Mixed Citrus Salad, and Raspberry Tiramisu - Easy to do!

Happy New Year!  I hope 2014 will bring you all that you want it to be and more!

Today I want to share with you two recipes that are easy to make and taste great. Mixed Citrus With Red Onions and Escarole Salad and Raspberry Tiramisu. I give credit to theWilliams-Sonoma Salad book (Pg 74) and Giada's Family Dinners (Pg 233) for these wonderful recipes.

Mixed Citrus With Red Onions and Escarole Salad

For the salad you will need the following:



1/2 red onion
1 grapefruit
1 orange
2 mandarin oranges
1 oz Maytag or other blue cheese
1/4 extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 cups torn escarole leaves (bite sized pieces) or if your prefer mixed field greens. I used both.
1/4 cup minced fresh chervil. I did not include this as I didn't have any.
Salt and pepper

Cut the onion half into paper thin slices, then cut each slice into half. Set aside
Cut a slice off the top and bottom of the grapefruit, stand it upright. Slice off the peel and white pith. Hold the fruit over a bowl and cut along each side of the membranes between the sections, letting each freed section and any juices drop into the bowl. Cut each section in half crosswise. Repeat with the orange and mandarins, then set the citrus aside.

Put the cheese in the bottom of a small bowl and add the olive oil. Using a fork, mash the cheese into the oil until well blended. Stir in the vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In a large bowl  add the greens and gently pour over the dressing. mix to coat evenly. Add all the citrus, the red onion and the minced chervil and gently toss.

 COOKS NOTE: you do not want to over dress your salad, so watch the juices from the fruit. you do not want a soggy salad or juices from the fruit on your plate.

Raspberry Tiramisu

For the Tiramisu you will need the following:

1 cup seedless raspberry jam. I used Smuckers. COOKS NOTE: I had just a bit more left in he jar and added that so it came to about  1 1/2 cup.

6 tablespoons Grand Marnier. COOKS NOTE: I used 1 more tablespoon since I had additional jam.

1 pound mascarpone cheese at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
48 soft ladyfingers
3 baskets fresh raspberries
Confectioners sugar for dusting.

Stir together the jam and 4 tablespoons of the Grand Marnier in a small bowl to blend.
 COOKS NOTE: This is where I added the additional Grand Marnier.

Stir together the mascarpne and remaining 2 tablespoons of Grand Marnier in a large bowl to blend. In another large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the cream, granulated sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form.

Using a large rubber spatula, stir a fourth of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture to lighten. Fold the remaining whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture.

Line the bottom of a 13 x 9x 2 inch glass baking dish or other decorative serving dish with a third of the ladyfingers. COOKS NOTE: I used a large glass straight sided bowl.

Spread a third of the jam mixture over the ladyfingers. Spread a third of the mascarpone mixture over the jam mixture, then cover with a third of the fresh raspberries. Repeat layering with the remaining ladyfingers, Jam mixture, mascarpone mixture, and raspberries. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. This dish is best refrigerated overnight.

COOKS NOTE: This was a big hit, however we all agreed that the next time I make this I am going to brush each lady finger with a light coating of Grand Marnier. They tended to be a bit dry.

Along with the Salad, I served warm and crusty Sour dough rolls, and Chicken Spaghetti. The Chicken dish was from  Ree Drummond, A.K.A. The pioneer Woman.

This meal was simple to make and the best part was you can do the dessert and chicken spaghetti ahead. the chicken spaghetti  was assembled the day before and put into the fridge. Took it out about 1 hour before baking. 

Enjoy! And remember no matter what you prepare, do it with love and passion.

Kitchen Cutie

Birthday dinner at Eddie V's Dallas, TX

WOW! what a way to celebrate my 66th birthday. If you ever want a lovely dinner with  great service head to over to Eddie V's. You will  not be disapointed!

 Appetizer: Jumbo crab claws. Oh Yum!

 

Next baby iceberg BLT,Maytag blue cheese,red and gold tomatoes,red onion and bacon.

 

Paula had North Atlantic lemon sole lightly encrusted with parmesan served with a tomato and herb salad and lemon garlic butter. It was amazing!

 

I had the George's Banks scallops sautéed with citrus fruit roast red almonds and brown butter! They were cooked to perfection!

Then roasted baby beets with candied walnuts and orange zest.

 

The truffle Mac and cheese..... Well this sure as hell not grandmas Mac and cheese! 

 Dessert was butterscotch panda cotta, sorbet with berries and they brought out deconstructed banana fosters for my birthday! It was beautiful, delicious and nice fiery presentation table side.

 

Tyler was our server. He was great! Explained each dish and how it was prepared. Thanks Tyler! You made the dinner special.

Brussels Sprouts- Roasted, Grilled or Sauteed!

Growing up in California, we had lots of veggies and fruits. One of my favorite veggies is Brussels sprouts.  Wait! Don't go YUK just yet. 

Momma didn't just throw them in a pot of water and serve them.  We had them roasted and Daddy even put them on the grill.  Taste so good and good for you as well!

Brussels sprouts are low in calories, fat and sodium.  High in fiber, vitamins C, D and K. One cup of Brussels sprouts contains only 38 calories and 0 cholesterol and 0 saturated fat!

You can spice these wonderful round balls of goodness with pepper flakes, cheese and even balsamic vinegar.

Ingredients

1 1/2 of Brussels sprouts.  Try to get them the same size. These must be fresh not frozen!
2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil.  I prefer extra virgin.
Kosher salt to taste. I use about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoons.
Freshly ground pepper to taste. I use about 1/2 teaspoon.

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400F

Cut off the ends of the sprouts.  Throw them into a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper.  If you want to add some more spice to your life, add a few pinches of red pepper flakes.   Get them all nice and coated and toss them onto a baking sheet.

Roast them for about 30-40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and nice and tender on the inside.  Check them every so often to be sure they are not sticking.  Shake them up a bit!

When done, put in a serving bowl, and add some roasted sliced almonds, or grated Parmesan cheese or how about some feta!  You can forget the  cheese and just toss with some balsamic vinegar.


Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

If you don't want to heat up the oven, Saute them in a large fry pan.

Ingredients are the same; however you need to cut the sprouts in half-length wise.

Add a bit of olive oil to the pan and heat to about med to med high.  Lay the sprouts cut side down and get them nice and brown.  If you like, add some mushrooms or sliced onions.  When they are nice and tender they are done.

