Broccoli Cheese Soup

Today started out to be a cloudy, gray, and rainy morning and I had a taste for a nice thick and creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup.

This recipe was actually a copy-cat recipe I found on the web for fast food restaurant, Panera Bread.  

This soup is VERY VERY GOOD!  5 Spoons out of 5!

The only modification to this recipe was adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of Super Veg Vegeta Soup Mix and Seasoning.  It is a product of Hungary and is used in a lot of Polish recipes.  That is how our family discovered it.  It has a chicken bouillon base and includes dehydrated vegetable flakes.  

You can find it at any international food market or Cost Plus World Market (God love that store!)

 

 Broccoli Cheese Soup

• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1/2 medium chopped onion
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups half-and-half cream
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 lb fresh broccoli (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup carrot, julienned
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 8 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Vegeta blend seasoning 

1.    Saute the onion in 1 tablespoon melted butter and set aside. In a large pot whisk   
       together the melted butter and flour over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.

2.    Slowly whisk in the half and half and chicken stock. Let it simmer for about 20 
       minutes.

3.    Add the broccoli, carrots, and onions. Let them simmer on medium low for about 25 
       minutes until the broccoli and carrots are tender.

4.    Add nutmeg, salt and pepper and sharp cheddar cheese. Let the cheese melt and 
       then serve. For a smoother soup puree it in a blender... but I love the chunks!
 

Bacon Cheddar Chive Muffins

A nice pot of thick, creamy broccoli soup on a rainy day just screams for a bread or muffin.  How could it be wrong with bacon and cheddar cheese in them.  

 

I chose these muffins because the cheddar cheese and bacon in them paired perfectly with the bacon and cheddar cheese soup in the Cream of Broccoli Soup made today.   

Bacon Cheddar Chive Muffins

• 6 thick slices bacon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 Tbs white sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 4 tsp dried chives
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease muffin pan.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, chives, parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon. Combine the egg, milk, cream of mushroom soup and vegetable oil. Mix into the dry ingredients and stir together just to moisten.

4. Spoon the batter into prepared muffin pans and bake at 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

 

Yields: 12 muffins

Mexican Corn, Tomato, and Queso Fresco Cheese Salad

We are having some friend over for a day of outdoor games, cards, and a BBQ.  On the menu is Smoked Pulled Pork, Vidalia Onion Stuffed Burgers, Grilled Chicken Breasts, Potato Salad, and this Mexican Corn, Tomato, and Queso Fresco Salad recipe I found on the internet.  

I did modify the internet version slightly.  It did not originally call for the tomatoes and Queso Fresco cheese.  I thought those extra flavors would round out the salad.  The amounts of the ingredients were also changed to suit our tastes.  My suggestion is always start with the base recipe and adjust to your taste.

Mexican Corn, Tomato, and Queso Fresco Salad 

• 10 ears corn or 2 pounds of frozen, thawed and drained 
• 2 pints grape tomatoes
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped 
• 1/2 cup salad dressing 
• 1 teaspoon chili powder 
• 3 limes, juiced and zested
•  Seasoning salt, to taste 
• 10 ounces Queso Fresco cheese, crumbled

1.  Shuck and cook corn, cut kernels from corn. Boiling will take you 3-4 minutes. If using frozen corn.   **Make sure thawed and drained.**

2.  Mix corn, tomatoes and chopped cilantro together, set aside.

3.  Combine salad dressing, chili powder, lime juice and zest. Mix well.

4.  Add salad dressing mixture to corn mixture.

5.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  

6.  Just before serving, add queso cheese crumbles. 

Yield: 10 servings

Ham and Asparagus Breakfast Casserole

We had family come up for the weekend and I was looking for something to put together the night before and have ready to pop in the oven first thing in the morning before we started our day.

Well, we have all made a breakfast casserole at one point in time or another.  I know I have made my share of them.  This one in particular sounded appealing because it included asparagus.  Which is one of our favorite vegetables.  Especially when it is roasted.  Now, this recipe did not call for the asparagus to be roasted but I think next time I will try it that way.

I did swap out some of the ingredients for the low-fat/fat-free, healthier alternatives, however, the very nature of this type of recipe does lend itself to a few calories.  But, everything in moderation, right?

