tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36252265369027491642024-03-13T12:58:40.034-07:00If You Call Me a Foodie, I'll Curse You to the Depths of HellRecipe sharing and stuff about food.ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-49424456215051385152015-03-27T10:35:00.002-07:002015-03-27T10:37:11.455-07:00Spinach and Cheese Gnocchi: Pretty Green Pillows of Cheesy Goodness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-avbhx0uU74U/VRWT7mCGPzI/AAAAAAAAAwc/WeCoeuInZoo/s1600/IMG_8833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-avbhx0uU74U/VRWT7mCGPzI/AAAAAAAAAwc/WeCoeuInZoo/s1600/IMG_8833.JPG" height="216" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">These light and fluffy gnocchi are not quick to make- I won't lie to you- but at least the sauce is. Anyway, sometimes it's nice to just hang out in the kitchen and get your hands into the food, right? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">(By the way, you really need a food processor for this recipe.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">8 to 10 ounces of fresh spinach, or one cup of defrosted frozen spinach.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">10 ounce packet of Queso Fresco Mexican cheese (or ricotta if you can't find this)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1 egg</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon salt </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon tarragon</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1/4 teaspoon nutmeg</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup semolina pasta flour (regular or gluten free flour blend would work fine also) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">extra flour for dusting</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">For Tomato Sauce:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1 slice of bacon</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1 Tablespoon olive oil </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1/4 cup finely chopped onion </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2 heaping Tablespoons of tomato paste</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">zest of one lemon </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1/3 cup water</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">a splash of light sweet wine or dry sherry, if you have it</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">salt and pepper </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">a scattering of almond slices</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Pecorino Romano cheese, to taste </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">First, saute your spinach with a little water, just to get it all wilted, then let it cool and squeeze most of the water out. You should have about a cup, but it doesn't actually have to be super exact. Add it to the food processor with all of the other ingredients, EXCEPT the flour. Once it's mashed up properly, then add the flour, and just mix that in gently with a spoon, but don't over-mix. If your spinach was watery or you had to use regular ricotta for the cheese, you may need to add a little extra. It should look like this: </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-thxJqPFk_Oc/VRWM0dUchrI/AAAAAAAAAv4/Vk6xc7ds0rI/s1600/IMG_8827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-thxJqPFk_Oc/VRWM0dUchrI/AAAAAAAAAv4/Vk6xc7ds0rI/s1600/IMG_8827.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Next, you make the gnocchi by flouring your hands and forming them into little pillow shapes. Make them each about a half tablespoon sized, and handle them very gently, the dough is quite sticky so you really need to roll them in the flour to make this happen. </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5hZJqzvmGus/VRWUK2e0O5I/AAAAAAAAAwk/1JURWkbx__M/s1600/IMG_8828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5hZJqzvmGus/VRWUK2e0O5I/AAAAAAAAAwk/1JURWkbx__M/s1600/IMG_8828.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Set them all on a plate and put them in the refrigerator for at least a few hours, but preferably overnight. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">When you're ready, to cook the gnocchi, put them in boiling salted water and when they float, they're done. It only takes a few minutes, just like with regular potato gnocchi. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">For the sauce, chop up the bacon slice in very tiny pieces and saute them in the olive oil on medium heat in a big frying pan until they look mostly crisp. Add the onion and salt and pepper, and saute another two minutes. If you are using the wine, add it before you add the tomato paste, letting it mostly evaporate before adding the tomato paste and water. Mix it all up and let it cook for another few minutes, or until the sauce looks nice and thick (then taste it for salt and pepper- depending on your bacon you may or may not need more.) Add the almonds and lemon zest last, as well as a splash of the cooking liquid from the gnocchi if you need it to thin out your sauce, and then pour the gnocchi in the pan, and toss them gently in the sauce using a soft rubber spatula so they don't get damaged. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />Generously grate Pecorino Romano cheese on top. Yes, this is a cheese fiesta, so don't eat all this by yourself, this should serve four along with a nice salad and some crusty baguette. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">You can also just serve these with plain browned butter, onions, almonds, lemon zest and extra pepper if you want, you'll appreciate the spinach flavor even more. </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jwIyWQGKBnw/VRWUYtJQ1oI/AAAAAAAAAw0/dGesmngx6Us/s1600/IMG_8831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jwIyWQGKBnw/VRWUYtJQ1oI/AAAAAAAAAw0/dGesmngx6Us/s1600/IMG_8831.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-48477835578858414322015-02-02T14:31:00.001-08:002015-02-03T08:10:01.705-08:00Shepherd's Celery Root Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">The recipe of the month is, again, a good low calorie dish. But it doesn't look low calorie and it definitely doesn't taste low calorie. You can make this for anyone really and just not tell them that it's "diet," and if they like this casserole type of dish, I promise they will eat it. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">I personally can't eat stupid "diet" food that personal trainers are always telling you to eat, like plain steamed vegetables with poached fish; I'd almost rather just be fat and die young. Get a registered dietitian if you want food advice, gym rats are not famous for their love of fine dining. Anyone who would drink a protein shake more than once is unqualified to tell you how to eat healthy food that is also delicious.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">We could all use some extra comfort, especially when trying to lose fat/weight, and this works for me. The reason I am using celery root here instead of traditional potatoes is not just because it's only 8 calories per ounce mashed, it's because it stays moister and therefore needs hardly any added butter in order to actually <i>taste</i> buttery. (You know how you can put a ton of butter into potatoes and they can still have a dry texture? That won't happen here.) By the way, if you're not sure what a celery root looks like, I have a picture on this recipe: <a href="http://yourfaceisafoodie.blogspot.com/2013/04/cream-baked-eggs-and-fried-celery-root.html" target="_blank">Cream Baked Eggs and Fried Celery Root</a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 pound of lean ground beef, 93% lean or better (<i>please don't use turkey, we are already substituting for potatoes, and if you take out the red meat too, well it's just not Shepherd's pie anymore</i>)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 large carrot, grated</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 small package of mushrooms, quartered, your favorite kind (<i>if you hate mushrooms, substitute with a grated summer squash, but squeeze the juice out of the gratings.</i>) </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 small onion, chopped finely</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 teaspoons salt</span></span><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon pepper</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon thyme</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon savory</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1or 2 tablespoons steak sauce like A-1 or HP</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 large or two small celery roots (<i>also called celeriac</i>) peeled (<i>like you would peel a pineapple</i>) and cubed</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 teaspoons of butter (yes, only <i>teaspoons</i>)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">splash of milk (<i>about 1/8 cup</i>) </span></span><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 ounce grated cheese, any kind- I went trashy and used strips of one and 3/4 slices of <a href="http://www.kraftrecipes.com/Products/ProductInfoDisplay.aspx?SiteId=1&Product=2100061648" target="_blank">Kraft Cheddar</a>)</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Put the peeled and cubed celery root pieces into a pot of simmering salted water and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the cubes are soft. Drain the celery root and mash up with the butter, the splash of low fat milk and some of the salt. You want about 20 ounces of this mash for your pie. Don't be cheap with the salt unless your doctor ordered you too. Dieting is not the time to cut everything out, it makes you too sad.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Saute the ground beef and onions on high heat for about five minutes until the meat is all browned. Add a teaspoon of salt, the pepper and other spices, the steak sauce, and the grated carrot and chopped mushrooms, and continue to stir and cook for a another five minutes, until everything looks heated through. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pour the meat mixture first into a casserole dish, mine is about 11" x 8"</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lLRIWWRNnv4/VM_ut0W2mwI/AAAAAAAAAtI/BE6R0Bpnedw/s1600/IMG_5722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lLRIWWRNnv4/VM_ut0W2mwI/AAAAAAAAAtI/BE6R0Bpnedw/s1600/IMG_5722.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Top this with the celery root mash, spread it out evenly and then sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are brown and the cheese is melted. This makes six servings of about 175 calories each, or four very generous servings for about 265 calories per serving. With calories this low you can afford a 140 calorie bottle of <a href="https://www.newcastlebrown.com/" target="_blank">Newcastle Brown Ale</a> with it. (I'm just saying.) </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ScpgEO6vKs/VM_urQf3nyI/AAAAAAAAAtA/AQmmbkFcFfE/s1600/IMG_5723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_ScpgEO6vKs/VM_urQf3nyI/AAAAAAAAAtA/AQmmbkFcFfE/s1600/IMG_5723.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"> You could be fancy and put fresh herbs on top, but frankly that takes away from the home-style feel in my opinion. If you go that route, I recommend dill or very finely chopped flat parsley. </span></span><br />
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ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comWest Sacramento, CA 95605, USA38.5974642 -121.5312910000000138.547820699999995 -121.61197200000001 38.6471077 -121.45061000000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-14429030995288832522015-01-10T13:40:00.002-08:002015-01-12T13:33:12.534-08:00Curly Parsley Barley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WfhxsogMEoc/VLGb0GD4NGI/AAAAAAAAAsk/eolh-K0fK9o/s1600/Barley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WfhxsogMEoc/VLGb0GD4NGI/AAAAAAAAAsk/eolh-K0fK9o/s1600/Barley.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's possible that I may have put on a few pounds. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">So I'm reaching into my annals of diet history and busting out my low calorie goodies for the New Year. Being the piggy that I am, I insist that my food always have flavor and be of a substantial portion- no celery sticks and cottage cheese for me (at least not without serious alteration.) Here is my first "diet" offering of the new year, a barley dish that's good for a low-calorie lunch (and way better than a stupid diet shake) or for a filling side dish to serve at dinner with a little grilled sirloin steak. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">This recipe can be served warm or cold, but I usually eat it cold like a salad, and it's just about 220 calories per serving. It's also full of things that are very good for you, especially since they aren't cooked. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients: </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 cup pearl barley</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 bunches of curly <a href="http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=100" target="_blank">parsley</a>, most stems removed, and chopped finely</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 cups of grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered (measure before chopping) </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 or 2 large garlic cloves, chopped very fine (adjust to your own taste)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 rounded tablespoon of pine nuts</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">3 ounces of crumbled feta cheese</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon of olive oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">juice and zest of one small lemon</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon salt </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon pepper</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">This makes about 5 one-cup servings (very packed cups.)</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Simmer the barley in a pot of salted water for 45-60 minutes. Drain and add to the rest of the ingredients and toss everything really well together. You can fill it out with even more tomatoes if you'd like a bigger plate of food. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can lower the calories even further by omitting the cheese (add a little more salt if you do this), then it will be only about 170 calories per serving, but do not omit the olive oil for any reason, for that way lies madness... </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">(Because of the raw garlic, I wouldn't eat this for lunch at work, if you need to talk to people at work, leave out the fresh garlic and a little Tabasco sauce and a dash of garlic powder.) </span></span><br />
