Turkey Salad

This recipe is a great way to get rid of turkey leftovers from the *big* Christmas meal! And, who doesn't love chicken salad, tuna salad, or egg salad?!

Turkey salad:

5 cups of chopped (cooked-duh!) turkey
1 cup of chopped celery
1/4 cup of chopped pickles
1 cup of mayo
2 TBLS of chopped cilantro
2 tsp of salt/pepper
6 chopped eggs (optional)

Chop all ingredients and mix together in a bowl and enjoy!

Cake Batter Dessert Dip with Animal Crackers!

I spent the weekend back home with family and friends and discovered this recipe, it is super easy to make and kid friendly!

Lindsey's Cake Batter Dip served with animal crackers:
1 tub of cool whip
2 cartons of vanilla flavored yogurt
1 package of confetti (funfetti) cake mix

Directions:
Place the cool whip in a large bowl and fold in 1/4 of cake batter.  Alternate folding yogurt and cake batter until both are completely gone.  Place in the fridge and serve chilled with animal crackers for dipping.  You could also use fresh fruit instead of animal crackers for dipping.

Homemade Vegan Hazelnut Spread

I first tried Nutella in England at breakfast time many years ago. I instantly fell in love, what child does not want chocolate for breakfast?

Toast was something my mother served almost every morning with butter and apricot preserves or Nutella. Years later,  I remember coming to the states and not being able to find it anywhere.  Now most are familiar with it and most grocery and specialty stores carry it.  I have not tried this recipe but I hope try it soon! 

Credit for this recipe goes to Su Good Sweets.  The author provides some history and information for Nutella lovers.  

Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread (easy version)

Yield: about 12 ounces (1 1/2 cups)

2 cups whole raw hazelnuts
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
up to 1/4 cup vegetable or nut oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Place hazelnuts in a single layer on a shallow baking pan. Toast until the skins are almost black and the meat is dark brown, about 15 minutes. Stir the nuts halfway through baking to ensure an even color.
2. To get rid of the bitter skins, wrap the cooled hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Rub until most of the skins come off, but don’t worry if some remain.
3. Process nuts in a food processor, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until they have liquefied, about 5 minutes. First, you will get coarsely chopped nuts, then a fine meal. After a little while, the nuts will form a ball around the blade, and it will seem like you only have a solid mass. Keep processing. The heat and friction will extract the natural oils, and you will get hazelnut butter!
4. When the nuts have liquified, add the sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Slowly drizzle in enough oil to make a spreadable consistency. Since the mixture is warm, it will be more fluid now than at room temperature.
5. Transfer the spread to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 months. For best results, stir the chocolate-hazelnut spread before using.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread (caramel base)

Caramel instructions adapted from Chocolate and the Art of Low-Fat Desserts by Alice Medrich

Yield: about 12 ounces (1 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 cups whole raw hazelnuts
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt

1. Preparation: Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Make the caramel: Combine the sugar and water in a 3- to 4-cup saucepan. To prevent crystallization, don’t stir it again during the cooking. Cover and bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Remove the lid and wipe down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush or a scrunched up paper towel dipped in water. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, or until the sugar’s completely dissolved. Uncover and cook until the syrup looks like pale amber maple syrup. If your pan’s dark and you can’t gauge the color of the syrup, spoon a drop or two onto a white saucer. Swirl the pan gently, continuing to cook and test the color until the syrup turns medium amber.
3. Immediately pour the caramel onto the lined baking sheet. Tilt the sheet to spread the caramel as thinly as possible. Let harden completely, about 15 minutes.
4. Toast the nuts: Meanwhile, place the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until the skins are almost black and the meat is dark brown, about 15 minutes. Stir the nuts halfway through baking to ensure an even color.
5. To get rid of the bitter skins, wrap the cooled hazelnuts in a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Rub until most of the skins come off, but don’t worry if some remain.
6. Make the nut butter: When the caramel is completely cool, break it into small pieces and pulverize in a food processor. Try to get the caramel as fine as possible at this stage (it won’t get finer once you add the nuts).
7. Add the nuts and process until they have liquefied, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Be patient; the nuts will go from a fine meal, to forming a ball around the blade, to nut butter. Add the cocoa, vanilla and salt and process until smooth.
8. Transfer the spread to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 months. For best results, stir the chocolate-hazelnut spread before using.

