From Denny: I just love it when great chefs are out promoting their latest cookbook and go on network TV to demo some recipes. You always learn something new, polish your skills and pick up some interesting recipes! Chef Thomas Keller is known for emphasizing local ingredients like green garlic and the many different ways it can be applied to tasty dishes.
Chef Keller is author of the New York Times Best Seller cookbook "At Hoc At Home." As a famous Napa Valley chef and restaurant owner he has a unique take on springtime food.
The Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival will take place on April 8 - 11 in California. Count on Chef Keller to be there this year too as he has participated for many years. It's a convergence of the creme de la creme of the culinary arts world tasting wine and demonstrating recipes while playing golf. Not a bad gig! :) This year there will be 70 chefs swarming the festival and over 250 wineries.
Chef Keller enjoys working with the Pebble Beach local ingredients, especially garlic, as it is one of the specialties of this area. Keller teaches there are many uses for garlic, from roasted garlic to garlic confit, working in a wide spectrum of dishes from pastas to salads.
Check out his easy to make and economical marinated skirt steak you can serve year round. And he gives divine recipes for your own homemade ice cream too! Just in time for the warmer Spring weather sweeping across America.
Take a look and learn a few new things. Did you know that adding salt to boiling water elevates the temperature? Check out other quick facts chef mentions as he demonstrates his easy to do Spring menu.
Check it out: "Ad Hoc at Home" By Thomas Keller - discounted over at Amazon.
From Denny: Finding a lot of funny things about the Easter bunny for Cheeky Quote Day over at The Social Poets was totally crazy! I went looking for funny Easter quotes, only to find very few. What I did find were plenty of late night show "top ten lists" and funny videos. This is a sampling of the funnies. Be sure to check out the full post for lots more grins and how to dye your own boiled eggs the way it was done before it became commercialized.
Check out this kid friendly music video of the Easter Bunny Rap to give you a smile:
Since Easter morning involves the giving of lots of chocolate, please abide by these "important" rules:
The Rules Of Chocolates
If you get melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly.
Chocolate covered raisins, cherries, orange slices and strawberries all count as fruit, so eat as many as you want.
The problem: How to get two pounds of chocolate home from the store in a hot car. The solution: Eat it in the parking lot.
Diet tip: Eat a chocolate bar before each meal. It'll take the edge off your appetite and you'll eat less.
A nice box of chocolates can provide your total daily intake of calories in one place. Isn't that handy?
If you can't eat all your chocolate, it will keep in the freezer. But if you can't eat all your chocolate, what's wrong with you?
If calories are an issue, store your chocolate on top of the fridge. Calories are afraid of heights, and they will jump out of the chocolate to protect themselves.
Money talks. Chocolate sings.
Chocolate has many preservatives. Preservatives make you look younger.
Why is there no such organization as Chocoholics Anonymous? Because no one wants to quit.
Put "eat chocolate" at the top of your list of things to do today. That way, at least you'll get one thing done.
Chocolate is a health food. Chocolate is derived from cacao beans. Bean = vegetable. Sugar is derived either from sugar beets or cane, both vegetables. And, of course, the milk/cream is dairy. So eat more chocolate to meet the dietary requirements for daily vegetable and dairy intake.
Check out the full post of the latest Cheeky Quote Day from The Social Poetsfor more grins and how some Easter traditions got started from the beginning:
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From Denny: This is a fun video of kid chefs in competition for the best peanut butter recipe. Let me tell you this video clip is worth watching as they are quite creative and these recipes adults will enjoy too. They use peanut butter much like Mexican recipes use cheese, as a binder in a quesadilla, pita bread, lettuce wrap or grilled sandwich. Several of these recipes are tasty ideas to use for leftover chicken breast and bits of fresh fruit. Take a look:
• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter • 1 tablespoon reduced fat cream cheese • 2 teaspoons preserves • 1/2 small to medium Macintosh apple, core removed and sliced into 6 slices • 2 slices whole wheat bread • 1/4 cup skim milk • 1/4 cup egg substitute • 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1 teaspoon sugar • 1/2 tablespoon butter • 1/4 cup maple syrup • Sprinkle of confectioners
DIRECTIONS
Take 1 tablespoon peanut butter and spread on one slice of whole wheat bread. Then spread 2 teaspoons of preserves on top of the peanut butter. Take the other slice of whole wheat bread and spread the second tablespoon of peanut butter on it. Spread 1 tablespoon reduced fat cream cheese on top of the peanut butter. Place the 6 apple slices in a single layer on top of the cream cheese. Place the first slice of bread on top of the slice with the apples.
Mix the skim milk, egg substitute, vanilla and sugar in a shallow bowl. On medium heat melt butter in a small fry pan until the pan has a coating of butter. Remove the extra butter and put aside and use if needed. Take the sandwich and carefully coat both sides of the sandwich with the egg substitute mixture by placing in a shallow bowl for a few seconds on each side. Place in the fry pan and cook until one side is lightly browned, then carefully flip the sandwich. Then cook until lightly browned. Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes before slicing into four quarters.