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<br />ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-25083432596783755982014-10-07T16:13:00.000-07:002014-10-07T23:08:20.272-07:00Soft Honey Butter Cookies and Baklava Cookies<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Xl64XufEtI/VDRrjDYXApI/AAAAAAAAAqA/xrLxdkw-OhY/s1600/Honey%2BButter%2Bcookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8Xl64XufEtI/VDRrjDYXApI/AAAAAAAAAqA/xrLxdkw-OhY/s1600/Honey%2BButter%2Bcookies.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is this picture blurry, or do I need to clean my glasses? </td></tr>
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<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you like crispy cookies, stop reading this right now. These are
soft and chewy buttery-sweet cookies. If you want to bite into a cookie
and get crumbs in your lap (or in your cleavage) this in not the recipe
for you. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Preheat your oven to 350 convection, or 375 degrees regular oven.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 stick salted butter, room temperature </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/3 cup brown sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/3 cup white sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/3 cup of the best quality<b> honey</b> you can get</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon vegetable oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 egg</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 and 2/3 cup all purpose flour</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon baking soda</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon cinnamon</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/4 teaspoon salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Almonds for topping, or to mix in (optional) </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and honey for baklava topping (optional) </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">The method is pretty standard, if you've made Nestle Toll House cookies, you can make these. Mix the butter and sugars together first, then add the egg and honey and beat for another minute. (The vegetable oil is for you to rub the inside of the 1/3 cup measuring cup with before you measure out the honey, so the honey won't stick to the cup.) </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Add the dry ingredients next and beat well until combined. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Drop your dough onto a cookie sheet (I use some parchment paper lining because I hate cleaning pans) by rounded tablespoons. I like to use my hands to ever-so-gently roll each ball of dough and then squash it into cookie shape, so the cookies come out nice and round- you don't have to do that. (But you should, don't be lazy!)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Before you put them in the oven, you can sprinkle the tops with
sugar, or if you like nuts you can sprinkle the tops with sliced almonds
or add some sliced almonds to the batter. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you're feeling really
adventurous, you could mix 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts with a teaspoon
of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, and sprinkle that mixture on top of them
to give you kind of a 'baklava' cookie, and when they come out of the
oven, you would drizzle just a wee bit of extra honey on top.</span></span><span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bake them for 8-10 minutes. I like to pull them out the second they are just barely cooked, when the dough is not shiny-raw looking on top, but not yet really brown on the edges. The more undercooked they are, the more you'll get the flavor of the honey; nine minutes is probably ideal, if you do ten minutes they'll be less on the soft side and more on the chewy side. Set a timer, or don't leave the kitchen! Burnt cookies are the worst. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let them sit for one minute on the pan before you GENTLY remove the cookies with a thin spatula to cool on a rack (or paper towels of you don't have a rack). They will seem very soft while they are still hot, resist the urge to put them back in the oven, unless they are truly raw and wet in the middle. </span></span><br />
<br />ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-1619347877514822232014-09-19T12:27:00.001-07:002015-03-27T10:38:00.462-07:00'La Bella Polenta' and Venetian Style Appetizers<span style="font-size: large;">First of all, you HAVE to watch part of this video, it's adorable. Leave it to the Italians to make up an awesome song about making polenta. (By the way, I think the young woman on the far right is in the market for a husband- you'll see what I mean.)</span> <span style="font-size: large;">Oh and, be warned: the song sticks in your head.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/FxGVXPmGlN0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As a person who has only recently acquired the funds to travel to Europe without the assistance of my parents, I am not a seasoned traveler and therefore this isn't one of those braggy posts. I was lucky enough to stay in Venice in June, and while in general I wouldn't say it is the food capital of Italy or anything, they did have some interesting dishes. Unfortunately for us most of the famous dishes involved seafood. My husband doesn't like seafood at all (although he periodically tries it, just to make sure) and I'm allergic to shellfish. By the way, if you're ever there and you need to communicate that you have a seafood allergy you say, "<i>Sono allergico ai crostace</i>." </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Of course pasta and gnocchi are served a lot, but they also serve a hefty dose of risotto and polenta (cornmeal mash) too. The best thing about Venetian food though is the <i>cicchetti</i>, tiny little happy-hour appetizers (pretty much Italian tapas.) There was salt-cod salad, truffled ham* (ridiculously good), fried cheese balls, grilled octopus...so many tasty things. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jHolcRLhs0E/VBx4NDJPSdI/AAAAAAAAAow/4t3jeANRdWQ/s1600/Venice%2BTina%2B591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jHolcRLhs0E/VBx4NDJPSdI/AAAAAAAAAow/4t3jeANRdWQ/s1600/Venice%2BTina%2B591.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">*This is truffled ham. If anyone knows where to get it in California, tell me!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Instead of crostini toasts as a base for spreads and cold cuts, they sometimes used little grilled polenta squares. I was raised in Arizona, so to me they taste a little bit like an open faced tamale. Here's my recipe:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">4 cups of low sodium or homemade vegetable broth</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1 cup of dark yellow cornmeal </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon salt (if you use water instead of broth, use 2 tsp.) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1/4 teaspoon white pepper (use cayenne or nothing if you don't have white) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2 tablespoons butter</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1/4 cup marscapone cheese or thick cream</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2 rounded tablespoons finely grated Romano or Parmesan cheese</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">a big glug of Tabasco or other hot sauce (I told you, I'm from Arizona) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Bring the broth, salt and pepper to a boil, and add the cornmeal slowly, whisking the whole time. Stir on high for a few minutes, until the mixture thickens- like oatmeal thick. Turn the temperature down to as low as it will go and continue cooking on low for another 30 minutes, frequently giving it a really good stir with the whisk. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Add in the butter, cheese and Tabasco at the end, mix thoroughly and vigorously, and then pour it out into a 9"x13" greased pan. Try to even out the polenta as best you can with your spatula, I ended up using a cube of cold butter as a flattener because it doesn't stick. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Let the polenta cool on the counter for ten minutes, then put it in the refrigerator, covered, to cool completely. Cut the polenta into square or diamond shapes, and then you can either brush the shapes with oil or butter and put them on the grill, or just grill them in a non-stick pan until they are brown, but not black at all, on both sides. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2sCnp6VxqqI/VByDCIqYlUI/AAAAAAAAApM/Xvn_BXnL6Ug/s1600/Polenta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2sCnp6VxqqI/VByDCIqYlUI/AAAAAAAAApM/Xvn_BXnL6Ug/s1600/Polenta.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here are some basic Americanized toppings you might want to try. Because there is cheese and butter in the polenta, I think putting cheese on top would be redundant, but you do what you like: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">-Fresh or canned salmon salad made with capers, dill and mayonnaise</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">-Fresh chopped tomatoes mixed with very finely diced anchovy, garlic and oil</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">-Prosciutto di Parma and chopped green Castelvetrano olives</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">-Bacon, pepper jelly and almond slices</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H9_wVKPMHk0/VByIIr4cGRI/AAAAAAAAApg/xgQedlqD0Ew/s1600/Polenta2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H9_wVKPMHk0/VByIIr4cGRI/AAAAAAAAApg/xgQedlqD0Ew/s1600/Polenta2.jpg" height="120" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">(This one has Prosciutto, hot pepper jelly and roasted Marcona almonds)</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">-Roasted chiles, chicken and salsa </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">-Basil and sun dried tomato in oil or tomato jam and balsamic vinegar</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">-Thinly sliced steak cooked very briefly and covered in lemon juice, olive oil and parsley</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">-Leftover BBQ pulled pork and apricot jam or fresh apricot</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">-Cut the squares big enough to make a polenta Eggs Benedict with bacon, eggs and Hollandaise sauce </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">You get the idea. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jJtOISb7wKA/VBx5y5w1-eI/AAAAAAAAAo8/M2VeODQlDvM/s1600/Venice%2BTina%2B830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jJtOISb7wKA/VBx5y5w1-eI/AAAAAAAAAo8/M2VeODQlDvM/s1600/Venice%2BTina%2B830.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sacro e Profano in the San Polo neighborhood of Venice, worth a visit!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span>ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-45391293884251423592014-09-16T23:24:00.001-07:002014-09-19T10:17:55.844-07:00My Best Fresh Summer Spaghetti Sauce<span style="color: orange;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #134f5c;">I really need to admit to you that we ate most of this up when it was hot out of the kitchen, without taking a picture of course, so this is a picture of my plate of leftovers the next day, with no garnish. On a paper plate. 'Cause I'm classy like that.</span> </span></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ezt9R4syujo/VBklPqwJUFI/AAAAAAAAAoY/xTW3JbdUb4s/s1600/spaghetti1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ezt9R4syujo/VBklPqwJUFI/AAAAAAAAAoY/xTW3JbdUb4s/s1600/spaghetti1.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">The key to this very simple recipe is good quality tomatoes, and a blender or processor of some kind. The blending is going to take the place of cooking the sauce down, you know, to get a nice smooth texture. It will be the perfect sauce to really stick to the spaghetti. Basically you are not really cooking the sauce, as much as you are just heating the tomatoes through and preserving their fresh sweetness. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you don't have blender of any kind, you can of course chop everything really tiny, but in that case I would cook this a little longer and I would also use a different pasta: like little shells or <a href="http://www.barilla.com/content/product/orecchiette?gclid=CjwKEAjwv9-gBRD5ofn2jd2N0UUSJACcdilse4T8VoBpWtXy1YFqcX6CbiEiGsdK9Fqz3ZBIb-8IyBoCYSnw_wcB" target="_blank">orecchiette</a>, something with nooks and crannies to catch all the chunks of sauce. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">5 cups (approximate) of fresh cherry tomatoes, squished in the pan or halved </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 a small onion, chopped</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">4 cloves of garlic</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">4 tablespoons olive oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon salt <i>(or more- to taste)</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 dash black pepper </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">a handful of pine nuts <i>(if you don't have pine nuts, you can try other nuts or seeds, I'll bet it's still good)</i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon fresh or dried basil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon butter</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 small slice of stale bread, crumbled up, or just toast fresh crumbs in a pa</span><span style="font-size: large;">n <i>(optional, this is more for added texture if needed, but it's a good idea if the tomatoes are extra watery. If you refuse to use pine nuts, you will definitely need these.)</i></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">4 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese <i>(this is not time for Permesan) </i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">If, through no fault of your own, you do not have sweet cherry tomatoes, and you have instead chopped up some tasteless winter hothouse tomatoes, add a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of sugar to the mix. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">In a pot, heat up two of the tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat, then fry the chopped onion and garlic for about a minute, stirring. Add the tomatoes, spices, the rest of the olive oil, the pine nuts, and heat through for about five minutes. Blend well with an immersion blender or food processor, then put back on the heat, but turned down to low to keep warm while you make the pasta. Cook 16oz of spaghetti or capellini according to the package directions (in SALTED water), and when drained (but still wet) toss immediately with the sauce, breadcrumbs, cheese and butter. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">Don't be alarmed at all this oil and butter. Think about it, there's no meat in it, and it's five tablespoons total for a whole pound of pasta- you should be able to serve four or five people with that. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #134f5c;"><span style="font-size: large;">This goes with white wine of course, and I liked the <a href="http://www.wine.com/v6/Neyers-Carneros-Chardonnay-2012/wine/125300/Detail.aspx" target="_blank">Neyers Chardonnay </a>I had with it. </span></span>ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comWest Sacramento, CA 95605, USA38.5974642 -121.5312910000000138.547820699999995 -121.61197200000001 38.6471077 -121.45061000000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-43934625566955602382014-08-23T00:09:00.000-07:002014-08-23T00:10:56.462-07:00Tomato Fritters: Clearly, I Have a Fritter Problem<br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SoSAkAEwZxA/U_g9zx1PvuI/AAAAAAAAAno/8V4VBw5QRSw/s1600/fritter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SoSAkAEwZxA/U_g9zx1PvuI/AAAAAAAAAno/8V4VBw5QRSw/s1600/fritter.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yes, I've posted recipes like this before, but usually for just squash fritters, because my garden is always overrun with squash. This year I have one solitary squash plant and, uhm, <span style="font-size: small;">fourteen</span> tomato plants. (They came in six packs! What was I supposed to do, throw them out?)</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Anyway, I always felt like they needed Greek yogurt or balsamic vinegar or lemon or <i>something</i> to give the squash fritters a little more flavor and tang. I now realize that better flavor can be accomplished with, you guessed it, tomatoes. The fritters get sweet and they stay really moist inside- fully cooked but not dried out. I eat them plain now, right out of the pan, as soon as my mouth can stand the temperature. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">The herbs can vary a LOT and still be amazing. I like these combos: a teaspoon each of dill and garlic powder, plus a 1/4 cup chopped chives</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">OR 1/4 cup each of chopped parsley, green onion and fresh mint. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">In this recipe, I went with Herbs de Provence and no onions or garlic. Rosemary is pretty strong so there's not very much. (I wouldn't use white onions or raw garlic by the way, these don't get cooked long enough.) </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">I cup of chopped tomatoes, without juice</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 cup of packed down grated summer squash, without juice</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup semolina flour, or all purpose flour</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/4 teaspoon salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/4 teaspoon pepper</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon dried Herbs de Provence (or other spice combo from above)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/4 teaspoon baking powder</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/4 cup crumbled goat's cheese </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 large egg</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Panko bread crumbs, optional </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Oil for frying, I used about 1/4 cup of oil, but frankly I don't really measure. If you don't like olive oil, avocado oil is really good (or both)</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">More salt and pepper to sprinkle on top afterwards</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Grate or food process the summer squash, one large or two small is plenty. Put the pile in a strong paper towel and squeeze the heck out of it with your hands until all the juice comes out. If you have a little more or less than a cup it doesn't really matter.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chop the tomatoes like you would for pico de gallo. Two tomatoes, or a bunch of cherry tomatoes should be about right. Pick up the pieces of tomato, leaving as much of the juice and seeds behind as you can, and place them on a paper towel, then lay another paper towel on top and gently press to get more juice out. Again, slightly more or less than a cup doesn't matter. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Put your veggies in a mixing bowl and add the flour, baking powder and spices and toss well with a spoon. Next add the crumbled goat cheese (to be honest I think I had more like a 1/3 cup goat cheese, but this is kind of up to you.) Add the egg last and mix well. The batter will be like chunky drop biscuit batter.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Heat the oil on medium high until it's really hot. Make the fritters about a heaping tablespoon each. I like to scoop out the batter with the spoon, but then I shape it a little bit in my hands like a flattened meatball before I put it in the pan. Fry them for at least a minute in each side. Now sometimes I accidentally turn them too soon, because I panic about how brown they are getting, but they can be pretty dark brown and they will be really good, crispy on the outside and juicy and cheesy on the inside. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">When you pull them out of the pan place them on a paper towel in a single layer to drain, and salt and pepper them immediately.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now, if you want them even more crisp- when you are spooning and gently molding the batter into the little patties, you can then coat each side with some panko bread crumbs. If I were doing this, I would do them all first before starting to fry them, because it takes too much time to coat each one before you plop them in the pan; you don't want the cooking times of each patty to be that far apart. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you are avoiding red meat, you
could make a larger hamburger-patty shaped version and stick it on a
toasted bun with a little mayo or HP sauce. You could also serve the
larger ones at breakfast with a fried egg on top (and you can be all trendy
that way, it seems everyone puts fried eggs on their food these days, right?)
If you're doing gluten-free just use corn meal instead of flour. If
you're doing non-dairy this in an opportunity to use one of those
Toffuti cream or ricotta cheeses. </span></span>ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-25481311866185384222014-08-06T22:33:00.002-07:002014-08-06T22:34:37.529-07:00Summer Country Captain- Inspiration from the American South...via British India<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qUfNlh5lGHE/U-MNM9T-X8I/AAAAAAAAAnI/jIRTcW--zxQ/s1600/chiccap.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qUfNlh5lGHE/U-MNM9T-X8I/AAAAAAAAAnI/jIRTcW--zxQ/s1600/chiccap.JPG" height="241" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Country Captain is a curried stew that's popular in Georgia and the Carolinas, and according to Wikipedia it was a favorite dish of General George Patton. (That makes it fancy and historical, so you should enli</span></span><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">ven your dinner conversation</span></span> with gripping tales of the second world war.) It's savory and sweet and slightly exotic, and I call it "Summer" Country Captain because instead of using canned tomatoes, I use fresh. If it's winter-time and the tomatoes are total crap, well then please use chopped canned tomatoes; but I have a garden bursting with more tomatoes than I can use right now, so here's my version of this recipe. Y'all are going to want to try this. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">2-3 pounds of chicken thighs, or enough to cover the bottom of whatever pot or deep pan you're going to use.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup flour</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 Tablespoons butter</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 Tablespoon oil (I use olive oil, I'm Greek) </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 large sweet onion, chopped</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 orange or yellow bell peppers, chopped </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">3 rounded cups of roughly chopped fresh sweet tomatoes (or use canned) </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup golden raisins (don't worry if you think you don't like raisins, they plump up and melt into the stew)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 shot dark spiced rum (or brandy of you don't have rum) </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/3 cup water or stock</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 bay leaves</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon black pepper </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon thyme</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon celery seed</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon garlic powder </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 Tablespoon curry powder</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 big pinch red pepper flakes (or more if you want it super spicy)</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/4 cup sliced almonds (important)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cooked rice (not so important)</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">First sprinkle the chicken with a little salt and pepper, then coat the pieces in flour. Heat the butter and oil in the pan on high heat and then brown the chicken on both sides, this will take like 3-5 minutes per side. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ceJWhuI0Ybo/U-MNf0Yj2nI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/-UGjHDx-U48/s1600/chickcap1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ceJWhuI0Ybo/U-MNf0Yj2nI/AAAAAAAAAnQ/-UGjHDx-U48/s1600/chickcap1.JPG" height="236" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Remove the chicken and set aside while you saute the chopped onion, pepper and the spices in the hot oil, stirring frequently. After about 5-6 minutes of sauteing, add the chopped tomatoes, rum, sugar and water. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a low brisk simmer and add the chicken pieces, kind of immersing them in the veggies and liquid.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5yi5rfB8Iew/U-MNuLfzMxI/AAAAAAAAAnY/N-wOnWXjZfo/s1600/chickcap2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5yi5rfB8Iew/U-MNuLfzMxI/AAAAAAAAAnY/N-wOnWXjZfo/s1600/chickcap2.JPG" height="220" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Add the golden raisins or fruit at this point. Most recipes say to add them at the end, but I like the way they flavor the sauce when you add them earlier. Simmer <i>uncovered</i> for 45 minutes on that same temperature (on my stove top it was a 3), then you can turn it all the way down to low/warm after it's done until it's ready to serve. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Serve one or two chicken thighs per person and plenty of sauce, over a bed of *rice, with slivered almonds sprinkled on top. Now rice is traditional of course, but I don't see why buttered noodles, mashed potatoes or grits wouldn't be just as good. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's best served with chilled, slightly sweet, German white wines or a cold Pilsner beer. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">*To make rice, just boil twice as much water as you have rice (It's 2 water to 1 rice), along with a little butter and salt, then add the rice, turn the heat down to a low simmer and cover, cook for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">People sometimes mess up their rice by either adding the rice into the cold water (mushy rice) or by letting the water boil too long before they add the rice (crunchy rice) so, keep your eye on the water! You want to add the rice when the water first starts bubbling away, then set the timer for the 20 minutes. </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-44371196402817078722014-04-14T21:25:00.000-07:002014-04-14T21:26:24.452-07:00Not Quite Normal Potato Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ckmta2SOyu0/U0yuLfC_CbI/AAAAAAAAAmk/-21X5yew-88/s1600/salad3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ckmta2SOyu0/U0yuLfC_CbI/AAAAAAAAAmk/-21X5yew-88/s1600/salad3.JPG" height="320" width="319" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients: </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">2-3 medium sized boiled Yukon gold potatoes (skin on) cut into one inch cubes</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 cups of sweet grape tomatoes, cut in half</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup thinly sliced sweet onion (use a lot less if it's not a sweet onion) </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 handful (about a cup) of arugula (a.k.a. rocket) leaves, chopped </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon olive oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon mayonnaise</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon mustard </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon garlic salt </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 oz. feta cheese or other sharp cheese (optional). If you don't use feta, add a little extra salt.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">If the potatoes are still warm, go ahead and toss in the olive oil and garlic salt on them first, and then let them cool completely before adding the other ingredients. Now because you are using tomatoes, this isn't really a potato salad that you mix up ahead of time, but you can do all the chopping ahead and then mix it all together at the last minute. The arugula adds a peppery-ness to it, so you don't need to add pepper. If you do I would go with white pepper, not black. If you aren't doing dairy, a good substitute to add richness is a crumbled hard boiled egg yolk (no white, that's not a great texture here.) </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">I just ate this for lunch and it didn't need bread or anything. But it would go great with fried chicken too! </span></span><br />
<br />ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-91540761722864418502013-12-25T12:19:00.000-08:002014-12-24T13:49:17.242-08:00Christmas Day Gingerbread Cookies<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bf9FPJtXyp8/Urs9NyuzrGI/AAAAAAAAAlg/G_V6sMZ-rbU/s1600/Gingerbread.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bf9FPJtXyp8/Urs9NyuzrGI/AAAAAAAAAlg/G_V6sMZ-rbU/s320/Gingerbread.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">These cookies are thin and chewy, so if you like that kind of cookie, you'll really love these. They are good for making vanilla ice cream cookie sandwiches, or you can frost them with buttercream. They have an interesting soft sugary crystalline texture because the sugar doesn't get creamed with the butter. If you can't have dairy, the butter can be replaced with margarine or Crisco and the recipe will still work, and then you could use <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/7-minute-frosting-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">7-minute frosting</a> to ice them. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">3 cups all purpose flour</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">3/4 cup brown sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">3/4 cup white sugar </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 teaspoons cinnamon</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 rounded teaspoon ginger</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 teaspoons baking soda</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;">2 sticks of soft butter</span></span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/3 cup mild molasses </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 egg</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mix the flour, sugars, spices and baking soda in you mixer first, then add the butter, molasses and egg. If you butter the measuring cup with one of the wrappers, the molasses will come out of the it easier. Mix the ingredients for a few minutes on medium speed until it looks combined. The dough will look and feel a little bit like wet sand. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Using a heaping teaspoon of dough at a time, roll each lump of dough into a ball, then squash it flat into a round cookie shape. Place them on the cookie pan, </span></span><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">spaced about an inch apart since they will spread out a little.</span></span> Bake for ten minutes, then let the cookies rest on the pan for another two-four minutes or so, until they stiffen up enough to remove them with a spatula without messing them up. Because they are thin, they don't tell long to cool, so you can frost them after they sit on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes.</span></span>ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-57098528979102311522013-11-13T18:23:00.002-08:002013-11-13T18:29:03.520-08:00Bourbon Baked Chicken and Parsnips <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wZkR4guLq00/UoKRXKuFE4I/AAAAAAAAAlE/_EgDJD_0PCM/s1600/Chickendish.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wZkR4guLq00/UoKRXKuFE4I/AAAAAAAAAlE/_EgDJD_0PCM/s320/Chickendish.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is very similar to my lavender and brandy chicken (and everyone else's baked chicken) so it's not particularly groundbreaking, but it's good stuff. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now for drinking, I don't like whiskey or bourbon, or really any dark liquor that much, except for spiced rum. I've never acquired the taste, and that's probably for the best. But in small amounts, I think the nutty spicy flavor of these liquors go really well in meat dishes. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Not everyone is into parsnips. Even though they look like big white carrots, they taste very, very different. Once you stop expecting them to taste as sweet as carrots though, you'll probably like them, especially if you like other root vegetables. In this recipe, I didn't bother writing it in the ingredients, but I added a few leftover baby carrot sticks I had in the fridge too. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">-4 large chicken thighs for two people, or 4 leg quarters for four people</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">-2 tablespoons melted butter, or good olive oil, or one of each.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">-A heaping teaspoon each of thyme, rosemary and marjoram, salt, and pepper. Double these amounts if you're using chicken leg quarters instead of thighs. Now I happened to have these herbs growing still out back, so if you have fresh, use them, and you can just kind of throw as many sprigs as you want in the bottom of the pan before you put everything in, without actually pulling the leaves off and chopping them up. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">-2 to 4 parsnips, sliced in half and chopped into even-ish 3 inch pieces (however many pieces you can squeeze into the baking pan with the chicken)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">-About 2-3 ounces of good Kentucky Bourbon (you can just get one of those cute little bottles from the convenience store if you don't have any at home)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Coat the chicken and parsnip chunks with the butter or oil, then sprinkle all over with the spices. Bake in a pan in a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes, until you see some browning on the tops of the chicken thighs. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">After 30 minutes, sprinkle the bourbon over the top of everything, then put it back in the oven on 350 for another 20-30 minutes. I do 30 minutes because when you're cooking dark meat only, you don't have to worry about the chicken drying out, it will just fall off the bone easier and the parsnips will be nice and soft. For leg quarters, add an extra 15 minutes.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Serve with cranberry sauce, or lingonberry preserves (if you have an Ikea near you, you can get some there.) It's extra special if you have more bourbon to throw some of it in the cranberry sauce when you're cooking it.</span></span><br />
<br />ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-17483549656258341292013-10-30T18:07:00.001-07:002013-11-03T21:42:49.282-08:00Pork Tenderloin with Peach Sauce and Sesame Arugula Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KHl1qHrSHcs/UnGskie1eXI/AAAAAAAAAk0/HIKnqZD1zuE/s1600/butterfly+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KHl1qHrSHcs/UnGskie1eXI/AAAAAAAAAk0/HIKnqZD1zuE/s320/butterfly+014.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Can you tell we got a lot of peaches from our neighbors this year?</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients for two or three people:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">One pork tenderloin, somewhere between one and two-ish pounds </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">For marinade:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 tablespoons orange juice</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoons soy sauce</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon honey</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 teaspoons Montreal Steak Seasoning (if you don't have this, just use some granulated garlic, coarse salt and cracked pepper)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon allspice</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon olive oil </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Put the pork tenderloin in a dish or plastic bag, rub the ingredients above all over it and set it in the fridge either overnight or at least for a few hours.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">When you're ready to cook it, preheat the oven to 425 degrees, shake off the excess marinade from the meat and put it on a foil-lined baking sheet with an extra slosh of olive oil and a sprinkling of dried thyme over the top. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the meat thermometer says 165 degrees. I REALLY recommend using a meat thermometer. Overcooked pork SUCKS!</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the Peach Sauce:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup of peach jam, OR a big fresh over-ripe peach, peeled and chopped up, plus a tablespoon or two of sugar. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup good brandy</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 jalapeno, chopped finely, and/or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon butter</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Heat the butter in a small pan and add the chopped jalapeno. Let it cook over medium heat for a few minutes, then add the peach jam and brandy and cook it down, until about half of the brandy looks like it's gone. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Spoon a small amount over the slices of the pork tenderloin and serve with salad. If you want a starchy side dish, I would do rice. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the salad:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">One bag of arugula leaves</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon sesame seeds</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">a big handful of crunchy Chinese salad noodles (optional, but use slightly less dressing if you don't use these)</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 tablespoons of orange juice</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">zest of half an orange</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 tablespoons of olive or peanut oil</span></span><span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 heaping tablespoons of honey </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon of soy sauce</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon of rice vinegar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"> 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 mashed up garlic clove</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mix all of the dressing ingredients together and let it sit in the fridge while the pork is cooking. When the pork is ready, dress the salad and toss it all up, but take out the garlic clove first.</span></span><br />