You can even put these on a skewer and grill them!

 Until next time, keep cooking and don't forget to add the love!

Potato Gratin,Glazed Carrots,Citrus salad & Pork Loin

I hope that each of you begin this year with a new and exciting outlook about cooking! For me, cooking is fun and challenging. So for my holiday dinner, I Prepared a Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork Loin with Roasted Apples. I have stuffed pork chops and stuffed a chicken or two, but never a pork roast.

It was indeed a challenge to roll that 3 pound roast but I won! Along with the pork roast I served a Potato & Celery Root Gratin with Leeks, Spiced Glazed Carrots with Sherry and a Citrus With Red Onion and Escarole Salad.

The roast recipe is the last entry on this post because it is the most time consuming portion of the meal. But I hope you try it for your next special occasion.

I like to prep the day before and I was able to do this with all these recipes.

Thanks to Bon Appetit's October and November issues and The Williams-Sonoma Salad book for this delicious meal! Bon Appetit, Food and Wine and Gourmet magazines are my favorites. I would encourage you to get these for your cookbook collection.

Let me start with the Carrots. Easy to make and they were a big hit and even the 4 year old loved them!

SPICED GLAZED CARROTS WITH SHERRY & CITRUS

Ingredients:

2 bunches of thin carrots about 2 lb, cut into 1" pieces (about 4 cups)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning

12 whole black peppercorns

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon fresh clementine juice or orange juice (I used Clementines)

2 tablespoons Sherry or sweet vermouth, divided ( I used Sherry)

2 pinches ground cloves

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated clementine zest or orange zest

Preparation

Bring carrots, butter, 1/2 tsp. salt, peppercorns, bay leaf, and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 7–8 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer carrots to a medium bowl.

Add clementine juice, 1 Tbsp. Sherry, and ground cloves to skillet and cook until glaze forms,

7–8 minutes. Stir in carrots and remaining 1 Tbsp. Sherry.

Season carrots to taste with salt.

DO AHEAD - Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing, adding water by teaspoonfuls if dry.Transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with tarragon and Clementine zest.

POTATO & CELERY ROOT GRATIN WITH LEEKS

If you are watching your weight, this is not for you! It has heavy cream and Gruyere cheese. However, if you are wanting to throw caution to the wind, go ahead and make this. You will be glad you did!

Ingredients:

3 cups heavy cream

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 sprig thyme plus 3 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, divided

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

3 leeks, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise

Kosher Salt

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, very thinly sliced crosswise about 1/8" thick

1 pound celery root, peeled, very thinly sliced crosswise about 1/8" thick

2 cups grated Gruyère

Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat to 350°. Heat cream, garlic, and thyme sprig in a medium saucepan just until bubbles begin to form around edge of pan. Remove from heat; set aside to steep.

Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.

Add leeks; season with salt and cook, stirring often, until tender (do not brown), 10–12 minutes.

Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

Butter a 3-qt. gratin dish with remaining 1 Tbsp butter. Layer 1/3 of potato slices and 1/3 of celery root slices evenly over bottom of baking dish.

Cover with 1/3 of leeks, then 1/3 of Gruyère. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and 1 tsp. thyme leaves.

Repeat layers twice more.

Strain cream mixture into a medium pitcher and pour over vegetables.

Set gratin dish on a large rimmed baking sheet and cover tightly with foil.

Bake for 1 hour. Carefully remove foil; continue baking until top is golden brown and sauce is bubbling, 25–30 minutes.

DO AHEAD:Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Tent with foil and rewarm in a 300° oven until hot, about 20 minutes

MIXED CITRUS WITH RED ONIONS AND MIXED GREENS SALAD

The original recipe calls for Escarole, which is a slightly bitter green. I prefer other greens so I went to my local Central Market and got a mixture of various greens. It worked well.

Ingredients:

1/2 red onion

1 grapefruit

1 orange

2 mandarin oranges

1 oz Maytag or other blue cheese

1/4 extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 cups torn escarole or other greens. Again I used mixed greens

1/4 cup minced fresh chervil. If you are unable to find chervil, use parsley.

Preparation:

Cut the onion half into paper-thin slices, then cut each slice in half. Set aside.

Cut the grapefruit sections into a bowl letting the juices drop into the bowl. Cut each section in half crosswise. Repeat with the orange and mandarins placing them in the same bowl as with the grapefruit and set aside.

Put the cheese in the bottom of a large bowl and add the olive oil. Using a fork, mash the cheese into the oil until well blended. Stir in the vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the greens and gently mix to coat evenly. Add all the citrus and their juices, the red onion and the minced chervil and gently mix to coat evenly.

Sprinkle with the chervil sprigs and serve at once.

PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED PORK LOIN WITH ROASTED APPLES

This dish is not only delicious, but what a presentation it makes! This recipe will have you stepping outside the box and perhaps your comfort zone. But well worth the time. The recipe will serve eight.

Have the butcher butterfly the roast for you.

Ingredients

Filling

1 ounce, about a cup, dried whole porcini mushrooms

2 ounces or about 3/4 cup dried apples

1 pound kale, bottom stems trimmed. If you don't like or haven't eaten Kale, you will really like this. So step outside that box.

2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup minced onion

1 tablespoon finely minced garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary

2 tablespoons brandy or Calvados. I used brandy.

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound ground pork

Pork:

1 nicely trimmed 2 1/2 to 3lb. pork loin

1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more for seasoning

3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto. I purchased 6 ounces because prosciutto is so thin and tears so easily, that I wanted to be sure I had enough to wrap the roast.

5 sprigs rosemary

4 medium apples, such as Granny Smith or Fuji, quartered, or 8 small apples, halved. I used Fuji

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup dry hard cider. I found this at my local Whole Foods store

1/2 cup low-salt chicken stock

FILLING

Place dried mushrooms and dried apples in separate small bowls. Add 1 cup boiling water to each bowl. Let mushrooms and apples soak until very soft, about 30 minutes.

Strain mushrooms. Cover and chill soaking liquid (about 3/4 cup).

Drain apples, discarding soaking liquid.

Finely chop mushrooms and apples, combine in a small bowl, and set mushroom and apple mixture aside.

Meanwhile, blanch kale in boiling salted water just until wilted, about 1 minute. Transfer kale to a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate until cool. Remove any large, tough ribs.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until soft and lightly golden, about 8 minutes.

Add mushrooms and apples; cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, and rosemary; cook for 1 minute.

