tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43283020019542198292024-03-05T17:10:15.550-05:00good sazonA blog dedicated to share recipes, food advice, and cooking successes and failures. It is a blog for food, wine and beer lovers.What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-74762858807520470012012-08-26T18:43:00.003-04:002012-08-26T18:44:12.991-04:00Paella Valenciana<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After several months of not updating Good Sazon, I am back! Dear readers, I apologize for being such a bad blogger. All I can tell you is that the past four months have been really hectic - I got a new job that I love but is very demanding, I traveled overseas and also had several family commitments. But the fact that I was not posting new recipes does not mean I have not been cooking... read on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There are several dishes that should only be eaten at restaurants for two reasons (1) they are a pain in the butt to make and (2) no matter how hard you try, the dish just doesn't taste the same. I would definitely put paella in that category. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I love paella and wanted to make it the right way so the first step was to find a paella pan. You would think that would be easy, right? Well, if you live in Central Pennsylvania, it is not an easy feat. The only specialty store that did sell paella pans had run out of them. So I had to order one from Amazon. A week later, I got my paella pan and it had a huge sticker form the manufacturer at the bottom of it. It took my about 45 minutes to get it off. I should have taken that as a sign and ended my desire of making the famous Spanish dish. But I didn't see it a sign. Instead, I became more stubborn and decided to make it that weekend.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That Saturday was about 90 degrees and very humid but that did not deter me. I went to the store and got all my ingredients, sans mussels (another sign!) because they had run out of them. Back at home, I decided to make the paella on the grill because for some reason I thought that was how it should be done. We had to carry all of the ingredients to the patio. In the process, my mom dropped some of the vegetables on the ground (another sign). Once I had all the ingredients ready, I turned on the grill and started cooking. Bad decision. The heat from the grill was almost unbearable and I was sweating like a pig. I think my family was chuckling. At some point I noticed that the flame went out... we ran out of gas. So, we had to go back to the kitchen and yes, carry all the ingredients and pans inside. Fortunately, we didn't drop anything this time. Once in the kitchen, I continued cooking and adding the ingredients. At some point I noticed that the rice had absorbed all the water but it was still very hard. So I kept adding water and well, to be honest, I added too much water because it ended up all mushy. After maybe an hour, the paella was ready. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I wish I could tell you that, after all I went through, it was the best paella I have ever had. It was not. It was good but nothing out of the ordinary... and it was mushy! So the next time I'm craving paella, I'll go to a restaurant. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And by the way, the paella pan was a fraud. The rice at the bottom of it stuck to it so I had to let it soak in water overnight. The next morning, I realized it had oxidized so badly that I had to return it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, if you are brave, here is the recipe. As I said before, it's a good recipe and the results will be fine but it is a pain in the butt. You've been warned.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Paella Valenciana</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">6 tbs white wine</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 lb. mussels (I used clams instead)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 cup green beans, cut into small pieces)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 chicken breast (cut in cubes)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5 oz. pork fillet, cubed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">12 shrimps</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2 onions chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3 garlic cloves, chopped.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 red bell pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2 ripe tomatoes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4 tbs. chopped fresh parsley</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3 3/4 cups chicken stock (you are going to need more)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pinch of saffron threads soaked in 2 tbs, hot water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 3/4 white rice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">8 oz. Spanish chorizo (sliced)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 cup peas</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sal, pepper and paprika.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Directions:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Heat the wine and add the mussels. Cover and steam until opened. Reserve the liquid and mussels, discarding any that do not open. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. Heat 4 tbs. of olive oil in a large paella pan, season the chicken and pork with salt and paprika until browned. Put them on a plate. Fry the shrimp briefly in the same and put them away on another plate.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. Add more oil to the pan and fry the onions and garlic until golden-brown. Add the red pepper and cook for two minutes, then stir in the chopped tomatoes, green beans, chorizo and parsley. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. Add the chicken stock, the mussel liquid and the saffron liquid into the vegetables. Season well with salt and pepper and when then the liquid starts to bubble add the rice. Add the rest of the ingredients (chicken, pork, mussels, shrimp).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. Cook for about 18 minutes until the rice is cooked. Cover with a lid and leave to stand for 10 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-39211545161997561852012-04-14T16:35:00.000-04:002012-04-14T16:35:05.743-04:00Chipotle Chili Corn Bread Bake<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Do you remember how during the 80’s it became a trend to cook meals in the microwave? And then, by the 90s, as scrunchies, flannel shirts, MC Hammer pants, fanny packs came into style, microwave cooking was on its way out.
I – although I never tried it – always disdained microwave cooking. I guess because I am either “old-school” or a snob. You figure that out. But after trying this recipe, I have changed my mind. Cooking in your microwave does save you time. For example, this dish, which feeds at least four people, was ready in about 20 minutes! Sometimes you just don’t have time to spend too much time in the kitchen preparing dinner. Sometimes, after a long day at work, all you want is something on your table ASAP and the microwave can be your best friend. Now, I won’t lie to you, even after trying this recipe, I do not cook in the microwave often. However, I am now aware that it is an option when I want a nice meal and do not have much time.
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Chipotle Chili Corn Bread Bake is a good, filling, and unpretentious dish. You get what the recipe says you are going to get: chili and corn bread. The interesting thing about this recipe is that you cook the meat in the microwave with the spices and once the meat is cooked, you add on top of it corn bread batter and cook it in the microwave. What you get is one layer of chili and on top of it, a cheesy layer of cornbread. When you cut into it and serve it on a plate, each layer is visible which looks very presentable. However, you have to be careful cutting into the dish because otherwise, it looks somewhat messy.
If you haven’t tried microwave cooking, this is a good recipe to start. You’ll realize that it is easy, fast and that you can have a goo meal on your table in 20 minutes. Now, that beats Rachel Ray! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Chipotle Chili Corn Bread Bake </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Courtesy of The Pampered Chef </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Servings: 8 </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Calories per serving: 360 </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ingredients: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 medium green bell pepper </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">6 green onions with tops, divided </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 lb ground beef OR turkey </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 can (16 oz) Texas-style chili beans in sauce, undrained </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 cup (250 mL) chunky salsa </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2 tbsp (30 mL) Chipotle Rub </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 pkg (8.5 oz) corn muffin mix </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 container (8 oz ) sour cream or plain yogurt </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 egg
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1 plum tomato, seeded and diced (optional) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Directions: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1. Coarsely chop bell pepper using.
Thinly slice green onions separating white and light green bottoms from tops. Reserve 1 tbsp of the onion tops for garnish. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2. Place remaining tops into a bowl.
In a microwave-safe baker with lid (I used Pampered Chef’s Deep Covered Baker), combine bell pepper, onion bottoms and beef; mix well. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 7–9 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking into crumbles halfway through. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3. Remove baker from microwave and carefully pour off juices (this is very important!). Add beans, salsa and rub to beef mixture; mix well. Cover and microwave on HIGH 5 minutes or until hot. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">4. Meanwhile, combine muffin mix, sour cream and egg in batter bowl; mix well. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">5. Scoop muffin mixture evenly over chili using an ice-cream scoop. Spread evenly to edges of baker. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 7–9 minutes or until center of cornbread springs back when lightly pressed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">6. Sprinkle cheese over cornbread, if desired; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Garnish with reserved onion tops and tomato, if desired.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrIKhlhqbcfcNkEIvrS2ukrIIXNXxLLgK42J6fzZNk298Kyco3edqEr_pih4vYQOn57aa9ZffhsgTzd3RLyRIexS_3-of_fVux8pRfu7w_p2Xb5ym9FRPn3ylu-snT6FHFkZs4o0l3W-gU/s1600/chili+in+baker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrIKhlhqbcfcNkEIvrS2ukrIIXNXxLLgK42J6fzZNk298Kyco3edqEr_pih4vYQOn57aa9ZffhsgTzd3RLyRIexS_3-of_fVux8pRfu7w_p2Xb5ym9FRPn3ylu-snT6FHFkZs4o0l3W-gU/s320/chili+in+baker.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-15086566691135223432012-03-26T19:42:00.000-04:002012-03-26T19:42:18.978-04:00Limoncello<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I you have been to Italy, it is very likely that you, at some point, had Limoncello – the famous lemon liquor which sweetness innocently hides its powerful effect. However, it is not necessary to cross the Atlantic to enjoy the qualities of this wonderful liquor – you can actually make it at home.
Karen Chronister, a friend and fellow blogger, is sharing with us the secret to make this delicious liquor. It is easy to make and you need very few ingredients. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Click <a href="http://www.thewordshopblog.com/limoncello-a-remedy-for-italian-nostaligia/">here</a> for the recipe and enjoy Karen’s beautiful writing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cheers!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZyg0l-k24YBcSH1-JtUnkoPOBvzefBiC3nC80nazu2OP_gNf9KIEEFfgdtWoiddLvjWvdkHt4vEXmu3Mq2l32AeZy2h_HzPIcmUbiIBmyaDvC5TP8wpUxTHOz76UuSs19f3qJ5RM1BWF/s1600/Glass-of-Limoncello.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxZyg0l-k24YBcSH1-JtUnkoPOBvzefBiC3nC80nazu2OP_gNf9KIEEFfgdtWoiddLvjWvdkHt4vEXmu3Mq2l32AeZy2h_HzPIcmUbiIBmyaDvC5TP8wpUxTHOz76UuSs19f3qJ5RM1BWF/s320/Glass-of-Limoncello.jpg" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karen's Picture of a Glass of Limoncello</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-65384035689938498092012-03-15T18:59:00.001-04:002012-03-15T18:59:25.538-04:00Quesadilla Cups with Nectarine SalsaI have a confession: whenever I host a party or dinner, the appetizers I serve are – for the most part – bought at a store. In other words, I usually don’t make appetizers from scratch because they tend to be time-consuming and I would rather spend my time preparing the main course and dessert. That is one of the reasons why, up until today, I haven’t posted any appetizer recipes.<br />
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This week Jen and I (remember Jen, my partner in crime when it comes to cooking) made two new recipes: quesadilla cups (appetizer) and chipotle chili cornbread bake (main dish, I will tell you about it later). We both were under the impression that the quesadilla cups were going to be time consuming because they looked quite fancy on the recipe card. I am happy to report that we were wrong. The quesadilla cups were very easy to make, were ready in approximately 15 minutes (and gone as fast), and were delicious. In addition, the ingredients are easily available. You can cut the time in half by preparing the accompanying salsa a day or few hours ahead.
If you are looking for low-maintenance appetizers that look high-maintenance, this recipe if for you. I assure you, your guests will be asking for the recipe.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJD4_Eu3WwOxEaIpvkbnNd67tjoFaF4Uj4lQqlOAL8qShoql6eLcGpHyXra241Rg3sj-gGUZStvxx2H0LTs0luyDwCgPrFQ6rzn0gB_oQ7YZF3haIJZ7LSNRVZPoLvaIoAb2K6NbMSjhlx/s1600/QC+jen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJD4_Eu3WwOxEaIpvkbnNd67tjoFaF4Uj4lQqlOAL8qShoql6eLcGpHyXra241Rg3sj-gGUZStvxx2H0LTs0luyDwCgPrFQ6rzn0gB_oQ7YZF3haIJZ7LSNRVZPoLvaIoAb2K6NbMSjhlx/s320/QC+jen.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jen eating a quesadilla cup</td></tr>
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Quesadilla Cups with Nectarine Salsa<br />
Courtesy of The Pampered Chef (have I told you how much I love their products?) <br />
Servings: 24 cups<br />
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Ingredients: <br />
4 oz. Chihuahua or Monterrey Jack Cheese<br />
3 flour tortillas (6-inch)<br />
1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil<br />
1 medium, ripe, nectarine (diced)<br />
¼ cup roasted red peppers (patted dry and diced)<br />
1 Serrano or jalapeno pepper (diced)<br />
2 tbs. finely chopped onion<br />
2 tbs. finely chopped cilantro<br />
1 tbs. lime or lemon juice<br />
Salt and Pepper<br />
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Directions:<br />
1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut cheese into twenty-four ½-in. (1-cm) cubes.<br />
2. Brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Stack tortillas and cut into eight wedges (for a total of 24 wedges).<br />
3. Press tortillas into a mini-muffin pan. Place one cheese cube into each cup and bake 5–7 minutes or until edges of tortillas begin to brown and cheese is melted.<br />
4. Meanwhile, for salsa, mix the nectarine, roasted pepper, Serrano pepper, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper.<br />
5. Remove pan from oven. Cool cups in pan 2–3 minutes. Carefully remove cups from pan to serving platter.<br />
6. Right before serving divide salsa evenly among cups.<br />
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Notes:<br />
a. If you don’t like spicy food, instead of skipping the Serrano pepper, cut it lengthwise and discard the seeds and veins carefully before dicing it. The heat from the pepper does not come from the seeds, it comes from the veins. The seeds are attached to the veins and therefore, people often think that the seeds are the “heat” source.<br />
b. Jen and I believe that replacing the nectarine with diced mango would be a good combination.
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<br />What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-63453215934286082842012-02-29T19:03:00.000-05:002012-02-29T19:03:09.778-05:00Wheatberry Apple SaladWheat Berry Apple Salad
Salads are what I should be eating for about a month after I indulged in eating the most <a href="http://goodsazon.blogspot.com/2012/02/chocolate-cake-with-hazelnut-and-rum.html">delicious chocolate cake</a> (which was described as addictive by my Father) for about a week. And this one is a great one. I love this salad for many reasons: it’s tasty, it fills you up, and it’s full with nutrients. What else can you ask for?<br />
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What attracted me to it initially was the fact that it called for wheatberries. I love them. They have a buttery-nutty flavor that is mildly sweet and very distinctive. They are crunchy and chewy at the same time, which means they’ll fill you up and you won’t feel hungry after eating this salad. However, if you don’t like to chew, they are probably not for you. I digress, the mild sweetness of the wheatberries and salad dressing are a delightful contrast to the tartness of the apples and cranberries. And the leafy greens add freshness to this dish. It is a delicious way to get all the nutrients you need if you are not a big salad fan.
