Sunshine Salad

Today the sun was shining.  “So“, you say.  Well I am here to tell you that I have not seen the glorious sun shine for many days.  In north Texas we have been experiencing cloudy, rainy, drizzly, cold, grey days for so long I’ve lost count.  It was refreshing to have sun and shadows all day.  Birds came out to bask in the warmth of the sun and eat seed baked by the sun.  I saw tufted titmouse, American goldfinch, cedar waxwings, red-tailed hawks, Carolina chickadee, a ruby-crowned kinglet, blue jays, and quite a few others.  We were all happy to see the sun shine on this day.

I needed a sunny day.  It seems with the grey skies and cold we’ve been eating heavier foods and not many salads.  Today was a salad day.  This salad is a breeze to prepare. The dressing and sugared nuts can be prepared ahead of time making the final preparation quick and easy.  Enjoy!

Sunshine Salad

4 tablespoons sugar, divided
1/2 cup pecans or slivered almonds (I used pecans today)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (canola is my choice)
2 tablespoons vinegar ( I use white wine vinegar)
1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 bunch red leaf lettuce, torn
1 11 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained
1 small red onion, sliced ( I do not use the entire onion – use your best judgement)

In a small skillet, melt 3 tablespoons sugar over low heat.  When sugar begins to brown add nuts; stir until coated. Cool nuts, set aside*.  In a jar with a tight fitting lid; or in a small bowl combine oil, vinegar, parsley, salt, pepper, hot pepper sauce and remaining sugar; shake well or whisk until combined.  These steps may be done ahead of time.
Just before serving, combine lettuce, red onion, oranges and nuts in a large salad bowl. Shake or whisk dressing, pour over salad and toss.
*Here is a tip on cooling the nuts.  Before you add them to the melting sugar, tear a piece of waxed paper and spray it with Pam or lightly rub it with oil.  When you remove the nuts place them on this greased paper; otherwise your nuts will stick to the paper and removing them will not be fun.

Spicy, Intoxicating Jambalaya

Someone mentioned “Crawfish Pie” the other day and it got me thinking about cajun food, creole dishes, and how much I have a taste for the variety that it brings to the table. I grew up in southeast Texas, right on the Louisiana border, with merely a river separating the two states and the two different breeds of people who lived in them. I am a Texan , no doubt about that – but they say when you live next to the bayou that you can’t help but be part cajun. Shoot, I swam and skied in those bayous it must have rubbed off a tad. I can’t honestly claim to be a cajun, I am a Texan and proud of it, but I can say that I have an appetite for cajun-creole food.  Paul Prudhomme, renowned chef, describes the intoxicating power of creole cuisine like this, “every bite is as exciting as every other bite, where all your taste buds are affected by turns-sweet and sour, salty and bitter- where the flavors dance in your mouth and shout hooray!”

Generally creole is closer to French cuisine with delicate blends, subtle sauces, and traditional presentation. In the old days the people of New Orleans incorporated their local ingredients with the French traditions and techniques to create a style unique to New Orleans.  Cajun on the other hand, derives from a more rustic style of cooking. Usually everything is thrown together in one pot, using spicier seasoning, and served in a more casual style.  I grew up on dishes indicative of both styles, dark roux gumbo, crawfish etoufee, red beans & rice, seafood bisques, jambalaya, deviled crab cakes, oysters on the half shell, and shrimp remoulade.  My mouth is watering…

My adoring husband and I decided we were in the mood for Jambalaya.  I dug out my “Commander’s Palace New Orleans Cookbook”.  A New Orleans establishment where it is a pleasure to dine.  On this particular day I didn’t feel like dragging myself to the grocery store, as it was drizzly and cold out.  I altered the recipe to fit whatever was in the frig or pantry.  Don’t you just love it when you can do this and turn out a delicious meal?  I know I do!  Following is the actual recipe from the Commander’s cookbook with my adjustments in parentheses.  Enjoy!