<br />ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-41944557336074641272013-10-08T11:21:00.000-07:002013-10-08T11:31:18.242-07:00Fall is here! Beef and Golden Beet Stew with Gnocchi <span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Don't worry about exact measurements here, to be honest I didn't actually measure out the chopped vegetables or meat, so you can play around with those amounts and it won't really matter, but I would err on the side of too much on the vegetables rather than too little. When they are chopped finely like this, they melt into the stew and become a thick comforting gravy, perfect for a chilly fall Sunday evening.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4slFHBVBauk/UlRMqGgj6ZI/AAAAAAAAAkI/NAuxFMIU6Y8/s1600/phone+pictures+10+8+082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4slFHBVBauk/UlRMqGgj6ZI/AAAAAAAAAkI/NAuxFMIU6Y8/s320/phone+pictures+10+8+082.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 1/2 to 2 pounds beef stew meat, cubed (chuck roast is good)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 bottle red wine</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">water </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">5 small golden beets </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/3 cup flour for dusting on the meat. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup chopped red onion</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup finely chopped fennel bulb</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup finely chopped carrot</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup finely chopped celery</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">4 tablespoons olive oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 heaping tablespoon herbs de Provence</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 teaspoons salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 teaspoons pepper</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 bay leaves </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 package of gnocchi, or make your own homemade recipe</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">In your stew pot, heat up two of the tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat, then brown up the stew meat chunks that you've already dusted with flour. This will take a few minutes, and hopefully you'll get lots of good brown stuff stuck to the bottom of the pan. When the meat is browned on most sides, dump it out on a plate and use about a cup of the wine to de-glaze the pan for one minute, still on medium-high heat, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the crusty brown bits on the bottom.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Turn down the heat to a low simmer, and put the meat back in the pot, along with a teaspoon of salt, a teaspoon of pepper and the dried herbs.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">While the meat gets started simmering in that cup of wine, you can chop up the onion, celery, carrots and fennel, and then saute them </span></span><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">in a separate frying pan with</span></span> the other two tablespoons of olive oil, on high heat. Add the other teaspoon of salt and pepper to these veggies and stir them around occasionally. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kyBwnp9iYrg/UlRIKKEUc1I/AAAAAAAAAjk/oBRrtC-v35g/s1600/phone+pictures+10+8+074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kyBwnp9iYrg/UlRIKKEUc1I/AAAAAAAAAjk/oBRrtC-v35g/s320/phone+pictures+10+8+074.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">After about five minutes of cooking, when you see some brown edges on the veggies, add some of the wine, a few splashes at a time, so that it evaporates as it goes and get absorbed into the veggies, use about a half cup of wine total for this part. </span></span><br />
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<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tKfYEGIjbLM/UlRIUyILNMI/AAAAAAAAAjs/xjZllfzGkg0/s1600/phone+pictures+10+8+078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tKfYEGIjbLM/UlRIUyILNMI/AAAAAAAAAjs/xjZllfzGkg0/s320/phone+pictures+10+8+078.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Turn off the heat when all of the liquid is absorbed and the veggies look soft and yummy. Doing this separate step, instead of just throwing the raw vegetables in, is the difference between. "Mmm, good stew." and "Wow, this is so good!" </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m4D9U5Y8o-I/UlRIlDlycMI/AAAAAAAAAj0/mHtOpwNFqRU/s1600/phone+pictures+10+8+077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m4D9U5Y8o-I/UlRIlDlycMI/AAAAAAAAAj0/mHtOpwNFqRU/s320/phone+pictures+10+8+077.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"> With the beets, just use a paring knife to kind of "give them a shave," just scrape the outsides to clean them up a bit, don't peel them like a potato. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just before adding the water and bay leaves</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Quarter them and add them to the stew, along with the chopped veggies that you just cooked, and the bay leaves. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Add enough warm water to cover the ingredients, then cover the stew and simmer on very low (just a few slow bubbles) for one hour. After one hour, tilt the lid so it's partially open, and cook for another hour. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">After the two hours, dump in your dried gnocchi packet and stir, then turn heat up to a brisk simmer and cook for about three minutes or until gnocchi is done. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you are making <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-chiarello/potato-gnocchi-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">homemade gnocchi</a> or <a href="http://www.fitnessisdelicious.com/2013/06/05/sweet-potato-basil-gnocchi-recipe/" target="_blank">paleo sweet potato gnocchi</a>, just follow the recipe cooking instructions and serve the stew over them instead of mixing them in to cook. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">I recommend a Tempranillo or red Zinfandel wine with this. </span></span>ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-35130851341102945382013-09-20T22:19:00.002-07:002013-09-20T22:28:47.589-07:00My Best Beef Ribs and Yukon Gold Potato Salad<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M05kncq2h88/Uj0mDSlm2gI/AAAAAAAAAjU/kyTya7hrDkI/s1600/food+and+stuff+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-M05kncq2h88/Uj0mDSlm2gI/AAAAAAAAAjU/kyTya7hrDkI/s320/food+and+stuff+002.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beef rib, potato salad and peach-pepper preserves</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Does this really need an intro?</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">7-10 beef ribs</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 bottle of cheap white wine</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/3 cup black-strap molasses</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon salt </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon Montreal steak seasoning OR a clove of garlic and a tablespoon of cracked peppercorns. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon red pepper flakes</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon ground allspice</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 bay leaves </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">enough water to cover the ribs in the pot</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">For glazing:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">One bottle of Your Favorite Barbeque Sauce</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/4 cup peach jam preserves</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/4 cup pepper jelly</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cut your rack of beef ribs into one or two-rib portions. Place in a big pot with the wine, molasses and spices, then fill with warm water until the ribs are just covered. Put the heat on high, then as soon as it starts bubbling, turn the heat down to low and simmer for at least one hour, but no more than two. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">After you put the ribs on to simmer, you can make the<b> potato salad.</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients: </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">24 ounces of small yukon gold potatoes, or honey gold baby potatoes (good potatoes are very important)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/4 cup Best Foods, Hellman's or home made mayonaisse </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/4 cup of <i>sweet</i> yellow onion, chopped very fine </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 tablespoons olive oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon Malabar black pepper</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon dried dill </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon of plain prepared mustard </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">zest of half a lemon</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">juice of half a lemon </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Boil the potatoes for 15-20 minutes, or just until you can stick a butter knife through one of them. Set a timer, it really sucks when you overcook them, you'll end up with mashed potatoes. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">After you drain off the water, cut the potatoes, holding them with a paper towel so you don't burn your hands. If you have the baby potatoes, just cut them in half, if they are bigger, cut them in quarters (duh). </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">While they are still warm, toss the potatoes in a bowl with the olive oil, chopped onion, salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. Leave them out on the counter to cool to room temperature. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Once the potatoes are no longer warm add the mayo, mustard, dill, and lemon juice and zest, mix well, taste for salt. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve. Sometimes I sprinkle it with chopped chives or fresh dill on top so it looks pretty. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Back to the ribs-</b> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">When the ribs are done simmering (covered or uncovered, either way is fine), remove them from the liquid and put them either out on the barbeque on medium low for about ten minutes to crisp up, or stick them under your broiler in the oven for ten minutes to crisp up, either way is fine. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Glaze them with your favorite sauce (I like Rufus Teague) mixed with the peach jam and pepper jelly. (I had my own peach-jalapeno jam, so unless you live in my house you won't have that.) Put the ribs back on the grill for a few miutes to heat the sauce and make it sticky, then they're ready to serve. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #660000;">Don't put the ribs with sauce under the broiler though, if you are using the oven instead of the grill, just turn it down to 400 degrees for the post-sauce cooking. </span></span>ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-45485178113327008932013-09-13T21:11:00.000-07:002013-09-14T17:17:40.152-07:00Cream Tea Cakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iCG16E_Xtrg/UjO5exkgU0I/AAAAAAAAAi4/Px0Kj_9Jx_4/s1600/food+and+stuff+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iCG16E_Xtrg/UjO5exkgU0I/AAAAAAAAAi4/Px0Kj_9Jx_4/s320/food+and+stuff+006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you're having the girls over for tea, cake is always a good idea, but making a full sized cake sometimes makes people go into a calorie panic and they ask you for "just a tiny piece". Well, it's impossible to cut a truly tiny piece, and even more impossible to get that paper thin travesty from the serving spatula to the plate without it falling apart and looking crappy. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-size: large;">Tiny cupcakes are of course a fine option, but even though they are trendy, they might seem a little juvenile for certain gatherings. My suggestion is to dispense with the muffin tin liners and use the large six-muffin pan to bake six small cakes, which can then be cut in half or in quarters to make delicate little pieces of cake, just the right size for a lady-like tea party. Butter and flour the inside of each cup, just as you would a cake pan. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">1 2/3 cup flour</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">1/2 cup soft butter</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">1/2 cup sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">2/3 cup heavy cream</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">3 eggs</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">2 teaspoons baking powder</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">2 teaspoons vanilla</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">a pinch of cinnamon (just a hint, hardly noticeable) </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Mix all of the ingredients together in your mixer on medium speed for two minutes, or by hand for a few minutes longer. Pour batter evenly into the six cups of the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes, or until just golden brown and cooked. Try not to overcook them. When they are done, pull them out of the oven, wait a few minutes then run a butter knife carefully around the edges of each little cake and remove them from the pan to cool. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">For the frosting:</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">1 1/3 cup powdered sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">1 teaspoon vanilla </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">1 tablespoon cream</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">3 drops red food coloring</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">1 drop green food coloring</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Mix well until fully blended and creamy, then pipe onto each cake to cover the tops. <br />Try not to eat them all yourself.</span></span>ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-7592370169471335342013-09-03T16:07:00.002-07:002015-06-12T13:54:30.524-07:00Gigantes, Greek Baked Beans<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you've got vegans coming 'round for dinner, this is going to be way more substantial and comforting for everyone involved than just throwing together some Pasta Margherita.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">To prep the beans for cooking: </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Hopefully you can find these beans dried, <i>gigantes</i> are basically like large dried butter beans or large lima beans, or you can use dried fava beans. Pour your <b>bag of dry beans</b> into a large bowl of water and let them soak overnight, at least 12 hours or more. Simmer them in a large pot of water (not salted) for about 45 minutes. You can taste one after 30 minutes to see if they're done, you want them to be soft enough to bite into easily, but not super mushy like canned beans. When you're done you should have about <b>2 pounds of soaked, simmered beans</b>. (You can weigh out and use canned or frozen beans if you must, but I wouldn't.)</span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u9JagkCx9mk/UiZnmcHcEeI/AAAAAAAAAh4/ZAOlo-ykVGg/s1600/phone+pics3+037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u9JagkCx9mk/UiZnmcHcEeI/AAAAAAAAAh4/ZAOlo-ykVGg/s320/phone+pics3+037.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After you drain the beans, put them in a lasagne sized pan, and then in the pot you used to cook the beans, put in:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil.</b> (Yes, all that oil.)</span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">1 large onion, roughly chopped</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Saute on medium heat for five minutes, then add:</span><br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bcRj-BNJq_Y/UiZnrRxPHsI/AAAAAAAAAiA/oRSSCB-fGdw/s1600/phone+pics3+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bcRj-BNJq_Y/UiZnrRxPHsI/AAAAAAAAAiA/oRSSCB-fGdw/s320/phone+pics3+038.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 small can (about 3 oz.) tomato paste</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">1 bay leaf</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon black pepper</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">1 Tablespoon salt</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">(add a pinch of thyme or rosemary if you want to be different) </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Saute for another five minutes. </span><br />
