Back to School

“Back to School”

Liz Smith & Kyndra Peterson

Party-In-My-Mouth Slaw

1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1/3 cup canola oil or vegetable oil

1 small head of cabbage, sliced finely, heart discarded

1 cup sweet corn, frozen is fine

2 medium carrots, peeled, coarsely grated

1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, cored, cut into thin strips

6 medium green onions, thinly sliced

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/8 cup chopped fresh mint

Whisk orange juice concentrate, rice vinegar, and canola oil in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Combine slaw mix, corn kernels, carrots, red bell pepper strips, sliced green onions, chopped mint and chopped cilantro in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand 15 minutes for flavors to blend. Toss again and serve.

Lobster Corn Dogs with Spicy Mustard Sauce

Yield: Makes 12 corn dogs

ingredients

Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise

¼ cup whole grain Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons dry mustard

2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

2 dashes of hot pepper sauce

Corn dogs:

8 ounces uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined

½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1 large egg

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon Lawry’s seasoning

¼ teaspoon cayenne

½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

½ pound cooked lobster meat, cut into ¼- to 1/3-inch cubes

***note 1# lobster yields about 2 oz of meat

½ cup frozen sweet corn kernels, thawed

½ cup thinly sliced green onions (about 4)

12 popsicle sticks

Beer batter:

1 cup all purpose flour

½ cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon paprika

1 cup lager beer

Peanut oil (for frying)

preparation

For sauce:

Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

For corn dogs:

Using on/off turns, blend shrimp and coarse salt in processor until coarsely chopped. Add egg, cream, Worcestershire sauce, Lawry’s and cayenne and hot pepper sauce. Process until smooth. In another bowl, mix lobster, corn, and green onions. Add shrimp puree; fold in until blended.

Divide mixture into 12 equal portions (scant 1/3 cup each). Using moistened hands, form each into 3x11/2-inch log and place on baking sheet, spacing apart. Insert ice-pop stick into 1 end of each log, pushing through almost to other end. Cover and chill at least 4 hours and up to 6 hours.

Beer batter:

Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Whisk in beer. Batter should be stiff and not runny.

Use deep fryer on 350°F for best results or if you don’t have one, you can use a large heavy frying pan. Add enough oil to pan to reach depth of 3 inches. Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of pan. Heat oil to 350°F. Dip 1 corn dog into batter gently; turn to coat corn dog plus ½ inch of stick. Let float in hot oil. Repeat with 3 more corn dogs. Fry until golden brown and crisp and centers are cooked through, occasionally grasping sticks with tongs to turn carefully, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat in 2 more batches with remaining corn dogs and batter. Serve hot with sauce for dipping. ***These are extremely hot inside. Cool for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Smoky Mac & Cheese

12 strips smoked bacon, cut into 1/2 “ pieces

1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

1 Tbsp. flour

3 cups milk

1 ½ lbs smoked gouda, grated

½ Tbsp. onion powder

Bread Crumbs

3Tbsp. melted butter

¼ cup grated parmiggiano

dash Lawry’s Seasoning salt

1 lb. curly macaroni (e.g., celentani)

Prepare pasta to the al dente stage. (Can be done concurrently with sauce preparation.) In heavy saucepan, brown bacon and rosemary at low temperature until bacon is rendered. Heat milk to just under boiling point. (Microwave oven works well.) Remove bacon and set aside. Over medium heat, cook bacon fat with flour to form a roux, stirring constantly. Whisk in hot milk and let thicken slightly. Add gouda and onion powder. Let simmer until slightly more thickened, whisking to prevent scorching. Remove from heat. In mixing bowl, combine cooked pasta, sauce and bacon pieces until pasta is well coated. Transfer to baking dish (8x8). Sprinkle bread crumbs across top. Drizzle melted butter over crumbs. Sprinkle grated parmiggiano and dust with Lawry’s Seasoning salt. Place under broiler to 1-2 minutes until just starting to brown. Serve immediately.

**This is very rich, portions should be small.

GOURMET TATER TOTS

• 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, boiled and then pureed

• 1 cup shredded aged white cheddar

• 4 tbsp melted butter

• ¼ cup heavy cream

• 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp white pepper

• 1 tsp fresh ground nutmeg

• 2 cups Panko bread crumbs

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 4 eggs, beaten

• ¼cup 2% milk

1. To warm potato puree add grated cheddar, green onion, salt and pepper, butter, nutmeg and cream. Mix together until smooth. Put mixture in a piping bag with a large round tip and pipe long cylindrical logs onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, then refrigerate. When set, cut into 2" pieces and begin breading process.

2. Dip potato pieces, first, in the flour, then in the egg-and-milk mixture and, finally, in the Panko. Deep-fry in vegetable oil at 350°F (180°C) for three minutes, or until golden brown.

Southwestern Style Salisbury Steaks

1½pounds ground chuck beef
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped and juices drained
2 tablespoons minced green onions
2 tablespoon agave nectar
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt

½ tsp garlic powder
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, sliced

-Using hands, gently mix first 9 ingredients in large bowl just until blended. Form into four 3/4-inch-thick oval patties. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)

-Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill patties until cooked to desired doneness, about 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. (can also be made on a George Foreman grill)

-Transfer patties to plates. Top with avocado slices and Lime-pickled Red Onions.

Lime Pickled Red Inions

1 large red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons olive oil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Cover and let stand 1 to 3 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Green Bean fries with Wasabi dip

Wasabi Cucumber Ranch Dip

½ cup ranch dip

¼ cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, minced & juices drained

1½ teaspoons prepared horseradish

1 teaspooncider vinegar

2 teaspoon wasabi powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

Couple shakes of cayenne pepper

Green Beans

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk

4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth

6-8 ounces fresh green beans

1 cup flour

1 cup plain breadcrumbs or seasoned dry bread crumb

3/4 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

vegetable shortening, for frying or vegetable oil

1. Combine dip ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth.

2. Place in bowl; cover and chill till ready to use. Dip will thicken as it chills.

3. Place beans in the broth.

4. Bring to a boil and cook 15 minutes, then place in cold water to stop cooking process.

5. Mix beaten egg with milk in a shallow bowl.

6. Measure 1 cup of flour into another shallow bowl.

7. Combine bread crumbs, 3/4 teaspoons salt, black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder into a third bowl.

8. Take a handful of beans out of the water and shake off excess liquid.

9. Coat the beans with the flour, shaking to remove excess flour.

10. Dip the beans, one at a time, into egg/milk mixture, then dip in breadcrumb mixture.

11. Place the beans on a plate until all are coated.

12. Heat the shortening or oil to 350°F in a heavy skillet(or use deep fryer). Use enough to cover the beans, about 1½ inches.

13. Fry until golden brown, about 1½ minutes.

14. Drain on paper towels.

15. To serve, place on a large platter and serve with the wasabi cucumber ranch dip. Enjoy!

Salad Pizzette

Pizza dough (packaged or from scratch)

½ cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
¼ -½ cup (2-4 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano cheese
2½ cups coarsely chopped trimmed arugula (about 4 ounces)
½ cup chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons olive oil + some extra
1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke bottoms, drained and chopped in bite size chunks

1½ cups chopped seeded tomato, or grape tomatoes cut in half

Combine artichoke bottoms and tomatoes in a shallow pain, lightly coating with olive oil and lightly sprinkling with dried oregano and thyme if desired. Broil for 10 minutes, stirring once. If possible, broil while crust is cooking, otherwise, broil before crust cooks and cover to keep warm.

