Monday, November 11, 2013

Bolo Espera Marido

Bolo means "Hope"   Espera means to "Wait"   Maridao means "Husband"





This cake Natalie cooked for Herbert jr's  32nd Birthday party on August 8th, 2010. We started cooking at 5pm, and the cake turned out like a heavy log needless to say he is still single.

Bolo Espera Marido Cake waiting Husband
Wait for a husband?  Why not?  You will have plenty of time cake base of coconut milk, beaten in a blender ... super easy and tasty Enjoy and if a perfume is an embellishment.  Create an atmosphere to savor with your love you’ll love this and wait without complaining!
Cake waiting husband (Portuguese)


 Ingredients:
1 can sweeten condensed milk
The same measure can of whole milk
1 small glass of coconut milk
The same measure can of special flour (or common)
1/2 of the can as sugar
3 large whole eggs
3 tablespoons margarine


Will not ferment

Preparation:
 Beat all ingredients in a blender.  Place in a greased and floured.

Bake in a moderate oven preheated to 200 ° degrees for about 40 minutes.  (Try the toothpick before removing it from the oven: pierce the cake with a toothpick and leave sequin-ho ready).
Let cool a little unmold.  The consistency is not an ordinary cake, this cake gets wet, like a cheesecake.

To prepare the topping, stir over 1 glass of coconut milk with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 package of shredded coconut.
Simmer for 4 minutes and pour the mixture over the cake.


How to make Fluffy Egg Whiteshttp://whatscookingamerica.net/Eggs/perfectmeringue.htm

Monday, November 4, 2013

Gullah House

MISS HANNAH’S  grits-and-shrimp CASSEROLE



Heat oven to 350 F. Grease 2-quart baking dish; set aside. In large bowl, combine cooked grits, cooked shrimp, 1 cup cheese eggs, milk, garlic, and (if desired) salt.  Spoon into prepared baking dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until set, about 25 minutes. Make 6 servings.


This grits-and-shrimp casserole is a favorite at the Gullah House restaurant.
2 ½ cups cooked grits
1 pound cooked shrimp
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 large eggs
¼ cup milk
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt (optional)



AUNT BITSY’S PEACHY RICE PUDDING
This comfy dessert is from Elizabeth Leonard of Camden, South Carolina, and Harlem. She’s the aunt and a cooking inspiration of our food-department intern. LaVon James.
2 large eggs
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups hot cooked rice
8-ounce can cling peaches. Cut into large chunks, or 2 cups fresh peaches with their juice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Optional garnish: whipped cream

Heat oven to 325F. In large bowl beat eggs; stir in sugar, milk, vanilla, hot rice and peaches. Stir in spices. Transfer to ungreased casserole dish. Bake about 45 minutes. Serve warm or refrigerated about2 hours to chill. Garnish each serving with dollop of whipped cream. Makes 6 servings.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Broiled Buttered Lobster Tails


 


I am having lobster tail for my birthday this year. I have not had lobster in thirty six years. I can remember the first time I dined out, and ate the whole entire tail like it jello, It was melt in your mouth good. Lobster has a sweet, mild flavor and firm texture.The meat can easily be overcooked and become rubber. Follow the provided recipes for delicious results.

Broiled Buttered Lobster Tails
 
15 minutes, Active Time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS
4 medium lobster tails
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 lemon halved

STEPS
1. Preheat over to broil. With a sharp knife cut lobster tail in half lengthwise. Spread butter over flesh and season with salt and pepper.

2. Place out-side upon on baking sheet, broil 5-8 minutes or until flesh is opaque and firm. Squeeze lemon juice over lobster.

Grill Preheat grill to medium, Cut 4 lobster tails in half lengthwise. Spread butter over flesh and season with salt and pepper. Grill 5-7 minutes or until flesh is opaque and firm.

Boil: Heat 6 quarts water in large stock pot, until boiling. Boil 4 tail for 8-9 minutes or until flesh is opaque and firm. Serve with melted butter and lemon wedges.