Add brandy and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Stir in 2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.

Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool completely. Add ground pork and stir to combine well.

PORK

Place pork roast on plastic wrap and lay flat. Place another piece of plastic on top and pound until roast has even thickness.

Remove plastic and season with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.

Place kale leaves on top of loin in an even layer, overlapping as needed and leaving a 1" border.

Spread filling on top of kale. Roll pork into a tight cylinder.

Wrap one layer of prosciutto around roast. Tie roast securely with kitchen twine in 1" intervals.

Tuck rosemary sprigs under twine, spacing apart.

DO AHEAD: Pork roast can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before continuing.

Preheat oven to 400°. Place apples in a roasting pan.

Melt 1 Tbsp. butter with oil in a large skillet. Brown pork on all sides, about 5 minutes total, then set on top of apples in pan.

Add cider and 1/2 cup water to skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits.

Pour mixture into roasting pan. Roast pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of loin registers 140° (it will be cooked medium but still slightly pink), about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Let roast rest for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.

Put roast on a platter. Reserve apples from roasting pan; spoon off fat from juices in pan.

Place pan on top of stove over medium-high heat. Add chicken stock. Pour in reserved mushroom liquid, leaving any sediment behind, and cook, scraping bottom of pan to release any browned bits, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Whisk in remaining 2 Tbsp. butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain sauce; slice pork. Serve sauce and apples alongside sliced pork.

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I did. Again my thanks to Bon Appetit and Williams-Sonoma for making me look like a formally trained Chef!

So until next time remember:

Never eat more then you can lift - Miss Piggy

Egg-citing eggs! Stuffed, Poached or Fried- Yum!

So what came first the chicken or the egg? Well it sure doesn't matter to me as I love them both! You can do so much with eggs. Not only for breakfast but cakes, custards and my fav the deviled egg!

You may call them stuffed or deviled eggs, but what ever you call them they seem to be very popular now, but stuffed eggs was one of the first things I made as a young girl. I had to make extra because I love warm hard boiled eggs! Mom had to get onto me as I would eat them before I deviled them. I still to this day prefer my hard boiled eggs warm with salt and pepper. Yum!

Now I just didn't make plain deviled eggs, I would let my young creative juices flow and add other ingredients like chopped up Spam.... Yes we had Spam in our family. I would add fried up small pieces of sausage and bacon. As you may of guessed, Spam deviled eggs was not a big hit.

Today I make Shrimp, Crab or Jalapeno deviled eggs. They are always a big hit where ever I take them.

The key to a great deviled eggs is to be sure you don't over cook the eggs. Ever notice when you peel an egg and cut it open you see a dark greenish edge around the yoke? Oophs, you cooked it to long. If I asked 10 cooks how to boil an egg I would get 10 different answers. In my many years of cooking here is what I do.

Place the eggs in a pan and cover eggs with cold salted water and cover. Bring to a boil and take of the burner. Let set for 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the egg. To stop the cooking, place in cold water. There you have it! Perfect eggs!

Once the eggs are cool enough to handle I peel then cut them. Most the time you see stuffed eggs cut length wise, but try cutting a small amount of the top off the pointed end so it will have a flat surface. then cut the top off the fat end to expose the yolk. Take out the yolks and place them in a bowl. The whites you can place back in an egg carton or something similar. I like the way the eggs look when cut in this manner.

I mash up the yolks really fine. I then mince/finely chop my shrimp or crab or Jalapenos. To the yolks I add my mayo. I add just a little at a time to see how moist they are. You can also add sour cream or even Ranch dressing. Anything goes! Add salt and pepper. If I am making plain deviled eggs I would add some mustard and not just the plain yellow kind. Try the spicy types. You may even add a bit of thyme or rosemary to these. Mix some sour cream with mayo. Very tasty if I do say so.

For the shrimp eggs I add the shrimp and some minced dill. Crab I like to add some very finely minced shallots and a bit of ole bay type seasoning. Or seasoning similar to ole bay. I would place a small salad size shrimp on these and perhaps a bit of dill. Makes for a nice presentation.

The Jalapeno eggs are a real favorite in my house. I add the finely chopped pickled jalapenos to the yolks and even add a bit of the juice. I also may add a bit of cilantro. Soooo good. I decorate with a thinly sliced Jalapeno or some cilantro.

You can pipe the mixture into the eggs. I use a plastic zip bag. This way I can cut the corner just the right size to pipe the mixture. Easy clean up too!

So the next time you look at a dozen eggs, think about making stuffed eggs. Be creative! Cook like no one is watching. You will be amazed at what you can create.

Until next time, may your life be well seasoned and your pans well used.

Restaurant Reviews - Stuffed Avocado, Risotto Balls, Apas Asadas

Recently I took a trip to Austin, Texas and experienced some great food in a fun city!

Austin is the state capital of Texas and Austin prides its self on being far from ordinary. Austin celebrates being "Weird". It is a community of musicians, artists, and progressive thinkers.

But let me talk about the taste of Austin. You can find some of the county's best Tex-Mex, barbecure and a wide selection of local and organic restaurants are to be found here. And the food trucks.... so many to choose from and so little time.

First stop - Hula Hut (http://www.hulahut.com)
It is Tex-Mex with a twist..... a Polynesian twist this is. They call it Tiki-Mex. Hula Hut overlooks Lake Austin and the place is decked out with Tiki torches, hundreds of lights and a great bar that overlooks the the lake! You can enjoy the surf'n, light rock or Polynesian music while sipping on a Mango Margarita while overlooking the lake. Almost heaven.

Their menu has snacks, PuPu platters, salads, burgers, fajitas, enchiladas and Luau dinners. Each has a Polynesian twist. Prices are very resonable starting at $6.99 up to $26.99.

We started off with the Kawaikini Stuffed Avocado. This was amazing.... Let me say that again... this was AMAZING!! I am going to attempt to make this at home.

They take a Hass avocado fill it with roasted chicken, green onions, cilantro, monterey jack cheese and green chili's, rolled in panko and green chili spices then lightly fry it. It is served on a bed of hatch green Chili's and queso blanco sauces. I could have eaten three of these!

The smooth velvety texture of the avocado, the kick of the chili and spices and the crunch of the panko all work so well together. Next was the Polynesian Pescado platter. It was two coconut shrimp, two mexonesian shrimp flautas, two grilled fresh fish tacos, and grilled fresh salmon. Also on this platter was the Hula Hut chopped salad and apas asadas.

