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Showing posts with label Cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cooking. Show all posts

15 October 2014

Thanksgiving: Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake


Photo provided by Betty Crocker  --  Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake will be a welcome treat any time during the holidays.



From Denny:  This is the perfect holiday table dessert!  It's so showy it's sure to impress.  Three layers of tasty goodness are the gingersnap cookie crust as it's sturdy foundation to hold the spiced pumpkin cheese layer that is marbled with a vanilla layer.

Like most big cheesecakes, this one should be baked in a springform pan, where the cake cools in the pan for several hours before you remove the sides of the pan.  If you have never used a springform pan, it's so easy it will make you laugh, definitely nothing to be intimidated about at all. 

Like any tasty cheesecake, this one is rich in calories too, so a small serving would be welcomed by most.  At a dinner party I like to cut a normal to small sized slice, placing it on one plate and then encourage couples to share so people don't have to feel guilty about busting their diet plan.  After all, the whole point of entertaining is for people to enjoy their tasty treats!...

Floral Blush Woven Blanket


Floral Blush: Enjoy wrapping up in Spring's first blush of azalea blooms to chase away the winter blues!

Visit Denny Lyon Gifts  @ CafePress.com  -  see what's new!  Currently giving proceeds to Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and St. Jude's Children's Hospital.


13 October 2014

Fall Recipe: Breakfast Or Dessert Enjoy Spiced Golden Apples

Advocate staff photo by HEATHER MCCLELLAND -- For an extra-special breakfast or dessert, offer Golden Spiced Apples warm from the oven.
Photo: Heather McClelland/2TheAdvocate.com


From Denny:  It's Autumn and time to enjoy cooking apple dishes!  What smells better than apples baking in the oven?  Talk about making the house smell good.  This is an easy dish to make for your family, one they will request often.  Our house prefers dark brown sugar in place of the usual white sugar, your choice, because both taste good.  Saigon cinnamon is quite an awesome choice too.  Found that at Whole Foods locally but I'm sure it's available at other stores in your area.  Just take the time to check.  Saigon cinnamon has more of the "cinnamon" taste and smell we all love, better than the generic cinnamon offered by most spice companies.  You will be familiar with it if you frequent coffee houses.

How much do you know about all the new varieties of apples?  Have you tried any of them?  Seems like there is always something new to explore at the grocery store.  Many of the new apples are crosses between two really outstanding varieties.  Hey, more is better, so why not!  Try picking up two new varieties on each grocery visit and then compare them for taste and texture. While there are over 100 apple varieties in the United States, we only see the best sellers at our grocery stores...


Geaux Wear Pink! Women's All Over Print T-Shirt

Help support breast cancer awareness and hope for the cure!

Also, please remember that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, keeping these women in your thoughts and prayers.  Here's my latest Denny Lyon Gifts design (at Cafe Press) to honor all the fabulous women and their supporters fighting this disease.

This design first started off as one of my photos of those favorite hot pink azalea blooms, in addition to many other filters, employing a kaleidoscope filter to create this abstract medallion effect. This design reminds me of how our beauty is always there, no matter what form it takes.  Of course, here in Louisiana, we take creative "French" license with English spellings. :)  The thought bubble is to remind others to support these women on their journey to wellness.  Lots of other styles of t-shirts and other products to enjoy too.  The link takes you to the page of all the products featuring this design.  Thanks for visiting!

11 October 2014

Easy Fall Recipe: Sauteed Red Cabbage With Apples


Advocate staff photo by HEATHER MCCLELLAND -- Now is the perfect time to try October Red Cabbage and Apple Sauté.
Photo: Heather McClelland @ 2TheAdvocate.com
From Denny:  Red cabbage is both a pretty color for the table and an easy vegetable to cook up quickly.  Red cabbage, like regular green cabbage, is great for your skin, an added health benefit!  Who wants wrinkles?  Dine regularly on chicken and cabbage and you sure won't need to bother with silly botox injections or face lifts.  We really are what we eat.  It helps when it tastes good too!

