Big Black Dog

And we have a WINNER for the Nesco/American Harvest Food Dehydrator

2010-03-10T00:07:00.006-06:00

Okay the time has finally arrived.

I found my largest bowl, 18" long by 16" wide by 7" deep, and filled it with ALL the entries.

My goodness so many entries, well over 350!

And the winner is.........

Mama Peck of Bread That's Good for You!

Congratulations Mama! Please send me your full name and address so I can forward it to CSN and then they can get your brand spanking new Nesco/American Harvest Food Dehydrator in the mail!

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Caramel Pecan Cupcakes

2010-03-08T00:00:00.004-06:00

Guess what!

I finally found some photography classes and I couldn't be happier! I signed up for 6-2 hour classes which are held on Saturdays from 10:00-12:00 pm, beginning March 13th. I am so excited! The classes are Digital Photography I and II, Introduction to DSLR Photography, Studio Lighting, Exterior/Interior Lighting and Filter Factor. I spoke to the instructor for at least an hour and she has so much knowledge and answered all my questions. AND if I need to brush up my skills, I can repeat a class for free..NO CHARGE!

And I bought a new lens for my camera...YES! I've been looking at lenses for a while now and after some trial and error I finally decided on the Nikon 60mm f/2.8G and I should have it by my birthday! Yippee! Now all I need is another set of Softbox Continuous Lights and a Tripod and I'll be all set as far as photography equipment. Mr. Tastebuds is very hopeful that I'll be set for a long time!

But I have to get to my newest Cupcakes which were over the top delicious! I had some of the Browned-Butter Caramel Frosting leftover from my last Cupcake Adventure, Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes, and it was so good I just had to use it again! So I made my favorite Vanilla Cupcakes and filled them with caramel cream which is always fun. Then topped with the Browned-Butter Caramel Frosting, drizzled with caramel cream and finally topped with Candied Pecan! And don't you just love ooey gooey!

Just Plain Good Cupcakes
Recipe adapted from "Small Batch Baking" by Debby Maugans Nakos

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 c flour
1/4 c buttermilk
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 c plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 5 muffin cups with baking cups and set aside.

Combine the buttermilk and baking soda in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Add egg yolk and vanilla and again whisk until thoroughly mixed.

Place the flour, sugar and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl and mix. Add the butter and half of the buttermilk mixture. Beat with a hand-held mixer on low speed until the dry ingredients are blended. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the mixture is slightly increased in volume, about 45 seconds, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Pour in the remaining buttermilk mixture and beat on medium speed until well blended, 20 seconds. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl

Spoon the batter evenly into the 5 baking cups. Put a little bit of water in the rest of the empty cups in your Cupcake Tin to prevent the cupcakes from scorching. Bake the cupcakes until a tester comes out clean, about 20 to 23 minutes.

Remove from the oven and as soon as you can remove the cupcakes from the pan and let them thoroughly cool on a cooling rack.

Caramel Cream

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup water (for “stopping” the caramelization process)
2 TBL heavy cream, room temperature

In a small stainless steel saucepan mix 1/2 c. water and sugar. Turn on heat to medium high. Cook until sugar melts and turns an amber color.

When color is achieved, very carefully pour in one cup of water. Caramel will jump, sputter and spit so be careful and you may want to wear long sleeves and be prepared to step back.

Whisk over medium heat until it has reduced slightly. Remove from heat.

Cool until you can touch the caramel with your finger without burning.

Add 2 TBL heavy cream and whisk well. Caramel should freely drizzle so you may need to add a tsp or so more of the heavy cream.

Browned-Butter Caramel Frosting
Recipe adapted from MyRecipes

1/4 c brown sugar
4 TBL Butter
6 TBL butter, cold but not firm
1/3 c heavy whipping cream
8 oz cream cheese, cold and firm
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Dash of salt
3 c powdered sugar

Place brown sugar and 4 TBL butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. As soon as it comes to boil remove from heat and whisk in cream, blending well. Pour into a small bowl and cool, stirring occasionally to incorporate butter.

Place remaining 6 TBL butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer until smooth. Since the butter and cream cheese is cold, it can take some time to blend so make sure to hold onto the edge of the bowl as you beat. Beat in vanilla and salt. With the mixer running, slowly pour in cooled brown sugar mixture and beat until smooth. Continue beating and add 1/2 c. powdered sugar at a time, beating well after each addition until completely smooth. Chill for 20 minutes.

NOTE: I used a small tip in my pastry bag and although the cupcakes look loaded with frosting, I was surprised to discover that I used about half the amount of frosting I would have with one of the larger tips. So I had quite a bit of leftover frosting. But Cream Cheese Frosting will keep in the refrigerator or I've had very good luck with freezing it. When needed, just thaw, whip it with a fork and it's good to go.

To Assemble

Bake the cupcakes. When the cupcakes are cool, carve a hole in the top but not completely to the bottom. Save the "cork".

Fill the cupcake with a tsp or so of the Caramel Filling. And place the "cork" back in place.

Dip whole pecans, 1 per cupcake, in the Caramel Cream. Lay pecan on a piece of parchment to dry.

Frost the cupcakes. Drizzle with Caramel Cream. Top with a Whole Candied Pecan.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Braised Pulled Pork, All-American Cheese Burger and Avocado-Gaucamole Bread

2010-03-04T19:31:00.009-06:00

Tonight if the Season Finale for The Real Housewives of Orange County. I know you are probably surprised that I watch it. Yep I.am.addicted and can't help myself. I watch it every week and never miss an episode. I am totally and without a doubt amazed by the behavior, dress and overall attitudes of some of the major players. I know they call each other friend but geesh, my friends don't act like that! Mr. Tastebuds thinks it's a waste of time, so I watch it in my office and I love it! And sometimes I watch an episode twice, just to make sure I did not miss anything...LOL!

Thursday nights are reserved for me and the Housewives and dinner is usually something quick and tasty with little clean up so I can enjoy my TV viewing with limited interruptions. I decided to braise a Pork Loin in the afternoon for Pulled Pork Sammies which Mr. Tastebuds would enjoy. And being I still have to be careful with spicy food, I had a Cheeseburger Deluxe. Both served on Avocado-Gaucamole Buns which is our assignment for this weeks HBinFive Bread.

I was a little hesitant to make this bread being that Avocados are not a favorite of mine, but I decided to throw caution to the wind and try it out anyhow. The dough was fabulous to work with, very smooth and elastic and I had the hamburger buns formed in no time and they were delicious.

Oven Braised Pork Shoulder With Apple Juice
Recipe adapted from Southern Food

1 bone-in pork shoulder roast, about 6 pounds
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced or coarsely chopped
2 1/2 tsp of a seasoning blend for pork or chicken or salt and pepper
1 c apple juice
1 to 1 1/2 c barbecue sauce

Lightly grease a large covered Dutch oven or casserole.
Heat oven to 300°.

Put onions in the casserole. Rub the pork with the seasoning blend or sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place the roast on the onions and add apple juice. Cover and bake for 5 hours, basting occasionally.

Remove the roast to a large platter and shred or chop the meat. Discard bones and fat.

Strain the juices and put the solids back into the casserole or Dutch oven. Discard the liquids. Add the shredded or chopped pork. Add barbecue sauce and stir to blend ingredients. Cover and bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Nesco/American Harvest Dehydrator Giveaway

2010-03-02T12:40:00.009-06:00

Giveaway is CLOSED.

Do you remember summer?

Feeling the warm sun and sipping cool, freshly squeezed lemonade on your patio? Well, I sure do. And planning my vegetable garden and trying to decide if I should buy some new bar stools for our pergola sure helps me cope during the last weeks of a very brutal winter.

Although we had a pitiful crop of tomatoes last year, I did manage to dehydrate several dozen and grind them into a powder. The tomato powder has an intense tomato flavor and I use it in place of tomato paste in recipes and it works beautifully. I have an older Ronco Food Dehydrator which is okay except I do have to rotate the trays because my model does not have a fan to regulate the drying process. Consequently, when I was contacted by CSN to host a giveaway on my blog, and having summer on my mind, I knew exactly what I wanted to offer my readers!

Nesco/American Harvest Food Dehydrator

•Includes 5 trays
•Expandable to 7 trays
•4" fan, 425 Watts
•Top mounted fan & heater keeps dripping out
•Easy clean-up
•No tray rotation
•Strong impact resistant trays
•Vita Save Exterior blocks harmful light
•52" power cord

This food dehydrator features Nesco/American Harvest's innovative Top Mounted Powerhead that dries food quickly and evenly. Detaches to make dehydrator dishwasher safe for easy clean up. Fan-Flow Technology means faster, more even drying with no tray rotation necessary. Perfect for the beginner!

Giveaway:

If you would like to win the Nesco/American Harvest Food Dehydrator, leave a comment on this post. Please include your email in your comment or make sure it is visible in your blog profile.

