Caramel apple dip

Fall is finally here, which means apple season. I get overly excited when I see those bags of cute little honey crisp apples at the market. This is a painfully simple and addictive recipe.

1/2 bag caramels unwrapped
1/4 c water
1 package full fat cream cheese softened
1/2 c brown sugar
1 t vanilla

Nuke the caramels and water in the microwave for two minutes.
Whisk the cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth, fold in the melted caramel and vanilla. If you want to spice it up try adding a pinch of pie spice. Serve with apples and Graham crackers. This stores great in the fridge and can be served at any temp.  Whatever you do, do not attempt to make this with low fat cream cheese.

Cheddar Beer Fondue

I found this recipe in a fondue cookbook and it sounded yummy.  I had test it out before I made it for friends, just in case.  I realized a little to late that it makes enough cheese for about 6 hungry people.  I have a fondue pot but its tiny.  I just made this in a pan and poured it into heavy sangria glasses so the fiance and I would each have our own, and they would stay warm.  The hardest part is slicing all of the yummy things you would like to dip in your cheese.

11/2 c dark beer (a bottle is perfect)
2 cloves minced garlic
16 oz cheddar a mix of sharp and regular
2 T cornstarch
1t dijon mustard

Dipping things: soft pretzels, apples, mushrooms, potatoes, kielbasa, etc..

Slice all of the yummy dippers and put on a cute platter or in individual bowls.  Boil small potatoes and saute whole mushrooms in butter until caramelized.  If using kielbasa or veggie chorizo, mmm, saute until warm and colorful and use the flavor in the bottom of your pan to start the fondue.

If you cooked sausage or soysage take out of the pan and mince two cloves of garlic into a T of oil.  Only cook for a second then add 1 bottle of beer.  In a large ziplock toss shredded cheese with cornstarch.  When the beer comes to a simmer add cheese a large handful at a time, whisk until gooey.  Stir in mustard.  Serve, it will be super gooey and run down your chin at first as it cools it becomes easier to eat.

This recipe could easily be changed for different occasions, mexican beer and cheese with chilies and hot sauce would be yummy for cinco de mayo.  White wine, fontina, and pesto would be great for girls night.  Any excuse to eat a huge bowl of  cheese is a good one.

Ina's Toffee

I was cleaning this morning and found an old journal under nightstand stuffed with little pieces of paper.  Many of them were names of restaurants and bars I was supposed to try and never did.  On of them contained this recipe.  I needed a sweet fix and had most of the ingredients on hand, unusually the only thing I was missing is butter and sugar.  My weekly couponing trip fixed that.  These are incredibly easy and delicious but messy.

1c slice almonds
1c toasted pecans
1c unsalted butter sliced
1c sugar
5oz dark choc
4oz milk choc

Butter a 9 by 13 by 2 baking dish
In a food processor, I used my mini prep, pulse almonds to a powder and set aside.  Pulse pecans just to coarsely chop.  Add butter to a Large sauce pan over low heat.  When 1/2 melted add sugar and 1T water stir very gently until combined.  Raise heat to med/hi and insert candy thermometer.  Heat to 300 degrees about 15 min, this will smell amazing but do not taste.  It will start to brown swirl the pan carefully but do not stir.  While waiting chop the chocolates and mix together.  Remove the pan from heat, stir in pecans, pour into a baking dish.  Wait 1 minute and then top with chocolates.  Wait 3 minutes and spread now melted chocolate.  Top with almond powder and freeze for 30 minutes.  If you are like me and things fall out of the freezer when you open the door, stick it in the fridge for a few hours.  Break apart with a knife and store at room temp for up to 5 days. Share with others, don't be greedy.

BBQ Sidedish

Happy 4th of July.  For everyone needing something impressive to bring along to a friends BBQ, this is one of my favorite.  It's not exactly all American but if you are like me and treat every holiday like Mardi Gras it's perfect.

