Check out some easy holiday ideas using pasta to make a spectacular and tasty meal sure to impress everyone - 3 recipes.
From Denny: Did you know this is National Pasta Month? Only in America! :) We have a "National Something" just about every day of the year. Why not celebrate pasta? Pasta done right is an awesome dish. Pasta cooked correctly, under cooked that is, does not swell in your stomach and make you feel bloated. Besides, if a man wants to get a woman to take him seriously all he has to do is cook her favorite pasta dish because women love pasta in all its glorious forms.
Chef Michael Chiarello is well known on Food Network, the Cooking Channel and around the world for his celebration of his Italian heritage and its wonderful food. His restaurant, Bottega, is in the famed wine country of Napa Valley, California and is one of the hottest spots to visit in town. His latest cookbook, "Bottega," named for his restaurant, was released in September to rave reviews and sales.
Chef Chiarello visited The Early Show to give us some easy crowd-pleasing pasta dishes when the relatives and friends come visiting this holiday season. You are sure to be a huge hit with these tasty pasta dishes. And, to top it all off, he also gives wine pairing suggestions. This guy doesn't miss a detail. If you have never caught one of his shows, be sure to tune in as he is a wonderful teacher. He is a favorite at our house. We learn a lot about California wine from him.
Recipes Featured:
Spaghettini Cooked in Zinfandel with Spicy Broccoli Rabe and Pecorino Romano
Tagliarini with Manila Clams and Calabrese Sausage
Salsa di Parmigiano
Exploring the world of food and bringing home my finds for you! Lots of chocolate recipes, Italian, comfort food like Louisiana Cajun and food videos.
Showing posts with label free recipes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free recipes. Show all posts
05 November 2010
Easy Holiday Pasta From Chef Michael Chiarello
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04 November 2010
Fall Comfort Food NYC Chef Style: Braised Osso Buco, Risotto, Salad
Check out how to make Italian comfort food in an hour, all done in the oven - 3 recipes.
*** Another version of Osso Buco served with sweet potato fries by @joefoodie at flickr
From Denny: Chef and cookbook author Ron Suhanosky paid a visit to The Early Show on CBS to show home cooks how to make the ultimate comfort food, Italian style, called Osso Buco. If you have never enjoyed this tasty dish now is the time to try your hand at making it at home! It's one of those dishes I will get when I dine out and the weather is really cold and wintry as it warms you right up. Make sure you don't eat for three days before because this is hearty filling food. :) This would be a great holiday meal this Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year season.
Chef Suhanosky founded the Sfoglia restaurants in Manhattan and Nantucket. He is now off on his own adventures, leaving the restaurants in good hands. His passion? Bringing people together over great food.
Recipes Featured:
Braised Osso Buco with Fall Root Vegetables
Risotto All'Amarone with Prunes and Crushed Amaretti
Shredded Kale, Orange and Hazelnut Salad
*** Another version of Osso Buco served with sweet potato fries by @joefoodie at flickr
From Denny: Chef and cookbook author Ron Suhanosky paid a visit to The Early Show on CBS to show home cooks how to make the ultimate comfort food, Italian style, called Osso Buco. If you have never enjoyed this tasty dish now is the time to try your hand at making it at home! It's one of those dishes I will get when I dine out and the weather is really cold and wintry as it warms you right up. Make sure you don't eat for three days before because this is hearty filling food. :) This would be a great holiday meal this Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year season.
Chef Suhanosky founded the Sfoglia restaurants in Manhattan and Nantucket. He is now off on his own adventures, leaving the restaurants in good hands. His passion? Bringing people together over great food.
Recipes Featured:
Braised Osso Buco with Fall Root Vegetables
Risotto All'Amarone with Prunes and Crushed Amaretti
Shredded Kale, Orange and Hazelnut Salad
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03 November 2010
Healthy Recipes: Chef Menu Goes Vegan, 3 Recipes
Check out some healthy vegan substitutes from funny chef author of Skinny Bitch Cookbook.
From Denny: President Bill Clinton is the most recent celebrity to go vegan to help regain a healthier heart after years of dietary abuse. His daughter Chelsea is a vegan, a former dancer, now gaining a Master's Degree in International Health, read her father "the riot act" about his poor diet. He is now a convert.
There are a lot of great vegan subsitutes for many common familiar ingredients we use in our everyday cooking. In this video clip, Chef Kim Barnouin, author of the popular "Skinny Bitch: The Ultimate Everyday Cookbook," talks with Steven Fabian about those vegan substitutes and the easiest ways to eat out vegan. This cookbook is toatlly vegan, full of recipes for tasty appetizers and tantalizing desserts, simple to make and good for you.
These recipes are from "The Early Show on Saturday Morning"'s "Chef on a Shoestring" challenge of preparing a three-course vegan dinner on the wallet skinny budget of $40.
In her first recipe using kale in a soup, remember that kale is high in calcium. Calcium helps you lose weight. It's important to take in a lot of calcium every day because it does leach out of your body at a high rate.
Dark, leafy green vegetables like kale are great for your liver too. It helps boost the liver function to detoxify better. Dark, green leafy veggies are also great for your nervous system and eyes.
Why not take a diet vacation every now and then and try vegan? You might find some favorites to add to your regular diet and enjoy healthy eating!
Recipes Featured:
Kale and White Bean Soup
Polenta Crusted Eggplant Parmesan
Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
From Denny: President Bill Clinton is the most recent celebrity to go vegan to help regain a healthier heart after years of dietary abuse. His daughter Chelsea is a vegan, a former dancer, now gaining a Master's Degree in International Health, read her father "the riot act" about his poor diet. He is now a convert.
There are a lot of great vegan subsitutes for many common familiar ingredients we use in our everyday cooking. In this video clip, Chef Kim Barnouin, author of the popular "Skinny Bitch: The Ultimate Everyday Cookbook," talks with Steven Fabian about those vegan substitutes and the easiest ways to eat out vegan. This cookbook is toatlly vegan, full of recipes for tasty appetizers and tantalizing desserts, simple to make and good for you.
These recipes are from "The Early Show on Saturday Morning"'s "Chef on a Shoestring" challenge of preparing a three-course vegan dinner on the wallet skinny budget of $40.
In her first recipe using kale in a soup, remember that kale is high in calcium. Calcium helps you lose weight. It's important to take in a lot of calcium every day because it does leach out of your body at a high rate.
Dark, leafy green vegetables like kale are great for your liver too. It helps boost the liver function to detoxify better. Dark, green leafy veggies are also great for your nervous system and eyes.
Why not take a diet vacation every now and then and try vegan? You might find some favorites to add to your regular diet and enjoy healthy eating!
Recipes Featured:
Kale and White Bean Soup
Polenta Crusted Eggplant Parmesan
Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting
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23 October 2010
Drink: Chocolate Martini
A chocolate martini, with the glass rim coated with fresh pear and shaved chocolate, for that perfect sip.