For extra entries, do any or all of the following and leave a comment letting me know what you did to earn the extra entries:

-follow my blog RSS Feed (3 extra entries)

-tweet about this giveaway including a link to this post (you can retweet once a day with 1 extra entry per tweet)

-stumble this post

-follow my blog with Google Friend Connect (2 extra entries)

-blog about this giveaway or post it on your sidebar with a link back to my blog (4 extra entries)

-follow my Facebook Fan Page (2 extra entries)

-follow my Blog with Networked Blogs (2 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to US and Canada and will end on March 9, 2010 at midnight. Feel free to leave your entries in separate comments or all together. My husband, Mr. Tastebuds, is in charge of the Giveaways and he will add up all the entries and draw the lucky winner from a hat. Prize will be sent directly from CSN to the winner.

*I did not receive a product nor any other form of compensation for writing this post.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Welcome to the 6th HBinFive Bread Braid

2010-02-28T12:52:00.006-06:00

This week for HBinFive we are making 100% Whole Wheat Bread with Olive Oil which makes a good flatbread. I decided to add some sourdough starter to the dough and bake the bread on our gas grill.

Baking bread on a grill is very easy but with my first attempt I had my doubts and thought for sure the raw dough would ooze down between the grates! And I could just hear Mr. Tastebuds' frustration if I made a mess of his brand new grill! But the bread baked perfectly and the taste of fresh bread grilled directly over an open flame is unique and so delicious! Baking bread on a grill is fun and I do have the entire process, in a simple Step-by-Step if you're interested.

Due to some tummy problems, I am staying away from spicy, hot seasoning until my stomach settles down so I made a unique vegetarian pizza type flatbread by topping it with fresh Mushrooms, Arugula, fresh Tomatoes and a mix of Mozzarella, Parmesan and Provolone. I was not sure how the Arugula would taste but it was delicious and the pseudo pizza did not bother my stomach at all! WOW...a dinner that did not involve oatmeal sure tasted good! But the 100% Whole Wheat Bread with the added sourdough starter was definitely the star of this meal!

For my other two breads for this challenge, and again taking care to eliminate any spicy seasoning, I made Welsh Pasties and Aloo Partha. If you would like to read more about this breads please click on the below title to visit the post.

Welsh Pasties and Aloo Partha

If you are participating in the HBinFive Bread Braid, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general address.

Please leave a comment. Every once a while Mr. Linky flies the coop and we can then find your photos by clicking on the comment links.

Don't forget to copy and paste the HBinFive Badge in your Bread Braid post or somewhere on your FB Page. Or you can mention HBinFive but your blog post must be identified with HBinFive.

Please be sure to link back to the host blog, Big Black Dog, so your fellow bloggers who are participating today, will get lots of visits, as well.

Please do not add your link below until your HBinFive post or pictures are actually published.

***If any HBinFive member is concerned about linking up to the Bread Braid Gadget please send an email to me at ms dot bigblackdog at gmail dot com with your name and the URL of your pictures and I will link you up as soon as I can.

Please feel free to click on any of the links below and visit some of our HBinFive Members and see their wonderful interpretations of this recipe!

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes and the WINNERS!

2010-02-25T00:55:00.008-06:00

We have our two winners of Marty Embry's Coney Sauce Spice Mix!

And the first name drawn out of the hat is...

Jewel of The Tiny Jewel Box

And the second name is...

Bonnie of City Home/County Home

Please send me your full name and home address so Marty and I can get your Jar of Coney Sauce Spice Mix in the mail ASAP!

If you are interested in ordering the Coney Sauce Spice please visit From the Court to the Kitchen Spices and Apparel. And if you're interested in any of Marty's cookbooks, poetry or artwork you can find a listing at Marty Embry's Storefront.

I've been tweeting, watching the Olympics and mentally writing this post all night. And I thought it was time I sat down and started typing. Which reminds me I found the most wonderful blog today, Gail Carson Levine, with fabulous information and ideas on How to Write. And with just reading that last sentence, you can tell I need all the help I can get!

I've often wondered if enough of my own personality comes across in my blog? Should I reveal more about my life as a teacher, an artist, a wife? I do write of dear, sweet Mr. Tastebuds and his escapades in the kitchen. Although he does not read my blog, he thinks I stretch the truth about him..honey please with you I don't need to embellish, not one iota! I know I'm not an open person like Ree Drummon of The Pioneer Woman who has such an exciting, idyllic life and writes about every aspect of it for all the world to read. Hats off to Ree but I'm not sure if I could go quite that far. But oh my, the stories I could tell.....

But I digress and need to get back to my cupcakes which were truly delicious! I used my very favorite Chocolate Cupcake Recipe and made a new frosting by adding browned butter mixed with brown sugar and heavy cream to a traditional Cream Cheese Frosting. Now doesn't that just sound scrumptious! I love Cream Cheese Frosting but after tasting the Browned-butter Caramel Frosting, I'm not sure if I could make plain Cream Cheese Frosting again!

Chocolate Cupcakes
Recipe developed by BigBlackDog

Makes 12-13 regular sized cupcakes

7/8 c all-purpose flour
1 c sugar
1/2 good cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 TBL Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 c buttermilk
1/4 c EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 egg, at room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c freshly brewed hot coffee

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined.

In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

NOTE: This cupcake batter is thin but it bakes beautifully. I use my 1 cup glass Pyrex liquid measure and just pour it into the cupcake liners.

Browned-Butter Caramel Frosting
Recipe adapted from MyRecipes

1/4 c brown sugar
4 TBL Butter
6 TBL butter, cold but not firm
1/3 c heavy whipping cream
8 oz cream cheese, cold and firm
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Dash of salt
3 c powdered sugar

Place brown sugar and 4 TBL butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. As soon as it comes to boil remove from heat and whisk in cream, blending well. Pour into a small bowl and cool, stirring occasionally to incorporate butter.

Place remaining 6 TBL butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer until smooth. Since the butter and cream cheese is cold, it can take some time to blend so make sure to hold onto the edge of the bowl as you beat. Beat in vanilla and salt. With the mixer running, slowly pour in cooled brown sugar mixture and beat until smooth. Continue beating and add 1/2 c. powdered sugar at a time, beating well after each addition until completely smooth. Chill for 20 minutes.

NOTE: I used a small tip in my pastry bag and although the cupcakes look loaded with frosting, I was surprised to discover that I used about half the amount of frosting I would have with one of the larger tips. So I had quite a bit of leftover frosting. But Cream Cheese Frosting will keep in the refrigerator or I've had very good luck with freezing it. When needed, just thaw, whip it with a fork and it's good to go.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Welsh Pasties and Aloo Partha

2010-02-23T12:05:00.016-06:00

This week for HBinFive we are making 100% Whole Wheat Bread with Olive Oil which makes a good flatbread. I had some trouble with this recipe in the beginning and I don't know why. Maybe it just wasn't my week for making bread, but then I settled down and got to work!

For some reason I've been thinking so much about Michigan lately and many of my memories involve food. When I lived in Flint, right across the street was a tiny restaurant, King Arthur Pasties, pronounced PASS-tee. King Arthur's had a very limited menu with Welsh Pasties, some people call them Cornish Pasties, being the main item and they were excellent. The unique flavor in the Pasties is Rutabaga, a large, clunky looking root vegetable with a flavor similar to a peppery potato and when cooked it turns a beautiful deep yellow.

Instead of adding Olive Oil to the HB5 Whole Wheat Dough I decided to use butter and make a flaky pastry dough or detrempe and whip up some Pasties. Detrempe is easy to make, just mix up the dough and chill. Then roll out the dough about 1/4" thick, spread a thin layer of soft butter, fold up the dough letter style and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Then again roll out the dough, spread with soft butter, fold and refrigerate. This makes the dough nice and flaky similar to puff pastry.

The Welsh Pasties were outstanding..totally delicious..definitely a keeper recipe!

Welsh Pasties
Recipe adapted from Milwaukee Journal March 28, 1943

Dough:
3 c. flour
1 1/2 sticks butter (cold and cut into bits)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
6 tbsp. water

Filling:
1 lb. round steak, coarsely ground
1 lb. boneless pork loin, coarsely ground
5 carrots, chopped
2 lg. onions, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 c. rutabaga, chopped (can substitute turnip)
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Dough:
In a large bowl, combine flour, butter and salt. Blend ingredients until well combined and add water, one tablespoon at a time to form a dough. Toss mixture until it forms a ball. Kneed dough lightly against a smooth surface with heel of the hand to distribute fat evenly. Form into a ball, dust with flour, wrap in wax paper and chill for 30 minutes.

Filling:
Combine all ingredients in large bowl. I browned the meat and added the vegetables and sauteed for a few minutes.

Making the Pasties:
Divide the dough into 6 pieces, and roll one of the pieces into a 10-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Put 1 1/2 cups of filling on half of the round. Moisten the edges and fold the unfilled half over the filling to enclose it. Pinch the edges together to seal them and crimp them decoratively with a fork. Transfer pasty to lightly buttered baking sheet and cut several slits in the top. Roll out and fill the remaining dough in the same manner. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Put 1 tsp. butter through a slit in each pasty and continue baking for 30 minutes more. Remove from oven, cover with a damp tea towel, cool for 15 minutes.

For our second recipe we made Aloo Partha. For the filling I used white potato, sweet potato, peas, garlic and salt/pepper. I have to admit this was not one of our favorite breads but in all fairness, if I had rolled the dough thinner I think the loaf would have been better. But you can see in the below photo that the "crust" is far to thick. In the dog world we call this a handler error meaning the dog was not at fault but rather the handler had made the mistake but in this case it was the cook!