Variations: To make any standard nut butter, use this procedure but omit the powdered sugar, cocoa, vanilla and extra oil. Add 1/2 tsp salt and up to 2 tbsp granulated sugar. Try making your own cashew butter: you may never go back to peanut butter again!

Notes:

• Please use whole raw nuts, and toast them yourself to intensify the flavor. Pre-toasted or pre-chopped nuts are often spoiled.
• To further intensify the nut flavor, use unrefined nut oil (for version 1), which is tan in color. Peanut oil is especially cheap in Chinese supermarkets: 20 ounces for $2.38! So if you’re looking for a “gourmet” ingredient, try an ethnic market.
• You really need a full-sized food processor to make nut butter, not a mini version or a blender. I recommend a 7-cup Cuisinart: it’s large enough for most household tasks but isn’t too bulky.

How to make a Cowboy Ribeye with or without a Grill.

I found this blog almost a year ago, when searching for indoor directions to cook a cowboy ribeye.  I found this website informative and cute.  I love the use of a cast iron skillet and oven to cook steak versus the traditional grilling method.  Click here to redirect to Hillside Wrangler website. This posting is particularly helpful to those who do not have access to a grill.  I posted some pictures to document the directions followed from the Hillside Wrangler blog.

 

Croissant and Chocolate Bread Pudding

This recipe is amazing!!

Croissant and Chocolate Bread Pudding:

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter for the baking dish
• 6 large egg yolks
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 6 croissants, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 pound)
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into chunks

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375° F. Butter an 8-inch square or other shallow 2-quart baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg. Add the croissants and chocolate and mix to combine.
3. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake until set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature
4. 
   

Shrimp Curry Fried Rice

I found this recipe in the magazine Real Simple and think it is fantastic! It is easy and delicious! 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds peeled shrimp 
• 1/2 cup fresh basil

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and curry powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 2 minutes.
3. Add the rice, 2½ cups water, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
4. Season the shrimp with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Nestle them in the partially cooked rice. Cover and cook until the shrimp are opaque throughout, 4 to 5 minutes. Fold in the basil.

ONE of my favorite wines is now offered in a bigger size!

One of my favorite, cheap red wines now comes in a bigger bottle! I am so excited because now I can buy one, instead of shamelessly buying two or three at a time! Ha! ;) Here is the link to the website if you have never heard about or seen it and not tried it.  Read up on it...the wine is fantastic for the price. Menage Trois.  You can purchase it from the following retailers or pretty much any retailer or liquor store, such as Big Daddys, Kroger, World Market, etc.

While I am posting about my favorite drinks, let me add a plug for my favorite D list celeb Bethany Frankel and her line of Skinny Girl drinks.  I LOVE them and I wish I had invented them but I didn't, so I  will give credit where credit is due.  ;)

Green Bean Bundles

I have never actually tried this recipe, but I stumbled upon it while looking for green bean images last night. AND, lets face it, what is NOT good wrapped in bacon? My mouth was watering from the photo and it is wayyyy beyond when I will allow myself to eat!  The recipe was taken from a bog called Our Best Bites (click the link to view). 


Green bean bundles by Our Best Bites: 
1 lb. green beans with the ends snapped off (buy or pick about 1 1/2 pounds so you’ll have 1 lb. after the beans’ ends have been snapped)
8 slices lean, regularly sliced bacon
3 Tbsp. real butter (no substitutions!)
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp. white sugar
1 Tbsp. minced red onion
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

When the water is boiling, briefly boil (blanch) the beans for 2-3 minutes or until you start hearing a popping noise and the beans have turned bright green. Quickly drain and rinse in cold water until the beans have cooled.

If you’re using fresh green beans, wash and snap the ends off. Discard any sickly looking, overly skinny, limp, or yucky-looking beans. Super-scientific, right?