Back Story on Recipe Development
I was in Publix   last night and picked up these recipes cards. Lakeland Georgia is the home of Publix's corporate headquarters, Lakeland's central location offers easy access on all sides to world-famous chefs and out-of-this-world cuisine. Which makes it a perfect location for an Aprons Cooking School to showcase great food.
Recipe development is serious business at Publix. We began in 1999 by touring many of the most renowned recipe development kitchens in America to establish our own world-class kitchens. Then we got down to work.

Each recipe created by our kitchen begins as an idea from one of our food experts. With that idea in mind, our Recipe Development Manager shops his neighborhood Publix, just like any customer, picking up readily available ingredients from our shelves. Then, back at the test kitchen, our team creates several different recipes to transform the idea into reality.
A panel of Publix associates taste-tests all of the recipes. They must earn high ratings; otherwise they go back to the drawing board for tweaking. Once a recipe is approved, it has just begun the journey to our in-store recipe rack and website. We do a consumer test to ensure the recipe steps are achievable by the average cook, not just food professionals. We also create the cooking sequence, ensure the accuracy of nutritional information, edit and proofread, and then finally release the recipe for publication.

It's a long process, but it's what allows us to provide you with consistently great recipes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, October 28, 2013

PROPER GEECHEE RICE The Back Story

Vertamae Grosvenor, on her porch at Palm Key in Jasper County, calls herself a culinary griot. In effect, she is a cultural anthropologist, journalist, cook, memoirist, and artist whose life experience has affirmed her Gullah roots.

Vertamae Grosvenor

Charlotte’s fourth-grade class was inviting people of interest to visit with students and talk about their lives.“I signed you up.”
“And Grandma, can you bring a pan of rice?”
So Grosvenor woke up early and prepared a pan of rice, struggling to get the hot dish into a cab and to the school.

The children gobbled it up, listening to Grosvenor explain its African origins and its cultivation along the tidal rivers of South Carolina.
One asked, “Do you know how to make peas and rice?”

Another described the rice dish he ate in Jamaica. Another mentioned the rice she ate in the Dominican Republic. They all knew about rice, and Grosvenor was struck by the way different cultures share certain essential elements.
This recipe is from Vertamae Cooks in the Americans’ Family Kitchen by Vertamae Grosvenor (KQED Books).
1 part long-grain white rice
2 parts water

Rinse rice until water runs clear (or as Grandma Sula used to say, “Rinse it three times, and then once more”). In heavy saucepan over high heat, combine rice and water; cover with lid ajar. Bring water to a boil, shift lid so it covers pan tightly, turn down heat to very low; cook for 20 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Never, never, never stir rice during this time. Don’t even think about uncovering pot to peek. Remove from heat; let rest for 10 minutes before serving.  Your rice will be proper.
Per ½ cup cooked-rice serving : 169 calories, 3 grams protein, 0 grams fat, 37 grams carbohydrate, 2 milligrams sodium, 0 milligrams cholesterol.

The Back Story About Vertamae, Adam Parker // The Post and Courier


Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor: Writer, actor, cook looks at her many-sided life
Posted: Saturday, June 18, 2011 12:01 a.m., Updated: Friday, March 23, 2012 5:05 p.m.

Born: About 72 years ago in Allendale County.
Children: Kali and Chandra.
Grandchildren: Oscar Brown IV, Charlotte.
Early career: Acting.
Middle career: Writing.
Late career: Radio correspondent for NPR.
Cultural heritage: Gullah.

Most important movie parts: Hair braider (and food consultant), "Daughters of the Dust" (1991); Grace (and food consultant), "Beloved" (1998).
Book that made her famous: "Vibration Cooking."

Places lived: S.C. Lowcountry, North Philadelphia, Paris, New York City, Washington, D.C.

By the early 1980s, she was living in Washington, D.C., and contributing stories and commentary to National Public Radio. She reported on the threatened Gullah-Geechee communities of the South Carolina and Georgia Sea Islands as only someone can when they are reporting about their home.
She reported on the cultural significance of food. She reported on the expatriate experiences of African-Americans in Paris. Her stories were gorgeously told, rich in characters and dimension and unlike most of radio’s offerings, colleagues said.