From Denny: To tie this week's worth of awesome chocolate recipes from Chef David Rocco he presents us with a chocolate martini to wow your guests at your next gathering. It's also simple and quick to make. Drink recipes this easy come in handy when you want to spend time talking to your guests instead of getting tied up in the kitchen. This one is also so simple you could get your guests to make them while you plate up the appetizers.
What was so cool about this drink is the simplicity of few ingredients well placed. What do I mean? Chef Rocco cut a fresh pear in half crosswise and then rubbed the rim of the glass onto the cut side of the pear so the rim was wet and well coated with pear. Then he turned the pear coated martini glass upside down and dipped it into the shaved chocolate. Pears and chocolate are an awesome combination. Pears give a mellow pairing to chocolate that is pleasing in a drink.
Gianluca's Cioccolatini: Chocolate Martini
From: Chef David Rocco
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time :5 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 1 serving
Ingredients:
1 pear, halved
Bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Ice
2 fluid ounces/59 ml vodka
1 1/2 fluid ounces/44 ml chocolate liqueur (he used an Italian one but whatever your favorite)
Directions:
Rub the rim of a martini glass with a pear half, wetting the rim. Then dip the rim of the martini glass in the finely chopped chocolate. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, vodka, and chocolate liqueur. Shake vigorously. Strain the liquid into the prepared martini glass. Serve immediately.
*** Check out more great chocolate recipes from Chef David Rocco:
Candy: Almond Brittle - The best combination ever invented: almonds and chocolate. Enjoy this chef recipe of a few ingredients.
Chocolate: Chocolate Risotto - Enjoy a rice pudding style dessert made with chocolate.
Chocolate: Beef Stew With Chocolate - This Chef David Rocco is on a roll with awesome savory recipes using dark chocolate as a star ingredient.
Chocolate: Penne Pasta with Chocolate and Anchovies - Another creative food thought from Chef David Rocco.
Appetizer with Chocolate: Sauteed Shrimp Drizzled with Chocolate - Check out this unusual dish employing chocolate as a spice.
*** 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:
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
From Denny: To tie this week's worth of awesome chocolate recipes from Chef David Rocco he presents us with a chocolate martini to wow your guests at your next gathering. It's also simple and quick to make. Drink recipes this easy come in handy when you want to spend time talking to your guests instead of getting tied up in the kitchen. This one is also so simple you could get your guests to make them while you plate up the appetizers.
What was so cool about this drink is the simplicity of few ingredients well placed. What do I mean? Chef Rocco cut a fresh pear in half crosswise and then rubbed the rim of the glass onto the cut side of the pear so the rim was wet and well coated with pear. Then he turned the pear coated martini glass upside down and dipped it into the shaved chocolate. Pears and chocolate are an awesome combination. Pears give a mellow pairing to chocolate that is pleasing in a drink.
Gianluca's Cioccolatini: Chocolate Martini
From: Chef David Rocco
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time :5 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 1 serving
Ingredients:
1 pear, halved
Bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
Ice
2 fluid ounces/59 ml vodka
1 1/2 fluid ounces/44 ml chocolate liqueur (he used an Italian one but whatever your favorite)
Directions:
Rub the rim of a martini glass with a pear half, wetting the rim. Then dip the rim of the martini glass in the finely chopped chocolate. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, vodka, and chocolate liqueur. Shake vigorously. Strain the liquid into the prepared martini glass. Serve immediately.
*** Check out more great chocolate recipes from Chef David Rocco:
Candy: Almond Brittle - The best combination ever invented: almonds and chocolate. Enjoy this chef recipe of a few ingredients.
Chocolate: Chocolate Risotto - Enjoy a rice pudding style dessert made with chocolate.
Chocolate: Beef Stew With Chocolate - This Chef David Rocco is on a roll with awesome savory recipes using dark chocolate as a star ingredient.
Chocolate: Penne Pasta with Chocolate and Anchovies - Another creative food thought from Chef David Rocco.
Appetizer with Chocolate: Sauteed Shrimp Drizzled with Chocolate - Check out this unusual dish employing chocolate as a spice.
*** 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:
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
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22 October 2010
Candy: Almond Brittle
The best combination ever invented: almonds and chocolate. Enjoy this chef recipe of a few ingredients.
From Denny: Learning to work with cooking sugar as it gets hot akes a little effort yet is well worth it for the end result - almond brittle nirvana! :) This is for regular almond brittle. I figure anything almond deserves a drizzle of chocolate after it cools to kick it up a notch - but you may enjoy it just like it is.
Croccante: Almond Brittle
From: Chef David Rocco
Prep Time: 5 min
Inactive Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Level: Difficult
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
5 cups almonds
Butter, for greasing cookie sheet
Directions:
In a saucepan, add the sugar and cook on high heat. Continue to stir until the sugar begins to sweat and liquify. Add a bit of water to help, if necessary. Continue to cook until the sugar turns into a deep rich brown color.
Add the almonds and mix well. Cook for a few minutes, making sure the almonds are fully coated. Remove the almonds from the heat and quickly pour and spread the hot almond-sugar mixture onto a buttered cookie sheet to the desired thickness.
Let cool for 30 minutes before breaking it into smaller pieces.
*** For more savory and sweet chocolate recipes from Chef David Rocco:
Chocolate: Chocolate Risotto - Enjoy a rice pudding style dessert made with chocolate.
Chocolate: Beef Stew With Chocolate - This Chef David Rocco is on a roll with awesome savory recipes using dark chocolate as a star ingredient.
Chocolate: Penne Pasta with Chocolate and Anchovies - Another creative food thought from Chef David Rocco.
Appetizer with Chocolate: Sauteed Shrimp Drizzled with Chocolate - Check out this unusual dish employing chocolate as a spice.
Drink: Chocolate Martini - A chocolate martini, with the glass rim coated with fresh pear and shaved chocolate, for that perfect sip.
Here's a wonderful Italian cookie recipe from another chef:
Chocolate-Hazelnut Smooches: Baci D'Alassio
*** 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:
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
From Denny: Learning to work with cooking sugar as it gets hot akes a little effort yet is well worth it for the end result - almond brittle nirvana! :) This is for regular almond brittle. I figure anything almond deserves a drizzle of chocolate after it cools to kick it up a notch - but you may enjoy it just like it is.
Croccante: Almond Brittle
From: Chef David Rocco
Prep Time: 5 min
Inactive Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Level: Difficult
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
5 cups almonds
Butter, for greasing cookie sheet
Directions:
In a saucepan, add the sugar and cook on high heat. Continue to stir until the sugar begins to sweat and liquify. Add a bit of water to help, if necessary. Continue to cook until the sugar turns into a deep rich brown color.
Add the almonds and mix well. Cook for a few minutes, making sure the almonds are fully coated. Remove the almonds from the heat and quickly pour and spread the hot almond-sugar mixture onto a buttered cookie sheet to the desired thickness.
Let cool for 30 minutes before breaking it into smaller pieces.
*** For more savory and sweet chocolate recipes from Chef David Rocco:
Chocolate: Chocolate Risotto - Enjoy a rice pudding style dessert made with chocolate.
Chocolate: Beef Stew With Chocolate - This Chef David Rocco is on a roll with awesome savory recipes using dark chocolate as a star ingredient.
