Monday, March 31, 2014

Kale Greens with Swiss Chard,Ginger and Cumin


I have to have a recipe for at least one green vegatable...Green vegatables are good for you...I should eat more...I've decided ,I'm going to include at least one recipe a month that is of the green leafy kind...
This is this months...

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1/4 cup(s) vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoon(s) vegetable oil
  • Salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon(s) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon(s) minced fresh ginger
  • 2 jalapeƱos, minced
  • 3 pound(s) Swiss chard, rinsed, stems cut into 1/2-inch pieces, leaves cut
  • 1 teaspoon(s) cumin seeds&
DIRECTIONS :
 In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil. Add the cumin and cook over moderately high heat until slightly darkened, 10 seconds. Add the jalapeƱos and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in the chard leaves and stems with the water that clings to the leaves and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring, until the chard is tender, 12 minutes. Uncover and cook over high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated, 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, season the chard with salt, and serve.

Enjoy! Eat Healthy and Well My Friends!

Friday, March 28, 2014

Asian Marinated Flank Steak

Hi..it has been awhile since I posted here...But I am back.....And back with a new recipe...It’s difficult to beat the classic combination of honey and soy sauce when it comes to steak marinades. But if you throw in some garlic, ginger, scallions and a splash of balsamic vinegar, viola!!You’ve just whisked together the best-ever bath for your favorite cuts of beef.

INGREDIENTS:
1 ( 1 1/2- to 2-pound) flank steak
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 Tablespoons honey
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons minced fresh ginger
3 scallions, thinly sliced
Equipment: gallon size sealable plastic bag

DIRECTIONS:

Place the plastic bag in a large bowl and then add the soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and oil to the bag. Whisk in the honey, garlic, ginger and scallions. Add the steak to the bag, flipping it to coat it in the marinade, and then seal the plastic bag.

Place the steak in the fridge and marinate it overnight, or for a minimum of 10 hours.

When you're ready to cook, remove the steak from the fridge and preheat your cooking surface (you can use a grill or stovetop grill pan). Remove the steak from the marinade, discard the leftover liquid, and sear the steak on each side until it's cooked to your desired degree of doneness. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes and then slice it against the grain and serve.

Enjoy with a nice red wine-





Enjoy!  Eat well my friends!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Meatball Parm

With St. Patrick's day over...We can now go back to Italian Food...You know me..I love Pasta and anything with marinara sauce...So here is another unique dish from my friends at Foodie TV...
Meatball Parm...

INGREDIENTS:

 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 pkg. McCormick-Schilling Italian style spaghetti sauce mix
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 c. water

DIRECTIONS:  

Shape 1 1/2 pounds ground beef into 1-inch meatballs. Brown in skillet; drain fat. Combine 1 package Italian-style spaghetti sauce mix with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 1 can tomato paste and 1 1/2 cups water. Pour over meatballs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Serve over cooked spaghetti 
 Enjoy! Eat Well My friends!

Monday, March 17, 2014

Green Chocolate Chip Cookies (with Green Milk)



Happy St. Patricks Day....Just when you thought that I couldn't come up with anything unique and green for today....I came up with this....

Green Chocolate Chip Cookies and Green uh, Milk!

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of white sugar
1 cup softened butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 cups of white chocolate chips
6 drops of green food coloring

DIRECTIONS:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a large bowl, or Kitchen Aid, mix together your sugar, and butter. Add in each egg, and then the vanilla extract.
Add your dry ingredients, and then slowly fold in your chocolate chips.
Chill your dough so it is easier to work with, or prepare a well floured surface so the dough does not stick to your hands
Place small, rounded balls onto a greased baking sheet {yields 24 cookies}
Bake for 8 minutes
*Serve with a green glass of cold milk -to get your milk green add two drops of green food coloring*
I hope if you have kids that at least they will enjoy these St. Patrick’s Day Dessert: “Green” White Chocolate Chip Cookies & Milk.

Enjoy!   I mean it...Enjoy!  Eat and drink well my friends..

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Irish Coffee



I don't imbibe like that (Well at least not anymore...)but in honor of St.Patty's day which is tomorrow...Here is a recipe for a good cup of Irish Coffee....I'll be setting next to you with a cup of regular coffee, to help you with your hangover after you fall off the bar stool!