The best thing on this dish was the salmon and the papas asadas. The salmon was cooked to perfection and served with a spicy sweet salsa. The papas asadas, (potatoes) are made with several ingredients such as garlic, olive oil and parsley. But the other ingredients are in the chimichurri sauce - lime juice, vinegar and cilantro.

The sever was excellent! He knew each item on the menu and could tell us what was in each and described the flavors. When he wasn't working at the Hula Hut, he taught K-4th graders. Gotta love the teachers!

Next day was breakfast- Kerbey lane Cafe - (http://www.kerbeylanecafe.com)

They are a Austin favorite since 1980 and have five locations. Kerbey's menu is as diverse as Austin. You will not only find normal breakfast fare such as eggs, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, but many vegan dishes along with their own creations such as eggs Francisco. This is an English muffin topped with scrambled eggs, bacon, tomato and avocado then ladled with great amounts of queso. I must try that the next time I am in Austin.

This morning I decided to try their seasonal pancakes, Pumpkin! They are the bomb! They are so famous for these that they sell the pancak mix, but they were out of it! They also make their own sausage. So flavorful with just the right amount of seasonings. The patties were very generous in size as well. My egg was cooked perfectly and the gravy was pretty tasty as well. However, their gravy was not as good as mine. I am the gravy queen and will put my gravy in competition next to anyone!

The Kerbey is part of the Austin community and they take their citizenshp seriously. They buy from local vendors, and their walls are given over to local artist. They support several local charities each month and in October each year the sell their pink pancakes to support breast cancer.

The service was great! The young man who waited on us was wonderful. Since it was my first time there, he explained the philosphy of the restaurant and guided me through the menu. Prices are reasonable from $1.99 to $12.99.

Dinner!

Enoteca/Vespaio (http://www.austinvespaio.com/enoteca)

I am normally not a big fan of Italian food because I have yet to taste a nice red sauce that doesn't taste like it came from a tin can, but this place changed my mind.

First off was the Calamari Friti with a lemon aioli dipping sauce. Outside of San Francisco, this was the best calamari I've have had in a very long time. You could actually taste the sweet fresh calamari. The breading was light with a nice soft crunch, while the lemon aioli was fresh with just the right amount of lemon.

Next on the meu was Suppli, crispy risotto balls filled with fontina cheese. Wow! Warm, crunchy and cheesey. What more does a girl want. These were wonderful; however fontina cheese is really mild so I would have preferred a bit stronger cheese. Yes the risotto is mild but I feel a bit of Maytag blue would have added more flavor. It was served with a great Arrabbiata sauce! This sauce consisted of tomatoes, chili, garlic all cooked in olive oil. Best sauce I've had in years.

Next was the pizza - Pancetta Affumicata. Must have a pizza at an Italian resturant right? This pizza had smoked applewood bacon, caramelized onions, cambozola cheese and spinach. This was not the best pizza I have ever tasted. The edge of the crust was nice and brown and crunchy, however, the middle was soggy and had a lot of oil.. The bacon was not crisp at all and I had a lot of real fatty pieces that were not cooked well.

The server was OK, but when I asked him about the Arrabbiata sauce, he couldn't tell me anything about it. I will be back to try their Bistecca Con Patate Fritte; Hanger steak in Chianti Ridurre served with french fries. Prices range from $9.00 to $19.00

Austin is a great place to visit. Lots of great restaurants, food carts, LBJ library and a must see are the thousands of bats at dusk leaving from underneath the Congress street bridge. This is a sight to behold! Oh I almost forgot, 6th street! Shops, bars and fun and funky places to eat. Also be sure to catch the Esther's Follies. You will laugh until you cry!

So when you're in Texas be sure to visit Austin and sample all the good eats around town.

Until next time, try a new recipe a keep cooking.

1920's Waldorf-Astoria's Signature Red Velvet Cake

Let them eat cake! Ahhh cake. White, yellow, cream, chocolate, cheese. Everyone loves cake right? Well this one is delicious and it contains beets! Yes beets. Now don't think yuk beets! This is a moist beautiful cake that you will be proud to serve anytime or for that special occasion!

Many people think that Red Velvet Cake is a Southern invention and, although it has gained popularity there, it actually started out as a signature dessert at the Waldorf-Astoria in the 1920's.

I promise that if you will make this cake it will be a big hit with friends and family. The frosting is soooo good I could eat it all by itself!

For The Cake:

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds of sliced or diced canned beets, drained and pureed
1 teaspoon red food coloring

For The Icing:

2 cups heavy cream
12 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
12 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper.

To prepare the cake melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water or in the top of a double boiler. You may melt in the microwave for about 20 30 seconds.

Place the sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix or low speed for 2 minute4s.

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and continue to mix on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl so everything is well Incorporated.

Add the melted chocolate to this and continue to mix on low seed.

Add the pureed beets and food coloring.

Continue to mix on low seed until everything is thoroughly combined.

Evenly divide the batter between the 3 prepared pans bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the center of the cake springs back when touched, or when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Remove the pans from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then turn the layers out onto your cooling rack.

To prepare the icing our the cream into a small bowl and whip to soft peaks and set aside in the refrigerator.

Place the cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until it is soft and smooth.

Add the mascarpone and continue to mix on low seed until the cheeses are well combined.

Add the vanilla and powdered sugar and mix until everything is just combined.

Turn off the mixer and fold in the whipped cream by hand with a spatula.

Place the first layer on a cake plate and top with some of the icing. Repeat until all the layers are covered with icing, then ice the top and sides of the cake. I shaved some chocolate on top.

Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

This was a big hit and I will be making it again and again!

Until my next post, keep cooking with love!

Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Salad

Beets! Have you ever thought of roasting them? Have you ever had them with goat cheese or in a salad? Now add nice a nice crisp apple and you have a great salad!

As I was looking through my Waldorf-Astoria cookbook I found this roasted beet and goat cheese timbales with apples and walnut vinaigrette salad.

For the Walnut Dressing:

1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup walnut oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For The Salad:

3 large red beets, about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled and cut into 3/8 inch dice
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon sliced fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
4 ounces aged goat cheese, crumbled and divided into 8 portions
1 cup frisee
1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

To prepare the dressing combine the vinegar and mustard in a nonreactive mixing bowl and while continuously whisking, slowly pour in the vegetable oil and walnut oil. Still whisking, add the sugar until it dissolves and is thoroughly combined. Season with salt and pepper. NOTE: I put all in ingredients in a jar and shook.