So, without further ado, here is the recipe:<br />
Wheatberry Apple Salad<br />
Adapted from Ultimate Party Food Book<br />
Portion: 6 cups<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjza1St_ZZSIeIDYo6yOnpaFpV1Y-uUKVdggGManM7CWu1yKDjXo4WdYJKnLpcnF4DiTZjuE_lTGmX-8DmSX75pFskSCG15mOnuN1JmEx0MpyPOsehr9ZgKmyRq2UpcYw3FP9UsbShTxjvY/s1600/wb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjza1St_ZZSIeIDYo6yOnpaFpV1Y-uUKVdggGManM7CWu1yKDjXo4WdYJKnLpcnF4DiTZjuE_lTGmX-8DmSX75pFskSCG15mOnuN1JmEx0MpyPOsehr9ZgKmyRq2UpcYw3FP9UsbShTxjvY/s320/wb.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wheatberries</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Ingredients:<br />
1 cup uncooked wheat berries<br />
½ teaspoon salt<br />
2 Apples<br />
½ cup dried cranberries<br />
1/3 cup chopped walnuts<br />
Grated peel and juice of one medium orange<br />
2 tbsp. rice vinegar<br />
1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil<br />
Lettuce and spinach leaves<br />
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Directions:<br />
1. Place wheat berries and salt in a large saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Stir and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 45 min. to one hour or until what berries are tender, but chewy. You may have to add additional water if what berries become dry during cooking. Drain and let cool.<br />
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2. Cut unpeeled apples into bite-size pieces. Combine wheat berries, apples, cranberries, walnuts, orange peel, orange juice, extra virgin olive oil, and vinegar in a large bowl. Add salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavors to blend. Serve over lettuce and spinach leaves.
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<br />What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-73003768110844820942012-02-17T15:01:00.001-05:002012-02-17T15:01:06.931-05:00Chocolate Cake with Hazelnut and Rum Frosting<br />
“Where have you been?” you may be asking. Between work, new projects, and family and friends, writing has taken the backseat. However, that does not mean that I have taken a break from cooking and trying new recipes. In fact, I just made my first chocolate cake from scratch (frosting included). My intention was to post this recipe on Sunday so you could make it for your significant other for Valentine’s Day… but, as I mentioned earlier, life got in the way and I didn’t have time to type the recipe. Oh well, you don’t need to wait until next Valentine’s Day because you can make this cake anytime of the year for anyone who occupies a special place in your heart… or when you are going through a bad breakup since there are few things chocolate cannot fix.<br />
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Enough chatter. Let’s talk about this recipe. I was looking for good chocolate cake recipe when my friend and coworker Cheryl shared with me a chocolate cake recipe she found online. I read the recipe and it looked easy to make. I decided to make it this past Saturday for Gayle’s birthday (my brother’s girlfriend). I wanted to make her feel special by making her a luscious and decadent chocolate cake. I spent all Saturday morning (and part of the afternoon) baking the cake and making the frosting. When I started decorating the cake, the snow that had been falling since early in the morning, turned into sleet. Not a good sign. Minutes later, cake in hand, we left home to meet Gayle and the family at our favorite Mexican restaurant (which was featuring live Mariachi). Half way there, Mother calls me to cancel. The roads where slippery and they didn’t feel comfortable driving all the way to Harrisburg… Nate and I looked at each other and then looked at the cake that was sitting on the backseat. What to do know? Well, we took it home and could not resist having a piece. Yes, I know it’s rude to eat someone else’s birthday cake but it looked so very good and we are not very good at resisting temptation. We’ve been eating a piece of cake daily… but we saved the other half in the freezer for Gayle.<br />
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This chocolate cake is very, very good. The cake is a bit dense with a clear chocolate flavor that is not overwhelming. Although it did not call for it, I decided to use raspberry jelly as filling, which added a bit of tanginess to the sweetness of the cake and frosting. Which reminds me to tell you about the frosting: it was combination of butter (of course), hazelnut cream (I used Nutella), and rum (because rum makes me smile). The cake is very decadent and probably not very good for your figure but it is so worth it. I’m not going to lie to you, making a cake and frosting from scratch is time consuming and at times frustrating. So I recommend you make either the cake or frosting a day ahead of time.<br />
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Chocolate Cake with Hazelnut and Rum Frosting<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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For the Cake<br />
1 1/4 cup of sugar<br />
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour<br />
3/4 cup good quality cocoa<br />
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda<br />
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda<br />
1/3 tsp. salt<br />
2 eggs<br />
1 cup milk<br />
1/2 cup vegetable oil<br />
2 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
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For the Filling:<br />
3/4 cup raspberry jelly<br />
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For the Frosting:<br />
1 cup butter (at room temperature)<br />
1 cup Hazelnut butter (I used Nutella)<br />
1 tbs. dark rum<br />
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Directions:<br />
For the cake:<br />
1. Heat oven to 350 Degrees.<br />
2. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.<br />
3. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, mix at medium speed for 2 minutes.<br />
4. Pour into a floured cake pan/<br />
5. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.<br />
6. Once the cake is ready, take it out of the oven and let cool for approximately an hour before removing it from pan. <br />
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For the frosting:<br />
1. Beat all the ingredients until completely mixed. Chill for 20 minutes (not more) before using.<br />
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To finish the cake:<br />
1. Slice the cake horizontally in half.<br />
2. Spread the raspberry jelly over the bottom part of the cake. Add the top part of the cake.<br />
<span style="text-align: center;">3. Spread the frosting on top of the case and sides. </span><br />
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<br />What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-49993910702325486152012-01-30T20:26:00.000-05:002012-01-30T20:26:28.445-05:00Oatmeal Orange SconesI love to eat scones with my morning coffee. About two years ago I made scones for the first time. Somewhere, I don’t remember where, I found a recipe to make blueberry scones and decided to give it a try. Well, they did not turn out great. I used frozen blueberries which turned the dough into an ugly gray mess. The dough was too runny and as a result, shaping the scones was close to impossible. I had to add more flour which led to very doughy scones. I decided to never make scones again.<br />
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However, this past Christmas I found a recipe that I loved courtesy of Liz, my brother-in-law’s wife. She let me try some of the scones she made for Christmas morning and I loved them. She was not only kind enough to give me several scones to take home but she also shared the recipe with me. Two weeks later, on a cold Saturday morning, I decided to make them. However, I made some tweaks to the original recipe: I added orange zest and flax seed, and instead of using raisins, I used dried cranberries. As the scones were baking in the oven, the smell of freshly baked goods filled my kitchen. We could not wait for the scones to be ready. After 20 minutes in the oven, we took them out and they looked gorgeous. And they tasted as good as they looked.<br />
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If you like scones, give this recipe a try. They are easy to make and very filling. You’ll be good to go until lunch time.<br />
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Oatmeal Orange Scones<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
1 ½ cups flour<br />
1 ¼ cups old fashioned oats<br />
1/3 cup sugar<br />
1 tbs. baking powder<br />
1 tsp. cream of tartar<br />
½ tsp. salt<br />
Orange zest (1/2 orange)<br />
2 tbs. ground flax seed<br />
2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted<br />
1/3 cup milk<br />
1 egg, beaten<br />
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Directions:<br />
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. In a bowl, mix the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, salt, and ground flax seed.<br />
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2. In another bowl mix the butter, milk, orange zest, and egg. Add the dry ingredients and mix. Finally, add the dried cranberries.<br />
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3. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 7 flat balls and place on a cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart. Bake until golden – about 17 min.<br />
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Note: If you prefer triangular scones, once the dough is ready, pat it into a 7- to 8-inch circle about 3/4-inch thick and use a sharp knife to cut into 8 triangles. Place on a cookie sheet, about 1 inch apart and bake until golden, about 15 to 17 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature.<br />
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<br />What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-65709906288871034692012-01-21T10:59:00.000-05:002012-01-21T10:59:18.751-05:00Boullabaisse<br />
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have fallen victim of a nasty cold, so this week’s post it’s going to
be short and sweet. No more rants or preaching (at least for a while). This
week I have a wonderful recipe for you: Bouillabaisse – a traditional French fish
stew that originated in Marseille. My friend Lauren and I made it a few months
ago and I was surprised by how easy it was to make and the fact that it was not
time consuming. Everyone loved it and had seconds. If you don’t have plans for
dinner tonight, go the grocery store, buy all the ingredients, head to kitchen
and make Bouillabaisse. It is the perfect dish for a snowy, cold night. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Bouillabaisse</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">6 to 8
servings</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Adapted from
What’s 4 Eats: <a href="http://www.whats4eats.com/soups/bouillabaisse-recipe">http://www.whats4eats.com/soups/bouillabaisse-recipe</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Note that ideally
bouillabaisse is made with rascasse, an ugly fish found only in the
Mediterranean. However, feel free to make it with any combination of fish and
seafood available to you. Try to use as many different types as possible, as it
improves the flavor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ingredients:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Broth</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Olive oil
-- 1/4 cup</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Onion,
chopped -- 1</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Celery,
chopped -- 2 ribs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Garlic,
crushed -- 4 cloves</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Tomatoes,
chopped -- 1 pound</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Orange peel
(no white pith) -- 1 piece, about 2 or 3 inches long</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Parsley --
6 to 8 sprigs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Fresh thyme
-- 2 sprigs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Bay leaf -- 1</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Saffron
(optional) -- 1 pinch</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Salt -- 2
teaspoons</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Peppercorns
-- 6 to 8</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Water -- 2
quarts</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•White wine (optional) -- 1 cup</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Rouille</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and seeded
-- 1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Potato, cooked and peeled -- 1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Garlic, crushed -- 4 cloves<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Hot chile pepper, minced -- 1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Fresh basil -- 2 tablespoons<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Salt and pepper -- to taste<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Olive oil -- 1/4 cup<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rouille</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">To Finish :</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•Fish and seafood (see variations) -- 5 to 6
pounds. We got a combination of clams, mussels, fresh shrimp, langoustines and
white fish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">•French bread sliced and toasted -- 2 to 3
pieces per person<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Directions:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1.For the
Broth: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven oil over a medium flame.
Add the onions, celery and garlic and sauté slowly until the onions are wilted
and translucent. Stir in all the remaining broth ingredients, bring to a boil,
then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">2.For the
Rouille: Place the roasted pepper, potato, garlic, chile pepper, basil, salt
and pepper in a blender or food processor with a little of the broth from
above. With the blender or processor running, gradually pour in the olive oil.