Her cooking show “Seasonings” won a James Beard award. Her renown led to many things, including a television show, part of America’s Family Kitchen series produced in Chicago, called “Vertamae Cooks.”
“I exploit Afro-American dishes every chance I get,” Grosvenor once wrote. “For instance, collard greens. A bowl of collard greens does for me what a bowl of chicken soup does for others.”

"Verta came into the kitchen and said, 'Girl, give me those greens.' " Then she started wrapping them a certain way and cutting them a certain way and preparing them a certain way. Her way.
"It was like a religious ceremony for her," Spellman said, a chance to pay respect to her elders. "She always quotes her references, and her references were people in her life, people in her family. So she showed me how to prepare the greens, and I've been doing it that way ever since."

When "Vibration Cooking" was published in 1970, it made Grosvenor famous. Spellman remembered basketball star Walt Frazier of the New York Knicks walking out onto the court before a game carrying the book.
"Not many preceded her in using food as a lens," Goodwin said. "You know the saying, there's a universe in a grain of sand? That's what she did with food. You saw the (entirety) of America's history with race through food."

Monday, October 21, 2013

Jerk Chicken in Rice and Blackeyed Peas:

"Don't cook this, though, unless you like it hot. And I mean hot."



 
Ingredients
Chicken Breast/ Thighs
Or use some Jerk Chicken Seasoning (everything in it and grounded already)

In a blender or food processor puree:
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 to 3 Scotch Bonnet peppers (I used jalapeno)
10 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
10 garlic cloves
Combine all of the above in a bowl and stir in the following:

1/2 cup fresh lime juice or white vinegar (I used red apple-vinegar)
1 cup of soy sauce 
1/2 cup raw sugar (we are cutting sweets out of our diet) substitute Mango Chutney or a jam

 Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Score chicken and season with salt. Spoon desired amount of jerk marinade over chicken and rub into scores. Marinate refrigerated for 2 hours to overnight. Bake for 35 minutes in the oven. Remove from the oven and finish on the grill

 Directions
I should start this by saying my home version of Jerk Chicken is different from the street-food, hot and crisp, that Jamaican make. My domestic oven just doesn't get hot enough, and so although the spiced chili crust gets gratifyingly crisp, the skin doesn't - it can't - and flabby skin is just not what you want with this dish. Thus, although the vinegary, limey, rum, and spiced marinade makes the meat lusciously tender, you have grilled/burn the outer casing entirely.

Now, I cooked this day two, leftovers, using  breast meat,  It's a miracle all around that the dish was better, the meat tender and I enjoyed the jerk chicken flavor sauce where I added the mango chutney, to get the sweetness to combat the heat in the recipe.
 There's no point choosing to cook this and then trying to find a way to tame it, say by taking out the seeds from the chili (though you could if you must). Besides, although it packs a major punch, the sweet, creamy, coconut rice that just must be served with it, offers the perfect counterbalancing salve.
Ingredients
6 chicken breasts, without skin or bone (or chicken supreme joints, with the wing bones still attached)
2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 1 3/4 piece ginger root, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup dark rum
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 fresh red chilies, whole
1 onion, peeled and quartered

Rice and Peas, recipe follows
Slash the chicken breasts, 3 slashes abreast, each cut about 3/4-inch deep on the diagonal. Put in a rectangular dish, slashed-side down. Put all the other ingredients in the processor and blitz to a dark, earthy paste and pour and spread over the chicken pieces and leave to marinate out of the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours or in the refrigerator, (covered), overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Double-line a shallow roasting pan with aluminum foil. Tip into it the chicken with its marinade slashed side up and roast for 30 minutes.
Take the pan out of the oven, just to pour off excess watery juices. Use a pastry brush and spoon to place any paste back on the chicken and cook for a further 30 minutes, by which time the chicken will be cooked through and tender with a thick fiery crust. You could get started on the Rice and Peas once the chicken's back in the oven for its final stint.

