Texas. This is one of the dishes that was prepared by my Aunt George. Yes, George - not Georgia. Her parents were expecting a boy.

My Aunt actually taught me quite a bit about cooking. As a child I used to sit on her kitchen step ladder and watch while she whipped up all kinds of deliciousness. There were ALWAYS fresh baked cookies in the kitchen which I could sneak for a late night snack. I also remember homemade chocolate cakes. She would warn me to keep my fingers out of the icing, smile, and then proceed to place the cake near the edge of the kitchen cabinet. It was always in just the right spot for me to be able to reach up and and get my fingers into the icing for a little sample! Some of my happiest childhood memories involve spending the day with Aunt George in her kitchen. I miss her and I am so thankful to have had such a loving role model in my life.

I have updated her recipe for Pecan Wild Rice so that it is a little healthier than the original recipe and easier to make. Last night I made it to accompany Chicken Legs Roasted with Mustard and the kids went crazy for it! It will definitely be moving into the regular rotation of side dishes at our house!

Pecan Wild Rice

1 four ounce package of wild rice
1 small onion chopped
1 cup pecans chopped
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
3 tablespoons chopped parsley for garnish

Cook wild rice according to package directions, omitting salt. Melt butter in skillet and saute' onions and pecans. Season with salt. Stir in wild rice and cook until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Serves 4.

Salmon with Basil, Tomato, and Capers

2010-07-21T18:21:00.006-05:00

Recently I have had a number of my friends call me for this recipe. I'm not sure why this recipe is the one everyone wants right now. Perhaps because it's quite simple to prepare and comes together quickly. Fresh basil and tomatoes are easy to find now and they bring a light, summery flavor to the dish. And it's elegant looking as well. So, if you are planning a summer dinner party on the patio this may be the dish to serve!

Salmon with Basil, Tomato, and Capers

1 pound plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped shallot
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon drained capers
Enough extra virgin olive oil to cover above ingredients
Salt and pepper to taste
4 salmon fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil
Garnish: lemon wedges

Combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well. Set aside. Often I will make this a couple of hours before I begin to cook so that the flavors will infuse the oil.

Brush both sides of salmon with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place salmon on the rack of a broiler pan coated well with cooking spray. Broil 3 inches from heat for 10 minutes or until fish flakes with fork.

To serve, transfer salmon to a serving plate. Top with tomato mixture and garnish with fresh lemon wedges if desired.

A Brandy Freeze for the Domestically Challenged

2010-07-07T21:59:00.004-05:00

Back when I was in college there was a restaurant in Dallas called The Railhead. On weekends, my roommates and I loved to meander down to Greenville Avenue and spend a few hours whiling away the hours. If it was payday, we would sometimes pool our money, head to The Railhead and order Alaskan King Crab. Those days, however, were rare. Even on payday we usually did not have that much money even when the four of us pooled our resources!

It was at The Railhead that I was first introduced to the Brandy Alexander. Never in my life had I tasted such deliciousness! It's basically an alcoholic milkshake and for a gal from South Texas this was quite a novel treat! My boyfriend, who was much more sophisticated than I, suggested that I try it. He and I may not have lasted too long, but I will forever be grateful to him for bringing this drink to my attention. Thanks, Mark!

Below is a simple recipe that brings back memories of Mark, The Railhead, live music and Alaskan King Crab. Hope you enjoy it as much as me!

My Famous Brandy Freeze

4 oz brandy
1 oz cream de cocoa
1 oz Kahlua
Ice cream enough to fill blender 3/4 full. I usually use vanilla ice cream, but coffee ice cream is good as well.

Blend until smooth and serve in wine glasses.

Fourth of July Rich Man's Burgers, Lemon Caviar Potato Salad, and Raspberry Tart!

2010-07-01T15:47:00.007-05:00

Well, sadly, the Fourth of July in Houston is going to be a soggy one. Lots and lots of rain compliments of Alex. Fortunately, my planned menu is one that is suitable to a celebration indoors or out. Maybe with some luck we will have a small window of sunshine and can get outdoors for a while.

There's nothing like a big juicy burger on the Fourth of July and I think you will find that my recipe for the Rich Man's Burger will not disappoint. And for a twist to your usual potato salad, try adding a dash of caviar. Finish the whole thing off with raspberries sitting a top a bed of lemon curd. Want to make is patriotic? Throw in a few blueberries to make the dessert red, white, and blue! Recipes are based on those by Sheila Lukins in her cookbook, "Celebrate". All recipes serve 6.

I hope your Fourth of July is festive whatever the weather!

Rich Man's Burger

2 pounds ground beef round
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons tiny capers, drained
2 tablespoons cognac
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 or 3 dashes Tobascco sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 fresh baked hamburger buns
1/2 cup Bearnaise Mayonnaise (recipe follows)
6 slices ripe tomato
6 leaves Boston lettuce

Place the ground beef in a mixing bowl. Add the onion, parsley, capers, cognac, Worcestershire sauce, and Tobascco sauce. Season generously with salt and pepper. Blend everything together lightly and form the mixture into 6 patties.

Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the burgers and cook for 5 minutes on the first side. Turn, and cook for 3 minutes longer for medium rare.

While the burgers cook, toast the buns.

Spread a heaping tablespoon of Bearnaise Mayonnaise on the bottom half of each bun. Add the burger, a slice of tomato, a lettuce leaf, and the top of the bun. Serve immediately.

Bearnaise Mayonnaise

4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dried tarragon, crumbled
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 1/2 cups prepared mayonnaise, such as Hellman's
Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine the vinegar and dried tarragon in a small bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to soak. Stir in the shallots and fresh tarragon. Whisk in the mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Lemon Caviar Potato Salad

1 1/4 cup prepared mayonnaise, such as Hellman's
1 1/4 cup sour cream
Zest of 1 1/2 lemons
4 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 1/2 tablespoons (about 2 ounces) osetra caviar(red salmon or American sturgeon caviar are good as well)
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed

Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Gently fold in the caviar and set aside, covered, in the refrigerator.

Place the potatoes in a large heavy saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Drain well, return the potatoes to the pot and place over very low heat for about 30 seconds to dry the potatoes well. When they are cool enough to handle, peel and quarter them. Cut each quarter crosswise into 1/4 inch slices. Gently fold together with the lemon caviar mayonnaise and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 4 hours ahead.

Raspberry Tart

For the Lemon Curd

3/4 cup fresh lemon juice, strained (about 6 lemons)
2 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar

For the Almond Cream

1/3 cup almond paste
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 large beaten egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 refrigerated pie crust
2 cups fresh raspberries, rinsed and patted dry

Prepare the lemon curd: In the top of a double boiler over simmering water, whisk together the lemon juice, eggs, egg yolks, and sugar. Whisk vigorously until the mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. (Do not stop whisking or the eggs will cook) Scrape the mixture into a bowl and lay plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool completely and use immediately or refrigerate.

Prepare the almond cream: Combine the almond paste and the butter in a bowl and cream with an electric mixture. Add the egg and the vanilla and beat the mixture on high speed until it is light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the almond cream over the bottom of the pie crust. Bake the tart until it is very lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Let it cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

When the tart is cool, spread 3/4 cup of the lemon curd over the tart. Cover the surface with a single layer of raspberries, all standing on their stem ends. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The tart tastes best served the day it is made.

Extra lemon curd is delicious spread on biscuits or scones.

Pecan Crusted Trout

2010-06-16T14:20:00.006-05:00

Greetings!

It has definitely been a while. Life, school, work. What can I say. Anyway, hoping to get this going again. Below is my recipe for Pecan Crusted Trout. It's a delicious recipe and quick to make. I make it with trout, but it is equally good with any mild fish. Tilapia is a good choice as well.

Pecan Crusted Trout

1/3 cup chopped pecans
2/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 egg white
1/3 cup skim milk
2 pounds trout fillets
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1. In a food processor, process pecans until finely ground. Combine ground pecans with breadcrumbs on a plate.

2. In a small shallow bowl, whisk together egg white and milk. Set aside.

3. Season fish to taste, dust with flour, and dip in egg mixture. Press fish into breadcrumb mixture, coat thoroughly.

4. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with non-stick cooking spray and cook fish about five minutes on each side, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Serves 6-8.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Pecan Pie

2009-10-25T12:56:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I thought I would start posting some of our family's favorite holiday recipes. One of my personal favorites is for Chocolate Pecan Pie. It's easy to make and if you like nuts and chocolate, then you will love this recipe, too!

Chocolate Pecan Pie

2 T butter or stick margarine
1 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
4 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1 unbaked (9 in.) pastry shell
30 to 40 pecan halves
light corn syrup (optional)

Heat butter and chocolate together in the top of a double boiler just until melted. In a large mixing bowl, combine chocolate mixture, syrup, sugars, flour, and salt; mix well. Stir in eggs, vanilla, and pecans; mix well and pour into pastry shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until pie is set Arrange pecan halves on top of pie immediately; brush them with corn syrup, if desired. Return pie to oven for about 5 minutes. Cool pie thoroughly before slicing.

Herbal Iced Tea

2009-08-27T09:00:00.001-05:00

If you are tired of temperatures exceeding 100 degrees then please raise your hand. Will these temperatures never end? Some days it is so hot that all I want to do is sit still and sip an iced cold glass of tea. This recipe is from the Barefoot Contessa. It is sweetened with apple juice. Pull up a chair, pour yourself a glass, and try to stay cool!

Herbal Iced Tea

4 Celestial Seasonings Lemon Zinger tea bags
4 Celestial Seasonings Red Zinger tea bags
4 cups pure apple juice

Steep the 8 tea bags in 4 cups of boiling water for about 10 minutes. Discard the tea bags. Combine the tea with the apple juice and refrigerate until cold. Serve over ice.

Zucchini with Parmesan

2009-08-26T09:00:00.001-05:00

For those of you with children who don't want to eat vegetables, you should give this recipe a try. I've been lucky, my kids were pretty good about eating their veggies but this is one of their favorite dishes. I must admit, it's one of my favorites as well!