Chocolate: Penne Pasta with Chocolate and Anchovies - Another creative food thought from Chef David Rocco.
Appetizer with Chocolate: Sauteed Shrimp Drizzled with Chocolate - Check out this unusual dish employing chocolate as a spice.
Drink: Chocolate Martini - A chocolate martini, with the glass rim coated with fresh pear and shaved chocolate, for that perfect sip.
Here's a wonderful Italian cookie recipe from another chef:
Chocolate-Hazelnut Smooches: Baci D'Alassio
*** 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:
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
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20 October 2010
Chocolate: Beef Stew With Chocolate
This Chef David Rocco is on a roll with awesome savory recipes using dark chocolate as a star ingredient.
From Denny: This has shaped up to be Chocolate Week at this blog! :) I've been hunting some great - and easy - savory dishes to make with dark chocolate. This week I stumbled upon Chef Rocco with the same sense of adventure employing chocolate as a spice.
Too often, especially we Americans, think inside the Godiva chocolate box when it comes to using chocolate in our cooking. I've often wondered what we could do with chocolate - minus the usual suspects paired with it: milk, cream and sugar.
Besides, the health community is always telling us to eat more dark chocolate because of the health benefits. But who really wants to be found day after day nibbling on a huge hard bar of messy cooking chocolate? Now, is that terribly original? Savory recipes using chocolate are the best answer to give us variety and explode our imagination!
Spezzatino di Manzo al Cioccolato: Beef Stew with Chocolate
From: Chef David Rocco
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 45 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients:
5 tablespoons/74 ml extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces/114 g smoked pancetta, cubed
Flour, for dredging
2 pounds/900 g stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 fresh sage leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
Salt
1 cup/240 ml sherry
4 cups/941 ml vegetable broth
2 cups/457 g chopped finest quality plain dark chocolate (at least 70 percent cocoa)
Directions:
In a saucepan, heat up the olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook until the fat has been rendered down.
Place the flour in a shallow bowl or dish. Dredge the beef in the flour, shake off any excess flour, and add the beef to the hot pan. Sear the beef, stirring well so that all sides are browned. Add the sage, thyme (without the stem), and salt, to taste, to the saucepan. Deglaze the pan with the sherry and stir to pick up any brown bits. Once the sherry has reduced, add a couple ladles of vegetable broth and let reduce. Continue stirring and add the chopped chocolate. Once the chocolate has completely melted, add a few more ladles of vegetable broth.
Allow to cook for 1 hour on medium heat, adding more vegetable broth, if necessary.
*** For more savory and sweet recipes from Chef David Rocco:
Chocolate: Chocolate Risotto - Enjoy a rice pudding style dessert made with chocolate.
Chocolate: Penne Pasta with Chocolate and Anchovies - Another creative food thought from Chef David Rocco.
Appetizer with Chocolate: Sauteed Shrimp Drizzled with Chocolate - Check out this unusual dish employing chocolate as a spice.
Candy: Almond Brittle - The best combination ever invented: almonds and chocolate. Enjoy this chef recipe of a few ingredients.
Drink: Chocolate Martini - A chocolate martini, with the glass rim coated with fresh pear and shaved chocolate, for that perfect sip.
*** 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:
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
From Denny: This has shaped up to be Chocolate Week at this blog! :) I've been hunting some great - and easy - savory dishes to make with dark chocolate. This week I stumbled upon Chef Rocco with the same sense of adventure employing chocolate as a spice.
Too often, especially we Americans, think inside the Godiva chocolate box when it comes to using chocolate in our cooking. I've often wondered what we could do with chocolate - minus the usual suspects paired with it: milk, cream and sugar.
Besides, the health community is always telling us to eat more dark chocolate because of the health benefits. But who really wants to be found day after day nibbling on a huge hard bar of messy cooking chocolate? Now, is that terribly original? Savory recipes using chocolate are the best answer to give us variety and explode our imagination!
Spezzatino di Manzo al Cioccolato: Beef Stew with Chocolate
From: Chef David Rocco
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 1 hr 45 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients:
5 tablespoons/74 ml extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces/114 g smoked pancetta, cubed
Flour, for dredging
2 pounds/900 g stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 fresh sage leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
Salt
1 cup/240 ml sherry
4 cups/941 ml vegetable broth
2 cups/457 g chopped finest quality plain dark chocolate (at least 70 percent cocoa)
Directions:
In a saucepan, heat up the olive oil. Add the pancetta and cook until the fat has been rendered down.
Place the flour in a shallow bowl or dish. Dredge the beef in the flour, shake off any excess flour, and add the beef to the hot pan. Sear the beef, stirring well so that all sides are browned. Add the sage, thyme (without the stem), and salt, to taste, to the saucepan. Deglaze the pan with the sherry and stir to pick up any brown bits. Once the sherry has reduced, add a couple ladles of vegetable broth and let reduce. Continue stirring and add the chopped chocolate. Once the chocolate has completely melted, add a few more ladles of vegetable broth.
Allow to cook for 1 hour on medium heat, adding more vegetable broth, if necessary.
*** For more savory and sweet recipes from Chef David Rocco:
Chocolate: Chocolate Risotto - Enjoy a rice pudding style dessert made with chocolate.
Chocolate: Penne Pasta with Chocolate and Anchovies - Another creative food thought from Chef David Rocco.
Appetizer with Chocolate: Sauteed Shrimp Drizzled with Chocolate - Check out this unusual dish employing chocolate as a spice.
Candy: Almond Brittle - The best combination ever invented: almonds and chocolate. Enjoy this chef recipe of a few ingredients.
Drink: Chocolate Martini - A chocolate martini, with the glass rim coated with fresh pear and shaved chocolate, for that perfect sip.
*** 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:
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
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19 October 2010
Chocolate: Penne Pasta with Chocolate and Anchovies
Another creative food thought from Chef David Rocco.
From Denny: Continuing along in a chocolate recipe week is another delightful unusual and savory chocolate recipe from Cooking Channel's Chef David Rocco. In this recipe he paired some chili pepper heat with very dark unsweetened chocolate. This chef does so love to push the status quo boundaries when it comes to food! He noted too that to add the fresh parsley at the end of the dish as you serve so it will not overcook and lose its bright flavor and color.
Penne al Cioccolato con Anchovies: Penne with Chocolate and Anchovies
From: Chef David Rocco
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 pound/450 g penne rigate pasta
3 tablespoons/45 ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 dry chile peppers, crushed
8 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
2 cups/457 g chopped finest quality plain dark chocolate (at least 70 percent cocoa)
1/2 cup/114 g finely grated bread crumbs
Small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Directions:
Cook the penne in a pot of boiling salted water. While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce.
To make the sauce: In a saucepan heat up the olive oil. Gently saute the garlic, add the chile peppers, and anchovies. Cook until the garlic is golden and anchovies have somewhat dissolved. Then add the chopped chocolate. When the chocolate has completely melted, stir in the bread crumbs.