Mediterranean Orzo

1/2 lb orzo al dente

A good swirl of Olive oil
1 med red onion chopped
2 large cloves garlic minced
1 can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
2 zucchini
2 yellow squash
Large handful of mint and parsley chopped
juice of 1 lemon
2c cooked orzo

In a huge shallow pan saute the onion in oil for a minute or so over medium high heat, however long it takes you to chop the garlic.  Add the garlic and drained garbanzo beans ( I usually forget the beans and end up putting them in later, don't do this it isn't near as creamy.)  If you hate garbanzo beans Sorry.  I love them and they are good for you.  Suck it up.  At this point I use my mandolin to slice the zucchini and squash straight into the saute pan. I like them barely cooked. Immediately drain the orzo and stir it in along with the lemon s/p and chopped herbs.  I know the mint sounds odd but trust me it is delicious, and it makes up for the garlic breath.  This is great at any temperature, and the longer it sits the better the flavor.  A small warning though after 3 days the onions start to turn everything purple.  If you have the option grilling the vegetables before tossing with the other ingredients, it would make this extra delicious.  Enjoy.

Risotto

I have been burned ordering risotto in more than one restaurant and being served a greasy bowl of goo.  I have made instant boxed risotto and it ended up dry goo.  Recently with a surplus of baby bellas on hand I decided to give this dish the treatment it deserves and make it the old fashioned way.  I started with a minced onion, loads of mushrooms(1c), garlic(2cloves), 1/4c butter, and olive oil.  Everybody in the pool for a few (2-3)minutes then 2c of risotto went in.  In another pot I had warmed 7c veggie stock.  For 20 minutes I stood in my kitchen ladling stock 1/2c at a time. Stirring away with a big wooden spoon.  Before it was mush and after it was no longer crunchy I stirred in some more butter and parm.  I also learned that unless you are serving 6, 2c risotto and 4c stock makes more than enough for leftovers.  Holy adult mac n chz, this stuff is delicious.  If you have never had the good stuff you have to try it.

Less than a week later I wasn't feeling so hot and this is one of my new comfort foods.  This time caramelized onions and garlic started it, and shrimp with asiago ended it.  Amazing.
If you want to get creative, although slightly offensive to the Italians, you can add poblano peppers instead of mushrooms and mexican cheese instead of parm. Shrimp optional.

Jamaican Fritters

I recently went on a cruise and unlike most people didn't really care for the food.  I did find these Jamaican fritters (told you everyone has a donut) very delightful.  After some research Voila.

Ingredients

1. 1 cup all-purpose flour
2. 1/2 cup cornmeal
3. 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
4. 3/4 teaspoon salt
5. 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
6. 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
7. 3/4 cup water
8. 1 teaspoon vanilla
9. 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the water, vanilla, and the 2 teaspoons of oil and stir gently with a wooden spoon until thoroughly blended. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 inch of oil to 350°. Using well-oiled hands, roll tablespoon-size pieces of the dough about 3 inches long, then flatten them slightly and drop into the hot oil. If the dough sticks to your hands, just peel it off; don't worry about the shape. Fry 3 or 4 fritters at a time until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to a rack set over a baking sheet to drain. Adjust the heat if necessary to maintain 350°. Serve immediately.

Swedish Visiting Cake

A co-worker recently passed along a fabulous recipe for Swedish visiting cake.  The idea is that when company shows up you can have the batter mixed up and in the oven before they get to your door.  25 minutes later it comes out of your oven and your house smells amazing.  My favorite thing about this recipe is that I always have all of the ingredients on hand. This recipe is by Dorrie Greenspan and is best eaten warm, which is not a problem because you will stand over the pan trying desperately not to eat it all.

1 cup sugar (plus more more sprinkling on top right before baking)
grated zest of one lemon
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup flour
1 stick melted butter, cooled
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the to 350F.  Butter a seasoned 9-inch cast-iron skillet or other heavy ovenproof skillet, a 9-inch cake pan or even a pie pan.

Pour the sugar into a medium bowl.  Add the lemon zest and blend together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and aromatic.  Whisk in the eggs in one at a time until well blended.  Whisk in the salt and the extracts.  Switch to a rubber spatula and stir in the flour.  Finally, fold in the melted butter.

Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.  Scatter the sliced almonds over the top and sprinkle with a little sugar.  If you're using a cake or pie pan, place the pan on a baking sheet.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it is golden and a little crisp on the outside; the inside will remain moist.  Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes, then run a thin knife around the sides and bottom of the cake to loosen it.  You can serve the cake warm or cooled, directly from the skillet or turned out onto a serving plate. Don't forget you made it for your visitors, share.

Hummus Is Yummus

In my precruise effort to slim down I decided a vat of hummus was necessary.  Grocery store hummus is overpriced and kind of like canned soup, why buy it when homemade is so good.