This turned out to be one of the lightest breakfast casseroles I have ever eaten.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Ham and Asparagus Breakfast Casserole

• 1/4 cup margarine
• I have since learned that the Heart and Vascular Institute dieticians have determined that Brummel and Brown Yogurt Spread is the lowest in calories, and best in fats because of its combination of oils.  These oils include Palm, Soybean, and Canola. 
• 1 pound fresh asparagus; trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces *
• 1 medium bell pepper; chopped
• 1 medium sweet onion; chopped 
• 1 loaf of french bread; cubed into 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups) 
• I used a Walmart loaf that was approximately 5-inches wide x 12-inches long.
• 2 cups fat-free cheddar cheese; shredded
• 1 cup low-sodium ham; diced
• 1/3 cup honey
• 10 eggs
• I might try the equivalent in egg substitute next time I make this recipe.
• 2-1/2 cups skim milk
• 1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash (salt-free seasoning)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper   

1.    In medium skillet, sauté asparagus, pepper and onion in margarine for 3 to 5 minutes.
            *Broccoli may be substituted for the asparagus.

2.    In a mixing bowl, add bread cubes, ham, 1 cup of the cheese and sautéed vegetables        and mix well. 
            *Your favorite fat-free cheese may be substituted for the cheddar.

3.    Beat together remaining ingredients (except for remaining cheese) until well mixed.

4.    Pour mixture over ingredients in bowl and stir well. Pour contents of bowl into a                greased 9-inch x 13-inch pan. 

5.    Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Bake uncovered at        350°F for 45-50 minutes until golden and puffed.

This recipe is from the Sue Bee Honey website and was altered at my discretion.

Ceviche

In the past few years middle age has kicked in and the metabolism has pretty much come to a halt.  I have been trying to find recipes that still have the great taste and offer something you truly want to eat.

While in Chicago a few weeks ago, I suggested making Ceviche for my mom.  She had never had it before and I really loved the recipe I found.  I adapted it from a recipe created by chef Rick Bayless for Food and Wine magazine.  She loved it!  Although Kevin doesn't like seafood, the recipe could certainly be adapted to substitute chicken.  Definitely a new staple in our home!

Ceviche

• 1 pound raw shrimp; peeled and deveined
• or 1 pound cooked boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1½ cups fresh squeezed lime juice
• 4 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
• 1 sweet white onion; chopped in ½-inch pieces (make sure you use a sweet onion)
• 2 Roma tomatoes; medium sized cut into ½-inch pieces
• or 16-ounce red grape tomatoes
• 1 large Poblano pepper; stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
• 1 bunch cilantro; leaves only and chopped
• 1/3 cup Manzanillo olives; chopped
• 2 ripe avocados; peeled, pitted, and diced
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• Tostadas, tortilla chips, or you can serve on a bed of lettuce for a low-carb version

1. 1.  In a 1 1/2-quart glass or stainless steel bowl, combine the shrimp, lime juice and onion. Use enough juice to cover the fish and allow it to float freely; too little juice means unevenly "cooked" fish. Cover and refrigerate for about 4 hours, until a cube of fish no longer looks raw when broken open. Drain in a colander. Reserve liquid and onion for adding to remaining ingredients.  If you use chicken, simply add the chicken, lime juice, and onion to the remaining ingredients.  
2. 
   

3. Variation:  You can quickly grill the shrimp until opaque or chicken until cooked through on the grill.

4. 
   
5. 2.  In a large bowl, mix together the tomatoes, green chiles, cilantro, olives and optional olive oil. Stir in the shrimp or chicken and season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon. Add the orange juice. Cover and refrigerate if not serving immediately. Just before serving, gently stir in the diced avocado.

Make ahead

Working ahead: The shrimp may be marinated a day in advance; after about 4 hours, when the shrimp is "cooked," drain it so that it won't become too tangy. For the freshest flavor, add the flavorings to the shrimp no more than a couple of hours before serving.

NOTES

There are many ways to serve ceviche. Here are some of our favorites: Place the ceviche in a large bowl and let people spoon it onto individual plates to eat with chips or saltines; spoon the ceviche into small bowls and serve tostadas, chips or saltines alongside; or pile the ceviche onto chips or tostadas and pass around for guests to consume on these edible little plates. Garnish the ceviche with cilantro leaves before serving.  You can also serve on a bed of chopped, green leaf lettuce.

