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January 27, 2005

Pepper Relief

When using fresh or dried chili peppers, wear gloves to protect your hands because the oils, capsaicin*, in the peppers can cause severe burns. Don't touch your face or eyes. If chilies do come in contact with your bare hands, wash thoroughly with soapy water. When grinding dried chilies, beware of the chili dust in the air, which will irritate eyes and throats.

*Capsaicin is the heat factor in chilies that is used medically to produce deep-heating rubs for treating sports injuries and arthritic therapies.

If you have a problem with ulcers or stomach acids: 1) don't mix your peppers with liquor, caffeine, nicotine, aspirin, or emotion, and 2) eat fat beforehand--cheese or cream especially.

If you have a problem with ulcers or stomach acids and refuse to give up your cigarettes and margaritas or refuse to stop worrying about your kids/mate/lover: 1) eat LOTS of cheese, 2) drink lots of cream, and 3) hope for the best.

If you're too stubborn to wear rubber gloves when you're cutting chiles and then justifiably worry about rubbing your eyes or performing other bodily functions: And this goes double for people who wear contact lenses and have to take them out at some point. WELL, there really IS a bonafide solution here--and I do mean solution. Just get yourself a little bowl of clorox (bleach), diluted 5 parts water to 1 part bleach, and so long as you dip your fingers in from time to time you've got the problem licked. Why? Capsaicin compound is not soluble in water, but chlorine or ammonia turns it into a salt, which IS soluble in water. Please be advised, though, you should never soak your hands in this solution--that will compound the problem and cause burns. Just dip the fingers quickly. Alternatively, one reader advises that you can also protect your hands by coating them lightly with vegetable oil as a barrier--not as good as rubber gloves, but the same principle.

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:28 PM

How to Prepare Peppers

Stuffing Peppers:
To make stuffed peppers remove the tops of the peppers, scoop out the seeds and wash well. Stuff with your choice of ingredients. Rice or breadcrumbs are often used in combination with other ingredients. Place upright in a baking dish with 1/2 inch of water in the bottom. Cover and bake at 350 °F (175 °C) for about 30 minutes. The tops can be dusted lightly with paprika when done to add color. (See Preserving Peppers to learn how to dry paprika peppers to make your own powder.)

Roasted Peppers:
Roasted peppers are very simple to make and can be used to add flavor to spaghetti sauce, meatloaf, salad dressings, and so much more. Before roasting, remove the tops and seeds. The peppers can be sliced or left whole. Roast the peppers in a 500 °F (260 °C) oven until the skin turns black and begins to blister. Remove and cover with plastic wrap or place in a paper bag. The steam will help soften the skin so that when the roasted peppers are cool it will slide off easily.

Pickling Peppers:
Some of the best chili peppers for pickling and making relishes are the jalapeno, Bermuda hot, pepperoncini, sweet banana and cherry peppers. Pickled peppers can be eaten "fresh" from the jar on salads, nachos, burgers and sandwiches or can be used to spice up meatloaf and cornbread.

Pickling destroys molds, yeasts and bacteria that cause peppers to decompose. Using sterilized containers that seal prevents recontamination of the peppers after pickling. Homemade pickled peppers should be stored in the refrigerator.

Guidelines to Pickling Peppers:
Use only fresh, unblemished peppers.

Use only unchipped enamel, aluminum, stainless steel or glass pans to heat vinegar—vinegar will react with brass, copper and iron resulting in an off taste to the peppers.

Sterilize with fresh boiling water glass jars and lids.

Jelly jars (the type with a rubber gasket) are the best type to use for pickling. If the only containers available have metal lids use squares of wax paper as a barrier between the lid and the vinegar to prevent corrosion.

Use cooking salt rather than table salt, as table salt, due to its higher iodine content, can cause the peppers to discolor.
If you choose to add spices, use only whole varieties; powdered forms will cloud the solution. Popular spices include peppercorns, chopped or whole cloves of garlic, rosemary, celery seeds, coriander seeds, and bay leaves.

Color can be added to an otherwise monotone mixture by adding whole baby carrots.

Pickled peppers are best when allowed to mature about 2 weeks.

Drying Peppers:
Dried peppers are handy for adding spice to sauces, soups, stews and chilis. One of the best things about cooking with dried peppers is that it is easy to control the heat of the dish: when it's spicy enough simply fish out the pepper!

You can dry your peppers in one of several ways: ristras, rack drying, dehydrator, or oven drying. Always use fresh, firm, unblemished peppers for drying. If air-drying, ensure that the racks or ristras are placed in an area that is dry and has good air circulation.

Ristras are the strands of dried peppers that hang in many southwestern kitchens. They can be made from red, green or yellow chilies or any combination of these. To make a simple ristra use a needle to thread the stem of each chili pepper so that the chilies form a spiral, then hang from the ceiling. Chilies drying in ristras or on racks may take several weeks to dry completely. While using a dehydrator or oven is definitely faster, the chilies don't retain the bright color seen in chili peppers that are air-dried.

Dried chili peppers can be dry pan roasted prior to being added to sauces for a nuttier flavor. Dry roasted peppers are especially delicious in enchilada sauce. Peppers can be rehydrated by soaking in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes and used to spice up stews and sauces. Dried peppers can be ground into chili powder using a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle.

Freezing Peppers:
When freezing peppers plan ahead. How do you think you'll be using them in the future? Will they be used in something "fresh" like in salads, fajitas or tacos? Or will you use them to flavor something cooked, like your favorite chili recipe? Follow these steps to freeze peppers for later use:

Wash peppers well, selecting only those that are blemish-free and firm.

Cut out the stems and remove the seeds.

Blanch them quickly in rapidly boiling water if you plan to use them in cooked foods. [Skip the blanching if you want them fresh.]

Pat dry with paper towels or other clean absorbent cloth.

Pack into containers or zipper-seal bags, removing the air before sealing.

Freeze. (You can even freeze salsa! Just make sure to drain the liquid before you do. Otherwise you'll end up with a layer of ice on the salsa.)

Information thanks to Chili Pepper Plants Dot Com

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:25 PM

Rocoto Peppers

Rocoto peppers are hot peppers.

Dubbed 'hairy-like', This 2-inch by 2-inch apple-shaped pepper has black seeds and produces blue flowers unique to this variety. Going against all pepper growing heat standards, rocoto pepper plants prefer cool climates and generally grow best at high altitudes of 3,500 to 6,000 feet above sea level. Also known as red manzana, rocoto peppers mature in 80 to 90 days and are a beautiful glossy red when ready for picking. Some believe that the rocoto may be even hotter than the habanero, but this has not yet been tested. The rocoto pepper (Capsicum pubescens) is thought to be the oldest cultivated species of capsicum. First commented upon in 1794 by Ruiz and Pavon and thought to have been first used domestically some 6,000 years ago. Genetically speaking, this pepper has no wild form, although it has similar properties to native peppers of Argentina, Bolivia, and Peru.

These Andean-grown red and green peppers are rich in vitamins A and C alongside the bioflavanoids which give fruits and vegetables their bright colours. These anti-inflammatory substances work synergistically to enhance the action of vitamin C in the body and help boost its own natural defences. They also help maintain healthy circulation which, in turn, enhances physical and mental performance.

Storing:
Store unwashed peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. They keep for about five days.

Preparation:
You must wear plastic gloves or coat your hands in olive oil if you are going to handle this pepper or any other hot pepper. This will keep your cuticles from burning. Do not touch any of your orifices (sick people) if you have handled the pepper without protection. If you handle the pepper without protection, click here to find out how to clean your hands properly.
Wash the pepper well in cool water. De-stem.

Qualities to Shop For:
Firmness
Free from defects such as wrinkles, cracks, decay, bruising, etc.
Solid Color

Suggested Uses for Peppers:
Salsa
Drying
Pickling

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:24 PM

Chiltepin Peppers

Chiltepin peppers are hot peppers.

Chiltepin (Capsicum baccatum) is often found growing wild in Mexico and the southwestern United States, where it is also a popular garden-variety pepper. The round, berry-shaped chiltepin peppers are bright red when mature and grow upright on a large attractive plant that can spread out up to six feet across.

Chiltepin pepper plants can be perennial if protected from cold. They are a variety of bird pepper, so called because the birds love them. At 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville Units, they are known as one of the hottest chili peppers. Some experts report that one ounce of chiltepin provides enough heat for 300 gallons of salsa!

The National Forest Service has reserved 2,500 acres in the Coronado National Forest in Tucson, Arizona, for the Wild Chile Botanical Area, home of the largest population of chiltepin chile peppers north of Mexico. The chiltepin, called the "mother of all peppers," is thought to be the oldest known of the Capsicum genus, as well as one of the hottest wild varieties in the Americas. They grow on the rocky surfaces of steep slopes and are difficult to find because they are usually protected by other shrubbery.

Storing:
Store unwashed peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. They keep for about five days.

Preparation:
You must wear plastic gloves or coat your hands in olive oil if you are going to handle this pepper or any other hot pepper. This will keep your cuticles from burning. Do not touch any of your orifices (sick people) if you have handled the pepper without protection. If you handle the pepper without protection, click here to find out how to clean your hands properly.

Wash the pepper well in cool water. De-stem.

Qualities to Shop For:
Firmness
Free from defects such as wrinkles, cracks, decay, bruising, etc.
Solid Color

Suggested Uses for Peppers:
Salsa
Drying
Pickling

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:23 PM

Thai Peppers

Thai peppers are hot peppers.

Growing no taller than 26 inches, Thai hot peppers (Capsicum frutescens) are prolific, compact plants good for containers. They are well branched to support their 150-200 small fruits that mature from green to red in 65-70 days. Both the leaves and the pepper pods are used in cooking, but for the sake of this page, we will focus on the pepper itself. These peppers, popular in Asian cooking, especially stir-fry and curry dishes, are very hot (80,000 to 300,000 Scoville Units) with a heat that lingers. They are also known as Thai Dragons. Thai peppers should be used sparingly.

Thai peppers are also used in medicines, and treats intestinal parasites in children and is anti-pyretic.

Storing:
Store unwashed peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. They keep for about five days.

Preparation:
You must wear plastic gloves or coat your hands in olive oil if you are going to handle this pepper or any other hot pepper. This will keep your cuticles from burning. Do not touch any of your orifices (sick people) if you have handled the pepper without protection. If you handle the pepper without protection, click here to find out how to clean your hands properly.
Wash the pepper well in cool water. De-stem.

Qualities to Shop For:
Firmness
Free from defects such as wrinkles, cracks, decay, bruising, etc.
Solid Color

Suggested Uses for Peppers:
Curry
Salsa (my favorite pepper for it)
Stir Fry
Seasoning for roasts, bakes, grills

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:22 PM

Habanero Peppers

Habanero peppers are hot peppers.

Habanero peppers (Capsicum chinense) are the hottest peppers in the world, rating at 300,000+ Scoville Units. Although there was a report from India to have a pepper 50% hotter than the habanero, the claims are thus far unfounded. They have a sweet, plum tomato-apple flavor under the heat that mixes well with fruit. Slow to mature, habanero peppers are round and squat with a slightly pointed end and are deep red when mature at 75 to 100 days. These large-leafed chili pepper plants grow to about 3½ feet tall and do best with long hot summers. Habaneros are typically used fresh and in powdered form. The sweetness of fruit often counterbalances the super heat of habanero peppers. The Habanero pepper is grown and cultivated in Costa Rica, the Caribbean, California and Texas, it can be substituted with another incredibly hot pepper, the scotch bonnet.

Believe it or not, people claim the habanero pepper has many healing powers. Some of these are that it holds one in connection to the physical while doing emotional work; prevents separation, drifting, vertigo; promotes clarity and presence, at the same time providing movement to repressed feelings. That's probably because you're too busy worrying about Hell that just erupted in your mouth.

Storing:
Store unwashed peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. They keep for about five days.

