Coco Cooks

A Question, A Visual Meme,and A Contest You May Like.

noreply@blogger.com (glamah16) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:04:00 +0000

I hope all of you are enjoying your weekend so far. I'm resting a lot. Just tired and stressed. Last night we went to an old friends wedding on the Fourth of July. It was a fitting theme for all they had been through over the past decade. Good Luck you two. It was Certain Someones first American wedding and we traded notes on the differences and what we would have, if that day came.
Anyway I woke late and checked on my hot mail account for this blog. It seems I may have crossed some lines with a fellow blogger. I know there is lot of discussion and debate about protected material and such. We all work hard on our blogs for simple enjoyment. Well anyway I have a new feature that has been up for a month or so on the side bar. Rather than a traditional link list, it shows the most recent 25 posts from my reader. I have received a few comments about this being fascinating, and have noticed it on some other blogs as well. This fellow blogger who I love to read would rather not have me show their content in the snippet or link to their blog . Its OK If I'm referring to a post of theirs, or an event, but not in this form.I never intended to use someone else's content(It is not like I am passing off their content as mine or profiting in anyway). The feature from Blogger just shows whats in my personal reader with snippets and you can choose to go to that persons blog and read on. I think its way more interesting than a link.Something may catch your eye that you haven't noticed before. Anyway all this to say if I have offended anyone else I am sorry. Do you think I should take this off and would you too rather not have your link in it? If that's the case I will remove the feature. This is a whole new world to me and I don't want to offend anyone .
Marx Foods is having another contest! I need to get going on this as the deadline is July 18. Its for your best burger recipe.
Enter your best Burger Recipe for a chance to WIN 10 POUNDS OF YOUR PICK OF BURGERS & Palm Leaf Plates to serve your burgers on in the MarxFoods.com “Build the Best Burger” Recipe Contest
Burger choices include Kobe beef, Grass-fed beef, Ostrich, Bison & more
Recipe Deadline: Friday, July 18
Summer is officially upon us which means a lot of delicious burger consumption. We want to collect a massive compilation of inspirational, new and exciting burger recipes that will last us through the summer!
Enter your best burger recipe by July 18 at MarxFoods.com. The prize? Ten pounds of your choice of the burger options at MarxFoods.com, including Kobe and wild game burgers! No matter what the winning recipe, the prize can be catered toward your taste.
We’re seeking out the best burger—any kind of burger—regardless of it is made from seafood, veggies, black beans, chicken, lamb, grass-fed beef or sandwiched between a bun, mini-buns, tortilla, or ciabatta bread. The creative possibilities are endless. And don’t get us wrong, we do like beef!
Burgers available from MarxFoods.com include:
Kobe Yak Elk
Eaton Grass-Fed Beef Llama Venison
Antelope Ostrich Kangaroo
Mixed Sampler Box Bison Wild Boar
And if those don’t appeal to you because you’re vegetarian (or for other reasons) we’ll give you a $100 gift certificate to MarxFoods.com.
The winning burger recipe will be judged by the MarxFoods.com staff on deliciousness and originality. Please only enter a recipe that can be created in a home (vs. professional) kitchen or grill, is original and from scratch. Each contestant is limited to entering one recipe.
We’ll also send the winner biodegradable, compostable and very chic looking Palm Leaf Plates to make your next burger cookout that much more convenient.
A winner will be announced on Wednesday, July 23.
TO ENTER:
Submit your recipe, with a title in the form at MarxFoods.com or in the comment section below. Stories are welcome and if you have an accompanying photo (sometimes pictures tell the best story) please send it to us and we’ll add it to your post. Feel free to include recipes for side dishes that pair well with your burger.
Contest Rules and Regulations

And finally, Paz tagged me for this visual meme. If you don't know Paz, check her out. I love her varied posts from good food to daily shots of life in New York City. I feel a trip coming on soon.Post you 10 best food shots and tag others to participate. My type of Meme. Now I am not a photographer by any means. But I have come a long way since my first photos . Thanks to stealing Certain Someones camera and learning from you all.