Zucchini with Parmesan

8 medium zucchini
Olive oil
2 large onions cut in half and sliced 1/2 inch thick
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Remove the ends of the zucchini and cut in half lengthwise. Slice the zucchini diagonally in 1/2 inch slices

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan and add the onions. Cook for 10 minutes on medium low heat, until they start to brown. Add half the zucchini, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the pan and cook, tossing occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until just cooked through. Sprinkle with Parmesan and cook for 30 seconds more. Remove to a serving platter and repeat with the rest of the zucchini. Serve immediately.

Mexican Pasta Pesto Salad

2009-08-25T09:00:00.001-05:00

Here is another recipe for a pesto sauce from Cooking with Texas Highways. It is the same basic recipe as yesterday, but with the addition of of a few different ingredients, you will have a pesto sauce with a Mexican twist! Prepare a pasta of your choice and toss it with this pesto sauce. Add a little rotisserie chicken and you will have yourself a quick salad for lunch. Hope you enjoy!

Mexican Pesto

2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup Italian parsley or basil
1/2 cup oregano leaves including 2 tablespoons Mexican oregano if possible
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 to 2 serrano chiles, seeded and minced, or more to taste
3/4 cup olive oil
additional olive oil (optional)

In a blender or food processor, blend all ingredients except olive oil. Slowly add 3/4 cup olive oil and blend until smooth. If not using immediately, soon into a jar, cover with a thin layer of olive oil, and refrigerate until needed.

Yield: About 1 cup

Mediterranean Pesto Sauce

2009-08-24T09:00:00.001-05:00

If any of you read my earlier blog post about the cookbook that the dog ate, then you will know that I enjoy cooking with herbs. One of my favorite ways to use basil is in a pesto sauce. Below is one of my favorite pesto sauce recipes from Cooking with Texas Highways Cookbook. The addition of the dried red chile gives it an interesting twist.

Mediterranean Pesto Sauce

3 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 cups basil leaves (use purple basil, if you can find it)
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons minced rosemary
1/4 teaspoon crushed dried red chile, or more to taste
additional olive oil (optional)

In a blender or food processor, grind first 5 ingredients. Slowly add 3/4 cup olive oil; add rosemary and dried red chile; blend lightly. Use immediately, or spoon into a jar, cover with a thin layer of olive oil, and refrigerate until needed.

Yield: about 1 cup

Cappuccino Parfaits

2009-08-20T09:00:00.001-05:00

Yum! I love cappuccinos and I love parfaits. So, what could be better than a cappuccino parfait? It is a fabulous dessert and it takes minutes to prepare. It's a lovely and elegant finish to dinner party for your closest friends!

Cappuccino Parfaits

1 container (15 ounces) ricotta cheese
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
4 crisp amaretti cookies

In a food precessor, puree the ricotta, sugar, and espresso powder until very smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Dividing evenly, spoon the mixture into 4 glasses or serving dishes. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.

Just before serving, crumble the amaretti cookies over the parfaits.

Asparagus Gruyere Tart

2009-08-19T09:00:00.001-05:00

This recipe looks so elegant, yet it just takes minutes to put together. It makes a lovely addition to any meal. For my vegetarian friends, it makes a wonderful meal in and of itself. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

Asparagus Gruyere Tart

Flour for work surface
1 sheet frozen puff pastry thawed according to package instructions
2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 1/2 pounds medium or thick asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16 x 10 inch rectangle. Trim uneven edges. Place the pastry on a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, lightly score the dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce the dough inside the markings at half inch intervals. Prick the center of the pastry with a fork to keep it from puffing up to high while it bakes. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pastry shell from the oven, and sprinkle with the cheese. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell. Arrange in a single layer over the cheese, alternating ends and tips. Brush with the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until the spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Shrimp in Olive Oil and Garlic

2009-08-18T09:00:00.001-05:00

This is another one of those recipes that can be served as either an appetizer or as a main dish. It's a great dinner to prepare on a busy day since it is so quick to fix. Serve it alongside a saffron flavored rice, a tossed green salad, some warm garlic bread and dinner is on the table!

Shrimp in Olive Oil and Garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled, cleaned, and deveined
2 to 3 cayenne (or Thai) peppers, seeded
2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt

Saute shrimp and peppers in hot olive oil in a large pan. As soon as shrimp turn white, stir in garlic, parsley, and salt. Saute about 3 minutes. Serve hot.

Fried Green Tomatoes

2009-08-17T09:00:00.001-05:00

I don't believe that you can grow up in the South without eating fried green tomatoes. I know that many of you will find that this sounds strange, but you really should give them a try. They are delicious and easy to prepare. Fresh tomatoes are still in abundance, so why not try them now?

Fried Green Tomatoes

4 large, semi-green tomatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2/3 cup cornmeal
Salt and pepper
Shortening

Season tomatoes with salt and pepper. Dredge each tomato slice in cornmeal and fry in 1 inch of hot shortening (or vegetable oil) until brown.

Yield: 4 - 6 servings

The Domestically Challenged Cook Returns Monday, August 17

2009-08-16T20:45:00.000-05:00

Mangos

2009-08-08T00:18:00.000-05:00

In keeping with the food theme, check out a sampling of my son's new song - Mangos.

http://www.soundclick.com/members/default.cfm?member=kevincdavis

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms with Tomato and Bread Salad

2009-08-06T09:00:00.001-05:00

This is a wonderful "two for one recipe" from Rachel Ray. The spinach and artichoke stuffed portabello mushrooms can be served alone as an appetizer. In this recipe, Rachel has added a tomato and bread salad to serve alongside. If you serve it this way, it can be your salad course. For those of you who are light eaters, the stuffed mushrooms and tomato salad could be an entire meal!

However you choose to serve it, I hope you enjoy it. I did!

8 portabello mushroom caps
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing mushrooms, plus 1/4 cup
1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained well
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 egg yolk
1 clove garlic, grated with microplane
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg, about 1/8 teaspoon
1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
6 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
4 cups crusty bread, torn or coarsely chopped
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced

Preheat grill to medium-high and oven to 425 degrees F.

Using a damp towel, brush mushroom caps to clean. Using a pastry brush, coat the caps with extra-virgin olive oil and grill with lid down or roast about 5 to 6 minutes, turning once, until tender but still firm at center.

Wring the spinach out in a clean kitchen towel. Separate the spinach with your fingers and combine with artichokes, ricotta cheese, egg yolk, grated garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and nutmeg.

Remove mushroom caps from grill.

To portion-control the filling, divided the stuffing into 4 parts then just split each of those evenly between 2 caps. Sprinkle the caps with Parmigiano and cook 5 to 6 minutes more in the preheated oven to set filling and lightly brown tops.

Do not seed tomatoes. Chop and place in a salad bowl. Add basil, bread, onions, 1/4 cup olive oil, lots of salt and pepper and toss with your hands to combine.

Serve 2 caps with a pile of salad alongside, if desired, per person.

Note: If you make this with fresh crusty bread or the bread has staled a bit but not hardened, the juice from the tomatoes should be enough to tenderize the bread's crusty edges.

Creamy Fettuccine with Asparagus

2009-08-05T09:00:00.001-05:00

Yes, I know I am on a bit of an asparagus kick this week. But as I said, when you find a vegetable that everyone at the table will eat, you have to make the most of it! Pasta is another favorite in our household. We have a house full of runners so it seems we are always carbo loading for one race or another. Personally, I don't really run, but I am exceptionally good at the carbo loading part!

This recipe from Martha Stewart is easy to prepare and well liked by everyone that I have served it to. We like it just as presented below, but you could easily throw in some rotisserie chicken if you would like. Either way, it's a filling meal.

Creamy Fettuccine with Asparagus

1/4 cup pine nuts
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
3/4 pound fettuccine
2 bunches asparagus, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise into thirds
4 ounces creamy goat cheese, broken into pieces
2 tablespoons grainy mustard
2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill leaves

In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts, stirring often, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the fettuccine until al dente, according to the package instructions, adding the asparagus during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Drain.

Return pasta, asparagus, and reserved pasta water to the pot. Toss with the goat cheese, mustard, dill, and toasted pine nuts. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Sauteed Chicken In Mustard Cream Sauce

2009-08-04T09:00:00.001-05:00

Yum, Yum! The sauce served over this sauteed chicken is SO good! It can turn the blandest of meats into a culinary delight! Mustard cream sauce is a classic French sauce and is excellent served as a topping for fish as well as the chicken used in this recipe. I especially like it served over salmon.

Serve it alongside the roasted asparagus that I posted a recipe for yesterday. Add some garlic bread and dinner will be ready in a snap!

Sauteed Chicken in Mustard Cream Sauce

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried tarragon (or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh)

Sprinkle each chicken breast with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken and saute until cooked through, 10 - 12 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

Remove the skillet from the heat and pour the wine into the hot skillet. Return the skillet to the heat and cook, stirring until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Whisk in the cream, mustard, and tarragon. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 2 minutes.

Pour any accumulated chicken juices into the sauce. Right before serving, drizzle the cream sauce over the sauteed chicken.

Serves 4

Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan

2009-08-03T09:00:00.001-05:00

Like most moms, I sometimes have trouble getting my kids to eat vegetables. However, when I started roasting asparagus, my kids couldn't get enough! Roasted asparagus is hands down the favorite vegetable in the Davis household. I also like it because it is so easy to prepare. Toss the asparagus with a little olive oil, throw it in the oven, and a few minutes later it's done.

Asparagus can be a little pricey, but it's worth it. I hope you enjoy it!

Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan

2 bunches (1 1/2 pounds) asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Trim the tough ends from the asparagus.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the asparagus with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.