Thin out the sauce a little with more of the broth if needed. The rouille
should be thick but spreadable. Adjust seasoning and place in a sauce boat or
small bowl.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">3.To Finish:
Bring the broth to a simmer again over medium heat. Add the fish and seafood in
batches, starting with the firmest fish first and ending with the most delicate
seafood. Simmer until all the fish and seafood is cooked through, about 10
minutes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">4.To serve,
place the toasted bread in the bottom of each individual's bowl. Place a piece
of each type of fish and seafood over the bread in each bowl and spoon the
broth over all. Pass rouille at the table for each guest to stir into the
bouillabaisse.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBowDrjL4tasonXcjibD0bYt3hGCikTifSOApRvGPfVRyu2Xh0gANntge9bDxtMX60DZxBwuMACUKBybVzoNTYYWohyphenhyphenB3_fWKUpP-mpkcMH4-tyc2CX7lPbE4v28oYDpUHCaE0LZTyTIZw/s1600/Boiillabaisse+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBowDrjL4tasonXcjibD0bYt3hGCikTifSOApRvGPfVRyu2Xh0gANntge9bDxtMX60DZxBwuMACUKBybVzoNTYYWohyphenhyphenB3_fWKUpP-mpkcMH4-tyc2CX7lPbE4v28oYDpUHCaE0LZTyTIZw/s320/Boiillabaisse+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-28134189877421937422012-01-16T10:47:00.000-05:002012-01-16T10:47:29.046-05:00Tomatoes and Sausage Bake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5xlEvkv_T23DGA4gc0mcQCGnouPzR0AaFlbGjRadeNMDhDc4wvPI0wDBJfnug_N5PsHLotFGzkNGpt3d-5QpP-kkLWiPCw_v1-L1wcNkzYgy5OFmsUu44Pakwvp_6uBI2ugKn6AefX3P/s1600/JO+ready+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE5xlEvkv_T23DGA4gc0mcQCGnouPzR0AaFlbGjRadeNMDhDc4wvPI0wDBJfnug_N5PsHLotFGzkNGpt3d-5QpP-kkLWiPCw_v1-L1wcNkzYgy5OFmsUu44Pakwvp_6uBI2ugKn6AefX3P/s320/JO+ready+2.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s been <a href="http://goodsazon.blogspot.com/2011/01/onion-soup.html">one year</a> of happy cooking and blogging. Can you believe it? It’s been a good experience overall… sometimes I’ve thought about stopping blogging because I get lazy and don’t feel like updating my blog on weekly basis. But this is too much fun. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have a very good recipe for you but, before we get to it, I want to talk to you about something that has been on my mind lately. For the past year I have avoided discussing politics or other more serious matters because this is a cooking blog. However, there are some serious issues that do need to be discussed and talked about because our health and the health of the planet are at stake: our food supply. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you read my blog often you probably know that I am a big supporter of organic farming and healthy eating. No, I am not trying to be a “yuppie” or a “hipster.” I am trying to feed my body with vegetables, fruits and meats that contain no pesticides, that are not genetically engineered, that come from farms that I know are paying fair wages to their workers, and that engage in environmentally-friendly processes. “Why bother? Organic foods are more expensive” you may say. This is why:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1. Most of the food we eat has been heavily processed and is full of chemicals. As a result, we’ve lost one-third of America’s original topsoil; buried toxic waste everywhere; and polluted and depleted water systems, worsened global warming (yes, it is happening), and exacerbated ailments ranging from cancer to obesity.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2. Obesity may soon surpass lung cancer as the number one cause of preventable deaths in the United States. As a rule of thumb, try to avoid golden/brown foods.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3. Frankenfoods are scary. Animal genes, and even human genes, are randomly inserted into the chromosomes of plants, fish and animals. And the FDA does not require companies to inform consumers that the foods we are buying have been genetically modified. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4. The majority of farms inject cows, pigs and, chickens with high doses of antibiotics and hormones. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5. Slavery still exists on many farms scattered throughout the country where migrant workers work long hours, are paid less than the minimum wage, work in unsafe conditions, and receive no health-care. Furthermore, because there are few regulations, these farm works are exposed to a very high amount of pesticides that have been proved to cause cancer.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Unfortunately, these issues are just the tip of the iceberg. We take care of our appearance, we take care of our house, cars and clothes, but… are we taking care of what we are putting in our bodies? To be well, you have to eat well. That is a fact. Personally, I don’t feel comfortable knowing that a majority of the meat I eat comes from animals that have been injected with hormones, has been fed a combination of animal waste and genetically engineered corn, and comes from farms where animals live in inhumane conditions. I also don’t feel comfortable eating vegetables that have been sprayed with pesticides, with water contaminated with animal waste, and that is picked by workers who are not paid fairly. For these reasons I try to eat organic vegetables, fruits and meats. I also try to support local farms where I have the opportunity to meet the people who work the land, the animals, and their workers. Is it more expensive? Yes, but I rather pay extra money than adding pesticides and hormones to my menu. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To learn more about these issues watch the documentary <a href="http://www.foodincmovie.com/">Food Inc.</a> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you live in the central Pennsylvania area and are interested in organic food, visit <a href="http://www.spiralpathfarm.com/">Spiral Path Farm</a> (vegetable CSA) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">and <a href="http://www.northmountainpastures.com/">North Mountain Pastures</a> (meat CSA)</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ok, now that I got that out my chest, I feel a lot better. Now, back to the recipe I promised you. Several months ago I was exercising on the treadmill and watching the food channel as entertainment (yes, I am masochist) when I saw Jamie Oliver cooking pork sausage over tomatoes. The dish, although very simple, looked beyond delicious. A few weeks later, when I got spicy Italian sauce from my meat CSA, North Mountain Pastures, I decided to make the dish. Fortunately, I still had some (organic) tomatoes from my garden – which by the way won the 2011 Top Tomato competition our friend Lauren hosts every year. I put the two together on large glass dish, added sliced onions, chopped garlic, fresh thyme and oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper. I proceeded to put the dish in the oven for 20 minutes and voila, dinner was ready. Let me tell you, the tomatoes, onion and garlic were roasted to perfection. The Italian sausage was just perfectly cooked. The dish was as good as it looked on TV. It was such a simple dish but so very delicious. I was very tempted to eat the whole dish. I still don’t know how I stopped myself from doing that.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you are short on time but want to have a memorable dinner, this dish is for you. It is fast, easy and delicious. What else can you ask for? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcoimya9P9qhzWMUFUA5c86SG0LC-X3kkQaQIXPC2fil8CZNpl9yYPZiwxsXaT6fobreruNgcW3OqXVHacunO0w_jantrhbXb9i3TIiYMH6II56VAa9mWRji8GwJoWcZY6mMheKyPrkML/s1600/JO+sausages.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcoimya9P9qhzWMUFUA5c86SG0LC-X3kkQaQIXPC2fil8CZNpl9yYPZiwxsXaT6fobreruNgcW3OqXVHacunO0w_jantrhbXb9i3TIiYMH6II56VAa9mWRji8GwJoWcZY6mMheKyPrkML/s320/JO+sausages.jpg" width="179px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Italian Sausage from North Mountain Pastures</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tomatoes and Sausage Bake</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.jamieoliver.com/">Jamie Oliver</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="ingredient"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 pound ripe tomatoes (quartered)</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><br />
<span class="ingredient"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 prigs each of fresh thyme</span></span></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="ingredient"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 bay leaf</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="ingredient">1 tablespoon dried oregano</span><br />
<span class="ingredient">3 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped</span><br />
<span class="ingredient">4-5 good-quality Italian pork sausages</span><br />
<span class="ingredient">Extra virgin olive oil</span><br />
<span class="ingredient">Balsamic vinegar</span><br />
<span class="ingredient">Salt and freshly ground black pepper</span></span></span></div><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Directions:</span><span class="instructions"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ2KYykY0stk_SCXQjXt9LYnXM5ByT4U7RDW-uLPr0wWDz_zdayrScdEjdVseD166HdEfqnNZ5hT25Nqr8oA6ycx90yhulSODh29-TX1nC_1-49hDQOq9GbWJIg8oKvHsftUZ303y2nwXw/s1600/JO+tomatoes+%2526+onions.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ2KYykY0stk_SCXQjXt9LYnXM5ByT4U7RDW-uLPr0wWDz_zdayrScdEjdVseD166HdEfqnNZ5hT25Nqr8oA6ycx90yhulSODh29-TX1nC_1-49hDQOq9GbWJIg8oKvHsftUZ303y2nwXw/s320/JO+tomatoes+%2526+onions.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57rr8bBSaV6o_q8D2Ve19oBRMq4ew5QWAWYSM66-IP6bWaUzPjn2IMRw_7nJnzplUUoOyljHQ1qbMh8fNY3349qH3P0UkfDWCoroPr85VIZ-QsJrMS93TpL4kLMKxB7MvwzND742bPPpO/s1600/JO+before+oven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57rr8bBSaV6o_q8D2Ve19oBRMq4ew5QWAWYSM66-IP6bWaUzPjn2IMRw_7nJnzplUUoOyljHQ1qbMh8fNY3349qH3P0UkfDWCoroPr85VIZ-QsJrMS93TpL4kLMKxB7MvwzND742bPPpO/s320/JO+before+oven.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="instructions"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1. In a large roasting tray put in all your tomatoes, the herb sprigs, oregano, garlic and sausages. Drizzle well with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Toss together, then make sure the sausages are on top.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span class="instructions"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2. Turn on your oven using the “broil” option. Put the tray in the oven. After 10/15 minutes, turn the sausages and vegetables around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cook for another 10/15 min. </span></span></span></div><br />
<span class="instructions"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3. Once it’s cooked, check the seasoning and serve with a good-quality loaf of bread. </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFgpN2UtWLSc4ltRX808LoAXPiFpSOavNM77MwweuKNOPRSB57dlEBoSG9w3smZV5DExWHM3vS9MauBJaG-qoEVo7vpfSso0yeZPq8e0tFYppBAWqZa5di_L0lUjSv3aYItXiigh45lQk/s1600/JO+-+ready+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTFgpN2UtWLSc4ltRX808LoAXPiFpSOavNM77MwweuKNOPRSB57dlEBoSG9w3smZV5DExWHM3vS9MauBJaG-qoEVo7vpfSso0yeZPq8e0tFYppBAWqZa5di_L0lUjSv3aYItXiigh45lQk/s320/JO+-+ready+1.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><span class="instructions"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-27561623237940865732011-12-30T12:23:00.000-05:002011-12-30T12:23:46.794-05:00New Year's Eve Dinner: Bacalao<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I often think that my love for cooking is in my DNA. See, I come from a family of excellent cooks, if I may say so. My great-grandmother, on my dad’s side, worked as the head cook (this is before women could be considered chefs) at a restaurant in one of the best hotels in Mexico City. Her daughter, my grandmother, followed her lead and worked at several restaurants as a cook. There was not a dish she did not know how to make – in fact she made the best Chinese fried rice – and everything she made, was ridiculously good. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Although she is no longer with us, I remember with fondness when we visited her and the smell of whatever she was cooking inundated her house. Growing up, we usually spent New Year’s Eve at her house. It was a night full of fun: all of the cousins lined in her yard to hit a piñata full of candy; we were allowed to drink a small glass of rompope (Mexican eggnog); and we would stay up until midnight to eat 12 grapes for good luck in the new year. Another highlight of the night was the food, of course. My grandmother would always make Bacalao, a dish made with dried salted codfish that the Spaniards introduced to Mexico and which is traditionally eaten on Christmas and New Year’s Eve. When we moved out of Mexico City, my grandmother gave my mother the recipe to make Bacalao and since then, she makes it every year on Christmas Eve. Every time she makes it, the smell of the Bacalo takes me back to my grandmother’s house... </span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So, if you still don’t know what to make on New Year’s Eve (and if you like fish), try making Bacalao. It is very easy to make and it pairs beautifully with champagne. There is nothing else I would rather eat for New Year’s Eve than Bacalo.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh238Hxg5Gvd9tY3FiNZqaZUwhmBTaauYD7xpkPqJPfyiQT2lAqWwf-xsRj9iK9Fvv20a2W_roSkW3aDkewBM3rOzGFyvb9y3Ct9fBvHXDxj0XlfeFEKBxk7inZdxw9qa3w5FK0Mkl_p-sF/s1600/BacalaoCloseUp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh238Hxg5Gvd9tY3FiNZqaZUwhmBTaauYD7xpkPqJPfyiQT2lAqWwf-xsRj9iK9Fvv20a2W_roSkW3aDkewBM3rOzGFyvb9y3Ct9fBvHXDxj0XlfeFEKBxk7inZdxw9qa3w5FK0Mkl_p-sF/s320/BacalaoCloseUp.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2 pounds salted cod fish</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">¼ cup extra virgin olive oil</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3 pounds tomatoes (diced)</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2 pounds onion (diced)</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 bunch parsley (chopped)</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">6 garlic cloves</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 pound potatoes (peeled and diced)</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1/3 cup green olives</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">5 or more whole banana peppers pickled</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Directions</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1. Soak the salted cod in hot water changing the water two times over the course of eight hours. Drain and shred the fish.</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2. In a large pan, toast the garlic cloves in hot olive oil. Once they turn brown remove.</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3. Sautee the onions, tomatoes, and parsley. Once cooked, add the shredded salted cod and potatoes. Keep in medium heat and covered until potatoes are cooked. </span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">4. Add the olives and banana peppers and cooked for five more minutes. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do not add salt.</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">5. Serve with baguette. It pairs very well with champagne. </span>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-8192662525313871662011-12-23T10:40:00.000-05:002011-12-23T10:40:40.680-05:00Cookies, Cookies, Cookies<span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Where have you been?” You may be asking since I haven’t posted a recipe in several weeks. Between work, Christmas parties, Holiday dinners, the gym, Christmas shopping, caroling and other shenanigans, I haven’t had time to either cook or post any recipes. I am sure you understand.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I do however, have a recipe for you. This is a recipe I meant to post a month ago: hojarascas, a type of Mexican (from Monterrey to be more specific) cookies. I wanted to give it to you so you could bake them for Christmas and give them to friends and family for the holidays. I guess you could still do that if you really make the effort. Anyhow, these type of cookies are not, per se, Christmas cookies, so you can make them whenever. However, I do not make them often because they are time-consuming and mainly because once I eat one, I have to eat 35 – and that, my friends, cannot be good for my heart or my physique (yeah, yeah, I’m shallow). So yes, they are highly addictive… but they are so good. Before you start your new year’s resolution of getting in shape (which seems to be everyone’s resolution) bake yourself some hojarascas, eat them all, and throw the recipe away. If you don’t do that, you will be very tempted to make them over and over again and, as I said before, that is not good for you.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Here it is!</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YJERIr30yVY3ZgT9Zi1-PMS9mgELWGZZAGVlUoBdavkZxOxEshyphenhyphenYrHOOa0FdtSvq7CUToMAn4HCXEO6zjL6VgVeicWku2InCHBHDtakdLOfG25ef2pRIQAxKLkQ_4YNnGjWVzG1R5SBk/s1600/Hoj.+cookies+oven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-YJERIr30yVY3ZgT9Zi1-PMS9mgELWGZZAGVlUoBdavkZxOxEshyphenhyphenYrHOOa0FdtSvq7CUToMAn4HCXEO6zjL6VgVeicWku2InCHBHDtakdLOfG25ef2pRIQAxKLkQ_4YNnGjWVzG1R5SBk/s320/Hoj.+cookies+oven.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Hojarascas (it makes 140 cookies approximately)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Ingredients:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Dough</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">2.2 pounds of flour</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">1 teaspoon baking powder</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">2 cups of sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">1.1 pound of lard</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">3 eggs</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Mexican vanilla is preferable)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">¼ cup milk (or more if necessary)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Topping</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">½ cup of sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">1 tablespoon powdered cinnamon</span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjo8LpTGi3gyx8hxdxE7Td4KHaOk3miuTPDUOSYiOQgu7866A8YR1aC3G4useQF83OryPTgMd4-KvGtJ5uiP8EOjq1zUKKHUEAfsK9KFlXltHcExZW3P_oU0lxklHw5Lq_pAB4ReKxe3P/s1600/Hoj.+cutter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjo8LpTGi3gyx8hxdxE7Td4KHaOk3miuTPDUOSYiOQgu7866A8YR1aC3G4useQF83OryPTgMd4-KvGtJ5uiP8EOjq1zUKKHUEAfsK9KFlXltHcExZW3P_oU0lxklHw5Lq_pAB4ReKxe3P/s320/Hoj.+cutter.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRoi2XAh1p_TkNj5uQCnuw9cgaXD8_J7fBqkDvFe60_6oTJa6iEKy8ct8Q1pjBSWKEHsXsDYAe9OeuAZUSWeGbm1fL2YyYLSdpUHveH5giq7zSEQwCNRxHU9jO-1lz5IL8eWWPG5UJHMiC/s1600/Hoj.+cookies+oven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRoi2XAh1p_TkNj5uQCnuw9cgaXD8_J7fBqkDvFe60_6oTJa6iEKy8ct8Q1pjBSWKEHsXsDYAe9OeuAZUSWeGbm1fL2YyYLSdpUHveH5giq7zSEQwCNRxHU9jO-1lz5IL8eWWPG5UJHMiC/s320/Hoj.+cookies+oven.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
