Thursday, July 30, 2015

Five Minute Fudge

This is going to be the quickest recipe I ever give you...It only has three ingredients in it...Check it out..


To make this super easy, 5-minute fudge, melt 1 12-ounce bag of chocolate chips, 1 can of condensed milk and 1/4 cup sugar in the microwave for 3 minutes. Mix well until fully melted and smooth, then pour out onto a baking sheet. Chill overnight, then cut into squares the next day.

That's it...

Enjoy...Eat Well My friends!

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Soloman's Salsibury Steak with Mushrooms and Wine


Soloman Foster, the randy or should I saw former randy attorney in my Escapades blog recently shared with his friends...his recipe for making Salsibury Steak with Mushrooms and wine...

Soloman Foster, who was at one time quite the ladies man also knew his way around a kitchen...And this was one of his specialties...

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 pound ground beef (75% - 80% lean)
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder; divided
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • Salt; to taste
  • 2 tbs tomato juice
  • 4 tbs Worcestershire Sauce; divided
  • 1 medium onion; half diced and half sliced
  • 1 package mushrooms ; fresh sliced (about 8-oz)
  • 3 tbs butter or margarine
  • 2 tbs burgundy wine ; (up to 3)
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 14.5-oz can beef gravy

  • DIRECTIONS:
    1.Combine ground beef, 1 tsp. garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, tomato juice, 2 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce, and diced onion; mix well (don’t overwork the meat mixture). Shape mixture into four ¼- ½-inch thick oval patties.

    2. Heat large heavy non-stick skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until hot (if pan is not heavy, use medium heat.)

    3. Place patties into skillet as they are formed; cook 3 minutes per side or until browned. Transfer to plate. Pour off drippings.

    4. Melt butter in skillet; add mushrooms. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Add the burgundy, and the remaining Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder; cook one minute. Add sliced onions and gravy; mix well.

    5. Return patties to skillet covering with gravy; simmer uncovered over medium heat 2 minutes for medium or until desired doneness, turning meat and stirring sauce.

    Soloman suggests a nice red wine with this....

    Enjoy!

    Eat Well My Friends!


    Tuesday, July 28, 2015

    Sautéed Chicken, Mushroom and Pea Penne Pasta

    Here is an insanely easy summer dinner idea for you....Especially if you want to fix something without turning on that hot oven...

    INGREDIENTS:
         12 oz. penne pasta
  • 1 c. fresh or frozen peas
  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-in. strips
  • kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • 8 oz. cremini or button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
  • 3 oz. grated Parmesan, plus additional for serving.

  •  
    DIRECTIONS:

    1. Cook penne according to package directions. One minute before the pasta is finished cooking, add peas. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain pasta and peas and return to pot.
    2. Meanwhile, cook chicken. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, turning once, until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
    3. Return skillet to medium-high heat and heat remaining tablespoon of oil. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.
    4. Add chicken, mushrooms, Parmesan, and ½ cup pasta water to pasta and toss to combine. (Add more water to achieve desired consistency, if necessary.) Serve immediately.
    Enjoy with some Ice Tea...


    Enjoy...Eat Well My Friends!

    Monday, July 27, 2015

    Baked French Toast

    Just when you thought there wasn't a new way to fix French Toast ,here is one...Special Thank you to my co-worker's mom-Carol Romani of Philadelphia PA...

    INGREDIENTS:
    1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
    1 cup brown sugar
    1 loaf of thickly sliced bread...
    4 eggs
    1 1/2 cup milk
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    Powdered sugar for sprinkling
    Cinnamon for sprinkling


    DIRECTIONS:
    1. Melt butter in microwave & add brown sugar....stir till mixed.
    2. Pour butter/sugar mix into bottom of 9 x 13 pan....spread around.
    3. Beat eggs, milk, & vanilla
    4. Lay single slices of bread in pan
    5. Spoon 1/2 of egg mixture on bread layer
    6. Sprinkle some cinnamon over bread/eggs
    7. Add 2nd layer of sliced bread
    8. Spoon on remaining egg mixture
    9. Cover & chill in fridge overnight
    10. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (covered for the first 30 minutes)
    11. Sprinkle with powdered sugar & cinnamon
    12. Serve with warm maple syrup


    There! Now what do you think of that? Simple Huh?

     As usual, have this with some pork (or beef) Sausage Links and some Milk to wash it all down..


    Enjoy! Eat well my friends!

    Tuesday, July 21, 2015

    Linguine With Buttery Corn

    It's Summer Folks...It's insanely hot...Here is an insanely cool dish to cook in the afternoon....