SUGGESTED PAIRING

Chile tends to be known for inexpensive reds, but the real secret is the country's terrific Sauvignon Blancs. The cold winds off the Pacific give Sauvignon Blancs like this one a finely-tuned citrus zestiness, perfect for ceviche (something else they do extremely well in Chile).

I AM BACK....

Well folks, after a much needed break from the blogging world, I am back!  I miss being able to find unique recipes, cook, and present them to you all!

In an effort to be more health conscious, my new vision for the blog will focus on recipes that I find from various sources and convert them to a healthier version.

I will continue to provide some tips, tricks, and fun stories from my life and I hope you enjoy them.  Please comment and follow my blog to inspire me!

My friends....Let's Eat!

What a Birthday!

On Sunday, I celebrated my 46th birthday.  On Saturday, Kevin gave me the best birthday gift I have ever received.  It was a complete surprise.  For the past several weeks the only information I was given regarding that day was noted on the calendar "Steve must be dressed and ready to go by 7:30 A.M."  Very Mission Impossible.  Maybe that is why we watched Mission Impossible I and II on Friday evening.

On Saturday morning my clothes were layed out for me and my destination was entered into the GPS.  I was given three cards and instructions about when I should open each.  The time approached 7:30 and I was out the door.  The GPS was programmed to the American Club resort in Kohler, Wisconsin.  

Once in the parking garage I was instructed to open card number one.  The card contained a newspaper clipping about the 13th Annual Food & Wine Expo.  Now, I knew the event existed but I completely forgot about it this year.  When inside the hotel, I went to the concierge desk and was given all the necessary information regarding the weekends activities.  At that point, I opened envelope number two.  This card contained a ticket for a cooking demonstration with none other than Lidia Bastianich, my favorite Italian chef on PBS.  Making sure I got there rather early, I was able to get a front row seat! How could he have possibly topped this but there was one more envelope to open.  

The demonstration was conducted and Lidia offered her tips and thoughtful bits of Italian wisdom which she often shares on the television show.  She cooked a wonderful roasted beet, wilted beet greens, granny smith apple, and goat cheese salad with a balsamic and olive oil dressing.  The combination of the sweet beets, tart balsamic and granny smith apple, and creamy goat cheese worked extremely well with each other.  The ingredients mixed to combine a crisp and refreshing salad as a main course or side dish.

After the demonstration, I opened envelope number two which contained a ticket for lunch with Lidia.  What a shock that was!  I was to join Lidia and 70 of her closest friends for an intimate luncheon.  My lunch companions were two of the nicest people. I met them while waiting in line for the events.   Ron and RuthEllyn have homes in Wisconsin, Chicago, and Italy.  Ron was Italian and we bonded instantly.  He was a foodie as well.  We had a wonderful time chatting while dining on a three-course meal.  

The first course was a Squash Risotto with crumbled Humboldt Fog cheese with Balsamic Vinegar.  The Humboldt Fog cheese with like a deep creamy combination of blue and goat cheeses.  It was paired with a crisp Pinot Grigio.  The second course was a skillet Gratinata of Mushroom and Chicken.  The tomato sauce was light without being heavy or acidic.  The breast was cooked to juicy perfection and one of the best I have had in a long time.  The second course was paired with a full-flavored Chainti Classico Riserva from Banfi.  The final course was dessert and consisted of soft and chewy pignoli (pine nut) cookies and a Ricotta Cheesecake with roasted pears and grapes.  This was served with a sparkling Banfi Rosa Regale. 

At the end of the meal, Ron called Lidia over so she could take a picture with me for my birthday.  She came over but said she needed to make a quick announcement and then would be back for the picture.  The special announcement she had to make was to announce my birthday to the whole room.  Kevin had requested she mention it and she actually did.  Below you will see me with Lidia Bastianich.  The day was surreal.  

As lunch was winding down, Ron and RuthEllyn asked what my plans were for the rest of the day.  It turned out they had an extra ticket to Christopher Kimball and the chefs from America's Test Kitchen.  They offered it to me and asked if I would join them.  After the demonstration, we parted company and exchanged email addresses.  I promised I would forward a copy of this blog with pictures to them.  

It is here that I would like to take the opportunity to thank Ron and RuthEllyn for their generosity to me on my special day!

Thanks to Kevin for making an opportunity of a lifetime come true!  I can not thank you enough!