To prepare the salad toss the beets in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the beets on a well oiled cookie sheet and transfer to the oven. Roast until the beets are soft but not mushy. About 12-15 minutes. When done, let them cool.

Cut one of the peeled apples into 3/8 inch cubes and plce in a nonreactive bowl. Add the beets, parsley, chives,tarragon, remaining olive oil and sherry vinegar. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.

Separate the beet salad into 8 equal portions. Create a timbale for each portion using a 3 1/2 inch diameter mold. Place the mold on a chilled serving plate and spoon a portion of the salad into the mold and press lightly to make even.

Sprinkle with a portion of the goat cheese.

Julienne the remaining apple into matchstick lengths and put in a nonreactive mixing bowl. Add the frisee and 3 tablespoons of the walnut dressing. Season
with salad and pepper and toss.

Place some of the salad on top of the goat cheese in the mold. Sprinkle with the toasted walnuts and drizzle with additional walnut dressing to taste.

Reference: The Waldorf=Astoria Cookbook Page 138

This salad would be nice for a luncheon, or a first course. I served this with Blue corn crab cakes with a mango green onion relish.

I hope you find this salad as Delicious as I did.

Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good. -Alice May Brock

Summer Pasta Salad

Pasta salad is always a bit hit in the summer time. Pasta is so versatile and the best thing is you can prepare it the day before, which is best so all the flavors come together.

Growing up, Pasta salad was always a staple in my home. However, Mother was not very adventurous when making pasta salad. Her salad consisted of, Elbow macaroni, onions, and mayo. Not so flavorful and not very inspired. So as I begin to make pasta salad, I would throw in all kinds of stuff, and use various salad dressing we had on hand. Now I must say some of my creations were pretty darn good, others not so much. Now there was nothing really wrong with moms salad, but I wanted more.

When my June issue of the Food Network Magazine came, I was so so excited to see on the cover "Pasta Salad Create Your Own!"

On page 79 it had ideas for you to "Mix and Match". The proteins suggested were some I have always used, however Baked Totu is one that I am quite sure I will not use in my pasta salad.

One of the veggies they suggested was green beans and canned chickpeas. Interesting.....

After reading and deciding what salad I was going to prepare, off to the store I went to get my ingredients. Here is my Pasta Salad recipe:

Wagon wheel pasta. Cook in very salty water. Think of the sea. And don't over cook!

Lump Crap meat.
Roasted corn kernels. Love the roasted flavor it gives this salad.
English cucumber, diced
Red onion, diced. If you refer you can use shallots.
Asparagus, blanched & chopped. This give a nice flavor and crunch to the salad
Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped.

My dressing was:

Mayo, about 1/3 cup
Sour cream about 3-4 Tablespoons
Lemon Juice. 1 to 1/2 tablespoons
Garlic - 3 small cloves roasted then pressed.
Herbs - Fresh, chopped. I used, thyme, rosemary, dill and basil.
I also added some olive oil as the dressing was a bit too thick for my liking.

These measurments are not set in stone. I always start small and increase if need be. I am light on the salt and lemon juice. I added garlic as I like the flavor it gives. You can always add more but you can't take away.

I let this sit for a awhile to get all the flavors blended.

Salad was a big hit! So go out and get the June issue of Food Network magazine and get inspired!

Until next post; may all your dishes be flavorful, and prepared with love!

Photo by Kang Kim

Crispy Asparagus Straws

I love asparagus! Not the kind you find in the can but fresh. Growing up in CA. we always had two veggies on the the table. And Asparagus was at least once a week. Now we did have fresh fruits and veggies, but for some reason my mom always bought the asparagus in the can. As a child, for a long time ,I thought this was the only way asparagus was served. One day I was having dinner with a classmate and we had fresh asparagus! I fell madly in love.

I am always looking for ways to us this wonderful vegetable. In looking through "Martha Stewart's Hors D'Oeuvres Handbook" I found a great recipe for Crispy Asparagus Straws. They are well received at any occasion. They are good hot,warm or cold. I have taken them to many social gatherings and love to make them as a snack anytime.

Choose thicker green, purple or white asparagus with tightly packed tips. Do not use the real thin ones, as they will over cook. You may prepare the asparagus ahead if you like and keep in fridge until needed.

24 asparagus spears,woody ends trimmed
6 sheets of phyllo dough, thawed if frozen
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
12 thin slices prosciutto (about 7 oz total) cut in half crosswise.
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated on medium holes of grater.

Steam the asparagus until just al dente about 2 minutes. Transfer to a colander to cool.

Preheat oven to 450 with rack in the center.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Place one sheet of phyllo on a dry surface. (keep other covered with a slightly damp towel) Brush lightly with melted butter and cut into 4 rectangular pieces. about 5x7 each.

Place one piece of prosciutto on the phyllo, lining it up along one short edge of the rectangle.

Place an asparagus spear on top of the prosciutto along the same short edge of the rectangle, letting the tip lay exposed beyond the top edge by about 3/4 of an inch or so. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of Parmesan.

Roll up and secure dough with melted butter if needed.

Place completed asparagus on baking sheet. This can been done 1 to 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

Before baking, sprinkle the top of the straws with the remaining cheese. Cover the tips of the asparagus with foil to protect them from the heat.

Bake until nice and golden brown.

They are excellent hot, but they are just fine at room tempeture as well.


This book has so many wonderful things to make! I also made the Gruyere thyme icebox crackers, (found on page 366) Excellent! I have made many of the "tea" sandwiches as well. And of course I always put my own spin on those. I would recommend this book to all of you foodies out there.

I have so many favorite chefs, Stephen Pyle, Anne Burell, Dean Ferring, Cat Cora and so many more but Ms. Julia Child is the one I wish I could have met. Here are a few of her quotes.

“The only time to eat diet food is while you're waiting for the steak to cook”

“(She was asked what her longevity is attributed to) Red meat and gin.”

Until next post, Cook with passion and love.

Photo by Dana Gallagher

Lamb with apricot sauce and Potato Fontina Tart

I love to rumage through the bargin books bin at the store. I found this great book entitled "Tarts". It was only $2.99.. what a deal so into my basket it went!