Now that many varieties of apples are in season you can enjoy your favorite apple paired with red cabbage.  All you do is first steam the cabbage. Then saute the apples with some onions in butter, adding the steamed cabbage.

Ahead of time I like to clarify the butter to remove the artery clogging milk fats and it also makes it easier to store at room temperature if you desire, once filtered of the milk fats.  I use a small tea strainer once it's cooled enough to go into a storage container.  I also prefer cooking with Vidalia sweet onions or red onions, sometimes called purple onions or Bermudas, but that's just my personal preference.  This recipe calls for yellow onions.  You decide what your family enjoys best.  Once the cabbage is just cooked through then stir in the cider vinegar and brown sugar mixture.

By the way, be sure not to use an iron skillet for this recipe as it tends to darken the cabbage and apples.  Yeah, it's the vinegar that creates that reaction.  (You could use an iron skillet that is coated with enamel so you wouldn't get that chemical reaction.)

Red Cabbage differs a bit from the common green cabbage.  How?  Well, the leaves are crunchier and the flavor a little bolder.  Some people cook down this cabbage until soft as it tends to get sweeter like in German cuisine.  It's really more healthy if you choose to saute it quickly or lightly steam it just until it's properly cooked through.  Again, it's all about your family's personal taste.  After all, the whole point of cooking is to enjoy the eating, right!? :)

Also, please remember that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, keeping these women in your thoughts and prayers.  Here's my latest Denny Lyon Gifts design (at Cafe Press) to honor all the fabulous women and their supporters fighting this disease.

This design first started off as one of my photos of those favorite hot pink azalea blooms, in addition to many other filters, employing a kaleidoscope filter to create this abstract medallion effect. This design reminds me of how our beauty is always there, no matter what form it takes.  Of course, here in Louisiana, we take creative "French" license with English spellings. :)  The thought bubble is to remind others to support these women on their journey to wellness.  Lots of other styles of t-shirts and other products to enjoy too.  The link takes you to the page of all the products featuring this design.  Thanks for visiting!


Geaux Wear Pink! Women's All Over Print T-Shirt

Help support breast cancer awareness and hope for the cure!



14 July 2012

Chef Recipe: Simple Tasty Coleslaw For Your BBQ

Cover of "Taming the Flame: Secrets for H...
Cover via Amazon

From Denny:  Looking for a new coleslaw recipe to impress the family and friends at your next barbecue?  This one is tasty as it includes both red and green cabbage which play off each other well both for color and taste.  The red cabbage is not as bitter as the green.  Carrots, red and yellow bell peppers help to sweeten the cabbage along with the mayonnaise.  The 1/4 cup sugar used looks like a lot but not in relationship to the 16 cups of cabbage.

Spices?  Lots of fresh herbs like Italian flat parsley, thyme, cilantro and basil.  Dry spices added are small amounts of cayenne pepper and cumin.  If you want to kick it up another notch to the salad dressing you could add some garlic powder and smokey paprika to your taste.

If you are visiting New York City be sure to pay this Texas barbecue restaurant a visit.  Just check out this menu for the yummy sides like favorites of mac 'n' cheese and collard greens, sweet potato bourbon mash, chili and corn pudding.  (Have the corn pudding recipe and will put up this one too.)

Apparently, you can buy their original barbecue sauce and habanero hot sauce off the site too.  They sell three cookbooks:

Taming the Flame: Secrets for Hot and Quick Grilling and Low and Slow BBQ
Soaked, Slathered and Seasoned: A Complete Guide to Flavoring Food for the Grill
Pizza on the Grill: 100 Fire-Roasted Recipes for Pizza and More

When I pull these recipes off mainstream network sites they never add all the interesting things about the restaurant or explore their sites like I would enjoy seeing.  So, you know I just had to google it and explore the site for us. :)

I Love Paris Reusable Shopping Bag


I Love Paris with chefs


11 March 2012

The Healing Waters: Why Losing Weight Is Difficult: Carb-Heavy Breakfast


obesity in U.S.