    Mix up a hot summer night with cool flavor bombs like buttery corn and tangy goat cheese.

    INGREDIENTS: 
    • 12 oz. linguine
    • kosher salt
    • 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
    • 1 bunch scallions, sliced, greens and whites separated
    • 1 Black pepper
    • 3 c. corn kernels (from about 3 ears)
    • 1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
    • 4 oz. soft goat cheese
    DIRECTIONS:
    1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain and return pasta to pot.
    2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add scallion whites and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until scallions are just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add corn, tossing to coat, and cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes more.
    3. Add pasta, ½ cup pasta water, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter to pan and toss to combine. Add additional water to loosen the sauce, if necessary. Fold in scallion greens and parsley. Serve dolloped with goat cheese and topped with more parsley.
    A nice cool Ice tea would go just right with this...

     Enjoy...Keep cool and eat well my friends..

    Monday, July 20, 2015

    Pancakes...Why Am I Talkin about Pancakes?

    Pancakes? Why Am I talking about Pancakes? And in July?  Well Why Not? It's only my favorite breakfast food of all..

    I'm not even talking about running wild with fruit toppings and flavors...I'm just talking about a basic recipe for Buttermilk Pancakes..

    INGREDIENTS:

     2 cups all-purpose flour
    1/4 cup granulated sugar
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    2 eggs
    2 cups buttermilk
    1/2 cup salted butter, melted and cooled slightly
    Clarified butter or high-heat vegetable oil, for cooking.

    DIRECTIONS: 

    1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
    2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Whisk in buttermilk and melted butter. Stir flour mixture into buttermilk mixture until just combined (lumps are OK).
    3. Heat the oven to 200°F and place an oven-safe plate or baking dish inside. Heat a large, nonstick skillet on the stove top over medium heat. Melt 1/4 teaspoon of butter on skillet. Dollop 1/2 cup batter onto skillet; depending on the size of the skillet, it may fit 2-3 pancakes. Cook pancakes until bubbles rise to the surface and pop, about 2 minutes. Carefully flip pancakes and cook another 2 minutes.
    4. Transfer cooked pancakes to plate in the oven. Cover with foil. Repeat with more butter and remaining batter, until all pancakes are cooked.
    Have with Sausage Patties-

     And of course a glass of cold milk...
     Enjoy!....Eat Well My Friends!

    Monday, July 13, 2015

    Glass Noodle Salad

    Glass Noodle Salad....I know...sounds weird...but it's actually quite good.....

    Check out the recipe-

    INGREDIENTS:

    • 400 g glass noodles
    • 150 g cherry tomatoes
    • 1 red onion, chopped
    • 2 limes
    • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • Salt
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • 3 ripe peaches
    • 200 g cooked shrimps, peeled
    • 1 bunch cilantro1 bunch garlic chives
    DIRECTIONS:

    • 1.Put the glass noodles into boiling water, bring to a boil again and drain through a sieve. Rinse with cold water, drain well and set aside in a large bowl.
    • 2.De seed the tomatoes and chop. Place into a bowl with chopped onion, salt and pepper. Chop the garlic chives and cilantro finely and add to the bowl.
    • 3.Cut the limes in half, squeeze a little juice and add to the salsa, stir well.
    • 4.Make a crosswise incision into the peaches' skin and plunge them into boiling water for a few seconds; the skin will remove easily afterwards. As soon as the skin starts to come off, place the peaches into iced water, so that they stop cooking.
    • 5.You can now easily tear off the skin with a small knife.
    • 6.Cut the peaches into small wedges. Add to the glass noodles, together with the shrimps and the cold tomato salsa. Chill in the refrigerator for half an hour to marinate, then arrange to serve. Garnish with a few cilantro leaves.


      Enjoy! Eat well my friends!

      Saturday, July 4, 2015

      Olivia's Red, White and Blue Cake

      Happy Fourth of July folks....Here is a very patriotic cake baked by Attorney Olivia Bennet-Alexander, my legal eagle charactor from my blog Escapades...

       When it comes to ice cream cakes, there are no hard-and-fast rules as to what form they can take. Some consist solely of ice cream molded and then decorated to resemble a cake.