Whole Wheat is a strong flavor and if I was making this bread again, instead of making one large loaf, I would roll the dough thinner, less then 1/8" thick, into individual loaves and add a bit more garlic and maybe some bacon bits to the filling.

If you'd like to see Tradtional Aloo Partha, Aparna, a member of HBinFive, has a wonderful post on her site My Diverse Kitchen. And please take a minute to watch the video embedded in her post, definitely worth your time.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Pomegranate Molasses Cookies!

2010-02-21T14:37:00.007-06:00

Haven't the Olympics been fun so far! Maybe it's just me but I cried right along with Lindsey Vonn when she won the Gold Metal in the Women's Downhill. I was just so happy for her! So thrilling to work so hard and meet your own personal goal and to do it with so much grace and style!

And Shaun White...is this guy cute or what! Loved it when twitter went viral with "Super size it Shaun" as Shaun prepared for his second run at the Half Pipe. So exciting and with no fear what.so.ever and then to top it off with a Double McTwist 1260 and all in Super Hero Style! And he did it after hitting his head on the top of pipe wall during a practice run! Unbelievable!!

I'm not a big fan of David Letterman but Shaun's commentary is wonderful. Please take a minute to view the below video.

I don't know about you but this winter weather is getting ridiculous and thank goodness I have my baking and the Olympics to keep me sane, otherwise I'd be climbing on the roof and waving a white flag of surrender for sure! I'm not a big Milk and Cookies person, but a tall, cold glass of milk with some chewy Molasses Cookies seemed like the perfect treat while watching the Olympics.

I used my Mom's Molasses Cookie Recipe but of course I had to tweak it a bit! And sorry Mom but I think my tweaked Pomegranate Molasses Cookies are beyond delicious!

Pomegranate Molasses Cookies
Recipe adapted from my Mom

1 c sugar
3/4 c. shortening (I used butter)
1 egg
4 TBL Molasses (I used 1 TBL Molasses and 3 TBL Pomegranate Molasses)
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
2 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 c. flour

Mix all ingredients. Chill dough for at least an hour. Makes ball into size of walnut and roll in coarse white sugar. Place balls of cookie dough on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. DO NOT PRESS DOWN. Bake at 350 degrees until bottoms are just slightly browned about 10-12 minutes.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Angelo's Coney Island and a Giveaway!

2010-02-18T11:01:00.028-06:00

A few weeks ago I attempted to make Angelo's Coney Island Hot Dogs and although the recipe was good, it was not even close to the original recipe. And being I lived in Flint, Michigan for many years I know Angelo's almost too well.

A few days after I posted my failed attempt at duplicating Angelo's Famous Coney Dogs, I received a very nice note telling me that the Coney Island recipe I had used was not correct and the person that sent the email is none other then former DePaul Basketball Star Marty Embry!

But what does Marty Embry have in common with Angelo's Coney Island Hot Dogs?

Marty Embry, chef, father, artist, business owner, Coney Dog Aficionado and author of the popular cookbook series "From the Court to the Kitchen" has developed his own secret Spice Mix for an authentic Coney Island Sauce.

Marty graciously sent me two jars of his Coney Sauce Spice Mix. Wasn't that sweet!

Well, I made the Coney Sauce and we loved it! The Coney Sauce is easy enough to make, just brown ground beef or turkey add onions and Marty's Secret Mix and then simmer for 30 minutes. Simple! Of course Mr. Tastebuds had to experiment a bit and sprinkled some the Coney Spice Mix on his baked chicken!

Since I know you want to try an authentic Coney Island Hot Dog and I just happen to have an extra jar of Coney Sauce Spice Mix, I am offering one Jar to one lucky person!

***Update***
Marty just dontated ONE more jar of his Coney Sauce Spice Mix so there will be 2 winners! Thank you Marty!

Look at these gorgeous Coney Dogs! Don't you want to just take a big bite!

You know the drill, if you'd like to try Marty's secret Coney Spice Mix, leave a comment on this post. The winners will be announced, Thursday, February 25th.

If you are interested in ordering the Coney Sauce Spice please visit From the Court to the Kitchen Spices and Apparel. And if you're interested in any of Marty's cookbooks, poetry or artwork you can find a listing at Marty Embry's Storefront.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Pickled Carrots

2010-02-16T00:18:00.014-06:00

Carrots?? Yes, carrot is the theme for this months Can Jam. Carrots can not be canned in a Boiling Water Bath and since I don't own a Pressure Canner, my only alternative is to pickle them. So here I am faced with picking a recipe for Pickled Carrots..okay now say that three times really fast!

I looked but could not find a recipe I thought would work for us. And when I'm in a situation like this, I usually call my Mom. But she said she never canned pickled carrots and come to think of it I don't remember my Mom pickling much of anything! Darn, I can usually count on Mom for a recipe!

But I did finally find a Pickled Carrot recipe in a pamphlet from our local County Extension Office and with some minor additions, black pepper corns and fresh Dill, it should be pretty good. But I can't tell for sure until I taste them in a month or so. But if anything, my Pickled Carrots are pretty but of course I'm partial to anything in a canning jar!

Pickled Carrots

2¾ pounds peeled carrots
5½ cups white distilled vinegar at least 5% acidity
1 cup water
2 cups sugar or Splenda (I used Splenda)
6 tsp black pepper corns
2 teaspoons canning salt
8 teaspoons mustard seed
4 teaspoons celery seed
4 large cloves of garlic, cut in half
1 large sprig of fresh Dill per pt jar

Makes 4 Pints

1. Clean and peel the carrots. You can slice the carrots crosswise into rounds or slice them into sticks. I used the Baby Carrots which just fit a 1/2 pint jar perfectly.

2. In a large pot combine the vinegar, salt, sugar or Splenda and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil and boil for about 3-4 minutes.

3. Add carrots and bring to a boil.

4. Prepare the jars. Put 2 tsp mustard seed, 1 tsp celery seed, 8-10 Black Pepper Corns in the bottom of each clean, hot pint jar.

5. Pack the hot jars with the hot carrots, leaving 1/2" head space. Pack the jars fairly tightly. I packed my carrots standing on end which was not easy with a hot jar and hot carrots but it can be done!

6. Don't forget to add your slices of garlic and sprig of fresh Dill per jar.

7. I used my pyrex measuring cup to pour the hot pickling liquid into each jar. Still making sure to leave at least 1/2" of head space. The carrots should be totally covered with the pickling liquid.

8. Remove air bubbles by sliding a knife inside the jar or gently shaking the jar. Adjust head space if needed.

9. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened, clean paper towel and put the lids on each jar. Make sure that you screw the lid on to just finger tighten.

10. Process jars in a Boiling Water Bath for 10 minutes. Remove and place on a flat surface covered with a thick kitchen towel. Let cool.

11. Anything pickled should be left unopened for at least a week, to let the flavors develop.

Can Jam, a monthly canning event, is hosted by Tigress of Tigress in a Jam. Canning is so much fun, you really should try it! The February Theme, Carrots, was chosen by fellow CanJammer, Doris and Jilly Cook.

Into my 7th week of the Ten in 10 Challenge. I'm still doing my weight exercises every day while I watch the news. And I've started repeating the exercises while watching the Olympics. I find that if I have something interesting to watch on TV I will exercise longer! However, last week I was sick for the entire week so did not work out at the gym at all. Oh well, you win some, you lose some. By the way, even though I am not dieting, I've lost 6 lbs.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Welcome to the 5th HBinFive Bread Braid

2010-02-14T00:52:00.012-06:00

I was so looking forward to making the Red Beet Bread for HBinFive. **WOW** I was not disappointed in the least! This bread was over-the-top fabulous!

One thing this recipe taught me is that I am not a very tidy baker. But grating has never been one of my specialities and grating juicy, red beets is an accident just waiting to happen. I tried to keep the juice contained but honestly afterwards I felt like a member of a CSI team at a multiple murder investigation! Geesh, there were spatters of red beet and juice every where! I was careful to not use anything that could stain easily but one of my spatulas did suffer and it's now a gorgeous shade of pale pink!

I made Hamburger Buns with the Red Beet Dough and served Grilled Turkey Burgers Deluxe. And to dress up the Turkey Burgers just a bit I made a Mayonnaise with Tarragon and Roasted Garlic which is definitely a keeper recipe!

Mayonnaise with Tarragon and Roasted Garlic
Recipe developed by BigBlackDog

6-8 large cloves of garlic, not peeled
4 large egg yolks
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon water, or more if mayonnaise is too thick
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tsp dried Tarragon
5-6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups canola oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 Green Onions, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Topping: Save some of the chopped green onion stems for garnish.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Take a small piece of aluminum foil. Put the unpeeled garlic cloves in the middle and fold the aluminum foil letter style so it covers the garlic cloves. Roast in oven for about 20-25 minutes or until the cloves are soft. Set aside.

In a food processor or blender add the egg yolks, mustard, water, Thyme, Tarragon, salt and pepper. With the machine running, drizzle the oils in a thin stream until completely blended. If the garlic has cooled squeeze out the softened garlic. Add softened garlic, onions, lemon juice and blend thoroughly.