Nothing says summer like Papaya/Coconut Ice Cream!

A Daring Bakers Perfect Party Cake.

Chicken I never blogged about. It looked better before cooking than cooked in a slow cooker.
A lovely flan. I'm starting to learn about natural light.
I loved the frost chilled effect of my homemade rum raisin ice cream.
I still get a lot of Taste Spotting hits on this Shrimp and long bean dish.

Finally a decent looking roast picture!

Fruits and vanilla bean for preserves.

Not a great picture but it managed to scare the crap out of a lot people. My Aunt jumped from her seat by the computer. I was proud of my Marzipan rabbit in my Buche de Noel. I guess from a certain angle it looks trapped under a log. I cant help it if it looked a little to real for people. Call me the twisted baker.It's the Scorpian in me I guess.
A refreshing cream limoncello. I could go for some now!

I won't tag anyone else because so many of you have been or don't want to be. Feel free to play along!I hope you do!Its fun to see how far you have come in photography.

Its Not Quite Authentic But I'm Calling It Paella

noreply@blogger.com (glamah16) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:33:00 +0000

Lean times call for lean measures. I don't want the Foodie Police on my case, but those that know me know that I am an improvisational cook for the most part. I think I know my food due to my voracious reading and self teaching . In a perfect worlds I have an disposable income to play and create. In lean times I still want good quality food but may not have all the key ingredients. I don't want to burn unnecessary gas just because I have a craving either.Looking at my fridge and not planning to supplement until later on this week I saw I have some squid defrosting( I had used half of it for a recipe test for Jadens cookbook), some English peas,a jar of saffron I picked up a while back, 1 leek,garlic, a can of stewing tomatoes, and some long grain rice( not Bomba ,Calasparra,Carnaroli, or Abroio rice). Ask me how I know these rices to use in Spanish rice dishes. Another prize I won and mentioned Spain And the World Table by the Culinary Institute of America. Certain Someone hates squid and he has been working and arriving home very late on a project. So This holiday weekend is a blessed solitary I relish. I need to catch up to me. So I said why not Paella for dinner. Looking at a few recipes for rice dishes and seafood I created this.It may not be authentic due to the rice used , pan, and lacking chicken and sausage, but it sure tasted good and will yield me leftovers for the next day or so. Plus aren't there many types of Paella?I'm not feeling burgers and hot dogs this weekend.Is that unpatriotic?

I'm not giving a recipe because I just kind of winged it , but here's what I did. In a large sauce pan I heated a few generous tablespoons of olive oil. I added minced garlic to it and a big pinch of saffron. The I added the cleaned leek slices and peas. Constantly stirring. Then the squid rings and tentacles. Sea salt , pepper, a sprig of rosemary from out back, sweet paprika and chopped parsley. Stirring more and more. Then the rice . I kind of toasted it with all the vegetables and spices before adding a few cups of water and the tomatoes ) about 4 of them). I slowly cooked this letting the squid form its broth and stirring occasionally and turning the pan. I added more water occasionally if I felt it was drying out.About a good 30 - 40 minutes later all the liquid had evaporated and I looked to have a mighty nice dish.All instinct with a little research.

Mauby Kick!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (glamah16) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:59:00 +0000

Not much cooking this week. However my prizes I have won are starting to roll in and Ive been busy exploring. Bren
sent me my prize based on some questions I answered on Trinidad Tobago. I got some Mauby,Geera,curry, and Amchar Masala.Bren has a terrific recipe on her blog featuring curried plantains in coconut milk. I want to try that sometime soon.Shes awesome and spicy like the spices she sent! In the meanwhile I was curious about Mauby. The pack was a spice pack of Mauby bark, anise seeds, cinnamon, etc. I researched on the web and saw varying recipes. I wanted something more than just boil with water , add sugar. So I emailed Cynthia, the Queen Bee of Caribbean cooking and asked for her recipe.Its a family recipe that goes way back. I didn't have the whole nutmeg but followed her recipe in principle and theory in regards to brewing and fermenting. I had my first taste this morning as its a 48 hour process. On first sip its sweet, almost tea like.Then a slightly bitter after taste. It grows on you and you find yourself sipping more. Very refreshing. The jury is out on its health benefits. Some say it lowers high blood pressure .And some wild theories are that causes impotence!A study showed blood pressure reduced if mixed with coconut water.Each island had there own version and the recipe gets tweaked to ones preference.Some people even add vanilla or mix with alcohol.The sugar content can be adjusted to your tastes. All I know is I like it and want to get some more Mauby bark and play.It is an acquired taste and I urge you to try it if you ever have an opportunity!