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</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Directions:</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Heat oven to 350 F.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In a large bowl (or electric mixer) mix eggs, lard and vanilla. Add the flower and baking powder. Add the milk slowly until the consistency of the mix is soft and it no longer crumbles. You may need to add more mlk.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Divide the dough into four or five balls. In a floured surface, spread out one dough ball with a rolling pin and roll out (1/8 inch thick). Cut using a flower-shaped cookie cutter. Repeat.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 17 min. In the meantime, mix topping (sugar and cinnamon) in a wide bowl. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Take cookie sheet out of the oven and let it sit a few minutes. Use a metal spatula to transfer cookies to the bowl where the topping is and cover each cookie with it.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. </span></span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JfPLSvVGzz_QJCmmFhvPpJWNScYMmm7fofa-1nKQPwjJpjVfqOltec4bWevXFnsPWT7qUGjJxtIrLgObkwsUWs2Sh-ks9SH3Dqwmcz94LvXWEgGA-147ZdEqauxdRCwMwOOCOUqPed_v/s1600/Hoj.+cookies+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-JfPLSvVGzz_QJCmmFhvPpJWNScYMmm7fofa-1nKQPwjJpjVfqOltec4bWevXFnsPWT7qUGjJxtIrLgObkwsUWs2Sh-ks9SH3Dqwmcz94LvXWEgGA-147ZdEqauxdRCwMwOOCOUqPed_v/s320/Hoj.+cookies+2.jpg" width="320px" /></a></span></div>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-76271303585887402222011-12-05T20:50:00.000-05:002011-12-05T20:50:42.777-05:00Mocha Martini<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">December is here, and with it, the holidays. I personally love December, not only because it is my birthday month (hint, hint), but because there are parties galore, twinkling lights glimmer the streets, carols are sung all around, cookies and treats abound, you get to put a freshly cut pine in your living room and decorate it with ridiculous ornaments (who thought about that?), and because most people are in a festive and giving mood. If you are one of those jolly people who will be hosting a Christmas party, or a Hanukkah party, or Kwanza party, or a “I don’t believe in shit” party, this recipe is for you: mocha martini. It is delicious and will make you and your guests warm inside. In fact, I can guarantee you that after two mocha martinis, even the “grinchiest” person will start growing a heart and a smile will appear on his face. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Without further ado, below is the recipe for this very festive drink. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtupa8aGqsieClGGU-UbFW_fnuVEDZJZ96ZVSaFcmfQIo9R5PWuwmk7R01FqPWUo-LaO_PqOaNiwth2ZsFjnJxuwXF4WVQ9hGgjJM493bol-g-BMLaFHHIFj7cIz5O8Yjl0g62PClPwWIn/s1600/Mocha+Martini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dda="true" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtupa8aGqsieClGGU-UbFW_fnuVEDZJZ96ZVSaFcmfQIo9R5PWuwmk7R01FqPWUo-LaO_PqOaNiwth2ZsFjnJxuwXF4WVQ9hGgjJM493bol-g-BMLaFHHIFj7cIz5O8Yjl0g62PClPwWIn/s320/Mocha+Martini.jpg" width="179px" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Mocha Martini</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">One part spiced Rum</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">One part Whipped Cream Vodka</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">One part Kahlua </span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">One part chocolate liquor</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">One part heavy cream</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dash of ground cinnamon</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Crushed ice</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Directions:</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Mix all the liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Pour into a martini glass with crushed ice. Sprinkle with powder cinnamon.</span>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-51090459095707792362011-11-20T12:54:00.000-05:002011-11-20T12:54:35.505-05:00Apple Pie<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">Thanksgiving is only a few days away. This year, we’ll be hosting Thanksgiving at our house and I just </span><span style="color: #666666;">finalized the menu for this holiday: </span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><ul><li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"></span><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"><span style="color: #666666;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">Appetizers:</span><span style="color: #666666;"> Baked Brie (Brie cheese drizzled with a raspberry and chipotle sauce with walnuts and cranberries and then wrapped in puff pastry). Olives marinated in olive oil and fresh herbs.</span></span></span></span></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"></span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Calibri;">Main Course – Turkey with fresh herbs and wine; stuffing with pancetta and chestnuts; mashed potatoes; <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>esquites (Mexican corn dish); and roasted root vegetables drizzled balsamic vinaigrette.</span></span></div></li>
<li><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"></span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">Dessert: apple pie and caramel flan.</span></span></span></div></li>
</ul><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">I still have a lot of prep work to do, so let’s cut to the chase. Today I am giving you my apple pie recipe. If you still don’t know what kind of dessert to make for Thanksgiving, try this recipe. It is a crowd pleaser.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzUkLiIPOJgbEAN5nCMbQfrKuHTNA_BN04ziRerBYwdtOfo3pV_qPw9QAnQiKuXViykMZtgzhjIY8_HVkLKBzjWdUY_EkP9ZQ5T8OufFbax4GKFMH2Zl-rxcQajPT0pgE2FqwpEFfSz_5/s1600/Apple+pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="210px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzUkLiIPOJgbEAN5nCMbQfrKuHTNA_BN04ziRerBYwdtOfo3pV_qPw9QAnQiKuXViykMZtgzhjIY8_HVkLKBzjWdUY_EkP9ZQ5T8OufFbax4GKFMH2Zl-rxcQajPT0pgE2FqwpEFfSz_5/s320/Apple+pie.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">Apple Pie</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">Adapted from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Desserts,</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mouthwatering recipes for delicious dishes by Rosemary Wilkinson.</i> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">Serves 8</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">Ingredients:</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">2 pounds apples</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">2 tablespoons flour</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">½ cup sugar</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">1 ½ tablespoon fresh lemon juice</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">½ teaspoon ground cinnamon</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">½ teaspoon ground allspice</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">¼ teaspoon ground ginger</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">¼ teaspoon salt</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">¼ cup butter, diced. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">Store bought pie crust (because, who has time to make it from scratch? Not me)</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPkQ47uTx8_N6S7THc9qsv-_yPNBuoJyiyBDzl4ZEw4j_-2MPCYAZ5py03eLCBx_ZHfRJ5QU_N_OCJiO71zs5batCcO3YdweAEGPxym_jW-DWTx7Z0y4CF7M6xRXnsFUTqSZQbcUCJaGT/s1600/Apples+in+bowl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="179px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPkQ47uTx8_N6S7THc9qsv-_yPNBuoJyiyBDzl4ZEw4j_-2MPCYAZ5py03eLCBx_ZHfRJ5QU_N_OCJiO71zs5batCcO3YdweAEGPxym_jW-DWTx7Z0y4CF7M6xRXnsFUTqSZQbcUCJaGT/s320/Apples+in+bowl.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkLJeHmlFzg7YMP5yWk9rPviIVtkf5oHvyt5itxwuEi0tZNYcQO5Kx3C7a5bHEzApMrST-_kerc6gwBD5t-OsQSpbeSbnpgsTmsVjaLup8e_X7jVnSz5n7-rXBgGRH3aOBlUn6NTSuk4k/s1600/Apple+pie+with+foil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="179px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIkLJeHmlFzg7YMP5yWk9rPviIVtkf5oHvyt5itxwuEi0tZNYcQO5Kx3C7a5bHEzApMrST-_kerc6gwBD5t-OsQSpbeSbnpgsTmsVjaLup8e_X7jVnSz5n7-rXBgGRH3aOBlUn6NTSuk4k/s320/Apple+pie+with+foil.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">Directions:</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">1. Spread butter over the surface of a pie pan. Sprinkle with flour. Place crust on pie pan.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">2. Preheat oven to<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>425 F.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">3. Peel, core and slice the apples. Place in a large bowl. Toss with the flour, sugar, lemon juice, spices and salt. Spoon into the pie shell and dot with butter.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">4. Roll out the remaining pie crust. Place on top of pie and trim to leave a ¾ inch overhang. Fold the overhang under the bottom dough and press to seal. Cut steam vents. Protect the edge of the pie with foil. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">5. Bake for 10 min. Reduce the heat to 350 F and bake until golden (40 to 45 min.).</span></span></span></div>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-68247139814775848592011-11-13T16:01:00.000-05:002011-11-13T16:01:36.082-05:00Fresh Cheese - Queso Fresco Mexicano<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Calibri;">Last Saturday I struck up a conversation with a Mennonite lady who was selling organic raw milk, yogurt, cheese and honey. Her family’s farm, Sunset Valley Farm, is located in Perry County, Pennsylvania. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she wasn’t too busy, I asked her about the difference between raw milk and pasteurized milk, its benefits and uses. She proceeded by giving me a sample of raw milk. I was a bit hesitant – not because it was not pasteurized – but because I am not a big milk fan (unless it has cocoa powder in it). I tried it and was surprised to find that I actually really liked it: it was very creamy and somewhat sweet. It was also very fresh, a quality you cannot find in the milk you buy at the supermarket. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She told me that raw milk has many uses – you can make cheese, yogurt, butter, ice-cream etc. She told me that if I wanted, I could make my own butter, since all you have to do is to whip the raw milk until it creams. She told me that the “liquid” that separates from the butter is buttermilk, which you can use to make pancakes or breads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You learn something new every day. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Calibri;">We continued talking and, after a few minutes, I told her that I have wanted to make cheese but that I had not been able to find raw milk – which I thought would be more appropriate than pasteurized milk. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She told that making cheese – such as mozzarella or ricotta – is quite easy. However, venturing into “harder” cheeses – such as Gouda, cheddar, Swiss – is a more complex process. She gave me some tips and the confidence to finally make cheese. That day I bought from her half gallon of raw milk – and fresh eggs, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Calibri;">Four days later, I bought citric acid (aka sour salt) and cheese cloth and ventured to make cheese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I settled for a recipe I had wanted to make: Queso Fresco, a mild Mexican cheese that resembles the taste of mozzarella but its consistency is that of feta cheese.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Mennonite lady was right, making cheese was quite easy – you basically mix the warm milk with citric acid, drain it and let it cool. Yes, it’s that easy. You may be wondering “ok, you said it was really easy to make but, was it good?” Yes, it was. It tasted like queso fresco but a bit creamier. It was really good and actually, I am planning on making it for the holidays. Maybe I’ll add some dry herbs or fresh chopped jalapeno pepper. This is what the husband had to say about it:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">“I was shocked that the cheese came out like, well, cheese on the first attempt! The consistency was perfect, and the smell and taste were as well. I was also surprised that it didn’t take all that long… I was expecting maybe a days-long process. My wife can do it all. She made a pie a few minutes later!”</span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Calibri;">If you are a culinary adventurer, why don’t you try to make your own cheese? It is a fun experience. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ8awwjVBeDVoHoF-B7eUpe7dydb3-759sKBvp09bclPS7zOesrfkdPEeds1zD4chJXp6Q1_IE4mn7cxUHwQMzXWw9XwPOlMutB0GG1oMpudZfQ5RzS-JZZzUj5Z_yoXo_Uv5rSw3Cx2pP/s1600/Cheese+is+ready.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179px" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ8awwjVBeDVoHoF-B7eUpe7dydb3-759sKBvp09bclPS7zOesrfkdPEeds1zD4chJXp6Q1_IE4mn7cxUHwQMzXWw9XwPOlMutB0GG1oMpudZfQ5RzS-JZZzUj5Z_yoXo_Uv5rSw3Cx2pP/s320/Cheese+is+ready.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The final product</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-outline-level: 3;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">Fresh Cheese</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="color: #666666;">Queso Fresco Mexicano</span></span></i><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">Adapted from Fiesta at Ricks, by Rick Bayless</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">Makes about 1/2 pound</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">Ingredients</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">½ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>gallon raw milk (if you cannot find raw milk use ½ gallon 2% milk plus 1 cup buttermilk)<br />
1 teaspoon citric acid – aka sour salt (if you cannot find it, use 1 cup fresh lime juice)<br />