For serving: Pile up each dinner plate with coconut rice and sit a piece of hot-crusted chicken proudly on top.
Make-Ahead Note: Jerk paste can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to a non-metallic bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface. Cover bowl tightly with a second layer of plastic wrap and refrigerate. The chicken can be marinated up to 24 hours in advance. Cover dish tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

Freeze Note: The chicken in its marinade can be frozen, in a resealable bag, for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator - put the bag in a bowl to catch any leaks.
Making leftovers right: Should you have leftovers - and don't count on it if you're 6 round the table - refrigerate as soon as cooled and within 1 to 2 days you can simply snip some chicken into the rice and reheat until piping hot. However, I love this in a new form: a thick, coconut soup punctured by fiery bursts of tender meat. Add some coconut milk and chicken broth to the leftover rice, along with some freshly grated ginger root and a spritz of lime juice, and heat up, adding the chicken, cut into small strips or small chunks, once it starts bubbling. When the meat's piping hot, season to taste then pour your soup into a bowl (or bowls) and scatter with freshly chopped cilantro and slurp gratefully.

Rice and Peas:
1 (1-ounce) can peas or black-eyed
1 tablespoon vegetable or peanut oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 red chili, seeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 cups long-grain rice
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Salt, to taste

Drain and rinse the peas, and heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan that has a lid. Fry the onion for about 5 minutes, stirring every now and again, letting it soften and brown a little. Then add the chopped chili and garlic, and give everything a good stir around. Now stir in the rice, making sure it is all slicked with oil, then pour in the coconut milk and chicken or vegetable broth and stir in the drained peas. Bring to a bubble, clamp on the lid, and turn down the heat to very low and let it cook gently for 15 minutes.
Check the rice is cooked through and the liquid is all absorbed - give the rice another 5 minutes if it needs it. Sprinkle with the freshly chopped thyme and season with salt if desired, forking it through


Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Crab Boiling, Curry Fouling, Spaghetti Squashing


My daughter Jazmin can cook!  This September I was served dinner by a budding master chef. For real, she has been cooking since she was a little girl, always stirring pots. She learned most of her cooking skills from her grandma Bessie, since she spent so much time with her while I was off making the bacon.  She also planned dinner parties with well thought-out menus, that included all courses, with desserts. We had dishes like spaghetti squash, turkey meatballs, crab boil, tacos, curry, salads, and breakfast sweat potatoes.
Gently scrape the tines of a kitchen fork around the edge of the spaghetti squash to shred the pulp into strands.
Spaghetti squash is a good alternative to pasta, potatoes, or rice. The cooked squash flesh shreds into threads like thin spaghetti or vermicelli, hence its name. On average, a spaghetti squash measures about 12 inches in length and about 6 inches in diameter. The squash should be an even light yellow color and firm with no bruises. Store whole at room temperature up to 3 weeks. Spaghetti squash is available year-round with peak season in fall.

Spaghetti squash has a very mild flavor, thus it is usually served with a sauce of some sort. It may also be enjoyed simply with salt and a bit of butter. Cooking the squash is very simple.

Turkey Taco & Avocado Slices

Black Beans

Tossed Salad

 


Taco’s (ground turkey, taco seasoning, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, Limón)  corn tortilla shells, black beans.
 

 Crab, Cajun Shrimp, Corn Cob Boil 

½ cup vinegar
½ cup water
½ cup OLD BAY Seasoning
1 dozen crabs legs
1 lb. shrimp (Cajun seasoned shrimp)
Corn on a cob (leave in husk)
 Pot should have raised, rack minimum 2” high. Add equal quantities water and vinegar to just below level of rack. Layer crabs sprinkle each layer with OLD BAY. Cover and steam until crabs are red.  In a saucepan combine first 3 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Add shrimp stir gently. Cover steam until tender about 3-5 minutes. Drain remove shells.
TIPS:
Make your own seasoning for seafood and chicken dishes.
Ingredients: Celery seed, Salt, Spices (including mustard, red pepper, black pepper, bay leaves, cloves, allspice (pimento) ginger, mace, cardamom, cinnamon) and paprika.
ADD 2 TSP.  OLD BAY to 1 lb groundbeef to create sizzling burgers.
Sprinkle OLD BAY generously on French fries, corn-on-cob, steamed veggies and even popcorn!