Place the sandwich on a plate with extra apple slices, maple syrup in a small cup for dipping, and a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar.
PB & Fruity says 'Let us Rap'
From: Rachel Granillo, Clovis, Calif.
INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 cup chopped cooked chicken breast • 2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter • 3 tablespoons chopped Fuji apple • 2 tablespoons chopped black or red grapes • 1 tablespoons light mayonnaise • 2 teaspoons honey • Iceberg lettuce
DIRECTIONS
Chop chicken meat and fruit, mix in bowl. Mix in peanut butter, mayonnaise and honey. Spoon into open lettuce leaf, roll and serve.
More Rockin' Moroccan Peanutty Pitas
From: West Mylroie, Santa Clara, Utah
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, plus more for garnish • 1 cup prepared hummus • 1/2 cup Jif Creamy Peanut Butter • 1 tablespoon lemon juice • 1/2 cup chopped green onion • 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken • 1 large tomato, seeded and diced • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro • 2 large pita pockets
DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl, combine paprika, hummus, peanut butter and lemon juice. Transfer half of peanut butter mixture to medium bowl and combine with green onion, chicken, tomato and cilantro. Fill pitas with chicken mixture.
Cut into 8 triangles and serve with remaining peanut hummus. Garnish sandwiches and hummus with a sprinkle of smoked paprika, if desired.
Peanut butter and banana quesadilla with fresh fruit salsa and vanilla yogurt
From: Lauren Wright, Waukesha, Wis.
INGREDIENTS
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter • 2 large flour burrito size tortilla • 1 banana • 1 kiwi • 1 golden delicious apple • 5 large strawberries • 18 raspberries • 1 teaspoon strawberry preserves • 6 oz. low fat vanilla yogurt
DIRECTIONS
Note: Fruit salsa and yogurt should be prepared just before preparing quesadilla.
Directions for quesadilla: Take 1 large flour tortilla and add 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter to the center of the tortilla and then spread the peanut butter out evenly, leaving about 1 inch of tortilla around the entire outside of the tortilla. Next take the banana and slice thin slices (making circular pieces). Place bananas evenly on top of peanut butter. Place last flour tortilla on top then place quesadilla in pre-heated quesadilla maker for 5-7 minutes or in 10-inch non-stick frying pan for 5-7 minutes, turning once. Cut into 6 triangular pieces and serve with vanilla yogurt and fruit salsa.
Directions for fruit salsa: Take the skin off 1 kiwi and then finely chop kiwi, then put into a small mixing bowl. Take half of the apple, less seeds and core, finely chop and add to small mixing bowl. Cut stem tops off strawberries, then finely chop raspberries and add to small mixing bowl. Then stir in 1 teaspoon strawberry preserves then place part of the fruit salsa into a small serving dish.
Directions for vanilla yogurt: Open the 6 oz. container of low fat vanilla yogurt and pour into a small serving dish.
Chickenchita
From: Stephanie Hosko, Plymouth, Mich.
INGREDIENTS
• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter • 1 small can crushed pineapple in juice • 2 teaspoons of soy sauce • 3 tablespoons olive oil • 1 large flour tortilla • 1 chicken breast • 1/2 cup red pepper strips • 2 large lettuce leaves (such as romaine) • 2 rosemary sprigs • Parsley or chives for garnish (optional) • Salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS
Mix together peanut butter, 2 tablespoons of the pineapple juice and 2 teaspoons soy sauce. Set aside. Rub the chicken breast with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and season with the rosemary, salt and pepper. Heat another tablespoon of the olive oil in a large frying pan, and grill the chicken until cooked through, then set aside.
Next, add the red pepper strips and sauté until soft. Spread the peanut butter mixture onto the tortilla, leaving about a half inch border. Cut the chicken into small, bite-sized pieces. Layer the diced chicken, red pepper strips, 2 tablespoons crushed pineapple and the 2 lettuce leaves on top of the tortilla.
Roll the tortilla up envelope-style, and tuck in the sides. Heat the last tablespoon of olive oil on a grill pan, over medium heat. Slowly grill the tortilla, turning once, until crisp. Garnish with a dollop of peanut butter, and a sprig of parsley or a few chives.
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From Denny: Remember those dense rich flavorful pound cakes your great grandmother used to make in her time? Wonderful rich cakes full of butter - and calories. Well, we don't work on the farm anymore, unable to justify those calories since most of us are desk jockeys these days. How wonderful those cakes must have tasted with fresh homemade creamery butter! I have to go down to the Farmer's Market on weekends to find that "fresh from the farm taste" and quality product.
Well, the good news is the pound cake recipe idea has been streamlined calorie wise and is far lighter in texture. I paired this recipe with simple chocolate ganache. There is a video from Southern Living demonstrating how easy it is to make. There are also two ganache recipes, one with butter and the other uses light corn syrup. Take your pick.