Preparation:
You must wear plastic gloves or coat your hands in olive oil if you are going to handle this pepper or any other hot pepper. This will keep your cuticles from burning. Do not touch any of your orifices (sick people) if you have handled the pepper without protection. If you handle the pepper without protection, click here to find out how to clean your hands properly.
Wash the pepper well in cool water. De-stem.

Qualities to Shop For:
Firmness
Free from defects such as wrinkles, cracks, decay, bruising, etc.
Solid Color

Suggested Uses for Peppers:
Tangy Sweet Preserves (Ex: with peaches or apricots)
Salsa (my favorite pepper for it)

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:21 PM

Serrano Peppers

Serrano peppers are hot peppers.

The serrano is a prolific variety, producing thin-skinned, cone- or club-shaped fruits. The plant grows up to three feet in height and has distinctive short fuzzy leaves. Its erect finger-sized chilies grow in clusters, are fully mature at 75 to 90 days and have quite a heat range from 7,000 to 25,000 Scoville Units. They are the hottest pepper commonly available in the United States.

Storing:
Store unwashed peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Peppers will store for approximately 1 week. Use immediately if any discoloration or softening occurs.

If you’re just swamped with peppers, you can clean them, cut them in half, remove the seeds and ribs, and freeze them for a year.

Preparation:
Wash well in cool water.

Qualities to Shop For:
Firmness
Smooth Skin
Free from defects such as wrinkles, cracks, decay, bruising, etc.
Solid color

Suggested Uses for Peppers:
Salsas
Table Sauces (ex: guacomole, relishes)
Chili
Armenian, Chinese, Mexican cooking
Pickling
Freezing

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:19 PM

Cayenne Peppers

Cayenne peppers are hot peppers.

The easy-to-grow cayenne pepper, averaging 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide, is an ideal container plant. It produces brilliantly colored, quite hot peppers, 4 to 6 inches in length that mature in 70 to 80 days. The cayenne pepper was originally grown in Central and South America, but was transfered to the Cayenne district of French Guiana. After colonization, the Portuguese introduced the pepper to Asia and it is now very popular in Indian and Indo-Chinese cooking, chutneys, curries and other hot dishes. It is also used frequently in Creole and Cajun dishes.'Charleston Hot' is considered the hottest cayenne at 70,000 to 100,000 Scoville Units. The 18-inch tall plant produces 4 to 5-inch long peppers that mature from light green to yellow to orange. They are great for drying.

Prenant or lactating women should avoid this pepper. Mature Cayenne peppers are rich in vitamins A and C, niacin, iron, and potassium. It is also valued for its soothing effects on the digestive system, relief from symptoms of colds, sore throats and fevers, and as a hangover remedy. Use one or two tablespoons in warm water for relief from these symptoms.

Cayenne can also be used externally as a remedy for painful joints and for frostbite. It stimulates blood flow to the affected area, thus reducing inflammation and discomfort. To make a liniment for external use, gently boil 1 tablespoon of Cayenne in 1 pint of cider vinegar. Do not strain, and bottle while hot.

Storing:
Store unwashed peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Peppers will store for approximately 1 week. Use immediately if any discoloration or softening occurs.

If you’re just swamped with peppers, you can clean them, cut them in half, remove the seeds and ribs, and freeze them for a year.

Preparation:
Wash well in cool water.

Powder: Purchase red cayenne peppers and cut the stems off approximately half an inch from the top of the pepper. String them up immediately on a line to dry, or pull the entire plant and hang it in a well-ventilated place. Once dry, the peppers can be ground into powder with a food processor.

Qualities to Shop For:
Firmness
Smooth Skin
Free from defects such as wrinkles, cracks, decay, bruising, etc.
Solid color

Suggested Dishes for Peppers:
Chutney
Curry
Hot spice

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:19 PM

Tabasco Peppers

Tabasco peppers are hot peppers.

Tabasco (Capsicum frutescens) is an ideal container plant. The word itself means "damp earth". These compact, bushy, highly productive plants measure one to four feet tall and bear about 100 upright-growing 1½ inch fruits with a heat of 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville Units. While the tabasco originated in the Mexican state of the same name, the plants are now grown in abundance on Avery Island, Louisiana, home of McIlhenney Co., the famous TABASCO® brand pepper sauce company. Produced since Civil War times, this fiery sauce is made from tabasco peppers, vinegar and salt. The peppers are fermented in barrels for 3 years before being processed into the sauce. However, tabasco peppers are not widely commercially available.

Storing:
Store unwashed peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Peppers will store for approximately 1 week. Use immediately if any discoloration or softening occurs.

If you’re just swamped with peppers, you can clean them, cut them in half, remove the seeds and ribs, and freeze them for a year.

Preparation:
Wash well in cool water.

Qualities to Shop For:
Firmness
Free from defects such as wrinkles, cracks, decay, bruising, etc.
Solid color

Suggested Uses for Tabasco Sauce:
Drinks (ex: Bloody Mary)
Cocktail Sauce
Eggs (my friends are sick puppies)

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:14 PM

Jalapeno Peppers

Jalapeno peppers are medium-heat peppers.

The jalapeno is an ideal container plant reaching 2-3 feet high and producing fully mature chili peppers in 65 to 75 days. The 2 to 3½-inch cone-shaped fruits can be eaten green or red. One of the hotter medium heat chilies, at 3500-6000 Scoville Units, they are popular in Mexican cooking—fresh, pickled and dried. When smoke dried, jalapenos are known as chipotles.

Storing:
Store unwashed peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Peppers will store for approximately 1 week. Use immediately if any discoloration or softening occurs.

If you’re just swamped with peppers, you can clean them, cut them in half, remove the seeds and ribs, and freeze them for a year.

Preparation:
Wash well in cool water.

Qualities to Shop For:
Firmness
Free from defects such as wrinkles, cracks, decay, bruising, etc.
Solid color

Suggested Uses for Peppers:
Fresh (ex: pizza, salad, gyro toppings)
Dried
Pickled
Stuffed (ex: jalapeno stuffed with cheese mix)
Baked (ex: chicken and jalapeno dish)
Fried (ex: jalapeno poppers)

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:13 PM

Hot Banana Peppers

Hot Banana Peppers are medium-heat peppers.

Hot banana peppers - also called Hungarian hot wax peppers - are productive, stocky, ever-bearing, colorful plants. Although they prefer heat, they will grow well in cool climates either in the garden or in a container. Growing no more than 18 inches tall, banana pepper plants produce upright, banana-shaped, 4-6 inches long chili peppers that are fully mature in 70-75 days. As banana peppers mature their flavor develops, with the fully mature red peppers having more tang than the immature green ones. 'Inferno' is a very productive variety: it produces uniform fruit, and is excellent for pickling.

The degree of hotness varies with the climate and soil where they are grown, varying from a sweet or mild pepper to a medium-hot pepper.

Storing:
Refrigerate unwashed in plastic bag for up to one week.

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:11 PM | Comments (1)

Rocotillo Peppers

Rocotillo peppers are medium-heat peppers.

Rocotillos (capsicum chinense) are clustered, thin-fleshed, bell-blossom-shaped peppers with a pleasant flavor. These one-inch-long chili peppers are among the slower maturing peppers, changing from green to red over a period of 150 days. Rocotillo pepper plants (also known as rocoto) grow taller than most peppers and develop into a thick canopy. These peppers originated in the Carribean and parts of South America, and are related to the habenero, Scotch bonnet, and Jamaican hot pepper. They are sometimes known as squash peppers because they resemble small, pattypan squash. On a heat scale from 1 to 10, this pepper scores a 7.

Storing:
Store unwashed peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Peppers will store for approximately 1 week. Use immediately if any discoloration or softening occurs.

Preparation:
Wash well in cool water.

Qualities to Shop For:
Firmness
Free from defects such as wrinkles, cracks, decay, bruising, etc.
Solid color

Suggested Uses for Peppers:
Salsa
Garnish (ex: beans)
Roasting (ex: with beef or lamb)

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:11 PM

Paprika Peppers

The paprika pepper (capsicum frutescens) is a broad elongated fruit that is a deep brilliant red when mature. This pepper typically takes about 55 days to the green picking stage and 80 days to fully mature.

The most familiar form of paprika is dried ground. It's a mainstay seasoning in Hungarian dishes and is also often used as a garnish. The flavor of ground paprika can range from mild to hot with the mild variety widely available in supermarkets. The more pungent varieties are typically available only in specialty ethnic markets.

Storing:
For best flavor keep ground paprika no longer than 6 months after purchase and store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

Qualities to Shop For:
Firmness
Free from defects such as wrinkles, cracks, decay, bruising, etc.
Solid color

Suggested Uses for Peppers:
Seasoning: Dried, powdered

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:10 PM

Pepperoncini

Also called Tuscan peppers, these thin, 2- to 3-inch-long chiles have a bright red, wrinkled skin. Grown in Greece, they are crunchy and have a slightly sweet flavor that can range from medium to medium-hot. (And not that you care, but this is my favorite pepper of all time. I can sit and snack on these things for hours.)

Storing:
Pepperoncinis are usually purchased either dried or jarred. If dried, store in a cool, dry place.

Qualities to Shop For:
Taut, glossy, unbroken skins
Green, well-attached cap
Solid color

Suggested Uses for Peppers:
Topping (ex: gyros, salads)
Stuffed (ex: cream cheese, fried garlic, and shallot mixture)
Antipasto
Garnish
Pickled

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:10 PM | Comments (1)

Bermuda Hot Peppers

Bermuda hots are ideal container plants. They are compact, bushy, and highly productive, producing peppers that are 3 inches long and mature from green to red. They are among the most popular pickling peppers, as they stay firm in the jar for well over a year.

Storing:
Refrigerate unwashed in plastic bag for up to one week.
Peppers can be preserved by canning or freezing after they are roasted and peeled.

Preparation:
See pickling instructions.

Qualities to Shop For:
Taut, glossy, unbroken skins
Green, well-attached cap

Suggested Uses for Peppers:
Pickling

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:08 PM

Oretega Chilis

The ortega is a variety of Anaheim chili pepper that is 6-7 inches long by about 2 inches wide. Ortegas are ready to be green-picked at about 70 days and red ripe at 95 days. Ortegas are good stuffing, grilling, roasting and pickling peppers. These are the mild green chilies you'll find canned in your grocer's condiment aisle.

History:
When James Polk was elected to the Presidency of the United States in 1844, Mexico sent Sr. Garcia-Ortega to its U.S. Embassy as the Agricultural Attaché. Sr. Garcia-Ortega served in this capacity until January of 1846. In that month, President Polk declared war on Mexico. All of the staff of the Mexican Embassy returned to their country save for Sr. Garcia-Ortega. He applied for asylum, and it was granted.

Garcia-Ortega moved to the Poca River in May of 1849 and purchased a bit of bottom land near the town of Grimms Landing-on-the-Poca. This made him the first Hispanic to own land on the Poca River. It was his intention to grow chili peppers. Within a year Garcia-Ortega had established his Ranchero Jalapeño, and in the early fall of 1850 he harvested his first crop of peppers. However, the palette of the residents of the area did not take to such fiery comestibles, and the plentiful crops went unsold. He continued in his efforts to raise and sell his pepper crops for almost seventeen unsuccessful years.

In 1867, Sr. Garcia-Ortega finally sold his land and moved to Louisiana where he met Edmund McIlhenny. McIlhenny had begun to grow the tabasco pepper for a distinctive sauce. Since Garcia-Ortega had come from the State of Tabasco in Mexico, and had long experience in growing peppers, he was of great assistance to the development of the now famous sauce. Sr. Garcia-Ortega lived out his years working with the tabasco peppers.