INGREDIENTS:
  • cup(s) heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup(s) sugar
  • 3 cup(s) strong hot coffee
  • 4 ounce(s) Irish whiskey, such as Knappogue Castle
DIRECTIONS: 
 1.Whisk cream and sugar together in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Divide coffee and whiskey among 4 coffee cups, then top each with 1/2 cup whipped cream. Serve immediately. 

Enjoy!  Remember to drink wisely and responsablely!

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Green Velvet Silver Dollar Pancakes

Hi....It's been a long time since I've written a post here...Long for me...because I haven't written here in two weeks....

My charactor ,Jimmy Barlow (from Escapades) is not Irish, but he likes a good St. Patty's Day celebration...In honor of that , his girlfriend, sexy Detective Angie Belton fixed him some Green Velvet Silver Dollar Pancakes when he came over to her house...just a little under the weather...
She was only too happy to share this recipe with us....( I know...these shameless plugs for my other blog have got to stop-)

INGREDIENTS:

Pancakes
  • 1 cup(s) plain or buttermilk pancake mix
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup(s) milk
  • 3 tablespoon(s) butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon(s) granulated sugar
  • Green food coloring, for tinting
Topping
  • 4 tablespoon(s) cream cheese, softened
  • 3 tablespoon(s) confectioners' sugar
  • 2 tablespoon(s) milk
  • 1 cup(s) Lucky Charms (cereal and marshmallow bits)
  • DIRECTIONS:

    1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Place cookie sheet in oven.
    2. Make pancakes: In large bowl, whisk pancake milk, egg, milk, butter, granulated sugar, and green food coloring until combined with a few lumps.
    3. Lightly grease a griddle or 12-inch, nonstick skillet; heat on medium heat until very hot.
    4. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of batter onto hot griddle. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until cooked through, flipping once. Transfer to cookie sheet in the oven to keep warm.
    5. Make topping: In medium bowl, with hand-mixer on medium, beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and milk until smooth.
    6. Serve silver dollar pancakes topped with cream cheese glaze and Lucky Charms.
Don't Sweat the TIPS & TECHNIQUES-
Note: To make this recipe even faster, prepare your favorite pancake mix (tinted green) as the label directs and serve with the cream cheese glaze.

Enjoy!  Eat Well My friends! 

Saturday, March 1, 2014

Salted Caramel Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Wow! Salted Caramel Pineapple Upside Down Cake....Wowzers as my charactor from my blog, Escapades, Attorney Olivia Bennett-Alexander would say...
I got it on good word that Livy recently baked this cake for her new hubby, Private Investigator, Donnie Ray Alexander...

This was her recipe-

(I know, shameless plug for my other blog....Sorry,I can't help it...)

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 cup(s) dark-brown sugar
  • 2 stick(s) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 tablespoon(s) dark rum
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
  • 1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon(s) baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup(s) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon(s) vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup(s) whole milk
1 medium pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into rings; 1 ring cut into chunks

DIRECTIONS :
  1. Coat a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray and set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat brown sugar and 1 stick butter, whisking occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook until caramel thickens and turns a deep brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in rum and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour caramel into prepared cake pan and swirl around to coat. Set aside and let cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, remaining salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium, beat together granulated sugar and remaining butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla; beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in half the dry-ingredient mixture and 1/4 cup milk. Repeat with remaining dry-ingredient mixture and milk.
  3. Arrange pineapple rings atop caramel in cake pan. Fill in spaces between rings with pineapple chunks. Carefully pour batter over pineapple and smooth, using a rubber spatula.
  4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake; invert onto a large serving plate.
  5. Don't Sweat the TIPS & TECHNIQUES-
    Tip: Reduce the batter's butter to 1/3 cup and the granulated sugar to 3/4 cup, then add 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce. You'll save 4 grams of fat and 54 calories per serving.

    I'm sure you'll enjoy this as much as Olivia and Donnie Ray...

    Enjoy! Eat Well My Friends!

Food Safety Tips
Protect yourself against food-borne illnesses.