Drain the pasta just before the 'al dente' stage and add to the saucepan. Add the chopped parsley and mix well for a few seconds so that the pasta and the sauce are well amalgamated or combined. Serve the dish immediately.
*** For more savory and sweet chocolate recipes from Chef David Rocco:
Candy: Almond Brittle - The best combination ever invented: almonds and chocolate. Enjoy this chef recipe of a few ingredients.
Chocolate: Chocolate Risotto - Enjoy a rice pudding style dessert made with chocolate.
Appetizer with Chocolate: Sauteed Shrimp Drizzled with Chocolate - Check out this unusual dish employing chocolate as a spice.
Chocolate: Beef Stew With Chocolate - This Chef David Rocco is on a roll with awesome savory recipes using dark chocolate as a star ingredient.
Drink: Chocolate Martini - A chocolate martini, with the glass rim coated with fresh pear and shaved chocolate, for that perfect sip.
*** 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:
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
From Denny: Continuing along in a chocolate recipe week is another delightful unusual and savory chocolate recipe from Cooking Channel's Chef David Rocco. In this recipe he paired some chili pepper heat with very dark unsweetened chocolate. This chef does so love to push the status quo boundaries when it comes to food! He noted too that to add the fresh parsley at the end of the dish as you serve so it will not overcook and lose its bright flavor and color.
Penne al Cioccolato con Anchovies: Penne with Chocolate and Anchovies
From: Chef David Rocco
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 pound/450 g penne rigate pasta
3 tablespoons/45 ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 dry chile peppers, crushed
8 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
2 cups/457 g chopped finest quality plain dark chocolate (at least 70 percent cocoa)
1/2 cup/114 g finely grated bread crumbs
Small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Directions:
Cook the penne in a pot of boiling salted water. While the pasta is cooking, make the sauce.
To make the sauce: In a saucepan heat up the olive oil. Gently saute the garlic, add the chile peppers, and anchovies. Cook until the garlic is golden and anchovies have somewhat dissolved. Then add the chopped chocolate. When the chocolate has completely melted, stir in the bread crumbs.
Drain the pasta just before the 'al dente' stage and add to the saucepan. Add the chopped parsley and mix well for a few seconds so that the pasta and the sauce are well amalgamated or combined. Serve the dish immediately.
*** For more savory and sweet chocolate recipes from Chef David Rocco:
Candy: Almond Brittle - The best combination ever invented: almonds and chocolate. Enjoy this chef recipe of a few ingredients.
Chocolate: Chocolate Risotto - Enjoy a rice pudding style dessert made with chocolate.
Appetizer with Chocolate: Sauteed Shrimp Drizzled with Chocolate - Check out this unusual dish employing chocolate as a spice.
Chocolate: Beef Stew With Chocolate - This Chef David Rocco is on a roll with awesome savory recipes using dark chocolate as a star ingredient.
Drink: Chocolate Martini - A chocolate martini, with the glass rim coated with fresh pear and shaved chocolate, for that perfect sip.
*** 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:
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
recipes,food,arts,funny,photos
Chef David Rocco,
chocolate,
chocolate recipe,
cookingchanneltv.com,
easy recipes,
free recipes,
Italian food,
pasta
18 October 2010
Appetizer with Chocolate: Sauteed Shrimp Drizzled with Chocolate
Check out this unusual dish employing chocolate as a spice.
From Denny: This Cooking Channel is as mesmerizing as Food Network where you can park on the couch and watch endless great cooking shows in succession. Sooner or later you have to force yourself to get up and start posting all your favorites! :)
The beauty of Italian food is its simplicity and easy to create. Using the freshest ingredients and only a few spices it's pretty amazing what tasty dishes you can create to please the whole family.
Well, this week Chef David Rocco got adventurous and wanted to prove you can use chocolate in more than just sweets. It can be used in savory recipes - and it just so happens I've been on the hunt for savory dishes employing the use of dark chocolate. We all think of Mexican cuisine and ancient Mayans using chocolate in savory dishes but certainly not Italian. When Chef Rocco went to the open air market in Florence, Italy, where he resides, the local fishmonger was shocked he would consider pairing chocolate with seafood, especially shrimp. In a word, she thought he was a bit crazy.
Daring to push the borders of the status quo is what I like to see in the food arena, especially when it's done with so few ingredients like Chef Rocco's recipes. He prepared this dish for a Chocolate Theme Party and it was served as an appetizer.
Gamberi al Cioccolato: Shrimp with Chocolate
From: Chef David Rocco
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup/229 g chopped finest quality plain dark chocolate (at least 70 percent cocoa)
1/2 cup/118 ml milk
3 tablespoons/45 ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pound/450 g shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt
1 cup/240 ml white wine
Small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Directions:
Combine the chopped chocolate and milk in a stainless steel bowl. Rest the bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted.
In a frying pan, heat up the olive oil and saute the garlic until soft. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp are pink and just opaque. Add the salt and wine, and let reduce. Then add the parsley. Plate and drizzle with melted chocolate.
*** Check out more savory and sweet chocolate recipes from Chef David Rocco:
Candy: Almond Brittle - The best combination ever invented: almonds and chocolate. Enjoy this chef recipe of a few ingredients.
Chocolate: Chocolate Risotto - Enjoy a rice pudding style dessert made with chocolate.
Chocolate: Penne Pasta with Chocolate and Anchovies - Another creative food thought from Chef David Rocco.
Chocolate: Beef Stew With Chocolate - This Chef David Rocco is on a roll with awesome savory recipes using dark chocolate as a star ingredient.
Drink: Chocolate Martini - A chocolate martini, with the glass rim coated with fresh pear and shaved chocolate, for that perfect sip.
*** 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:
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
From Denny: This Cooking Channel is as mesmerizing as Food Network where you can park on the couch and watch endless great cooking shows in succession. Sooner or later you have to force yourself to get up and start posting all your favorites! :)
The beauty of Italian food is its simplicity and easy to create. Using the freshest ingredients and only a few spices it's pretty amazing what tasty dishes you can create to please the whole family.
Well, this week Chef David Rocco got adventurous and wanted to prove you can use chocolate in more than just sweets. It can be used in savory recipes - and it just so happens I've been on the hunt for savory dishes employing the use of dark chocolate. We all think of Mexican cuisine and ancient Mayans using chocolate in savory dishes but certainly not Italian. When Chef Rocco went to the open air market in Florence, Italy, where he resides, the local fishmonger was shocked he would consider pairing chocolate with seafood, especially shrimp. In a word, she thought he was a bit crazy.
Daring to push the borders of the status quo is what I like to see in the food arena, especially when it's done with so few ingredients like Chef Rocco's recipes. He prepared this dish for a Chocolate Theme Party and it was served as an appetizer.
Gamberi al Cioccolato: Shrimp with Chocolate
From: Chef David Rocco
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup/229 g chopped finest quality plain dark chocolate (at least 70 percent cocoa)
1/2 cup/118 ml milk
3 tablespoons/45 ml extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pound/450 g shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt
1 cup/240 ml white wine
Small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Directions:
Combine the chopped chocolate and milk in a stainless steel bowl. Rest the bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted.