Zucchini Bread

One of the fastest growing and maturing plants in the average person's garden is the zucchini.  Mid-summer brings the beginning of the countless number of zucchini from the prolific plant.  This squash can go from the size of a small cucumber to the size of a baseball bat overnight.  Many don't know the zucchini is often referred to as a vegetable but is actually a fruit.

The zucchini can be found with both edible green or yellow skins.  However, you will need to seed the squash when preparing to for food.  The zucchini most probably originated from Italy in the mid-19th century.  Roughly translated, zucchini means "diminutive squash."

Each year I try and come up with different recipes for the zucchini because you can only make so much of the commonly baked zucchini bread.  For example, I have made 'mock' apple bars, cream of zucchini soup, or stuff them with marinara sauce to name a few.  It seems every year more and more people come up with different uses.  

My mom used to make endless loaves of zucchini bread each summer.  You could find loaves in our freezer at any time of the year.  This is her recipe.  I have, however, made a minor adjustment to it by adding the mini-chocolate chips in place of nuts.

Zucchini Bread

3 large eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups zucchini; grated

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 cup walnut halves; chopped or mini-chocolate chips

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1.  Beat eggs, oil, and sugar.  Add in zucchini.

2.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet.

3.  Add the nuts or chocolate chips.

4.  Pour into greased and lined loaf pan.

5.  Bake 325 degrees for 55-65 minutes.

The first of many restaurants in Arizona - Matt's Big Breakfast

Earlier this week we came back from a vacation in Arizona.  As many of you know, my love of all things food has a close tie to the "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" television show on the Food network.  In our travels, we have tried to visit restaurants from the show whenever we can.  During the past two weeks we did visit several restaurants.

Matt's Big Breakfast diner was one of the restaurants featured in a March 2008 episode of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.  The diner was as quaint as it appeared on the show and the staff was extremely friendly.  

Although, I did not get to see Matt, the owner. Once inside the tiny place, we saw a few stools surrounding a corner counter and window bar with several tables in an adjoining dining room.  

On the episode, one of the specialties of the house were a basil pesto marinated pork chop for breakfast.  I had the pork chops with eggs and hash browns for breakfast.  Kevin enjoyed a fresh chorizo scramble with pepper jack cheese and jalapenos.

The other item that stood out in my memory was the home-made berry preserves with fresh-baked bread.  I had sourdough bread with preserves with my meal.

The food was wonderful.  The pork chops were some of the best I have eaten.  The hashbrowns were crispy and golden on the outside while creamy on the inside.  The fresh berry preserves were a wonderful blend of sweet and tart, hitting both the front and back of your palate.  If I could give this restaurant a rating of 5 stars, it would definitely get a 4!  I suggest visiting whenever you are in downtown Phoenix!

Greek Spice Cake

This past summer we were fortunate enough to take a dream vacation to Greece.  We visited the islands of Crete, Santorini, Mykonos, and finally Athens.  This was one trip that will be hard to top.  I immediately fell in love with the picturesque scenery, wonderfully friendly people, and finally the food.


The Greeks as with many of the countries in the Mediterranean are blessed with some of the best and freshest fruits and vegetables imaginable.  The meals the Greeks cook are extremely simple and for the most part pretty healthy.  We sampled fresh from the grove olive oil, homemade wine, breads, and sinfully sweet desserts.


The Greeks are no stranger to wonderful desserts and pastries.  Trust me when I say...I tried stopping in every bakery I could.  Honey, chocolate, fruits, and phyllo dough, how could you go wrong?  This spice cake was the ending to a Greek meal consisting of moussaka, Greek salad, and the cake.


Greek Spice Cake


1  tablespoon shortening
2  tablespoons plus 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1  cup sugar
1  cup brown sugar
1  cup canola oil
1  cup buttermilk
3  eggs
1  tablespoons vanilla extract
1 1/2  tablespoons almond extract
1 1/2  tablespoons baking powder
1  teaspoon salt
1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2  teaspoon ground cloves
1/2  teaspoon baking soda
1  cup pecans, chopped
1  teaspoon confectioners' sugar


1.  Grease 10-inch fluted pan with shortening; lightly coat with 2 tablespoons flour.  Set aside.


2.  In a large bowl, beat the sugars, oil, buttermilk, eggs and extracts until well blended.  Combine the remaining flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves and baking powder; gradually beat into the sugar mixture until blended.  Stir in the pecans.