Roll dough out thinly onto a pizza stone or greased baking sheet. Top with mozzarella and parmigiano cheeses. Cook at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine 2 teaspoons olive oil, mustard, and vinegar & wisk together to make dressing. Toss arugula and basil in a bowl with dressing.

When pizza comes out of the oven, top with arugula mixture and then the tomatoes and artichokes. Cut and serve immediately.

Fizzy Limeade

-1 can of frozen limeade concentrate

-2 litre bottle of Sprite

Combine and enjoy over ice!

PB&J Open Face Sandwiches

-1 loaf of poundcake

-½ cup of creamy peanut butter (not freshly ground)

-½ cup of finely ground roasted almonds

-2 tsp almond extract

-package of fresh strawberries

1. To make spread, combine peanut butter, almonds and extract and mix to make an even consistency.

2. Cut strawberries length wise into 4 slices a piece.

3. Thinly slice pound cake and cut slices in half to make smaller if desired. Spread a thin layer of peanut butter on bread, top with a few slices of strawberries.

Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

Makes 18 regular sized cupcakes

For the Cupcakes

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1¼ cups granulated sugar

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the Filling

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 tablespoons heavy cream

1 cup marshmallow creme

For the Ganache

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

½ cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

For the Icing

1 stick unsalted butter

1 tablespoon milk (I used 1½ to 2)

2 cups powdered sugar

¼ tsp vanilla

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

Prepare the cupcakes: Bring the sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Pour into a large bowl; add the chocolate and butter and let sit, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture has cooled slightly. Stir in the vanilla.

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

Using a mixer, beat the eggs into the chocolate, then mix in the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (about ¼ cup batter per cupcake, do not overfill) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Do not open the oven door very much since they will drop dramatically--I learned this the hard way! Cool in the pans for about 15 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.

(They will sink in the middle...they'll puff up when filled later)

For the filling: Using a mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in ½ cup confectioners’ sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining ½ cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition. Beat in the marshmallow creme; set aside.

For the ganache: Place the chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl. Heat the cream and 1 tablespoon butter until just boiling, then pour over the chocolate; let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla; let stand until cool but still glossy and liquid.

Spoon the filling into a pastry bag with a medium tip. Insert the tip into the center of each cupcake top; fill until the cupcake is heavier (do not overfill). (It's OK if some of the filling peeks out, it will be covered by the ganache.)

Spoon a little ganache on each cupcake and lightly spread with an offset spatula or a knife. Just cover and let drip over sides. Do not use too much or the bitter will overpower the cupcake. Chill for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing: Using a mixer, beat the remaining 1 stick butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, the milk and confectioners’ sugar until smooth, adding more milk if needed. Spoon into a pastry bag with a small tip (I used a #2 plain tip); pipe onto the cupcakes to decorate.

Store in the refrigerator.

Fresh Peach Sherbet

1 C sugar

1 C water

1 T corn syrup

1 t vanilla

1 C cream

1½ C fresh peach purée

Juice and zest of ½ medium lemon

Pinch salt

Bring sugar and water to a boil. Add corn syrup and vanilla. Chill

mixture in ice bath until cold. Blend in the rest of ingredients and

transfer to ice cream maker and freeze. Transfer to bowl, place in

freezer and allow to chill for two hours for more traditional

texture.

=

Green Apple Strawberry Smoothie

1 green apple

12 frozen strawberries

2 packets of sweetener (Equal, sugar)

Gingerale

Put fruit in a blender, fill blender with Gingerale to about 2 inches below the fruit line. Add sweetener and blend until smooth.

Back to School: September

“Back to School”

Liz Smith & Kyndra Peterson

the Lunch Ladies: can't you just feel the love?!

Appetizers:

Green Bean fries with Wasabi dip

Wasabi Cucumber Ranch Dip

½ cup ranch dip

¼ cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, minced & juices drained

1½ teaspoons prepared horseradish

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

2 teaspoon wasabi powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

Couple shakes of cayenne pepper

Green Beans

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk

4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth

6-8 ounces fresh green beans

1 cup flour

1 cup plain breadcrumbs or seasoned dry bread crumb

3/4 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

vegetable shortening, for frying or vegetable oil

1. Combine dip ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth.

2. Place in bowl; cover and chill till ready to use. Dip will thicken as it chills.

3. Place beans in the broth.

4. Bring to a boil and cook 15 minutes, then place in cold water to stop cooking process.

5. Mix beaten egg with milk in a shallow bowl.

6. Measure 1 cup of flour into another shallow bowl.

7. Combine bread crumbs, 3/4 teaspoons salt, black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder into a third bowl.

8. Take a handful of beans out of the water and shake off excess liquid.

9. Coat the beans with the flour, shaking to remove excess flour.

10. Dip the beans, one at a time, into egg/milk mixture, then dip in breadcrumb mixture.

11. Place the beans on a plate until all are coated.

12. Heat the shortening or oil to 350°F in a heavy skillet(or use deep fryer). Use enough to cover the beans, about 1½ inches.

13. Fry until golden brown, about 1½ minutes.

14. Drain on paper towels.

15. To serve, place on a large platter and serve with the wasabi cucumber ranch dip. Enjoy!

Party-In-My-Mouth Slaw

1/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1/3 cup canola oil or vegetable oil

1 small head of cabbage, sliced finely, heart discarded

1 cup sweet corn, frozen is fine

2 medium carrots, peeled, coarsely grated

1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, cored, cut into thin strips

6 medium green onions, thinly sliced

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/8 cup chopped fresh mint

Whisk orange juice concentrate, rice vinegar, and canola oil in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Combine slaw mix, corn kernels, carrots, red bell pepper strips, sliced green onions, chopped mint and chopped cilantro in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand 15 minutes for flavors to blend. Toss again and serve.

Lobster Corn Dogs with Spicy Mustard Sauce

Yield: Makes 12 corn dogs

ingredients

Sauce:

1 cup mayonnaise

¼ cup whole grain Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons dry mustard

2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

2 dashes of hot pepper sauce

Corn dogs:

8 ounces uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined

½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt

1 large egg

2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon Lawry’s seasoning

¼ teaspoon cayenne

½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

½ pound cooked lobster meat, cut into ¼- to 1/3-inch cubes

***note 1# lobster yields about 2 oz of meat

½ cup frozen sweet corn kernels, thawed

½ cup thinly sliced green onions (about 4)

12 popsicle sticks

Beer batter:

1 cup all purpose flour

½ cup cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon paprika

1 cup lager beer

Peanut oil (for frying)

For sauce:

Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

For corn dogs:

Using on/off turns, blend shrimp and coarse salt in processor until coarsely chopped. Add egg, cream, Worcestershire sauce, Lawry’s and cayenne and hot pepper sauce. Process until smooth. In another bowl, mix lobster, corn, and green onions. Add shrimp puree; fold in until blended.