In a frying pan, heat up the olive oil and saute the garlic until soft. Add the shrimp and cook until the shrimp are pink and just opaque. Add the salt and wine, and let reduce. Then add the parsley. Plate and drizzle with melted chocolate.
*** Check out more savory and sweet chocolate recipes from Chef David Rocco:
Candy: Almond Brittle - The best combination ever invented: almonds and chocolate. Enjoy this chef recipe of a few ingredients.
Chocolate: Chocolate Risotto - Enjoy a rice pudding style dessert made with chocolate.
Chocolate: Penne Pasta with Chocolate and Anchovies - Another creative food thought from Chef David Rocco.
Chocolate: Beef Stew With Chocolate - This Chef David Rocco is on a roll with awesome savory recipes using dark chocolate as a star ingredient.
Drink: Chocolate Martini - A chocolate martini, with the glass rim coated with fresh pear and shaved chocolate, for that perfect sip.
*** 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:
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
recipes,food,arts,funny,photos
Chef David Rocco,
chocolate,
chocolate recipe,
cookingchanneltv.com,
free recipes,
Italian food,
seafood,
shrimp
15 October 2010
Pair With Pork: French Onion Casserole
Cooked slowly onions can turn wonderfully sweet. Try this easy casserole for your holiday or weekend dinner.
From Denny: Talk about sweetness in a casserole - and easy to do at that! This recipe goes well with pork. Pork is in season this fall. Any meat needs a good pairing of veggies to help digest the heaviness.
What are the benefits of onions?
Well, for starters, onions act as blood thinners to keep cholesterol from forming in your arteries. The sulpher in them also helps kill possible parasites in the digestive track. While you get the most benefit and vitamins like vitamins B and C from raw onions, cooked onions are good too.
Did you know that onions have been used for centuries to cure various illnesses? They act as an expectorant to help clear up mucous which is why drinking onion soup when you have a cold helps relieve the symptoms. Onions also have iron in them and this iron is easier to assimilate than from most sources.. Physicians have recommended onions in the diet since ancient times to allieviate anemia. Who knew onions were so useful? :)
Onion varieties to use in this recipe: Vidalia, Walla Walla, OSO Sweet or Texas Sweet. These are all mild and sweet onions. Yellow, white or red onions will have a more intense flavor but if that's all you have on hand just know that the cheese and mushroom soup mixture will help reduce the sharpness. This casserole has a slight nutty flavor.
When I use butter in a recipe I always clarify it to remove the cholesterol trouble-makers: the milk fat. Clarifying it to the point of when the milk fat browns will give this oil a wonderful rich golden color and a nutty flavor that is irresistible. You can sauteed veggies in it without much more seasoning if you like. Yes, the flavor of browned clarified butter is that good! I even put it on uncooked pizza before I put it in the oven to bake.
For a party: make sure to have at least one French bread slice for each person you are serving.
French Onion Casserole
From: Barrie Griffin
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
3 Vidalia onions or onions of your choice
2 tbls. margarine or butter
1 (8-oz.) pkg. sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (5-oz.) can evaporated milk
2 tsps. soy sauce
6 (1/2-inch thick) slices French bread (she uses Pepperidge Farm Twin French loaves, it’s about a 2-2 1/2-inch diameter loaf)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
Peel and slice onions into about 1/4-inch slices. Cut those slices into quarters.
In large skillet, melt margarine or butter and sauté onions and mushrooms until tender.
Using a slotted spoon remove onions and mushrooms to lightly greased 7- x 11-inch casserole dish.
Top with half of the Swiss cheese.
In small bowl, combine cream of mushroom soup, milk and soy sauce. Whisk together until smooth. Pour soup mixture over cheese. Spread evenly over the top.
Top casserole with French bread slices.
Mix chopped fresh parsley and remaining cheese together and spread over top of casserole. Refrigerate 4 to 8 hours.
Bring to room temperature then bake, covered with foil in preheated 375-degree oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking an additional 15-20 minutes or until top is nicely browned. Watch to prevent over-browning.
*** 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:
The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
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
From Denny: Talk about sweetness in a casserole - and easy to do at that! This recipe goes well with pork. Pork is in season this fall. Any meat needs a good pairing of veggies to help digest the heaviness.
What are the benefits of onions?
Well, for starters, onions act as blood thinners to keep cholesterol from forming in your arteries. The sulpher in them also helps kill possible parasites in the digestive track. While you get the most benefit and vitamins like vitamins B and C from raw onions, cooked onions are good too.
Did you know that onions have been used for centuries to cure various illnesses? They act as an expectorant to help clear up mucous which is why drinking onion soup when you have a cold helps relieve the symptoms. Onions also have iron in them and this iron is easier to assimilate than from most sources.. Physicians have recommended onions in the diet since ancient times to allieviate anemia. Who knew onions were so useful? :)
Onion varieties to use in this recipe: Vidalia, Walla Walla, OSO Sweet or Texas Sweet. These are all mild and sweet onions. Yellow, white or red onions will have a more intense flavor but if that's all you have on hand just know that the cheese and mushroom soup mixture will help reduce the sharpness. This casserole has a slight nutty flavor.
When I use butter in a recipe I always clarify it to remove the cholesterol trouble-makers: the milk fat. Clarifying it to the point of when the milk fat browns will give this oil a wonderful rich golden color and a nutty flavor that is irresistible. You can sauteed veggies in it without much more seasoning if you like. Yes, the flavor of browned clarified butter is that good! I even put it on uncooked pizza before I put it in the oven to bake.
For a party: make sure to have at least one French bread slice for each person you are serving.
French Onion Casserole
From: Barrie Griffin
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
3 Vidalia onions or onions of your choice
2 tbls. margarine or butter
1 (8-oz.) pkg. sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (5-oz.) can evaporated milk
2 tsps. soy sauce
6 (1/2-inch thick) slices French bread (she uses Pepperidge Farm Twin French loaves, it’s about a 2-2 1/2-inch diameter loaf)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
Peel and slice onions into about 1/4-inch slices. Cut those slices into quarters.
In large skillet, melt margarine or butter and sauté onions and mushrooms until tender.
Using a slotted spoon remove onions and mushrooms to lightly greased 7- x 11-inch casserole dish.
Top with half of the Swiss cheese.
In small bowl, combine cream of mushroom soup, milk and soy sauce. Whisk together until smooth. Pour soup mixture over cheese. Spread evenly over the top.
Top casserole with French bread slices.
Mix chopped fresh parsley and remaining cheese together and spread over top of casserole. Refrigerate 4 to 8 hours.
Bring to room temperature then bake, covered with foil in preheated 375-degree oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking an additional 15-20 minutes or until top is nicely browned. Watch to prevent over-browning.
*** 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:
The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
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
recipes,food,arts,funny,photos
casserole recipes,
food photography,
free online recipes,
free recipes,
holiday recipes,
holiday sides,
onion photo,
onion recipes,
pork dinner,
side dishes,
vegetables
14 October 2010
Healthy Recipe: Fiesta Southwestern Cheesecake, Oven Baked French Toast
Check out a creative beautiful dish that is a lower calorie version of our favorite Mexican flavors.