The Healing Waters: Why Losing Weight Is Difficult: Carb-Heavy Breakfast: From Denny:  Currently, there is a 36 percent national obesity rate.  For decades now, food manufacturers have outrageously manipulated the food supply by adding so many preservatives and excess sugars into products it has caused a national health epidemic.

Consumers are overwhelmed trying to find healthy food that is safe to consume and feed our families.
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10 March 2012

Romancing The Chocolate: Cookies: Almond Nuggets with Chocolate Drizzle




Romancing The Chocolate: Cookies: Almond Nuggets with Chocolate Drizzle: From Denny:  Chocolate and almonds are the ideal combination for a cookie.  This is basically a sugar cookie with sliced almonds that makes for a stiff dough.

It is a simple exercise of dropping the cookie dough onto the cookie sheet - so that makes it easy even for beginner bakers.  The chocolate comes in when you ice the cookie with bittersweet chocolate that has been melted together with real butter and almond extract.

What's amusing is how the recipe creator actually thinks these mere 24 cookies will last long enough to make it into a covered container.  Bring your friends! :)
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25 January 2012

Unusual 2 Tasty: Chocolate Pudding In The Raw


RAWvolution: Gourmet Living Cuisine


Unusual 2 Tasty: Chocolate Pudding In The Raw: From Denny: There are devoted fans of the raw food diet. While not everyone can partake of this lifestyle there are many recipes anyone can enjoy. This Raw Chocolate Pudding is one of them - and so easy and quick to make!

Who doesn't love the taste pairing of chocolate and coconut? An added bonus is that in place of refined sugar the recipe uses agave nectar which is far superior on the glucose meter for diabetes and others sensitive to sugar.

The raw food diet, and this very simple and quick version of chocolate pudding, may seem unusual but it sure is tasty!
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13 December 2011

Romancing The Chocolate: Cookies: Chocolate Bliss

Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Image via Wikipedia
Romancing The Chocolate: Cookies: Chocolate Bliss: From Denny: A melt-in-your-mouth cookie favorite. A local food writer received it from a friend in Nashville, Tennessee. "And she told two friends - and she told two friends..." :) This cookie has been making the rounds with chocolate foodies.

It's an easy recipe, fast enough to whip up for the holidays. Part of what makes this cookie so delectable is that half of the chocolate chips are melted and added to the batter along with the unmelted ones. It's like what chef Paul Prudhomme practiced with the concept of layering the same taste in a dish.
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01 December 2011

Romancing The Chocolate: Cookies: Mini-Chocolate Chip Dipped Shortbread Sticks

chocolate

Romancing The Chocolate: Cookies: Mini-Chocolate Chip Dipped Shortbread Sticks: From Denny: Do you like to bake shortbread cookies for the holidays? Here is a new twist - literally - on the idea. When you cut the dough into rectangles you twist them before baking, then dip in chocolate. How pretty is that for a holiday gathering?!

30 November 2011

Romancing The Chocolate: From Silver Palate Restaurant Sheila Lukins: Sticky Toffee Date Cake

Dates and Yogurt

Romancing The Chocolate: From Silver Palate Restaurant Sheila Lukins: Sticky Toffee Date Cake: From Denny: Dates are loved around the world. In the Middle East they are a traditional part of the culture, offered as a sign of hospitality. Dates are served with strong black coffee and sometimes yogurt to balance the intense sweetness.

We love them in America too, especially here in Louisiana, and we never miss a chance to check out a cake recipe featuring them. One beautiful characteristic of dates is that cakes like this freeze well and can be enjoyed months later.