3.  Transfer to prepared pan.  Bake at 325F for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.


4.  Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Steak and Hummus Sandwiches

These sandwiches were a quick weeknight fix.  Preparation can be done in the morning while cooking of the steak and assembling of the sandwich can be done just before serving.

I made the hummus for the sandwich in the morning.  It is a simple recipe that I have been making for years.  It has chickpeas, horseradish, lemon juice, olive oil tahini paste, and salt and pepper.  Tahini is a paste made of  ground sesame seeds and oil.  It smells similar to peanut butter but is a bit milder.

The sandwiches were a hit.  They were fast to make and easy to assemble.  The creamy horseradish taste of the hummus paired well with the tender steak and sweet red onion. As a side dish, I made a creamy carrot salad with raisins.

Steak and Hummus Sandwiches 

1/2    red onion, thinly sliced

1/2    cup pickled banana peppers, sliced

1/2    cup hummus

1       pound grilled flank steak; thinly sliced against the grain

2       tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

         Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

4       pocketless pita or flatbread (I used Naan bread, which is Indian)

8       romaine lettuce leaves, thinly sliced

1.  Spread the hummus on the flat bread.  It should be covered to about 1/2-inch from the edge.

2.  Add lettuce over the hummus.

3.  Add the red onion and pickled banana peppers. 

4.  Add the steak.

5.  Fold in half and serve.

Chinese Fried Walnuts

On Saturday, we went to visit our good friends in Kewaunee to play cards.  I always like to bring something with me as a thank you.  I thought a few different snack foods would work out well.  

I wanted to try something out of the ordinary and unexpected.  These nuts were about as unexpected as you can get.

Boiling the nuts actually removes some of the bitter walnut taste.  They become tender and mild.  Most people do not necessarily like the taste of walnuts.  I believe making them this way will convince even the harshest critics.

The sugar and salt coating over the nuts enhance the mild flavor.  One tip, however, is you must keep a very close eye on the nuts while frying because they can burn very quickly.

 

Chinese Fried Walnuts

1  pound shelled walnuts

1  cup sugar

Vegetable oil; for frying

Salt; to taste

1. Place walnuts in a stockpot and fill with water.  Bring to boil over medium high heat.  Boil for 2 minutes.  Strain the nuts but do not rinse.

2.  Toss the drained nuts in a bowl and toss with sugar while still hot until coated.

3.  Heat 3-inches of oil in stockpot over medium-high heat.  When oil appears to shimmer, drop one coated nut in the oil.  The nut should start to sizzle immediately.  Fry nuts in 3 batches.  Before placing each batch in oil, toss nuts and sugar mixture.  Fry for 3-5 minutes. 

4.  When lightly browned, remove with slotted spoon and transfer each batch to cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with salt to taste while still hot.  Let cool and break apart.  

Basic Thumbprint Cookie

Sometimes you collect several recipes for the same type of cookie.  You find one that might be better than the one before but never quite right.  There are several cookies that fit that profile for me.  One of which is the ever-famous thumbprint cookie.  They come out too hard, too soft, too crumbly, or just plain old dry.  I am happy to report I believe I have found the one!  This will be my official thumbprint cookie recipe.

This cookie has all of the basic ingredients but I think there are three big pluses for this cookie.  First, this cookie seems to have the perfect balance of the ingredients.  The texture of the cookie has a slightly crisp bite with a moist tender center and still have that melt in your mouth quality of a butter cookie.  The second plus is the fact that the recipe only calls for egg yolks instead of the whole eggs.  This also produces a moist tender cookie.  The third is that instead of filling them with jam, I used the Solo brand of fillings.  I found that you could fill the cookie and then bake them incorporating more of the flavor.


In making this recipe I used a few different combinations but you can only imagine the endless possibilities.  One cookie is rolled in finely chopped almonds and filled with raspberry filling.  Another is rolled in a sugar and cocoa combination and filled with almond filling.  The third is rolled in yellow sugar and filled with lemon  curd.  The final cookie is rolled, again, in finely chopped almonds and filled with apricot filling. 

Basic Thumbprint Cookies


2/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 cup finely chopped nuts, sprinkles, coconut, etc.
1/3 to 1/2 cup Solo filling (almond, apricot, raspberry, etc.)


1.  In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar.  Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally.  Beat in egg yolks and vanilla until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer.  Stir in any remaining flour.  Cover and chill for about 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.