As I was sipping a warm cup of coco reading my new book, I found this great recipe: Potato, Fontina, and rosemary tart. It is was the perfect side dish to the Lamb I was going to prepare. If you do not like to make pastry, use store bought! Works just fine. Here is what you need:

Puff Pastry: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
6 oz unsalted butter
about 2/3 cup chilled water
OR you can use a 9oz ready-made puff pastry


Filling: 3-4 Medium waxy potatoes, peel and slice very thin. Use a mandoline if you can.
10 1/2 oz Fontina cheese cut into cubes;
1 red onion thinly sliced
3 large springs fresh rosemary
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 egg yolk

To make the puff pastry sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl and rub in 2 tsbp butter. Gradually add the water, just enough to bring the pastry togther, and knead briefly to form a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let chill for 30 minutes. Keep the remaining butter out of the refrigerator, wrap it in a piece of plastic wrap, and shape it into a 1 1/4 inche thick rectangle. Roll out the dough to a rectangle 3 times longer and 1 1/4 wider than the butter and place the butter in the center, long side toward you. Fold over the 2 "wings" of dough to enclose the butter press down the edges to seal and then turn the dough so the short side faces you. Roll the dough to its original length. fold into 3, turn, and roll again to ity original length. Repeat this once more then rewrap the dough and let chill again for 30 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and repeat the rolling and turnig twice more. Let chill again for 30 minutes. At this point you can freeze the dough until you need it. AGAIN, IF THIS IS TOO MUCH FOR YOU TO DO, USE A PRE-SHAPED PIE CRUST OR BUY SOME PUFF PASTRY!

Roll the dough into a large circle and place on a baking sheet. Preheat oven to 375. Arrange the potato slices in a spiral, overlapping the slices to cover the dough leaving a 3/4 inch mnargin round the edge. BUT if using a pre-made pie shell just layer the potatoes in the shell.
Sprinkle salt and pepper over the potatoes. Add onions and cheese sprinke with the rosemarly and drizzle with olive oil.
Brush pie crust with the egg yolk and bake for a good 25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the pastry is brown and crisp.

Lamb with apricot sauce: Hint: do not use a non stick pan. You will want the pan to create nice amount of fond. (those wonderful bits of meat that are crispy)

1/3 cup dried apricots, hopped
1/3 cup apple cider or apple juice
1 15oz can apricots in juice
tablespoon canola oil
4 lamb chops
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1 cup chicken stock or broth
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chili powder I just added a little chili powder at first, you can always add more after you taste.
salt and pepper.

Soak the dried apricots in the cider until plump.( I did not have any cider so used apple juice) Transfer apricots and cider to blender. Add the canned apricots with their juice. Puree but leave some chunks. Set aside.

Heat oil and brown the lamb on both sides, transfer to a plate.

Add shallots to pan and cook until lightly brown

Add chicken broth/stock and apricot juice and scrape up all brown bits.

Add rosemary and chili

Add the chops to the sauce and cover. Simmer for at least 45 minutes.

This recipe came from the January issue of Bon Appetit.
It was an advertisemnt on page(40). It called form pork chops but I prefer lamb.

I served this with a nice salad and bold red wine. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

And remember: Cook with love and your heart!

Kitchen Cutie

It's all about the gravy and let's talk SOS!

Ah yes Gravy! it's the food of Gods, Liquid gold, a sauce to dip just about anything in!

Growing up in CA we had gravy every Sunday morning. We had either, waffles or pancakes, bacon, sausage or salt pork, eggs and gravy.

Daddy would always cook Sunday breakfast, with my help of course. His thing was the gravy and to this day as I make gravy I feel his presence as I slowly brown the flour.

Yesterday I went out to breakfast, and the place will remain nameless for fear of a law suit, and I asked for a side of gravy. I took one taste and thought. OMG, someone has just given me paper mache' paste! It was soooo thick I could have stood a spoon straight up in that mess. This is what I find in most restaurant's when I order gravy. They all taste of uncooked flour and no seasoning. Yuk! If I could jar my gravy and sell it I would or better yet teach the cooks around town how to make gravy... It is not hard.

So what is the secret to good gravy? GREASE! Yes good ole' grease. Bacon, Sausage, or chicken grease. NO package stuff for me. Grease has flavor. For those of you who live in LA and make gumbo I am quite sure you make good gravy because making gravy is like making a good rue. So here is how I make Daddy's gravy.

Grease in the pan. Not cup fulls, unless you are going to feed a large group, but a tablespoon or so. Heat should be med-low.

Add flour and stir. You do not want a ball of four and grease. Just add enough flour so you can stir it around and it absorbs all the grease. Now you must stir and slowly brown the flour. Do not burn it! There is nothing worse than burned flour... Yuk!

You want to cook the flour and get a really nice brown color. This should take 5-10 minutes.

Next pour in some milk and stir. I use whole milk. (I have also used can milk with water, but it does not taste the same. I had to use this at a friends when there was no milk)
Add salt and pepper. Be careful of the salt because if you are using bacon grease, it will be salty. Keep an eye on this and stir often. Heat should be on low. This must cook for at least 30 minutes. If it gets too thick add milk and don't forget to taste.

When done I like to pour into a bowl and crumble crisp bacon or sausage on top.

How do I eat my gravy? With a spoon... :-) I pour it over biscuits, rice, toast and I love to dip my French fries in gray. Oh Yum! But I really like gravy on my pancakes. yes I said pancakes! You put gravy on biscuits don't you? Well it is sort of the same. So try it sometime. very Yummy!

SOS

No this is not a call for help, but you folks in the military know what this is huh?

I like to make SOS on a nice cold winter day for breakfast or lunch or even dinner. It is perfect anytime of the day or really any season of the year. I don't use chipped beef but sausage or hamburger.

Brown a pound of meat and break into Small pieces as you fry it.

Add Salt and pepper

When meat is nice and brown and crumbly add milk and pour a slurry of flour and milk into the meat to thicken. Or you can add flour to the meat, stir then add milk.

Let this cook for at least 30 minutes. You want all the flavors to come together and cook out any flour taste.

Serve this over anything or eat it straight out of the bowl!

So now you know my Daddy's secret, GREASE!!

Keep cooking with love and don't throw away your grease.... use it!

Kitchen Cutie

Something for your sweet tooth

Back in 2000 I needed a special cake for a special celebration. So I began to look through my many cook books and food magazines. In my autographed "Home Cooking with Amy Coleman" book Pg 134, I found the perfect recipe, "Crowned Apple Cake." This is originally from the "Fast and Festive Meals for the Jewish Holidays (William Morrow and Company)

This cake is very much like a moist pound cake but with honey-drenched apples. The circle of caramelized apples sink into the top to look very much like a crown.