Divide mixture into 12 equal portions (scant 1/3 cup each). Using moistened hands, form each into 3x11/2-inch log and place on baking sheet, spacing apart. Insert ice-pop stick into 1 end of each log, pushing through almost to other end. Cover and chill at least 4 hours and up to 6 hours.

Beer batter:

Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Whisk in beer. Batter should be stiff and not runny.

Use deep fryer on 350°F for best results or if you don’t have one, you can use a large heavy frying pan. Add enough oil to pan to reach depth of 3 inches. Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of pan. Heat oil to 350°F. Dip 1 corn dog into batter gently; turn to coat corn dog plus ½ inch of stick. Let float in hot oil. Repeat with 3 more corn dogs. Fry until golden brown and crisp and centers are cooked through, occasionally grasping sticks with tongs to turn carefully, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat in 2 more batches with remaining corn dogs and batter. Serve hot with sauce for dipping. ***These are extremely hot inside. Cool for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Smoky Mac & Cheese

12 strips smoked bacon, cut into 1/2 “ pieces

1 tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

1 Tbsp. flour

3 cups milk

1 ½ lbs smoked gouda, grated

½ Tbsp. onion powder

Bread Crumbs

3Tbsp. melted butter

¼ cup grated parmiggiano

dash Lawry’s Seasoning salt

1 lb. curly macaroni (e.g., celentani)

Prepare pasta to the al dente stage. (Can be done concurrently with sauce preparation.) In heavy saucepan, brown bacon and rosemary at low temperature until bacon is rendered. Heat milk to just under boiling point. (Microwave oven works well.) Remove bacon and set aside. Over medium heat, cook bacon fat with flour to form a roux, stirring constantly. Whisk in hot milk and let thicken slightly. Add gouda and onion powder. Let simmer until slightly more thickened, whisking to prevent scorching. Remove from heat. In mixing bowl, combine cooked pasta, sauce and bacon pieces until pasta is well coated. Transfer to baking dish (8x8). Sprinkle bread crumbs across top. Drizzle melted butter over crumbs. Sprinkle grated parmiggiano and dust with Lawry’s Seasoning salt. Place under broiler to 1-2 minutes until just starting to brown. Serve immediately.

**This is very rich, portions should be small.

GOURMET TATER TOTS

• 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, boiled and then pureed

• 1 cup shredded aged white cheddar

• 4 tbsp melted butter

• ¼ cup heavy cream

• 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp white pepper

• 1 tsp fresh ground nutmeg

• 2 cups Panko bread crumbs

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 4 eggs, beaten

• ¼cup 2% milk

1. To warm potato puree add grated cheddar, green onion, salt and pepper, butter, nutmeg and cream. Mix together until smooth. Put mixture in a piping bag with a large round tip and pipe long cylindrical logs onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, then refrigerate. When set, cut into 2" pieces and begin breading process.

2. Dip potato pieces, first, in the flour, then in the egg-and-milk mixture and, finally, in the Panko. Deep-fry in vegetable oil at 350°F (180°C) for three minutes, or until golden brown.

Southwestern Style Salisbury Steaks

1½pounds ground chuck beef

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped and juices drained

2 tablespoons minced green onions

2 tablespoon agave nectar

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ tsp garlic powder

1 avocado, pitted, peeled, sliced

-Using hands, gently mix first 9 ingredients in large bowl just until blended. Form into four 3/4-inch-thick oval patties. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)

-Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill patties until cooked to desired doneness, about 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. (can also be made on a George Foreman grill)

-Transfer patties to plates. Top with avocado slices and Lime-pickled Red Onions.

Lime Pickled Red Onions

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

¼ cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 teaspoons olive oil

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Cover and let stand 1 to 3 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Salad Pizzette

Pizza dough (packaged or from scratch)

½ cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

¼ -½ cup (2-4 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano cheese

2½ cups coarsely chopped trimmed arugula (about 4 ounces)

½ cup chopped fresh basil

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons olive oil + some extra

1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke bottoms, drained and chopped in bite size chunks

1½ cups chopped seeded tomato, or grape tomatoes cut in half

Combine artichoke bottoms and tomatoes in a shallow pain, lightly coating with olive oil and lightly sprinkling with dried oregano and thyme if desired. Broil for 10 minutes, stirring once. If possible, broil while crust is cooking, otherwise, broil before crust cooks and cover to keep warm.

Roll dough out thinly onto a pizza stone or greased baking sheet. Top with mozzarella and parmigiano cheeses. Cook at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine 2 teaspoons olive oil, mustard, and vinegar & wisk together to make dressing. Toss arugula and basil in a bowl with dressing.

When pizza comes out of the oven, top with arugula mixture and then the tomatoes and artichokes. Cut and serve immediately.

Fizzy Limeade

-1 can of frozen limeade concentrate

-2 litre bottle of Sprite

Combine and enjoy over ice!

PB&J Open Face Sandwiches

-1 loaf of poundcake

-½ cup of creamy peanut butter (not freshly ground)

-½ cup of finely ground roasted almonds

-2 tsp almond extract

-package of fresh strawberries

1. To make spread, combine peanut butter, almonds and extract and mix to make an even consistency.

2. Cut strawberries length wise into 4 slices a piece.

3. Thinly slice pound cake and cut slices in half to make smaller if desired. Spread a thin layer of peanut butter on bread, top with a few slices of strawberries.

Homemade Hostess Cupcakes

Makes 18 regular sized cupcakes

For the Cupcakes

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1¼ cups granulated sugar

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the Filling

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 tablespoons heavy cream

1 cup marshmallow creme

For the Ganache

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

½ cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

For the Icing

1 stick unsalted butter

1 tablespoon milk (I used 1½ to 2)

2 cups powdered sugar

¼ tsp vanilla

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.

Prepare the cupcakes: Bring the sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Pour into a large bowl; add the chocolate and butter and let sit, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture has cooled slightly. Stir in the vanilla.

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

Using a mixer, beat the eggs into the chocolate, then mix in the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans (about ¼ cup batter per cupcake, do not overfill) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Do not open the oven door very much since they will drop dramatically--I learned this the hard way! Cool in the pans for about 15 minutes, then transfer cupcakes to a rack to cool completely.

(They will sink in the middle...they'll puff up when filled later)

For the filling: Using a mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in ½ cup confectioners’ sugar. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon heavy cream; beat until smooth. Beat in the remaining ½ cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons heavy cream in batches, alternating after each addition. Beat in the marshmallow creme; set aside.

For the ganache: Place the chocolate in a stainless-steel bowl. Heat the cream and 1 tablespoon butter until just boiling, then pour over the chocolate; let stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla; let stand until cool but still glossy and liquid.

Spoon the filling into a pastry bag with a medium tip. Insert the tip into the center of each cupcake top; fill until the cupcake is heavier (do not overfill). (It's OK if some of the filling peeks out, it will be covered by the ganache.)