Breakfast for the Diva Queen: Loaf Cake French Toast
Use leftover slices of Rich Yellow Loaf Cake to make a decadent breakfast treat. For four (1/2-inch) slices of cake, whisk together an egg and 1/2 cup of milk. Dip each slice in the mixture, turning to coat. Melt a tablespoon or so of butter in a nonstick skillet and cook the slices, turning once, until golden and crisp. Rich Yellow Loaf Cake, cooked this way, is great with strawberries and whipped cream.
Option: Make two smaller loaf cakes rather than the one (9x5-inch) loaf. Enjoy one and freeze the other one for later. Defrost the cake at room temperature before serving.
Lighter in texture than traditional pound cake, this golden loaf is still wonderfully rich tasting because it is made with egg yolks.
Ingredients:
4 large egg yolks 2/3 cup milk 2 tsps. pure vanilla extract 2 cups cake flour 1 tbl. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1-1/4 cups sugar
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and dust with flour. Combine the egg yolks, milk and vanilla in a large glass measuring cup and lightly beat. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Combine butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl once or twice as necessary.
3. With the mixer on medium-low speed, pour the egg mixture into the bowl in a slow stream, stopping the mixer once or twice to scrape down the sides.
4. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. After the last addition, mix for 1 minute on medium speed.
5. Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake cake until it is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for about 5 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack, and then turn it right side up on a rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.
6. Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Make a simple chocolate ganache to "enrobe" this luscious simple cake:
Microwave semisweet chocolate morsels and whipping cream in a 2-quart microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 2 1/2 to 3 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt.
Whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Whisk in butter; let stand 20 minutes. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer 3 to 4 minutes or until mixture forms soft peaks.
Chocolate Ganache
From: Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez
Makes: enough for 24 cupcakes Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min
Ingredients:
6 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cacao if marked), chopped 2/3 cup heavy cream 1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
Directions:
Put chocolate in a large bowl. Heat cream in a medium saucepan over moderate heat until it just comes to a boil, then pour over chocolate and let stand 3 minutes. Whisk until smooth, then stir in corn syrup.
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From Denny: Crawfish are coming into season and besides the first crawfish boil of the season my tummy goes to thinking about crawfish etoufee, a savory stew served over rice. Traditionally, this is a Creole dish but is now found all throughout Cajun country. It's served in the most upscale restaurants which makes a lot of old timers chuckle. To them it's just a good ol' country dish that tastes good and not expensive to make when you live off the land.
"Etoufee" is a word that means to stew, smother (a favorite technique throughout the entire American South for everything from pork chops to crawfish) or braise. My Cajun father-in-law always talked about smothering his Mississippi Pork Chops. And, oh, were they good too! Anyway, call it smothering, stewing or braising, this method of easy slow cooking is used for shrimp, crab, crawfish, meats and game.
This is an easy version of etoufee for the beginner cook as it is made with the simple light colored roux, sometimes called white roux. You don't have to master the darker roux.
Lafitte's Landing is about 40 minutes outside of Baton Rouge, the capital city. Baton Rouge is an hour plus 15 minutes west of New Orleans. If you come to visit, come long enough to traipse across southern Louisiana, going from New Orleans to Baton Rouge and farther west to Lafayette in a horizontal bee line. Lafayette usually has an International Music Festival around Easter or early April which is great fun.
If you have never visited Lafitte's Landing at Bittersweet Plantation - the brain child and huge success and a bed and breakfast too - of Louisiana native Chef John Folse, then hike on over and pay them a visit! The food is top notch; bring your wallet too. It's worth the time and money every time. Take a look at their B & B Suites as they are in the process of adding new ones, go here. Call them for availability and pricing as they may not have updated their website.
This chef is quite enterprising. He has developed his products as frozen entrees and more, ready to ship from his website in case you get a craving for good Louisiana food. For the crawfish etoufee, check it out here.
Yield: enough for your hungry friends and relatives
INGREDIENTS:
3 pounds cleaned crawfish tails (you can purchase these frozen) 1/4 pound butter 2 cups chopped onions 1 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper 2 tablespoons diced garlic 2 bay leaves 1/2 cup tomato sauce 1 cup flour 2 quarts crawfish stock (by boiling the shells in water to extract the seasonings and seafood flavor) 1 ounce sherry 1 cup sliced green onions 1/2 cup chopped parsley 2 tablespoons basil 2 tablespoons thyme Salt and pepper to taste Louisiana Gold Pepper sauce
DIRECTIONS:
In a 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat.
Add onions, celery, bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic and bay leaves. Saute 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are wilted.
Add half of the crawfish tails and tomato sauce and blend well into mixture.
Using a cooking spoon, blend flour into the vegetable mixture to form a white roux.
Slowly add crawfish stock or water, a little at a time, until all is incorporated. Bring to a low boil, reduce to simmer and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add remaining crawfish tails, sherry, green onions, parsley, basil and thyme. Cook an additional 5 minutes.
Season to taste using salt and pepper. Serve over steamed white rice or pasta, adding a few dashes of Louisiana Gold pepper sauce.
*** To purchase any of Chef John Folse's products, check out his extensive offerings at his online store, go here.
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