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<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Pour in<b> 2 1/3 cups of warm water or vegetable stock</b>, then pour this pot of sauce over the beans that are waiting in the pan. Mix it all around a bit. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0HOBpnuwGyg/UiZnwL_xFII/AAAAAAAAAiI/EyenZy-fKa8/s1600/phone+pics3+039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0HOBpnuwGyg/UiZnwL_xFII/AAAAAAAAAiI/EyenZy-fKa8/s320/phone+pics3+039.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Bake in a 350 degree oven for one hour, uncovered.The top bits and the edges should look a little brown and crunchy when they're done.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">STOVE TOP: If you don't want to heat up the whole house with the oven, after you saute the onions, just add the tomato and spice, then use equal parts of water to beans, and simmer on the stove for one hour uncovered (this is in addition to the 45 minutes you already cooked them,) up to two hours depending on how soft you want your beans. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">You <i>can </i>eat these hot, with big hunks of baguette, but I like to let them cool off a bit, then put them in the fridge and serve them the next day, they are more buttery and delicious served room temperature.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GxA_mtcw8Pw/UiZn1xMYdOI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/z66KPDF_uDg/s1600/phone+pics3+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GxA_mtcw8Pw/UiZn1xMYdOI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/z66KPDF_uDg/s320/phone+pics3+044.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Here they are cooked on the stove top. No crunchy bits but still yummy!</span> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IOic86oQbQo/VXtGva0gL8I/AAAAAAAAAx4/IkiX1RYU9jI/s1600/phone%2B61115%2B420.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IOic86oQbQo/VXtGva0gL8I/AAAAAAAAAx4/IkiX1RYU9jI/s320/phone%2B61115%2B420.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">stove top gigantes</td></tr>
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<br />ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-21871928946508298292013-08-25T17:49:00.000-07:002013-09-08T13:33:04.831-07:00Soft Pretzel Dinner Rolls<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-orpJl2jHg9Y/UhqlpHK206I/AAAAAAAAAhg/TVVytLVvlOE/s1600/pretzel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-orpJl2jHg9Y/UhqlpHK206I/AAAAAAAAAhg/TVVytLVvlOE/s320/pretzel.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Costco has great pretzel rolls, but they come in this huge bag which you are guaranteed to eat in two days and get all fat. Instead, just make eight of them and mitigate the weight gain. I don't know what their recipe is, but mine is kind of awesome.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the dough:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 packet Rapid Rise yeast</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 cup warm milk</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/4 cup melted lard (just do it)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon baking powder</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 tablespoons sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 2/3 cups flour (if you're flour isn't as dry as mine was, you might need almost 3 cups, you just want the dough to come away from the sides of the bowl easily and not be too crazy sticky.) </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the tops of the rolls:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 beaten egg, to brush on, plus a little kosher salt for sprinkling. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: large;">For "bath" water:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"> 5 cups water</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/3 cup baking soda</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">In a bowl, mix up the yeast, warm milk and sugar, then add the rest of the ingredients making sure that the baking powder is distributed evenly in the flour first. Knead the dough for a bit, you don't need to do it for a long time. Separate the dough into 8 even rolls. Let them rise uncovered on your cutting board for 30 minutes. Meanwhile bring to a boil the water and baking soda in a medium saucepan and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">When the rolls have risen, use a slotted spatula to carefully lower each roll into the boiling baking soda water, one at a time, face down. Let each one go for about 30 seconds, then flip it over and let it boil on the underside for about ten seconds, then move it to a small oiled cookie sheet, putting them all fairly close together. If you don't have non-stick pans, you might want to line the pan with oiled parchment paper. Brush each roll with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #783f04;"><span style="font-size: large;">Bake the rolls for 11 minutes, until they're dark brown like a pretzel.</span></span>ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-1642865543026444052013-08-18T15:54:00.001-07:002013-08-19T13:21:44.028-07:00Roasted Chicken with Moscato Peach Sauce and Black Rice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZJTxxw4PdOI/Ug_Op1NUOGI/AAAAAAAAAg8/Qo3cZekdQaI/s1600/phone+pics+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZJTxxw4PdOI/Ug_Op1NUOGI/AAAAAAAAAg8/Qo3cZekdQaI/s200/phone+pics+014.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">First of all, you don't have to use black rice. I just happened to see a giant bag of it at Costco and decided to try it. It looks really pretty (if you compare them in your brain to shiny black pebbles instead of bugs) and it tastes sweeter and nuttier than regular white rice. Don't follow the water amounts on the bag though, I noticed that it needed the standard 2 cups water to 1 cup rice just like any other kind, but you do need to cook it for 30 minutes like it says, I didn't add anything fancy to the rice, just salt and butter at the end. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Now to the chicken. I use chicken thighs- they cook quickly and they stay moist no matter what. If you absolutely insist on using chicken breast (because you're a weirdo like my husband) then at least use the breast with the bone and skin still on. I'm yawning just thinking about chicken breast. For this recipe, you want 8-10 chicken thighs (two per person). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u>Season the thighs first with</u>:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1/4 cup olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon salt</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">2 teaspoons black pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1 heaping tablespoon (or more) of dried herb, I used thyme, but you can do sage or marjoram, or whatever strikes your fancy.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u>The peach sauce</u>:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">2 cups of fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup white sugar</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup Muscat wine (Moscato) cheap stuff is fine</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon salt</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or white pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon of cornstarch diluted in a little bit of water</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Bring the ingredients to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u>To cook everything in order:</u></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">-Preheat the oven to 375 for the chicken. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">-Get your peach sauce going on the stove.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">-Start the water boiling for the rice. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">-Put the seasoned chicken in a roasting pan in the oven. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">-Pour your rice into the boiling water, cover, turn down to simmer and set your timer for 30 minutes. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">-At the end of that time, pour peach sauce over the top of the chicken and put the chicken back in the oven another 15 minutes. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> -After pouring the sauce on the chicken, turn the heat off of the rice and let it sit there covered until the chicken is done.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Serve the chicken with the buttered and salted rice and lots of the pan juices poured over the top. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Obviously you could serve white wine with this, but a cold beer and biscuits would be good too. </span>ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-85703923067265340192013-08-16T11:49:00.002-07:002013-08-17T17:18:51.835-07:00Tomato 'Relish' and Tomato Jam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SISkit0WXoM/Ug5zNVdDUJI/AAAAAAAAAf4/ArZMuCLaLWk/s1600/tomato+relish.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SISkit0WXoM/Ug5zNVdDUJI/AAAAAAAAAf4/ArZMuCLaLWk/s320/tomato+relish.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">I had a bit of a disaster yesterday. I tried to make tomato jam, but no one ever told me that if you don't put massive amounts of sugar in with your fruit, the regular pectin doesn't work right. I have read tons of recipes where I thought to myself, "that's a freakin' lot of sugar," but I never knew the reason for it. I guess I should say "skimmed", I <i>skimmed</i> tons of recipes. I mean, sure, the pectin <i>directions</i> stated the sugar to fruit ratio facts very clearly, but by God who would have thought you would need to read a giant double-sided fold-out insert just to use a pouch of pectin? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">So here's my recipe for, uhm, chunky sweet and sour ketchup salsa relish...stuff. It's not gross, I swear. In fact with some chicken stock and a splash of cream it would make a good tomato soup. I spooned some of it over an Italian sausage in a bun for dinner tonight and it was pretty damn good, so it would probably work as barbeque sauce too.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">5 pounds of fresh ripe tomatoes, at least half should be paste tomatoes like Roma or San Marzano. Mix it up with different varieties though, it will look cool.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 large sweet onion</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon fresh oregano </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon fresh thyme </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon fresh rosemary</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"> 2 cups brown sugar </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/4 cup balsamic vinegar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon cinnamon</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon granulated garlic</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon allspice</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon pepper</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon red pepper flakes</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 pouch of Certo pectin. But regular doesn't work here, so buy a low sugar kind instead if you want this to be jam instead of sauce/relish. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Chop up all of the fresh ingredients in a food processor, but not too much- leave it chunky. Put that chunky mess in a pot with the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Turn it down a bit and cook for thirty minutes then add pectin. Turn the heat back up and boil one more minute, then pour in sterile jars. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">I think instead of screwing it up like I just did, you really <i>could</i> make tomato jam by adding 2 more cups of white sugar and cooking it down a little longer before adding the pectin. Then you could actually spread it on crackers and cheese like I originally planned. When I get more ripe tomatoes I'll try it and let you know how it works out. I actually tried to save mine after it was too late by adding an extra cup of white sugar, but one more wasn't enough, I think you would need four cups of sugar total for jam. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Or just get the <a href="http://www.pomonapectin.com/" target="_blank">Pomona</a> stuff that works with low-sugar recipes, which, now that I know about, I will purchase ASAP.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Update,