Spoon a little ganache on each cupcake and lightly spread with an offset spatula or a knife. Just cover and let drip over sides. Do not use too much or the bitter will overpower the cupcake. Chill for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing: Using a mixer, beat the remaining 1 stick butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, the milk and confectioners’ sugar until smooth, adding more milk if needed. Spoon into a pastry bag with a small tip (I used a #2 plain tip); pipe onto the cupcakes to decorate.

Store in the refrigerator.

Fresh Peach Sherbet

1 C sugar

1 C water

1 T corn syrup

1 t vanilla

1 C cream

1½ C fresh peach purée

Juice and zest of ½ medium lemon

Pinch salt

Bring sugar and water to a boil. Add corn syrup and vanilla. Chill

mixture in ice bath until cold. Blend in the rest of ingredients and

transfer to ice cream maker and freeze. Transfer to bowl, place in

freezer and allow to chill for two hours for more traditional

texture.

=

Green Apple Strawberry Smoothie

1 green apple

12 frozen strawberries

2 packets of sweetener (Equal, sugar)

Gingerale

Put fruit in a blender, fill blender with Gingerale to about 2 inches below the fruit line. Add sweetener and blend until smooth.

Southern Comfort: Brooklyn Style!

Charms of the South

Southern Comfort

Amy Keith & Amanda Rich

March 28, 2008

Park Slope Brooklyn

HORS D’EOUVRES:

Southern Mint Julep

¼ Cup Water
¼ Cup White Sugar
1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Mint Leaves
2 Cups Crushed Ice
½ Cup Prepared Lemonade
Fresh Mint Sprigs, for garnish

In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar and 1 tablespoon of chopped mint. Stir and bring to a boil. Cook until sugar has dissolved, then remove from heat and set aside to cool. After about an hour, strain out mint leaves. Fill 2 cups or frozen goblets with crushed ice. Pour ½ of the lemonade into each glass and top with a splash of the sugar syrup. Garnish each with a mint sprig and a straw. Serve on a silver platter.


Buttered Pecans

¾ Cup Butter
3 Cups Pecans
Salt to taste

Melt about ¾ stick of butter in a cast iron skillet. Low heat. Add 3 cups of pecans and thoroughly coat with the butter and stir gently for 10 minutes or so, again on low. Add to a 250 degree preheated oven. Cook for approximately an hour, stirring every 10 minutes or so. There’re done when you taste them and like the texture. Dump them out on a brown paper bag and immediately salt to your content.


Deviled Eggs

6 Eggs
¼ Cup Mayonnaise
½ Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Green Onions or Scallions
1 Tablespoon Finely Chopped Capers
Paprika
Cayenne Pepper
Salt
2 Teaspoons Finely Chopped Fresh Thyme, for garnish

To hard-cook eggs, bring a large pan of water to the boil. Prick the shells at the large end with an egg pricker or a needle. Place the egg on a spoon and gently roll it off onto the bottom of the pan. Roll the eggs for a few seconds to center the yolk. Reduce the heat and simmer 11 minutes. Remove the eggs to cold water briefly, then drain. Roll them on the counter to crack the shells, then peel them, starting at the large end. Slice the eggs in half lengthwise and place the yolks in a small mixing bowl. Mash them well with a fork or whisk; add the mayonnaise, mustard, green onions, capers, cayenne pepper and salt to taste. Mix well. Spoon or pipe decoratively back into the halves. Garnish with finely chopped thyme and lightly sprinkled paprika.


Hushpuppies

1 ¼ Cup Cornmeal
½ Cup Self-Rising Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Medium Onions, Finely Chopped
1 Egg
1 Cup Milk
Dash of Tabasco
3-4 Cups Vegetable Oil

Combine the cornmeal, flour, salt and onions. Whisk together the egg, milk, and Tabasco and stir into the cornmeal mixture. Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a skillet to 350 degrees F. Drop the batter into the hot oil by tablespoons. Fry until golden brown on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

*SPECIAL NOTE ON “Hush, Puppies!”
The origins of this Southern staple are obscure, but at least one story often repeated in Southern folklore traces them to the hunting and fishing camps so popular in the South of yesteryear, as well as today. Amid the bountiful, boisterous eating that comes from catching one’s own and cooking it in the open… came the frying of a cornmeal batter to go with the crisp fried fish. Dogs, sniffing around the campfire, were tantalized by the smells and excited by the festivities. To quiet the, a cook fried up the last of the fish batter, thick from sitting, and tossed it to the “dawgs”, cryin’ out “Hush, puppy!” On the next fishing expedition, the cook dipped some onions into his thick cornmeal batter, shaped the mixture into balls and ate the “hushpuppies” himself.

------------------
DINNER:

Cornbread with Honey Butter

5 Tablespoons Butter
1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Cup Buttermilk
2 Eggs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the butter in an 8-inch cast-iron skillet, 8-inch square baking pan, or cast-iron cornstick molds and heat in the over until melted. In a medium bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk and eggs. Mix 2 tablespons melted butter into the buttermilk mixture, then gently stir into the dry ingredients. Pour the batter into the hot pan with the remaining butter and bake in the middle of the oven until the top of the cornbread is golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes for cornbread, 12 to 15 minutes for cornsticks. Run a knife around the outside edge and invert onto a plate. Serve warm.

For Honey Butter:

¾ Cup Butter, room temperature
¼ Cup Honey
(really to taste and for the consistency you desire – some recipes call for equal parts)

In a small bowl, mix butter and honey until smooth. Easiest to start by beating your butter, then use your mixer to whip and slowly add the honey. Store, covered, in refrigerator. Serve at room temperature with warm cornbread.


Fried Green Tomatoes with Vidalia Onion Relish

3 or 4 Large Firm Green Tomatoes
Salt
2 Cups Vegetable or Peanut Oil, for deep-frying
1 Cup Buttermilk
2 Cups Self-Rising Flour
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Slice the tomatoes ¼-inch thick. Lay them out in a shallow baking pan and sprinkle with salt. Place the tomato slices in a colander and allow time for salt to pull the water out of the tomatoes, approximately 30 minutes. In a skillet, heat the oil for deep-frying over medium-high heat. Dip the tomatoes into buttermilk, then dredge them into flour with a dash of pepper. Deep-fry until golden brown. Keep warm.

For Vidalia Onion Relish:

2 White Onions, Diced
½ Cup Mayonnaise
½ Cup Rice Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Chopped Chives
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for a few hours. Serve.


Lady’s Cheesy Mac

2 Cups Dried Elbow Macaroni (4 Cups Cooked)
1/3 Cup Grated Cheddar
1/3 Cup Grated Swiss
1/3 Cup Grated Jack
1/3 Cup Grated Colby
1/3 Cup Grated Muenster
1/3 Cup Grated Gouda
½ Cup Sour Cream
4 Tablespoons Butter, cut into pieces
6 Eggs
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Pepper
1 Cup Milk
Nonstick Spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Season water with salt and cook macaroni until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain pasta and place in a large bowl. While pasta is still hot, add all cheeses. In a separate medium bowl, using a whisk, combine the sour cream, butter, eggs, salt, pepper and milk and add to the macaroni mixture. Spray casserole dish with nonstick spray and pour macaroni mixture into the dish. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown. Top with additional cheese, if desired.