This recipe is from a long time famous food writer, Sheila Lukins. Read on to find out about her many cookbooks she has authored as she has worked for Parade Magazine and co-founded the restaurant takeout shop at the Silver Palate Restaurant.
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29 November 2011

Appetizer: Berried Brie

wheels of brie


From Denny: Need a simple appetizer during the holiday season and you don't want to stand over it to practically hatch it? This is so simple you will fall over laughing!  It's so easy your children can make it for you.

All you need is a round of brie cheese, some canned cranberry sauce and fresh pecans.  Throw it into a slow cooker for a couple of hours over low heat and you have instant magic without a lot of fuss.  It will leave you time for wrapping all those gifts and giggling with the kids.

25 November 2011

Romancing The Chocolate: Black Raspberry Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

black raspberries

Romancing The Chocolate: Black Raspberry Chocolate Macadamia Cookies: From Denny: Who doesn't love raspberries for the holidays? This cookie is dripping with butter, chocolate goodness, black raspberry liqueur and chock full of macadamia nuts. Not a lot of sugar and flour either to make them.

It's a rich cookie - but easy to make - to impress your family and friends. Of course, that's if they ever get a chance to taste them! Beware of the kitchen cookie gremlins. They lurk in the most unexpected places. :)
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17 August 2011

Comfort Food From Louisiana: New Orleans The Bombay Club Pasta: Oyster and Tasso Fettuccini





The Bombay Club in New Orleans in the French Quarter

Comfort Food From Louisiana: New Orleans The Bombay Club Pasta: Oyster and Tasso Fettuccini: "The Bombay Club in New Orleans is a hot spot in the French Quarter, near Bourbon Street, well known and revered by the locals as well as tourists. It features Nouveau Creole cuisine, receiving many accolades in the food world."

10 August 2011

Comfort Food From Louisiana: Simple Appetizer From Chef Poppy Tooker: Andouille in Creole Mustard Cream Sauce


Comfort Food From Louisiana: Simple Appetizer From Chef Poppy Tooker: Andouille in Creole Mustard Cream Sauce: "From Denny: New Orleans food is known for its great tasting creative comfort food. It's also loaded with calories, usually from the sauces. This delectable appetizer qualifies for the High Calorie Club. But that's the beauty of Louisiana food as you can often choose to serve it in smaller portions to help reduce the calorie load while still enjoying great flavor!

Chef Poppy Tooker did just that. She sauced the andouille slices in heavy cream flavored with Creole mustard. If you can't find andouille sausage or Creole mustard in your area just substitute with your favorite sausage and a great deli mustard of full flavor."

08 August 2011

Comfort Food From Louisiana: Chef Recipe: Crab Calas with Remoulade Sauce



Comfort Food From Louisiana: Chef Recipe: Crab Calas with Remoulade Sauce: "From Denny:  Chef Poppy Tooker is a New Orleans icon, much loved and respected as she is interesting.  She is like a walking trivia foodie encyclopedia and she sure does relish telling the tall tales of Louisiana food and history.

Check out some of her latest trivia offerings and appearances to tantalize your mind as much as your tastebuds:

* Louisiana's Crystal Hot Sauce was used in WWI Army field rations. I'm a bigger fan of Louisiana Hot Sauce.  It's milder than Tabasco and less vinegar.  Goes great on eggs in the morning.

* Camellia red beans are the finest grade of red beans.  Camellia buys up all the Hayward (finest top grade) beans, leaving grades A and B for the rest of the country.  Hayward grade beans are named for the family that founded Camellia in New Orleans back in 1923.  They still own it today.

Can we ever imagine the Monday wash day without Camellia red beans?  Life might never have been the same in New Orleans.  Even Louis Armstrong might not have been known for his endearing signature statement, 'Red beans and ricely yours.'"

Easy Dessert: Blueberry Yum Yum Cake


From Denny: What could better describe a trip to Heaven than fresh blueberries, sugar, real butter and a creamy whipped filling for this delectable cake? A simple recipe that is as easy to make as it is to eat!