Storing:
Refrigerate unwashed in plastic bag for up to one week.
Peppers can be preserved by canning or freezing after they are roasted and peeled. Qualities to Shop For:
Taut, glossy, unbroken skins
Green, well-attached cap

Suggested Uses for Peppers:
Grilled (ex: hamburger, burritos)
Roasted (ex: with chicken dish)
Soups (ex: stew, chili)
Fried (ex: omlet)
Salsa (as really with all peppers)

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:08 PM

Relleno Peppers

Relleno peppers are dependably very mild tasting and are the traditional stuffing pepper. The plant measures about 18 inches tall and produces many blunt ended peppers measuring 9 to 12 inches long and 2 inches wide at the base. The peppers are red when mature at about 75 days, and are tasty when either green or red.

Qualities to Shop For:
Firmness
Absence of wrinkles, spots, discoloration

Suggested Uses for Peppers:
Stuffed (ex: Cheese Relleno)
Roasted (ex: Chicken Relleno
Fried (ex: Queso Relleno)

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:06 PM

Ancho/Poblano Peppers

These are one of the most popular chili peppers in Mexican cooking. These thick-fleshed peppers are called "poblano" when fresh and "ancho" or "mulato" when dried. The ancho is dark brown, and turns brick red after soaking, while the mulata stays brown after soaking. The mulato is sweeter, richer, hotter, and has been described as chocolatey. Their 3-foot tall, bushy, ever-bearing plant produces fruits that dangle like pendants from their stems. The dark green chilies turn red and then mahogany when mature at 90-110 days. Fresh or dried, poblano chili peppers have a fruity-smoky flavor and measure in at 2500-3000 Scoville Units.'Ancho San Luis' produces heart-shaped fruits of uniform size.

The fresh pepper gets it's name from Pueblo, Mexico, where it is the chili of choice. "Ancho", on the other hand, is an allusion its shape, meaning 'wide'.

Storing:
Refrigerate unwashed in plastic bag for up to one week.

Peppers can be preserved by canning or freezing after they are roasted and peeled.

Preparation:
When drying hot banana peppers, make certain the process is a relatively fast one. This can occur with the use of a dehydrator. Because the pepper's flesh is thick, it takes a little more umph to dry, and therefore can be prone to molding.

Remove the skin before cooking. You can remove the seeds while leaving the peppers whole; this is called "capon" (a reference to a castrated chicken, believe it or not.)

Qualities to Shop For:
Taut, glossy, unbroken skins
Green, well-attached cap

Suggested Uses for Peppers:
Stuffing (ex: Black Beans and cheese, Chili Relleno)
Flavor (ex: soups, sauces)
Dried (ex: enchilada sauce, commercial chili peppers)

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:06 PM

Pimento

Pimentos are sweet peppers.

Pimento is the Spanish word for "pepper." Also called pimientos, it is not to be confused with the pimento tree that grows in the West Indies and produces allspice. These sweet peppers are sweet, juicy, aromatic, heart-shaped miniature peppers. These are highly productive plants that produce early maturing fruit measuring 3-4 inches long by 2-3 inches wide. Pimentos are best when fully mature and scarlet red, but are also eaten when green or yellow. Pimentos are available fresh in late summer and early fall, but are available year round preserved in oil in your grocer's condiments aisle. The flesh of the pimento is the familiar stuffing found in green olives.

In the processing of pimientos, the tough skin must be removed. The old Spanish way (it is native to tropical America but was made popular in Spain) was to suspend the pods on sticks and pass them through a fire. The skins were charred by burning, then removed with a rough cloth. Today, while many improvements have been made, the same principle of "roasting" is still used by some commercial companies. Georgia and Florida are the leading states in pimento production. Pimentos are mainly used for paprika and for stuffing olives.

Storing:
Pimento peppers can be stored up to a week in the refrigerator. Place it, unwashed, in a plastic bag within your vegetable bin with similar items - peppers, non-fruit - for best results.

Qualities to Shop For:
Firmness
Solid color, preferrably red
Lack of wrinkles and spots

Suggested Uses for Peppers:
Fresh off the plant
Fresh and chopped (ex: pasta salad)
Spreads (for additional flavor and color)
Roasted or Sauted (ex: with meat, seafood, or vegetable dishes)
Pimento Bisque
Canning or jarring

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:05 PM

Bell Peppers

Bell peppers are considered to be sweet peppers.

Bell pepper plants are upright plants that produce green peppers, which change to yellow, red, purple (man-made), and orange peppers when they ripen. The vegetable is approximately 4" to 6" long, stocky, and has three or four lobes at the base. Bell pepper skins are glossy and deeply colored, with the flesh being crisp and succulent. The plants measure 18-30 inches in height and are generally very productive.

Bell peppers contain no fat, saturated fat, sodium, or cholesterol, and are therefore thought to help in the reduction of heart disease. As bell peppers mature, their sugar content increases, so they become sweeter, and develop more nutrients, primarily vitamins A and C. Red bell peppers, in fact, have three times as much as an equal-sized citrus fruit. They are also excellent sources for beta-carotene, fiber, and vitamin B6. Substances found in bell peppers - coumarins, quercetin, kaempforal, terpenes, and chlorogenic acid - help reduce the risk of cancer.

Bells are the most commonly grown commercial peppers in the United States, with approximately 65,000 acres under cultivation. Of the states, California and Florida are the largest producers of these peppers. Mexico follows with about 22,000 acres, and most of their bells are exported to the U.S. More than 100 varieties of bell peppers have been bred, and peppers are chosen on the basis of color, pungency, disease resistance, and availability to the home grower.

Bell peppers appear on our spice racks in the form of paprika.

Storing:
Store unwashed peppers in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Bell peppers should be kept cool (35-45 degrees F) at all times. This prevents water loss from the vegetable, and allows a shelf life of 3-4 weeks. Since most peppers have been sitting on the store shelf for a little while, so it is best to assume the pepper will last no longer than five days. Peppers should not be stored near pears, apples, or other ethylene-producing food.

Preparation:
Wash well in cool water. Before cooking or cutting, remove the indigestible seeds and membrane. Some people have allergic reactions (mild tummy aches) to raw orange or red peppers, so it is recommended that they be de-seeded and boiled for two to three minutes before lightly salting them and placing them upside down to dry.

Bell peppers can be frozen once they have been roasted, skinned, and seeded. They can also be frozen without any preparation, except seeding and slicing, but the texture will be a bit wimpy.

Qualities to Shop For:
Firmness
Free from defects such as wrinkles, cracks, decay, bruising, etc.
Color typical of variety - green peppers, for instance, are completely green.

Suggested Uses for Peppers:
Raw and sliced (ex: salads)
Raw and stuffed (ex: edible bowl of dip)
Stuffed and baked (ex: orzo and lamb combination)
Cooked and diced (ex: spaghetti or stir fry)

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:02 PM

Southern Yemeni Rice

Ingredients:
2 lb. lamb (cut into large chunks) (chicken may be substituted)
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, grated
3 c. rice
6 c. water
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
1/2 stick cinnamon
3 whole cardamon
3 whole cloves
Vegetable oil

Directions:
Heat oil on medium-high heat and fry onion until light brown. Add meat and carrot and cook until meat begins to brown. Add spices and stir for 3 minutes. Add water and rice and turn heat to high. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over low heat 25 minutes. Serve with bread and cucumber yogurt salad.

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:01 PM

Stuffed Hot Banana Peppers

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef or lamb
1/2 cup cooked rice
1 Tbs. allspice
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
12-15 hot peppers
1 clove garlic, diced or crushed
1 Tbs. oregano
3-4 cups tomato sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, blend thoroughly meat, rice, allspice, cinammon, salt and pepper.

Cut the top from each banana pepper and place a toothpick hole on the ends to allow air to escape while stuffing. With a scooping tool or peeler/scoop tool, hollow out seeds from each pepper with a circular motion and discard.

Stuff each pepper fully and place in an appropriate baking dish, side to side. (You can also stuff with cheese).

Pour tomato sauce evenly over the entire dish. Place crushed garlic throughout sauce and top with oregano. Cover with foil and bake for one hour.

To microwave, cover with plastic wrap and bake on medium-high heat for 20-25 minutes.

Serves 4.

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:01 PM

Lamb Patties

Ingredients:
2 pounds lamb leg meat, trimmed of excess fat and sinew, or ground lamb
2 large green onions, minced (1/3 cup)
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons minced fresh mint
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Additional olive oil

Directions:
Grind lamb one time through meat grinder of stand mixer according to manufacturer's instructions. Add all remaining ingredients except additional oil to the ground lamb. Using your hands, mix until ingredients are just blended.

(Make Ahead: Lamb mixture can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Form lamb mixture into twelve 1/2-inch-thick oval patties. Add just enough oil to heavy large skillet to coat. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook patties until browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Serve with warm pita bread, hummus, taziki, feta cheese, and sliced tomatoes for a more Mediterranean flair.

Posted by Kelli Little at 03:59 PM

Stuffed Peppers w/ Lamb and Orzo

Ingredients:
2 large red, yellow, and/or green sweet bell peppers
12 ounces ground lamb or turkey
1/3 cup chopped onion
8-ounce can stewed tomatoes
1/3 cup orzo
1 tablespoon snipped fresh mint, basil, or oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried mint, basil, or oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup shredded kasseri (a strong cheese) or grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Halve peppers lengthwise, removing stem ends, seeds, and membranes. Immerse peppers in boiling water for 3 minutes. (This is because a good fifth of the population is allergic to raw red, yellow, orange, and sometimes green peppers. By boiling them lightly, it takes out the enzyme that creates such a bad reaction.) Remove and sprinkle insides with salt. Invert the peppers onto paper towels to drain well.

Cook the lamb and onion in a skillet for 5 minutes, or until the meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain the fat and stir in stewed tomatoes, uncooked pasta, mint, basil, or oregano, allspice, water, salt, and pepper. (I use a combination of mint and basil, because mint tends to bring out a fresh flavor. Just use a sprinkle of freshly chopped mint, to taste, if you choose to do so as well.) Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 7-8 minutes, or until pasta is al dente. Stir in 1/4 cup of the kasseri or Parmesan cheese. Fill peppers with this meat mixture.

Place in a 2 quart square baking dish along with any remaining meat mixture. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F oven for about 15 minutes, or until it is heated through. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and let stand for 1-2 minutes before serving.

(Orzo is a barley-shaped pasta frequently used in recipes as a substitute for rice. Here it cooks in the stuffing mixture, saving the step of cooking the pasta separately. You usually find it in either a box or a stout plastic package in the pasta isle.)

This recipe serves 4.

Posted by Kelli Little at 03:59 PM

Roast Lamb w/Rosemary & Juniper

Ingredients:
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
6 juniper berries
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 pounds butterflied leg of lamb, in one piece
1 cup dry red wine

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a mortar, pound the garlic with the rosemary and juniper berries to a smooth past. Season with salt and pepper. Spread half the past all over the inside of the lamb. Roll the lamb into a compact roast and tie it at 1 ½ inch intervals with butcher's twine. Using a sharp paring knife, make 16 shallow slits all over the outside of the roast. With the tip of the knife, fill each slit with the remaining garlic-juniper paste.

2. Set the lamb in a medium roasting pan and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast the meat for 30 minutes. Add the wine and, using a wooden spatula, scrape up any browned bits in the pan. Roast the lamb for about 10 minutes longer for medium-rare meat.

3. Transfer the lamb to a carving board and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Meanwhile, pour the cooking juices into a small saucepan. Skim off any fat from the surface and simmer over moderate heat until slightly reduced. Cut the strings and carve the lamb into thick slices. Serve with the pan juices.

(The lamb can be prepared through Step 1 and refrigerated overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before roasting. This recipe serves 6.)

Posted by Kelli Little at 03:57 PM

Grilled Leg of Lamb with Thyme Salmoriglio

Salmoriglio is a traditional Sicilian sauce for fish and shellfish made with oil, lemon and oregano. In this adaptation, Martin Dodd substituted thyme for the oregano. Have your butcher butterfly and trim the lamb for you, and make sure to leave time for the lamb to marinate overnight.