When this cake is presented on your very best cake plate, you will receive may oohhhs and ahhhhhs! Not only is it delicious but beautiful to look at.

4 large green apples (about 2 1/2 pounds)such as Granny Smith or Pippin
1/3 cup honey
3 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons baking powder
3 cups granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
About 1/2 cup walnut or pecan HALVES (optional)

* Place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat it to 350F. Grease or spray a 10 inch tube pan with a removal bottom.

*Peel, quarter, core and slice the apples 1/4 inch thick. Place in a medium bowl with the honey and cinnamon. Toss to coat and set aside.

* Combine the flour, sugar, oil, eggs, orange juice, baking powder, vanilla and salt in a large mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on low speed, mix until combined. Increase to moderately high speed and mix until well blended, about 2 minutes.

Pour one-third of the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange one-third of the apple slices over batter and sprinkle with chopped nuts, if using.

Cover with one-half of the remaining batter. Arrange one-half of the remaining apple slices over the batter and top with the remaining batter. spreading the top evenly. Overlap the remaining apple slices around the tube of the pan, extending them out like petals. Pour any juices that remain in the bowl over the apples. If desired, arrange the nut halves along the outer edge to encircle the top of the cake.

* Place the cake on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 80 to 90 minutes, or until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top gets too brown, cover it loosely with foil. Remove the cake from the own and cool 10 minutes. Go around the inside edges of the pan with a knife and remove the sides of the pan. Cool the cake to room temperature. Cut around the tube and bottom, and with a spatula, lift the cake from the pan to a serving plate. The cake may be stored, covered, at room temperature up to 2 days or frozen.

Even if you don't have a special occasion, make this one for your family. Serve it with a nice rich vanilla ice cream or better yet whip up some flavored whip cream. I like to add Kalua or Bailey's. Oh yum!!

Remember: cooking with love will make up for any mistakes in the kitchen.... well maybe.

Happy cooking from Kitchencutie!

Are you Hungry?

Are you hungry? I bet not. I am one of millions, who have never missed a meal, but did you know that here in Texas we lead the nation with children who are hungry. 1 in 5 children live in households that are "food insecure". meaning they do not have access to adequate, nutritious meals on a regular basis. Research shows that hungry children have poorer mental health and overall health, miss more days of school, suffer greater rates of behavioral disorders and are less prepared to learn when they are in school. Summer is the hungriest season for children because school feeding programs end for the summer.

As I sit here planning my next meal I offer you a challenge. The next time you are at Kroger, or Safeway, pick up a few extra goodies for your local food pantry. Or better yet, when you have your next party, tell your guests that the price of their meal is at least one can food item. Such an easy way to give back to your communitty and help the hungry.

For more information check out http://feedingamerica.org and for my Texas friends go to http://ntfb.org


Thanks for listing,

Tarrragon and shrimp tea sandwiches

It has been awhile since I posted, but I am now back in the swing of things or should I say back in the kitchen.

Do you need a new idea for something to bring to a summer get together? Tired of making potato salad or those damn small tiny hotdogs in BBQ sauce? I have a tea sandwich for you that is so easy to make and so yummy! The will be gone in a flash!

I was looking through all my cookbooks and Martha spoke to me, she often does you know. Anyway I found this receipe using shrimp and Tarragon. Tarragon is a great herb with a very distinctive flavor. You have to be careful how you use it.

This will make about 2 dozen tea sandwiches.

24 slices of very thin white bread, I cut the crust off but you don't have too.
1 small bunch of baby lettuce, torn into small pieces
1 pound of medium shrimp cooked, cooled and devein
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 cup Mayo plus 3 tablespoons
2 tablespoons Dijon mujstard
1/4 fresh finely chopped tarragon. It must be fresh!
Freshly ground black pepper

I doubled the mayo recipe because I wanted to be sure there was enough for spreading on both sides of the bread and there is nothing worse than a dry sandwich. If you have any left over, great! Use it on any sandwich!

In your food processor, combine the 1/4 cup mayo, mustard and Tarragon. Process until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and place in refrigerate until ready to use. You do not have to use the food procesor. I do this my hand. Mayo will be somewhat green if you use the food processer not so much when done by hand.

When shrimp are cooled, cut in small 1/4 size pieces and toss in bowl with the 3 tablespoons of the reserved mayo. If you feel this is not moist enough add a bit more mayo.

Spread 12 of the bread slices with the mayo then top with shrimp mixture. Add lettuce, spread more mayo on the other 12 slices and place on top. Cut on the diagonal. Enjoy.


I have made this with Salmon as well. I used fresh dill with this one.

You can also use this as a luncheon salad. Spoon the shrimp mixture on a bed of baby lettuce, a few slices of nice tomatoes and serve with crackers or warm bread. Nice glass of wine and you are all set.

This delicious sandwich was found in Matha Stewart's Hors D'oeuvres Handbook. I use this book all the time!

Until next post, "Even burnt, if you cook with love it will taste good". Well maybe.

Peanut butter, pickles and toast Oh MY!

Traditions! Most of us have some type of family traditions, Sunday dinner at Grandma's house, Christmas eve to church, then back home to open just one gift.. yea right! We always seemed to open at least 5 or 6. Big spring cleaning which meant for me was washing the walls, cleaning out every drawer in the house. And we didn't forget the garage. I dreaded spring...

In my home we had a few food traditions as well. My grandmother, lived with us for a time and she loved, and I mean really loved onion sandwiches. She would take white bread and spread it with mayo and put slices of red onion on it. YUK! Never could do that. And of course we didn't get within 10 feet of her after she ate that.She also made a killer bread pudding. I am trying to find just the right recipe to recreate hers.

One of my mom's favorite sandwich was peanut butter on toast with crisp dill pickles. Now I know what you are thinking.... "Oh my Gawd! that is awful." Don't knock it till ya try it.

Sometimes we crave something different right? Don't you get tired of eating the same old oatmeal or ham sandwich? Sure you do. So here is something new and exciting to try. Give your taste buds a treat!

Take 2 slices of white bread and toast them. I am sure you can use your favorite bread but I like good old white.

When hot from the toaster, spread your favorite peanut butter on both pieces of toast. The peanut butter will melt so nice and yummy!