With the Chocolate Espresso Bread I made Chocolate Cherry Pocket Pies and Mini Loaves of Bread which I sliced and served with fresh Kiwi Fruit drizzled with Ganache. Just click on the title to visit the post and recipe.

Chocolate Cherry Pocket Pies

Mini Espresso Bread with Kiwi and Ganache

If you are participating in the HBinFive Bread Braid, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general address.

Please leave a comment. Every once a while Mr. Linky flies the coop and we can then find your photos by clicking on the comment links.

Don't forget to copy and paste the HBinFive Badge in your Bread Braid post or somewhere on your FB Page. Or you can mention HBinFive but your blog post must be identified with HBinFive.

Please be sure to link back to the host blog, Big Black Dog, so your fellow bloggers who are participating today, will get lots of visits, as well.

Please do not add your link below until your HBinFive post or pictures are actually published.

***If any HBinFive member is concerned about linking up to the Bread Braid Gadget please send an email to me at ms dot bigblackdog at gmail dot com with your name and the URL of your pictures and I will link you up as soon as I can.

Please feel free to click on any of the links below and visit some of our HBinFive Members and see their wonderful interpretations of this recipe!

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Hot Chocolate, Hot Cocoa or Spicy Mocha?

2010-02-12T01:26:00.011-06:00

When I was growing up my Dad made me Hot Cocoa and Toast every morning for breakfast. And still today every once in a while I crave Hot Cocoa. We're having another very hard winter, with bitter cold temperatures and way too much snow and ice. Hot Cocoa is such an under utilized comfort food and with more snow predicted for this weekend, I thought it would be perfect for our Valentine's Day Brunch.

The Hot Cocoa recipe was inspired by Giada De Laurentiis' Spicy Mocha. I say inspired because when I wanted to make Giada's recipe, of course, I was short on the proper ingredients. So I used what I had on hand and substituted this and that and the end result was incredibly wonderful. And since we have the most wonderful local dairy, Oberweis, which has the best creamy, ultra thick 2% Chocolate Milk, I used Chocolate Milk as my base. A few weeks later, I made the recipe exactly as per Giada's original recipe. Honestly and with no disrespect to Giada, I think my recipe is better.

And I'm from Michigan and we drink Cocoa not Mocha or Hot Chocolate. :)

Michelle's Hot Cocoa
Recipe developed from what I had on hand at the time

4-5 cups chocolate milk, use a good brand that is thick and creamy
1/2 tsp Hot Hungarian Paprika
1 tsp ground cinnamon (I use Penzeys Vietnamese Extra Fancy)
1 heaping TBL instant espresso powder

Topping: Whipped Cream and Sprinkles

Heat chocolate milk in a small sauce pan. Add hot paprika, cinnamon and espresso powder and thoroughly whisk until well blended. Pour Hot Cocoa into thick mugs and top with whipped cream and sprinkles. Enjoy!!

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Chocolate Cherry Pocket Pie with Brandied Cherries

2010-02-10T18:12:00.007-06:00

Well, I did it again! I made more mini pies for HBinFive's Chocolate Espresso Whole Wheat Bread. The Pocket Apple Pies that I made two weeks ago were such a big hit, I had a request to make more. And I never need to be asked more then once!

But the Chocolate Espresso Whole Wheat Bread was not as easy to work and I did have to fuss a bit more but the Pies were very good. I made the Pocket Pies with my 5" Dough Press and again using about 2 TBL of Filling per pie.

For the Cherry Filling I used my home canned Brandied Cherries and boy was the cherry filling good. I canned the Brandied Cherries several years ago but they were pushed to the back of the pantry and I had totally forgotten about them! Well, I won't be forgetting about them any time soon. And plan on making more Brandied Cherries as soon as they come into season. Sorry but I do not remember where I found the recipe for the Brandied Cherries but I've had it for some time now.

Brandied Cherries
Recipe adapted from "not a clue"

6 lbs dark, sweet cherries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/4 cups brandy

Wash and pit cherries. Combine sugar, water and lemon juice in a large sauce pot. Bring mixture to a simmer. Add cherries and simmer until hot throughout. Remove from heat; stir in brandy. Pack hot cherries into hot jars, leaving 1/2" head space. Remove air bubbles. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 10 minutes in a Boiling Water Bath.

Cherry Filling
Recipe developed by Big Black Dog

1 Pt of Brandied Cherries, abt 2 cups including juice (You can also used canned, frozen or fresh cherries, cleaned and pitted)
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
2 TBL Sugar

Chop the cherries into 1/4" pieces. Put Cherries including juice, cinnamon and sugar in a saute pan. Over low heat, simmer until all liquid has evaporated. Watch it closely because it can burn easily.

With the remaining dough I made mini loaves of bread. Aren't they cute! I just cut the loaves into slices, garnished with fresh Kiwi Fruit and drizzled with Ganache.

Chocolate Ganache
Recipe adapted from my Mom

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch salt

Put the cream in the microwave and heat until just hot. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit until chocolate is melted. Stir until completely smooth and free of any unmelted chocolate. Add remaining ingredients. Allow to cool slightly before using.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Kung Pao Chicken

2010-02-08T00:06:00.004-06:00

I think Oriental Recipes have to be one of the best choices for dinner when you've not had the best day and need something quick, delicious and colorful! And it seems as if you can substitute the heck out of the recipe and it always tastes great!

Mr. Tastebuds and I have completely different tastes in food. He craves vegetables of any kind and they are a must at every meal. Although I like vegetables, I could easily do without but lately I've been craving chicken and could easily eat chicken five times a week. So to satisfy both of our current cravings I decided to make King Pao Chicken, something I've never made before. I do have to be careful with some recipes due to the carbohydrates. The photos are actually my portion being I can eat just about anything. Mr. Tastbuds portion was served with 1/2 c. brown rice because it has a lower glycemic index of 55 when compared to white rice at 70.

Kung Pao Chicken
Recipe adapted from For Your Diabetes Life

Makes 4 servings
Per Serving: Calories 257.6; Carb 11.3; Saturated Fat .9; Total Fat 8.2

1 TBL canola oil , divided
4 c fresh broccoli florets (I used 3 c broccoli)
1 TBL fresh ginger root , grated (divided)
2 TBL water
1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts , cut into 1/4-inch strips
1/2 c fat free reduced sodium chicken broth
2 TBL hoisin sauce
2 TBL rice vinegar
2 TBL low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
4 garlic cloves , minced
2 TBL Nuts, peanuts, salted , coarsely chopped (I used 4 TBL peanuts)

My additions:
1/2 c. chopped fresh red sweet pepper
1/2 c. green onion, chopped

1. Pour 1 teaspoon of oil in a large frying pan; heat over medium-high heat. Sauté broccoli and 2 teaspoons ginger in oil for 1 minute. Pour in water and place lid on pan. Cook another 2 minutes. Take broccoli out of pan and reserve in a warm place.

2. Pour 2 teaspoons of oil in the same pan and heat. Add 1 teaspoon ginger, red pepper, and chicken to pan and cook for 4 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked, stir occasionally.

3. Whisk together broth, hoisin sauce, wine vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch, and garlic. Pour mixture over chicken in the pan and cook, stirring until sauce thickens. Spoon broccoli back into pan and warm through. When ready to serve, top with peanuts.

I'm now starting my sixth week of the Ten in 10 Challenge and so far I've averaged working out three times a week! And I'm doing pretty well with my weight training too, although last week I missed a few days due to problems with my shoulder.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Vegetable Torte

2010-02-04T00:12:00.005-06:00

I've wanted to try a Vegetable Torte for the longest time but it was just one of those things that never seemed to materialize! Well, I am putting my foot down on all the recipes I've wanted to try and I'm going to get it done!

I've actually made this recipe twice in 2 weeks because it was so darn good! Maybe I was ready for a meatless meal but I could not believe how good the roasted vegetables were with the puff pastry...outstanding. And I used my new rectangular tart pan with the removable bottom which worked out very well.

The first time I made the Torte I used the below Puff Pastry Recipe which worked out very well. Now I know you're thinking that Puff Pastry is hard to make. It's really not difficult to make, it just takes time but mostly because the dough has to be refrigerated in between laminations. So if you deduct the refrigeration time, Puff Pastry takes less then an hour to make. The second time I made the Torte I used a new pastry recipe, 5-Minute Puff Pastry, which does take less time and it is out of this world delicious!

Puff Pastry
Recipe adapted from HomeCooking.Com

Makes: 2 Lbs

13 ounces (390 g) all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp (7 ml) salt
3 ounces (90 g) unsalted butter, cold
7 fluid ounces (210 ml) water, cold

10 ounces (300 g) unsalted butter, softened

To form the detrempe, sift the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut the cold butter (3 ounces) into small pieces and then cut the pieces into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.

Make a well in the center of the mixture and add all the water at once. Using a rubber spatula or your fingers, gradually draw the flour into the water. Mix until all the flour is incorporated. Do not knead. The detrempe should be sticky and shaggy-looking.

Note: The detrempe can be made in a food processor. To do so, combine the flour, salt and pieces of cold butter in a food processor bowl fitted with the metal blade. Process until a coarse meal is formed. With the processor running, slowly add the water. Turn the machine off as soon as the dough comes together to form a ball. Process with the remainder of the recipe.