Jambalaya

1/8 cup of butter
1/2 onion chopped coarsely
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped coarsely
1 celery rib, chopped coarsely
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 lb. shrimp, peeled  (I did not have shrimp on hand)
3/4 lb. chicken, boneless & skinless, cut into cubes
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 28 oz. can stewed tomatoes (I was out – so I used 1 small can of tomato paste)
2-21/2 cups chicken stock (I added about 1/2 cup extra since I used tomato paste)
2 teaspoons Louisiana Red Hot Sauce
1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 lb. andouille sausage or any spicy sausage, sliced 1/4″ thick (I used spicy buffalo sausage)
1/2 lb. smoked ham, cut into cubes ( I did not have and did not substitute)
1/2 lb. crawfish tails, peeled (I did not have and did not substitute)
3-4 green onions, coarsley chopped
Salt to taste
1/12 cups long-grained rice

Heat butter in an uncovered heavy bottomed pot.  Add vegetables and garlic, saute, stirring for 5 minutes.  Add shrimp, chicken, bay leaves, and thyme and continue to cook over medium heat until chicken becomes white and shrimp are pink., about 10-15 minutes.  (I added only the chicken here)

Add paprika and stir thoroughly to mix with other ingredients.  Add tomatoes, stock, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.  Mix well.  (here instead of the stewed tomatoes I added the paste)

Add sausage and ham.  Stir well.  Add crawfish tails and cook over moderate heat until liquid is boiling.  Add green onions, salt and rice.  Cook over low heat for 30 minutes.

This is a one pot meal – perfect.  No matter the meat, seafood, or poultry ingredients you add it will be delicious and a snap to throw together.  You can adjust the spiciness by bringing the Louisiana Red Hot Sauce to the table and adding as much spice as you like. (I always have a bottle of this stuff in my pantry) The degree of spice is a personal state of affairs!  Remember to use your imagination with what is in your pantry or not – you just might surprise yourself and turn out a meal fit for a cajun king.

All this talk of cajun & creole cuisine has set my taste buds for some crawfish, particularly a Crawfish Pie.  Be on the lookout for the recipe and photos of a crawfish pie in the very near future.

Smoked Almond & Peppercorn Goat Cheese Log

This is not your average, boring appetizer.  This my friends is savory, piquant, creamy, and crunchy all in one delicious bite.  The goat cheese provides creaminess, the peppercorns and smoked almonds the crunch and bite.  The parsley and chives bring along freshness.  Don’t hesitate to serve it with the apples as they are needed to combat the spice and pepper.  I crave this appetizer from time to time.  I am not sure why, as I don’t believe that our bodies would crave pepper or need it for any nutritional value, nonetheless my mouth waters for this simple, easy appetizer.  Enjoy!

Smoked Almond & Peppercorn Goat Cheese Log

1/2 cup smoked almonds (about 3 ounces)
2 tablespoons mixed peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoons chopped chives
2 4 oz. goat cheese logs
thinly sliced red and green apples for garnish

Coarsely  chop the almonds in a food processor or with a hand chopper, place in a small bowl.
Crush the mixed peppercorns between layers of a folded kitchen towel or wax paper using a meat tenderizer or other heavy kitchen implement.
Add the peppercorns to the almonds.  Mix in the salt, parsley, and chives.  Mix well and spread the mixture on a plate.
Roll each goat cheese log in the almond mixture, using your hands to help press it into the cheese, leaving the ends uncoated.
Garnish with apple slices and serve with crackers, toast rounds or bagel crisps.  It is the perfect accompaniment to a glass of fine wine and conversation with great friends!

Tip: Look for whole mixed peppercorns on the spice aisle of your grocery store and if you can find pink peppercorns be sure to add more of them to the mix.  If you purchase the peppercorns in one of those bottles that allows you to grind directly from the bottle – you will need to pull the lid off as that grind is usually too fine for this recipe.  It’s best if you can find the peppercorns in a bottle with a screw off lid.

Frosty Berry-Pomegranate Smoothie

I woke up this morning to a grey, gloomy, chilly January day. This will not ruin my day. I had a few cups of – you guessed it – coffee.  Deadman’s Reach Raven Brew to be exact. The back of the bag of Deadman’s Reach claims that it will “inspire great ideas and noble emotions” as well as “jump-start  your mornings”.  Well all righty then, I should be good to go after a couple of mugs of this stuff!

I have an acquaintance from the gym, where I must journey a few times a week, less my jeans won’t fit.  She is big into smoothies, on a daily basis and always gives me a head’s up on her latest invention (HER jeans fit).  This morning I was pondering smoothies and decided to try one myself.  Last night I indulged in “Mexican Mocha Brownies” so today something healthy is in order.

Following is what I came up with.  I used ingredients that were already in the frig or freezer.  I love having a reason to open the doors on my new refrigerator and freezer. Silly, I know but the newness has not worn off.

Pomegranates are super foods because they harbor lots of calcium, potassium, iron and phytonutrients.  Did you know they help protect our god and goddess bodies from heart disease, cancer and help slow down aging ?  Well, I don’t know about you , but I like that idea.  I like pomegranates so much I don’t even mind tearing them apart and separating out all those juicy, tart, good for me seeds.  Perhaps a lesson on that another time.

