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December 2, 2012
Heat oven to 350 F.
1 Navel orange, unpeeled and quartered
2 Cups All-purpose flour
2 Cups Sugar
2 Tsp Baking powder
2 Tsp Baking soda
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Ground cinnamon
2 Tsp Ground nutmeg
1 ¼ Cups Vegetable oil
4 Eggs
2 Cups Grated carrot
½ Cup Chopped walnuts
½ Cup Raisins
Position knife blade in food processor bowl; add quartered orange, and process until pureed, stopping once to scrape down sides. Set orange puree aside. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add orange puree, oil, and eggs; mix well. Stir in carrot walnuts, and raisins. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Remove cake from pan. Frost top of cake with cream cheese icing. Cover and store in refrigerator. Yield: 1 10-inch cake
Mascarpone Cream Cheese Icing
8 Oz Cream cheese, softened
½ Cup Butter, softened
2 Tbl Honey
½ Tsp Vanilla extract
Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed in the bowl of an electric mixer until creamy. Add honey and vanilla, and beat until blended. Yield: 1 cup frosting
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
2 tsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
2 ½ cups flour
¾ cup dried cranberries, chopped in food processor
½ cup pecans, chopped in food processor
¾ cup shredded coconut
Method
Combine butter and sugar and mix for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla extract to butter mixture. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Slowly add flour mixture to butter. Make three dough logs and wrap each separately in plastic wrap. Store in fridge overnight. Remove plastic from dough log and cut ¼ inch cookies. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 375F for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Decorate with melted white chocolate chips as follows:
Place 2 cups of white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe container. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable shortening for every 2 cups of chips. Heat on medium power in the microwave (50 percent) for 30 seconds. Stir chips and shortening until completely melted and smooth. The melted chocolate will retain its chip shape until stirred. Continue heating on medium powder (50 percent) for additional 30-second intervals. Repeat process until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. We put the chocolate in a squeeze bottle to decorate the cookies.
April 9, 2012
Gulf Flounder with Seafood Gumbo
This is essentially friend fish filets (flounder, cod or some other firm white fish will do) set atop Seafood Gumbo.
Gumbo Recipe
1/2 pound sliced bacon, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced (1 1/2 cups)
1 medium onion, sliced (1 cup)
1 green pepper, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chicken broth
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 pound large raw shrimp, cleaned
1 pound fresh or frozen crabmeat
1 10-ounce box frozen okra, thawed and sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
Preparation
Cook the bacon over medium heat in a heavy saucepan until crisp, stirring frequently. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the fat, then add the vegetables (except the okra), 4 cups of broth, Worcestershire, salt, and thyme. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add the okra and cook 10 minutes longer. Stir in the shellfish and cook 5 minutes more, or until the shrimp curl and turn pink.
Fried Fish
Vegetable Oil for frying
2/3 cup All Purpose Flour
2/3 cup water
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 (5-6 oz.) flounder or other firm white fish fillets
Preparation
Heat 2 to 3 inches oil in deep saucepan or deep fryer to 365ºF. Combine flour, water, eggs, baking powder, salt, onion powder and cayenne pepper in medium bowl. Mix until smooth. Dip fish fillets in batter. Let excess drip off.
Fry a few fillets at a time in hot oil 4 to 6 minutes or until golden brown. Turn as needed for even browning. Drain on paper towels. Serve atop Seafood Gumbo.
Ingredients:
3 pounds Breast of Lamb w/bone, or Stewing lamb
8 cups Cold water
1/2 cup Pearl barley
2 tablespoons Butter
2 Carrots, peeled and diced
1 White turnip, peeled and diced
2 Ribs celery, dced
1 Onion, diced
Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, cover the lamb with cold water; bring to a boil. Add the barley, partially cover the pot, and simmer until the meat and barley is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Add more water to adjust for any evaporation; skim the surface of the soup as necessary.
Remove meat from broth; cut meat from bone and cut in small pieces. Discard the bones and return the meat to the soup. Continue simmering.
In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the carrots, turnip, celery, and onion and cook stirring often for 10 minutes.
Add the vegetables to the soup. Simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 8.