      Here is Olivia's recipe-

      INGREDIENTS: 
      • Cake:
      • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
      • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
      • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
      • 1/4 teaspoon salt
      • 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
      • 1 cup sugar
      • 2 large eggs, warmed in their shells in warm water for 5 minutes
      • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
      • 1/2 cup sour cream
      • Blueberry filling:
      • 12 ounces (2 1/4 cups) fresh blueberries
      • 1/3 cup sugar
      • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
      • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
      • 1 teaspoon water
      • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
      • Raspberry filling:
      • 12 ounces (3 cups) fresh raspberries
      • 1/3 cup sugar
      • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
      • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
      • 1 teaspoon water
      • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
      • Ice cream filling:
      • 1 1/2 quarts vanilla ice cream
      • Frosting:
      • 1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream
      • 1/3 cup confectioners sugar
      • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
      • Garnish:
      • 1 cup mixed fresh blueberries and raspberries
      • fresh raspberries
      DIRECTIONS:


      • Heat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Invert bottom of springform pan (to make it easier to slide cake off bottom) and lock on side. Butter pan and line bottom with a round of parchment or wax paper. Butter paper, then dust paper with additional flour, knocking out excess.
      • Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.
      • In a separate bowl, beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer (fitted with paddle attachment if using a stand mixer) at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add in warmed eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla.
         
        • Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture in 3 batches alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour and mixing until batter is smooth. Spoon batter into springform pan, spreading evenly.
        • 5Bake cake until it begins to pull away from side of pan and a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then carefully run a thin knife around edge of cake and remove side of pan. Invert cake onto rack, then remove bottom of pan and carefully peel off paper. Let cake cool completely.
        • 6Combine all ingredients except water and cornstarch in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and briskly simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir water into cornstarch in a small bowl, then stir into blueberry filling and gently boil, stirring, 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and chill, uncovered, until cold.
           
           Combine all ingredients except water and cornstarch in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and briskly simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 1/4 cups, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir water into cornstarch in a small bowl, then stir into raspberry filling and gently boil, stirring, 1 minute. Force filling through a large fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, scraping bottom of sieve to release pulp into bowl. Discard solids in sieve. Chill filling, uncovered, until cold.
           
          Cut cooled cake horizontally into 3 even layers with a long serrated knife. Line 9-inch springform pan with 2 overlapping sheets of plastic wrap, letting excess hang over edge. Put bottom layer, cut side up, in pan. Spread cold blueberry filling over cake using offset spatula, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edge, then freeze until firm, about 20 minutes. 
           
           Slightly soften ice cream in microwave, then scoop half of it, preferably in thin curls that you can lay over blueberry layer, and gently spread it evenly to edge of cake. Return remaining ice cream to freezer. Put middle cake layer on top of ice cream, gently pressing it down, and spread cold raspberry filling over cake, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edge. Freeze cake until raspberry layer is firm, about 30 minutes.
           
           
          • Slightly soften remaining ice cream, if necessary, and spread in same manner evenly over raspberry filling to edge of cake. Put remaining cake layer on top of ice cream, cut side down, and gently press it down, then freeze cake, well wrapped in plastic, until very firm, 4 to 6 hours.
          • Beat heavy cream with confectioners' sugar and vanilla in a large deep bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks.
          • Remove side and bottom of springform pan and peel plastic from cake. Set cake on a serving plate that will fit in the freezer. Spread some of whipped cream in a thin layer around side and top of cake and freeze cake until cream is
            • firm, about 30 minutes (meanwhile, keep remaining whipped cream cold in refrigerator).
            • 13Frost cake with remaining cream, leaving swirls in cream on top to help hold berries. Freeze until very firm, at least 30 minutes. 
               
              To serve, transfer cake to refrigerator to soften, 30 minutes to 1 hour, and garnish with berries. 
               
              This was pretty long I know...but attorneys are often loquacious aren't they?
               
              Happy 4th Everybody!
               
           

      Wednesday, July 1, 2015

      Picatta Milanese



      One meat I don't talk about much is Veal....Veal is very good and here is a unique way to prepare it.

      INGREDIENTS:

    • 500 g veal cutlets (top round)
    • 100 g fresh parmesan
    • 40 g butter
    • 4 eggs
    • 4 T flour
    • 2 T Olive oil
    • A few fresh basil leaves
    • Salt
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • DIRECTIONS-

      Grate the parmesan and chop the basil leaves.


      Halve the veal cutlets.

      Season them with salt and pepper on both sides.

      Break the eggs into a soup plate and whisk with a fork. Likewise, place the parmesan and flour in two separate, shallow bowls.

      Dredge each veal cutlet first in the flour, then in the egg, and finally in the parmesan. Press the batter down lightly.

      Heat 2 T of clarified butter and olive oil in a coated pan and sauté the veal cutlets over low heat until golden brown. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.

      Tear the basil leaves into small pieces and add to the tomato sauce. Serve on plates with the sautéed veal cutlets. Spaghetti is a classic accompaniment to piccata Milanese.

      Enjoy with a nice red wine....

      Enjoy!  Eat and drink 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