Roast until the asparagus is tender and the cheese is melted, 10 or 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Texas Peach Pecan Bread

2009-07-30T09:00:00.001-05:00

When I was growing up, we had peach trees and pecan trees in our yard. I have vivid memories of walking out the door on a summer morning, pulling a peach from a tree, and biting into the sweetest, juiciest fruit on earth. We made all kinds of things with the peaches. Homemade peach ice cream, peach pies, peach cobbler, peach salsa, you name it and we made it!

One of the more unusual things we did with the peaches was to use them in a sweet bread recipe. I am sure that many of you have eaten blueberry bread or zucchini bread. Well, peach bread with pecans is just as good, if not better. Give it a try while fresh peaches are still available. I think you will enjoy it.

Texas Peach Pecan Bread

2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup peeled, mashed fresh peaches
1 cup chopped pecans

In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and sour cream and beat 1 to 2 minutes or until light. Stir in flour mixture alternately with peaches. Stir in pecans. Pour into a greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove from pan to wire rack and cool completely.

Yield: 1 loaf

Note: You can easily remove the skin from peaches by dropping them into a pot of boiling water for about a minute. Remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon. The skin should slip easily from the peach.

Mexican Brunch Pie

2009-07-29T09:00:00.001-05:00

This recipe is one of my personal favorites. Even though it is called a "pie", it is actually crustless. It is also meatless which I like. Even without the meat, it is rich and filling and makes a nice meal any time of the day. Again, my south Texas heritage is showing. The Monterey Jack cheese with peppers and the chopped green chiles provide a flavorful Mexican influence.

Give this dish a try. You'll be glad you got out of bed to make this one!

Mexican Brunch Pie

5 large eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup cream style cottage cheese
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers
1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chiles

With an electric mixer, beat eggs, melted butter, flour, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl until mixture is well blended. Stir in cottage cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and chiles. Pour mixture into a well greased 9 inch pie plate.

Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees, and bake 20 more minutes or until mixture is set. Cut into wedges.

Yield: 6 servings

South Texas Corn Scramble

2009-07-28T08:21:00.000-05:00

Corn is so abundant this time of year and when paired with eggs it makes a delicious breakfast or brunch dish. Having grown up near our southern border, many of my breakfast recipes have a distinctive Mexican influence. This one is one of my favorites. Serve it with fresh pico de gallo and tortilla chips on the side.

South Texas Corn Scramble

3 ears fresh corn, husked and cleaned (frozen corn works, too, but the flavor will not be as good)
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped jalapenos
1 (2 1/4 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
8 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup cubed cooked ham
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cut corn kernals off cob and saute in 3 tablespoons butter for 10 minutes until tender. Remove from skillet and set aside. Add remaining butter to skillet. Saute onion and jalapeno until tender. Return corn to skillet and add the olives as well. Add the eggs and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until eggs just begin to set. Stir in ham and cheese. Cover and cook over low heat until eggs are done and cheese is melted.

Yield: 6 servings

Hashed Browns

2009-07-27T09:00:00.001-05:00

I have to admit that I don't often eat breakfast. But some days, I wake up famished and when I do, there is nothing like a big old fashioned breakfast. I'm not talking about granola and yogurt; I'm talking about eggs, bacon, potatoes and biscuits! This week I would like to share some of my favorite breakfast recipes.

This week look for these recipes:

Monday - Hashed Browns
Tuesday - South Texas Corn Scramble
Wednesday - Mexican Brunch Pie
Thursday - Texas Peach and Pecan Bread

Hashed Browns are such a wonderful morning comfort food. They are delicious served with all types of eggs. Not only do we like to eat them for breakfast, but they are a great side dish for dinner as well. Below is a Barefoot Contessa recipe for this wonderfully easy and versatile dish.

Hashed Browns

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons minced scallions

Melt butter in a large saute pan. Add the potatoes, onion, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally with a flat spatula, until the potatoes are evenly browned and cooked through. Allow the potatoes to cook for 5 minutes before turning. Turn off the heat and add the parsley and scallions. Serve hot.

Strawberry Slush

2009-07-23T09:30:00.000-05:00

This summer has been hot, hot, hot! We have had record high temperatures almost everyday for a month. We are quite excited when the temperatures drop to a cool 98 degrees!

When the days are hot as these, we are all looking for something cool and refreshing to drink. Below you will find my recipe for Strawberry Slush. You have to let this freeze for 8 hours, so it requires planning head. Mix up a batch and keep it in the freezer. Your family will thank you for it!

Strawberry Slush

2 (10 oz) cans frozen strawberry daiquiri mix concentrate, thawed and divided
1 cup water, divided
Ice cubes
3 cups lemon-lime soft drink, chilled

Combine one can of daiquiri mix, 1/2 cup water, and enough ice cubes to reach the 4 cup mark in a blender. Process until smooth. Pour into a 3 quart container and set aside.

Repeat the procedure with the remaining can of daiquiri mix, remaining 1/2 cup of water, and ice cubes. Add to the 3 quart container. Cover and freeze 8 hours or until firm.

Remove from freezer, let stand 15 minutes or until slush can be broken into pieces. Add lemon-lime soft drink, stirring until smooth.

Kevin's Killer Key Lime Cheesecake

2009-07-22T09:30:00.001-05:00

One holiday a few years ago, my children decided to have a cooking competition. Each of the children prepared a dessert and then presented them to a panel for judging. The judges did not know which child had prepared which dessert. The hands down favorite was the Key Lime Cheesecake prepared by my son, Kevin.

This dessert has become a family favorite. It's too good to save for the holidays so we prepare it whenever we have a craving for it, which is pretty much all the time! It takes a little bit of effort, but it's worth it. This cheesecake is a perfect dessert on a summer evening.

I have never had any trouble finding key limes in my local grocery store. If you can't find them, you can use a combination of lime and lemon juice. However, it's worth it to search for the key limes. Their unique flavor is perfect for this delicious dessert!

Kevin's Killer Key Lime Cheesecake

2 prepared graham cracker crusts

Filling:
4 packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon key lime zest
1/4 cup fresh key lime juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon key lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh key lime juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Filling: In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium high speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in lime zest, juice, and vanilla. Divide and pour over pie crusts. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes or until the top is light brown. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes (do not turn oven off). The cakes will sink slightly.

Topping: In a bowl, combine sour cream, sugar, lime zest, juice, and vanilla. Pour into center of cooled cakes and spread to the edges. Bake for 5 minutes more. Cool for 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours before serving.

Low Country Seafood Boil

2009-07-21T09:55:00.001-05:00

A Low Country Seafood Boil is such a wonderful meal to prepare for family and friends. I can't think of an easier meal to prepare and it's such fun to gather around the table, throw back a few beers, and dive into the seafood. All my friends look forward to an invitation to gather at the seashore and spend the afternoon, eating, conversing, and having a good time.

Generally I cook this outdoors in a large kettle with a basket the fits inside. When everything is done, you just pull the basket out and dump everything on a table covered with newspaper. However, this can be prepared indoors just as easily. Throw everything into a large soup pot and drain in a colander when done. Either way works just fine. Sometimes I cook this indoors in the winter when we are missing our long, sunny days at the beach.

This recipe will serve about four. Adjust the amounts depending on how many you will be serving.

Low Country Seafood Boil

2 teaspoons Crab Boil per quart of water
12 red new potatoes
6 (4 inch) link smoked sausage
6 ears corn
2 handfuls green beans
1 onion cut into wedges
3 pounds fresh shrimp, unpeeled

Fill a large pot with enough water to cover all the ingredients. Add the crab boil and bring to a boil. Adjust the crab boil to suit your taste. When the water boils, add the potatoes, green beans, onion, and sausage. Cook on medium heat for 20 minutes. Add corn and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for no more than 3 minutes. When the shrimp turn pink, they are done. Drain and serve with garlic bread.

Pasta, Pesto, and Peas

2009-07-20T09:30:00.004-05:00

Each July, we usually spend a week at the seashore on the Florida Gulf Coast. We all look forward to this time away when the family can spend lots of time together playing in the sun and sand. We rent a beach house with a nice kitchen where the family can gather for simple family meals. Memories of these summer evenings are some of the happiest of my life.

This week I would like to share some of our favorite seaside recipes. They are all easy to prepare. Afterall, when I'm on vacation I don't want to spend all my time in the kitchen!

Today I will share a Barefoot Contessa recipe for Pasta, Pesto, and Peas.
Tuesday, I will share a recipe for an old fashioned Low Country Boil.
Wednesday, I will share my son's recipe for Key Lime Cheesecake.
Thursday, I will share a recipe for a refreshing Strawberry Slush.

This summer I hope you have the opportunity to spend some time with your family and friends. Whether you get away to the seashore or simply picnic in the backyard, gather your loved ones around a table and enjoy your time together. I hope you enjoy this week's recipes.

Pasta, Pesto, and Peas

3/4 pound fusilli pasta
3/4 pound bow tie pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups pesto, packaged or see recipe below
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/4 cups good mayonnaise
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 cup pine nuts
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.

In a food processor, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Pesto

1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
5 cups fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Place the walnuts, pine nuts, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top.

Yield: 4 cups

Blueberry Sweet Potato Bread

2009-07-16T09:30:00.005-05:00

Here is another recipe that is great to prepare and serve on a busy morning. At first blueberries and sweet potatoes seemed like an unlikely combination to me, but the two turned out to be a wonderful complement to one another. I think you will like this bread as much as I do. Once my busy family is out the door, I enjoy taking a few moments to savor a cup of coffee and enjoy a slice of this bread.

I hope you can find the time to do the same!

Blueberry Sweet Potato Bread
from Cooking with Texas Highways Cookbook

Note: You can substitute canned or baked sweet potatoes in this recipe. In you do so, substitute 1/4 cup water for the sweet potato liquid.

2 to 3 large sweet potatoes, unpeeled
4 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups sugar
5 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups blueberries

Scrub sweet potatoes and cook in boiling water for 20 minutes or until soft. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup liquid, set aside. Peel and mash enough sweet potatoes to measure 2 cups; set aside to cool completely.