This smoothie is a little tart, frosty, refreshing, and laced with tons of fiber from the seeds of the blackberries , raspberries, and strawberries in the fruit mixture.  If  you arelooking for a sugary concoction this will not be for you.  If you are looking for a
wake me up, healthy, crisp smoothie this could be just what you are looking for.
Enjoy!

Berry-Pomegranate Smoothie

1 cup pomegranate juice, chilled

1 6 0z. carton of low-fat, plain yogurt  (I use Greek yogurt)

1 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries

Place all ingredients in a blender, add several ice cubes and process until smooth.

Brownies You’ll Drool Over

Here they are – deliciousness at it’s best!  There is something about the combination of chocolate, coffee, and cinnamon all mulled together in this brownie. Chocolate, love chocolate.  Coffee, well you know I love coffee and it seems as most of you do too. Cinnamon full of warmth and richness.  The aroma rising out of the oven makes me drool.

I brought these brownies last year to “River Girl’s Weekend” at my friend Judy’s down on the Guadalupe River in the beautiful Texas hill country.  We didn’t eat just one at a time, we carried the entire pan to the coffee table accompanied by tall glasses of ice cold milk oohing and aahing over every delectable bite, while we watched old movies and John Mayer videos.  I’m planning on bringing them again this year when we meet for Judy’s annual “River Girl’s Weekend”.  We did not need any other “sweets” to keep us happy for three entire days and nights.  By the way, if you are a girl, woman, lady, female person reading this post and you don’t spend time with your girlfriends you are missing out on one of life’s treasures.  Plan a girls weekend or heck, plan an entire girls week. Your sides will hurt from laughing, your skin will feel great and thank you because it’s not necessary to wear ANY make-up, and you will feel refreshed, invigorated and haapeeeeee!

I want to describe these brownies, besides delicious, rich, and yummy.  The brownie itself is more cake-like than chewy, moist with a nice small crumb.  The icing is smooth, glossy and fudge like, not too thick.  A handy tip is that you can bake, frost, and freeze the bars, tightly wrapped, for up to one month.  Thaw them before serving, for neater squares, cut the brownies while still cold.

Mexican Mocha Brownies

Brownies

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)

2 cups granulated sugar

5 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla (preferably Mexican)

Preheat oven to 350*  Grease a 9×13 pan, line with foil, extending foil over rim.  Grease the foil.  In a medium bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.  Set aside. (Hint: use a whisk to blend the dry ingredients)

In a 3 quart saucepan, melt butter over low heat.  Remove from heat; stir in sugar.  Stir in eggs, one at a time, until well blended; add vanilla and stir to incorporate.  Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture until well blended.  Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean, 25-30 minutes.  (It says almost clean)  Cool brownie completely in pan on a wire rack.

Mocha Frosting

1 teaspoon instant coffee

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 bar (3.5 oz.) milk chocolate, chopped

1 oz. unsweetened chocolate

2 tablespoons butter or margarine (I use butter)

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch salt

3 tablespoons milk

1 cup confectioner sugar

In small bowl dissolve coffee with vanilla.  In 1- quart saucepan, combine milk chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, butter, cinnamon, and salt.  Heat on medium- low until chocolates are melted, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.  With a wire whisk, stir in coffee mixture and milk, then stir in confectioners’ sugar until well blended and smooth.  (This takes a few minutes to incorporate all the sugar – be patient)

With a small, metal off-set spatula, spread the warm frosting evenly over cooled brownie. Let stand for at least 20 minutes to let frosting set.

When the frosting has set, lift foil with brownie out of pan, peel away foil from sides.  (At this time if you wish to freeze, peel foil off of brownies and wrap the brownies with plastic wrap and clean foil, freeze.)  If you can’t wait to eat them, cut lengthwise into 4 strips, then cut crosswise into 6 strips , or slice into any size that pleases you!  Enjoy!  Oh! Get a glass of ice cold milk too!

Intrigued Over Coffee?

Just a quick note to last nights post about coffee..delectable, smooth, rich, delicious coffee.  If you enjoyed that post and would entertain viewing a few photographs that will help you understand why drinking coffee in the places I described was such a treat, please check out the “photos” page at the top of my blog.

Tomorrow “Mexican Mocha Brownies”.  Stay tuned….