1 teaspoon salt (pure fine-ground sea salt works best here) </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;">Directions<span style="letter-spacing: 4.3pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-transform: uppercase;"></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Calibri;">1. Culture the milk. </span></span><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;"> Pour the milk into a large (at least 8-quart) pot. Attach an accurate thermometer that registers temperatures as low as 75 degrees and set the pot over medium heat. When the temperature reaches 75 degrees, turn off the heat, cover the pot and let stand 3 or 4 hours.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5k9XNDiKTeOEVHwNbNWeoXR9TGTOLjuRmUgNndA-ohlbDLrq7p5gYrZm643qNvlmtP-C99BLNm-IbvI9zW9ioDdTAo_0t3MmDv1CM19page586iTth0ZS5Myxxd4JKqUm6-ryFuJCmwaX/s1600/milk+%2526+pot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times New Roman;"><img border="0" height="202px" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5k9XNDiKTeOEVHwNbNWeoXR9TGTOLjuRmUgNndA-ohlbDLrq7p5gYrZm643qNvlmtP-C99BLNm-IbvI9zW9ioDdTAo_0t3MmDv1CM19page586iTth0ZS5Myxxd4JKqUm6-ryFuJCmwaX/s320/milk+%2526+pot.jpg" width="320px" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Raw milk</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKC5oeHGyxq_yIq-SzrjAM8xy98Sa4IKNABYR-6EbNgUE0MG7a1tVmCZAoAk8ylkPEnp0szDAh6B9ZObrFBzUsGa7vsw_VeuWjbh3SOyfTAULoF0F3hJrq2-cPVxOL_00QV7o2sXqgL-4/s1600/citric+acid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263px" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRKC5oeHGyxq_yIq-SzrjAM8xy98Sa4IKNABYR-6EbNgUE0MG7a1tVmCZAoAk8ylkPEnp0szDAh6B9ZObrFBzUsGa7vsw_VeuWjbh3SOyfTAULoF0F3hJrq2-cPVxOL_00QV7o2sXqgL-4/s320/citric+acid.jpg" width="320px" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Citric Acid - AKA Sour Salt</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">2. Set the curd.</span> If using citric acid, stir it into 1/4 cup cool water, continuing to stir until dissolved. Uncover the pot, set over medium heat and stir in the dissolved citric acid or the fresh lime juice. You will start seeing small curds start to form. Every couple of minutes, stir slowly, gently and thoroughly over the entire bottom of the pot until the milk reaches 195˚F—it’ll take just over 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand 5 minutes without stirring.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; margin: 0in 0in 12pt;"><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">3. Drain the curd from the whey.</span> Wet a large piece of cheesecloth and drape it into a large colander. Set the colander in the sink. Using a large slotted spoon or a fine-mesh skimmer, carefully ladle all of the curd into the colander. Sprinkle with salt. Gather the cheesecloth up around the curd and gently press with the back of a large spoon to expel a bit more whey. Unwrap the curd onto a plate. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYve7laHJGNmUNmAh-J_yfN0JmvFFHHJN9f9tklGJe2ERjFTDq99bgJAzU6UphW7oVtMuJ1k7Kp1iS-uWPfei9PvhGIvSSl3Zlb45kJ2NpJmPzUWiQWdIamCD5ryc7bzx-3PLmPR_vf5Y-/s1600/draining.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYve7laHJGNmUNmAh-J_yfN0JmvFFHHJN9f9tklGJe2ERjFTDq99bgJAzU6UphW7oVtMuJ1k7Kp1iS-uWPfei9PvhGIvSSl3Zlb45kJ2NpJmPzUWiQWdIamCD5ryc7bzx-3PLmPR_vf5Y-/s320/draining.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">4. Finish the cheese.</span> Gather the cheese curds into a 1-inch-thick disk, transfer to a plate, cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. The cheese should last about 1 week in the refrigerator.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhcdGsU2JjtwbRG43KAAI5TJSg-0i0ux7boFX1UChNnUQWy1kv-oXpBXeHQl8rzV5aL-2TlgCf-j3G_zrHEffJp6MoBiYifklfcvVXFOQNciL9nE1zzgpPjGsFWnvK0V8rKgYvqAgcWCLM/s1600/cheese+ready.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" nda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhcdGsU2JjtwbRG43KAAI5TJSg-0i0ux7boFX1UChNnUQWy1kv-oXpBXeHQl8rzV5aL-2TlgCf-j3G_zrHEffJp6MoBiYifklfcvVXFOQNciL9nE1zzgpPjGsFWnvK0V8rKgYvqAgcWCLM/s320/cheese+ready.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-1471534117331799592011-11-06T18:08:00.000-05:002011-11-06T18:08:39.965-05:00Veal in White Sauce - Blanquette de Veau<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A few weeks ago we received a beautiful 3 pound piece of veal from <a href="http://www.northmountainpastures.com/">North Mountain Pastures</a>, our meat CSA. The beauty of CSAs is that you never know what you are going to get which, if you receive a piece of meat or a vegetable you are not familiar with, forces you to explore new recipes and experiment in the kitchen. I digress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had never made veal before – in fact I had only eaten it once in my life – so I was not sure what to make with it. I perused my cooking book library and found several veal recipes that looked appetizing. However, I settled for one that had a wine creamy sauce… I love wine and cream.</span> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next day I went grocery shopping. Once home, I gathered all the ingredients and started cooking. Few hours later – the veal takes several hours to cook – we had a delicious French dinner. I don’t mean to sound pretentious but the dish was wonderful – the veal very tender and the sauce complimented the meat and vegetables perfectly. My husband loved it. In fact he had a second serving and ate it for lunch the following day. Although this recipe was time consuming, it was really easy to make. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you like veal, believe me, you can easily make it at home. It will be cheaper and very, very good. Give this recipe a try.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Blanquette de Veau – Veal in White Sauce</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Serves 6</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Adapted from France The Beautiful Cookbook</em></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ingredients:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3 lb veal (shoulder & on the bone)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 white onion</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 cloves</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bouquet garni (1 bay leaf; 1 spring thyme, 6 springs parsley; 2 celery stalks; white part of 1 leek)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 4 chunks</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">¾ cup dry white wine</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2/3 cup heavy cream</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 egg yolks</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4 pinches of freshly grated nutmeg</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Salt and pepper</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To garnish:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">45 pearl onions (you can find them in the frozen section)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">8 oz. mushrooms (washed and quartered)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 oz. butter</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6 tablespoons water</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Directions</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1. Peel the onion and stud with cloves. Tie together the herbs for the bouquet garni. Place the meat in a Dutch oven and add the carrot, onion and bouquet garni. Pour in the wine and water just to cover. Bring to boil, skimming the surface (brown foam) for the first 10 minutes., then cover and simmer very gently for 2 ½ hours.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2. About 45 minutes before the meat is ready, prepare the garnish. Melt half the butter in a non-stick skillet and cook the onions until golden. Add the water, season with salt and pepper and cook, covered for 20 minutes or until tender.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Melt the remaining butter in a second skillet and add the mushroom and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms are golden and no longer give out any liquid. Add to the onions and keep warm. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plated. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4. Strain the cooking liquid that is the Dutch over. Pour back in and boil over high heat until reduced to about 1 cup. In a bowl beat the cream and the egg yolks. Blend in 3 tablespoons of the hot stock. Return to Dutch Oven and cook stirring constantly until slightly thickened. Do not boil. Remove from heat and whisk the sauce to a smooth, velvety consistency. Add the nutmeg, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and whisk for 30 seconds longer. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5. Transfer the meat to a serving plate. Surround with vegetables. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables. Serve. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Note: the next time I make it, I will add more mushrooms and one more carrot. </span></i></div>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-16469480066188844112011-10-30T14:26:00.000-04:002011-10-30T14:26:49.652-04:00Apple Sponge Cake<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"><span style="color: #666666;">Fall is clearly here: fallen red leaves adorn the streets and trees paint the mountains with a beautiful combination of orange hues. One of the things I look forward during fall is apple and pumpkin picking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the past two years, we have gone to Paulus Orchards in York County, Pennsylvania, to pick apples. This season was no exception. Last Sunday, after having coffee and toast, the beautiful weather inspired us to get out of the house and go apple picking. Once at the orchard, we walked through the apple trees seeking the best apples. Many trees only had apples at the top which inspired Nate to pick me up on his shoulders so I could reach them. I am sure it was a funny sight – but our technique worked and we ended up with approximately 15 pounds of Fiji apples.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"><span style="color: #666666;">When we got home, we could not resist the fresh smell of the apples and ate one. Dear readers, the apples were delicious: crisp, sweet and full with flavor. That same day I decided to make an apple cake because the following day our friends Lou and Lauren were coming over for dinner. After reviewing several recipes, I decided to make an Apple Sponge Cake. The recipe was from a book I have had for years but had never tried before. Although the recipe did not look complicated, I was aware it was going to be time-consuming since the apples had to be cooked in butter and making a sponge cake always takes more time than making a “normal” cake. Sponge cakes are cakes that do not call for baking powder or baking soda and the eggs in the batter are the only leavening. Although I had made sponge cakes before, I had never used the genoise technique (you can read more about it here </span><a href="http://www.joyofbaking.com/FoamCakesTechniques.html"><span style="color: #666666;">http://www.joyofbaking.com/FoamCakesTechniques.html</span></a><span style="color: #666666;"> ) this recipe called for. I ventured to try it and well… it was interesting. Although I truly believe that I performed the technique correctly (and as a consequence my right arm was sore for a day from beating the egg mix), the batter never rose more than an inch. Based on other sponge cake recipes I have tried, I believe that the batter should be doubled. The recipe only called for three eggs, other sponge cake recipes call for at least six eggs.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"><span style="color: #666666;">Although my cake looked incredibly thin – even with its apple filling – it looked beautifull. The cooked apples on top gave the cake a very classic look. The cake, although somewhat flat, was very good. It let the flavor of the apples shine but at the same time, the bread had a good sweet vanilla taste. My friends and husband loved it. I would make this recipe again; however, I would double the ingredients for the batter and use the separate egg technique rather than the genoise method. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"></span><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">So readers, if </span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">you have some apples in your kitchen, try this recipe. The cake is not fancy but it’s an excellent way to celebrate the arrival of autumn.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">Genoese Sponge with Apples</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">Adapted from Le Cordon Bleu, Home Collection, Cakes</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">Serves 6</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">Ingredients</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">3 large apples, peeled, halved and cored</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">1 ½ tablespoons butter</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">1 ½ tablespoons sugar</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">3 eggs</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">¼ cup sugar</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">¾ cup flour</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">1 teaspoon ground cinnamon</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">1 ½ tablespoons butter – melted but cool</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">Directions</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare the cake pan (grease, dust with flour and put it in the freezer).</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">2. Slice two of the apples into half rings. In a small skillet, gently melt the butter and vanilla together. Cook until brown and caramelized. Add the apple slices and cook over medium-heat until golden brown on both sides. Set aside to cool.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">3. Coarsely dice the third apple into small pieces. Add a little more butter to the skillet of butter and sugar residue and cook the apple pieces quickly to golden. Allow to cool.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">4. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, then remove from the heat. Following the beating method (see below) combine the eggs, sugar and vanilla in a heatproof bowl or the top insert of a double boiler. Place over the pan, without touching the water and beat until the mixture is light and has tripled in volume.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">5. Remove the bowl from the water and continue to beat until the mixture is cold. Sift together the flour and cinnamon and fold in until barely blended, then drizzle in the cool melted butter and fold carefully to incorporate.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">6. Arrange the cooled apple slices neatly overlapping in the base of the prepared pan. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">7. Spoon half the mixture into the cake pan, sprinkle the diced apples over the top and spoon the remaining cake mixture over it.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">8. Bake for about 25-30 min. or until the top is golden brown and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center of the case. Cool for 5-10 min before turning out, then remove the paper. Serve warm. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxmEuAjIu3odGiUqBsdSHqt2y1_kgJCt5VPCTnR_y1TGK022jSOPp5p9vast2vmNC9htiQ1xYTTU1dV6msWspVDZ6B9ttdnyCjyxLDZh9C2qpuH2cDS2uhlvFvbQ6zFiJ1C33NAKfzkOg/s1600/apples+cooking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxmEuAjIu3odGiUqBsdSHqt2y1_kgJCt5VPCTnR_y1TGK022jSOPp5p9vast2vmNC9htiQ1xYTTU1dV6msWspVDZ6B9ttdnyCjyxLDZh9C2qpuH2cDS2uhlvFvbQ6zFiJ1C33NAKfzkOg/s320/apples+cooking.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0GbyKNnac3LydHBMZ5N48T-5VbKm3ThjoP4qd4OrryOcFknAvSGbqA66IHPQFYdWGWKK0UEuR8kBbR5yUHqAY5VdzcoX9vTIvYYZpkt7cwY6yOMQW-zmWWq-Cs-NDoY-L5SLF8SZ9TO8Z/s1600/apples+in+pan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0GbyKNnac3LydHBMZ5N48T-5VbKm3ThjoP4qd4OrryOcFknAvSGbqA66IHPQFYdWGWKK0UEuR8kBbR5yUHqAY5VdzcoX9vTIvYYZpkt7cwY6yOMQW-zmWWq-Cs-NDoY-L5SLF8SZ9TO8Z/s320/apples+in+pan.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">Beating method</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">a. Put the eggs and sugar together in a heatproof bowl. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">b. Place the bowl insert over a pan of hot water and beat using a balloon whisk or electric portable mixer until the mixture is thick enough to leave a trail when the whisk is lifted. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 12pt 0in;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: #666666;">c.</span> <span style="color: #666666;">Remove the bowl or insert from the pan and continue to beat until cold. Gently fold in the sifted ingredients until just combined. Do not over fold or you will lose the air that has been beaten into the mixture. </span></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></div><span style="color: #666666;"></span>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-13568754573103118232011-10-16T14:24:00.000-04:002011-10-16T14:24:19.759-04:00Birria - Mexican Lamb Stew<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Fall is here. Summer was over too soon and now foggy, rainy and windy mornings are the norm. During this time of the year, I crave stews and soups. I find it very comforting to come home after a long day at work and start making a good soup or stew accompanied by a good piece of freshly baked bread. It warms me up and reminds me that winter will be here soon.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Birria is a type of lamb stew very popular in Mexico City. I decided to make this dish when we joined <a href="http://www.northmountainpastures.com/">North Mountain Pastures</a> (a local meat CSA) and received a chunk of organic lamb as part of our monthly share. As soon as I realized we had lamb in our share, I remembered eating Birria in Mexico City for dinner at a local restaurant when I was younger. I had not had it in over 10 years but could still remember the taste of it. When I told my husband about it, he was not very excited. Although he likes lamb, he thought it would be “too plain” because the stew did not call for any vegetables or grains. I still made it and he, being the good sport that he is, tried it… and loved it. Making Birria is very easy. You only have to make the sauce for the stew and let all the ingredients cook in a Dutch oven for approximately three hours. In fact, we let it simmer unsupervised – as in we went out to watch a college football game at the local bar – for about two hours. When we came back, the house smelled like the stew I used to eat when I was little. The next day I added garbanzo beans to the stew because most of the meat was gone. If you feel like this stew is “too simple” add garbanzo beans. It makes a very good pairing with the rest of the ingredients.