From Denny: Out local TV show (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) personality and chef is delighting her fans with yet more great tasting recipes in her latest cookbook. She specializes in lots of flavor without packing on the pounds. Clegg's recipes are simple and user friendly too, aimed at women of all ages. Of course, to give you a grin there are those whimsical illustrations along with the full-color photos.
New Book: "Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets to Sizzle at Any Age" by Holly Clegg
(Save 28 percent by purchasing from Amazon Books)
Clegg's concept for this book was to make the book very visually pleasing so it would be eye-catching to give as a gift. It's packed full of information and focused upon great recipes. Clegg's books are always the kind of recipes that stimulate you to want to cook. This book is 237-pages, featuring 200 recipes, 100 photographs and illustrations and also details the nutritional and diabetic exchange information too. There are also special icons to draw your attention to those recipes that are freezer friendly or vegetarian.
Some of what sets this cookbook apart from the rest is she gives advice as to which types of coffee will pair best with a particular recipe: medium-light, dark roasts or flavored coffees. Like any good Louisiana cook she also offers up advice on spices, serving suggestions and cooking information.
And get this, Clegg has a chapter called “Diva Dermatology.” Here she parks her recipes for facials - which are made from everyday foods: Avocado Carrot Cream Mask, Applelicious Wash and Margarita Salt Body Buffer. Holly Clegg has always a reputation for being fun and this new book sure captures her essence for others to enjoy.
The majority of the new book, is for what Clegg is most famous: recipes "designed for busy women.… as they experience and embrace the many stages of life,” she says.
In the first chapter of the book, "Foods to Improve," she gives an overview of the best foods to include in your diet. "Remember to eat with color," she advises, "using the colors of fruits and vegetables to ensure you will get a wide range of vitamins and minerals into your daily eating."
For the busy cook there is an amusing chapter called "Lovin' No Oven." You guessed it. These are recipes where you can skip turning on the oven and running up your utility bill or spend more time on a recipes. There are yummy recipes like Tomato Bruschetta and Lemon Pie.
For the busiest among us, Clegg designed her "Quickies" chapter. These recipes require just a few ingredients and are very easy to pull together: Watermelon and Feta Salsa, Home-Style Chicken and Chocolate Fudgies.
Party recipes for groups: "Effortless Entertaining" is the chapter to visit.
For those empty nesters, the retired or young couples without children, Clegg has a chapter for recipes for just two servings: "Table For Two." These recipe gems are simple and make-ahead for entertaining if you like. There are high fiber, sweets, breakfast, snack foods and even ethnic-inspired: Asian Slides With Pineapple Salsa to Garlic Fried Rice.
If you want to pay full retail for this book it can be ordered from her websites: Holly Clegg or The Healthy Cooking Blog - $24.95, plus tax and handling or call 1-800-884-6559.
Here’s a recipe from the book that would be welcome at tailgate or holiday parties.
Fiesta Southwestern Cheesecake
From: “Holly Clegg’s trim & TERRIFIC Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets to Sizzle at Any Age — 200 Simple and Sexy Recipes”
Makes: 20-25 servings. Make ahead and freeze this savory Southwestern-style cheesecake for an appetizer taste sensation. If freezing, top with salsa when serving.
Ingredients:
1 cup toasted corn Chex cereal crumbs
1 tbl. butter, melted
1 tbl. olive oil
2 (8-oz.) pkgs. reduced-fat cream cheese
1/3 cup nonfat sour cream
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
2 (4-oz.) cans chopped green chilies, drained
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups salsa, divided
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In springform pan, mix together cereal crumbs, butter and oil, press into bottom of prepared pan.
In mixing bowl, mix together cream cheese, sour cream, egg and egg whites until creamy. Add garlic, chili powder and cumin, mixing well.
Fold in cheddar cheese, green chilies, green onions and onion. Carefully spread half mixture over crust, top with 1 cup salsa, and cover with remaining cream cheese mixture; do not mix.
Bake 50-60 minutes or until mixture is set. Remove from oven, let cool in pan 10 minutes. Run knife around inside edge to loosen; remove sides from pan. Cool to room temperature before refrigerating. When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator and top with remaining 1 cup salsa.
Spicy advice: For extra flavor and kick, use a flavored salsa such as roasted tomato or your favorite. I like to purchase fresh salsa from the grocery store. Also, you can add shrimp or crabmeat to cheesecake for a seafood southwestern version.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 96 calories, 58 percent calories from fat, 6 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 26 milligrams cholesterol, 252 milligrams sodium, 6 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram dietary fiber, 2 grams sugar and 4 grams protein.
From Denny: This recipe from the cookbook too was a huge hit with a cook who wrote a review over at Amazon Books. She forgot to put up the nutritional information but raved about how easy it was to make and, most of all, how popular it was with the group who scarfed it down in no time.
One Dish Oven Baked French Toast
Makes: 10 servings
Ingredients:
1 large loaf French Bread, cut into 1-inch thick squares (whole wheat my be used)
1 (10 oz) jar seedless all natural blackberry fruit spread
1 (8 oz) package reduced-fat cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup skim milk
2 eggs
4 egg whites
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 cups fat-free half-and-half
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
Coat 13x9x2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray
Place half of French bread squares in prepared baking pan. In microwave-safe dish, heat fruit spread until melted, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over bread.
In bowl, beat together cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and milk until smooth. Drop over bread mixture and cover with remaining French squares.
In large bow, whisk together eggs, egg whites, brown sugar, half-and-half, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour mixture evenly over bread. Gently press bread into liquid mixture, cover, and refrigerate as time permits, preferably overnight.
Preheat over 325 degrees. Bake, covered, 30-35 minutes. Uncover and bake 5-10 minutes more or until bread is golden.
New Book: "Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets to Sizzle at Any Age" by Holly Clegg
(Save 28 percent by purchasing from Amazon Books)
*** 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:
The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
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
From Denny: Out local TV show (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) personality and chef is delighting her fans with yet more great tasting recipes in her latest cookbook. She specializes in lots of flavor without packing on the pounds. Clegg's recipes are simple and user friendly too, aimed at women of all ages. Of course, to give you a grin there are those whimsical illustrations along with the full-color photos.
New Book: "Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets to Sizzle at Any Age" by Holly Clegg
(Save 28 percent by purchasing from Amazon Books)
Clegg's concept for this book was to make the book very visually pleasing so it would be eye-catching to give as a gift. It's packed full of information and focused upon great recipes. Clegg's books are always the kind of recipes that stimulate you to want to cook. This book is 237-pages, featuring 200 recipes, 100 photographs and illustrations and also details the nutritional and diabetic exchange information too. There are also special icons to draw your attention to those recipes that are freezer friendly or vegetarian.
Some of what sets this cookbook apart from the rest is she gives advice as to which types of coffee will pair best with a particular recipe: medium-light, dark roasts or flavored coffees. Like any good Louisiana cook she also offers up advice on spices, serving suggestions and cooking information.