Lamb:
20 garlic cloves, halved
¼ cup rosemary leaves
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Two 4-pound butterflied and trimmed boneless legs of lamb
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup plus 2 tbl fresh lemon juice

Thyme Sauce:
1 ¼ cups extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 cups finely chopped thyme leaves
½ cup fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
1. Prepare the lamb: In a food processor, combine the garlic, rosemary, 1 tsp of salt and ½ tsp of pepper; process to a coarse paste. Place the lamb in a large roasting pan, coat with the garlic paste and drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Make the thyme salmoriglio sauce: In a bowl, combine the olive oil, chopped thyme and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper.

3. Light a grill. Scrape the marinage off the lamb. Gbrill the lamb over a moderately low fire for about 10 minutes per side, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 125 degrees for medium-rare meat.

4. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and let stand for 10 minutes before carving into thin slices. Spoon the salmoriglio sauce over the lamb or pass it at the table.

Make Ahead: The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

This recipe yields 20 servings.

Posted by Kelli Little at 03:57 PM

Roast Lamb w/ Almond Pesto and Crushed Potatoes

Almond Pesto:
¾ cup fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
1 small clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
4 toasted, skinless almonds, finely chopped
3 tbl extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lamb and Potatoes:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
One 1 ½ lb lamb sirloin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
9-12 small new potatoes, boiled

Directions:
1. For the almond pesto: Put basil, garlic, and almonds in a medium bowl. Mix well with a wooden spoon while drizzling in oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.

2. For the lamb and potatoes: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a large, heavy, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Generously season lamb with salt and pepper, then sear until lightly browned about 2 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium, add onions and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until onions are soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes to skillet, lightly crush with the back of a large spoon, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer skillet to oven, and roast until internal temperature of lamb reaches 125 degrees on a meat thermometer for medium-rare, about 10 minutes.

3. Remove skillet from oven, transfer lamb to a cutting board, and return skillet with potatoes to turned-off oven to cook a little longer while meat is resting. Cover lamb loosely with foil, and set aside for 10 minutes.

4. Remove potatoes from oven, gently stir in pesto, then divide between 2-4 dinner plates. Slice lamb, and arrange over potatoes, moistening lamb with any accumulated juices. Spoon some red-onion relish on top of lamb, and drizzle plates with a little fruity extra virgin olive oil, if you like.

Makes 2 to 4 servings.

Posted by Kelli Little at 03:56 PM

La Mazille's Lamb You can Eat with a Spoon

Ingredients:
One 6-pound leg of lamb on the bone (Ask the butcher to saw off the protruding shank bone so that the lamb will easily fit into a large casserole.) 2 tbl vegetable oil
5 firm heads of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
3 tbl Cognac
1 ¼ cups sweet wine, such as Orange Muscat
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
1. Fill a large enameled cast-iron casserole with 4 quarts of water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Carefully add the lamb and boil for 15 minutes. Drain the lamb and pat dry.

2. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Heat the oil in the casserole until sizzling. Add the lamb and cook over moderate heat until it is nicely browned on all sides. Pour off any fat in the pan. Add the garlic cloves, then add the Cognac and carefully light it with a long match. When the flames die down, add the wine and season the lamb generously with salt and pepper. Cover with a crumpled sheet of wet parchment paper and a tight-fitting lid. Bake the lamb for 6 hours, turning it halfway through. Remove the casserole from the oven, uncover and let stand for 30 minutes.

3. Transfer the lamb to a platter. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and arrange the cloves around the lamb. If there is a lot of liquid left in the casserole, boil it down until it's very flavorful. Serve the lamb with the cooking juices.

(To firm up the outside of the leg of lamb and to seal in juices before braising in the oven, lower the meat into boiling water and simmer it for 15 minutes. When you are ready to serve the lamb, spoon the cooked whole garlic cloves out carefully and arrange them on the platter; the resemble almonds, but they are extremely tender.)

This recipe serves 6.

Posted by Kelli Little at 03:55 PM

Lamb Smothered in Onion

Ingredients:
4 meaty 1 ¼ pound lamb shanks, trimmed of excess fat
1 med. onion, coarsely grated, plus 4 pounds large onions, quartered lengthwise and thickly sliced crosswise
½ cup drained, seeded and chopped Italian canned tomatoes
2 tbl extra-virgin olive oil
One 2-inch long cinnamon stick
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 ½ tsp ground ginger
Scant ½ tsp saffron, crumbled
2 ¼ cups water
3 tbl plus ½ tsp sugar
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbl unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled

Directions:
1. In a large, heavy casserole, combine the lamb shanks with the grated onion, tomatoes, olive oil, cinnamon stick, 2 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of pepper, 1 tsp of the ginger and half the saffron. Cook over low heat until the shanks are sizzling, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is just barely falling off the bone, about 2 ½ hours. Cool the lamb shanks, then pull the meat off the bones and trim off any fat or gristle. Cut the meat into 1-inch chunks and transfer to a bowl. Skim the fat from the cooking liquid and discard the cinnamon stick. Boil the liquid until reduced to 1 cup, about 35 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the sliced onions with 3 tbl of the sugar, the cinnamon, and 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. Add the remaining ¼ cup of water, ½ tsp of ground ginger and the remaining saffron. Scatter three-fourths of the butter pieces over the top.

3. Cover and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft, about 1 ½ hours. Uncover and cook over moderately high heat until all the liquid has evaporated, about 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderately low and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are golden, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer the onions to a large plate to cool.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the lamb chunks in a large glass or ceramic baking dish and pour the reduced cooking liquid on top; spread the browned onions over the meat, sprinkle the remaining ½ tsp of sugar and dot with the remaining butter. Bake the lamb for 35 - 40 minutes, or until sizzling and browned. Serve the smothered lamb hot or warm.

Make Ahead: The recipe can be prepared ahead through step 3. Refrigerate the lamb and onions separately for up to 3 days. Serves 6.

Posted by Kelli Little at 03:55 PM

Caramel Fondue

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Pound cake, angel food cake, brownies, bananas, pineapple, pears, apples, strawberries, and other fruits for dipping
Shaved chocolate, chopped nuts, grated coconut, and minced dried fruit for sprinkling

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar with the corn syrup and water. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to moderately high and simmer, brushing down the sides of the saucepan occasionally with a wet brush, until the syrup starts to turn golden. Gently swirl the pan and continue to simmer until a deep amber caramel forms, about 40 minutes total from the time you started.

Remove the saucepan from theh eat. Carefully stir in the heavy cream, then stir in the butter until melted. Return the saucepan to the heat and bring the caramel just to a simmer. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Let the caramel cool for 30 minutes, whisking occasionally. Pour the caramel into a heatproof serving bowl or fondue pot set over low heat and serve with the cake, fruit, and garnishes.

The caramel can be refrigerated for 1 week. Rewarm gently over low heat.

Posted by Kelli Little at 03:54 PM

Catalan-Style Shoulder of Lamb

Ingredients:
3 lemons
One 7-8 lb boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 cloves garlic, peeled
2 sticks cinnamon
1 lb. ripe tomatoes, peeled & seeded (or 1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes w/juice)
One 750-ml. bottle sweet banyuls or ruby port
2 springs of fresh thyme
2-3 bay leaves

Directions:
1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat; then add lemons and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain; then cut each lemon into 8 pieces lengthwise, and set aside.

2. Season lamb generously with salt and pepper. Set a large, heavy roasting pan over 2 burners on top of the stove. Add lamb, fat side down, and cook, without additional fat, over medium-high heat, turning once, until well browned on both sides, about 20 minutes in all. Remove lamb, and set aside; then pour off and discard excess fat, and return pan to stove.

3. Add lemons to roasting pan, and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, stirring and crushing lemons with a wooden spoon and scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pan. Add garlic and cinnamon, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes, banyuls, thyme, and bay leaves, and cook for 1 minute more. Season to taste with salt and pepper; then return lamb to pan. Reduce heat to low, cover pan tightly with foil, and braise slowly until lamb is tender, about 1 ¾ hour. Remove cinnamon, thyme, and bay leaves before serving.

This recipe serves 8 to 10 people.

Posted by Kelli Little at 03:54 PM

Sex on the Beach Jello Shooter

Ingredients:
6 oz. vodka
6 oz. peach schnapps
6 oz. water
3 oz. cranberry Jello
3 oz. orange Jello

Directions:
Combine vodka and water in a saucepan and bring to boil. Stir in Jello. Let set in refrigerator. Experiment to choose the length of time you want it to set. Longer = firmer.

Jello shots are simple to make and do their job exceptionally well. The only other trick to them is using different alcohols and Jello flavors to create new tastes.

Posted by Kelli Little at 03:52 PM

Russian Chai

Ingredients:
8 oranges, sliced
6 lemons, sliced
6 cinnamon sticks, 3"
1 tbl. cloves, whole
1 qt. water
46 oz. pineapple juice
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 qt. tea

Directions:
Combine fruit slices, cinnamon, cloves, and water in a large non-aluminum saucepan; bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes. Press mixture through a strainer, discarding pulp and spices. Add pineapple juice, sugar, and tea to citrus mixture, stirring well. Serve hot.

Posted by Kelli Little at 03:52 PM

Pina Colada Shakes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh pinapple chunks or canned with fruit juice
1 lime, cut into thin slices
3 cups pinapple sherbert
1 and 1/2 cups skim milk
1/4 tsp rum extract or 4 oz rum
1/4 tsp coconut extract

Directions:
Drain juice from pinapple. Discard juice. Thread a few of the pinapple chunks and lime slices onto four skewers and set aside. In a blender combine the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. You may have to scrape the sides with a rubber spatula occasionally. Pour the shake mixture into 4 wine glasses or similar stemware, and place a skewer in each glass. Serve immediately.

Shakes will keep for 30 minutes in the refrigerator when stored in a capped blender pitcher.

Posted by Kelli Little at 03:51 PM

Basic Jello Shooters

Ingredients:
6 oz. vodka
6 oz. water
3 oz. Jello gelatin, any flavor

Directions:
Think jiggly or slushy or syrupy. Imagine the slide of a semi-solid down your throat. Combine vodka and water in a saucepan and bring to boil. Stir in Jello. Let set in refrigerator. Experiment to choose the length of time you want it to set. Longer = firmer.

Jello shots are simple to make and do their job exceptionally well. The only other trick to them is using different alcohols and Jello flavors to create new tastes.

Posted by Kelli Little at 03:51 PM

Margaritas

Ingredients:
One lime, wedged
2 oz. Hornitos or Sauzo
½ oz. Jose Cuervo White (optional)
½ oz. Bols Triple Sec
Bols Orange Curaco
Salt
Cubed Ice

Directions:
Fill shaker with broken cubed ice. Squeeze two fresh lime wedges into shaker. Add 2 oz. Cuervo 1800, 1/2 oz. of Jose Cuervo White, 1-1/4 oz. of Roses Lime Juice, 1/2 oz. of Bols Triple Sec and "a splash" of Bols Orange Curaco.

Cover shaker tightly and shake vigorously. Rim the outside of the glass with lime juice and salt. Add fresh ice. Strain the mixture over ice and squeeze in one lime wedge.

Posted by Kelli Little at 03:50 PM

Hot Chocolate w/ Whipped Cream

Ingredients:
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
½ cup boiling water
3 ½ cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1/3 cup sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup Frangelico liqueur (optional)
Sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, melt the chocolate in the boiling water. Remove from the heat.

2. In another medium saucepan, heat the milk with the vanilla bean; cook it over moderately high heat until bubbles appear around the edge. Remove the pan from the heat. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the hot milk, then carefully whisk in the sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

3. Pour the hot milk into the melted chocolate, add the Frangelico and whisk until smooth. Pour the hot chocolate into warm mugs and garnish with a dollop of whipped cream.