Curried Foul

Ethiopian Cabbage Dish

Red Beans and Rice


So here’s a healthy recipe that you can have ready if you prep the foul, remove skin, season and place in crock pot to stew. Stir in curry mix well and cook in a crockpot, for 2 to 3 hours (until foul is tender)

Curried Foul

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon mustard/rye seeds
Half teaspoon cumin
1 large onion chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
1 can foul drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon curry powder
Half teaspoon chili powder
Salt
1 cup tomato puree (optional)
1 cup water
 Method:
Heat half the oil on medium heat in a pan and fry onions till light brown. Remove. Add the onion and garlic and fry for half a minute. Add stewed foul and stir. Add the curry powder, chili powder and salt. Bring to a boil, lower heat to simmer and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes till the sauce thickens. Serve with rice (we had it with red beans and rice) or quinoa or couscous

Ethiopian Cabbage Dish


1/2 cup olive oil
4 carrots, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 head cabbage, shredded

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the carrots and onion in the hot oil about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric, and cabbage and cook another 15 to 20 minutes. Add the potatoes; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes are soft, 20 to 30 minutes.

Red Beans and Rice

2 cups dried red beans
1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
2 teaspoons salt
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced (turkey)
 Directions:
-Pick over the dried beans, and soak them in water overnight. The next day, drain off the soaking water, and place the beans in a large pot or slow cooker. Cover with water, and stir in the dried garlic and onion, salt, bay leaf, sugar, cayenne pepper, celery seed, cumin, and crushed red pepper flakes.
-Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer over low heat for 3 to 4 hours.
-Stir in the smoked sausage, simmer for 20 more minutes, and serve.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

NEW ORLEANS POUND CAKE

Reposted for Lea Burks-Nolan Jones my first cousin on Mama Crecy's Side

 
3 cups cake flour 
1 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
 2 cups granulated sugar 
1 cup butter, softened 
4 large eggs, room temperature 
1/4 cup sour cream 
1 cup buttermilk 
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 
1/4 cup granulated sugar 
1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut


Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.
Sift together cake flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Set aside.
In a large separate bowl, beat butter until very fluffy (approx. 5 minuets) then add 2 cups of sugar. Continue to beat until light and fluffy (approx. 2 more minutes).

Beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure that each egg is thoroughly blended before adding the next egg.
Mix in sour cream and vanilla extract.

Blend in some of the dry ingredients followed by some of the buttermilk in alternates. This is a way to ensure that the ingredients are being thoroughly blended together -- DO NOT OVER BEAT OTHERWISE CAKE WILL BECOME HARD AS A BRICK ONCE FINISHED BAKING!
Grease a NON-STICK Bundt cake pan and dust very lightly with flour.
Add in 1/4 cup of sugar to the bottom of pan and about 3 inches up the sides, tapping the pan to ensure even distribution. Leave excess sugar in pan. Sprinkle coconut flakes to the bottom of the pan. Scrape batter into the pan and spread evenly.

Bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour... or until a wooden skewer inserted comes out clean (if it comes out wet, bake another 10 minutes or so, if it comes out crumbly, you over baked the cake).
*Some ovens take about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Let cake cool for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove from pan, making sure that the sugary coconut side is faced upward.

Cool completely.

GLAZE:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

In a medium sized bowl mix all ingredients together until smooth. Add more milk for desired consistency. You may also use regular milk, but I must say that evaporated milk gives a WAY better taste! 