Sift together the next 5 ingredients in a large bowl; set aside.

In another large bowl, combine by hand the mashed sweet potatoes, 1/4 cup liquid, sugar, eggs, and oil. The batter will be lumpy. Add flour mixture to sweet potato mixture; stir just until moistened. At this point, the batter will be stiff. Fold in blueberries. Spoon mixture into 2 greased 11 x 7 x 4 inch loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pans and let cool in wire racks.

Yield: 2 loaves

Blueberry Pasta Salad

2009-07-15T09:30:00.005-05:00

Yes, I know. It doesn't sound like it would taste good, but I assure you that it does! The combination of pasta, feta cheese, and blueberries is a fantastic combination. This recipe calls for chicken and to keep it simple, I often pick up a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store, remove the meat from the bones, and toss it in. The recipe comes together quickly and is a great dinner to prepare after a busy day at work. Sometimes, I leave the chicken out and serve this as as side dish as well. Either way, your family will love it!

Blueberry Pasta Salad

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and cut into bite size pieces
8 ounces fusilli
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1/3 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Juice from 1 lime (3 tbsp)
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Lime zest from 1 lime (about a teaspoon)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
Optional: fresh oregano or thyme leaves for garnish
Parmesan cheese

Shred the cooked chicken or cut it into bite sized pieces. Set aside.

Next, cook your pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking,prepare the dressing. Place the oil and shallot in a small pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to brown, 2 to 5 minutes. Add the broth, feta and lime juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the feta begins to melt, 1 to 2 minutes. When the pasta is ready, drain and place in a large bowl.

Add the chicken to the bowl with the pasta.

Add the dressing, blueberries, thyme, lime zest, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust any seasonings. Toss until combined and serve at room temperature or chilled.

Blueberry Spinach Salad Topped with Pecans and Blue Cheese

2009-07-14T09:30:00.008-05:00

This is one of my favorite salads of all time! If you only try one of the recipes from this week, this is the one to try! It is delicious, colorful, and a perfect dish for a summer picnic. I generally make this as a side dish, but if you add some chicken or shrimp you can quickly turn it into a main dish. The Blueberry Vinaigrette is to die for!

I wait all year for fresh blueberries just so that I can make this salad. I hope you enjoy the salad as much as I do.

Blueberry Spinach Salad Topped with Pecans and Blue Cheese

8 cups baby spinach
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled

Divide the ingredients between 4 plates. Drizzle desired amount of Blueberry Vinaigrette over each salad when ready to serve.

Blueberry Vinaigrette

1 shallot, minced
1 cup blueberries
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup raspberry vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Puree until smooth.

Yields one pint.

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

2009-07-13T09:30:00.015-05:00

It's summer and that means blueberries are in abundance everywhere! This luscious blue fruit is packed with health benefits and I try to incorporate them into my diet as often as possible. I'm always looking for ways to improve my diet and the addition of blueberries is an easy way to do so.

Blueberries are highly concentrated in antioxidants that may help combat disease and promote healthy aging. A few of the potential health benefits of blueberries include:

Brain Health: Ongoing brain research shows that blueberries may improve motor skills and reverse the short-term memory loss that comes with aging.
Cancer Prevention: Research shows that blueberry compounds may inhibit all stages of cancer.
Heart Health: Research indicates that blueberries may protect against heart disease and damage from stroke.
Vision Health: Research has indicated that blueberries may improve night vision and prevent tired eyes.

You can see why I am such a fan of blueberries. This week all of my posts will feature recipes that include blueberries. Try one or two of them. Your brain, your heart, and your eyes will thank you. Not to mention your stomach!

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
from Cooking with Texas Highways Cookbook

1 1/4 cup uncooked oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup fresh blueberries

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl; make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine egg, milk, oil, and honey; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Fold in blueberries. Spoon into greased muffin pans, filling two-thirds full. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes.

Yield: 1 dozen muffins

Lemon Sorbet

2009-07-09T09:30:00.015-05:00

Sorbets are a great way to cool down in the summer and they are wonderful served as a light, chilled dessert. The lemon flavored sorbets are among my favorites. This recipe for lemon sorbet is tangy and ultralight. It's a perfect finish to an elegant meal. Or, if you are like me, just eat a bowlful along with some homemade brownies. Your dessert won't be so light, but it will make for a great Saturday night!

Lemon Sorbet

2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
1-1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (from 6 - 8 lemons)
3 cups Simple Syrup

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Place the sorbet in a covered container and freeze.

Simple Syrup

3 cups sugar
3 cups water

Combine the sugar and the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer gently until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature. The syrup can be used immediately, or stored in a covered container in the refrigerator until use.

Pineapple Rice

2009-07-08T09:20:00.017-05:00

This recipe for Pineapple Rice is one of my more versatile recipes. This dish is a lighter, fruity version of fried rice. I like to serve it with seafood and it goes well with the Sea Scallops recipe that I posted yesterday.

But with a few additions, it can be a meal unto itself. Just think about your favorite version of fried rice. Simply add some chicken, ham, or shrimp and you have a meal! I like it with shrimp or ham. When I add one of those, it reminds me of a Hawaiian pizza. Yum Yum!

Below is the basic recipe, but be creative. Add whatever strikes your fancy. Let me know your ideas for additions to the rice. I would like to try them out!

You might also want to check out TheDesperateCook.blogspot.com. My fellow blogger has a great recipe for whole fried fish. She is also doing a Christmas in July giveaway!

Pineapple Rice

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups long grain rice
1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained, juices reserved
3 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 carrot, peeled and cut into tiny dice
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine 4 cups water with the olive oil and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the rice, stir, reduce the heat to medium, and cover the pan. Cook until all the liquid has been absorbed, 20 minutes.

Fluff the rice with a fork. Add the pineapple and toss to combine. Add the scallions, carrot, soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pineapple juice and transfer it to a serving bowl.

Shortly before serving, add the peas and the chives and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Sea Scallops with Sweet Chile Sauce

2009-07-07T09:30:00.025-05:00

It seems that scallops have gained in popularity over the past few years. I think this is due in part to the fact that they are harvested year round in the North Atlantic, so they can always be purchased fresh. They have a rich and meaty consistency which makes them able to stand up to a robust sauce. This Asian inspired Sweet Chile Sauce is a perfect complement to this dish. We love the sauce so much, that I like to make extra. It enhances the flavor of an assortment of seafoods and meats.

I have served this dish as both an appetizer and as a main course. When it is just my husband and I at home, I like to serve this as a main dish with a Leaf Lettuce Salad and Parmesan Crisps, and a little rice. Let me know what you think!

Sea Scallops with Sweet Chile Sauce

12 large sea scallops
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed
Salt and pepper, to taste
3/4 cup Sweet Chile Sauce (recipe follows)
6 tablespoons creme fraiche
Fresh cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Place the scallops in a bowl. Toss with the lime juice and 1-1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.

Drain the scallops and pat them dry. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat and sear the scallops in small batches until just barely cooked through, about 2-4 minutes per side, depending on the size of the scallops. Add more oil if necessary.

Divide scallops among serving plates and drizzle Sweet Chile Sauce around each serving. Dollop each serving with 1 tablespoon creme fraiche and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve immediately.

Sweet Chile Sauce

1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Chinese plum sauce
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
2 teaspoons finely chopped red serrano chile peppers with seeds, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch, mixed with 1 teaspoon cold water

Combine all ingredients in a small heavy saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat; reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer, stirring constantly, to blend the flavors, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Puree the mixture in a food processor until nearly smooth. Sauce may be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Leaf Lettuce Salad with Parmesan Crisps

2009-07-06T09:00:00.024-05:00

There is a wonderful restaurant in Houston that serves Parmesan crisps with their salads. I enjoy these crisp and salty treats so much that often I am tempted to ask them to bring me a bowl filled with them. My husband says that would not be appropriate, but when he is not looking, I sometimes am able to get the waiter to sneak me a few extras!

I was so excited to find a recipe for how to make them in the Martha Stewart cookbook Great Food Fast! However, I was also a little embarrassed. The recipe is so simple that I should have been able to figure it out on my own. Basically, you just melt some Parmesan cheese on a baking sheet.

I like to serve this simple salad with seafood. Tomorrow I am going to post a recipe for Sea Scallops and this salad goes nicely with the scallops. I'm also including a recipe for a low fat vinaigrette. I hope you enjoy it!

Leaf Lettuce Salad with Parmesan Crisps

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 pound red or green leaf lettuce
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Divide the cheese into 4 mounds on a parchment lined baking sheet, at least 4 inches apart. Spread each mound into an even 4 inch round.

Bake until melted and golden brown, about 10 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through. Let cool for a minute and then transfer with a thin metal spatula to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Tear the lettuce leaves into bite-size pieces. Toss with the vinaigrette; season with salt and pepper. Serve with the Parmesan crisps.

Herb Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup firmly packed fresh herbs (such as basil, cilantro, or parsley)
1/2 small garlic clove
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

In a food processor, combine the lemon juice, mustard, herbs, garlic, and 1/4 cup cold water; season with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. Add the olive oil in a steady stream until emulsified.

Tequila Mojitos

2009-07-02T09:00:00.045-05:00

I have been thinking about my menu for the 4th of July and couldn't decide if I should serve the Blue Cheese Burgers or the Baja Fish Tacos. Knowing me, I will serve both! One of my friends suggested that I serve a full bodied red wine with the burgers and I thought that was an excellent idea. But with the fish tacos, I think nothing but Mojitos will do!

Having grown up close to the U.S. border with Mexico, I developed an appreciation for tequila. Below you will find my recipe for Tequila Mojitos. It requires that you make a simple syrup which you will need to let cool for a couple of hours, so make sure you allow time for that. Being domestically challenged, the first time I made these, I overlooked that instruction and waited until the last minute to make the syrup. Don't make the same mistake!