This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:39 AM

Hot Lemonade w/ Rum

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1½ cups fresh lemon juice
1 cup sugar
¾ cup dark rum
Lemon slices and cinnamon candy swizzle sticks, for garnish

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine the water with the lemon juice and sugar. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the rum. Pour the lemonade into warm mugs, garnish with lemon slices and candy swizzle sticks and serve.

This recipe makes 4 to 6 servings.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:39 AM

Russian Orange Cookies

Cookie Ingredients:
2/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tsp. orange zest
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Icing Ingredients:
2 cups confectioner's sugar
2 tbl butter
2 tbl. orange juice
1 tsp. orange zest

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets. Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir 1/2 cup orange juice and 1 tsp. rind into the flour mixture.

Cream shortening and white sugar together. Mix egg into the sugar mixture thoroughly. Slowly blend flour mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Drop by teaspoonful onto the greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Icing: Mix confectioner's sugar and two tablespoons butter together until smooth. Pour 2 tablespoons orange juice and 1 tsp. orange rind into the sugar and butter mixture, and mix well. When the cookies have cooled, spread the icing generousl over the tops of the cookies.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:38 AM

No Cook Fudge

Ingredients:
8 squares unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate
16 oz cream cheese
8 cups powdered sugar
2 tbl vanilla
1 teaspoon salt
chopped nuts (if desired)

Directions:
Melt chocolate in microwave a minute at a time until it's sort of melted. (Chocolate can burn easily.) Add cream cheese and mic for another minute. Mix thoroughly. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar, one half, mix, and then the otherm mix. Add nuts.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:36 AM

Davin's Peanut Butter Truffles

Ingredients:
10 0z. chocolate chips (milk, semi sweet, butterscotch, etc.)
1/2 lb. unsalted butter
Dipping Chocolate (semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips)
Peanut butter gonache (truffle centers)

Directions:
Scald butter and add 10oz. chips to it. Stir until smooth. Refrigerate.

Temper chocolate chips for dipping. Bring to 120 degrees and then remove from heat and stir until 88 degrees (88-90 is fine.) This basically allows the chocolate to dry to a satin finish.

Roll cooled gonache (truffle centers) into small balls and dip with spoon or fork into the chocolate. Place on wax paper or foil.

Refrigerate when dry.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:36 AM

Glass Candy

Ingredients:
2 cups of sugar
2/3 cups corn syrup
1 cup water
1 tbl real cinnamon oil
Powdered sugar

Directions:
Stir over high heat til sugar is dissolved. Lower heat and cook without stiring to 300. (It takes a while for the temperature to get that high) Add food color and cinnamon oil.

Sprinkle the sides and bottom of a baking sheet (that has sides) with powdered sugar. Pour the hot mixture onto the cookie sheet immediately after stirring in the food colouring and the cinnamon oil and let cool. It should set up as hard candy right away. Let sit for a little while, and then break and eat away.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:35 AM

Divinity

Ingredients:
2 2/3 cups sugar
3/4 cups light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cups small chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
Stir sugar, corn syrup and water over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Cook, without stirring, to 260 on candy thermometer. In mixer bowl, beat egg whites until STIFF peaks form. Continue beating while pouring hot syrup in a thin stream into egg whites. Add vanilla; beat until mixture holds its shape and becomes slightly dull. (You may have to finish beating by hand. Fold in nuts. Drop mixture onto waxed paper in individual glops.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:35 AM

"Sex" Bars

1st Layer:
1/2 cup butter or margerine
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups crushed graham crackers
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 egg, slightly beaten

In a sauce pan (double boiler works well) melt together butter, sugar, cocoa, and vanilla. Add slightly beaten egg and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add graham crackers, coconut, and nuts. Mix well and put in 9" greased pan. Let cool.

2nd Layer:
2 tsps. instant vanilla pudding mix
3 tbls. milk
1/2 cup butter or margerine
2 cups powdered sugar

Mix pudding and milk together, set aside. Cream butter until fluffy. Add pudding mixture to it. Using electric mixer, gradually add powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Spread over first layer. Let stand until firm.

3rd Layer:
3/4 to 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tbl. margerine or butter

Melt both ingredients together (the microwave works great.) Spread on top of second layer. Allow to set before cutting into bars. Can be refrigerated and/or frozen.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:33 AM

Deluxe Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (if you don't have it, use a little more vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 reaspoon cream of tartar

Directions:
Mix thoroughly butter, conf sugar, egg, vanilla and almond extract. Blend in flour, soda and cream of tartar. Cover, chill 2 hours or more.

Bake at 375. Divide dough in half. Roll each half out on lightly floured cloth covered board. Cut into desired shapes. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 7 to 8 minutes until light brown on edge.

You can freeze the freshly baked cookies for a week until you wish to frost them. Just thaw on countertop or in fridge when ready.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:33 AM

Pistachio Creme Anglaise

Ingredients:
1 cup shelled unsalted pistachios (4 ounces)
2 cups milk
½ cup sugar
Salt
8 large egg yolks
½ tsp pure almond extract (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the shelled pistachios on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Let cool completely, then rub the pistachios in a kitchen towel to remove the skins. Transfer the pistachios to a food processor and grind to a fine powder.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk with the pistachios and bring to a boil. Cover, remove from the heat and let stand for 30 minutes.

3. Strain the pistachio milk through a fine sieve into another medium saucepan. Add the sugar and a pinch of salt. Whisk in the egg yolks and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until the custard sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 8 minutes. Do not let the custard boil.

4. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl. Stir in the almond extract and let cool, stirring often. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (This recipe makes 2 cups, and can be refrigerated for 2 days.)

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:32 AM

Pie Crust

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups sifted flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
3 sticks of cold butter or lard
Red wine vinegar

Directions:
Mix the ingredients together. Blend in 3 sticks of cut up cold butter or lard. Add a little red wine vinegar. Ball the dough up and chill for 30 - 60 minutes. (You can refrigerate this overnight, and then warm it up 30 minutes prior to using it at room temperature.)

Flour the cupboard and pin. Roll out the dough, keeping it in a disc shape. Fold the dough in half. Lift and put it in the dish and shape. Chill the dough while mixing the pie ingredients.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:32 AM

Tiramisu

Ingredients:
7 oz. Savoiardi
1 whole egg and 1 yolk
½ cup sugar
1 1/3 cups Mascarpone
1 demitasse cup strong coffee
2 tbl coffee liqueur
2-3 tbl water
Unsweetened powdered cocoa

Directions:
Put the Savoiardi into a bowl. In another bowl, beat the whole egg, yolk, and sugar, then blend in Mascarpone until smooth and creamy. In a third bowl, mix coffee, coffee liqueur, and 2-3 tbl water. Pour the cover mixture over Savoiardi. Allow the liquid to soak in, then carefully fold in the Mascarpone cream mixture. Turn the Tiramisu into a large serving bowl, and refrigerate for several hours. Before serving, sprinkle unsweetened cocoa powder over the surface, using a sieve.

This recipe serves 6.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:30 AM

Chocolate Rum Balls

Ingredients:
3 1/4 cups crushed vanilla wafers
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts
3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup rum

Directions:
Combine crushed vanilla wafers, 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, cocoa and nuts. Blend in corn syrup and rum.

Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in additional confectioner's sugar. Store in an airtight container several days to develop flavor. Roll again in confectioners' sugar before serving.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:30 AM

Seven Minute Frosting

Ingredients:
4 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup water
Pinch of salt
½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:
In a large stainless-steel bowl, combine the egg whites with the sugar, water and salt. Set the bowl over a saucepan filled with 2 inches of boiling water and beat the egg whites at high speed until stiff and glossy, about 7 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat, add the vanilla and continue to beat at high speed until the frosting is cool to the touch, about 8 minutes longer. Use the frosting immediately.

This recipe makes 4 cups.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:29 AM

Plum-Raspberry Crisp w/Almond Crumb Topping

Ingredients:
¼ cup plus 2 tbl sliced unblanched almonds (1 ½ ounces)
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup plus 2 tbl dark brown sugar
Pinch of salt
3 tbl cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼ inch pieces
1 ½ pounds red or purple plums - halved, pitted and cut into ½ inch wedges
1 ½ pints raspberries (2 cups)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Scant ¼ tsp dried lavender flowers (optional)
Vanilla or toasted-almond frozen yogurt, for serving

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the sliced almonds in a pie plate and toast in the oven for about 6 minutes, or until the nuts are fragrant and lightly browned. Transfer the almonds to a plate and let them cool completely.

2. In a food processor, combine the almonds with 6 tbl of the flour, the brown sugar and salt and pulse until the nuts are fairly finely chopped, with some larger pieces remaining. Transfer the almond mixture to a bowl and work in the butter with your fingers until the topping is crumbly. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 15 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, gently toss the plums and the raspberries with the granulated sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, lavender flowers, and the remaining 2 tbl of flour. Gently spread the fruit in a 10-inch round glass or ceramic baking dish and sprinkle with the almond crumb topping. Bake the crisp for about 40 minutes, or until the topping is browned and the fruit is bubbling. Serve warm, with vanilla frozen yogurt.

(Total Fat: 10.7 gm, Saturated Fat 4.1 gm, Carbohydrates 52.1 gm)

Make Ahead: The almond crumb topping can be refrigerated in a sturdy plastic bag for up to 1 week. This recipe serves 6.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:27 AM

Semolina Soufflé Cake

Ingredients:
4 ½ cups milk
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup semolina flour
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
9 large eggs, separated
1 tbl pure vanilla extract
Pistachio Crème Anglaise and Tart Cherry - Pinot Noir Syrup

Directions:
This cake has a surprisingly delicate and soufflé-like texture. It needs to be refrigerated overnight, so plan accordingly.

1. Butter and flour a 10-inch springform pan. Wrap the outside of the pan in foil.

2. In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the milk with ¾ cup of the sugar and bring to a boil. Whisk in the semolina and cook over low heat, whisking often, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in half of the butter and the remaining ¾ cup of sugar and transfer to a large bowl. Let the semolina cool completely, stirring occasionally. Stir in the remaining butter, then stir in the 3 whole eggs, 9 egg yolks, and the vanilla.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Stir 1/3 of the beaten egg whites into the semolina to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites. Pour the batter into a prepared pan.

4. Set the cake pan in a roasting pan and add enough hot water to reach halfway up the side of the cake pan. Bake in the center of the oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the cake is puffed and the center is still slightly jiggly. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

5. Run a knife around the edge of the cake and remove the side of the springform pan. Cut the cake into wedges and serve with the Pistachio Crème Anglaise and Tart Cherry - Pinot Noir Syrup.

Makes one 10" cake.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:27 AM

Crepe Suzette w/ Raspberries (Light)

Crepes:
1 ¼ skim milk
¾ cup all purpose-flour
2 eggs or egg substitute
2 tbl sugar
1 tsp vegetable oil
Vegetable oil spray

Sauce:
¼ cup margerine
1 tsp grated orange zest
½ cup fresh orange juice
1/3 cup sugar
¼ cup orange liqueur
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Crepes: Combine milk, egg, flour, sugar, and oil in a blender. Cover and process until well combined, or beat ingredients in a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer. Spray 6" skillet with vegetable oil spray. Place over medium heat. When skillet is hot, remove from heat and spoon in 2 tbl crepe batter. Lift and tilt the skillet to spread the batter. Return to heat to brown on one side only (about 1 1/2 minutes). Invert skillet over paper towels; allow the crepe to fall out. Repeat. Fold each in half, browned side out, into a triangle.

Sauce: Combine margerine, orange zest, orange juice, sugar, and liqueur in the skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Arrange the folded crepes in the sauce. Sprinkle raspberries over the crepes. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until just heated through, spooning the sauce over the crepes and raspberries occasionally.

Note: This takes a bit longer to bake than what is in the instructions, but it is worth the wait!