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Summer Sunday Dinner on the Balcony


It is always so lovely to have a Summer Sunday dinner with friends, on a Sunday evening, just before the sunset, so we can have shimmering candles on the table and enjoy the view of the Chicago skyline from Susan's balcony.

Susan has really been crazy busy with the Culture Coach and everything else! She hosts the Night Out in the Parks, a partnership with the Chicago Park District and Elastic Arts. In addition, on Wednesdays, there is a Farmers Market event in Logan Square, so she is swamped staging these events through August.

I was working in California this Summer and had some great dinners with lots of my fellow artist, and now that I’m back in Chicago, she had us over for Sunday dinner.  Laurel is crazy busy pursuing her artistic side and has made a major investment in her love of making and designing jewelry.



Menu:
Appetizers
Salsa with  Lime Tortilla Chips
Goat Cheese, Crackers, and Olives (green/black)
Red Wine
Main Course:
Baked Sausage Apricot Glazed
Deviled Eggs
Quinoa
Dessert

Sparkling White Wine
Edy's Vanilla Ice Cream
Grandma Bev's Rhubarb Dessert (Rhubarb Crisp)
 

Quinoa contains more protein than any other grain. Edamame makes a tasty substitute for lima beans in this recipe. For an attractive presentation, serve the salad on a bed of baby greens or spinach.
Ingredients-1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa                

  • 3 cups organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
  • 1 (14-ounce) package of reduced-fat firm tofu, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1 cup chopped fresh basil 
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon sugar 
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen baby lima beans
  • 4 cups chopped tomato (about 3 medium) $
  • 1/2 cup sliced green onions
  • 1/2 cup chopped carrot
  • 1 (15-ounce) can of black  beans, rinsed and drained
 
Preparation
  1. Combine quinoa and vegetable broth in a saucepan; bring over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until broth is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat.
  1. Place tofu on several layers of towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand for 5 minutes. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté tofu 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from heat; cool completely.
  1. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons oil, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, basil, and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk until blended. Stir in quinoa.
  1. Cook lima beans according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Cool completely. Add the lima beans, tofu, chopped tomato, green onions, chopped carrot, and black beans to quinoa mixture; stir gently to combine. Store, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Maureen Callahan, March 2006
DESSERT- served with EBY's Vanilla Ice Cream

recipe thumbnail
Grandma Bev's Rhubarb Dessert (Rhubarb Crisp)
star rating
12 Servings, Prep Time: 15 Minutes, Cook Time: 50 Minutes

This is one of Grandma Bev's recipes. She always had this waiting for my mother when we visited.
Ingredients
  • Crust:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 5 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • Filling
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 3 cups chopped rhubarb
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  1. Mix 1 cup flour and confectioners' sugar in a bowl; cut butter into flour mixture using a pastry cutter or two forks until the mixture is crumbly. Press flour-butter mixture into an 8-inch square pan.
  1. Bake crust in the oven until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
  1. Mix white sugar, 1/4 cup flour, baking powder, and nutmeg into the beaten eggs. Fold rhubarb into egg mixture; pour rhubarb filling into the baked crust.
  1. Bake in the preheated oven until the filling is bubbling, 35 minutes.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Old Fashioned Butter Cake

 



1 cup butter 
2 cups of sugar 
1 tsp vanilla 
4 eggs 
... 3 cups flour 
1 tsp baking soda 
1 tsp salt 
1 cup buttermilk 
sifted powdered sugar


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour baking dish.

Beat together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Combine flour with baking soda and salt. Add to batter alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour.

Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Bake for about 1 ½ hour or until a pick inserted comes out clean.

Allow cake to stand 5 minutes and remove from pan and finish cooling on a rack.



Photo: Old Fashioned Butter Cake

Beat together butter and sugar until fluffy.    Beat in vanilla.    Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition.   Combine flour with baking soda and salt.   Add to batter alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour.   

Pour batter into prepared baking dish.   Bake for about 1 ½ hour or until a pick inserted comes out clean.   

Allow cake to stand 5 minutes and remove from pan and finish cooling on a rack.   