Turn the detrempe out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough a few times by hand, rounding it into a ball. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic and chill overnight.

To roll in the butter, first prepare the softened butter by placing it between two sheets of plastic wrap. Use a rolling pin to roll the softened butter into a rectangle, approximately 5 inches by 8 inches (12.5 centimeters by 20 centimeters). It is important that the detrempe and butter be of almost equal consistency. If necessary, allow the detrempe to sit at room temperature to soften or chill the butter briefly to harden.

On a lightly floured board, roll the detrempe into a rectangle approximately 12 inches by 15 inches (30 centimeters by 37.5 centimeters). Lift and rotate the dough as necessary to prevent sticking.

Use a dry pastry brush to brush away any flour from the dough's surface. Loose flour can cause gray streaks and can prevent the puff pastry from rising properly when baked.

Peel one piece of plastic wrap from the butter. Position the butter in the center of the rectangle and remove the remaining plastic. Fold the four edges of the detrempe over the butter enclosing it completely. Stretch the dough if necessary; it is important that none of the butter be exposed.

With the folded side facing up, press the dough several times with a rolling pin. Use a rocking motion to create ridges in the dough. Place the rolling pin in each ridge and slowly roll back and forth to widen the ridge. Repeat until all the ridges are doubled in size. Using the ridges as a starting point, roll the dough out into a smooth, even rectangle approximately 8 inches by 24 inches (20 centimeters by 50 centimeters). Be careful to keep the corners of the dough as right angles.

Use a dry pastry brush to remove any loose flour from the dough's surface. Fold the dough in thirds, like a business letter. If one end is damaged or in worse condition, fold it in first; otherwise, start at the bottom. This completes the first turn.

Rotate the block of dough 90 degrees so that the folded edge is on your left and the dough faces you like a book. Roll out the dough again, repeating the ridging technique. Once again, the dough should be in a smooth, even rectangle of approximately 8 inches by 24 inches (20 centimeters by 60 centimeters).

Fold the dough in thirds again, completing the second turn. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. Repeat the rolling and folding technique until the dough has had a total of five turns. Do not perform more than two turns without a resting and chilling period. Cover the dough completely and chill overnight before shaping and baking.

Vegetable Torte
Recipe developed by BigBlackDog

1/2 recipe Puff Pastry or you can use 1 Sheet of frozen Puff Pastry

1 lb. Fresh Asparagus, trimmed to size to fit the pan
6-7 large Mushrooms, sliced thin
3-4 Tomatoes, 1/2" slices
4-5 Green Onion, sliced into coins
2 c. Mozzarella, shredded
2 TBL Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
Fresh Ground Black Pepper

1. Grease the pan and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Roll out the puff pastry until it comfortably fits the pan. Lay the dough in the pan and carefully press the dough into the sides. Trim any excess dough from the edges.

3. Slice up the vegetables and toss with the Olive Oil and Pepper.

4. Layer the vegetables on the puff pastry

5. Top with cheese

6. Bake for about 30 minutes or until browned and bubbly!

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Welcome to the 4th HBinFive Bread Braid

2010-01-31T19:04:00.007-06:00

I know..I really pushed the envelope this week HBinFive's Soft Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread! But I had so much fun in the process!

And I had just enough of the laminated dough left over from the Chicago Deep Dish Pizza to make six Pocket Apple-Cranberry Pies and oh were they good! And I used my 5" Dough Press which always does such a great job and it's so easy to use. I filled the Pocket Pies with a mix of Chopped Apple, Fresh Cranberries, Cinnamon, Granular Artificial Sweetener and Chopped Pecans.

To make the Pocket Pies:

The Dough Press is actually two tools in one. On one side there is a cutting edge similar to a cookie cutter and you can cut a disk of dough. And on the other side is a crimping edge where you can crimp the dough and form a moon-shaped Pocket.

1. Roll out the dough to about 1/8" thick.

2. Press the cutting edge into the dough and cut a disk of dough. Flip the Dough Press over and position the disk of dough so that it's adequately covering the Crimping Edge.

3. Sprinkle about a 1/2 tsp cornmeal or semolina on the filling area of the dough. The cornmeal/semolina helps to soak up any juices released during baking and keeps the bottom crispy.

4. Then add 2 TBL of filling on just one side of dough disk, making sure that no filling is spilling into the edges that are going to be crimped together.

5. Brush egg wash on the edges.

6. Using the hinge, flip one side of the Dough Press over the other and with both hands press, lightly but firmly, making sure that the crimped edge is completely sealed.

7. Place the Pockets on a parchment lined baking sheet.

8. Brush the Pocket with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar or topping of your choice.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until the Pocket is a nice golden brown.

With the rest of the Soft Whole Grain Sandwich Dough I made a Chicago Deep Dish Pizza and Angelo's Coney Island Hot Dogs served on a homemade Bun. If you'd like to read more about these recipes, just click on the below titles to visit the post.

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

Angelo's Coney Island Hot Dog

If you are participating in the HBinFive Bread Braid, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general address.

Please leave a comment. Every once a while Mr. Linky flies the coop and we can then find your photos by clicking on the comment links.

Don't forget to copy and paste the HBinFive Badge in your Bread Braid post or somewhere on your FB Page. Or you can mention HBinFive but your blog post must be identified with HBinFive.

Please be sure to link back to the host blog, Big Black Dog, so your fellow bloggers who are participating today, will get lots of visits, as well.

Please do not add your link below until your HBinFive post or pictures are actually published.

***If any HBinFive member is concerned about linking up to the Bread Braid Gadget please send an email to me at ms dot bigblackdog at gmail dot com with your name and the URL of your pictures and I will link you up as soon as I can.

Please feel free to click on any of the links below and visit some of our HBinFive Members and see their wonderful interpretations of this recipe!

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Chicken Breasts with Garlic and Balsamic Vinegar

2010-01-29T02:23:00.005-06:00

Do you ever have those weeks where nothing sounds good? And you don't feel like cooking?

A few weeks ago I was at a loss as to what to make for dinner. I really did not have a taste for anything special and did not feel like trying anything new. It was so cold outside and I thought maybe I would make some Macaroni and Cheese or a pasta dish but I just did not want to mess with making a sauce! So I delved into my files and found a recipe I'd made two years ago and although we loved it I had completely forgotten all about it!

I've tried this recipe with basil but it's really best exactly how it's written with fresh Thyme and Bay Leaf. And I add either Almond, Pecan or Walnut meal to the breading and it makes the sautéed chicken so much better!

Chicken Breasts with Garlic & Balsamic Vinegar
Recipe adapted from "Cuisine Rapide" by Pierre Franey

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 lbs)
Salt to taste, if desired
Freshly ground pepper to taste
3/4 lb small to medium mushrooms
2 TBL flour
2 TBL olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
3/4 c. chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dry
1 tsp butter

My addition: 1/2 c. Almond, Pecan or Walnut meal

1. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper

2. Season flour with salt and pepper and dredge the chicken breasts in the mixture. Shake off excess. I add about 1/2 c. Almond, Pecan or Walnut meal to the flour mix.

3. Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and cook the chicken breasts until nicely browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic cloves.

4. Turn the chicken pieces and scatter the mushrooms over them. Continue cooking, shaking the skillet and redistributing the mushrooms so that they cook evenly. Cook about 3 minutes and add the balsamic vinegar, broth, bay leaf, and thyme.

5. Cover tightly and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Turn pieces occasionally.

6. Transfer the chicken to a warm serving platter and cover with foil. Cook the sauce with the mushrooms, uncovered, over medium-high heat for 7 minutes. Swirl in the butter.

7. Discard the bay leaf. Pour the mushrooms and sauce over the chicken and serve.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Banana Boats **Satisfying a Taste

2010-01-27T00:12:00.009-06:00

Remember Girl Scouts?

I remember so much about Girl Scouts and cooking on an open fire which was so much fun. Whenever we had a Girl Scout camping trip, we would form small groups and select our own menus which had to be approved. And every time my group voted unanimously for Banana Boats for dessert and every time it would be x'd out and replaced with S'Mores. S'Mores are fine the first few times, but come on all ready, even S'Mores can get b-o-r-i-n-g!

Last week I had a taste for something sweet particularly something chocolate but I had no desire to make a dessert. I had a bag of Peanut M&Ms which was just not satisfying my needs! But then I remembered the Banana Boats and I knew I could whip up these babies in no time flat and I could be a wee bit creative too.

You can bake the Banana Boats in an open fire, on a charcoal grill or in an oven. The banana will darken on the tips but this does not effect the wonderful taste of warm banana and melted chocolate what so ever!

Ooey Gooey Banana Boats
Recipe as I remember from Girl Scouts

Whole Banana(s)
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Miniature marshmallows
M&Ms
Heath Toffee Chips
Whipped Cream
Crushed Peanuts

1. Slice banana down the middle careful to not slice all the way through.
2. Carefully cut away a wedge section of the peel and discard.
3. Pinch the banana inward to open up the banana a little bit. Fill with chocolate, candy, marshmallows or whatever you want but make sure it will melt.
4. Wrap each banana in aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees until chocolate is completely melted.
5. Remove from oven, plate banana and top with whipped cream and crushed peanuts. Enjoy!