We love pecans at our house so you might enjoy sprinkling a few more chopped pecans on top of the blueberries for more crunch. There is nothing like the flavor of a toasted pecan.

After you put this cake together it goes into the fridge for chilling time, about an hour. Make it before you start dinner and it should be properly cool by the time everyone finishes dinner. Try not to cheat and choose the dessert as the first course!

22 March 2011

Readers Recipes: Apple Upside-Down Caramel Cake, Louises Birthday Cake

Caramel apple upside down cakeImage by Mrs J Park via Flickr
From Denny:  Upside-down cake is one of the first cakes I learned to make when I was a child.  They were so easy and even smelled good as you assembled them into the iron skillet which was our pan of choice.

This apple caramel cake is unusual in that it employs canned sweet potatoes too.  We love our sweet potatoes in Louisiana and eat them all year long, finding new ways to use them.  This is the first I've seen used in an upside-down cake.  Everyone knows that brown sugar and sweet potatoes are a natural and perfect taste combination!

The second recipe for an unusual birthday cake uses a spice cake mix and pumpkin pie filling.  That makes for a dense moist cake topped by cream cheese icing  - low fat cream cheese and low fat whipped topping, of course. :) To gild the lily the special cake is topped off with white chocolate bark.

02 March 2011

From Chef Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa: Roasted Turkey Roulade, Sweet Potato Fries

Barefoot Contessa CookbookImage via Wikipedia


From Denny:  Chef Ina Garten is best known as The Barefoot Contessa on her long-running cooking show. It was Martha Stewart who promoted her, propelling her into her own show after doing countless segments on Martha's show.

There is a link to this blog's Amazon book store where you purchase it at a reduced price:   Back to Basics

Included here are two recipes from her new book: Roasted Turkey Roulade and Baked Sweet Potato Fries. These book promotions are a food blogger's dream where they offer up new recipes we all can test drive. :)

Brandy, pork sausage and rosemary all combine for a flavor packed dish for the roasted turkey, great any time of year.  And sweet potatoes are a big hit here in south Louisiana where we grow them.  We enjoy them baked or roasted or fried like potato chips dusted with a little powdered sugar.  There are local Cajun restaurants that serve sweet potato chips as an appetizer while you are reading the menu.  It's little courtesies like those chips that keep diners coming back for more!

This is the Amazon book review promotion about her new cookbook to give you an idea of what is contained within the pages:

"Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics is the essential Ina Garten cookbook, focusing on the techniques behind her elegant food and easy entertaining style, and offering nearly a hundred brand-new recipes that will become trusted favorites.

"Ina Garten’s bestselling cookbooks have consistently provided accessible, subtly sophisticated recipes ranging from French classics made easy to delicious, simple home cooking. In Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, Ina truly breaks down her ideas on flavor, examining the ingredients and techniques that are the foundation of her easy, refined style.

"Here Ina covers the essentials, from ten ways to boost the flavors of your ingredients to ten things not to serve at a party, as well as professional tips that make successful baking, cooking, and entertaining a breeze. The recipes--crowd-pleasers like Lobster Corn Chowder, Tuscan Lemon Chicken, and Easy Sticky Buns--demonstrate Ina’s talent for transforming fresh, easy-to-find ingredients into elegant meals you can make without stress.

"For longtime fans, Ina delivers new insights into her simple techniques; for newcomers she provides a thorough master class on the basics of Barefoot Contessa cooking plus a Q&A section with answers to the questions people ask her all the time. With full-color photographs and invaluable cooking tips, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics is an essential addition to the cherished library of Barefoot Contessa cookbooks."