Dust with powdered sugar before serving. I like it without dusting or icing.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

CROCKPOT Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo Recipe

reposted for Lela Burks-Nolan Jones- my first cousin on Mama Crecy's & James Burks


@image from feeding the famished 

  INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons oil
... 1/2 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 cups frozen cut okra
1 large onion, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground red cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (14.5-ounce size) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package (12-ounce size) frozen shelled deveined cooked medium shrimp, rinsed
1 1/2 cups uncooked regular long-grain white rice
3 cups of water

In a small saucepan, combine flour and oil; mix well. Cook, constantly stirring, over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. This is your Roux. Reduce heat to medium; cook, constantly stirring, for about 10 minutes or until the mixture turns reddish-brown. Place flour-oil mixture in a 3 1/2 to 4-quart Crockpot.

Stir in all remaining ingredients except shrimp, rice, and water. Cover; cook on low setting for 7-9 hours. When ready to serve, cook rice in water as directed on the package. Meanwhile, add shrimp to the gumbo mixture in the crockpot; mix well. Cover; cook on low setting for additional 20 minutes. Serve gumbo over rice.



Sunday, April 7, 2013

Sunday Dinner at Laurel Bobzien's


Alpha Bruton and Susan Fox at Laurel's

Laurel Bobzien Menu

Wine
Baked Brie and Small Toast
Black-eyed Pea and Collard Green Soup
Salad, Mandarin Slices, 
Walnut with Henry Dressing
Stuff Bell peppers in Tomato Sauce
Pistachio ice cream, and German Coffee Cake

This hearty soup combines two lucky foods, black-eyed peas, and collard greens, with vegetables and smoky ham. Enjoy on New Year's Day, or any day, for a satisfying, warming meal. Serve with thick slices of toasted crusty bread. If you prefer your soup to have a thicker consistency, mash some of the cooked peas against the side of the pot, then stir them back into the broth before adding the collard greens and carrots.

I thought you might like this recipe from Whole Foods Market, this was a wonderful soup made from leftover ham from Easter Sunday Dinner. It is always good to share leftovers,  conversation, and a glass of wine with friends.

Ingredients

2 cups dried black-eyed peas
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 pound cooked Black Forest ham or smoked turkey breast, cut into small cubes (optional)
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 bunch collard greens, tough stems, and ribs removed leaves thinly sliced
4 carrots, chopped
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Ground black pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste

Directions

Carefully pick through peas to remove any debris or small stones and rinse well. Transfer to a large bowl, cover by 3 inches with water, cover and set aside at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight; drain and rinse well.

Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add onion, garlic, ham, and celery, and cook until onion is translucent for 5 to 8 minutes. Add peas and broth, bring to a boil and skim off and discard any foam on the surface. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until peas are tender about 45 minutes. Add collard greens and carrots and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes more. 

Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne and serve.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Gumbo- Sea Food & Chicken




¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon basil
Dash of cayenne pepper
1 2 ½ to 3 lb. broiler fryer, cut-up
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ cup celery slices

Gumbo- Sea Food Chicken
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
3 Tablespoons flour
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped green peppers
1 ½ tablespoons allspice (optional)
1 teaspoon thyme (optional)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
¼ teaspoon salt, Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning,
1/8 teaspoon pepper

 1-quart fish stock
How to 1-quart cold water, shells from 2 lbs shrimp or crab, 2 tablespoons chopped celery, 2 tablespoons chopped onion. Combine ingredients; cook over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until the mixture simmers.
Cover, and continue cooking for 45 minutes. Drain; discard shells.
Yield: 1 quart

 1-quart chicken stock (I usually skin the chicken season and fry the chicken)
How to 1 4-5 lb. stewing chicken, 2 quarts cold water, 3 stalks celery, cut into chunks, 1 medium onion, cut into quarters. In a large pot, combine ingredients; simmer over low heat for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken and bone and cut into chunks. Strain stock; cook and refrigerate. Remove fat before using stock. Yield: 2 quarts stock, approximately 6 cups chicken.