Frothy, Flavorful, Lustful, Lip-Smacking Coffee

My new refrigerator arrived today all shiny and sleek and icy cold.  Just what I wanted, OH, and needed desperately.  Talk about make a girl want to stock up with fresh green, orange, yellow and red veggies, cheeses, fresh fish and meat, nice farm fresh eggs and butter, and ripe juicy fruit, but that will wait.  Today I want to blog about coffee.

This photo causes me to want a cup of coffee every single time I look at it. There is something about the traditional white and brown cup and saucer, the sliver of foam, and the cheerful tablecloth that draw me right in.  Of course remembering the time, the taste, the experience undoubtedly is what makes my mouth water.  What, where, when, you ask!

July 2008, early morning, the golden sun rising over the Swiss alps, promising a warm summer day.  Goldern, Switzerland, a delightful small hotel called “The Gleitscherblick”.  Meaning “glacier view” which there was.  The taste, ummmm well it’s difficult to describe.  Rich, creamy, luscious, Swiss coffee served with a breathtaking view of the Swiss alps.  Goldern a tiny speck on the Swiss map, set right in the middle of heaven on earth where I was fortunate to spend a few days that summer, July ’08.

Fast forward to the Cinque Terre in Italy, the “boot”. Ahhhh, the Cinque Terre, wine, romance, sea air, houses tumbling down the Ligurian hills in shades of faded yellow, salmon, sea green, terra cotta, and coffee.  Now, this cup is completely different from the Swiss.  Italian coffee is intense, dark and full- flavored, robust, get your booty out of the chair and move delicious.

In Rio Maggiore where we roosted for a while the shop of choice was called “Bar Centrale”.  An espresso bar by day and a fast paced, noisy bar by night.  It became custom to head down the 122 steps from our digs to Bar Centrale every morning for 2 cups of coffee “Americano”.  Fresh pressed espresso topped off with hot milk, steamed just a tad.  Let’s just say it was nirvana.

In the summer of ’08 last but not least was a visit to “The City of Lights” and the sophisticated cafes where one pauses to enjoy.  Enjoy the smooth, aromatic, flavorful cup of French coffee.  A cup of coffee in Paris enjoyed with a freshly baked buttery croissant or a warm from the oven almond pastry is, well you know, wondrous.  I wondered if my jeans would fit when I returned home, I wondered if I’d ever have coffee back in Texas as good as any of the coffees I’d been delighting in for the last few weeks.  I wondered what it must be like to sit in a cafe overlooking all of Paris or the Swiss alps, or the Ligurian Sea on a daily basis and not take it for granted…….I wonder……..

I wonder too, what is the little, goofy man in the sweater, slouching in his chair, thinking? This photo makes me giggle just a bit when I see the amusing expression on his French face.  He does not have a cup of coffee.  Maybe just maybe he wonders what’s going through my blonde head, as I savor my cup of joe.

Now I will enlighten you on the purpose of all my jabber about coffee.  I love coffee for certain, but I was planning what fabulous recipe to blog about next and I’d decided on Mexican Mocha Brownies. That made me start thinking of how much I love the flavors of chocolate AND coffee in one tasty, delicious bite of these brownies.

Stay tuned…. Friday I will bake and share the recipe for Mexican Mocha Brownies.

Peaches & Refrigerators

It is exhausting – searching for a new refrigerator.  The sheer confusion that sets in after opening door after door, pulling out drawer after drawer, comparing features, water purifier or no, ice maker in the door or in the freezer itself, water and ice dispenser in the door yes or no, lights blue or white,  performance lighting or standard lighting,  stainless or platinum, wire baskets or solid drawers in the freezer, and price, yes, that smallest of details. Finally, after more hours of trudging the isles than I care to admit we decided on a Samsung, french door, stainless steel refrigerator, which will be delivered on Wednesday.  I am happy!

Luckily, when the old frig died this weekend I had a pie crust begging to be baked and peaches that were not frozen solid any longer.  With that in mind, I decided to bake Peach Galette.  I couldn’t bear to toss those peaches as they were fresh picked off of my own trees back in July, when the temperatures soar.  My peaches are delectable, juicy, and sweet.   More on my peaches when the warm summer months are upon us.  For now enjoy the recipe for Peach Galette. Here is my disclaimer: Galette is generally prepared with fresh fruit. I of course used fresh frozen peaches. I do believe you’ll find the recipe easy and very tasty.  Only 3 pieces remain from the one baked yesterday, late afternoon.  Adoring hubby cannot stay away from it.

A little hint about Galette. Galette is French and Crostata is Italian for a free-form tart made on a cookie sheet or stone rather than a pie or tart pan.  Either one can be made with a flat pastry crust with sweetened fruit on top.  If the fruit is juicy (as in this recipe), the sides of the pastry can be folded over part of the filling to keep in the juices.  This method produces an attractive dessert.