Black-eyed Pea and Corn Salad

1 Pound Dried Black-eyed Peas, washed and picked over
1 2-inch Piece Fatback, Salt Pork, or Bacon
2 ½ Cups Silver Queen Corn Kernels, cut from 5 ears
¼ Pound Bacon
1 Large Red Onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
3 Red Bell Peppers, Roasted, Peeled, Seeded, and cut into ¼-inch dice
5 Scallions or Green Onions, white and green parts, cut into ¼-inch dice
Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Cover the peas with water and soak 7 to 8 hours or overnight. Drain. Place the peas and fatback in a 5-quart stockpot with water to cover and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 25 minutes, until the peas are firm but not mealy. Drain. In a medium saucepan, combine the corn with ¼ cup boiling water. Return to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook over medium heat until the kernels are crisp-tender, about 6 to 8 minutes; drain. In a skillet, cook the bacon until very crisp. Transfer to paper towels with a slotted spoon, reserving the fat in the skillet. When cool, crumble the bacon. Combine the drained corn and peas in a large mixing bowl. Ad the red onion, roasted peppers, scallions, salt and pepper to taste, and the crumbled bacon.

Hot Dressing:

1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 Garlic Clove, finely chopped
2 to 3 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Basil
2 to 3 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Thyme
2 to 3 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Parsley
1 Cup Chicken Stock

Add the vinegar, sugar and mustard to the bacon drippings in the frying pan and bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce by half, about 3 to 4 minutes, then add the garlic, basil, thyme and parsley. Cook a minute or two, until the garlic is soft, then add the chicken stock. Return to the boil once more and cook until reduced by half, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour the hot dressing over the pea-corn mixture and toss. Refrigerate overnight. Serve cold or at room temperature.


Sugar Ray’s BBQ Ribs

2 Slabs Baby Back Ribs

Dry Rub:
1 Tablespoon Paprika
2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
½ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Combine all the ingredients for the dry rub in a small mixing bowl. Rub the ribs with the dry rub. Wrap in plastic wrap and let marinate in refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Place ribs on a large baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Cover tightly with foil and place in middle rack of over. Bake for 2 ½ hours.

BBQ Sauce:
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons Molasses
¼ Cup Cider Vinegar
2/3 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Cups Ketchup
¼ Cup Paprika
¼ Cup Ground Black Pepper
½ Cup Salt
1 ¼ Cups Sugar
1 ½ Cups Dark Brown Sugar
Add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce to a low simmer. Let simmer for 25 minutes, on low heat, stirring occasionally. Preheat grill to medium heat. Take ribs out of the oven and place on grill to finish. Cook for 20 more minutes, turning and basting with sauce. Remove from grill and serve as either racks or cut into ribs.

Cheese Grits

3 Cups Water, Cream, Milk or Broth
¾ Cups Grits
¼ Teaspoon Salt
CHEESE – any and all meltable cheese you crave or have in your kitchen
(Cheddar, Brie, Goat, Parmesan and Blue)

There are a lot of recipes out there for sprucing up grits with flavorings like bacon, etc. But we went for a little more basic or more classic version. Just get any kind of grits you want from the store… Quaker is fine. Don’t get quick cook. Instead of using all water for the grits, use chicken stock and add butter once you like the consistency. Standard cheese would be shredded, not pre-shredded, extra sharp cheddar… that’s good with the stock, which adds flavor. The slower and lower heat you cook them, the better the consistency. You can always add more water, stock or even cream or milk as you go along. The best cheese grits I had were made by a friend of mine from South Carolina. She couldn’t even get me a recipe… just cook up the grits, use stock and butter and then start adding your cheese to taste and for the consistency you desire. We have used brie, goat cheese, parmesan and even blue. Anything goes! Enjoy!


Spoonbread

2 Cups Milk
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Cornmeal
4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Eggs, separated
Freshly Ground Pepper (optional)

Bring the milk and salt to a boil, then reduce the heat. Gradually whisk in the cornmeal, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth. It will also be very, very thick, almost like wet concrete. Stir in the butter and set aside to cool slightly. (I added 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper at this point.) Beat the egg yolks well and stir into the cooled cornmeal mixture. Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry and slowly fold into the cornmeal mixture in two batches. Pour the batter into a well-buttered casserole (I used a 2-quart soufflé dish) and bake at 375°F for 35 to 40 minutes, or until light, puffy, and browned on top. Serve from the casserole with a spoon. Spoonbread is edible the second day but much better straight out of the oven. (This was the quintessential southern side my mother-in-law from Virginia asked that I make. It’s been a nice discovery.)

---------------------


DESSERT:

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Dry:
2 ½ Cups of Cake Flour
1 ½ Cups of Granulated Sugar
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Fine Salt
1 Teaspoon Cocoa Powder

Wet:
1 Cup Buttermilk
2 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vinegar (white distilled)
1 ½ Cups of Vegetable Oil
1 Ounce Red Food Coloring
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Sift together all dry ingredients. Add liquid in an electric mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until well incorporated. Slowly add dry ingredients to bowl, until all ingredients are combined. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Frosting:
4 Cups Confectioners Sugar
1 Pound of Cream Cheese (room temperature)
1 Pound of Butter (softened)
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Mix together the cream cheese and the softened butter. Gradually add confectioners sugar until it reaches desired sweetness and smoothness. Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and frost the cake. (This is a great cake to layer and very impressive with the red and white and can also be prepared in the shape of an armadillo – a popular groom’s cake in the South!)


Homemade Georgia Peach Ice Cream

5 Cups Peaches, peeled and chopped*
6 Eggs, lightly beaten, at room temperature
2 ½ Cups Sugar
2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
Dash of Salt
2 Cups Heavy Cream
2 Cups Half and Half
3 Cups Whole Milk
1 Tablespoon Ground Ginger

*Canned peaches are often better when making out of season. When fresh fruit – use pineapple juice or lemon – something acidic – to keep it from browning. Pineapple – because of its sweeter taste - works better with ice cream.

In a blender, puree 3 cups of the peaches. Mash the remaining 3 cups of chopped peaches with a potato masher. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, flour, vanilla and salt until well blended. Set aside. In a large, heavy saucepan over low heat, heat the milk and cream, just until it begins to steam. Pour a little of the heated mixture into the egg and sugar mixture and stir. Then pour the bowl of egg/sugar/milk mixture back into the heavy saucepan. Continue to cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick and smooth. Remove from heat, and refrigerate the mixture for several hours or until well chilled. Add the pureed peaches to the chilled mixture, stir well, and pour into a 5-quart ice cream freezer can. Turn on the ice cream freezer (using layers of ice and rock salt on the exterior) and let churn for approximately 5 minutes. Then, carefully remove the top of the can and the dasher and add the reserved 2 cups of mashed peaches, mixing them in with a long spoon. Put the dasher back in and the top back on, and continue freezing according to the ice cream maker manufacturer’s directions. Allow ice cream to ripen for at least an hour. Makes about 3 ½ quarts.