Okay, this is my first attempt, Banana, Milk Chocolate Chunks, Peanut M&Ms.

And this is my second attempt, Banana, Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips, Peanut Butter Chips or Heath Bar Chips. Topped with Whipped Cream, Crushed Peanuts and a Red Hot.

For some strange reason, I've been humming "Kum Bay Ya" for the last week!

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Angelo's Coney Island Hot Dog

2010-01-25T00:59:00.012-06:00

Whenever I see a restaurant famous for hot dogs I always think of Angelo's Coney Island in Flint, MI. I lived in Flint for the better part of 12 years and ate at Angelo's many times. It was just a five minute drive from the University of Michigan campus and I could get a quick, tasty lunch for under $3. But even at 20 years old, Angelo's Coney Dog with the secret chili sauce, sent my digestive system into overdrive! I usually ordered a Burger Deluxe with Olives which is actually a Kewpee Burger, now known as Halo Burger, but that's a whole 'nother burger joint in Flint.

This week for HBinFive we are making Hot Dog Buns and I thought it would be fun to introduce Angelo to Mr. Tastebuds...you know a little bit of my past meeting my present, just see how the two of them would get along.

I knew I had a recipe for Angelo's Secret Chili Sauce and found it, buried deep in my handwritten 3by5" recipe file. I used Best's Kosher Hot Dogs, boiled, on a homemade Soft Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread Bun, loaded with Chili Sauce, diced onion and yellow mustard. Mr. Tastebuds managed to eat three Coney Island Dogs, so I think Mr. Tastebuds and Angelo are getting along just fine!

When I made my hot dog buns I manipulated the dough to form a torpedo, baguette or batard shape and they baked up perfectly! The technique is wonderfully demonstrated in the below video:

But I can tell you that this recipe is not Angelo's Coney Island Sauce. Although the Coney Sauce is delicious and actually I liked it better then the original recipe, it is not even close to the real thing, but don't tell Mr. Tastebuds!

Angelo's Coney Island Sauce
Recipe adapted from "not a clue"

1 Tbs Butter
2 med onions (ground)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
2&1/2 tsp chili powder
1 Tbs prepared mustard
1&1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 6oz can of tomato paste
3 oz water
4 hot dogs (ground)

1. Grind up the hot dogs in your food processor.

2. Melt butter in large, heavy fry pan.

3. Add onions, garlic and saute for a minute.

4. Add ground beef, making sure to break it up as finely as possible, lightly fry until all pink is gone.

5. Add ground hot dogs, mustard, chili powder, salt, tomato paste and water. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until all water evaporates.

Family Recipes is hosted by Lynda of Lynda's Recipe Box, Laura of The Spiced Life and Shelby of Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Soft Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread poof'd into Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

2010-01-22T00:01:00.010-06:00

About a week ago we received a promotional free copy of the latest Cook's Illustrated Magazine. My husband, Mr. Tastebuds read the entire magazine and wanted me to make the Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza. I knew just reading the recipe that it was not going to taste like real Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. But the recipe was interesting because the dough was laminated. I love laminating dough, it just so much fun and makes the dough extra flaky!

Since this week for HBinFive our scheduled recipe is Soft Wholewheat Sandwich Bread, I thought I'd just go way out of the realm and adapt the recipe for Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Dough and my substitutions and additions are noted.

Mr. Tastebud's loved this pizza especially the sauce! I thought the sauce was a bit on the spicy side but the crust was good but I prefer my own Pizza Dough which I'm going to try laminating soon!

Deep Dish Pizza - Chicago Style
Recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Makes 2-9" Pizzas

Dough:
3 1/4 c unbleached flour (2 c. unbleached flour, 1 1/4 c. White Whole Wheat Flour)
1/2 c. yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tsp sugar (1 TBL honey)
2 1/4 teaspoon instant or rapid rise yeast (1/2 c. Sourdough Starter)
1 1/4 c. water, room temp
3 TBL butter, melted
1 teaspoon plus 4 TBL Olive Oil
4 TBL butter, softened

Additions:
1/8 c. Vital Wheat Gluten

Sauce:
2 TBL butter
1/4 medium onion, grated (6 green onions including tops, chopped)
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1-28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon sugar (I skipped)
2 TBL fresh basil, coarsely chopped (6 basil leaves coarsely chopped)
1 TBL Olive Oil, extra virgin
Salt and Freshly ground Black Pepper to taste (I skipped the salt)

Topping:
1 pound mozzarella, shredded about 4 c.
1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese, grated (I sprinkled some Mozzarella on top too)

For the Dough:
1. Mix flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast in bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook on low and mix a few minutes.
2. Add water and melted butter and mix on low until fully incorporated about 1-2 minutes. Continue mixing until dough becomes glossy and firm about 4-5 minutes.
3. Coat a large bowl with 1 teaspoon Olive Oil. Transfer dough to bowl and then flip the dough over so that all sides are covered with oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
4. Let rise to room temperature until doubled about 45-60 minutes.

Sauce:
5. While the dough is rising melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat.
6. Add onion and oregano. Cook until liquid has evaporated and onion is golden brown, about 5 minutes.
7. Add garlic and saute for a few minutes.
8. Stir in tomatoes and sugar, increase heat to high and bring to a simmer. Lower heat to medium and simmer until reduced to about 2 cups 25-30 minutes. 8. Off heat stir in basil and oil, then season with salt and pepper.

Laminating Dough:
9. Turn dough out onto dry work surface and roll into a 15" by 12" rectangle.
10. With a spatula spread softened butter over surface of dough, leaving 1/2" border.
11. Starting with the short end, roll the dough into a tight cylinder.
12. Seam side down, flatten the cylinder with your hands into a 4" by 18" rectangle.
13. Then fold it up into thirds, letter style; Pinch seams together to form a ball

14. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
15. Spray a plate with cooking spray and place balls of dough on plate. Spray plastic wrap with cooking spray and cover dough balls. Place in refrigerator until doubled in volume, 40-50 minutes.

Shaping the Pizza:
16. Coat two 9" cake pans with 2 TBL of Olive Oil.
17. Transfer 1 dough ball to dry rolling surface and roll out into a 13" disk about 1/4" thick.
18. Lightly press dough into pan, working into edges and at least 1" up the sides. If dough resists stretching let it rest for a minute or 2 and then try again. Repeat with remaining dough ball for second pizza.

Assembly:
19. For each pizza, sprinkle 2 c of Mozzarella evenly over surface of dough.
20. Spread 1 1/4 c of tomato sauce over cheese and sprinkle 2 TBL of Parmesan over sauce.
21. Bake until crust is golden brown, 20-30 minutes.
22. Remove pizza from oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Light Citrus Strawberry Spread

2010-01-20T00:42:00.014-06:00

I love to can late at night when everyone is asleep and I'm all alone in my kitchen. I count out the lids and get the water bath ready. I prep the vegetables or fruit and sneak a little taste here and there. I sterilize my jars and line them up, squeaky clean and gleaming, on my kitchen counter. The smell of the fresh tomatoes or peaches fills the air as it comes to a boil! I carefully fill the jars with the recipe du jour, screw on the lid and then and only then is it ready for the finale.... the Boiling Water Bath (BWB). After twenty minutes, I remove the jar and wait in anticipation to hear the most wonderful sound in the world and that's the PING of a sealing lid! I swear I can hear the PING three rooms away!

When I get up in the morning and wander into the kitchen for my first cup of coffee, and see all my jars lined up, I feel so accomplished. Is there anything more gorgeous then freshly canned goodness?

Light Citrus Strawberry Spread
Recipe adapted from "The Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving" by Ellie Topp

Makes 8 - 4oz jars

1 large orange
4 c strawberries, washed and hulled
1 TBL lemon juice
2 TBL granulated sugar
1 box light (low-sugar) fruit pectin
1 c granular low-calorie sweetener (I used Natur, All Natural Sweetener)

1. Grate 2 tsp zest from orange; place in a large stainless-steel or enamel saucepan. Remove and discard remaining white rind from orange. Chop pulp and place in a 4 cup measuring cup.

2. Mash strawberries; add to orange. You should have 3 cups of fruit.

3. Combine fruit, lemon juice, sugar, and pectin in saucepan; mix well. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sweetener, return to a boil, and boil hard for one minute, stirring constantly.

4. Ladle into sterilized jars and process in a BWB. Once opened, keep in the refrigerator and use within 3 weeks.

Tasting Notes: This spread which is actually more like a butter, is very tart. I did add an additional 2 TBL granular low-calorie sweetener which was perfect. Mr. Tastebuds loved it and it was very good on Rice Pudding!

I've joined another monthly event! You're probably thinking "Michelle don't you have enough to do?". I know but I hate to miss out on anything and I like being busy! Can Jam, a monthly canning event, is hosted by Tigress of Tigress in a Jam. Canning is so much fun, you should really try it!

I'm now starting my third week of the Ten in 10 Challenge and so far I've worked out 7 times in 10 days...WOOT! And I bought some 2 lb weights to start some weight training at home. I'm going to be following "8 Minutes in the Morning for a Perfect Body" by Jorge Cruise.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Sourdough Starters; From Start to Finish and all the Fun in Between!