I should warn you, this drink has a kick, so don't plan on driving for while after drinking these! And maybe let someone else start the fire in the grill. I don't want to hear any reports next week about anyone having set their hair on fire after drinking these!

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe 4th of July. See you next week!

Tequila Mojitos

1 cup water

3/4 cup sugar
1 cup fresh mint sprigs
2 cups lemon-lime soft drink, chilled
1 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup tequila

Bring 1 cup water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Boil, stirring often, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat; add mint sprigs, and let stand for 2 hours or until mixture is completely cool.

Pour mixture through a wire mesh strainer into a pitcher, discarding the mint. Stir in lemon-lime soft drink, lime juice, and tequila. Serve over ice. Garnish with mint leaves and lime slices if desired.

Baja Style Fish Tacos

2009-07-01T09:00:00.086-05:00

My husband and I have spent a great deal of time in Cabo San Lucas where (among other things) we enjoy the fresh seafood available in the many local restaurants. One of my favorite things to eat while there are the fish tacos. I have tried any number of recipes for fish tacos, but my favorite is the one below for a traditional fish taco like they serve in Cabo.

One can certainly buy and prepare fresh fish for the tacos, but frozen fish will work just as well. Gorton's Tenders in Original Batter is the brand that I like. Additionally, if you buy a package of cabbage that has already been shredded, you will have dinner ready in a flash! I'm always a fan of recipes that are simple and quick to prepare. Enjoy!

Baja Style Fish Tacos

1 lb. battered fish fillets
Pico de Gallo (recipe follows)
Tartar Sauce (recipe follows)
8 large corn tortillas
1 cup finely shredded green or purple cabbage
Salsa
Lime halves

Bake fish according to package directions. While fish is baking, prepare Pico de Gallo and Tartar Sauce.

Heat tortillas one by one in a skillet over medium heat. For each taco, place a small bed of cabbage on a tortilla and spoon a little Pico de Gallo over it. Top mixture with 1 or 2 pices of fish, add a little more cabbage and top with tartar sauce. Serve with salsa and limes.

Yield: 8 tacos

Pico de Gallo

1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

Combine ingredients and chill.

Tartar Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons dill pickle relish
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno

Blend ingredients and chill.

Blue Cheese Burgers

2009-06-30T10:00:00.133-05:00

It's almost the Fourth of July which means it's time to gather your friends together, pull out the grill, and watch the fireworks!

My husband loves blue cheese burgers and I have tried many different recipes. Below is the recipe that I like the best. Most recipes simply mix the blue cheese into the meat. This recipe is different in that you make two thin patties, spread a layer of blue cheese mixture on top of one and then top it with the other. It's more of a burger stuffed with blue cheese.

Also, I mix the crumbled blue cheese with an equal part of cream cheese. After mixing, add a bit of onion powder, some chopped fresh parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

After grilling, let them rest for a while before eating as the cheese in the middle will be hot and oozy. I like to cut the burgers in half before eating them since these are messy burgers. But that’s what makes them fun, right?

Blue Cheese Burgers

2 oz. cream cheese
2 oz. crumbled blue cheese
1/8 t. onion powder
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound ground beef (I use 85% lean)
salt and pepper
Coarsely ground black pepper (optional)

1. In a small bowl, mash together cream cheese and blue cheese then stir in the onion powder and parsley. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

2. Divide ground beef into 8 equal pieces. Form the pieces into balls then sprinkle the balls lightly with salt and pepper, rolling them around a bit to make sure all sides are covered. Flatten each ball to form thin patties of equal size.

3. To fill burgers, place a tablespoonful of blue cheese mixture in the center of each of four patties. Spread the filling out evenly to within half an inch of the edge of each patty. Place the remaining patties on top to form four filled burgers. Gently press the edges of each burger together to form a seal.

4. Prepare your grill and cook burgers until desired degree of doneness. Let rest for ten minutes.

Tomato Mushroom Pizza

2009-06-29T14:14:00.141-05:00

I am loving this summer season and all the fresh produce available in the markets now. I can find so many fresh fruits and vegetables and I have lots of wonderful recipes that highlight their flavor.

Below is a recipe for Tomato Mushroom Pizza from Texas Highways magazine. I have served this dish as both an appetizer and as a main course. It makes for a wonderfully light dinner on a warm summer night. Just add a light salad or some fresh fruit and dinner is ready. It's too hot this time of year to spend a lot of time in the kitchen and this recipe will have you out of the kitchen and enjoying dinner in no time!

Tomato Mushroom Pizza

1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, diced
1/4 lb. white mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (12 inch) unbaked pizza crust
8 ounces ricotta cheese
1/2 to 3/4 lb. Provolone cheese, grated
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 (6 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1/4 cup grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese

In a skillet over medium heat, saute onion, garlic, green pepper, and mushrooms in olive oil until vegetables are soft. Stir in basil, salt, and pepper. Drain excess liquid from mixture and set aside.

On unbaked crust, spread ricotta cheese, then add grated Provolone, tomato slices (salted and peppered to taste), sauteed vegetable mixture, and artichoke hearts. Sprinkle with Asiago or Parmesan cheese. Bake at 500 degrees about 15 minutes or until pizza crust is light brown and cheese is bubbly.

Yield: 2 - 4 servings

Crunch Time Snack Mix

2009-06-25T10:43:00.205-05:00

I'm so, so happy that the weekend is almost here! It's time to get outdoors and kick back and relax with a cold beer and some snacks. Today's recipe is simply a variation on that old snack mix recipe that has been around for ages. I'm going to tell you what I put in, but the good news is that if you don't like it, just throw in whatever you like or whatever you have available.

For me, the key is the spices you use to enhance the flavor. Personally, I like snacks with a little kick, so I use hot spices. You can prepare the mix and store it in plastic bags for future use, but if your household is like mine, it won't last the day!

Crunch Time Snack Mix

2 cups sesame stix
2 cups rice cereal
1 cup corn nuts
1 cup pretzels
1 cup gold fish or cheese nips
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
2 cups mixed nuts
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients, except spices, together and spread on baking sheet. Spray with nonstick cooking spray, then toss with spices. Toast in 300 degree oven about 10 minutes to mellow the spices.

Shrimp, Tomato, and Basil Pasta

2009-06-24T09:25:00.229-05:00

Do you see those fabulous tomatoes pictured above? Believe it or not, they are growing in the garden alongside my home. However, the interesting thing is, no one living in my house planted those tomatoes. They are a complete mystery!

Now some of you may remember me telling you that I am almost as domestically challenged at gardening as I am at cooking. That should be proof enough that I did not plant them. One evening not so long ago, my husband came in and complimented me on how well my tomato plants were doing. I looked at him like he was crazy and asked what he was talking about. Out I went to see and sure enough, there were two rather large tomato plants laying on the ground. The next day I bought two tomato cages for them and the plants are now at least four feet tall and are covered with blooms!

I proceeded to the backyard to look at some tomato plants that I had planted in containers. Those plants, which I have lovingly nurtured and watered, are quite puny and barely hanging on. I have decided the secret to being a good gardener is to completely ignore your plants, forget about them, and they will thrive. I don't know where the tomatoes on the side of my house came from, but we will certainly enjoy them! I am now searching for recipes that call for fresh tomatoes.

Below is a recipe from Martha Stewart's Great Food Fast that I have enjoyed making. It calls for cherry or grape tomatoes, but you could use any that you have. I pull tomatoes out of my garden, chop them up, and into the dish they go. Hope you enjoy the recipe.

Shrimp, Tomato, and Basil Pasta

1 1/2 pounds cooked shrimp (I buy pre-cooked shrimp)
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 pound linguine
1 1/2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

Heat olive oil in skillet. Add garlic and cook for 1 or 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the canned tomatoes and their juice, along with 2 cups of water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have softened and are saucy, about 15 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat; stir in the cherry tomatoes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain; return pasta to the pot. Add the tomato sauce, cooked shrimp, and basil; season with salt and pepper, and toss. Serve immediately, garnished with basil leaves, if desired.

Salmon Florentine

2009-06-23T09:57:00.239-05:00

I fixed this recipe for Salmon Florentine the other night and it turned out really well. Salmon is a staple in our household because it is so nutritious and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg!

This is one of those recipes that is great to serve when you have guests over. There is very little prep time and it cooks quickly. It's so elegant and simple, yet when your guests see it, they will think you were in the kitchen all afternoon. Serve it with a fresh fruit salad, some summer corn sauteed in butter, open a bottle of white wine, and presto, instant dinner party!

Below is the recipe as it was given to me. The next time that I prepare it, I think I will add a few sauteed mushrooms and a dollop of sour cream to the florentine topping. I think the additions will enhance the flavor of the spinach.

I hope you enjoy the recipe. Let me know what you think. I have really enjoyed the comments that you have been leaving!

Salmon Florentine

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen spinach, thawed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 teaspoons minced garlic
5 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets, rinsed and patted dry

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Squeeze spinach of all excess liquid.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until they begin to soften. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add spinach, sun dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and cook an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool approximately 10 minutes. Add ricotta cheese and stir to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.

Pack about 1/2 cup spinach mixture on top of each salmon filet, forming mixture to the shape of the filet. Place fillets on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until salmon is flaky.

Stomach Soothing Papaya Smoothie

2009-06-22T10:30:00.266-05:00

I love smoothies made with fresh fruit. So I was excited to find this recipe for a papaya smoothie from Maria Lissandrello at Vegetarian Times magazine. The papaya is an amazing fruit with many healing properties. It has been shown to ease heart burn and as one who frequently suffers from heart burn, I try to incorporate this fruit into my diet whenever possible.

Papaya is the only source for papain, an enzyme that breaks down proteins and improves digestion. Additionally, it is a good source of folate and vitamins A and E. It also has 33 percent more vitamin C than an orange. The list of it's healing properties goes on and on, but I will leave it to you to research that if you so choose. I'll stick with how to get it into your diet!