3 bay leaves
2 lbs raw shrimp, cleaned
1 lbs crabmeat
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
2 cups cooked smoked beef sausage slices
2 to 3 tablespoons gumbo file, Burma Brand Gumbo File

1. Combine flour and oil with a wire whisk until blended. Simmer over low heat, stirring constantly. This mixture called the “roux,” will foam slightly and then darken to a rich brown.

2. Add celery, onion, and green pepper to the “roux.” Cook over low heat until vegetables are tender. Stir in seasonings; mix lightly.
3. In a large pot, combine the vegetable mixture and stocks until blended. Add seafood, chicken, and sausage.

4. Cover; cook over low heat for 45 minutes. Gumbo file to taste, or let each person put it on their own; simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and let stand 15 minutes before serving

Monday, January 28, 2013

National Soup Swap Day January 21st


National Soup Swap Day was Jan. 21, but I'm celebrating all season long with Betty Crocker's very best bisques, chowders and stews. Last Sunday a group from Rogers Park was serving free vegan potato soup, at the Red Line Morse stop, it was so cold, the soup was so perfect. They served it along  with a spinach salad with a scope of avocado, and kiwi pie.
Cold winter days are no match to the warmth and comfort of these soups. They’re the perfect base for layering on additional flavors. Spiked with beer, loaded with beef, or decked out with baked potatoes and all the fixings, there’s no wrong way to make a classic cheesy soup.
 
Seafood, corn and potatoes are the basic building blocks for creating great chowders and bisques. But the list of ingredients doesn’t stop there. Add broccoli to the mix for Creamy Corn and Broccoli Chowder or experiment with tomatoes in our Fire Roasted Tomato-Basil Crab Bisque. There’s a wide world of soup out there, so don’t be afraid to try something new.

6 unpeeled medium red potatoes (1 1/2 lb), cut into 1/2-inch cubes 3 cups Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton) 1 1/4 teaspoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne) 1 1/2 cups Green Giant® frozen corn 1/3 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper (from a jar), well drained 1/3 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour 1 cup milk 1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese (4 oz) 1 container (6 oz) Yoplait® Greek Fat Free plain yogurt 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 4 medium green onions, finely chopped (1/4 cup) 4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled.

1 In 3-quart saucepan, place potatoes. Add water just to cover. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and boil gently (simmer) about 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain. Reserve 1 cup potatoes; return remaining potatoes to saucepan. In small bowl, mash reserved potatoes with fork.

2 Stir reserved mashed potatoes back into remaining potatoes in saucepan, along with broth, sugar, garlic salt, pepper, ground red pepper, corn and roasted red bell pepper. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
 3 In small bowl, stir flour into milk with whisk until well mixed; stir into potato mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and boils. Stir in cheese until melted. Remove from heat; stir in yogurt, cilantro and green onions. Serve topped with bacon and, if desired, additional green onion.
Slow Cooker Cheesy Potato Soup
 
 
Reynolds™ Slow Cooker Liners
1  bag (32 oz) frozen southern-style diced hash brown potatoes, thawed
1/2  cup frozen chopped onion (from 12-oz bag), thawed
1     medium stalk celery, diced (1/2 cup)
1     carton (32-oz) Progresso® chicken broth
1     cup water
3     tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1     cup milk
1     bag (8 oz) shredded American-Cheddar cheese blend (2 cups)
1/4  cup real bacon pieces (from 2.8-oz package)
4     medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)                                           
  • 1 Place Reynolds™ Slow Cooker Liners inside a 5- to 6 1/2 -qt slow cooker bowl. Make sure that liner fits snugly against the bottom and sides of bowl and pull the top of the liner over rim of bowl.
  • 2 In lined slow cooker, mix potatoes, onion, celery, broth and water.
  • 3 Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.
  • 4 In small bowl, mix flour into milk; stir into potato mixture. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes or until mixture thickens. Stir in cheese until melted. Garnish individual servings with bacon and green onions. Sprinkle with pepper if desired