Peach Galette

1 Pillsbury pie pastry

1/4 cup peach or apricot jam – or a combination of the two

3-4 medium peaches, peeled or 3 cups frozen, thawed peaches

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

4 teaspoons all purpose flour

Dash of sugar with a pinch of allspice

Position oven rack in lower 1/3 of oven.  Preheat the oven to 375*

Roll the dough out into an 11″ circle.  Lift the dough onto the baking sheet or stone. (I use a stone) Leaving a 1″ border at the edges, spread the jam over the dough.

Toss the peaches, sugars, and flour together gently.  Spread the fruit mixture over the jam.  Fold the border over to form a rim.  Sprinkle edges of pastry with the allspice mix. Bake until the crust is golden and fruit juices have thickened, 25-30 minutes.  Serve warm.

It’s “Chili” In The Snow

It is freezing and windy outside, 32* to be exact.  The wind is blowing the snow in circles, around me, around the birds, around everything.  My eyes are watering so that I cannot focus.  I decided since snow is a rare occurrence in my part of Texas that I should photograph “Lew’s Lone Star Chili” outside!  Wearing a heavy jacket with the hood up, gloves, snow boots, and long johns under my jeans I ventured out with a steaming bowl of chili.  As you might guess, it didn’t steam for long!

It was downright COLD with the wind blowing in my face.  I will be savoring a hot, steamy bowl of chili in a few short minutes.  But before I do I wanted to tell you about this recipe.

‘Lew’s Lone Star Chili” is a recipe from my Daddy’s cookbook.  It’s not a cookbook you will find in a bookstore, on Amazon or even in a used book shop.  It is in fact a cookbook, personalized to me from my Dad, who enjoyed preparing meals for his guests at home, at the boutique hotel he ran in Palm Springs, California, at the hill country ranch where he hunted with his friends, and anywhere else that someone would grant him the privilege of cooking up a meal.  It is bound in a red paper binder, with a rectangular sticker on front that says, “MY COOKBOOK”, with his signature below.  It is special to me – the most special cookbook I own, because he isn’t here now to tell me how to do it.  I learned countless things from my Dad, but the lesson on preparing and sharing a good meal with another is one of the most valuable and priceless things he left with me.  Thanks Daddy!

Lew’s Lone Star Chili

1 pound ground chili meat

1 pound of ground elk

2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 12 oz. can or bottle of beer (I used Shiner-my Dad used Lone Star)

1 cup water

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 14.5 oz. can stewed tomatoes

1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons oregano

2 teaspoons cumin

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2-1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (I used about 1/2 tsp.)

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and brown meat.  When meat is almost done, add onions and garlic, cook until onions begin to soften. Put meat and onion mixture in a 2 quart pot, add all of the remaining ingredients, stir to incorporate all the spices and liquids, simmer for at least an hour.

While the chili simmers try a taste every so often and add more spices or pepper to suit your taste.  The recipe as written is not very hot or too spicy.  Miss T does not like too hot or spicy so I try to accommodate her mild taste level.  You may desire a spicier, hotter version.  GO for it!

This recipe made as written will feed 4 hungry folks one good sized serving – if you are serving more people feel free to double the recipe.

Feasting on Peanut Butter, Chili & Peach Galette

The snow is coming down quite fast now.  Just as they predicted.  Enormous, fluffy flakes of pristine white snow.  Not at all normal for Texas but welcome all the same.  I especially enjoy it as the birds come out in droves to feast at the feeders sprinkled about our yard.

I’ve been constantly watching out the windows and bundling up to go outside and make note of which birds are hungriest.  Orange crowned warbler, a tufted titmouse, a pair of cardinals, white crowned sparrows, juncos, Harris’s sparrow, song sparrows, lesser goldfinches, and Lincoln’s sparrow, the carolina chickadee, white winged and mourning dove have come in full force today to nibble at peanut butter, peanuts, dried cherries, thistle seed, and of course sunflower seeds.  I’m thrilled by the acrobatics of the warbler and the chickadee when picking bits of peanut butter from the pine cone feeder.  I  know they are grateful for the feast I provide them on a wintry day and I feel satisfaction.

My family will be feasting later this evening on Lew’s Lone Star Chili and Peach Galette. Not a likely combination but when my freezer went out last night I had a pie crust begging to be baked, as well as some peaches that had thawed a little too much.  Alas, Peach Galette!  A crackling, toasty fire and a good book will make the perfect end to my afternoon.