Next,slice a nice crisp dill pickle real thin. Pat it dry with a paper towel. Place pickle slices on one side of toast, yes, right on top of peanut butter. Place the other piece of toast on top and enjoy! As a kid my sandwich was always sliced in quarters. I still like to do that today. I guess I am still a kid at heart.

I prefer Clausens dill pickles. They are in the refrigerator section of your store. These pickles are really crisp and have a great crunch. I have tried this with bread and butter pickles but for some reason the sweetness of these pickles don't seem to go with the peanut butter. Each of us have different palate, so be brave and step outside the box, try something new and different.

Are you ready to start a new sandwich tradition? I hope so. Please give this a try and let me know what you think.

Have a great week and happy cooking!

Beef tenderloin,pistachio salad,twice baked potato cassrole

Christmas is over. The decorations are all put away and the house is back to normal. Humm normal.. what IS that?

I trust your Christmas was filled with love, laughter and of course good food! Santa was very nice to me this year, I was given a netbook. I am sooo connected to the Internet. My Iphone and now this cute little netbook. I love it! These are for me the good ole' days.

My Christmas meal this year was well received. Beef Tenderloin, twice baked potato casserole, green beans, and rolls. I can't forget Annie's pistachio salad and the made from scratch Coconut cake with fresh coconut. Thanks Bob.

Let me start with the small little booboo. I over proofed my rolls. They came out of the proofing drawer OK but then some of them sank before I got them into the oven. However they tasted good but looks pretty sad. We added butter and ate right passed the collapsed tops.

The tenderloin was excellent! I made an herb rub and let it marinate overnight. The herbs were fresh thyme,rosemary,parsley,marjoram and salt and pepper. I chopped all the fresh herbs and added olive oil to make a nice paste. I rubbed the paste all over the beef and wrapped in foil and placed in fridge over night. Next day I seared the beef on all sides on a very hot iron skillet until nice and brown.Cooked in a 350 oven until thermometer read 120 then let rest. This should be served med rare or rare.

If you search on foodtv.com, you can find the twice baked potato casserole. It is wonderful! (Emeril's recipe)We purchased the jumbo spuds at Costco. The recipe calls for 10 but we used 8. Don't throw the out the skins. They make fantastic potato skins the next day with the left over potato cassrole!

Each year Annie makes her Pistachio salad and it is the best. I hope you like it as much as my family does.

1 8oz tub of coolwhip
1 16 oz small curd cottage cheese
1 20oz can crushed pineapple
1 pkg instant pistachio pudding and pie filling


Fold in ingredients in order as given GENTLY BUT not the pudding. After all ingredients are folded together, sprinkle the pudding over the mixture
and fold gently again.

May 2010 bring you more love in your heart, a smile on your face for strangers, and success in your chosen profession.

This is Kitchencutie saying: Happy New year and keeping cooking with a heaping cup of love!

Chicken Salad

I love chicken! You can do so much with a nice roasted chicken. Salads, sandwich, pot pies... etc. Such a versatile little critter!


The roasted chicken is my best friend when it comes to chicken salad. I find that the dark meat adds nice flavor to the salad along with the nice seasoned skin.

Many years ago I had some roasted chicken left so I started cutting up the white meat but thought, hum why not throw in the dark meat as well. It was a big hit. So here is my recipe for chicken salad.

Bread of some type or just place this on a nice bed of butter lettuce and serve with some crusty french bread. Sourdough is my fav!

1 roasted chicken cut up in medium dice. I love the chickens at Costco

2 med stalks of celery finely chopped

1 med/small purple onions. If red onion is too strong for you try green/spring onions.

1 nice firm pear small dice. You do not have to add this or you can try a nice apple.

Some pickled Jalapenos You decide how spicy you want. I like just a few to give the salad a slight kick.

Salt and pepper to taste

Mayo not that light stuff either.

Place all all ingredients in bowl and add mayo a little at a time. Add the Jalapenos a bit at a time as well. Fold all together and taste. Add salt and pepper as needed. Let salad sit in fridge for about an hour so all the flavor come together.

Remember you can always add more of each ingredient, but you can't take away. So go light on the Jalapenos and onions at first then taste later.

If you want to really spice it up you can use fresh Jalapenos.


Hope you give this a try. I also make a version of this recipe but do not add Jalapenos, instead I add Thyme or Rosemary. I somnetimes add pear or apple sometimes not. It depends how the kitchen spirit is talking to me.


Until next time this is Kitchen Cutie saying, "Don't just cook, add a heaping cup of love to everything you make"

My comfort food

There are times in our life when we need a little comforting. And food, for some of us, is very comforting!



When I was a very young girl, I was sick and wasn't eating very much. My mother came up with this "Egg in a Bowl" meal. I loved it! And to this day it is one of my comfort meals.



The "Egg in a bowl" is good anytime! I have put a twist on it since my mom made it for me, but it is still one of my favoriate comfort meals and it always makes me think of my mom.

1. Toast a piece of bread. Back in my day it was good ole' white Wonder bread. You can use wheat if you like.


2. Butter the toast and cut into square pieces and place in a bowl.


3. Soft boil one egg.


4. While the egg is cooking, fry two slices of bacon nice and crisp.


5. When the egg is done, break it into the bowl on top of the toast.


6. Crumble the bacon on top of the egg.

OMG! This is so good! Pour youself a nice cold glass of milk and call it a yummy!



My twist on the "Egg in a bowl" is a sandwich.

1. Toast two slices of bread.


2. Place a nice slice of Velvetta cheese on top of the toast. The cheese will begin to melt.


3. Fry 3 or 4 slices of bacon nice and crisp and when done place on top of the cheese. Ahhh yes the cheese will melt a bit more....


4. Place a fried egg on top of the bacon, slap the other piece of toast on top and there you have it! Your new comfort sandwich.

I like my egg "pokie" so that the yolk runs all over the bacon.



Until next time this is Kitchen Cutie saying, "Don't just cook, add a heaping cup of love to everything you cook."

Welcome to Kitchencutie's Kitchen

Well I have gone and done it! I decided to create a blog about food, cooking and other fun stuff.

I enjoy cooking and each Saturday I have been preparing a new recipe from one of my many cookbooks.

We are a culture of food. We Americans love to eat! Nothing brings friends and family together than a good meal and a glass of wine.

So I hope to bring to my friends, family and others, ideas I have in the kitchen along with other pearls of wisdom about life and such.

Recipes coming soon.