I also cooled off with the coffee I won from Marye recently. If you haven't had a chance to check out her numerous blogs on , do so. She's an amazing woman who can do just about anything in my opinion and never lets much shake her faith. We can all learn from someone like that. My first brew was a chilled ice coffee drink with a splash of Chambord. Delish!So you see not a lot of cooking this week, just brewing and sipping!

And on a final note, Mary from Shazam In The Kitchen sent me this lovely prize. She says I'm glamorous and exciting. If she only knew things aren't always how they seem but it is an interesting and blessed life! I feel you are all creative and fascinating or else I wouldn't spend much of my down time following you. So consider this passed on to all of you.

Daring Bakers Take on Danish Braid or Wienerbrod

noreply@blogger.com (glamah16) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 05:00:00 +0000

It seems as if I have alternating success with the Daring Baker challenges. It was a miracle this month I even made it. I have been extremely busy with a trip to Sweden, work, and another trip to D.C, and just plain catching up.But I did manage to squeeze in time and make the challenge, if not to successfully.Kelly and her co host Ben decided this month on Danish Braid based The Secrets of Baking by Sherry Yard .Years ago as curious teenager I had actually made puff pastry. The version I made seemed different from this recipe. I don't recall yeast and remember adding the adding the butter without mixing it with flour. It also seemed as if I folded it more. But that was years ago.Anyway I was torn between my feelings. Since this is quintessentially Scandinavian, I decided to use some Cloudberry Jam BH gave me with a semi sweetened Farmers Cheese.

I also made some smaller shaped versions with pistachio paste and raspberry jam.
Unfortunately my shaped didn't hold when baked up.But the smell was delicious and I enjoyed a slice right out the oven.

Certain Someone tried some the next day. It was a little soggier. He commented that it was rather dry and the layers should have been thinner and flakier. "A true Wienerbrod is more flaky and buttery. So try again." He was just being honest.I wonder if leaving out the juice and sticking to more traditional dough makes a difference.I didn't find them that bad and but the batch in a freezer for consumption when I need a little sweet with my tea.

Please note I didn't use the filling in the orginal recipe. We were given the options of changing the filling to be either sweet or savory. Be sure to check out the mouth watering creations of the numerous and international group of the Daring Bakers.