TAKE HOME GOODY BAG:
Peanut Brittle

3 Cups Sugar
1 ½ Cups Karo Syrup (light)
1 Cup Water
¼ Cube Butter
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 ¾ Cups (16 oz.) Raw Spanish Peanut
1 Cup Raw Coconut
Grease two cookie sheets. Combine sugar, Karo syrup and water in heavy pan. Stir until dissolved. Bring to a boil and wash sides of pan. Wash all sugar that sticks to sides of pan. Add peanuts when mixture reaches a soft ball stage (235).

When mixture begins to boil again, start stirring. Cook to hard crack stage (310) and add butter. Remove from heat; add salt, baking soda and vanilla and stir well. Spread as thinly as possible on greased pans. Run knife under candy and platter as soon as candy is hard enough to handle. Stretch in all directions.

February 2009: Flavors of the Southwest

Flavors of the Southwest

by Melissa Holden & Jennifer Ingersoll

February 28, 2009

NYC

 

Note: These recipes require spices and ingredients
indigenous to the food of the Southwest. All of the
special spices and ingredients used in these recipes were
purchased at Kalustyans in New York City.






Starters:

Rosemary Limeade:
4 cups “simple syrup”
4 cups fresh lime juice
10 cups water
Stir it up and ice it down. Makes about one
gallon.
Simple Syrup:
4 cups water
4 cups sugar
1 stem fresh rosemary
Combine water and sugar in saucepan. Bring to
a boil, stirring as sugar dissolves. Boil
undisturbed and uncovered for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat, add rosemary, and let
mixture steep, covered, for 1 hour.


Candied Chile Pecans:

¼ cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons Kahlua or espresso
1 tablespoon Chimayo chile powder
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups pecan halves

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all
ingredients in a small mixing bowl and spread
on greased baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes, stir
nuts, and return to oven a few minutes more,
until fragrant.


Desert Sage Flatbread:
3 cups warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
6 cups flour
1 ¼ cups cornmeal
½ cup bran
¼ cup olive oil plus more for drizzling over top
1 tablespoon salt plus coarse salt for sprinkling on top
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing
bowl combine the water, yeast, and sugar and let
bubble for 10 minutes.
2. Add flour, cornmeal, bran, oil, salt, and sage to
yeast mixture. Mix slowly, as it can get messy.
Machine-knead for 5 minutes, or knead by hand
until dough is smooth and easy to handle.
3. Place dough in large, oiled bowl. Turn dough
ball to coat with oil and cover with plastic wrap.
Let rise 30 minutes.
4. Re-knead for a minute, adding additional flour if
necessary to make the dough easier to handle.
Pull dough out onto floured table and form into
6-ounce balls (tennis-ball-sized) for sandwiches,
or 3-ounce balls (golf-ball-sized) for dinner
rolls. Place balls on lined baking sheet and
flatten a bit. Let rise 10 minutes, then flatten
again, spreading dough with fingertips and
poking small holes into surface. Bread should
be flat and round, like a hamburger bun.
Drizzle more olive oil over tops of formed
flatbread and sprinkle them with coarse salt.
For an extra zing add chile flakes or grated
Parmesan. The poked holes will collect the
sprinkled goodies for a lovely pocket of flavor.
5. Bake flatbread 25 to 35 minutes until golden and
fragrant.


Brown Sugar Blue Cornbread:

2 ½ cups blue cornmeal
1 ¾ cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 eggs
½ cup melted butter or oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 ½ cups milk

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Warm a 10” cast-
iron skillet in oven for 10 minutes while you
assemble the batter.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour,
brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir in eggs,
melted butter, and milk. Batter will be thick.
3. Remove heated skillet from oven, add 1
tablespoon butter, and swirl it around to coat
surface. Pour batter into buttered skillet,
spreading it around evenly. Return skillet to
oven and bake 45 minutes, till sides of
cornbread pulls away from skillet.

Delicious additions:
2 cups grated cheese
3 tablespoons minced jalapenos
1 cup diced red peppers
1 cup roasted corn
½ cup chopped green chiles

Jicama and Red Pepper Haystacks:
1 small jicama (about 1 pound)
2 red bell peppers (cucumber or melon could be an
alternative or addition)
juice and zest of 2 limes
juice of 1 orange
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced very fine, or ½
teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt to taste
Peel jicama and cut into matchsticks. Remove
seeds and membranes from red bell peppers and
cut into smaller matchsticks. Toss everything
together and adjust lime and salt to taste.
Refrigerate salad until thoroughly chilled or
serve right away.

Backbone Salad:




-Romaine hearts, torn into small pieces
-garden spring mix
-jicama, sliced into matchstick-sized bits
-toasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
-super-sweet dehydrated corn
-sliced fresh fruit: strawberries, cherries, plums,
raspberries, peaches, pears or apricots
Honey-Chile Dressing:
½ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup honey
¾ teaspoon ground star anise
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Chimayo red chile powder
¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup canola oil
Combine all ingredients except oil in a blender.
With machine running, slowly drizzle in oil.
Whirl a minute to combine. This dressing will
keep for 10 days.



Jalapeño and Avocado Cream Soup:


8 jalapeno peppers, stemmed and seeded
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup finely diced sweet yellow onion
5 cloves minced garlic
8 cups heavy cream
2 cups chopped roasted tomatoes (canned fire-roasted
tomatoes will work well)
1 cup diced Haas avocado
sea salt and pepper to taste
1 small bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped

1. Mince jalapenos, taking care not to get the chile
oils all over your hands.
2. Melt butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot.
Cook finely diced onion and minced jalapenos
together in butter over low heat for about 5
minutes, stirring frequently to avoid any
scorching. Add minced garlic and continue
cooking until onion is translucent and
beginning to brown, 20 minutes more.
3. Turn heat to low and add the cream, tomatoes,
and avocado. Carefully bring soup to a simmer
over low heat. Cook it at a gentle simmer for 30
minutes. Stir often to keep soup from sticking.
4. Add generous amounts of salt. Add a good
amount of cracked black pepper and most of the
cilantro leaves. Garnish the bowls of soup with
more cilantro leaves.


Roasted Poblano Cream
Pasta Sauce:



1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon salt
½ cup white wine
4 roasted poblano chiles, peeled and seeded
2 garlic cloves
4 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1. In a wide shallow skillet, cook onion and 1
tablespoon salt on medium-low heat, shaking
pan occasionally. When onion softens and there
are brown bits stuck to pan, pour in wine to
loosen bits.
2. Add roasted red or green chile and garlic cloves
and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Add heavy cream, 2 tablespoons salt, and
pepper. Bring to a slow, lazy simmer with small
bubbles around the outer edge of pan. Cook for
40 minutes, reducing volume by one-third.
4. Blend in food processor or with a hand-held
immersion blender until the mixture is smooth.

Serve over fettuccine or linguine. Can be
topped with strips of grilled chicken and
crumbles of goat cheese.