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:17 AM

Orange and Lemon Tarts

Pastry Dough:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
1 ½ tsp active dry yeast
1 stick (4 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 large eggs, beaten

Filling:
3 juice oranges, thinly sliced, seeds discarded
1 thin-skinned lemon, thinly sliced, seeds discarded
1 ¼ cups sugar
6 tbl unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tbl orange liqueur
4 large eggs, beaten

Directions:
1. Make the Pastry Dough: In a food processor, combine the flour with the sugar and yeast and pulse to mix. Add the butter and 2 tablespoons of the beaten eggs and process just until dough forms. Scrape the dough out onto a work surface and pat into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Let the dough soften slightly, then transfer it to a 10 ½ inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the dough over the bottom and up the side, about ½ inch beyond the rim of the pan. Line the dough with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and weights, brush the bottom with some of the remaining beaten eggs and bake for 10 minutes longer, or until golden brown.

3. Make the Filling: In a food processor, combine the orange and lemon slices with sugar, butter, and orange liqueur and process to a chunky puree. Add the eggs and process to blend. Pour the filling into a tart shell and bake for about 1 hour, or until just set. Let the tart cool. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes one 10 ½-inch tart.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:15 AM

Pear Crisp w/ Polenta-Pecan Topping

Ingredients:
8 ripe Bartlett or Anjou pears (about 4 pounds) - peeled, halved, cored, and sliced ½ " thick
1 cup plus 1 tbl all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
½ cup pecans, finely chopped
½ cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup coarse polenta (not instant)
1 tsp cinnamon
Salt
1 stick (4 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into tbl.
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375. In a bowl, toss the pears with 1 tbl flour, the sugar and the vanilla. Place the pears in a 9-13 inch baking dish.

2. In a food processor, pluse the remaining cup of flour with the pecans, brown sugar, polenta, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Add the butter and pulse just until clumps start to form.

3. Sprinkle the topping over the pears and bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the topping is browned and the pears are tender when pierced with a knife. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Make Ahead: The crisp can be covered and kept at room temperature for up to 1 day. Reheat the crisp in about 300 degree oven, loosely covered with foil, for about 10 minutes, or until heated through.

Makes 8 servings.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:15 AM

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tbl unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
½ tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbl water
¾ tsp unflavored gelatin

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with the butter at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice.

2. Put the water in a small heatproof bowl. Add the gelatin and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Place the bowl in a small saucepan of boiling water and stir just until the gelatin melts. Beat the gelatin mixture into the frosting and use right away.

Makes 1 1/3 cups.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:14 AM

Individual Mincemeat Pies

For the Mincemeat:
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and finely diced
¾ cup raisins
¾ cup golden raisins
¾ cup dried currants
3 tbl. Mixed candied orange and lemon peel, finely chopped
4 oz.beef suet, finely chopped
1 tbl. Blanched almonds, finely chopped
6 tbl. dark brown sugar
¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground mace
¼ cup brandy or rum
Finely grated zest and juice of half a lemon
Finely grated zest and juice of half an orange

For the Pastry:
4 cups flour
Pinch salt
2 tbl. sifted confectioners' sugar
12 tbl. cold butter, cut into small pieces
½ cup cold vegetable shortening
¼ tsp. finely grated lemon zest
3 egg yolks
2 tbl. heavy cream
Granulated sugar

Directions:
1. For the mincemeat: Combine apples, raisins, golden raisins, dried currants, candied orange and lemon peel, suet, almonds, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, mace, brandy, and lemon and orange zests and juice in a medium mixing bowl, and mix well. Transfer to a large clean jar with a tight-fitting lid, and refrigerate for at least 2 weeks, preferably for 2 months or even up to 1 year, to let it ripen (the longer it ripens, the jammier the filling will be).

2. For the pastry: Sift together flour, salt, and confectioner's sugar into a large mixing bowl. Use a pastry cutter or two knives to work butter, shortening, and lemon zest into flour until it resembles coarse meal. Add 2 of the egg yolks and up to 4 tbl. ice water, and stir dough with a fork until it begins to hold together. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead dough several times with the heel of your hand to form smooth dough. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces; then shape into balls, and flatten slightly o make disks. Wrap disks in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat together remaining egg yold and heavy cream in a small bowl, and set aside. Allow dough to sit at room temperature to soften slightly before rolling each disk out on a lightly floured surface into a 5 ½ inch round. For each pie, ease 1 round into a 3 ½" tartlet pan, prick dough with a fork, and fill with ½ cup of ripe mincemeat. Brush rim of dough with egg wash, place a second round over mincemeat, trim excess dough, and gently press to seal. Poke a small hole in the center for steam to escape; then brush top with egg wash, and sprinkle liberally with sugar. Arrange tarts on a baking sheet, and bake until crust is golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Remove pies from pans and serve warm.

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:14 AM

Coconut Flans w/ Rum

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
3 tbl water
4 large eggs
One 13-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup whole milk
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
1 ½ tbl aged rum
1 tbl pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp cinnamon
Boiling water
Mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Set eight ½ cup ramekins in a roasting pan. In a small, heavy saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil over moderately high heat; stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Boil without stirring until an amber caramel forms, 6 to 8 minutes. Immediately pour the caramel into the ramekins, swirling them to coat.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Whisk in the coconut milk, whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, run, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour the custard into the ramekins. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan to reach 2/3rds of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake the custards for about 50 minutes, or until set. Let cool in a water bath. Using paper towels, blot any coconut oil that has risen to the surface.

3. Run a thin knife around each flan. Invert each ramekin onto a dessert plate; let the caramel drizzle onto the plate. Garnish with mint and serve.

(The flan can be prepared through step 2. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 2 days. This recipe serves 8.)

Posted by Kelli Little at 07:12 AM

Coconut Cake

Ingredients:
2 ½ cups cake flour
2 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup milk
½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 stick plus 2 tbl (5 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
3 large egg yolks
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
5 large egg whites
½ cup seedless raspberry jam
Seven-minute Frosting
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
2 ½ cups (7 ounces) freshly grated coconut or shredded sweetened coconut (see note)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter and flour the pans, tapping out excess flour.

2. In a small bowl, sift the cake flour with the baking powder and salt. In a small pitcher, combine the milk with the coconut milk. In a medium bowl, beat the butter at a medium speed until creamy. Slowly add the granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and beat until smooth. At low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 batches, alternating with the milk mixture; beat until smooth.

3. In another bowl, using clean beaters, beat the egg whites at high speed until firm but not dry. Stir one-third of the beaten whites into the batter until smooth, then fold in the remaining whites until no white streaks remain.

4. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and smooth the surfaces. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a tootpick inserted into the centers comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Peel off the parchment paper.

5. Using a sharp serrated knife, cut each cake into 2 even layers. Spread the raspberry jam between the cut layers of each cake and then reassemble. Place one cake on a serving plate, right side up. Tuck 4 wide strips of wax paper under the cake to cover the plate. Spread 1 ½ cups of the Seven-minute frosting on the top and then center the second cake over the first. Spread the frosting liberally over and around the cake. Dust your hands lightly with confectioners' sugar and press the coconut onto the side of the cake. Sprinkle the rest of the coconut on the top. Let the cake stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Make Ahead: The cake can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The layers can be frozen separately for 1 month.

Note: To grate fresh coconut, crack open a whole coconut; discard the liquid. Place the coconut pieces on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes to loosen the fless from the shell; let cool. Peel the brown skin from the coconut meat, then shred the pieces in a food processor using the fine grating disk.

Posted by Kelli Little at 06:46 AM

January 26, 2005

Tart Cherry Pinot-Noir Syrup

Ingredients:
2 cups dried tart cherries (3/4 pound)
2 cups Pinot Noir
½ cup sugar

Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cherries to a medium bowl. Simmer the wine over moderate heat until syrupy and reduced to ¾ cup, about 8 minutes. Transfer the Pinot Noir syrup to a small bowl to cool, then stir in the cherries. Serve at room temperature. Makes 2 cups. (CAN BE REFRIGERATED FOR 1 WEEK)

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:41 PM

Elizabeth David's Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
6 tbl unsalted butter
1 tbl brewed espresso
1 tbl dark rum
½ cup sugar
½ cup whole blanched almonds, finely ground
3 large eggs, separated

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.

2. In a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, combine the chocolate with the butter, espresso and rum and stir until melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the sugar and ground almonds. Let the chocolate mixture cool slightly, then beat in the egg yolks, 1 at a time.

3. In a clean stainless-steel bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Stir 1/3 of the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture, then fold in the remaining whites until fully incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely on a rack before inverting it onto a platter.

(The cool cake can be wrapped in plastic and stored overnight at room temperature. Makes one 8" cake.)

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:41 PM

Alaska Blueberry Coffee Cake

Ingredients:
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
2 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
¼ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup milk
1 egg
1 ½ cup blueberries (I use fresh, but imagine frozen would work)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
½ tsp cinnamon (or more to taste)
¼ cup firm butter (1/2 stick)

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, blend together 1 ½ cups flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, oil, milk, egg and 1 cup of blueberries. Beat thoroughly for 30 seconds and spread in a greased round 9x1-1/2-inch pan or an 8x8x2-inch pan. Combine 1/3 cup flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Sprinkle over batter and top with the remaining berries. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until done. Don't overbake. Serve warm with butter or honey.

Note: This takes a bit longer to bake than what is in the instructions, but it is worth the wait! (Serves 8.)

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:39 PM

Apple Tarts w/ Brown Sugar Topping

Pastry
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch pieces
¼ cup solid vegetable shortening, chilled and cut into small pieces
4 to 5 tbl ice water

Filling
7 large Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored, and cut into ¼ inch dice
1 tbl fresh lemon juice
1 tbl dark rum
4 tbl unsalted butter
½ cup sugar

Topping
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
4 tbl unsalted cold butter, cut into ½ inch dice
½ cup chopped pecans or almonds

Directions:
1. Make the pastry: In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder and pulse to mix. Add the butter and shortening and process just until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine on, slowly add 4 tbl of the ice water and pulse just until the dough is evenly moistened and comes together; add more water if necessary. Transfer the dough to a work surface, then gather it into a ball. Pat the dough with a disk, wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

2. Make the Filling: In a large heatproof bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice and rum. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the sugar and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the apples and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Return the apples to the bowl and let cool completely.

3. Make the Topping: In a bowl, mix the brown sugar and flour. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the butter until crumbly. Stir in the nuts.

4. Preheat the oven to 375. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick. Using a 6-inch pan lid as a guide, cut out 6 rounds. Transfer them to a baking sheet. Spread the apple filling evenly over each round to within 1 inch of the edge. Fold up or pinch the edges to hold the filling. Sprinkle the topping over the tarts and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden, the filling is bubbling, and the tops are lightly browned. Let the tarts cool slightly on racks before serving.

Makes 6 tarts.

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:39 PM

Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Rolls

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons dried tomatoes (not oil pack)
4 medium skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 12 ounces total)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 egg
4 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon dried fines herbes or leaf sage, crushed
1 tablespoon margarine or butter, melted

Directions:
In small bowl place dried tomatoes. Add enough boiling water to cover; soak for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Finely chop; set aside.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Working from center to the edges, pound lightly with the flat side of a meat mallet to 1/8-inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap.

In a small shallow bowl combine the flour, salt, and pepper. In another small shallow bowl combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and paprika. In another small bowl slightly beat the egg.

Cut cheddar cheese into four 3x1x1/2-inch pieces. Place a cheese stick on each pounded chicken breast half. Sprinkle each with some of the chopped dried tomatoes and dried herbs. Fold in the sides of each chicken breast and roll up tightly. Roll in flour mixture, egg, and then bread crumb mixture.

Arrange chicken rolls, seam side down, in a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Drizzle chicken rolls with melted margarine or butter. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F. oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.

Make-Ahead Tip: To make ahead, cover and chill chicken rolls in baking dish for up to 4 hours.

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:37 PM

Herb Chicken

Ingredients:
4 large boneless, skinless breasts
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 tsp of chopped fresh tarragon
1 tbl of chopped fresh basil
1 tsp of chopped fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Directions:
Note: If the chicken breasts are thick, slice them in half so that they cook through. Fork the chicken prior to marinating.