And get this, Clegg has a chapter called “Diva Dermatology.” Here she parks her recipes for facials - which are made from everyday foods: Avocado Carrot Cream Mask, Applelicious Wash and Margarita Salt Body Buffer. Holly Clegg has always a reputation for being fun and this new book sure captures her essence for others to enjoy.
The majority of the new book, is for what Clegg is most famous: recipes "designed for busy women.… as they experience and embrace the many stages of life,” she says.
In the first chapter of the book, "Foods to Improve," she gives an overview of the best foods to include in your diet. "Remember to eat with color," she advises, "using the colors of fruits and vegetables to ensure you will get a wide range of vitamins and minerals into your daily eating."
For the busy cook there is an amusing chapter called "Lovin' No Oven." You guessed it. These are recipes where you can skip turning on the oven and running up your utility bill or spend more time on a recipes. There are yummy recipes like Tomato Bruschetta and Lemon Pie.
For the busiest among us, Clegg designed her "Quickies" chapter. These recipes require just a few ingredients and are very easy to pull together: Watermelon and Feta Salsa, Home-Style Chicken and Chocolate Fudgies.
Party recipes for groups: "Effortless Entertaining" is the chapter to visit.
For those empty nesters, the retired or young couples without children, Clegg has a chapter for recipes for just two servings: "Table For Two." These recipe gems are simple and make-ahead for entertaining if you like. There are high fiber, sweets, breakfast, snack foods and even ethnic-inspired: Asian Slides With Pineapple Salsa to Garlic Fried Rice.
If you want to pay full retail for this book it can be ordered from her websites: Holly Clegg or The Healthy Cooking Blog - $24.95, plus tax and handling or call 1-800-884-6559.
Here’s a recipe from the book that would be welcome at tailgate or holiday parties.
Fiesta Southwestern Cheesecake
From: “Holly Clegg’s trim & TERRIFIC Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets to Sizzle at Any Age — 200 Simple and Sexy Recipes”
Makes: 20-25 servings. Make ahead and freeze this savory Southwestern-style cheesecake for an appetizer taste sensation. If freezing, top with salsa when serving.
Ingredients:
1 cup toasted corn Chex cereal crumbs
1 tbl. butter, melted
1 tbl. olive oil
2 (8-oz.) pkgs. reduced-fat cream cheese
1/3 cup nonfat sour cream
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
2 (4-oz.) cans chopped green chilies, drained
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups salsa, divided
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray.
In springform pan, mix together cereal crumbs, butter and oil, press into bottom of prepared pan.
In mixing bowl, mix together cream cheese, sour cream, egg and egg whites until creamy. Add garlic, chili powder and cumin, mixing well.
Fold in cheddar cheese, green chilies, green onions and onion. Carefully spread half mixture over crust, top with 1 cup salsa, and cover with remaining cream cheese mixture; do not mix.
Bake 50-60 minutes or until mixture is set. Remove from oven, let cool in pan 10 minutes. Run knife around inside edge to loosen; remove sides from pan. Cool to room temperature before refrigerating. When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator and top with remaining 1 cup salsa.
Spicy advice: For extra flavor and kick, use a flavored salsa such as roasted tomato or your favorite. I like to purchase fresh salsa from the grocery store. Also, you can add shrimp or crabmeat to cheesecake for a seafood southwestern version.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 96 calories, 58 percent calories from fat, 6 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 26 milligrams cholesterol, 252 milligrams sodium, 6 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram dietary fiber, 2 grams sugar and 4 grams protein.
From Denny: This recipe from the cookbook too was a huge hit with a cook who wrote a review over at Amazon Books. She forgot to put up the nutritional information but raved about how easy it was to make and, most of all, how popular it was with the group who scarfed it down in no time.
One Dish Oven Baked French Toast
Makes: 10 servings
Ingredients:
1 large loaf French Bread, cut into 1-inch thick squares (whole wheat my be used)
1 (10 oz) jar seedless all natural blackberry fruit spread
1 (8 oz) package reduced-fat cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup skim milk
2 eggs
4 egg whites
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 cups fat-free half-and-half
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
Coat 13x9x2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray
Place half of French bread squares in prepared baking pan. In microwave-safe dish, heat fruit spread until melted, stirring occasionally. Drizzle over bread.
In bowl, beat together cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and milk until smooth. Drop over bread mixture and cover with remaining French squares.
In large bow, whisk together eggs, egg whites, brown sugar, half-and-half, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour mixture evenly over bread. Gently press bread into liquid mixture, cover, and refrigerate as time permits, preferably overnight.
Preheat over 325 degrees. Bake, covered, 30-35 minutes. Uncover and bake 5-10 minutes more or until bread is golden.
New Book: "Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets to Sizzle at Any Age" by Holly Clegg
(Save 28 percent by purchasing from Amazon Books)
*** 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:
The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
Poems From A Spiritual Heart - poetry
The Healing Waters - health news
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13 October 2010
Halloween: Caramel Apples From Culinary Institute of America
Check out how easy and less expensive it is to make your own caramel apples for the spooky season.
From Denny: One of the pleasures of childhood during the spooky silly Halloween season was when one of our neighbors, the local baker, used to make awesome candied apples. They were beautiful and his wife gave them out every year at the door as she congratulated the kids on the creativity of their costumes.
Fast forward into adulthood and now chefs have taken off with their own versions of the candied apple, offering all kinds of variations like the caramel apple, the caramel apple with nuts and the chocolate coated apple.
Of course, the food companies got on the trend wagon and now have sent the price of those same childhood delights soaring into the stratosphere price wise. The Culinary Institute of America is here to show us how easy - and far less expensive - it is to make our own caramel apples! To get the freshest apples that are not coated with wax like the grocery store versions, take a trip to your local farmers' market to pick up your area's apple stars of taste.
Caramel Apples
From: Chocolates and Confections at Home with The Culinary Institute of America
Makes: 12 to 18 apples
Skill level: 1
Ingredients:
12–18 Apples
12–18 sticks
4 oz (½ cup) Water
1 lb (2 cups) Sugar
1 can (14 oz) Sweetened condensed milk
12 oz (1 cup) Light corn syrup
6 oz (12 tbsp, 1½ sticks) Butter, unsalted, soft
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Vanilla extract
Directions:
Clean and dry the apples. Insert a stick into the stem end of each apple. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Combine the water, sugar, condensed milk, corn syrup, and butter in a heavy-bottomed 4-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant rubber spatula.
Continue stirring while cooking until the batch reaches 245°F. This is a good estimation of the required temperature. When the thermometer reads 240°F, begin testing the caramels using the spoon technique outlined on page 30 (below). The cooled piece on the spoon should be firm but not hard when the caramel is properly cooked.
Stir in the salt and vanilla extract.
Pour the caramel into a 2-quart saucepan or other narrow, deep, heatproof container.