If you’re planning on completing the beans immediately, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Carefully bundle each pile of beans with one slice of bacon and return to the baking sheet.

On a cookie sheet, divide the green beans evenly into 8 piles.

This step can be done up to a day ahead of time.

When the oven is ready, place the pan in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the bacon is crisp and sizzling. While the bundles are in the oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat in a small saucepan. When the butter is bubbly, add in the onions and garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are softened and fragrant. Reduce heat to low and add in vinegar, sugar, and salt. Remove from heat and set aside.

When ready to serve, place bean bundles on a serving platter

and drizzle with sauce. Serve immediately.

Improving Cheese Alternatives

I have been experimenting with different vegan cheese alternatives lately, and I admit they are good! I was scanning the food section of NPR and came across this article highlighting the recent improvements to cheese alternatives, such as rice cheese.  I will tell you to use caution and buy several brands/types because some are terrible tasting. I do like the Galaxy brand mentioned in this article! I began using it to lower daily calories and fat consumed.

Cracking The Code: Making Vegan Cheese Taste Cheesier

11:46 am

April 30, 2012

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by RACHEL ESTABROOK

Cheese is a staple of many diets and, let's face it, it makes us happy. But sometimes we worry about the fat and calories it contains. Add this little guilt trip, plus a rise in veganism over the past few years and an increase in reported allergies to milk and soy, and now you've got a ripening market for cheese alternatives.

istockphoto.com

Ready to swap these for the vegan kind?

But making such a product is easier said than done, says food scientist Kantha Shelke. Shelke, who is the founder of Corvus Blue, a consumer packaged goods consulting company, says cheese is a natural, complex wonder: "It melts, spreads and becomes creamy," Shelke tells The Salt. "To try to duplicate that is to say we're duplicating nature."

Now, non-dairy cheese alternatives have been around for years, but scientists are just beginning to figure out how to make them taste good and melt right.

 

Non-dairy cheese alternatives first sprang up in China in the 1500s, according to The History of Fermented Tofu- A Healthy Nondairy/Vegan Cheese. It doesn't melt, but it spreads. Admittedly, fermented tofu is an acquired taste for many Westerners, say authors William Shurtleff and Akiko Aoyagi.

Soy-based cheeses are still common in Asia today, says Shelke. The Asian cheeses focus on replicating the "stinky-ness" of European-style cheeses and not necessarily the look or texture. That's not enough to make the switch for some of us.

"It is very American to want cheese alternatives to be identical [to eating regular cheese]," says food scientist and nutritionistKristi Crowe, a spokesperson for the Institute of Food Technologists and assistant professor at the University of Alabama.

How to do this has been stumping scientists for years. Dairy cheeses and even some lactose-free varieties rely on a milk protein called casein. Casein is "a truly remarkable protein like nothing else on the planet, and it allows real cheese to melt and stretch,"says Jonathan Gordon, a food scientist who earned his Ph.D. by studying the fermentation of soymilk for use in food products. Gordon has done stints at Kraft and now a company called Galaxy Nutritional Foods to try to perfect the cheese-like experience.

"It's sort of analogous to a zipper that doesn't have an end on it," Gordon tells The Salt. "The casein protein has an ability to hold onto itself and then lightly let go and then hold onto itself, and that's how it stretches."

But to make a true vegan cheese substitute, you can't use casein. So Gordon's latest challenge has been to make a cheese that is completely free of animal byproducts but still retains the properties we love about cheese.

"The skill of the formulator is to use exactly the right amounts and blend of gums, protein, solids and fats to get a desirable, cheese-like bite and mouth feel while achieving a realistic melt (this is very difficult)," he tells The Salt.

Those gums replace the casein, working as "emulsifiers" and "stabilizers" to hold the other ingredients together, according to Crowe. (The other ingredients include a protein base like soy or rice, water, oil, starches, flavors and colors.)

Emulsifiers like amino acids actively hold water-rich and fat-rich ingredients together. Stabilizers like carrageenan and xanthan gum, "act as a wall in between the [water-based and oil-based ingredients] to keep the two from mixing," Crowe says.