Slowly pour the olive oil into the lemon juice while stirring rapidly. Add the fresh herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper to the mixture. Marinate for 20 minutes to an hour in refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the uncovered pan in the oven for 10 - 20 minutes.

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:37 PM

Spicy Chicken and Rice

(Medium-grain Spanish rice, such as Valencia, is naturally creamy, so it nicely absorbs the flavors of this Spanish dish.)

Ingredients:
4 garlic cloves, halved
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
One 3 1/2 lb chicken, cut into eight pieces
1/4 cup plus 2 tablspoons chopped cilantro
2 large poblano chiles
2 ounces lean, smoky bacon, cut into 1/4" dice
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 large jalepeno, seeded and minced
1 1/2 cups medium-grain Spanish rice, such as Valencia or Bomba
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 can (14 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed, juices reserved
2 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
Lime wedges, for serving

Directions:
In a mortar, pound the garlic to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces with the garlic paste and 1/4 cup of the cilantro, toss to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Roast the poblanos over an open flame or under the broiler until charred all over. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let steam for 5 minutes. Stem, peel, and seed the poblanos, then cut them crosswise into 1/2" wide strips.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium enameled cast-iron casserole. Add half of the chicken pieces and cook over moderate heat until golden brown. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining half of the chicken.

Add the bacon to the casserole and cook over moderately low heat until the fat begins to melt, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and jalapeno and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir over moderate heat until well coated with fat, about 3 minutes. Add the sherry and boil, stirring, until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the poblanos, stock, and 1 teaspoon of salt, then bring to a boil. Tuck the chicken into the rice, cover and bake for 35 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the stock absorbed. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of cilantro, serve with lime wedges.

The recipe can be prepared through step 2 and refridgerated seperately overnight.

Posted by Kelli Little at 04:35 PM

January 25, 2005

Roast Chicken w/ Garlic and Cumin

Ingredients:
One 3 ½-pound chicken
2 large heads of garlic, top third cut off
2 tbl extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ cup plus 1/3 cup dry white wine
½ cup water

Directions:
Whole heads of garlic are roasted along with the chicken in this recipe, then chopped and added to the pan juices to make a light but rich-tasting sauce. The chicken serves 4 as a main course or 6 as part of a tasting menu, as here.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the chicken in a small roasting pan. Tuck the garlic heads, cut side up, into the spaces around the chicken. Drizzle the chicken with 1 tbl of the olive oil and rub it all over. Drizzle the garlic heads with the remaining 1 tbl of olive oil. Season the garlic and chicken with salt and pepper. Turn the garlic heads so they're cut side down. Sprinkle the chicken with the cumin seeds. Pour ½ cup of the wine around the chicken.

2. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast the chicken for 20 minutes; baste well. Roast for 25 minutes more, then add the water to the pan. Baste the chicken again and roast for 30 minutes longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic heads to a plate. Continue roasting the chicken for about 20 minutes more, or until the juices run clear. Transfer the chicken to a warmed platter and cover loosely with foil until ready to freeze.

3. Pour the pan juices into a glass measure and skim off the fat. Strain the juices into a small saucepan. Set the roasting pan on 2 burners over moderate heat. Add the remaining 1/3 cup of wine to the roasting pan and simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until the wine reduces to ¼ cup, about 3 minutes. Add these juices to the saucepan and simmer over low heat until very flavorful, about 3 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, break off 18 large roasted garlic cloves and set aside. Squeeze the remaining garlic from the heads and discard the skins. Finely chop the garlic and add it to the pan juices. Season with salt and pepper and pour into a warmed gravy boat. Carve the chicken and serve with the reserved whoel garlic cloves and the pan juices.

Posted by Kelli Little at 10:01 AM

Red Curry Chicken

Ingredients:
2 tbl Thai red curry paste
Pam cooking spray
1/8 or 1/4 cup fish sauce, to taste
5-8 lime leaves
2 tbl sugar
1 can coconut milk (light, if preferred)
5 whole basil leaves
1/2 cup thinly chopped basil leaves
2 green onions, chopped
5-8 cloves of garlic, grated or minced
2-4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cubed
3-10 fresh red peppers, tops sliced off
(Vegetables may be inserted or substituted as desired. Olive oil may be used instead of Pam.)

Directions:
Recommendations: Use authentic Thai ingredients when cooking. American immitations suck.

Spray skillet with Pam and brown chicken with garlic, green onions, and chopped basil. In a large pan, pour coconut milk and red curry. Whisk until blended; add the rest of the ingredients. In a large pot, combine the red curry paste and coconut milk until even textured. Then add the red pepper, sugar, lime leaves, fish sauce, and whole basil leaves and put on medium-low heat. When the chicken is lightly cooked and tender, add all the ingredients of the skillet to the pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve on white steamed rice.

Posted by Kelli Little at 10:00 AM

January 24, 2005

Coconut Curry Chicken

Ingredients:
¼ cup whole unsalted cashews
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ tsp black mustard seeds
¼ tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp ground coriander
1 tbl curry powder
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
One 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
¼ cup frozen peas
2 tbl chopped cilantro

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the cashews in a pie plate and bake for 5 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly toasted. Transfer to a plate to cool.

2. Lightly season the chicken with salt. In a large, deep skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil until smoking. Add the chicken and cook over moderately high heat until golden brown, about 1 ½ minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and reduce the heat to moderate.

3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat until smoking. Add the mustard seeds and cook for about 1 minute, or until they stop popping. Add the cumin seeds, coriander and curry powder and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and cook until the onion softens, about 10 minutes; if the mixture seems dry, add up to ¼ cup of water to prevent sticking.

4. Stir in the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and cook for 1 minute. Transfer the curry to a bowl, sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

(The curry can be refrigerated for 2 days, and serves 4.)

Posted by Kelli Little at 11:25 AM

Malli Kozhi (Coriander Chicken)

Ingredients:
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 med. yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1" piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 tsp. minced fresh hot green chile (Serrano or Thai)
10-12 curry leaves
6 tsp. ground coriander seeds
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne
¼ tsp. tumeric
2 pinches ground cinnamon
2 pinches ground cloves
2 pinches ground cardamon
1 ½ tsp. salt
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1" cubes
¾ cup fresh "second milk" coconut milk or ¼ cup canned unsweetened coconut milk diluted with ½ cup water
¼ cup fresh "first milk" coconut milk or ¼ cup canned unsweetened coconut milk

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a medium heavy-bottomed casserole over medium-high heat. Add onions, and sauté, stirring often, until browned, about 2 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chiles, and curry leaves, and sauté for 1 minute, then add coriander, black pepper, cayenne, tumeric, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, salt, and just enough water (4-6 tbl) to keep spices from sticking to the pan. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes longer.

2. Add chicken to pan, and continue to cook (adding a little more water, if needed, to keep spices from burning), stirring constantly and scraping browned bits stuck to bottom of casserole with a wooden spoon, until chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add "second milk" coconut milk, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken has cooked through, about 20 minutes.

3. Add "First milk" coconut milk, and bring just to a simmer (sauce will curdle if allowed to boil), then remove from heat. Add salt to taste.

This recipe serves 6.

Posted by Kelli Little at 11:25 AM

Davin's 'Real' Steaks

Ingredients:
Ribeye or porterhouse steaks (thickest you can find)
Rock salt
Grey Poupon
Worchestershire sauce
Lemon Pepper
Pepper (optional)
Paper (no dyes) (4 sheets per steak)

Directions:
Cover one side of the steak with grey poupon and then hit it with lemon pepper. Completely cover with rock salt and then pour worchestershire sauce on it. Flip the steak and repeat. This should be done on the newspaper so that none of the ingredients are lost.

Fold the steak in the paper like x-mas, tape with masking tape, using just enough to keep it closed.

Immerse the steak in water until the paper has absorbed the water.

Toss on the grill. When the paper starts to burn on one side, flip it. Once both sides are burned, remove the paper and scrape the grill clean. Finish cooking the steaks.

Make sure you use someone elses grill. The paper will stick to the grill and is a pain to clean.

Note: Do NOT use colour paper for this, as it is toxic.

Posted by Kelli Little at 11:23 AM

Top Round w/ Jalapeno Marinade

Ingredients:
3 Jalapeno chili peppers
2/3 cup dry red wine
1/3 cup virgin olive oil
2 lrg. minced garlic cloves
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 top round steak (about 2-1/2 lbs.)

Directions:
Halve the 3 Jalapeno chili peppers and remove their stems, seeds and ribs. Slice the peppers into small pieces. In a small bowl, combine the peppers with 2/3 cup dry red wine, 1/3 cup virgin olive oil, 2 large minced garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Mix well and set aside.

Using a sharp knife, score the surface of the steak with crisscross cuts about 1/8 inch deep and 2 inches apart. Place the beef in a resealable plastic bag and pour in the jalapeno marinade. Press the air out and seal the bag tightly. Massage the bag gently to distribute the marinade. Place the bag in a bowl in the refrigerator, turning and massaging the bag occasionally, for at least 6 hours.

Remove the beef from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. Reserve the jalapeno marinade. Grill over medium heat, turning and brushing with the reserved marinade, until done to your liking. Cook for approximately 15 minutes for rare and 20 minutes for medium, depending on the temperature of your grill.

To serve, carve into thin slices on the diagonal and across the grain. Serve immediately.

This recipe serves 6.

Posted by Kelli Little at 11:22 AM

Sauteed Beef Fillets w/ Mixed Mushrooms

Ingredients:
2 Tbs. olive oil
4 6- to 8-oz. beef fillets, trimmed of fat and gristle
2 Tbs. Zinfandel wine
3 Tbs. beef broth
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 large Portobello mushroom, sliced
8 button mushrooms, quartered
8 oyster mushrooms, whole
1 medium carrot, diced
1/2 medium red onion, diced
2 Tbs. cold butter
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat, and sear for approximately 1 minute on each side or until just browned. Add remaining ingredients except salt, pepper and butter, and cook meat to desired doneness, approximately four more minutes for rare. Remove fillets, and transfer to serving plates. Whisk butter into mushrooms and vegetables until melted. Season with salt and pepper, and spoon mushroom mixture over fillets. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Posted by Kelli Little at 11:20 AM

Stuffed Hot Banana Peppers

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef or lamb
1/2 cup cooked rice
1 Tbs. allspice
1 Tbs. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
12-15 hot peppers
1 clove garlic, diced or crushed
1 Tbs. oregano
3-4 cups tomato sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, blend thoroughly meat, rice, allspice, cinammon, salt and pepper.

Cut the top from each banana pepper and place a toothpick hole on the ends to allow air to escape while stuffing. With a scooping tool or peeler/scoop tool, hollow out seeds from each pepper with a circular motion and discard.

Stuff each pepper fully and place in an appropriate baking dish, side to side. (You can also stuff with cheese).

Pour tomato sauce evenly over the entire dish. Place crushed garlic throughout sauce and top with oregano. Cover with foil and bake for one hour.

To microwave, cover with plastic wrap and bake on medium-high heat for 20-25 minutes.

Serves 4.

Posted by Kelli Little at 11:19 AM

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Ingredients:
3 pounds corned beef brisket with spice packet
10 red potatoes
5 carrots
1 large head cabbage, cut into small wedges
2 large onions
5-10 cloves garlic

Directions:
Place corned beef in large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water. Add the spice packet that came with the corned beef. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer approximately 50 minutes per pound or until tender.

Add whole potatoes, largely chopped onions, cloves of garlic, and carrots, and cook until the vegetables are almost tender. Add cabbage and cook for 15 more minutes. Remove meat and let rest 15 minutes.

Place vegetables in a bowl and cover. Add as much broth (cooking liquid reserved in the Dutch oven or large pot) as you want. Slice meat across the grain.