2.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease cookie sheets.  Shape dough into a 1-inch ball.  Roll each ball in egg whites and then the nuts, sprinkles, coconut, etc.  Using your thumb, make an indentation in each dough ball.  Add 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of filling to each cookie indentation.  Place pan in refrigerator and chill for at least 15 minutes before baking.


3.  Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes.  Check at approximately 9 minutes.  Bottoms and edges should be lightly golden brown.  Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.  These cookies should be served immediately but can be frozen.  Place a layer of plastic wrap lightly over each layer of cookies in container.  Freeze.

Chocolate Raspberry Truffles

Well, who doesn't like chocolate?  Especially at holiday time!  Nothing better than the smell of melted chocolate wafting through the kitchen.  In our house, we love it.  Kevin is also a huge fan of anything raspberry.  So when I found this recipe for Chocolate Raspberry Truffles, it was a no-brainer.

Quite simply, there are very few ingredients and steps that are simple and easy to follow.  Anyone who knows how to use a wooden spoon can make these.  This is a great recipe to enlist the help of kids, since the most time consuming step in making these is rolling them into balls.
The taste of chocolate is enhanced by the slightest taste of coffee with the addition of instant coffee crystals. It adds a bit of depth to the chocolate.  The use of the raspberry preserves along with chocolate is a natural pairing.  However, I can see these made with strawberry, orange, or apricot.  I am thinking another variation would be the slightest addition of brandy to put a kick into them.  

Chocolate Raspberry Truffles


½        cup evaporated milk
¼        cup sugar
1          11 ½ ounce package milk chocolate chips
¼        cup seedless raspberry preserves
½        tablespoon instant coffee granules
¾        cup finely chopped almonds, toasted

1.  In a large heavy saucepan, combine milk and sugar.  Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat; boil and stir for 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat; stir in chocolate chips, preserves and coffee until mixture is smooth.  Chill until firm.  Cover and store in the refrigerator.

2. Roll into 1-inch balls; roll into almonds.  Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets.  Chill until firm.  Cover and store in the refrigerator.

Camrones al Ajillo - Garlic Shrimp

Well, this is a first folks!  For anyone who has followed this blog with any regularity, they will notice the absence of any seafood.  Typically, I do not cook seafood because Kevin does not eat it.  So I will only cook it when he is not home.

Just over a month ago, we took in a wonderful 19-year old young man (named Kevin, as well) who was forced out of his home.  He has made a wonderful addition to our family AND he loves seafood!  So, I promised him some meals would be seafood when Kevin would work late.

I asked the young Kevin to take a look at three recipes and pick one.  Being from Mexico, our young border chose this recipe.  I must say it contained a minimal number of ingredients but packed a terrific punch!  Do not be afraid of the 10 (yes, ten) garlic cloves.  The only addition I made to this recipe was a seeded/chopped jalapeno.

Let's just say there was a pound of shrimp served over a bed of yellow Spanish rice.  There were NO leftovers!  If you like shrimp and are looking for something easy to make.  This is the recipe for you!

Camarones al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp)


1  tablespoon olive oil
1/4  cup butter
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1  jalapeno, seeded and thinly sliced (omit if you do not like the heat)
1  pound fresh large shrimp, shelled and de-veined (I used frozen pre-cooked)
1/2 cup canned tomato, diced with juices
1  tablespoon dried parsley
1/4  teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1.  Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat.

2.  Stir in the bell pepper and onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.

3.  Stir in the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.  Add the shrimp and cook until opaque, about 2 minutes on each side.

4.  Stir in the tomato sauce, parsley, and red pepper flakes, and cook until tomato sauce is warmed through, about 5 minutes.

5.  Season with salt and pepper.

Beef and Asparagus Puff Pastry Slices

Every month or so, Kevin's office holds a potluck and I always love to test new recipes on them.  :)  The theme this month was soups.  Others in the office already had chosen soups and breads, so I thought I would make something that could be served on the side with them.

I have made this appetizer in another variation for them and it seemed to go well.  The last time, I made it with ham and cheese.  Though it looks like it would be slightly cumbersome to make, it is rather easy to assemble.

The slice roast beef and horseradish sauce are a natural combination that works well together.  The addition of asparagus and Swiss cheese puts this appetizer right where it needs to be.  Amounts used in horseradish sauce are subject to your own tastes.