Chef Ina Garten is Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics






Roasted Turkey Roulade

Serves: 6 or 7

Ingredients:

3/4 cup large-diced dried figs, stems removed
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup Calvados or brandy
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups diced onions (2 onions)
1 cup (1/2-inch-diced) celery (3 stalks)
3/4 pound pork sausage, casings removed (sweet and hot mixed)
1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
3 cups Pepperidge Farm herb-seasoned stuffing mix
1-1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 extra-large egg, beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 whole (2 halves) turkey breast, boned and butterflied (5 pounds)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

Place the dried figs and cranberries in a small saucepan and pour in the Calvados and 1/2 cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage, crumbling it into small bits with a fork, and sauté, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, until cooked and browned. Add the figs and cranberries with the liquid, the chopped rosemary, and pine nuts, and cook for 2 more minutes. Scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon.

Place the stuffing mix in a large bowl. Add the sausage mixture, chicken stock, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir well. (The stuffing may be prepared ahead and stored in the refrigerator overnight.)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place a baking rack on a sheet pan.

Lay the butterflied turkey breast skin side down on a cutting board. Sprinkle the meat with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Spread the stuffing in a 1/2-inch-thick layer over the meat, leaving a half-inch border on all sides. Don’t mound the stuffing or the turkey will be difficult to roll. (Place the leftover stuffing in a buttered gratin dish and bake for the last 45 minutes of roasting alongside the turkey.) Starting at one end, roll the turkey like a jelly roll and tuck in any stuffing that tries to escape on the sides. Tie the roast firmly with kitchen twine every 2 inches to make a compact cylinder.

Place the stuffed turkey breast seam side down on the rack on the sheet pan. Brush with the melted butter, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and roast for 1-3/4 to 2 hours, until a thermometer reads 150 degrees in the center. (I test in a few places.) Cover the turkey with aluminum foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Carve 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve warm with the extra stuffing.




Baked Sweet Potato "Fries"

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Halve the sweet potatoes lengthwise and cut each half into 3 long spears. Place them on a sheet pan and toss with the olive oil. Spread the potatoes in one layer. Combine the brown sugar, salt, and pepper and sprinkle on the potatoes. Bake for 15 minutes and then turn with a spatula. Bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Sprinkle lightly with salt and serve hot.



*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

*** Check out Holiday Recipes From Dennys Food and Recipes

Romancing The Chocolate - chocolate recipes and more food
Comfort Food From Louisiana - Cajun, Creole, New Orleans and more comfort food
Unusual 2 Tasty - different twists on favorite foods, international food too
The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Best Spiritual Posts
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor
Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd - more crazy humor
Dennys Blog Feeds - what is posting on all the blogs at a glance
Dennys: News Politics Comedy Science Arts Food - an online newspaper
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01 March 2011

Valentines Day: Romantic Meal From Chef Ina Garten

Tree decorated for Valentine's Day in San Dieg...Image via Wikipedia
From Denny:  Chef Ina Garten shows The Today Show host,  Meredith Vieira,  how to cook up a tasty and romantic Valentine’s Day meal.  Why is it so many of my journalism sisters are often lacking in confidence  in the kitchen?  :) Chef Garten is undeterred and rocks on ahead teaching good basics anyone can learn quickly.  They neglected to put up the recipes for this video so watch and learn.

If you are an experienced cook, this advice from Ina might jog your mind to remember some dishes you haven't done in a while.  I always retread videos like this to jog my brain because it's so easy to get into a cooking rut.  Especially if you have a husband or children who keep wanting the same dishes week after week.  It's always good to break out and try a new twist on a family favorite or something entirely different.

 In the end, you are the best judge of what your family will eat.  Sometimes, it's the smallest changes that are best enjoyed by all! Take a look at what Chef Garten offers and see what you think!  Who said romantic had to only be for a couple, sometimes we can extend it to include the whole family. :)


Chef Ina Garten is Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics


Ina's Valentine's Day menu:


Roasted Red Snapper
Oven Roasted Vegetables
Coeur à la Crème with Raspberries


Red snapper or other substantial fish:  A simple sauce is made from creme fraiche (think of it like using mayonnaise as a base), Dijon mustard for some spicy heat, whole grain coarse ground mustard for some texture, salt and pepper, shallots finely diced, some vinegary capers.  Combine all together and pour over the fish in the roasting pan.  Place in the oven at 425-degrees F. for about 10 to 15 minutes, maybe more, until fish flakes with a test fork to see if it is done.