I love fruit salsa with fish. Papaya is an excellent fruit to include in the salsa you serve alongside seafood. As you would expect, it's also good with yogurt and granola. When I was in Central America, papaya was traditionally served at breakfast. They simply cut the fruit in half and served it with lime juice squeezed over the top. It was delicious!

But one of my favorite ways to get papaya into my diet is with this smoothie. It's quick to prepare and makes a great breakfast drink as you dash out the door. Hope you enjoy!

Stomach Soothing Papaya Smoothie

1 cup cubed ripe papaya
6 frozen strawberries
1/2 cup milk or plain soymilk
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon light agave nectar or honey
1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

Puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Using frozen strawberries will help thicken the smoothie without the addition of ice.

Indian Spiced Chicken Burgers with Cumin Yogurt Sauce

2009-06-17T10:58:00.321-05:00

I would like to say thank you to my growing audience. I primarily started this blog as a way to catalog my recipes for family and friends, but now I've had almost 500 views with visitors from more than 30 countries. Who knew! I appreciate so many people stopping by! I hope you will feel free to leave comments as I really enjoy hearing from you. Also, feel free to send me a friend request on Facebook. In friends, search for Deborah Davis, Houston, TX and you will see my picture come up. I frequently post my menus there.

Having been inspired by some of my international viewers, I wanted to share my recipe for Indian Spiced Chicken Burgers with Cumin Yogurt Sauce. Not being Indian myself, I can't attest as to the authenticity of the dish but I can tell you that it is good. I have kids home from college for the summer who love sandwiches and this recipe makes for a nice change from the usual hamburger or tuna salad sandwich.

This recipe came from the Martha Stewart Living cookbook titled Great Food Fast. The recipe has you grind the chicken fresh in a food processor. It just takes a minute to toss the chicken in and hit the pulse button a few times. But if you do not have a food processor or do not want to go to this trouble, you could just buy ground chicken. If you do grind the meat yourself, be sure to use dark meat, as called for. It has a little more fat than the white meat and will keep the burgers from being too dry.

Let me know what you think. And remember, if someone as domestically challenged as me can do it, then so can you!

Indian Spiced Chicken Burgers with Cumin Yogurt Sauce
Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into rough chunks
4 scallions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cardamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 pitas (6 inch)
1 cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs

1. Heat the grill to medium high. In a medium bowl, place the chicken, scallions, ginger, lemon juice, paprika, cumin, cardamon, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper; toss to combine. Set aside to marinate for at least 10 and up to 30 minutes.

2. Transfer the chicken mixture to a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped, but not pasty, 10-12 times. Gently form the mixture into sixteen 3/4 inch patties (about 3 tablespoons each).

3. Season the patties with salt and pepper; grill until opaque throughout, 2-3 minutes per side.

4. Halve the pitas crosswise (toast on the grill, if you like). Into each pocket place 2 chicken patties, cucumber slices, and cilantro sprigs. Serve with cumin yogurt sauce.

Cumin Yogurt Sauce

1/2 cup plain low fat yogurt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine yogurt and cumin, season with salt and pepper.

Fresh Raspberry Lemonade

2009-06-12T23:17:00.353-05:00

I live on the Texas Gulf Coast and today was hot, hot, hot! Weather reports indicate that with the heat index, this weekend temperatures will feel as if it's 105 - 108 degrees. Wow! And it's only June 12. Fortunately for me, I have a nice shady patio and a fan with a mister. Believe me, in Texas a shady patio and a mister fan are necessities for surviving summer.

In need of something cool to drink, I broke out some of my recipes for ice cold beverages. Below is my recipe for fresh raspberry lemonade. There is an abundance of fresh, juicy raspberries in the stores right now, just in time to help us survive the sweltering days of summer. This is a perfect drink for a hot afternoon, and just between you and me, adding a splash of vodka is a pretty good idea as well. Cocktails and dinner on the patio - two of my favorite things about summer.

Let me know what you think. What are some of your favorite summertime recipes? Leave a comment and let me know. I would love to hear from you.

Fresh Raspberry Lemonade

3 cups fresh raspberries, gently rinsed
1 cup sugar
6 cups cold water
3 cups fresh lemon juice (from about 12 large lemons)
3 mint sprigs, for garnish

Puree the raspberries in a blender or food processor. Strain the puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds. Set the strained puree aside.

Make a simple syrup by combining the sugar and water in a saucepan over a medium high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Combine the reserved raspberry puree and the simple syrup in a large pitcher. Stir in the lemon juice.

Serve over ice in tall glasses and garnish with a mint sprig.

Makes 10 cups.

Filet Mignon with Cabernet Sauce

2009-06-10T13:31:00.339-05:00

Filet mignon is one of my favorite steaks. It is considered the king of steaks because of its tender, melt in the mouth texture. A prime filet mignon can literally be cut with a fork. This beef cut can be quite expensive when dining out, but much more reasonable to make at home.

Bacon is often used in cooking the filet because of the low levels of fat found in the filet. Bacon is wrapped around the filet and pinned closed with a wooden toothpick. This adds flavor and keeps the filet from drying out during the cooking process

I do not remember where I got this recipe, but it is one of my family favorites. I used to collect many of my recipes from Southern Living Magazine so it's possible that it came from there. It is easy, quick to prepare, and a perfect menu for a small dinner party or romantic dinner for two. I like to serve it with garlic mashed potatoes, sauteed mushrooms, and a nice green salad.

Filet Mignon with Cabernet Sauce

Cooking Spray
4 (4 ounce) filet mignon steaks
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
1 cup cabernet sauvignon
1 cup beef broth
2 tsp butter

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle both sides of steaks evenly with salt and pepper. Add steaks to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan and cover with foil. Add shallots to pan; saute 1 minute. Stir in vinegar and soy sauce, scaping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates, stirring constantly. Add remaining salt and pepper, wine, and broth; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 11 minutes). Remove heat; stir in butter. Steaks may be returned to the pan just long enough to heat through, if needed.

Yield: 4 servings

Let me know if you like it!

Spring Mix Salad with Strawberries and Feta Cheese

2009-06-03T20:18:00.332-05:00

Publish Post

I love spring and summer. They are my favorite times of year. One of the reasons that I love this time of year is because of all the fresh fruits and vegetables that are available. I get great pleasure out of strolling through the many farmer markets in our area, sampling and buying the fresh produce.

I especially love fresh strawberries. At this time of year the markets are full of red, luscious berries just calling my name. One of my favorite recipes for using fresh strawberries is in a green salad. I have seen this recipe in various places and am not sure where it originated. My friend, Lisa Hughes, gave the recipe to me and I have made minor adjustments to suit the tastes of my family.

We really enjoy the contrast in flavors in this salad. The smooth creaminess of the feta cheese mixed with the sweet flavor of the strawberries and the tart balsamic vinegar combine to create a refreshing summer salad. It is quick and easy to make and will be a welcome addition to your summer menu.

Spring Mix Salad with Strawberries and Feta Cheese

1/3 cup slivered almonds
3/4 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (raspberry vinegar is also good)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
spring mix salad for four
3/4 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

In a skillet over medium high heat, cook the almonds, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a bowl, prepare the dressing by whisking together the garlic, honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil.

In a bowl, toss together the toasted almonds, spring mix salad, strawberries, and feta cheese. Add the dressing and toss.

Our family loves this salad and we hope you do, too. Let me know if you enjoy it!

Stuffed Baked Red Snapper

2009-05-27T10:44:00.309-05:00

One of my favorite fish to eat is Red Snapper. Below is my recipe for Baked Stuffed Red Snapper that is based on Paula Deen's recipe in her Lady and Son's Cookbook. It's a delightful recipe that will serve four and is easy to prepare.

I have to admit that preparing and eating fish with the head still attached has always been disconcerting to me. I always have the feeling the the fish is staring at me and asking, "Why are you doing this to me?" Once when I was a child, my brother chased me around with a dead fish and he convinced me that the fish was going to eat me up!

If you can't bring yourself to prepare the fish with the head attached, you can make the stuffing and sandwich it between two filets. It will cook somewhat faster, so you will need to "keep an eye" on it. The fish will be ready when the fish flakes.

If you are unable to find Red Snapper, you can use any fish that you like. Red Snapper can be found all over the world with most fish being harvested in the Gulf of Mexico. The high demand for the fish sometimes leads to fish fraud. The lesson here is to buy your fish from someone who knows what they are actually selling. Real Red Snapper has a great, firm texture and a sweet, nutty flavor. When buying whole Red Snapper look for clear, red eyes, and bright red skin that fades towards the belly. If you are looking for fillets try to buy it with the skin on. This will help hold the fish together and lets you get a look at the skin to make sure it’s the real thing. Cooking with the skin on is not only easier but helps hold some of the flavor to the fish.

Stuffed Baked Red Snapper

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

5 tablespoons chopped onion

One 8 ounce can water chestnuts, drained and chopped

1 cup soft bread crumbs

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Salt and pepper, to taste

Two 2 1/2 pound oven ready, whole red snappers, gutted, scaled, and cleaned

1/2 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse, pat dry, and finely chop 1/4 pound mushrooms. Quarter remaining mushrooms. Set aside. In a small skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter; add celery and 3 tablespoons onion. Saute for 5 minutes. Combine sauteed celery mixture with mushrooms, water chestnuts, bread crumbs, egg, soy sauce, parsley, and salt and pepper. Mix well and spoon into fish cavities. Secure openings with skewers or toothpicks. Sprinkle both sides of each fish with salt and pepper. Place in a large baking dish. Dot with remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 tablespoons onion, the wine, and water. Bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes. Baste occasionally. Test with a fork. When fish flakes, it's done.

I hope you enjoy the recipe. It's a delightful dish for a warm summer evening!

Coconut Layer Cake

2009-05-20T22:38:00.303-05:00

Today was my birthday. While I have become a fairly decent cook, I cannot say the same about my baking abilities. My daughter is a good baker and she seems to enjoy it. As for me, I prefer preparing a meal to baking a cake, but since it was my birthday I was determined to bake myself a most delicious Coconut Layer Cake.