October 14, 2011
1 Cup Chopped leeks
1 Tsp Olive oil
1 Cup Onion, thinly sliced
2 Large Shallots, thinly sliced
1 Tbl Garlic
4 Cups Chicken stock
1 Large Boiling potato
1 Tsp Thyme
1 Tsp Pepper
½ Cup Gruyere cheese
2 Tsp Balsamic vinegar
2 Tbl Chives
Wash leeks well in a bowl of cold water. Lift from water and drain in a colander. Chop. Heat oil in a 10-inch non-stick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook chopped leeks, onion and shallots with salt and pepper to taste, stirring frequently, until edges are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Add stock to deglaze skillet, scraping up brown bits. Transfer mixture to a stock pot. Peel potato and cut into ½ inch cubes. Add potato and broth to onions. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are very tender. Puree 1½ cups soup in a blender and stir into remaining soup. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve soup sprinkled with cheese, chives and drizzled with vinegar. Yield: Five Servings
October 13, 2011
In a stock pot, sauté in olive oil until tender:
4 Ribs Diced Celery
1 Diced Onion
1 Chopped Carrot
3 Cloves Minced Garlic
Add:
2 Qts Chicken Broth
2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes*
12 Oz Canned Tomato Juice
1 Cup Sliced Mushrooms
1 Tsp thyme
1 Tsp Oregano
1 Tsp Rosemary
1 Tsp Basil
1 Tsp Sage
Salt to taste
Bring ingredients to a boil; simmer until vegetables are almost tender. Add frozen cheese ravioli and cook until done.
*15 Oz of canned diced tomatoes may be substituted.
September 7, 2011
Preheat oven to 350F. Serves 12.
Cake
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tbl cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 tbl red food coloring
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pinch of Salt
Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. In a bowl, whisk the 2 ½ cups of flour with the granulated sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk the oil with the buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar and vanilla. Whisk the liquid ingredients into the flour mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and let it cool completely in the pan—about 2 hours.
Frosting
4 cups powdered sugar
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth and creamy. Place one cake layer on platter. Spread with about half the frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting in decorative swirls over sides and top of cake. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.
August 29, 2011
5 Cups Water
1 Tsp Salt
1 ¼ Cups Grits
1 Cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1 Cup Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded
½ Cup Half and half
1 Tbl Butter
¼ Tsp Pepper
*Can substitute parmesan cheese for any or all cheeses
Bring 5 cups water and salt to boil. Gradually whisk in grits and bring to a boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until thickened. Stir in cheeses and remaining ingredients and stir until cheese is melted and mixture is blended. Yield: About 12 servings
August 22, 2011
Preheat oven to 350F.
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 ¼ cup buttermilk
½ tsp salt
2 ¼ cups self-rising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
2-3 ripe bananas, mashed
½ cup sliced almonds
½ cup shredded coconut
Mix wet ingredients with the sugar. Mix in flour and then fold in almonds and coconut. Pour into a greased and flour-dusted 9×11 baking pan and bake about 20-25 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean. Let cool before cutting into squares.
2 lbs tomatoes
2 medium onions, halved and sliced
1 medium carrot, coarsely grated
1 celery rib, finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 strips fresh orange zest, finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 bay leaf
3 tbl olive oil
2 tbl tomato paste
3 cups water
1 ¾ cups chicken broth
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
pinch crumbled saffron threads
2 tsp sugar
¼ cup long grain white rice
2 tbl chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Cut a shallow X in the bottom of each tomato with a sharp paring knife. Black tomatoes in bathes of 2 or 3 in a 5 to 6 quart pot of boiling water for 10 seconds, transferring with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Peel tomatoes, then halve crosswise. Squeeze halves gently, cut sides down, over a sieve set over a bowl to extract seeds and juices, then press on seeds and discard them. Reserve juice and tomatoes. Cook onions, carrot, celery, garlic, zest, thyme, fennel seeds and bay leaf in oil in a 3 quarter heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened—about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with reserved juice, tomato paste, water, chicken broth, salt, pepper, saffron and sugar. Simmer, uncovered, stirring and breakup up tomatoes with a spoon occasionally—about 20 minutes. Stir in rice and simmer, uncovered, until rice is tender—10 to 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf and stir in parsley, basil and salt to taste. Serves 4-6.
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