Dip the prepared apples in the hot caramel. Allow the excess caramel to drain off and place on the prepared pan. Allow to cool fully, about 20 minutes. Any excess caramel can be poured onto parchment paper or into a buttered pan, allowed to cool, and cut and wrapped.
Caramel Apples with Nuts: Before the caramel has cooled completely, roll the dipped apple in chopped toasted walnuts or pecans.
Chocolate-Coated Caramel Apples: After the caramel has cooled entirely to room temperature, melt and temper 2 lb/5¹⁄³ cups milk chocolate, chopped into ½-inch pieces, and dip the apples. Roll in chopped toasted nuts before the chocolate sets fully, if desired.
Keys to Success from the Culinary Institute of America:
• If using supermarket apples, wash off the wax for the caramel to adhere.
• Caramels tend to foam during cooking. Use a larger than normal saucepan to prevent boiling over.
• A few degrees can make a big difference in the finished product: Undercooked caramel will be too soft, and overcooked caramel will be too hard to bite.
• If the caramel gets too thick during dipping, rewarm it by stirring it over low heat or in the microwave.
Spoon Technique for Testing Sugar:
Place a small bowl of ice water next to the saucepan of cooking sugar.
As the sugar boils, spoon small samples of the syrup out of the saucepan and immerse the spoon holding the syrup in the ice water.
Allow the syrup to cool for several seconds, then remove the spoon from the water.
Take the cooled sample of syrup between your thumb and forefinger and squeeze it to evaluate the consistency.
*** Here's the Culinary Institute of America's newest cookbook they are promoting:
Chocolates and Confections at Home with The Culinary Institute of America
*** 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:
The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
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
From Denny: One of the pleasures of childhood during the spooky silly Halloween season was when one of our neighbors, the local baker, used to make awesome candied apples. They were beautiful and his wife gave them out every year at the door as she congratulated the kids on the creativity of their costumes.
Fast forward into adulthood and now chefs have taken off with their own versions of the candied apple, offering all kinds of variations like the caramel apple, the caramel apple with nuts and the chocolate coated apple.
Of course, the food companies got on the trend wagon and now have sent the price of those same childhood delights soaring into the stratosphere price wise. The Culinary Institute of America is here to show us how easy - and far less expensive - it is to make our own caramel apples! To get the freshest apples that are not coated with wax like the grocery store versions, take a trip to your local farmers' market to pick up your area's apple stars of taste.
Caramel Apples
From: Chocolates and Confections at Home with The Culinary Institute of America
Makes: 12 to 18 apples
Skill level: 1
Ingredients:
12–18 Apples
12–18 sticks
4 oz (½ cup) Water
1 lb (2 cups) Sugar
1 can (14 oz) Sweetened condensed milk
12 oz (1 cup) Light corn syrup
6 oz (12 tbsp, 1½ sticks) Butter, unsalted, soft
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Vanilla extract
Directions:
Clean and dry the apples. Insert a stick into the stem end of each apple. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Combine the water, sugar, condensed milk, corn syrup, and butter in a heavy-bottomed 4-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant rubber spatula.
Continue stirring while cooking until the batch reaches 245°F. This is a good estimation of the required temperature. When the thermometer reads 240°F, begin testing the caramels using the spoon technique outlined on page 30 (below). The cooled piece on the spoon should be firm but not hard when the caramel is properly cooked.
Stir in the salt and vanilla extract.
Pour the caramel into a 2-quart saucepan or other narrow, deep, heatproof container.
Dip the prepared apples in the hot caramel. Allow the excess caramel to drain off and place on the prepared pan. Allow to cool fully, about 20 minutes. Any excess caramel can be poured onto parchment paper or into a buttered pan, allowed to cool, and cut and wrapped.
Caramel Apples with Nuts: Before the caramel has cooled completely, roll the dipped apple in chopped toasted walnuts or pecans.
Chocolate-Coated Caramel Apples: After the caramel has cooled entirely to room temperature, melt and temper 2 lb/5¹⁄³ cups milk chocolate, chopped into ½-inch pieces, and dip the apples. Roll in chopped toasted nuts before the chocolate sets fully, if desired.
Keys to Success from the Culinary Institute of America:
• If using supermarket apples, wash off the wax for the caramel to adhere.
• Caramels tend to foam during cooking. Use a larger than normal saucepan to prevent boiling over.
• A few degrees can make a big difference in the finished product: Undercooked caramel will be too soft, and overcooked caramel will be too hard to bite.
• If the caramel gets too thick during dipping, rewarm it by stirring it over low heat or in the microwave.
Spoon Technique for Testing Sugar:
Place a small bowl of ice water next to the saucepan of cooking sugar.
As the sugar boils, spoon small samples of the syrup out of the saucepan and immerse the spoon holding the syrup in the ice water.
Allow the syrup to cool for several seconds, then remove the spoon from the water.
Take the cooled sample of syrup between your thumb and forefinger and squeeze it to evaluate the consistency.
*** Here's the Culinary Institute of America's newest cookbook they are promoting:
Chocolates and Confections at Home with The Culinary Institute of America
*** 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:
The Social Poets - news, politics
The Soul Calendar - science, astronomy, psychology
Visual Insights - photos, art, music
Beautiful Illustrated Quotations - spiritual quotes, philosophy
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
recipes,food,arts,funny,photos
apple recipes,
candied apples,
caramel apples,
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12 October 2010
Cake Tuesday: Bobby Flays Awesome German Chocolate Cake
A special cake for celebrations and the holidays! Recipe and video.
From Denny: We love the Food Network at our house and often watch Bobby Flay on his show "Throwdown!" You get to find out what other people are cooking throughout the country as well as view a trained chef figure out how to match their recipes. It's a friendly "show-off cook-off" and always entertaining. Chef Bobby Flay has compiled his best - and most popular - recipes from the show into a new cookbook called "Throwdown!"
Here's a bit of cake trivia: Did you know that German Chocolate Cake is not from Germany? It's actually named after Sam German because he was the guy who created the type of distinctive chocolate baked into the cake. Technically, says Chef Flay, it should be called German's Chocolate Cake. Well, oops, too late, Bobby. America calls it German Chocolate Cake.
This recipe is a great idea to serve for the upcoming holidays. OK, since it's chocolate I'd serve it year 'round since chocolate seems to make the most mundane suddenly special... :)
From Denny: We love the Food Network at our house and often watch Bobby Flay on his show "Throwdown!" You get to find out what other people are cooking throughout the country as well as view a trained chef figure out how to match their recipes. It's a friendly "show-off cook-off" and always entertaining. Chef Bobby Flay has compiled his best - and most popular - recipes from the show into a new cookbook called "Throwdown!"
Here's a bit of cake trivia: Did you know that German Chocolate Cake is not from Germany? It's actually named after Sam German because he was the guy who created the type of distinctive chocolate baked into the cake. Technically, says Chef Flay, it should be called German's Chocolate Cake. Well, oops, too late, Bobby. America calls it German Chocolate Cake.
This recipe is a great idea to serve for the upcoming holidays. OK, since it's chocolate I'd serve it year 'round since chocolate seems to make the most mundane suddenly special... :)
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