In both cases the goal is to keep the vegan cheese from separating and producing, "a pool of watery stuff and pool of oily stuff sitting around a sticky mess of 'solids' stuff," as Gordon puts it. (Those of you who tried your college roommate's vegan cheese pizza in the 90s may remember this unpleasant phenomenon.)

Gordon thinks he's done it. His new vegan shredded "cheese" product is debuting this spring for Galaxy Nutritional Foods, but he's not the first to crack the code on appealing vegan cheese. Shelke says that honor goes to a Vancouver, Canada-based company called Daiya.

Do the new vegan cheeses taste and behave like real cheese? "We're coming close but we haven't done it yet," Shelke says.

The Best Green Beans Ever!

This recipe is not exact as I gathered it from watching a friend cook one day.  It is super simple and adds a lot of flavor to green beans.

Green Bean Recipe:
1 bag of fresh french cut green beans
3 to 4 cloves of garlic
1/4 onion, very finely chopped
EVO
2 to 3 packets of Swanson chicken flavor boost
several tablespoons to 1/4 c of water

First wash and snap or cut off the ends of the green beans. Next, using a skillet or wok, turn heat to medium/high and fry onion and garlic in EVO.  Once cooked to a golden brown, add the green beans and sear for a minute.  Next begin to add enough water to steam.  Not too much though, because the goal is not to boil the green beans.  Add at least 2 packets of the chicken flavor boost to the green beans, mix and turn down the heat to a simmer.  Place a lid on the mixture and simmer until water is all gone.

Blood Orange Mint Salad

Blood Orange Mint salad:
2 to 3 fresh blood oranges or seasonal oranges
1 spring of fresh mint
1 to 2 tbs. of agave syrup

Peel and dice the blood oranges.  Place them in a bowl.  Wash and cut the 3 to 4 of the mint leafs and add to the bowl with diced orange.  Pour in two tablespoons of agave syrup and toss mixture together.

Cheese Popovers

They serve these with dinner at one of my favorite restaurants Kenny's Woodfire Grill in Addison, TX.  They are so good!! 

Cheese Popovers: 

1 c. of milk (room temp) 

1 tbsp. melted butter 

1 c. of flour 

1/4 tsp of salt 

2 beaten eggs

1/2 c.  grated sharp cheddar or Parmesan cheese 

1/8 tsp. paprika

Take extra butter and generously coat baking cups or glazed custard cups. (Sorry, you can not use anything but butter for this part!) 

Place milk, butter, flour and salt in a bowl a bowl and beat until smooth.  Add the eggs one at a time and mix until smooth.  Next, fold in the cheese and paprika.  Fill the baking cups three-fourths full and bake at 450 for 15 minutes. (you can add extra shredded cheese to the tops of the cups for a garnish) Without opening the oven, lower the temperature to 350 and continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes.  Serve warm with butter.  

Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip cookies

These cookies are always a hit and you get a yummy surprise when you bite into them!

Chocolate chip cookies from Joy of Cooking Cook book: (Follow the directions in this order)
cream:
1/2 c. unsalted butter
add gradually and beat until creamy:
1/2 c. of brown sugar
1/2 c. of white sugar
beat in:
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Sift and stir in:
1 c. plus 2 tbsp of flour
1/2 tsp. of salt
1/2 tsp of baking soda
stir in:
1/2 c. nuts
1/2 c. of chocolate chips
Take a small amount of batter and form a cookie.  Smash the Oreo into the cookie, make another cookie and smash it to the other side of the Oreo.  Place on a greased baking sheet and bake at 375 for 5-7 minutes, depending on if you like crunchy or soft cookies.  Hint: the first time I made these I put too much cookie dough on either side of the Oreo.  Remember, cookie dough expands as it's baking.  I ended up cutting smaller cookies out of the first batch.  They were still a big hit despite the messiness of the finished product.

Butternut Squash Soup

This recipe is so simple and one of my favorites! Until I decided to make this recipe, butternut squash was something I ignored at the grocery store.  On a trip with a friend to Eatzi's I discovered this soup.  I came home and immediately began searching for recipes.