Sherry Yard The Secrets of Baking
DANISH DOUGH
Makes 2-1/2 pounds dough
IngredientsFor the dough (Detrempe) 1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast1/2 cup whole milk1/3 cup sugarZest of 1 orange, finely grated3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped2 large eggs, chilled1/4 cup fresh orange juice3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt
For the butter block (Beurrage)1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter1/4 cup all-purpose flour
DOUGH
Combine yeast and milk in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed. Slowly add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice. Mix well. Change to the dough hook and add the salt with the flour, 1 cup at a time, increasing speed to medium as the flour is incorporated. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. You may need to add a little more flour if it is sticky. Transfer dough to a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.Without a standing mixer: Combine yeast and milk in a bowl with a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk. Add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice and mix well. Sift flour and salt on your working surface and make a fountain. Make sure that the “walls” of your fountain are thick and even. Pour the liquid in the middle of the fountain. With your fingertips, mix the liquid and the flour starting from the middle of the fountain, slowly working towards the edges. When the ingredients have been incorporated start kneading the dough with the heel of your hands until it becomes smooth and easy to work with, around 5 to 7 minutes. You might need to add more flour if the dough is sticky.
BUTTER BLOCK
1. Combine butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free. Set aside at room temperature.2. After the detrempe has chilled 30 minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and ¼ inch thick. The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour. Spread the butter evenly over the center and right thirds of the dough. Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter. Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center third. The first turn has now been completed. Mark the dough by poking it with your finger to keep track of your turns, or use a sticky and keep a tally. Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.3. Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface. The open ends should be to your right and left. Roll the dough into another approximately 13 x 18 inch, ¼-inch-thick rectangle. Again, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third. No additional butter will be added as it is already in the dough. The second turn has now been completed. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.4. Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough two more times, for a total of four single turns. Make sure you are keeping track of your turns. Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight. The Danish dough is now ready to be used. If you will not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it. To do this, roll the dough out to about 1 inch in thickness, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. Defrost the dough slowly in the refrigerator for easiest handling. Danish dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.
APPLE FILLING
Makes enough for two braidsIngredients4 Fuji or other apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch pieces1/2 cup sugar1 tsp. ground cinnamon1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped1/4 cup fresh lemon juice4 tablespoons unsalted butterToss all ingredients except butter in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat until slightly nutty in color, about 6 - 8 minutes. Then add the apple mixture and sauté until apples are softened and caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes. If you’ve chosen Fujis, the apples will be caramelized, but have still retained their shape. Pour the cooked apples onto a baking sheet to cool completely before forming the braid. (If making ahead, cool to room temperature, seal, and refrigerate.) They will cool faster when spread in a thin layer over the surface of the sheet. After they have cooled, the filling can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Left over filling can be used as an ice cream topping, for muffins, cheesecake, or other pastries.
DANISH BRAID
Makes enough for 2 large braidsIngredients 1 recipe Danish Dough (see below)2 cups apple filling, jam, or preserves (see below)For the egg wash: 1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 x 20-inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick. If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again. Place the dough on the baking sheet.2. Along one long side of the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart. Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.3. Spoon the filling you’ve chosen to fill your braid down the center of the rectangle. Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover. Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling. This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished. Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.Egg WashWhisk together the whole egg and yolk in a bowl and with a pastry brush, lightly coat the braid.Proofing and Baking1. Spray cooking oil (Pam…) onto a piece of plastic wrap, and place over the braid. Proof at room temperature or, if possible, in a controlled 90 degree F environment for about 2 hours, or until doubled in volume and light to the touch.2. Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven.3. Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan so that the side of the braid previously in the back of the oven is now in the front. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake about 15-20 minutes more, or until golden brown. Cool and serve the braid either still warm from the oven or at room temperature. The cooled braid can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for 1 month.Good luck and remember, any questions you have about this post, or recipe should be addressed in this thread. Above all else, have fun. This is a completely lovely dough with a fragrance that is to swoon over. And when it's baking? My oh my.

Wasabi Deviled Eggs

noreply@blogger.com (glamah16) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 23:49:00 +0000

This week I have been running to China town after work in search of some items. I am participating in Jadens Steamy Kitchens recipe testing for her new book. How exciting it is!Certain Someone is all for it as he loves Asian food. Don't know how many I will get through but what an innovative way to create a book. Jaden is a trail blazer. She says we can send our friends over to participate but please dont reveal her recipes. But look at some of the tasty things I have made so far.

All that aside I picked up some Japanese Mayonnaise. I have read about this from time to time and thought now was my chance to try it. People go crazy over it. Its made with rice vinegar rather than distilled. Certain Someone loves Mayo on his fries. He actually prefers Miracle Whip( if you want to call that Mayonnaise). I'm a little more quirky. Anyway its so hot and hes been coming home later. With weather like this I just like to nibble. He wants his meal. So yesterday I made some deviled eggs. Immediately I thought this needs some spice. So the next day I purchased a tube of Wasabi to add to the Japanese Mayo. Presto. I found perhaps I wasn't so original as there are many recipes out there. I finished the deviled eggs with some salt blends I was trying from Jaden. Perfection.