Roasted Red Snapper

Ingredients:

4 (8-ounce) fish fillets such as red snapper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces creme fraiche
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons drained capers

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. (You can also use an ovenproof baking dish.) Place the fish fillets skin side down on the sheet pan. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Combine the creme fraiche, 2 mustards, shallots, capers, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Spoon the sauce evenly over the fish fillets, making sure the fish is completely covered. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish, until it's barely done. (The fish will flake easily at the thickest part when it's done.) Be sure not to overcook it! Serve hot or at room temperature with the sauce from the pan spooned over the top.

Roasted Vegetables:  Ina uses potatoes and fennel which she starts off first in the roasting process at about 425-degrees F., combined with olive oil, salt and pepper - until they begin to soften, about 25 minutes.  Then she adds the more delicate vegetables like asparagus and green string beans to roast some more.  When they look like they are about done, sprinkle all with liberal amount of grated Paremsan cheese and roast again just until the cheese is melted.

Coeur à la Crème with Raspberries

Ingredients:

12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (I used Trader Joe’s, do not use low or non fat cream cheese)
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp grated lemon zest
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
Raspberry sauce
1 pint fresh raspberries, washed and dried

Directions:

Place the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on high for 2 minutes. Scrape down the beater and bowl with a rubber spatula and change the beater for the whisk attachment. With the mixer on low speed, add the heavy cream, vanilla, lemon zest and vanilla seeds and beat on high until the mixture is very thick, like whipped cream.

Line a 7″ sieve with cheesecloth (I used unbleached) so the ends drape over the sides and place it in a bowl so there is space between the bottom of the sieve and the bowl for the liquid to drain (about 1″). Pour the cream mixture into the cheesecloth, fold the ends over the top, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

To serve, discard the liquid, unmold the cream onto a plate and drizzle raspberry sauce around the base. Serve with raspberries and extra sauce. Alternatively, slice pieces, drizzle with sauce and scatter with raspberries.

Raspberry Sauce:

1 half-pint fresh raspberries, washed and dried
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup (12 ounces) seedless raspberry jam
1 Tbsp. framboise liqueur

Directions: 

Place the raspberries, sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 4 minutes. Pour the cooked raspberries, the jam and the liqueur into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth. Chill.








*** THANKS for visiting, feel welcome to drop a comment or opinion, enjoy bookmarking this post on your favorite social site, a big shout out to awesome current subscribers – and if you are new to this blog, please subscribe in a reader or by email updates!

*** Come by for a visit and check out my other blogs:

*** Check out Holiday Recipes From Dennys Food and Recipes

Romancing The Chocolate - chocolate recipes and more food
Comfort Food From Louisiana - Cajun, Creole, New Orleans and more comfort food
Unusual 2 Tasty - different twists on favorite foods, international food too
The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Best Spiritual Posts
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
Dennys People Watching - people in the news
Dennys Food and Recipes
Dennys Funny Quotes - humor
Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious And Odd - more crazy humor
Dennys Blog Feeds - what is posting on all the blogs at a glance
Dennys: News Politics Comedy Science Arts Food - an online newspaper
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28 February 2011

Valentines Day: Foolproof Chocolate Soufflé

From Denny:  Food writer Mark Bittman shows TODAY’s Matt Lauer how to cook up a foolproof chocolate soufflé.  This video clip was originally done for Valentine's Day but what the heck.  Who only enjoys chocolate soufflé once a year?  Not at our house!  There are those times when you really crave this traditional awesome dessert of rich chocolate - so share some incredible calories with your friends! :)





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