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Birria used to be peasants’ food and as a result, it is beautifully simple. It is very different from American stews as it is not dense and it does not call for potatoes or carrots. It is in fact very light – I guess due to the fact that peasants did not have a lot of food available to them. But do not let the simplicity of this dish fool you. The broth itself has a very complex and spicy – but not hot – taste. It is made mainly from hot dried peppers that are easily found in your local grocery store. The lamb adds a gamey flavor to the broth. Birria allows the flavors of the dried peppers and the sweetness of the lamb to merge, creating a delectable stew that will keep you warm after eating it.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So if you like lamb and want to try something new, give Birria a try. My husband, who was hesitant about the dish, raved about it.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">P.S. If you live in Central Pennsylvania, check North Mountain Pastures, a farm in Perry County, PA, that sells organic meat. In addition, they are committed to sustainable agriculture and treat their animals very humanly. Here is the link: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.northmountainpastures.com/" target="_blank">http://www.northmountainpastures.com/</a></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46F8_gkM_D3oxzWqPQOaqmGTNv0_71rebHjxtDclXyRXxj6KP-y981LLZmq-67uvZRsbpVDgjYXMhZdbgWcntAohpz_CBYAzVx9LvSFgtAMmjLFH-CD-hfiAALeRryCy18OO3JVmGj5oH/s1600/Birria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg46F8_gkM_D3oxzWqPQOaqmGTNv0_71rebHjxtDclXyRXxj6KP-y981LLZmq-67uvZRsbpVDgjYXMhZdbgWcntAohpz_CBYAzVx9LvSFgtAMmjLFH-CD-hfiAALeRryCy18OO3JVmGj5oH/s320/Birria.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Birria <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Adapted from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mexico the Beautiful Cookbook</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Susanna Palazuelos</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">4 chiles guajillos</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3 chiles anchos</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 cup hot water</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2 lb boneless lean lamb or lamb shoulder, cut into pieces</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">12 cups water</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">6 garlic cloves</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">½ white onion</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2 bay leaves</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 tsp. ground cumin</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 tsp. thyme</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 ½ tsp. salt</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Hot sauce, such as Valentina or Cholula</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Garnishes:</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3 limes</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Chopped cilantro and onion </span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Directions:</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1. On an iron skillet, toast the peppers, then remove the seeds and membranes. Soak the peppers in the hot water for about 20 minutes. Transfer the peppers and hot water to a blender and puree.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2. Place the lamb meat, water, garlic, and onion in a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, skim the surface, cover and cook over medium-low heat for 1 ½ hours or until the meat is tender. Remove and discard the onion and garlic. Add the pureed peppers, bay leaves, cumin, thyme, salt and pepper.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3. Cook for another 30 – 60 minutes so that the flavors blend.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">4. Serve the stew in deep bowls. Add lime juice, hot sauce, onion and cilantro. Eat with warm corn tortillas. </span>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-21508629729385694512011-10-09T18:50:00.000-04:002011-10-09T18:50:46.848-04:00Quiche Lorraine with Vegetables<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">This recipe was almost a disaster… but at the end, the results were great. Last week, I decided to make quiche since I had all the ingredients in my kitchen. I was very tempted to buy pie crust instead of making my own quiche crust but, since I was planning on posting this recipe for you, I decided to make everything from scratch. You would think that, since I had never made quiche crust before, I would follow the recipe instructions religiously, right? At least that is what any person with common sense would have done. Well, I skipped several steps thinking that they would not make a difference. Big mistake! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Everything was going as planned: the dough had a great consistency, I rolled the dough on a pie pan and put it in the oven, and I was preparing the filling. After the pie crust had been in the oven for a few minutes, I decided to peek at it. And that is when things started going downwards. The dough had shrunk! Yes, as in a few inches smaller. And it was bubbling. I stopped preparing the filling and in a hurry, I took the pie pan from the oven. It was at that point that I realized that I should have not skipped the step that indicated to put dried beans on top of the pie crust (who has dry beans anyway? Right?). I started pinching the dough with a fork to deflate the bubbles and with two wooden spoons tried to expand the dough. Once the dough had been extended to its original size, I put it back in the oven and continued making the filling. A few minutes later I decided to peek in the oven (praying that the dough had not shrunk again) and noticed that the edges of the dough were getting darker than the middle of it. Yes, I realized that I should have covered the edges with aluminum foil as the recipe indicated. Since the dough was almost done, I decided to take it out of the oven. I poured in the filling and put it back in the oven. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">After 30 minutes in the oven, I was expecting my quiche to be ready, so I opened the oven and took the dish out of it. Surprise! The filling was not cooked yet. By this time, it was probably 7:30 and we were starving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put it back for another 10 minutes. At this point, the edge of the crust was getting a bit too brown. The filling was cooked, however, it was too soft to cut and eat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know if the recipe was wrong as to the time the quiche needs in the over or if, when I altered the recipe, it changed the time the quiche needed to cook. That night, we did not it quiche. We ate stale pizza. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">The following day, after the quiche had spent the night in the refrigerator, it was set and it looked beautiful! As soon as I had a bite I knew that all the trials and tribulations I went through in making it were worth it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was delicious. However, the next time I make it, I am going to buy pie crust. I will never, ever again, try to make it from scratch.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">You should really try this recipe. The quiche was delicious. However, I recommend you to make it a day ahead so it has time to settle. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAev-omCL2H3MfvrBQhdIKh5gbMLMy9TUIV19V5wB_vMr9-Zy2Hyh0E0JC0BRhFfeobZJV3PSi6p6iPB9XyAsiXDKhYdYNu-yHF59W5GJn6d1-5woE8Bkcod_BRFYTzETTzbRDIDIJTcWJ/s1600/quiche.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAev-omCL2H3MfvrBQhdIKh5gbMLMy9TUIV19V5wB_vMr9-Zy2Hyh0E0JC0BRhFfeobZJV3PSi6p6iPB9XyAsiXDKhYdYNu-yHF59W5GJn6d1-5woE8Bkcod_BRFYTzETTzbRDIDIJTcWJ/s320/quiche.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Quiche Lorraine with Vegetables</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Adapted from:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Savoring France by Georgeanne Brennan for Williams-Sonoma</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Pastry</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">2 cups all purpose flour </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">½ teaspoon salt</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">½ cup butter</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">6 tbs. ice water</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Filling</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">3 eggs</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">1 cup heavy cream</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">1 cup milk</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">2 slices bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">¼ cup corn kernels</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">1 poblano pepper (diced)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">1 garlic clove</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">¼ yellow onion (sliced)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">1 cup French style green beans (frozen) </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Sal & Pepper</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';"></span><img border="0" height="240px" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOfErcIqDbsHixDP-3gMA40VsESlnWzGElj4XGQOlBrFPctQzVjz6jigzsTwum1Iy8O5qOQkI6JGxBh9Z9m8AnUmpEtHxja_LCBjR1paWW85Xn47tS_Yam9yV4ypQXAUo1652WDTt4t3R/s320/quiche+crust.jpg" width="320px" /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEj8lQF_3ufm0tPnTRzysjhL0FyWP0GhKyd8wlaorM-GSGi591nKcp7LDTN8lukDCzVkk-bbYWTxxL4ih3lZFJfkzfjbiO9NwYqHFzM6MWZ0JvIyh7SgwPj249fOCyRsmXW2PgjAnwTEU6/s1600/quiche+vegetables.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEj8lQF_3ufm0tPnTRzysjhL0FyWP0GhKyd8wlaorM-GSGi591nKcp7LDTN8lukDCzVkk-bbYWTxxL4ih3lZFJfkzfjbiO9NwYqHFzM6MWZ0JvIyh7SgwPj249fOCyRsmXW2PgjAnwTEU6/s320/quiche+vegetables.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">Directions</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To make the pastry, in a bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Add the butter (cut in thin squares), add the water, one tablespoon at time, while turning the dough lightly with a fork and then your fingertips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gather the dough into a ball (it should be a little crumbly), wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">2. Preheat oven to 425 F.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">3. On a flour work surface, roll out the dough into a round about 10 ½ inches in diameter and about ¼ inch thick. Drape the pastry around the rolling pin and carefully transfer to a 9-inch pie pan/ Pat into the bottom and sides and trim even with the rim. Line the pastry with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">4. Bake the pastry until set but not browned – approximately 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and lift out the weights and liner. Prick and bubbles with the tines of fork and return to the oven until firm and barely colored, 5 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and set aside.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">5. Reduced the oven temperature to 375 F.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">6. To make the filling, in a pan, cook the bacon, onion and poblano peppers for about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a bowl, stir together the eggs, milk and half-and-half, salt and pepper.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">7. Pour the egg mixture over the pastry crust.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Carefully, scatter the bacon and vegetable mix (you may have some leftovers). Transfer the quiche to the oven and bake until the top is puffed and lightly golden and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean – approximately 35 minutes. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif';">8. Take it out of the oven and let it cool until the filling settles. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKP-xkgF2IpgqFgkd81h6eYEqlmQ7_rKvFnIG2UWhyphenhyphentospaoiqey7pjvy6W288mUUe16u9qBuJSU7hncWCPAI4z1Ji4LkFsoaPlxF0y4vcDjOlJ3CXcki9zkkryRmkC4KrzrhjkMN5YoCW/s1600/quiche+slice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKP-xkgF2IpgqFgkd81h6eYEqlmQ7_rKvFnIG2UWhyphenhyphentospaoiqey7pjvy6W288mUUe16u9qBuJSU7hncWCPAI4z1Ji4LkFsoaPlxF0y4vcDjOlJ3CXcki9zkkryRmkC4KrzrhjkMN5YoCW/s320/quiche+slice.jpg" width="313px" /></a></div>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-89021865346905744772011-10-02T14:14:00.001-04:002011-10-02T14:14:00.074-04:00Hummus<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Lately, I have been eating a lot of Hummus… as in every day for lunch for the past two months. A friend of mine, realizing that I was bringing a new package of hummus to work every week told me “why don’t you make your own Hummus. You could save a lot of money.” After I told him that I didn’t know how to make Hummus, he proceeded to give me his recipe. Not only that, but the following day, he brought home-made hummus… and it was delicious.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As a result, for the past two weeks I have been making my own Hummus – in fact this week I had to make hummus twice because the husband is also eating it for lunch. At this point, you may be wondering, why are you two eating so much freaking hummus? No, we are no on a diet. We just like the flavor of it. We eat it on wraps, sandwiches, veggies, or with pita bread. In addition, it is very healthy. The garbanzo beans are full with fiber and the tahini with protein and vitamins. Hummus also fills you up and it is very versatile. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If you would like to give Hummus a try, I have a recipe for you. The recipe is very basic – no more than five ingredients: tahini, chickpeas, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic. I am a firm believe that you can create delicious dishes with a few ingredients, and hummus is one of them. The most expensive ingredient is the Tahini, but if you are going to make this recipe often, you will definitely save money. You can add roasted red peppers, olives, or sun-dried tomatoes to the original recipe to give it a “kick.” </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQx7hzqRNeeIQqU7XiKtp-gbW2ZL9R_t5ZLMXWdLWB86v9KsMHyYCG58c4nOLMKSv-gt-V8Djsj7dBkGg9-cCWB8SOzObEGfaP_Odd0EYVPuC8lbP34XNgoNpvoEEsuvpYP_5kKuSTY_gp/s1600/Tahini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQx7hzqRNeeIQqU7XiKtp-gbW2ZL9R_t5ZLMXWdLWB86v9KsMHyYCG58c4nOLMKSv-gt-V8Djsj7dBkGg9-cCWB8SOzObEGfaP_Odd0EYVPuC8lbP34XNgoNpvoEEsuvpYP_5kKuSTY_gp/s1600/Tahini.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Enjoy!</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ingredients:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2 tablespoons Tahini</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2 tablespoons water</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2 tablespoons lemon juice</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 can garbanzo beans (15 oz.)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 red roasted pepper (optional)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Dried basil (to garnish)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Paprika (to garnish)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqluJLrPkwz6nWtERZlQfFnOOx1x7PY8-nGPVJu8pRbqm5ZocLITgqQVcFcfJimfO9ef_S7HPrY1OCaFII2_C9NrhNSLqbNV7m4mTQHEH9JEzP6TsijKTrX6X2RPZ9l7mQBaOBIJae8PTB/s1600/Garbanzo+beans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqluJLrPkwz6nWtERZlQfFnOOx1x7PY8-nGPVJu8pRbqm5ZocLITgqQVcFcfJimfO9ef_S7HPrY1OCaFII2_C9NrhNSLqbNV7m4mTQHEH9JEzP6TsijKTrX6X2RPZ9l7mQBaOBIJae8PTB/s1600/Garbanzo+beans.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Directions: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In a blender (or mixer), mix all the ingredients until smooth. Add salt as needed. Serve on a plate and garnish with dried basil and paprika. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tips: you can eat hummus as spread in sandwiches and wraps; as a dip; or with pita bread.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Bdwf8ayrNTzmZxG3NYaAFczxoBo_f-Fzj_nD_4_pvoDeDgonJUXZ4lEi_zpubabemRSToRvZnjZ9SJzWPB1MkeISMv7L_W6lamPiv_yOHK_ueet00IJJqNGYuRioX9TmOOYkKfzP5WYT/s1600/Hummus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Bdwf8ayrNTzmZxG3NYaAFczxoBo_f-Fzj_nD_4_pvoDeDgonJUXZ4lEi_zpubabemRSToRvZnjZ9SJzWPB1MkeISMv7L_W6lamPiv_yOHK_ueet00IJJqNGYuRioX9TmOOYkKfzP5WYT/s1600/Hummus.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-30321048779010327732011-09-25T13:07:00.001-04:002011-09-25T13:07:33.845-04:00Sour Cream Coffee Cake<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What makes a recipe, an excellent recipe? In my opinion, an excellent recipe has three characteristics First, the recipe must be for a dish I like. Second, the recipe should not need any edits or additions. Third, it should be reliable – meaning, every time you make it, you can expect the same excellent results. It is awfully difficult to find excellent recipes. Most of the recipes I use, I tweak. Not this one… this Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe is one of the few excellent recipes I have found.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I love baking on dreary rainy days – I think it is because the smell of freshly baked goods and the heat from the oven make me feel warm inside. And since it has been raining a lot lately, I have spent a lot of hours baking. I digress, since I tried this coffee cake at a breakfast gathering at work a few months ago, I have made it at least five times. One of those times, I ate at least one third of it. The last time I made it, my husband warned me “don’t give it away. I want to eat it for breakfast this week.” So yes, it is very good. Every single person who has tried it, has loved it. In fact, I think it is close to impossible to have only one serving. What makes this coffee cake special? It is really moist without being gooey; it is sweet but not overwhelmingly so; it is crowd pleaser; it is easy to make. The “hardest” part is creaming the butter, but if you have a Kitchen Aid mixer, you can do this in one minute. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This recipe comes from Tami Windholz’s grandmother’s kitchen. She told me that you can make it ahead of time, freeze it, and use it when you receive unexpected guests. She also mentioned that you can use chocolate chips, instead of nuts. I haven’t tried the chocolate chips yet, but used fresh peaches, instead of nuts, over the summer and it was a really good combination. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Enough talk about this addictive coffee cake – take your apron out of the drawer and start baking!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFdkvQGuXTFw-Ps4c4f-op0GxJpZvYsMc-uCcI9TiypLY0hKZYMce0G6zDbznjDR0VjA2ujyB8yrBWGr8e_ov5iFpKON0rZoU7K80_kZZRerfvxJs7sVOZ6hcSCFzHlN9dabZyrcG6Ny8/s1600/SCC+final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="233px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFdkvQGuXTFw-Ps4c4f-op0GxJpZvYsMc-uCcI9TiypLY0hKZYMce0G6zDbznjDR0VjA2ujyB8yrBWGr8e_ov5iFpKON0rZoU7K80_kZZRerfvxJs7sVOZ6hcSCFzHlN9dabZyrcG6Ny8/s320/SCC+final.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sour Cream Coffee Cake</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 cup butter</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 cup sugar; plus 2 tablespoons for topping</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2 eggs </span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 cup sour cream</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 tsp. vanilla</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2 cup flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 tsp. baking powder</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 tsp. baking soda</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">½ tsp. salt</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">½ cup chopped walnuts</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 tsp. ground cinnamon for topping</span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZM0wqnug-eT2KC56EKtksqdmVYIgHw5flfqhc7kKS_E-zP14kEWjr2wbl0MXzYtDmp5AXJ-CnRVqnfo8ZEKYWrzSFpnGXnxzjynqtGLCum-u7cJFhQYLnFj5OuPo0VHPI_mk9wYgLS0rN/s1600/SCC+ingredients.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZM0wqnug-eT2KC56EKtksqdmVYIgHw5flfqhc7kKS_E-zP14kEWjr2wbl0MXzYtDmp5AXJ-CnRVqnfo8ZEKYWrzSFpnGXnxzjynqtGLCum-u7cJFhQYLnFj5OuPo0VHPI_mk9wYgLS0rN/s320/SCC+ingredients.jpg" width="179px" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZuAuG9cuF8fMJxCzJ5JIARvvfUqmxmZH_XPn-tRZLTJdHhFszEibbv1wn7Pa13lUSrhlLiZJIMYL1nv28kpDlR3IS3yOep2hyphenhyphenp34zigC5ToF35Vutrf3OiJ-odb3amQ1SLL1LR7_fHqpY/s1600/SCC+Mix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZuAuG9cuF8fMJxCzJ5JIARvvfUqmxmZH_XPn-tRZLTJdHhFszEibbv1wn7Pa13lUSrhlLiZJIMYL1nv28kpDlR3IS3yOep2hyphenhyphenp34zigC5ToF35Vutrf3OiJ-odb3amQ1SLL1LR7_fHqpY/s320/SCC+Mix.jpg" width="179px" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDZx-x9k0HvC0RjC1HKsN8b4u6wrryUaU1ZZnhV4weVQT9ItWli6oXWXFeswfyMf88npzTKLGGzkLCwU75EphzsDHqu2ETekIXTSSu9R0miLrFFHp6HQdBNFyPPRaf-eyUJzBr-C5WGmr/s1600/SCC+in+pan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDZx-x9k0HvC0RjC1HKsN8b4u6wrryUaU1ZZnhV4weVQT9ItWli6oXWXFeswfyMf88npzTKLGGzkLCwU75EphzsDHqu2ETekIXTSSu9R0miLrFFHp6HQdBNFyPPRaf-eyUJzBr-C5WGmr/s320/SCC+in+pan.jpg" width="179px" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Directions:</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1. Grease and flour a bundt cake pan and put it in the freezer. Turn on oven at 350 F.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2. </span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cream the butter and sugar.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3. </span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Add the eggs, sour cream, vanilla, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">4. </span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Prepare the topping. In a small bowl combine the chopped walnuts, sugar and cinnamon.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">5. </span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Add half of the batter to greased pan. Sprinkle topping and add the rest of the batter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">6. </span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Bake for 50 minutes at 350 F. </span>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-42338728903432840552011-09-17T15:23:00.000-04:002011-09-17T15:23:14.400-04:00Pizza Dough<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">You are what you eat – that’s how the saying goes. If it is true, then for the past month I have been a big, greasy and delicious pizza. I don’t recall how or when my love affair with pizza started, but it has been a constant in my life. However, I don’t like all pizzas. I prefer those with a thin and crispy crust. With a few exceptions, I am not a big fan of deep-dish pizza – it’s too doughy for my taste. I also don’t dare to try pizzas that have as toppings chicken, shrimp, beans or sardines. I am easy to please, a thin-crust pepperoni pizza and a mug of beer makes me really happy. Especially on a Friday afternoon. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For the past few years I have been on the hunt for the perfect recipe to make a good pizza crust. I tried several but I wasn’t very happy with the results: some tasted too yeasty and others were too doughy. Someone recommended I try Jamie Oliver’s pizza dough recipe. I didn’t know much about him but I liked his accent, so I decided to give it a try. Using Jamie’s recipe, I made a simple pepperoni pizza for dinner. Let me tell you my friend, the crust was perfect! It was thin and crispy and it did not have a yeasty flavor. The dough was bubbly and flavorful however, it did not overpower the taste of the fresh mozzarella and pepperoni.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This recipe was very easy to make. When I made it, I divided the dough in three parts/balls. Using one of the balls, I made one medium/large pizza. I saved the other two balls in the fridge and made more pizza two days later. The ingredients to make the dough were the staple ingredients to make pizza dough. So what made this recipe so much better than the rest? I think it is the fact that the recipe directs people to cook the pizza at 500 F. I say so because one time – using the same recipe – I cooked the pizza at 400 F and it wasn’t as good. It was a bit doughy for my taste.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If you are a pizza lover like I am – and you like your pizza thin and crusty – try this recipe. You are going to enjoy it!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKtLnEsUzYv7gw-ZNGAxt7XwYzYjGzIgsUcDpTD-vZt_7NZ9IYXbqfT8y4cE0lCEhYBVyyhNKR4G7Oqi5Diy7oLR6QMq7j9_l5_bNecZHd4wQtocnWX-X1AmioZtjifJlA_qzHshrFnTi/s1600/pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYKtLnEsUzYv7gw-ZNGAxt7XwYzYjGzIgsUcDpTD-vZt_7NZ9IYXbqfT8y4cE0lCEhYBVyyhNKR4G7Oqi5Diy7oLR6QMq7j9_l5_bNecZHd4wQtocnWX-X1AmioZtjifJlA_qzHshrFnTi/s320/pizza.jpg" width="179px" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNqM7oj3XDn89NJ8ErGySSjCQ11hAbH22mrXsNGFeQCoERCQOMrW-PrK32hZv3WroElsPNXeWvezSYmiW8hC6Q5UsBtrkuBWPhqAxkHVv3rf_VraMmtrcoPhsh8376qizEaZ2xZSO7394/s1600/Pizza+dough.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNqM7oj3XDn89NJ8ErGySSjCQ11hAbH22mrXsNGFeQCoERCQOMrW-PrK32hZv3WroElsPNXeWvezSYmiW8hC6Q5UsBtrkuBWPhqAxkHVv3rf_VraMmtrcoPhsh8376qizEaZ2xZSO7394/s320/Pizza+dough.jpg" width="179px" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><b><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Pizza Dough</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></b><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Recipe Excerpted from JAMIE AT HOME by Jamie Oliver</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Serves: 3 medium pizzas</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em>Note: I added a two tablespoons of bran to the dough to make it "healthier."</em></span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3 1/2 cups (1 lb) all-purpose flour (if you can find it, use Italian "00" flour)</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons fine sea salt</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 packet (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast </span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 1/2 teaspoons sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2 tablespoons olive oil</span><br />
<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 1/4 cups lukewarm water</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1. Sift the flour and salt into a clean work surface and make a well in the middle. In a large measuring cup, mix the yeast, sugar and olive oil into the water and leave for a few minutes, then pour into the well. Using a fork, bring the flour in gradually from the sides and swirl it into the liquid. Sprinkle in the salt. Keep mixing, drawing larger amounts of flour in, and when it all starts to come together, work the rest of the flour in with your clean, flour-dusted hands. Knead until you have a smooth, springy dough.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2. Place the ball of dough in the bowl and turn to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and place in a warm room or for about an hour. The dough will have doubled in size.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3. Put the dough on a flour-dusted surface and knead it around a bit to push the air out. You can either use it immediately, or keep it, wrapped in plastic wrap, in the fridge (or freezer) until required. If using right away, simply pat out to the size of your half-sheet pan or divide in half and roll out to cover two pans. You can also divide the dough into little balls for individual pizzas - this amount of dough is enough to make about three to four medium pizzas.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">4. Timing-wise, it's a good idea to roll the pizzas out about 15 to 20 minutes before you want to cook them. Turn on the oven as high as it will go – in my case 500F – and cook approximately 10 min.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgirhzdt_sadjolZ4y-YvEH86h008nhwPX_NIJq8tw87-bFbjIqBH8AfehkML3U7gQvTN1Tp3YhPx3c9NE_sDIt7_XMAEbXpN2CrUIuapDiSrgc2KLfTknkFOO_U-HoTg9QbTu7yO0_y5o9/s1600/pizza+slice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgirhzdt_sadjolZ4y-YvEH86h008nhwPX_NIJq8tw87-bFbjIqBH8AfehkML3U7gQvTN1Tp3YhPx3c9NE_sDIt7_XMAEbXpN2CrUIuapDiSrgc2KLfTknkFOO_U-HoTg9QbTu7yO0_y5o9/s320/pizza+slice.jpg" width="179px" /></a></div>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-42099116390941173902011-09-11T18:05:00.001-04:002011-09-11T18:10:10.232-04:00Conchas - Mexican Sweet Buns<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">I have a really, really good recipe for you today: Conchas – which can be described as Mexican sweet buns. You may not know this, but Mexico – especially Mexico City – has a long tradition of baked goods. I remember, growing up in Mexico City, going to the Panaderia (bakery) with my grandmother and getting freshly baked goods – in the morning and in the evening. I still remember the yeasty smell of the freshly baked bollillos<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(rolls) which my grandmother used to make tortas (sandwiches). The baker would take them out of the hot oven and you could still feel their warmth through the paper bag. But what I remember best, are the sweet breads baked at the bakery: churros (which I would eat with freshly made hot-cocoa), conchas (with their sweet crispy and buttery cover), orejas (made with buttery puff pastry and sprinkled with raw sugar)… I could keep going on and on but I am getting too hungry and nostalgic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we visit my grandparents in Mexico City, one of my husband’s favorite things to do is to walk to the local bakery (the same one I used to go when I was growing up) and buy fresh bread. I think it is because, once you eat freshly baked goods, it is awfully hard to eat bread that has been sitting out in the grocery store for days. Or, it may be that the tantalizing smell of fresh bread is sort of addictive. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Back to today’s recipe. One of my favorite Mexican sweet breads are conchas. A concha is <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a buttery sweet round bread that is topped with a buttery crust which looks similar to the outside of a sea-shell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hence their name – concha – which means “shell” in Spanish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the longest time I have looked for a recipe to make conchas. Last week, my search was over. I found a recipe that seemed to have the right ingredients and that had received stellar reviews. The weekend could not arrive fast enough for me to try this recipe. On Sunday, although the roads were somewhat messy thanks to Irene, I convinced my husband to go to the grocery store and buy the ingredients I needed. And I am glad I did, because three hours later, I was eating freshly baked conchas. They were not only delicious, but they took me back to the bakery in Mexico City where I used to buy them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Of course, I had to save some and share them with my parents and brother. As soon as my brother saw the conchas, he eagerly asked me “can I have one?” A minute later, he had devoured the piece of bread and proceeded to tell me that I should open up a bakery. My parents loved them as well, and let me tell you, they are hard to please. Even the dog liked them – my brother’s dog stole a bite from a concha but <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we managed to save the rest of it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">With Fall approaching, I recommend you try this recipe (which is really easy but time-consuming) and eat it with a cup of Mexican hot cocoa. I assure you, you won’t be disappointed. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiijt7JDnwbGPuRqQ6ZMQF48ydu88ypfiqSVssaEfjlAF32kNfLGNkF4kusGToqxW39vLFghEOwvLN7sO2Vl01I-gcLDra_FJQhFHdBfRItXqFSiwaFg9upal8OEE2j9rKbDBr2xg0xaUHd/s1600/conchas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiijt7JDnwbGPuRqQ6ZMQF48ydu88ypfiqSVssaEfjlAF32kNfLGNkF4kusGToqxW39vLFghEOwvLN7sO2Vl01I-gcLDra_FJQhFHdBfRItXqFSiwaFg9upal8OEE2j9rKbDBr2xg0xaUHd/s320/conchas.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"></span><b><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Conchas (Mexican Sweet-Topped Buns)</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Adapted from a recipe by Karen from <a href="http://www.food.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.food.com</span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Total Time:</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> 3 hrs 20 mins </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Yield:</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> 12 Conchas </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 3;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Ingredients </span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1 tablespoon or 1 packet <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>active dry yeast</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1/2 cup lukewarm water (not hot because it will kill the yeast)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1/2 cup lukewarm milk </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1/2 cup granulated sugar </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1/3 cup butter, softened </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1 teaspoon salt </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1 egg </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">3 ½ <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>cups all-purpose flour ( a bit more if needed)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1 teaspoon vanilla</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 3;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Topping Dough</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1/3 cup granulated sugar </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1/4 cup butter </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1/2 cup all-purpose flour </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1 teaspoon vanilla extract </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZN_sR6HKjI_j5x-g34-uq-qo2XgLzJkA0rf7_fFdgRaelR2LIkf_YnHeSnAteuIf4AfuhG7HKhqiE1bQjTY7ZuJHhIGbicq4axINC27ZcZRcTb05MJG2VNtF0IR1BKAziAjE5E72qsmyn/s1600/conchas+pre-oven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZN_sR6HKjI_j5x-g34-uq-qo2XgLzJkA0rf7_fFdgRaelR2LIkf_YnHeSnAteuIf4AfuhG7HKhqiE1bQjTY7ZuJHhIGbicq4axINC27ZcZRcTb05MJG2VNtF0IR1BKAziAjE5E72qsmyn/s320/conchas+pre-oven.jpg" width="179px" /></a></div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-outline-level: 3;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Directions</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-outline-level: 1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water in a bowl. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-outline-level: 1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">In a mixer mix sugar and butter. When soft, add milk, salt, egg and vanilla.