You can use the juices to make a gravy for your potatoes, but it isn't necessary. The flavor of the vegetables and meat should make it flavorful enough.

Posted by Kelli Little at 11:18 AM

Egyptian Stuffed Grape Leaves

Ingredients:
0.8 lb of ground beef
1.5 cups of uncooked rice
1 large onion (or 2 small ones)
1 can of preserved (pickled) grape leaves
A handful of parsley
1 tsp of allspice
1 tsp of lemon pepper salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp lemon juice
4+ chicken boullions

Directions:
Boil grape leaves for 8 minutes. Drain and let cool down. Chop onion very fine. Chop parsley very fine. Mix chopped onion, chopped parsley, ground beef, rice, allspice, lemon pepper salt, and garlic powder together into a paste. Stuff grape leaves. Tightly pack stuffed grape leaves into a medium-large saucepan in layers. Make sure each layer is completely filled in. Cover to top layer with a plate to weight the stuffed grape leaves down. Cover with water. Add chicken boullions and lemon juice to water and bring to a boil. Simmer for approximately 45 minutes or until water is almost gone. Serve and enjoy!

Posted by Kelli Little at 11:16 AM

January 23, 2005

Garlic Bread Alouette

Ingredients:
French bread
Alouette Garlic and Herbs Cheese
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Slice a loaf of French bread in half lengthwise. Spread with Alouette Garlic & Herbs and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. Broil until cheese melts. Slice and serve.

Posted by Kelli Little at 10:20 PM

Mom's Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:
10 large white mushrooms
Butter or margerine
Minced garlic or garlic powder
1 large King Crab leg
1 can crab meat
1/2 big container of cream cheese
Chives
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Pepper
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Directions:
Wash your mushrooms. Take the stem and some of the inside out of the mushrooms, using a spoon. Fry bottoms down in a little butter and garlic powder or chopped garlic just until light brown. Cool.
Mix together the filling, which consists of crab (I use the meat from one king crab leg, shredded, and canned meat together), cream cheese, chives, 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese, pepper, a little white wine. Add enough bread crumbs (the kind that come in the round can) to make the mixture stick together. Fill mushrooms and top with the rest of the grated cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350F for about 25-30 minutes.

Posted by Kelli Little at 10:18 PM

Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:
1 dozen eggs
Mayo
Mustard
Beaver's Extra Hot Horse Radish
onion powder
salt and pepper
Paprika, if desired

Directions:
Fill large pot halfway with cold water and a touch of salt. Put eggs inside and bring to a boil. Boil for 12-13 minutes.

Rinse eggs in cold water until they are cooled. This helps them to peel easier. Roll off the shells. Cut eggs in half and scoop the cooked yolks into a bowl. Set white shells aside.

Mash yolks, a squirt of mustard, and the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. This is done totally to taste - pretty simple. Fill the white halves with the mixture and serve. Some people like to sprinkle paprika on top.

Posted by Kelli Little at 10:17 PM

Spinach Dip

Ingredients:
1 package Spicy/Southern Ranch Dip OR 1 package Ranch Dip
1 package of frozen, chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
1 1/2 cups sour cream
4 cloves minced garlic (or more to taste)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 loaf round sourdough bread

Directions:
Thoroughly mix together the mayo, sour cream, garlic, and two packets of ranch mix. Thaw and drain the spinach. Add the spinach and mix thoroughly. Cut out the middle of the bowl and dump the mixture in. Serve with extra sourdough bread pieces and or tortilla chips.

Posted by Kelli Little at 10:14 PM

Artichoke and Spinache Dip

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, partially thawed
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 (16 ounce) packages sour cream
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
garlic salt to taste

Directions:
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the spinach and artichoke hearts. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

Mix cream cheese and sour cream into the spinach mixture. Stir in Parmesan cheese and garlic salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Posted by Kelli Little at 10:13 PM

Jalapeno Cheese

Ingredients:
1 large block of sharp or medium cheddar cheese (approx.)
8 oz - 16 oz can of jalapenos (make certain it isn't jar, as they pickle those jalapenos)
1 med. jar of mayo (approx.) (I use just a tiny bit less)
Garlic powder

Directions:
Grate medium cheddar and place in a large bowl. Get (or dice) a can of jalapenos. Make certain that all of the juice is drained out before adding the jalapenos into the bowl. Sprinkle in a little (really a little) garlic powder; add mayo (not miracle whip) until it looks, feels, and tastes great. Serve with Ritz crackers or Wheat Thins.

Posted by Kelli Little at 10:11 PM

Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:
5 portobello mushrooms
1 turkey sausage link, without casing
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Remove stems from portobello mushrooms. Arrange the mushroom caps, bottoms up, on a medium baking sheet. Chop the stems and set aside.

Place turkey sausage link on a small baking sheet. Cook uncovered in the preheated oven 15 minutes, or until the interior is no longer pink. Remove from heat and chop.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, mix together chopped mushroom stems, chopped sausage, chopped garlic, crushed garlic, cayenne pepper, black pepper and seasoned bread crumbs. Slowly cook and stir 5 to 7 minutes, or until bread crumbs begin to brown. Remove from heat, allow to cool approximately 10 minutes and transfer to a medium bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Mix cream cheese and Parmesan cheese into the mushroom stem mixture. Stuff the mushroom caps with the mixture.

Bake stuffed mushrooms in the preheated oven 20 minutes, or until stuffing is lightly browned.

Posted by Kelli Little at 10:08 PM

Ali's Amazing Bruschetta

Ingredients:
2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 (1 pound) loaf Italian bread, cut into 1 inch slices
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, olive oil, oregano, basil and parsley. Place bread on a baking sheet, and top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until bottom of bread is browned. Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.

Posted by Kelli Little at 10:03 PM

Jalapeno Poppers

Ingredients:
24 fresh jalapenos
11?2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1?2 cup cream cheese, softened
3 eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups fine breadcrumbs
Ranch or blue cheese dressing

Directions:
Cut the stem end off each pepper and scoop out seeds and as much of the ribs as possible. In a small bowl blend the cheeses together. Stuff each of the peppers with the cheese mixture (a pastry piper or small spoon is helpful). Beat eggs gently. Pour breadcrumbs into a shallow pan. One by one, coat each popper with egg, shake off excess and roll gently in the breadcrumbs. Set aside for 15 minutes to allow the breading to set up. Transfer the poppers to a greased baking pan and bake in a preheated 300 °F (150 °C) oven. Bake 20 minutes for spicy jalapeno poppers, 30 minutes for medium heat and 40 minutes for a mild flavor. Serve immediately with dressing for dipping.

Posted by Kelli Little at 10:02 PM

Spicy Hummus

Ingredients:
2 8 oz. cans of garbonzo beans (chick peas)
1 1/2 cups tahini
1 whole pressed garlic
olive oil
1 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh parshley, chopped
1 hot pepper finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients:
Drain and rinse beans. Puree in food processor; add tahineh, lemon juice, parsly and garlic. Add salt and hot pepper. Blend well. Add enough olive oil until smooth.

This recipe serves 6 to 8.

Posted by Kelli Little at 09:59 PM

Hummus

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked garbonzo beans (chick peas)
1 tbsp tahini
1 whole pressed garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients:
Mix all of the ingredients in a food processor and serve with pita bread or crackers. Adjust the recipe to taste.

Posted by Kelli Little at 09:57 PM

Thai Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients:
One bunch of coriander
5 medium tomatoes
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/4 onion, cubed
1/2 cup peppercorns
1 tbl ground black pepper, to taste
250 grams cooked crab meat
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbl fish sauce
1 egg

Directions:
Cut tops off tomatoes and set them aside to be used as lids later. Scoop out the flesh and sseds, leaving just the fleshy shell. Lightly salt the interiors and stand the tomatoes upside down on a rack to drain.

Process together the bunch of washed coriander, garlic, onion, and peppercorns. Remove this mixture to a bowl and add the crab, sugar, fish sauce, and half of an egg. Mix well. Rinse out tomato cases, stuff with the mixture and replace the lids. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for half an hour.

This recipe serves 5.

Posted by Kelli Little at 09:49 PM

Marinated Mushrooms

Ingredients:
2 tbl. Olive oil
1 lb. White baby mushrooms, stems sliced off at base of head
2 -3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
Juice of 1?2 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbl. Flat-leaved Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 - 4 tbl. Extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat, then add the mushrooms. Saute, shaking the pan vigorously from time to time, for about five minutes, until the mushrooms begin to exude some of their natural juices.

Lower the heat to medium, add the garlic and sauté for a couple more minutes being careful that the garlic doesn't burn. Squeeze the lemon juice over the mushrooms, taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to your taste.

Remove from the heat, pour into a glass or ceramic container and stir in the chopped parsley. Add enough additional olive oil to coat the mushrooms evenly. Serve at room temperature as part of an antipasto.

This recipe makes 4 servings.

Posted by Kelli Little at 09:42 PM

Crab-Stuffed Avocados

Ingredients
1/2 lb crab meat
1 medium tomato, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 tsp fresh tarragon, minced
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 avacados, halved and peeled

Directions:
Combine crab meat, tomato, celery, tarragon and mayonnaise and blend together well. Spoon into the avacado halfs.

Posted by Kelli Little at 09:39 PM

Buttermilk Cornbread

Ingredients:
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted, plus 2 tbl cold unsalted butter
1 1?2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1?2 cups yellow cornmeal
1?4 cup sugar
1 tbl plus 1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1?2 cups buttermilk

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the 2 tablespoons of butter in an 8-inch-square baking dish and put the dish in the oven to heat.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix the flour with the cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, mix the eggs and buttermilk, add to the dry ingredients along with the melted butter and stir just until combined.

3. Remove the hot baking dish from the oven and tilt to spread the butter evenly. Carefully scrape the batter into the baking dish and bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the corn bread comes out clean. Let cool in the baking dish for 10 minutes, then turn the corn bread out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

(The cornbread can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for 2 days or frozen for up to a week. This recipe makes one 8" square loaf.)

Posted by Kelli Little at 09:04 PM

Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar (optional)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbl cold lard or butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup plus 2 tbl buttermilk

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. In a bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder, sugar, baking soda and salt. Work the lard in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk and stir until the dough forms a ball.

2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over onto itself 10 times. Pat the dough out on an 8-inch square. Using a 2 ?-inch round cutter, stamp out 12 biscuits; reroll the scraps and stamp out more biscuits.

3. Arrange the biscuits on a baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven for 8 minutes, or until golden.

Makes one dozen.

Posted by Kelli Little at 08:56 PM

Raspberry & Blueberry Crepes

CREPES
3 eggs
2 c. milk
2 c. flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. melted butter, cooled

BERRY FILLING
24 oz berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or any combo)
1 1/2 - 2 cups sugar (to taste, depending on how tart you want it)
1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)
1 tbsp butter (optional)

Cooking Instructions:
Beat eggs in a medium mixing bowl into almost a froth. Gradually add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Regrigerate batter at least one hour before use, and give it a quick beating right before cooking.

Cut up freshly washed strawberries in appropriate sized slices (not necessary for the rest of the berries) and place berries in sauce pan. Place sauce pan over low heat until the juices give a thin layer at the bottom, stirring occasionally. Stir in sugar (and vanilla and butter if you want).Then raise the temperature to medium heat and simmer/low boil for approximately 1/2 hour or until the sauce is thickened. Stir occasionally, to make certain the berries are not sticking to the pot (not usually a problem.)

Heat medium pan over medium to medium high heat and spray with no stick Pam. Pour 1-2 tsp. of vegetable oil in the pan. (Just enough to coat the bottom. This will keep your crepe from sticking.) Pour approximately 1/3 cup of batter into pan. Slosh around in the pan until it is a thin layer of batter. Flip when brown. Serve hot with filling (and optional sprinkled powdered sugar or whipped cream on top.)

Posted by Kelli Little at 02:21 PM