Going by the two 2-inch squares that were brought home as sacrificed leftovers, I would say everyone enjoyed it~!

Beef and Asparagus Puff Pastry Slices

1  box puff pastry sheets; thawed overnight in the refrigerator
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup creamy horseradish sauce
1 tablespoon horseradish mustard; or dijon will work
salt and pepper to taste
12 ounces sliced roast beef (lunch meat works fine)
12 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
1/2 pound asparagus spears; cut into 1-inch pieces and blanched
1 egg; beaten

1.  Lightly flour work surface and first piece of puff pastry.  Roll out to approximately 12x17.  Lay on foiled baking sheet.  Repeat for the second layer and put to side.

2.  Mix the sour cream, horseradish sauce, and mustard in bowl; add salt and pepper to taste.  Spread a thin layer on the puff pastry leaving 1-inch space around edge to seal.  Reserve the remaining sauce for topping when serving.

3.  Add roast beef slices; overlapping slightly to cover the puff pastry.

4.  Scatter the asparagus pieces over the top of the roast beef.

5.  Add Swiss cheese slices; overlapping slightly

6.  Brush the 1-inch edge with beaten egg.  Lay the second piece of puff pastry over the top and press the edges to seal.

7.  Cut a few slits in the top piece of puff pastry for steam to escape.

8.  Brush the top sheet with egg mixture and bake in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes; or until golden brown.

9.  Serve warm or room temperature.  Serve with horseradish cream sauce on the side.

Southern Comfort Bundt Cake

Today, we had some new friends over for the Packer game and an afternoon of cribbage.  The Packers played San Diego so we tried to go with a southern California, mexican theme.  Turkey avocado wraps with a zesty cheese soup was just the thing. 

For some reason, a bundt-type cake always reminds me of fall. So, I started to search the internet for something that would be different enough.  This recipe was found on allrecipes.com.

The addition of Southern Comfort gives this cake an almond-like flavor, spicy flavor.  The cake was made extra moist by the addition of instant vanilla pudding.  The powdered sugar glaze was made with powder sugar, a few tablespoons of Southern Comfort, and a few tablespoons of milk.  Remember to make the glaze thick enough so it is not runny.

Southern Comfort Bundt Cake

1    18.25 ounce package yellow cake mix

1    3.5 ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix

4    eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup Southern Comfort liqueur

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray one 9-inch bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.

2.  Combine the cake mix, instant vanilla pudding, eggs, milk, oil, Southern Comfort and chopped walnuts. Beat for 2 minutes. Then pour batter into the prepared pan.

3.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. 


4.  Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes then invert onto a cake dish and enjoy.

Squash and Corn Chowder

When the leaves on the trees start to change colors and fill the air with a crisp, warm spicy smell, we generally hunker down in our kitchens to make a comforting pot of soup.  Our house is no different.  There is nothing better than a piping hot bowl of soup to warm your insides.

One key ingredient for fall soups is squash.  It comes in many shapes, colors, and varieties.  Squash, a fruit, is considered by the Native Americans as one of the “Three Sisters.”  These include maize, beans, and squash.  They would plant these three together because the corn stalk would provide support for the climbing beans, and shade for the squash.  The squash vines provided ground cover to limit weeds.  Weeds can be detrimental to the growing conditions of squash.  The beans provided nitrogen for all three crops.

I belong to several food groups on Facebook and this recipe was posted by one of the members.  Who could go wrong with squash, potato, corn, and my favorite…bacon!  ENJOY!  

Squash and Corn Chowder

3 medium ears of corn, husks and silks removed
1 pound of bacon, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 large yellow squash, pureed
1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 small tomatoes, seeded and diced
4 cups vegetable broth 
2 cups low-fat milk


1.  Cut kernels from corncobs, reserving the cobs.


2.  In a soup pot, cook bacon over medium heat until browned.  Transfer bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain.  When cool enough to handle, crumble bacon pieces.


3.  Add onion and jalapeno to bacon drippings in soup pot.  Stir and cook until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic, cook 1 minute longer.  Whisk in flour, salt, and pepper, cook for 1 additional minute.


4.  Stir in the pureed squash, potatoes, corncobs, corn kernel, tomatoes, and broth; heat to boiling.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender; 10-15 minutes.


5.  Discard corncobs from soup pot.  Stir in the cooked bacon and milk.  Heat through and serve.