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-outline-level: 1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">When the yeast becomes bubbly (approximately 5 to 10 minutes), add to the mix.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-outline-level: 1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Add the flour slowly and mix until smooth. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-outline-level: 1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. If you have a mixer, you can do this using the dough hook – it takes approximately five minutes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-outline-level: 1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Place in a large greased bowl, then turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. The dough is ready if it leaves an indentation when touched. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-outline-level: 1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Meanwhile, prepare the Topping Dough by mixing the sugar and butter until soft and then adding the rest of the ingredients. Once the topping is ready put it in the refrigerator until it is ready to be used.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-outline-level: 1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Once the dough has risen, divide it into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and place on a greased cookie sheet. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-outline-level: 1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Divide the Topping Dough mix into 12 equal parts. Pat each piece into a 3-inch circle. You may need to add extra flour since the “circles” will become sticky as your hands handle the dough.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-outline-level: 1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Place 1 circle of Topping Dough on each ball of dough, shaping it down over the ball. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-outline-level: 1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Make 5 or 6 cuts across the topping, using a table knife, to form a shell pattern. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-outline-level: 1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Let rise until doubled — about 40 minutes. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-outline-level: 1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Heat oven to 375 degrees F (190 Celsius). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-outline-level: 1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">14.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Bake buns until golden brown, about 20 minutes. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGaHg8KGvxsESFbjQ3MtPPFZNN91kQuHcDHP-0jhFuRPIhj8VQf2rBHi1HQ6paV-daTG2iHrGDULYqUXKoRr6Z_ziL1j67OKXOwgOJbWtt19vvgQWdxd7hBbIioKzp8b7UqGS0uuFku3Y/s1600/Concha+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGaHg8KGvxsESFbjQ3MtPPFZNN91kQuHcDHP-0jhFuRPIhj8VQf2rBHi1HQ6paV-daTG2iHrGDULYqUXKoRr6Z_ziL1j67OKXOwgOJbWtt19vvgQWdxd7hBbIioKzp8b7UqGS0uuFku3Y/s320/Concha+1.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-14737261575693001012011-08-28T14:10:00.000-04:002011-08-28T14:10:20.003-04:00Corn and Lobster Chowder<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I think of New England, one of the first things that come to my mind is chowder… or as they call it "chowda." When it comes to seafood chowder, New England has the best: New England clam chowder, Rhode Island Clam chowder, lobster chowder… you get the idea. When we were in Rhode Island last month, we had a lobster feast (remember I told you about it <a href="http://goodsazon.blogspot.com/2011/07/shore-dinner-how-to-cook-and-eat.html">here</a>?) and had some leftovers. I debated whether to make lobster salad or lobster bisque… although I like both of them, I wasn't "feeling" any of those dishes. I perused recipes for over an hour (yes, I know, I am an anal person) and found a recipe that looked interesting: Corn and Lobster Chowder. </span></span><br />
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For some reason I always thought that making chowder would be complicated and time-consuming. I was so wrong. I think I spent about half-an-hour making this dish and the most "complicated" part was making the corn puree. This is a good recipe. However, I did not taste much of the lobster. The next time I make it, I will probably add more lobster. I also added garlic because surprisingly, the recipe did not call for it. Don’t let my comments deter you from trying this recipe. It was really good – especially the following day. </span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVK7YkXCYRQVHANUvtVas6FhEXEz0W6UD0FKjgvMknupez7hOhQHEXgKf0pfGSooHVIYgwg9Rm_4M9lMO89j5-0auXZhkJ1hOxuClckska7nyDk70d1r6bP_xtjKZ4pOI-VFnnln8UX7DR/s1600/Corn+and+Lobster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179px" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVK7YkXCYRQVHANUvtVas6FhEXEz0W6UD0FKjgvMknupez7hOhQHEXgKf0pfGSooHVIYgwg9Rm_4M9lMO89j5-0auXZhkJ1hOxuClckska7nyDk70d1r6bP_xtjKZ4pOI-VFnnln8UX7DR/s320/Corn+and+Lobster.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Corn and Lobster Chowder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Adapted from Epicurious.com</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">2 cooked lobster tails, cut into bite-size pieces</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">8 cups frozen yellow corn kernels</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">3 cups low-salt chicken broth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">8 bacon slices, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">2 garlic cloves, chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">2 cups chopped onions</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">3/4 cup peeled finely diced carrots</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">2/3 cup finely diced celery</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">3 cups bottled clam juice</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">1 1/2 cups whipping cream</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">6 tablespoons sour cream</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Directions:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Purée 4 cups corn with 1 1/4 cups broth in processor until almost smooth.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Sauté bacon in large pot over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels. Pour off and discard all but 3 tablespoons drippings from pot.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Add onions and garlic to pot; sauté until light golden, about 5 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Add remaining 4 cups corn; sauté 3 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Add carrots, celery, and cayenne; sauté until vegetables soften slightly, about 5 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Add lobster, clam juice and 1 3/4 cups broth; simmer 10 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Stir in corn puré and whipping cream; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove soup from heat; stir in sour cream.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Melt butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add lobster meat and sauté just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with lobster pieces, bacon, and chives and serve.</span><br />
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What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-6216522960530502242011-08-21T11:00:00.000-04:002011-08-21T11:00:54.112-04:00Causa Limena - A Potato and Tuna Dish From Peru to Your Kitchen<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Have you tried Peruvian food? If not, I highly recommend it. I am lucky to have a friend from Peru who has introduced me to several traditional Peruvian dishes such as papas a la huancaina, Peruvian ceviche, alfajores, and today’s recipe, causa limena. I have enjoyed each and all of them.</span><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Causa Limena is a cold, layered, potato and tuna dish that is very enjoyable during the summer with a glass of cold vinho verde. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I bet that you have almost all the ingredients for this dish in your kitchen: potatoes, canned tuna, eggs, tomatoes and mayo. One ingredient that you probably don’t have is “aji amarillo,” which you can either find as a powdered spice or paste. Its taste is similar to a mix of Hungarian paprika and yellow pepper: spicy but fruity at the same time. You may be able to find it at your local grocery store but if not, you can find it online. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aji Amarillo is a staple in Peruvian cuisine so if you buy it, you’ll find that you can use it in many other dishes, such as papas a la huancaina. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you have brunch at your house before summer is over, why don’t you surprise your guests with this Peruvian dish? I can assure you they’ll like it. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjijV74kqwlPTh6PZK7mRRvc3-RfUe3c52PZtynlr_-5cJce19Ka7lu6t-9NiBdv_lvHMxwHF7rUC6G1URrkZVOe8ac29dPD39_0M36AOgWrWRfasY4nuhOrSQdRXGq_PcRa6qzmuBpIMcd/s1600/causa+2.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjijV74kqwlPTh6PZK7mRRvc3-RfUe3c52PZtynlr_-5cJce19Ka7lu6t-9NiBdv_lvHMxwHF7rUC6G1URrkZVOe8ac29dPD39_0M36AOgWrWRfasY4nuhOrSQdRXGq_PcRa6qzmuBpIMcd/s1600/causa+2.bmp" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="ES-MX" style="mso-ansi-language: ES-MX;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Causa Limena </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="ES-MX" style="mso-ansi-language: ES-MX;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Adapted from Daisy: Manana, Mediodia y Noche</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="ES-MX" style="mso-ansi-language: ES-MX;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">8 servings</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Note that some recipes don’t call for the chopped jalapenos, sliced tomato and egg. So, feel free to skip them.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ingredients:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4 potatoes</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5 tbsp. aji amarillo paste</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2 cans of tuna in water (5 oz. each)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2/3 cup mayo</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 stalk of celery (chopped)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 small jalapeno pepper (chopped)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 roma tomato (sliced)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 boiled egg, sliced</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 lime (juice)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Salt & Pepper</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66ohhWtNcS94nEDKFN4pqIXx33Xwbpe7tjT7oZG4DbwbwpbFvfk-XKPbmDXHLWWbeMBpB78tYh34BEEScYVlZkY3IcC8PlCSeheyzTWOImAodOuNAV6bV7o_OGOCr9NevMOydwnxgd31O/s1600/aji+paste.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66ohhWtNcS94nEDKFN4pqIXx33Xwbpe7tjT7oZG4DbwbwpbFvfk-XKPbmDXHLWWbeMBpB78tYh34BEEScYVlZkY3IcC8PlCSeheyzTWOImAodOuNAV6bV7o_OGOCr9NevMOydwnxgd31O/s1600/aji+paste.bmp" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aji Amarillo Paste<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Directions</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1, Peel the potatoes and cook in boiling water until soft. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2, Mash until relatively smooth. Add lime juice, salt, pepper and aji amarillo.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3. Mix well. Set aside for 1/2 hour.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4. In another bowl, combine the tuna, mayo, chopped celery, chopped jalapeno, salt and pepper.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5. in an 8x4 glass dish, spread a layer of mashed potato, a layer of tuna filling, half of the diced tomato and half of the diced egg. Repeat one more time and finish with a layer of potatoes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until cold.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Enjoy!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQTxvUVQM0a8NWPzmW-43TEqYMl3hrrB2ie4MSvoKNp6XhkU_MsmgZhlGyTRY0d4YOVCrsZRxxemQyWrPafqCIWuV0SzXExj7y_VFL7xx_hkngHee18KtM14b3zuHdEsHkWurvQ_3k3D6K/s1600/causa+1.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQTxvUVQM0a8NWPzmW-43TEqYMl3hrrB2ie4MSvoKNp6XhkU_MsmgZhlGyTRY0d4YOVCrsZRxxemQyWrPafqCIWuV0SzXExj7y_VFL7xx_hkngHee18KtM14b3zuHdEsHkWurvQ_3k3D6K/s1600/causa+1.bmp" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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</div>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4328302001954219829.post-69662258478247181142011-08-07T16:38:00.000-04:002011-08-07T16:38:41.525-04:00Raspberry Cupcakes with Mascarpone Cheese<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have a surprise for you today… my friend Amanda is a great baker. In fact, her specialty is cupcakes! For a while, she has been concocting different recipes (such as avocado cupcakes) and about two weeks ago, she created a facebook page dedicated to her creations. Although I love cupcakes, I have never made them, can you believe that? So, I asked her if she would share with me and you one of her favorite recipes… and she obliged. Here she is:</span> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hello my name is Amanda and I, along with my partner Whitley, have created SasCakes Cupcakes (</span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/SasCakes-Cupcakes/197983710259310"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/SasCakes-Cupcakes/197983710259310</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> ). We decided to make cupcakes simply because we love cupcakes and good ones. SasCakes is about using really good and fun flavors and creating really good combinations. When you visit our Facebook page you’ll be seeing a lot of really great recipes and recipes that are really easy to make. This recipe was a great one that I created because I love berries, and berries just scream summer! It’s a Chocolate Raspberry cupcake with a Raspberry mascarpone icing. I loved the cupcakes and I hope you love it as well.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
</span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8xD_OfXuhV-2PL89YlVhsfODNLTL-BGjFCDDVB79eNgN-q-rq9hbV0pJq-y7xoMK9rVuH0EdMV-FEgsl6RYB0b2d_Y48Ow-jqGI0e_O_Q9JfNZ0Ylf8G7ysazRz2YWdNqFjsJYZpHbMm/s1600/Amanda%2527s+cupcake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8xD_OfXuhV-2PL89YlVhsfODNLTL-BGjFCDDVB79eNgN-q-rq9hbV0pJq-y7xoMK9rVuH0EdMV-FEgsl6RYB0b2d_Y48Ow-jqGI0e_O_Q9JfNZ0Ylf8G7ysazRz2YWdNqFjsJYZpHbMm/s320/Amanda%2527s+cupcake.JPG" t$="true" width="240px" /></a></span></span></div><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u></u></span> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u>Raspberry Cupcakes</u> <br />
Ingredients</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1 1/2 cups Flour<br />
1 1/2 tsps baking powder<br />
1/2 cup unsalted butter<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
1/2 cup raspberry puree/ or desert filling<br />
1/2 of lemon juice<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>4 blocks unsweetened chocolate (melted)<br />
1/2 tsp vanilla extract<br />
1/2 cup half &half<br />
<br />
Directions:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1. Mix the flour and baking power in a bowl.<br />
2. In a separate bowl using a hand mixer, mix together sugar and butter until it starts looking fluffy.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3. Then in the bowl that has the sugar and butter mixture, add the eggs one at a time. Then add the vanilla extract, lemon juice, raspberry puree, and the melted chocolate.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4. When the wet ingredients are mixed together making a smooth batter, start adding the mix of flour and baking power slowly. Add the half and half and mix.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5. Take a cupcake pan and line them with your favorite kind of cupcake liners, scoop the batter into each of the liners, making it half full. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6. Put the pan into the oven at 325 for 20 minutes, checking the middle with a toothpick to make sure it is cooked thoroughly. Once they are cooked, take them out of the pan and let them sit until they are cool, after cooling start icing and enjoy</span></span></div><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
<u>Raspberry mascarpone icing</u></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ingredients:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6 tbsp. unsalted butter</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1/2 cup confectionary sugar<br />
8 oz mascarpone cheese<br />
1/4 cup raspberry puree<br />
<br />
Directions:</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1. Beat the butter and confectionary sugar together in a bowl until it is combined.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2. Add the mascarpone cheese and raspberry puree in to mixture and fold until smooth.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3. Add it to your wonderful cupcake! <br />
<br />
ENJOY!<br />
Amanda Behr</span></span></div><br />
<br />
</div>What is Sazonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06627543240441820762noreply@blogger.com0