Green Chile Corn Tamales:

1 pound softened butter
5-pound bag prepared masa or 8 cups dry masa harina,
plus 4 cups water to moisten into dough
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 ears corn, roasted under broiler or on grill until golden,
then scraped off the cob
2 cups green chiles, roasted, peeled, and chopped
corn husks (hojas)
1 pound pepper jack cheese, cut into logs ½ x3”

1. Soak cornhusks in warm water until soft,
rinse thoroughly.
2. Beat butter about 3 minutes, till light in
color. Add wet masa, baking powder, and
salt to butter and beat 20 minutes. When it
is ready, a chunk of masa dropped in a glass
of water will float. Beat in the corn and
chiles.
3. Open husk flat on the table with wide end
toward you. Spred husk with about 2
tablespoons masa, lay cheese down the
middle, fold sides in, then bring the top end
toward you. A pretty touch: tear extra
cornhusk into strips and tie one loosely
around the tamale to hold the top flap down.
4. Steam the tamales by placing them standing
on end, open end up, on a rack in a large
steamer or pressure cooker. Steam for 45
minutes or pressure cook for 20 minutes at
15 pounds of pressure.
5. Let tamales rest 15 minutes before digging
in. Top with pure red chile sauce. (See Red
Chile Sauce recipe).


Red Chile Sauce:

10 to 15 dried red chile pods (stems broken off, seeds
dumped out)
6 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
reserved water from the chile soaking pot

1. In a pot, cover pods with water and bring almost
to a boil. Turn off heat, stir, and steep 10
minutes.
2. In a blender, combine chile pods, spices, and
chile water, filing blender to the halfway mark
with liquid. Blend on medium-high for 5
minutes.

Christmas Posole:




1 pound posole corn (dried, lime treated),
rinsed, plus 10 cups water
2 pounds pork shoulder plus 8 cups water
1 onion cut in half, studded with 6 whole cloves
2 stalks celery
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon dried or 2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tablespoon peppercorns
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 onion, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano or marjoram
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
4 cloves garlic, minced
red chile sauce (see recipe)

1. Place posole corn and 10 cups water in a large
stewing pot. Bring to a boil on high heat.
2. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 4 to 5 hours,
till posole “pops” open, stirring every half hour.
Add more water if necessary.
3. In a large stockpot, combine pork, 8 cups water,
halved, studded onion, celery stalks, cloves of
garlic, thyme, peppercorns, and red pepper
flakes. Cook on medium heat for 3 hours,
covered, with lid ajar. Add more water as
needed to keep meat immersed.
4. Meat is ready when it flakes apart easily.
Remove pork from stockpot to a large bowl.
Strain pork broth into the posole corn stewing
pot, combining the two. Set to low simmer.
When cool enough to handle, flake the meat in
large chunks and add to the stew pot.
5. In a 10” cast-iron skillet, fry onion and celery in
oil until soft. Add salt, Mexican oregano,
cumin, coriander, and garlic and cook 1 minute.
6. Add red chile sauce, stir, and cook 3 minutes.
7. Pour the skillet of red chile into stew pot.
Combine all the ingredients and let simmer 2
hours. Adjust salt to taste.

Serve posole with tortillas or cornbread. You can also
top with grated cheese, fresh cilantro, sour
cream, avocado, or lime wedges.

Chocolate Chile Cream Pots:



6 large egg yolks
9 ounces good-quality sweet chocolate
2 ounces good-quality unsweetened chocolate
2 cups heavy cream
½ cup half & half
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons powdered hot Chimayo chile

1. Whip egg yolks thoroughly in a blender.
Set aside. Carefully heat chocolate, cream,
and half & half together in a heavy-bottomed
pot, stirring constantly until chocolate is
completely melted and bubbling and
mixture is a very even consistency and color.
Add salt and chile powder and let simmer a
minute more.
2. Pour the very hot chocolate mixture into a
whirling blender of egg yolks and blend
until thick and completely smooth. If for
any reason the custard doesn’t thicken up
properly, pour into a heavy-bottomed
saucepan and cook it on very low heat. It
may temporarily break, but another quick
go in the blender will fix the problem.
3. While chocolate is still hot, pour it into
dessert cups. Chill cups for 1 hour.

Whipped Cream Garnish:
2 cups heavy cream
¼ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Start whipping the cream on slow to give powdered
sugar a chance to incorporate. Bring speed to medium
for a few minutes, until cream resembles fluffy clouds.


Take Home Gift:

Steak Rub:
4 tablespoons pasilla negro powder
2 tablespoons guajillo powder
1 ½ tablespoons Chimayo powder
2 ½ tablespoons coriander powder
2 tablespoons cumin powder
2 tablespoons turbinado or white sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons mustard powder
2 teaspoons black pepper
½ teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano

January 2009: BALANCE

BALANCE

by Kirstin Boncher & Lauren Cheney

January 24, 2009

NYC

Virgin Mojitos
Serves 1
10 fresh mint leaves
1 tsp. raw sugar
2 T. fresh squeezed lime juice
1 T. Simple syrup
1/2 c. Ginger Ale
Crushed ice

In a glass muddle/crush the mint, then add sugar, lime juice and syrup. Add ice. Top with Ginger Ale. Garnish with a fresh lime wheel and sprig of mint. Enjoy.

Peanut Waffle Crackers
3 c. peanuts
4 eggs
2 TBS flour
¼ c. water
2 T. coconut oil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp cayenne
1 tsp sugar
1 lime (the juice)

Blend the peanuts in a food processor and transfer to a vitamex (you can substitute a blender for this). Add remaining ingredients and mix until mixture is smooth. *Bake in the cookie press as instructed. Top with lemon lentils and fresh cilantro.

*We used the VillaWare V3600-NS Prego Nonstick Pizzelle Baker.

Lemon Lentils

4 T. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, peeled, halved and sliced thin
2 (2 inch) pieces of cinnamon stick
1 pound small lentils (yellow or pink)
2 teaspoons peeled and chopped fresh ginger root
3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock for vegetarians)
salt to taste
1/2 tsp of ground red pepper
1 lemon

Directions:
Heat 2 Tablespoons of the oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium-low heat.
When hot, add the sliced onions and cook, stirring, until they soften.
Add the cinnamon, lentils and ginger to the pan and cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes.
Add the stock, 2 cups of water, salt and red pepper.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Squeeze the juice from the lemon. Discard the seeds. Add the lemon juice and squeezed shell and cook for about 50 minutes longer, stirring often.

Topping (optional)
1 small onion -peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove - peeled and finely chopped
1 fresh hot green chili, chopped with seeds
2 bay leaves
2 T. chopped fresh coriander leaves

Heat the remaining 2 T. oil in a small pan. Add the chopped onion, garlic, chili and bay leaves. Cook, stirring until the onion is browned. Add this mixture, including the oil, to the lentils. Remove the bay leaves. Sprinkle with chopped coriander. Serve hot.