Although I am sure that someone less domestically challenged than me could have baked a cake rather quickly, for me it was an all day event. My main problem was with the filling. It was supposed to be the consistency of coconut meringue pie. Mine, however, was quite thin. Unfortunately I did not discover this until rather late and had to cook it for a while longer and then re-chill it. But it did thicken up and turned out to be quite delicious. In fact, I would have been happy just eating a bowl of the filling!

The cake itself is a basic recipe and the icing is a simple 7 minute frosting. I baked the cake in small six inch pans thinking that I would make a smaller cake since there are only three of us living at home right now. The only problem is that I got carried away and made it six layers tall! So, I ended up with a giant cake anyway.

I would like to thank Kim Morgan Moss at A Yankee in a Southern Kitchen for this recipe. If you want to see what the cake is supposed to look like, you can check her blog. As usual, mine was a little lopsided. Hers was beautiful. But no one seemed to mind my lopsided version. It was pretty delicious and it's lopsided appearance didn't stop anyone from having seconds even if it was ten o'clock before it was ready to eat!

Coconut Cake w/ Coconut Cream Filling and Seven-Minute Frosting

2 cups sifted cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup( 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup superfine sugar
4 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
2/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
11 ounces sweetened or unsweetened coconut

Heat oven to 350 degrees arranging the two racks in the center of the oven. Line the 3-6″x 2″ buttered cake pans with parchment paper. Dust the bottom and the sides with a little cake flour and shake off the excess.

Sift the flour, baking powder and soda, salt and set aside in a bowl.

Cream the butter on medium-low speed until mixture is fluffy. Gradually add the sugar, and keep beating until the mixture is light in color and fluffy once again, about 3 minutes. Gradually drizzle in the egg yolk, beating on medium-low speed between each addition until the batter is no longer slick. Beat once again till light and fluffy, which should take another 3 minutes.

Alternately add the flour mixture and the sour cream to the batter, a little at a time, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Beat in the vanilla.

Divide the mixture into the prepared pans. Smooth the tops.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, rotating the pans in the oven, if needed, for even browning until a cake tester comes out clean.

Transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool, about 15 minutes. Remove cake from the pans and let cool completely on racks, with the tops up.

To assemble the cake, remove the parchment paper from the bottom of cakes. Split each layer in half horizontally with a serrated knife.

Set aside the prettiest half for the top of the cake. Place another cake half dome side down on top of a cake plate or serving platter. Spread a generous 1/2 cup coconut-cream filling over the cake. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of coconut on top of filling, then top with a cake half. Repeat the process until all but the reserved cake half has been used, making sure that you use up all the filling.

Top the cake with the saved half and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator, and frost the cake with Seven-Minute frosting. Sprinkle the remaining coconut flakes over the top and onto the sides pressing in gently.

Cake can be left out at room temperature for several days, though I like my coconut cake cold from the ice-box.

Coconut-Cream Filling

6 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
4 ounces ( 11/2 cups) sweetened angle-flake coconut
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon unsalted butter for coating plastic wrap

Place egg yolks in a large bowl; whisk to combine; set bowl aside.

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly. Cook stirring, over medium heat until mixture thickens and just begins to bubble, 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in coconut and vanilla. Transfer filling to a medium mixing bowl. Lightly butter a piece of plastic wrap, and place it directly on top of the filling to prevent a skin from forming. Chill the filling until firm about 1 hour or so. You may make the filling a day ahead.

Seven-Minute Frosting

4 large egg whites
1 pound(2 cups) sugar
9 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons homemade Bourbon Vanilla or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Prepare the bottom pan of a large double boiler with 1 inch of water and bring it to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to a slow simmer.

In the top pot, off heat, combine the egg whites, sugar and water and beat until the sugar is dissolved. Place the pan over simmering water in the lower half of the double boiler, making sure that it doesn’t directly touch the water. Beat for 7 minutes with a whisk or hand held mixer at medium speed, or until the frosting stands in soft peaks.

Remove it immediately from over the boiling water and beat in the flavoring. Continue beating until the frosting is thick enough to spread, and ice the cake at once.

If you love coconut, give this recipe a try. It makes a delightful birthday cake!

Feta Cheese and Roasted Corn Quesadillas with Shrimp

2009-05-12T13:40:00.293-05:00

I love reading food blogs. This week I was reading some of my favorites and noticed that along with a recipe many of them give a brief history of the food being prepared. I thought this was a brilliant idea and since I wanted to share my recipe for quesadillas this week, I immediately began researching this food on the internet. Mostly, what I learned was that quesadillas are not a very complicated subject and there is really very little to say about them. Actually, that is part of the reason I love Mexican food. It is uncomplicated, delicious, and easy to prepare. Perfect for someone who is domestically challenged!

Nevertheless, here is a little tidbit that I learned. Quesadilla translates in english to “little cheesy thing.” I like that. Do you suppose next time I am at my favorite mexican food restaurant I could ask for a little cheesy thing and they would know what I was talking about? I suppose they might.

At the little neighborhood restaurant where I eat, the wait staff indulges me by letting me practice my spanish with them. Asking for a little cheesy thing might work better than saying, “Quiero una quesadilla, por favor.” What you need to understand is that just because I can write that phrase does not mean that I can pronounce it. Apparently, the double “ll” is pronounced like a “y”. The waiter patiently keeps reminding me that quesadilla and armadillo do not rhyme. He is such a patient man. He also keeps reminding me that he is not hard of hearing. Why do people think that if you yell, people will automatically understand what you are saying. Apparently, I am one of the worst offenders. Not only does my waiter know that I want a ques-o-dill-o, but everyone within a five mile radius knows as well. Such a nice, nice man. He keeps assuring my that my spanish is improving rapidly even though we all know better. We should all take a lesson from him and learn to be as patient with those who speak broken english.

The next thing you should know is that my recipe for quesadillas probably has little in common with traditional quesadillas. I learned that in southern Mexico the ultimate quesadillas are made with squash blossoms. I found that interesting.

Oddly enough, I have developed quite a following of readers from Argentina and Brazil. Perhaps if squash blossom quesadillas are popular there, someone could let me know and send me a recipe. I could taste test them before serving them to my family, because as tolerant of my cooking as they are, I don’t think they are quite ready for that. Below you will find my recipe which I adapted from one I found in Cooking Light magazine. If you decide to make one with squash blossoms instead, let me know how it turns out!

Feta Cheese and Roasted Corn Quesadillas with Shrimp

1 cup fresh corn kernals (about one large ear) –Canned corn works just fine if you are in a hurry.

2/3 cup feta cheese
2 cups of shredded cheese – I used a combination of Monterrey Jack and Colby
8 (6 inch) corn or flour tortillas – I prefer flour
¼ cup chopped green onions
24 small cooked shrimp, chopped
Salsa verde to taste

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add corn; saute about 2 minutes, until browned. Combine the corn, cheeses, green onions, and shrimp in a bowl.

Lay four tortillas on your work surface. Divide the combined ingredients evenly between the tortillas. Drizzle a little salsa verde over the mixture and top with the remaining tortillas.

Heat the non-stick skillet over a medium high heat. I like to use my panini pan. Place the quesadilla in the pan and cook for about 1 ½ minutes on each side, until the tortillas are golden brown and the cheese has melted. Remove from pan, let cool slightly, and cut each quesadilla into four wedges. Serve with salsa verde, sour cream, and guacamole for dipping.

My family loves this recipe. The flavor of the feta cheese is a refreshing surprise. If you use canned corn and pre-cooked shrimp, this recipe is quick to put together. It’s great for those evenings when you need to get dinner on the table fast. Hope your enjoy!

Zucchini Quiche

2009-05-08T18:00:00.295-05:00

I was looking through some old cookbooks this morning and came across a cooking pamphlet titled Victory Cook Book - How to Eat Well...Live Well...Plan Balanced Meals...under Food Rationing. The pamphlet, printed in 1943, was a resource for women struggling to feed their families during World War II. It was fun to look at the pamphlet and certainly explained some of the meals that Mother served when I was a child. Some of those meals that I disliked so much, were dishes she had learned to prepare during the war when resources were short.

The pamphlet states that, "Every one of the recipes and menus that follow were actually prepared and served by a homemaker who works all day in an airplane factory and cooks dinner for her family at night." It goes on to explain that, "Wartime restrictions may prove to be a blessing in disguise. We're going to learn many things about food that will stand us in good stead all our lives. Meats that are unfamiliar now will become tried and true favorites. Ever eat rabbit? Take our word for it - it's good eating... Tongue was ever a treat - but try it with Gingersnap Gravy for an extra special dinner! Who says this isn't the land of plenty?"

Yum, yum, tongue with gingersnap gravy! I think not. But the pamphlet did help me to appreciate what a land of plenty we live in now. I have nothing but the utmost respect for those women who kept our country running while the men were overseas fighting a war. We have our own set of problems in 2009. But even in these tough economic times I have not been reduced to eating tongue with gingersnap gravy. For that, I am grateful.

I won't post the recipe for the tongue even though I'm sure you will all be disappointed to miss out on this culinary delight. If you feel you must have it, leave a comment and I will post it or send it to you. I bet that in comparison, my recipe for Zucchinni Pie will sound delicious. It really is a nice summer sidedish or even as a main dish for those who don't eat meat.