2010-01-18T00:46:00.023-06:00

Sourdough Starter; A culture of wild yeast and lactobacilli grown in a medium of flour and liquid such as water, milk or beer.

I began using a Sourdough Starter in my breads about five years ago and I've used a Sourdough Starter ever since. I love the flavor the Starter adds to my breads and there really is nothing that duplicates a good sourdough flavor.

Sourdough Starter has many favorable effects on breads:

1. Adds flavor and aroma to any bread
2. Improves and tenderizes the crumb
3. Adds elasticity to bread dough
4. Shelf life is extended

There are literally hundreds of recipes to begin a Sourdough Starter and I've probably tried at least fifteen. But I always return to my flour and water mix because this is what works best for me, but it might not work for you. Since a Starter relies on wild yeast that is freely floating around in the air, each starter is unique and will perform differently depending on your geographical location. So if one recipe does not work for you try another recipe. I have several recipes listed in this post for your convenience. Or you can wait a month or two and try again. In a month the wild yeast available in your home will be different and may be more suitable to begin a Starter.

I had a terrible time getting a Starter going and I was using step-by-step directions and following them implicitly. Some of the Starters never did any thing, some started bubbling a little bit but then died. It was a total fail, until I relaxed and just used flour and water..yep just Unbleached White Flour and Water.

Materials Needed:

1. Unbleached White Flour - Any brand is fine
2. Water - Tap water is fine. We have a water softener so I use bottled water, any brand is fine
3. Small bowl - Soup bowl, small mixing bowl, whatever you have on hand
4. Whisk
5. Something to cover your container. Plastic wrap, 2-part canning lid, clean dish cloth or anything to keep the dust out and to prevent the surface of the Starter from drying out.
6. Clean, clear glass or plastic container - The container must be clear so you can see what happening inside. I always wash my container by hand and then rinse it with boiling water several times to make sure it is very clean and there is no soap residue.

Easy Sourdough Starter
Recipe adapted from an old friend

1 c. white unbleached flour
1 c. water **See Note

**NOTE: If you have a water softener use any brand of bottled water. I've heard that chlorinated water can cause problems but I have no experience to verify it.

In a small bowl, mix the flour and water. Taking a small whisk, whisk the heck out of your Starter for at least 5 minutes. Sourdough starter loves air and the more air you can get into your Starter the better.

Pour your Starter into a jar or clear plastic container. I use a 1-qt Mason Jar with the 2-part lid but use whatever you have available as long as it's clear. Cover the clear container opening with plastic wrap, a clean dishcloth, shower cap or 2-part lid. If you're using a 2-part canning lid, lightly screw the lid on so that gases created by the yeast can escape. DO NOT screw the lid on tight!

Set the jar on the counter in a highly visible spot so you can keep an eye on it. I usually set my jar right by the sink.

Probably within 12 hours you will see some bubbles start forming on the top of the Starter which is what you want. But if you don't see any bubbles within 24 hrs don't worry about it.

Day Two: Pour out half your starter and discard. Add 1/2 c. flour and 1/2 c. water. Whisk well. Sit the container in a visible spot in your kitchen.

Day Three: By Day 3 you should be seeing some bubbly activity in your Starter and it should smell like yeast. Pour out half your starter and discard. Add 1/2 c. flour and 1/2 c. water. Whisk well. Sit the container in a visible spot in your kitchen.

Day Four: Your starter should be at least doubling within the first 6-10 hours now. Pour out half your starter and discard. Add 1/2 c. flour and 1/2 c. water. Whisk well. Sit the container in a visible spot in your kitchen.

If you have no activity by Day 4 discard all your Starter and begin again. This time refer to Tips for a Strong Sourdough Starter and add either 2 TBL Pineapple Juice to the Water equaling 1/2 cup or substitute 1/4 c. Rye Flour and start over.

Day Five: Pour out half your starter and discard. Add 1/2 c. flour and 1/2 c. water. Whisk well. Sit the container in a visible spot in your kitchen.

If your Starter is at least doubling by Day 5, you have a good Starter going and you can now use it in a recipe. I usually add 1/2 Starter to most of my bread recipes and it does not matter if the recipe has 3 c of flour or 6 c of flour I still use 1/2 c. Starter. Since the Starter is a ratio of 1:1 flour to water there is no need to alter the bread recipe.

If your Starter has some activity but is not doubling by Day 5 refer to Tips for a Strong Sourdough Starter and add either 2 TBL Pineapple Juice to the Water equaling 1/2 cup or substitute 1/4 c. Rye Flour. And repeat Step 2 every 24 hours until the Starter is doubling in size. As soon as it starts doubling in size it is ready to use in a bread recipe.

Maintaining a Sourdough Starter

Maintaining a Sourdough Starter is easy if you bake bread at least once a week. But if you don't you still have to feed your starter to keep it healthy. Each time you remove a portion of the Starter for a recipe, you must replace an equal amount.

To replenish and feed the existing Starter, either use 1/2 c. starter in a recipe or discard 1/2 c Starter. Then add to the existing Starter, 1/2 c. flour and 1/2 c. water, mix it and then whisk for at least 5 minutes. Pour the Starter into a clean container and place the jar of starter in a visible spot in the kitchen. When the starter rises and then falls which is anywhere from 6-12 hours, then you can return the Starter to the refrigerator.

I do have to admit that I neglect my Starter. During the Spring when I am extremely busy my poor Starter is so ignored. Sometimes I don't feed it for a month or so! But when I finally find that poor jar of stuff shoved in the back of the frig and refresh it, it just bubbles back to life with no problem. Poor thing!

If you had a good, strong Starter and for some reason it seems to be losing steam, there is absolutely nothing wrong with giving it a little kick the next time it needs to be refreshed. Please refer to Tips for a Strong Sourdough Starter.

If your Starter remains in the refrigerator for a week or so, it may start separating and develop a brownish liquid on top. I've found conflicting opinions on what the "liquid" is, so I carefully pour it off and then refresh my Starter. But I've read where some people just mix the liquid back into the Starter with no ill effect. So the decision on what to do with the liquid is up to you.

Tips for a Strong Sourdough Starter:

1. Add 2 TBL Pineapple Juice to the Water equaling 1/2 cup, refresh/feed every 24 hours for 3 days or until the Starter is at least doubling in size.
2. Substitute 1/4 c. Rye Flour, refresh/feed every 24 hours for 3 days or until the Starter is at least doubling in size.

When we were in construction for our remodel and renovation, I tossed my sourdough starter because I did not have an oven for over a year and could not bake at all. I decided to try a little experiment with my plain flour/water starter and Nancy Silverton’s Grape Sourdough Starter.

I made the Grape Sourdough Starter exactly as directed in the below recipe. When I started Step 4 for the Grape Sourdough Starter which is a 3-day feeding schedule, I then mixed up my 1 c. flour and 1 cup water and began a new batch of my starter. I set the Starters side by side in my kitchen for a Comparison Test.

Keep in mind that the Grape Starter is already a fermented Starter and just being refreshed whereas my Starter is brand new mix with no previous fermentation.

Note: I used exactly the same amount of starters in each jar so the comparison would be easily visible.

Day 2

I missed the photo of the full rise but you can see the marks on the glass jars. The Grape Starter rose a little bit more then my Starter. But both starters are very active which is great!

Day 3

Ah..oh! Grape Starter is way ahead and it's gorgeous! But still my Starter is more then doubling and for a new starter this is fabulous for Day 3!

Day 4

Oops...my Starter went nuts! I did not put the lid on the Grape Starter because I was afraid it was going to be the one to blow the lid off. But my Starter came through in the end and showed 'em just who's boss in Michelle's kitchen! :))

In conclusion ALL Sourdough Starters work and one is not better then any other. You just need to find one that works for you!

I made a double batch of Breadsticks using one of my new Starters and below is the gorgeous rise of the dough!

Nancy Silverton’s Grape Sourdough Starter
Recipe adapted from Nancy Silverman

2 cups bread flour
2 1/2 cups water, un-chlorinated
1/2 lb red grapes, unwashed organic stemmed

1. Wrap the grapes in well washed cheesecloth, tying the corners to form a bag; lightly crush them with a rolling pin (to release the sugar to mix with the natural yeast on the skins; just like making wine!) and immerse them in the flour water mix. Cover tightly with a lid or plastic wrap secured with a rubber band. Leave at room temperature for 6 days, stirring once or twice a day for six days.

2. The bag of grapes will eventually appear inflated, and liquid will begin to separate from the flour base. The mixture will begin to taste and smell slightly fruity, and the color will be strange. That is as it should be. By the sixth day the bag of grapes will have deflated, the color will be yellow, and the taste pleasantly sour; the fermentation is complete. The starter is living but weak, and it needs to be fed.

3. Remove the grapes and squeeze their juices back into the starter. Stir it up thoroughly and transfer it to a clean container. (Although you can use it after just one feeding, the starter will be stronger and healthier with the full treatment) You can refrigerate it until you're ready to proceed.

4. Three days before you plan to use it, stir 1 cup flour and 1 cup water into the
container, blending well. Let stand uncovered at room temperature until it bubbles up — 3 to 4 hours — then cover and refrigerate. Repeat this the second and third day.