Tom Kha Gai
Chicken, Coconut and Galangal Soup
from The Taste of Thailand

2 cops stock
2 lime leaves, chopped
2 in. piece lemon grass, chopped
1 in. piece galangal, split lengthways into several pieces
4 T. fish sauce
3 T. lemon juice
1/4 pound chicken, finely sliced
5 fl oz/150 coconut milk
2 sm. red chillies, slightly crushed
coriander leaves

In a saucepan, heat the stock and add the lime leaves, lemon grass, galangal, fish sauce and lemon juice. Stirring thoroughly, bring to a boil. Add the chicken and the coconut milk. Continue to cook over a high heat, stirring constantl, until meat is cooked through (about 2 minutes). Add the crushed chilli for the last few seconds. Pour into small bowls, garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Chicken Satay

1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 chicken breasts
2 T. wheat free soy sauce (tamari)
1 tsp salt
4 T. oil
1 T. curry powder
1 T. ground tumeric
8 T. coconut milk
3 T. sugar
*1 tsp brown sugar
*3 tsp rice vinegar

Roast the coriander and cumin seeds gently in a small frying pan without oil for a few minutes until you smell the spices and it feels kind of like you are choking, stirring and shaking to ensure they don't burn. Remove from heat. Grind to a fine powder (You can substitute ready ground seeds if more convenient).

With a sharp knife cut the chicken breasts into fine slices 3x1.5x1/4 inch. Put the slices in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients, including the ground coriander and cumin. Mix thoroughly and stand overnight or for 8 hours. (you can prepare in the morning for an evening meal)

Pre-heat the grill/broiler. Using 7-8 inch satay sticks, thread 2 pieces of marinated meat on each stick-not straight, not straight but rather as if you were gathering or smocking a price of material. Grill/broil the satays until the meat is cooked through about 6-8 minutes on both sides. Serve with Peanut Sauce.

*these are optional ingredients

Peanut Sauce
(from HYPERLINK "http://www.bookofyum.com/"www.bookofyum.com)

1 sliced small onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon soy sauce or wheat free tamari
1 teaspoon sugar
2 cloves crushed garlic
3/4 cup NATURAL peanut butter or 1 cup dry roasted salted peanuts
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lime juice

Cook onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Puree in blender or Cuisinart. Add remaining ingredients. Slowly add enough boiling water until it is the consistency of slightly thinned peanut butter. Season to taste with lime juice.




Strawberry Sorbet

½ c. coconut milk
3 c. frozen strawberries
¼ c. maple syrup

Mix ingredients and puree in vitamix (if you don’t have a vitamix you can substitute a blender). Serve immediately or freeze.

*we used 1 ½ c. strawberries and 1 ½ c. cherries to add some flavor to the recipe

Green Papaya Salad

lettuce and parsley, to garnish
4 oz grated raw green papya
1 small garlic clove
1 T. roasted peanuts
1 T. dried shrimp, ground
4-5 green beans, coarsely chopped
1 medium tomato, sliced
1 T. sugar
2 T. fish sauce
2 T. lemon juice

Line a serving plate with lettuce and parsley. Pound the papaya with the garlic. With a pestle and mortar, or in a large bowl, gently mix all the ingredients together, beginning with the hardest then adding the liquids. Alternate pounding and turning with a spoon until all are thoroughly blended. Turn onto serving dish.

Thai Green Curry with Shrimp

1 pound shrimp
1/4 c. onions- sliced
2 T.+ 1 t. green curry spice or paste
1/2 cup stock or water
1&1/2 T. fish sauce
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp palm sugar (or cane sugar)
3/4 tsp lime juice
1 kaffir lime leaf
1/4 cup thai basil leaves
1/4 cup cilantro
1 sliced green jalepeno or thai chili
1 lemon grass stalk (bruised with the back of a knife)
3 small green or red hgeggplant cut in 1 inch piece
sliced red bell pepper

Rub 1 pound shrimp with 1 tsp green curry spice & set aside.
Saute 1/4 cup onions. Add 2 T. green curry spice and stir cooking over heat until you are choking from from the spice. Add Add stock/water, fish sauce, coconut milk, sugar, lime juice, kaffir lime leaf, sliced green jalepeno or thai chili, lemon grass stalk (bruised with the back of a knife) and cook for 10 minutes. Add shrimp, basil leaves , cilantro at last minute. cook for 2 minutes until shrimp are shrink in size, become opaque and curl a little. Serve with a few cilantro leaves on top

Mango with Sticky Rice

1 cup thick coconut milk
2 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp salt
10 oz sticky rice, cooked still warm
3 large ripe mangos
2 tbs coconut cream

Mix coconut milk, sugar and salt until sugar dissolves. Mix into warm rice for 30 minutes. Peel mangos (slice into 4 pieces) and top over rice.

Pad Thai
Thai Fried Noodles

4 T. oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 egg
4 oz/120 g dry flat rice noodles soaked in water for 20 minutes until soft and drained
2 T. lime juice
1&1/2 T fish sauce
1/2 t. sugar
2 T. chopped roasted peanuts
1/8 tsp dried red chilli powder (or cayenne)
1 oz. bean sprouts
2 spring onions/scallions, chopped into 1 in.
sprig of coriander leaf, coarsely chopped
1 lime cut into 4 pieces for garnish

In a wok or frying pan, heat the oil, add the garlic and fry until golden brown. Break the egg into the wok, stir quickly and cook for a couple of seconds. Add the noodles and stir well, scraping down the sides of the pan to ensure they mix with the garlic and egg. One by one, add the lemon juice, fish sauce, sugar, half the peanuts, the chili powder, 1 T. of the beansprouts, and the spring onions, stirring quickly all the time. Test the noodles for tenderness. When done, turn onto a serving plate and arrange the remaining peanuts, dried shrimp and beansprouts around the dish. Garnish with the coriander and lime wedges.

Chocolate Truffle Souffle
Served with coconut sorbet

1 3/4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate finely chopped
2/3 cup skim milk
1/3 cup plus 1 1/2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
2 T butter
8 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar

Place chocolate in a mixing bowl. Bring 1/3 cup of skim milk almost to a boil and pour over the chocolate. Allow to stand for 30 seconds, then stir until the chocolate has melted.

Mix the cocoa into 1/3 cup steaming milk. Mix into paste.

Stir the cocoa paste into the melted chocolate. Put in microwave and cook whisking every 30 seconds until smooth and very hot.

Place egg whites in bowl of electric mixer and begin to whip. Beat until stiff.

Cook 3/4 c. sugar with 1/4 c. water until 250 degree - pour the hot sugar down the side of the bowl, continuing to beat the whites. (Be careful not to pour the hot sugar onto the beaters because it will splatter). Continue beating the meringue until the outside of the bowl is warm, not hot.

Fold one-third of the meringue into the chocolate. Then fold the remaining meringue to the meringue-chocolate mixture.

Butter and sugar the inside of a 7 inch-diameter souffle dish. Make a collar of wax paper for the dish by folding a length of wax paper in half and in half again. Then butter it and attach it to the souffle dish using tape or a rubber band, leaving an inch or so above the edge of the dish. Spoon the souffle into the dish; cover lightly with foil and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.

To serve, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and place an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Thirty minutes before baking, remove the souffle from the refrigerator and remove it. Bake the souffle 15 to 20 minutes minutes, or until a straw or cake tester inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Remove wax paper.

Meanwhile, whip cream and sweeten, if using. Serve immediately, plain or with sweetened whipped cream or ice-cream of choice.