2 cans of garbanzo beans
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic Pressed
1 T Harrisa (my secret ingredient)
Paprika and Salt to taste

Put everything in the blender it makes it smoother than  the food processor, use the liquid from the garbanzo beans to thin it out.  If you like it spicy use more harrisa.  Eat with carrots, peppers or pita.  My favorite variation has some baba ganoushe blended in. I recently added 1/4c wing sauce, amazing.

Soup

I live in Florida where it's nice and cozy, but the thought of everyone north of me freezing brings on the soup cravings.  Soup is one of my favorite things to make because it's nearly impossible to screw up.  I have been trying to drop those few pounds I gained during the holidays so black bean soup seemed like a good hearty healthy choice.  Time to clean out the cupboards.
1 can FF vegetarian refried black beans
2 cans black beans drained and rinsed(organic ones aren't near as overcooked)
1 large onion
1 can rotell (tomatoes with chilies)
2c veggie or chx stock ( I use the veggie powder you shake with water)
1 lime

Saute the onion in a little olive oil, stir in some cumin, salt, paprika, hot sauce, and salsa verde if you have it.  When the onions are soft everybody else goes in the pool.  Simmer until the refried beans are melted and serve with plain yogurt for creaminess and cheese for yumminess.

Doughnuts

If you haven't heard Doughnuts are the new Cupcakes.  Every culture has some form of fried dough deliciousness.  Americans Donuts, Portuguese Malasadas, Arab Loukoumades, Mexican Sopapillas, French Croulers, Italian Ricotta.  I do not discriminate not even against the bags of fried biscuit dough the serve with Chinese takeout.  Today I caved and bought a donut (the easy way to spell it) baking sheet, seems healthier to bake them, and a donut cookbook.  I am so excited I could stay up all night baking and frying bits of dough.  The only problem is deciding which to make first, ricotta, red velvet, smore, banana bread, chocolate macaroon, or chai donuts.  I think I will sleep on it.  Pictures may come if I don't eat all the evidence.
doughnutcookbook.com

So I ate half of them before I took the picture.  I found a basic recipe online that used ingredients I had on hand, when done I dipped them in butter and cinn/sugar. Yummy

Favorite Things

My favorite foods to cook and of course Eat.

• Hummus is yummus, as is most middle eastern food
• Greek yogurt with mint and wild alaska salmon in any combination
• Real macaroni and cheese, lobster never hurts, I also love panko on top
• Potatoes, my potato salad cookbook is one of my favorites
• Coconut macaroons, coconut rice custard, coconut curry, coconut shrimp and onion rings, coconut coffee creamer, I like coconut
• Brie en cruet, I can make this a meal
• Portabello mushrooms with red and yellow peppers
• Tomatoes, roasted, grilled, fresh, fried green, I don't discriminate
• All fruits and veggies, when people say they don't like fruits or veggies I wonder what the heck do they eat.
• Croissants and Cheese sweet or savory are the two foods I could never live without

Health Advice

I obviously love food,  I also love being healthy.  People that know me well are intrigued that I can blabber on for hours about an amazing meal I once ate, yet repeat the same amount of health wisdom.  I love my life; I love my body.  It's all about balance.

A very short list of my health wisdom:

• If it comes in a box it isn't food
• Hydrogenated anything will stick to your insides like glue
• Fake sugar makes your body crave real sugar
• Farmed fish and factory meat should frighten even the to most careless
• Butter (cows) over Margarine (scientist) wins every time
• If you don't need it don't eat it

Food Porn

Vegetable Bouquet

Shrimp and Caramelized Onion Crepes

Smorgastarta



Disney's Jiko

Tart Case in Old Stockholm

Giant Prawns in Costa Rica

Hawaiian Shave Ice

Rainbow Roll, Kauai

Banana Caramel Walnut Pancakes

Soysage, Fried Eggs, Wheat Croissant

Glittery Cupcakes, Dublin

Christmas Crab

It is the eve of Christmas and we officially have made Christmas eve crab legs followed by Christmas morning crab Benedict a tradition.  The hard part is not eating all the crab.  Crab legs also happen to be easier than toast: warm in oven, throw down dishtowels, serve with melted butter and Hawaiian rolls.  I should disclose that I threw some shrimp, pineapple, and red pepper kabobs under the broiler for good measure.  If you are feeling the need for more slice a yellow pepper in half, give it a olive oil rub down, broil skin side up until slightly browning, flip and fill with shredded cheese, broil to melted gooey perfection. Bon Apetit