1. Use a "refrigerator thermometer" to keep your food stored at a safe temperature (below 40 degrees fahrenheit).

Cold temperatures slow the growth of bacteria. Ensuring that your refrigerator temperature stays at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder is one of the most effective ways to reduce your risk of food-borne illness. You can buy a refrigerator/freezer thermometer at appliance stories, home centers (i.e. Home Depot), and kitchen stores including online ones, such as Cooking.com.

2. Defrost food in the refrigerator, the microwave, or in cold water... never on the counter!

Perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter for longer than two hours because, while the center of the food may remain frozen, the outer surface may enter the Danger Zone, the range of temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees fahrenheit, in which bacteria multiply rapidly. If you’re short on time, use the microwave or you can thaw meat and poultry in airtight packaging in cold water. Change the water every half-hour so it stays cold and use the thawed food immediately.

3. Always use separate cutting boards for raw meat/poultry/fish and cooked foods/fresh produce.

Bacteria from uncooked meat, poultry, and fish can contaminate cooked foods and fresh produce. An important way to reduce this risk is to use separate cutting boards for raw meat/poultry/ fish, and cooked foods/fresh produce.

4. Always cook meat to proper temperatures, using a calibrated instant-read thermometer to make sure.

One effective way to prevent illness is to use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat, poultry, and egg dishes. The USDA Recommended Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures are as follows:

* Beef, veal, and lamb (steaks and roasts), fish - 145 degrees fahrenheit

* Pork and ground beef - 160 degrees fahrenheit

* Poultry - 165 degrees fahrenheit.

Cook meats like roasts and steaks to lower temperatures, closer to medium-rare, so that they retain their moisture. It is recommended that those who are at high risk for developing food-borne illness (i.e. pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, young children, older adults, people with weakened immune systems, or certain chronic illnesses) should follow the USDA guidelines.

5. Avoid unpasteurized/raw milk and cheeses made from unpasteurized milk that are aged less than 60 days.

Raw milk is milk from cows, sheep, or goats that has not been pasteurized (heated to a very high temperature for a specific length of time) to kill harmful bacteria that may be present. These bacteria, which include salmonella, E. coli and listeria, can cause serious illness and sometimes even death. The bacteria in raw milk can be especially dangerous to pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses. Raw milk cheeses aged 60 days or longer are okay, since the salt and acidity of the cheese-making process make for a hostile environment to pathogens.

6. Never eat "runny" eggs or foods, such as cookie dough, that contain raw eggs.

Even eggs that have clean, intact shells may be contaminated with salmonella, so it’s important to cook eggs thoroughly until both the yolk and the white are firm. Casseroles and other dishes containing eggs should be cooked to 160 degrees fahrenheit and you can use an instant-read food thermometer to check. Eggs should always be cooked fully and those who are at high risk for developing foodborne illness (pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems or certain chronic illnesses should follow the USDA guidelines. If you can’t resist runny eggs or sampling cookie batter, use pasteurized eggs. They’re found near other eggs in large supermarkets.

7. Always wash your hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds before handling food and after touching raw meat, poultry, or eggs.

You can pick up a lot of bacteria out in the world, so it’s important to always wash your hands before you eat or prepare food. You should also wash your hands after touching any uncooked meat, poultry, fish, or eggs, as the bacteria from these foods can contaminate cooked foods and fresh produce. Use soap and warm water and wash thoroughly for at least 20 seconds.

8. Always heat leftover foods to 165 degrees fahrenheit.

The USDA recommends heating all cooked leftovers to 165 degrees fahrenheit in order to kill all potentially dangerous bacteria.

9. Never eat meat, poultry, eggs, or sliced fresh fruits and vegetables that have been left out for more than two hours or more than one hour in temperatures hotter than 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you leave perishable foods out of the refrigerator or freezer for more than two hours they may enter the Danger Zone—the unsafe temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, in which bacteria multiply rapidly.

10. Whenever there’s a food recall, check products stored at home to make sure they are safe.

You should discard any food that’s been recalled because it’s associated with the outbreak of a food-borne illness. But, according to a survey conducted by Rutgers University during the fall of 2008, only about 60% of Americans search their homes for foods that have been recalled because of contamination. For more information on food recalls, visit the website Recalls.gov






Cavier & Vodka
Courtesy of The Lady (Bug) of the Household