Day 2: Successful tomato jam has happened, and I tried a simpler flavor
approach too. I'm going to make a bacon, cheese and tomato jam sandwich
for lunch, yay me.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;">3 pounds tomatoes, roughly chopped</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;">3 cups white sugar</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;">1/8 cup apple cider viegar</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;">1 teaspoon red pepper flakes</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;">1 teaspoon salt</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;">1 teaspoon granulated garlic</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;">1 rounded teaspoon dried savory</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Pomona Universal Pectin </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N6K-_QGgX6w/UhASkRdoGLI/AAAAAAAAAhM/N7MSmes54b0/s1600/food+003.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N6K-_QGgX6w/UhASkRdoGLI/AAAAAAAAAhM/N7MSmes54b0/s320/food+003.JPG" width="320" /></a>I
simmered the ingredients about 20 minutes, then added 3 tsp. calcium
water, turned the heat up and added 4 teaspoons pectin mixed with 1/8
cup sugar, and stirred while it boiled for about one minute, then filled
the jars. (Both the calcium and pectin come in the box together.) </span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N6K-_QGgX6w/UhASkRdoGLI/AAAAAAAAAhM/N7MSmes54b0/s1600/food+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #274e13;"> </span></span></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">I found a few good jam recipes online, but none that looked just right. In my search I found some great blogs, but also some of the cheesiest food blogs that made me cringe. I don't mean like, "a blog
about cheese," I mean like <i>cheesy</i>. I read one where in order to find the
recipe from the title I had to slog through paragraphs of the author
raving on and on about his upcoming honeymoon overseas (gag me) and
another where the author went on and on about her adorable little boy
who just <i>loves</i> his vegetables (double gag me). If I ever sound
that insipid (and way off topic,) for chrissake someone just break my
laptop and put me out of my misery. </span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1maXw9DkN9s/Ug2-40iDIII/AAAAAAAAAfo/zfyoG8Oq1CY/s1600/tomatoes.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1maXw9DkN9s/Ug2-40iDIII/AAAAAAAAAfo/zfyoG8Oq1CY/s200/tomatoes.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">So I promise, if the title implies
that a recipe is forthcoming, I will give you the goods up front and put my
off-topic ramblings at the end. Like this. </span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-68251901743551289752013-08-15T15:45:00.003-07:002015-02-02T15:29:46.184-08:00Roadside Fig Preserves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-akc084-_BnE/Ug1SVCXGQeI/AAAAAAAAAew/FJafaAU5HJA/s1600/Fig+Jam.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-akc084-_BnE/Ug1SVCXGQeI/AAAAAAAAAew/FJafaAU5HJA/s320/Fig+Jam.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Directions:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">First, find yourself some figs.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">You could go buy some at the store, or if you live in California you can tool around the back roads, preferably near old farms and river levees, and look for huge out-of-control fig trees that grow on the side of the road. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q_qV_WWptFI/Ug1ToExPaNI/AAAAAAAAAfA/CoPPWLJcB2g/s1600/delta+trip+115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q_qV_WWptFI/Ug1ToExPaNI/AAAAAAAAAfA/CoPPWLJcB2g/s320/delta+trip+115.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;"> My rule of thumb for scavenging figs is that if the tree is not obviously part of someone's yard, and has a large amount of figs on the ground, you can bet that no one will care if you take some. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">If it's part of an orchard, that's pretty much stealing. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Although having said that, I <i>did</i> take some pears from an orchard that had already been harvested and only had a few banged up stragglers left that were obviously going to be allowed to fall on the ground. I feel no guilt. </span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zZ-qQbxS9Y0/Ug1Tx3UqDNI/AAAAAAAAAfM/8Y9yyT0vvNg/s1600/delta+trip+029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zZ-qQbxS9Y0/Ug1Tx3UqDNI/AAAAAAAAAfM/8Y9yyT0vvNg/s320/delta+trip+029.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d;">This is what I mean by out-of-control fig trees.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">After you've collected your loot, you will want to eat a bunch of them in the car. Judging the ripeness of figs is a little different from other fruit. You don't want them firm, although for preserves or jam it's okay if they're not quite ripe yet. Ripe figs feel soft to the touch and come off the tree very easily. If it feels like a firm tomato, it's not ready. If it feels like an over-ripe slightly squishy tomato, it's just right. If they look like they have cracks, that's fine. </span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QDufOH-JmHw/Ug1VtHoFTeI/AAAAAAAAAfY/wv53KyBfyIs/s1600/Fruit+Haul.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QDufOH-JmHw/Ug1VtHoFTeI/AAAAAAAAAfY/wv53KyBfyIs/s320/Fruit+Haul.JPG" height="285" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Our Fruit Haul</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"></span></div>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">To make about two big jars of preserves, you need:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Two of the larger sized canning jars and lids</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">3 pounds of fresh figs </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 1/2 cups of sugar, or 3 cups if the figs aren't super sweet</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup water</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Zest and juice of one large lemon</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon ground ginger</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Boil your jars and lids to disinfect. Meanwhile, slice your figs into discs, about four slices per fig. Put them all in a big pot with the rest of the ingredients, and simmer on a brisk med-low simmer (I set the stove top on 3) for about 30-40 minutes uncovered, stirring gently and occasionally, it should look all thick and chunky and syrupy when it's done. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fill the jars, leaving just a bit of room at the top. Screw on the lids really well and them put the jars back in the pot of bubbling water that you used to disinfect the jars, for about five-ten minutes. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Remove and let them cool. I store them in the fridge, but you should be able to store them in a cool dry cabinet until they're opened. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Serving suggestions-</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Obviously you could serve this with good old bread and butter, but fig preserves go really well with goat cheese, and other cheeses (I'm sure you've seen fig and goat cheese recipes all over the internet) and it's also great with Greek yogurt or ice cream. Add a 1/2 cup of it to your favorite beef stew recipe along with some coriander, or use it to glaze a roasted chicken about ten minutes before you take the chicken out of the oven.</span> </span>ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-64273607834681106462013-08-13T21:28:00.001-07:002013-08-13T21:46:09.238-07:00Jeannie's Crunchy Custard Lulu's<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">I promised I wouldn't post another summer squash recipe, so then, of course, I had nothing else to write about. Thank God my sister came to town and dragged me out of my squash rut. We made many non-squashy dishes which I will soon share. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">This first dessert she made for me was so good I ate a whole plate of them- yes, all the ones in the picture. Don't judge me. They're crunchy and creamy and glazed with wildflower honey. What would you have done? We called them lu-lu's because the Greek word for donuts similar to these are called <i>loukoumathes</i>...which is kinda hard to say. And to spell.</span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zd25-3aT6B0/UgsGpk7pDJI/AAAAAAAAAdg/yn9fF8Jo5dU/s1600/Harley+218.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zd25-3aT6B0/UgsGpk7pDJI/AAAAAAAAAdg/yn9fF8Jo5dU/s320/Harley+218.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b45f06;">Jeannie's Recipe:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Pastry</u></b>:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 cup all-purpose flour</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 cup water</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 T. dry yeast</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tsp. salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 T. sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Oil for frying (vegetable, corn, sunflower, etc.)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Honey for drizzling </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Whisk dry ingredients, add water and whisk until smooth. Cover and let rise in a cool/dry place for about 45 minutes. Heat vegetable or corn oil in a sauce pot or fryer to 350 degrees. Drop by the spoonful in the hot oil and flip after about a minute - should be deep golden color, but not too dark (dark will mean bitter to your tongue). Drain on paper towels and drizzle honey over the pastries before they cool.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Custard</u></b>:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's a great idea to make the custard first, let it cool to room temperature and then refrigerate it while you are making the pastry.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 cup whole milk</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 T. corn starch</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pinch of salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/3 cup sugar </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 T. real butter </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 eggs</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tsp. pure vanilla extract</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Whisk all ingredients in a sauce pan. Turn on heat to medium or medium high and continue whisking until smooth and thickened. Remove from heat and keep whisking. Transfer to another bowl and whisk again. The more you whisk, the smooth and fluffier your custard will be. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Assembly</u></b>:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pipe the cold custard over the cooled pastry and serve.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ufCupB8TmsA/UgsHibJkckI/AAAAAAAAAds/P-o-y8uYKok/s1600/Harley+217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ufCupB8TmsA/UgsHibJkckI/AAAAAAAAAds/P-o-y8uYKok/s320/Harley+217.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-31571609537273226812013-07-23T14:04:00.001-07:002013-07-23T21:08:28.091-07:00Five of the Easiest and Best Ways to Cook with Summer Squashes<span style="font-size: large;">I normally post a recipe a week, not because I have a significant fan base or anything, but because if I don't make myself write down recipes, I forget them. Keeping in mind that I am not <i>quite</i> the only one reading my recipes, I try not to be too redundant, despite the fact that I tend to use the same ingredients over and over based on what's growing in my garden. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Like any respectable California home gardener, I am now overwhelmed by a bumper crop of summer squash. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1pbn9t95IBc/Ue7vV700akI/AAAAAAAAAcg/6Xx_2iQJcMw/s1600/tina%27spics+854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1pbn9t95IBc/Ue7vV700akI/AAAAAAAAAcg/6Xx_2iQJcMw/s320/tina%27spics+854.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A day's harvest of patty pan squash, eggplant and Roma tomatoes</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I7ySPER6-L4/Ue7vELTULTI/AAAAAAAAAcY/sEvuQwkKx9I/s1600/tina%27spics+874.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-I7ySPER6-L4/Ue7vELTULTI/AAAAAAAAAcY/sEvuQwkKx9I/s320/tina%27spics+874.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A zucchini that got out of hand</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I am eating squash of some kind every day, but it does seem a little annoying to post squash recipes for two months straight. So here you go, I will just throw out my five favorite and <i>easy</i> (but not original) ways to use up squash, with links to recipes that I've tried and liked. I emphasize the word easy because there are plenty of layered and stuffed squash recipes that are great, but they are more fussy. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Then I promise I will not post anything about squash for the rest of the summer, unless I get hit with some wild and crazy, super-original inspiration. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">1. <b>Sliced, floured, fried and salted.</b> Sometimes, the simple stuff is the best. Nice high heat on your olive oil ( a little smoke is no big deal) and fried squash slices with good-ol' homemade ranch on the side. It's just yum.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">2.<b> Grated up and put in a fritter.</b> I have several of these recipes posted, I sometimes call them patties or pancakes too, but Nigella Lawson has some tasty ones here- <a href="http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/courgette-fritters-211" target="_blank">Courgette Fritters</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">3. <b>Grilled and served in a salad.</b> Grilling adds a ridiculous amount of flavor to a vegetable that isn't super intense in flavor to begin with. Get a little char on there, and don't salt until after they're grilled. Check out <a href="http://yourfaceisafoodie.blogspot.com/2013/05/grilled-summer-salad.html" target="_blank">My Grilled Summer Salad.</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">4. <b>Mixed in with pasta sauce</b>. This is so obvious, but it's just really tasty. The trick is not to do it too soon though. You don't want mushy zucchini and you don't want to water down the sauce. I would lightly saute the squash separately in olive oil first, then mix it up with your sauce, or pasta, at the last minute. I like <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/spaghetti-and-meatballs-recipe2/index.html" target="_blank">Tyler Florence's recipe</a> for spaghetti and meatballs, you could use a smaller pasta instead of spaghetti and replace half the pasta with the squash.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">5. <b>Mix it up half and half with mashed potatoes. </b>This works well and it's even better if you leave the skin on the potatoes and go for the chunky kind of mashed potatoes. You will want to grate or finely chop the squash and, just like with fritters, squeeze a bunch of the moisture out of the squash first. Replace about a third to a half of the potato bulk with squash and follow the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/champ_67444" target="_blank">mashed potato recipe</a> of your choice.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Gardening and Eating!</span>ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-8828205684554599652013-07-11T22:10:00.001-07:002013-07-11T22:20:44.776-07:00Savory Cheese-Puff Donuts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QLY7jbntw0o/Ud-KBWIHM8I/AAAAAAAAAbw/qloNtkIBNCY/s1600/donuts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QLY7jbntw0o/Ud-KBWIHM8I/AAAAAAAAAbw/qloNtkIBNCY/s320/donuts.JPG" width="262" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;">These appetizer donuts are really easy but there's kind of a short window of time to eat them in. They are screaming hot when they are just done, but they're not quite as exciting (though still tasty) when they've gone completely cold. My friend Trish has this great vintage warming plate thing that would be great to serve these on, but I don't know anyone else who has one of those, so just eat them within 20 minutes of making them. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 1/8 cup all purpose flour</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 cup water</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon dry yeast</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon garlic powder </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/4 teaspoon salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/4 teaspoon black pepper</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon sugar </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon dried summer savory (or dried mint or parsley if you don't have savory)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Also:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;">-1 small block of really sharp or strong flavored cheese, cut into about 1/2 inch cubes. I had sharp Irish Cheddar. Blue cheese would be good too, if it is a kind that isn't too moist and crumbly.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;">-Enough corn oil, plus a splash of olive oil for deep frying</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />-a small jar of pepper jelly, just heated through until it's syrupy </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mix the first nine ingredients in a bowl and then cover the bowl with some plastic wrap and leave the batter on the counter to rise for one hour.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Heat the corn oil in your deep fryer or small pot until the oil is around 360 degrees, (or just wing it). When the oil is hot, take several cubes of the cheese at a time and drop them on top of the batter. Using a tablespoon, very gently cover each cube with a bit of the gooey, stretchy batter. Scoop the individual cubes out, now covered in dough, by the spoonful and drop into the hot oil. They will puff up right away, and then you fry them for a few minutes per side until they are a deep golden brown. To be honest, the ones int he picture are a tiny bit under-done but I was impatient and hungry.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Let them drain on a paper towel for a minute or two, salting and peppering them like you do with other fried foods. When all of your cheese is used up you can still make cheese-less donuts if there is leftover dough, or just toss it out, it's not like flour is that expensive.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #7f6000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Serve the donuts right away, drizzled or coated with the warm pepper jelly. You could also use warm honey with chopped jalapenos in it, or you could use a syrupy balsamic vinegar reduction.</span></span>ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-42122912503533751262013-07-05T11:32:00.005-07:002013-08-29T21:09:32.963-07:00Roasted Red Pepper "Pesto"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xG4SPwnQ0m8/UdcQH6SAqcI/AAAAAAAAAbg/4NX5lh_IRys/s1600/red+pep.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xG4SPwnQ0m8/UdcQH6SAqcI/AAAAAAAAAbg/4NX5lh_IRys/s320/red+pep.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">I don't know if I should be calling this pretty orange sauce "pesto", there's no Parmesan (or pine nuts) in it. I'm only doing it because it <i>does</i> have nuts in it, and I think it would work for the same applications: slathered on pizza, pasta, baguette, pita chips, sandwiches, grilled meat and so on. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">You don't have to be a kitchen over-achiever and grill your own peppers, the ones you buy at the store or deli are just fine. Actually they might even be better because they'll be the nice sweet ones from Italy or Spain. Plus you can sound really pompous when you mention that they're, "Imported from Europe."</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">You'll need some kind of blender or food processor for this easy sauce/spread. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 10 ounce jar of roasted red Spanish or Italian peppers, drained</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 mounded cup of roasted and salted and Marcona almonds (if you can't get those, regular almonds are fine, but you want them peeled and roasted and if they are unsalted, add more salt to the recipe.) For a thicker <b>dip</b>, use one whole cup. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon FRESH oregano leaves</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/3 cup olive oil</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">2 tablespoons of your favorite vinegar, I used red wine pomegranate, for the <b>dip </b>use the juice of one lemon instead.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 smashed garlic clove (a small one)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon black pepper</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon of creme fraiche, or something similar like heavy cream, sour cream or cream cheese (or that Toffuti stuff to keep it vegan)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">OR, for the <b>dip</b> version, omit the creme fraiche and add 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Blend all the ingredients really well in your blending machine of choice, then let it sit in the refrigerator for at least a half hour, or save it in there up to a week (or freeze it for longer). This makes a cereal bowl sized amount which would be plenty for spreading on appetizers, or it would be enough to coat a bowl of buttered pasta for two.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-size: large;">If raw garlic is a bit much for you, you can add dry granulated garlic, about a teaspoon instead. In that case I would add a few extra splashes of vinegar for punch. </span></span>ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3625226536902749164.post-25145915943333154272013-06-29T17:21:00.002-07:002013-09-18T12:59:36.182-07:00Fried Squash and Nasturtium Patties<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DnqJKApH8PY/Uc95mea3nfI/AAAAAAAAAbI/dK_bbbFH9qE/s1345/close+patties.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="205" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DnqJKApH8PY/Uc95mea3nfI/AAAAAAAAAbI/dK_bbbFH9qE/s320/close+patties.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">I thought it would be fun to include a common flower in this recipe for my fellow gardeners out there. Nasturtiums are super easy to grow, even from seed, and you can easily find them in yellow, orange or red. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here in the hotter parts of California and other southern states though, be careful when you read the label, "full sun"- it doesn't really apply here. They need plenty of sun of course, but morning sun is better. All of my nasturtiums that get too much harsh afternoon sun are looking pretty haggard.</span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mHFF2bSe424/Uc92tJFMciI/AAAAAAAAAa4/PRHss10b8PE/s512/nasturtiums-512x384.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mHFF2bSe424/Uc92tJFMciI/AAAAAAAAAa4/PRHss10b8PE/s320/nasturtiums-512x384.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blog.theenduringgardener.com/november-nasturtiums/">http://blog.theenduringgardener.com/november-nasturtiums/</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">This recipe is of course super similar to the zucchini patties that I've made before, except that this batter is more of a dough than a batter. The others are really more like zucchini <i>pancakes</i>, but when you stir up <i>this</i> batter you should have more of a thick cookie dough or meatball mix consistency. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">They're so yummy.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">3 small tender squashes,</span></span><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"> grated.</span></span> I used one small crookneck, 1 small patty pan and 1 small zucchini (because that's what was ready in my garden).</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">5-6 large fresh nasturtium leaves, chopped fine</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">several nasturtium flowers,petals removed</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped fine</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped fine</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/4 cup fresh flat parsley, chopped fine</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon black pepper</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste, I didn't really measure)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1 egg</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/3 cup whole wheat flour</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">1/3 cup crumbled feta or other sharp or tangy cheese </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">2-4 tablespoons of olive oil for frying</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">After you grate up or food process your little squashes, you have to pick the pile up and squeeze out as much moisture as you can. This is very important, they taste watery and bland and don't cook right if you skip this step. Put it all in a bowl with the other ingredients. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">You really need to use wheat flour instead of regular, it absorbs more moisture and has a nice nutty flavor. After you stir it all up really well, you should have a fairly stiff sticky dough. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">In a non-stick pan, heat up about 2 tablespoons of olive oil on med-high heat. Take about a small ice cream scoop of dough (a scant 1/4 cup?) at a time and make a very flat patty with your hands and fry them in the olive oil for 3 minutes per side. Make sure they are nice and flat, in fact when you flip them you can squish them down a bit with your spatula to make sure. You should get about 8-10 of them.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">Serve them garnished with your beautiful nasturtium petals, a sour cream or yogurt based sauce on top, and a nice cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc on the side. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;">The sauce I made was just a big glob of full-fat sour cream mixed with a splash of red wine vinegar and a half teaspoon of <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/harissa" target="_blank">harissa</a> paste. You could also use a teaspoon of sun dried tomato pesto or basil pesto mixed if harissa is too spicy.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span>ravennagirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11928577870996579767noreply@blogger.com