Zucchini Pie

1 pie crust, unbaked

Dijon mustard

1/4 cup butter

4 cups sliced zucchini

1 cup diced onion

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano, dried

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

2 cups shredded cheese, I used a combination sharp cheddar and mozzarella

2 extra large eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a pie plate with the pie crust and brush with Dijon mustard. Set aside. Melt butter in a large saute pan and add zucchini and onion. Saute for about 8 minutes. Add the parsley, salt, pepper, oregano and garlic salt. Toss to coat. Cool slightly and then add cheese and eggs and mix. Pour into the prepared pie crust and bake for about 25 - 30 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

Many thanks to Dinners for a Year and Beyond for sharing this delicious recipe! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Banana Walnut Pancakes

2009-05-05T21:20:00.285-05:00

It's May, so it must be Mother's Day soon. Every year I find myself dreaming of waking up on Mother's Day surrounded by adoring children who are serving me breakfast in bed. Preferably, those children would be mine. Whose ever children they are, I would like them to know that one can never go wrong by serving their mom banana walnut pancakes in bed. I'm sure that children somewhere do it. After all, I see it in the movies, so it must really happen, right?

Speaking of movies, I have never been able to understand why my life is not like those of movie moms. How is it that they can wake up in the morning in full makeup with perfectly coifed hair? When I wake up my hair is sticking out in twelve different directions and I'm not wearing makeup. I mean I usually manage to wash my face every night before I go to bed, don't you? Do movie moms never wash their faces? Didn't their mothers love them enough to make them wash their faces every night? Maybe a makeup artist comes in at night and does their makeup for them while they are sleeping. I don't know... try as I might, this whole waking up beautiful thing just isn't working out for me.

But I don't feel too guilty about that. Happily my family seems to love me just as I am and for that I am grateful. Sometimes, though, I do wonder how I came to be so domestically challenged. I think that I must have learned it from my Mom. Now I don't want anyone to think I am being disrespectful of my Mom, because the truth of the matter is when it comes to parents, mine get a gold medal. So what if there wasn't a hot meal on the table every night. My parents had their priorities right. At a time when life was hectic, they understood that it was more important to use those few precious spare minutes playing with the kids than working in the kitchen.

So, I'm not all that concerned about my lack of domesticity. In fact, I think I may have passed the trait on to my daughter. Last week when I asked her to bring me a plate, she looked at me and asked where we keep them! And that is ok, too. Because in the end, what I want for my children is to grow up in a house filled with love and to know that I always have time to play with them.

So, if I don't get pancakes in bed this year, that's ok. I'll enjoy the hugs and the kisses and the brunch out with no regrets. And I will bask in the knowledge that I am loved. Still, sometimes I do wonder what it would be like...

Banana Walnut Pancakes

This recipe is an adapted version of one in the Barefoot Contessa's cookbook Family Style.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

3 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk

2 extra large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Unsalted butter

2 ripe bananas, diced, plus extra for serving

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Maple syrup

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together the sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones, mixing only until combined. Add the walnuts.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium low heat until it bubbles. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan. Distribute a rounded tablespoon of bananas on each pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned. Flip the pancakes and then cook for another minute, until browned. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add more butter to the pan, and continue cooking pancakes until all the batter is used. Serve with sliced bananas, butter, and maple syrup.

Makes about 12 pancakes.

The Barefoot Contessa suggests using a 1/4 cup measure to drop the batter into the pan. The pancakes will stay warm in a preheated 200 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Happy Mother's Day to you all! My hat is off to all the domestically challenged moms of the world!

An Italian Country Feast

2009-04-29T13:45:00.297-05:00

This week as I was pondering what to cook for dinner, my cocker spaniel - Elvis the Great- wandered in and serendipitously dropped a cookbook at my feet. Now, I am not saying that I don't treasure each and every one of my cookbooks, but this one has seen better days. It used to be a beautiful book and is even autographed by the authors. This combination cookbook and gardening book called Southern Herb Growing was written by Madaline Hill and Gwen Barclay.

My friend, Carol, gave me this book before my husband had shown me which room was the kitchen. I remember feeling that this was a curious gift as I was neither a cook nor a gardener. In fact, gardening may be the one area where I am even more domestically challenged than in the kitchen. However, the book had a lot of pretty pictures so I immediately put the book on the coffee table in an effort to fool people into believing that I actually knew how to cook. It must have been while the book was on the table that Theodore - the Lab discovered the book. Theodore, like Mikey, would eat anything. Apparently he mistook the pictures of food for actual food and proceeded to chew on the book. I rescued this most treasured of gifts and proceded to do what any logical woman would do - I shoved it under a bed "for safekeeping". It must be here that Elvis the Great, years later, found it and lovingly returned it to me.

Thanks to the kindness of my dog, I have had the opportunity to re-examine what is left of the book and fallen in love with it. In fact, it has inspired me to plant a culinary herb garden! Please, no laughter. I will keep you posted on this turn of events!

Anyway, back to the book. Fresh herbs are used in all of the recipes and I do love cooking with fresh herbs. They just seem to have a delicacy of flavor that is lost when the herbs are preserved.

In the book, I came across a recipe called an Italian Country Feast which is basically a rustic casserole. In the past, I always avoided cooking casseroles because my childhood memories of them include canned tuna fish, canned soup, and potato chips. So naturally, you can see why I promised myself never, never, never, never to cook a casserole. However, this one is made with all fresh ingredients including italian sausage, chicken, potatoes, onions, and of course, fresh herbs. My family loves it and I hope yours will too!

Italian Country Feast

1 pound fresh Italian sausage
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 - 3/4 cups herbal white sauce (recipe below)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
1/2 cup thin sliced onion
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1 package fresh spinach (at least 10 ounces) (I recommend 2 packages)
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms sliced
Grated Romano cheese and chopped parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Skin sausages, crumble and cook over medium heat. Add chicken, 1 cup herbal white sauce, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; stir gently to mix well. Pour mixture into 9 inch baking dish.

Place raw sliced potatoes and onions on top of meat mixture. Brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with Romano cheese and additional salt and pepper. Bake until potatoes are crusty brown and tender, about 45 - 50 minutes.

While dish is baking, cook spinach briefly in water clinging to leaves after washing. Drain and chop coarsely. Add remaining sauce to spinach. Salt if necessary and keep warm.

Saute mushroom in remaining oil and set aside. When potatoes are tender, remove from oven and spoon hot spinach mixture on top, allowing edge of browned potatoes to show. Add mushrooms, and garnish with cheese and parsley. Serves 4 - 6.

Herbal White Sauce

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese

Melt butter in heavy saucepan. Stir in flour, and add milk, seasonings and cheese, cooking until thickened. Keep warm until ready to use.

While the recipe seems long, it really is not difficult. It took about a half hour of prep time. I hope you will give it a try. Let me know how you like it.

Do you have a favorite childhood memory of cooking or of sharing a family meal? If so, I would love to hear about them. Please feel free to leave a comment below and share your memories.

Coconut Shrimp

2009-04-22T15:25:00.278-05:00

Have you ever felt as if your kitchen was a foreign land? I, for one, definitely did not learn my way around the kitchen at an early age. Some of my friends tell me stories about their mothers teaching them to cook at a young age and have even shown me pictures of them cooking alongside their mothers. For a long time I thought these women were lying and that the photos had been altered in PhotoShop. The concept of spending time in the kitchen at an early age was foreign to me. After all, why spend time in the kitchen when at the age of 5 you could take the family car out for a spin? But I digress. That’s a story for another day.

I don’t mean to imply that my Mother didn’t teach me anything about cooking. There were two very important staples that she taught me to prepare. I learned how to heat a can of soup and how to make a grilled cheese sandwich. Well, to be honest, I must admit that the grilled cheese sandwich was something of a challenge. I frequently forgot to add the cheese! So actually, I was preparing a grilled bread sandwich! But the soup turned out pretty good. I was especially fond of Campbell’s Alphabet Soup because it allowed me to study for my spelling test and eat dinner at the same time. I considered this ingenuous as it freed up more time for the all-important task of catching fireflies after dinner! As you can see, I was into multitasking even before the word existed!

I grew up in south Texas along the Gulf Coast. Having an abundance of seafood at hand, I learned to love seafood at an early age…as long as I didn’t have to cook it. But alas, a day came when small images of myself seemed to have an odd expectation that I should feed them and I was forced to learn a thing or two about the kitchen. My extremely patient husband happily pointed out the kitchen and I set to work. It was touch and go for a while (I mean no one had explained that you actually had to turn on the oven when putting in the chicken), but I did manage to come up with a few recipes that we could choke down. Some were even good! One of my personal favorites is Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa.

When buying the shrimp for this recipe, you will want to make sure that they smell of salt water. If there is any hint of the aroma of ammonia, it's a sign the shrimp are not fresh. Also, look at the coloring of the shrimp. Truly fresh shrimp will have almost translucent flesh. In the United States, shrimp are sold by count. The count represents the number of shrimp in a pound and is represented by two numbers. For example, when you see the numbers 21/26, it means there are between 21 and 26 shrimp in a pound.

Below is the recipe for Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa that I found in Holly Clegg’s cookbook, Gulf Coast Favorites. It’s a delicious; it's easy; and it's oven baked. I hope you will enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa

1/3 cup cornstarch
½ teaspoon cayenne or to taste
Salt to taste
3 egg whites
1 ¼ cups flaked coconut
1 ½ pounds medium peeled shrimp
Pineapple Salsa (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a shallow bowl, combine cornstarch, cayenne, and salt. In another bowl, beat egg whites until frothy, about 2 minutes. Place coconut on a plate.

3. Coat shrimp with cornstarch mixture, dip into egg whites and roll in coconut. Place shrimp on prepared pan.

4. Bake for 15 minutes, turn shrimp, and continue baking another 5 – 10 minutes or until shrimp are done. (Cooking time will depend on the size of the shrimp. For smaller shrimp, you will not need to bake for as long) Serve with Pineapple Salsa.

Pineapple Salsa

1 ½ cups finely chopped fresh pineapple (I buy precut in the produce section)
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons fine chopped cilantro (This may be omitted if you do not like cilantro)
1/3 cup pineapple preserves
1 tablespoon fine chopped fresh jalapeno
1 tablespoon limejuice

1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients

Remember, if someone as domestically challenged as I am can prepare this recipe, then so can you! Let me know how this turns out for you!