Butternut Squash Soup:
1 tbs. EVO
1 medium chopped onion
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 c. of chicken broth
1/8 tsp. salt
1 to 2 ribs of celery
1 to 2 chopped carrots
1 tart apple
pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne (added to your liking, after pureed)

Pour EVO into a pan and heat.  Chop onion, carrot, garlic, and celery.  Saute vegetables until soft.  Pour the vegetables and broth into a large pot and add squash and apple. Add salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue to boil for 30 minutes or until squash becomes soft.  Let the mixture cool a few minutes, then place in the blender and puree until smooth.  Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne to taste (start by adding a pinch at a time).  To make the recipe a creamier soup, add a tablespoon of sour cream to garnish each bowl.

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

A friend of mine recently introduced these to me and they were amazing!

Guiness Chocolate cupcakes:
1 c. Guiness
1 c. unsalted butter
3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
2/3 c. sour cream

Preheat oven to 350.  Bring the stout and butter to a simmer.  Add cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Let the mixture cool and whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.  Beat eggs, and sour cream n a third bowl.  Add the stout mixture to the egg mixture (why the stout butter mixture *must* be cool).  Beat the mixture until it is just smooth.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the mixer and beat on low speed until smooth.  Divide and pour into cupcake liners and bake for roughly 17 mins.  Let cupcake cool on a cooling rack.

Whiskey Ganache:
8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate
2/3 c. of heavy cream
2 tbs. butter
3 to 4 tbs. Irish Whiskey

Chop the chocolate and place in a stainless steel bowl.  Boil water and place steel bowl on top of boiling water.  Stir the chocolate *constantly* until smooth.  Add the cream, butter, and whiskey.  Mix until smooth and remove from heat.  Pour into a piping bag when mixture is semi-cool and set aside.

In the meantime, core the cupcakes using a cupcake corer.  I have had several and the one I currently use is from Sur La Table.  (Click the link to view the cupcake corer!) Or in a pinch, you can use a grapefruit knife and cut holes in each cupcake.

Bailey's Frosting:
3 to 4 c. powdered sugar
1 stick of unsalted butter (room temp)
3 to 4 tbs. Bailey's Irish Cream

Whip butter in mixer until it is light and fluffy.  Slowly add powdered sugar until the frosting is thick and almost spreadable.  Finally, add Bailey's and whip until mixed.  Add to a piping bag and frost cupcakes immediately.
Enjoy!

Shrimp and Grits Recipe

How exactly has it been almost a year since I even attempted to update this blog? I have thought about it several times but never had the time or desire to actually do it.  For those of you that follow me know I have been busy finishing a graduate degree and have had little time to update this or cook for that matter.  With the degree being finished, I should have ample time to update this right? :0) I should probably be searching for a job but **instead** I am sitting on the floor searching through a years worth of recipes. I plan to begin with a few favorites and a few recipes I promised last year!

This first post is dedicated to a southern favorite and a must must if you have not tried.

Paula Dean's Shrimp and Grits:
1 c. stone ground grits
1/2 stick of butter
2 c shredded sharp vermont cheddar
1 lb. raw shrimp
6 slices of bacon, chopped
4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tbs. chopped parsley
1 c. of thinly sliced green onions
1 large garlic glove, minced
salt and pepper

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 4 c of water to a boil.  Add the grits, salt, and pepper.  Reduce the heat to lowest possible setting and cook the grit's until all water is absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in butter and cheese.  Keep covered until ready to serve.
2. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry.  Fry the bacon in a large skillet until browned and crisp, then drain on a paper towel.  Add the shrimp to the bacon grease and saute over medium heat until cooked.  Immediately add lemon juice and parsley, green onions, and garlic. Remove skillet from heat.
3. Pour grits into a serving bowl.  Pour the shrimp on top and garnish with bacon.

Something my mother used to add to the top of this is a soft, fried egg.  It is a great addition for breakfast with a side of buttermilk biscuits.  (maybe not the healthiest though!)

Enjoy!