5. Store the starter tightly covered in the refrigerator where it will keep perfectly for 4 to 6 months, after which it’s a good idea to pour off all but 2 cups and give it another feeding. Before using the stored starter for bread, however, give it the full 3-day feeding schedule once again to restore it and to tone down excess sourness.

Beer Sourdough Starter
Recipe adapted from Not-a-Clue

1 c Beer
1 1/4 c Flour

Mix well, let sit on counter 5-10 days, stir 3 x per day. When it begins to
separate into creamy thick bottom and thin liquid top is ready to use in any
sourdough recipe.

Potato Water Sourdough Starter
Recipe adapted from Alaska.net

1/2 TBL Active dry yeast
1 c White flour
1 tsp Sugar
Lg baking potato peeled, cube

Cook potato in water to cover until tender. Pour off liquid to measure 1 c, saving potato for other use. Let potato water cook to lukewarm. In a glass or ceramic bowl that has been scalded, place flour, yeast and sugar; add lukewarm potato water and stir in well. Cover with plastic wrap and pierce with fork to release gases. Place in a warm, draft free location at an even 85F for 2 days; stir several times daily. (do not let sourdough starter rise above 95F because higher temp are favorable to less desirable microorganisms) Refrigerate until ready to use. Replenish with one c flour and 3/4 c water and let stand overnight or 12 hrs in a warm location before refrigerating again. When replenishing, add lukewarm water with flour. Starter should be at room temp when using in recipes, always after having stood 12 hrs from addition of replenishing flour and water. At least 1 c should remain to refrigerate.

Buttermilk Sourdough Starter
Recipe adapted from Astray

1 c Water; tepid
1/4 c Buttermilk; room temperature
1 1/2 c Flour
1 tbs Sugar

Mix all ingredients in a glass bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and set in warm part of kitchen for 3-5 days. Starter can be stored in refrigerator and must be used in 1 week or "refreshened". Glass or plastic container that can be tightly covered to store. Recipe makes about 2 cups of starter.

To Proof: Bring starter to room temperature. In a glass bowl, combine all of the starter with, 1 1/2 cups of flour and 1 cup of water. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set in warm place for 12 hours.

To Use: Measure 2 cups of "proofed" starter and set aside. Return remaining starter to it's container and refrigerate until needed again.

Be sure to use this starter at least once a week or refreshen it.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Welcome to the 3rd HBinFive Bread Braid

2010-01-14T17:57:00.012-06:00

Whew...glad the holidays are over and I can sort of relax a little bit. I do love celebrating and seeing friends but it can be so trying at times. The old saying There's just not enough hours in a day must have been coined sometime around December 1st because that is when I feel the holiday pressure to get things done and the countdown begins.

I did have a wonderful Christmas and received some very cool kitchen gifts which are my favorite kind of gifts to receive. Yes, I am spoiled...very spoiled. But I did receive one special bread pan that I've wanted for some time now, 9" Pain de Mie bread pan with lid and you can find it at Amazon.com too. The first pan I received was bent and I could not slide the lid and I had to send it back so last week was the first chance I've had to bake in my new pan. So far I love it!

But it is a bit different baking with the Pain de Mie. First of all you can't see the bread while it baking so I had no idea if the bread was done or not unless I removed the pan from the oven and slide open the lid. And I was not sure just how much dough to put into the pan to get a nice sized loaf. But these small problems will work themselves out and being the bread baked so nicely with the most amazing crust, I will most definitely be using the Pain de Mie again!

This week for HBinFive we had assigned to make the Master Whole Grain Bread recipe and make a loaf of bread, a shaped bread and Spicy Whole Grain Snack Crackers.

I almost did not finish the Epi because I had an accident with a knife and my thumb was out of commission but I managed to finish it with my left hand. I know the Epi is not perfect but it's done!

With the wonderful loaf of bread I did serve Grilled Cheese Sandwiches for dinner, making one of my all-time favorites, Grilled Cheese with Brie and a Fresh Slice of Apple. Brie and Fresh Apple is also very good on a hamburger...yummy!

The Spicy Whole Grain Snack Crackers I served with a big pot of Chili and then made some Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup. Just click on the title to visit the post and recipe.

Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup with Whole Grain Snack Crackers

If you are participating in the HBinFive Bread Braid, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general address.

Please leave a comment. Every once a while the Mr. Linky flies the coop and we can then find your photos by clicking on the comment links.

Don't forget to copy and paste the HBinFive Badge in your Bread Braid post or somewhere on your FB Page. Or you can mention HBinFive but your blog post must be identified with HBinFive.

Please be sure to link back to the host blog, Big Black Dog, so your fellow bloggers who are participating today, will get lots of visits, as well.

Please do not add your link below until your HBinFive post or pictures are actually published.

***If any HBinFive member is concerned about linking up to the Bread Braid Gadget please send an email to me at ms dot bigblackdog at gmail dot com with your name and the URL of your pictures and I will link you up as soon as I can.

Please feel free to click on any of the links below and visit some of our HBinFive Members and see their wonderful interpretations of this recipe!

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Easy Fried Rice

2010-01-13T01:21:00.006-06:00

So far so good with my Ten in 10 Challenge. I was at the gym three times last week and I would have been there four times if there hadn't been a blizzard last Thursday! But it snowed for hours and there was no way I was going make it to the gym. But I did workout by shoveling a 2' wide path to our barn, does that count? I expected to be a little sore but I actually felt much more energetic then I have in months.

I have to admit, I'm surprised at how tasty some of the low calorie recipes have been so far. The Mussels with Tarragon Cream I made last week was very good and this week I made another Weight Watchers recipe, Easy Fried Rice which I enjoyed very much! I did add 1 clove of minced Garlic which is only 4 calories so not a biggie. I also substituted 4 Green Onions for the Scallions and I did cut down the Soy Sauce to about a 1 TBL which was plenty.

Easy Fried Rice
Recipe adapted from Weight Watchers

2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 cup scallions, sliced, divided (I used 4 Green Onions cut into coins)
3 cups cooked white rice
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce, or to taste (I used abt 1 TBL soy sauce)
2 spray(s) cooking spray

My additions:
1 clove of garlic, minced

POINTS Value: 3
Serving: 6 @ 3/4 c. each

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; warm pan over medium-high heat. Add eggs; tilt pan so that eggs cover bottom.

When eggs start to set, break them up into pieces with a heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon. Cook until eggs are cooked through, about 1 minute more; remove eggs them from skillet and set aside.

Off heat, recoat same skillet with cooking spray; set over medium-high heat. Add carrots and all but 2 tablespoons scallions and add garlic if you decide to use it; sauté until carrots are crisp-tender, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in cooked rice, peas and soy sauce; cook until heated through, stirring once or twice, about 1 minute. Gently stir in cooked egg and remaining scallions; heat through.

If you're interested in joining the Ten in 10 Challenge please contact Lori at RecipeGirl!

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog

Sweet & Spicy Peanut Soup with Whole Grain Snack Crackers!

2010-01-11T00:13:00.003-06:00

Poor Crackers always seem to play second fiddle to exciting dips and colorful salads. But we love crackers and I make a batch of crackers or breadsticks at least every two weeks. We eat crackers instead of bread for dinner and my husband, a brown bagger from way back, takes a few crackers in his lunch almost every day. So when Spicy Whole Grain Snack Crackers were on the agenda for HBinFive I was happy!

I did divide the cracker dough in half and added Chili Pepper to half and Kosher Salt on the remainder. I had a great time making the crackers and used my Pasta Bike which I highlighted in my Gadgets that Work category. Love my Pasta Bike which makes cutting the crackers so easy! I did make some of the crackers small and served them with a big pot of Chili!

I was cruising around, looking at some of my favorite blogs and I happened to land on Kayte's blog, Grandma's Kitchen Table. And she was raving about Sweet & Spicy Peanut Soup by Ellie Krieger! However, the Sweet & Spicy Peanut Soup is way outside my comfort zone but yet it sounded so good to me...I think it's the snowbound effect that twisting my senses around! I do not like peanut butter and have never eaten a PB&J sandwich...nope never! And the Soup also had Cayenne Pepper which is something I rarely ever add to anything, just too spicy for me. Yet it sounded too good not to try and perfect for a second round of Whole Grain Crackers!

For the Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup I did cut down the Cayenne Pepper to just 1/4 tsp and I did eliminate the large onion and scallions and substituted 8 Green Onions. And after my first test taste I did add an additional 1/4 c. of Peanut Butter. But this soup was out of this world, super fantastic and I can't wait to make it again!

Sweet and Spicy Peanut Soup
Recipe adapted from Ellie Krieger

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced (about 1 cup)
2 medium carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed (2 cups)
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes, with their juices
2/3 cup creamy natural peanut butter
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 cup chopped scallion greens (about 3 scallions)

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over a medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell pepper and carrots and cook, stirring until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the cayenne, black pepper, garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the sweet potato, broth, and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

*Puree the soup in the pot using an immersion blender or in a regular blender in 2 batches and return the soup to the pot. Add the peanut butter and honey and stir, over low heat, until the peanut butter melts. Serve warm, garnished with the scallions.

*When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

All Rights Reserved 2008-10 © BigBlackDog