Wasabi Deviled Eggs

4 hard boiled eggs

Prepared wasabi paste to taste

approx 2 tablespoons of Kwepi Japanese Mayonnaise

Slice eggs length wise. Carefully hollow out yolks. In a separate bowl mix the yolks, mayo, and wasabi paste to your taste. You can either pipe in the filling or just re scoop back into solid egg white hole. Garnish with wasabi powder or a finishing salt.Chill in the refrigerator and serve.

Nouvelle Soul....Oven Fried Catfish Nuggets and Spaghetti Squash

noreply@blogger.com (glamah16) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:57:00 +0000

Currently in Chicago its that time of year for food festivals like Taste of Chicago, and family picnics/cookouts. In the Black(or to be politically correct African American) community one will find the usual standard fare of rib tips,burgers, hot dogs,potato salad,macaroni salad, some fried chicken or catfish served alongside with a spaghetti dish . It s good eating and tradition . The younger generations may try to infuse some healthier alternatives. I remember when I introduced my family to grilled salmon with a brown sugar teriakye sauce. Its a staple now at every Fourth of July.

I got to thinking about health today, OK ,I always think of it. But when my doctor was concerned with the weight increase in just a year I started reviewing. All in all its work, inactivity, and the food blogging doesn't help. But I love it. I like to think I eat healthier or at least a more diversified diet than my parents. They were successful professionals who had genetic time bombs ticking away.African Americans have higher rates of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes . My mother passed away from ovarian cancer at the age of 54 and my father was a diabetic who in the last decade went downhill with strokes, heart attacks, and eventually ended up on dialysis.He developed adult onset diabetes when he moved from Nigeria to the West. Natural diet and sugars to refined processed foods. I was the sole care giver of both parents . Did I mention my step father had Parkinson's? Lets just say illness has hovered around like a bad penny all my life. Then I read Giz's story and got to thinking some more.If you haven't thought about Organ Donation, start.Its a personal subject, but one we can't ignore.This will impact you one way or another in your lifetime. So here is my entry for Tried ,Tested and True Two.Its my healthier lower fat version of a fried catfish and spaghetti dish. Call it Nouvelle Soul. There is a lot going here with flavors and influences. Certain Someone said it was OK for healthy. He would have preferred the real spaghetti, but he liked it.That's just him . I thought it was great and full of spice.Of course I added hot sauce to my fish.Enjoy.

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 3
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 292.6
Total Fat: 10.8 g
Cholesterol: 67.5 mg
Sodium: 299.0 mg
Total Carbs: 23.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.1 g
Protein: 24.3 g

Oven Fried Catfish

1-2 lbs catfish nuggets

1 cup reduced fat milk

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup Panko

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Sichuan pepper ground

1 teaspoon chili flakes

Maldon Salt

1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

1 teaspoon Lemon Pepper

Cooking Spray

Soak catfish for 1/2 -1 hour. In a zip lock bag mix all dry ingredients and spices. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.Take fish and drop in bag. Shake until evenly coated. Place on a baking sheet which has been pre sprayed with the the non stick cooking spray. Bake for approx 30 -45 minutes.

Spaghetti Squash

Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 96.0
Total Fat: 2.6 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 312.6 mg
Total Carbs: 15.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 4.5 g
Protein: 2.3 g

1 Spaghetti Squash

1 can plum tomatoes

1 bell pepper chopped

1 half cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt

pepper

Italian Seasonings

Pierce the rind of Spaghetti Squash and Microwave 5-6 minutes per pound.Let stand for 5 minutes when complete. Spilt ope length wise and scoop out seeds. Take a fork and scoop out pulp which resembles spaghetti.

In a sauce Pan heat the olive oil. Brown onions and bell pepper, Italian seasonings, and salt/pepper Add crushed plum tomatoes and their juices and lower heat. Cook for approx 20 min.

Toss in spaghetti squash.

If your looking for a nice salad to add your cookout inspired dinner try this.

Basically I took my leftover lean pork loin and tossed with spinach leaves and and cubed sweet potato. The dressing is Rice vinegar, honey, and olive oil.

Sunday Dinner, Another Wedding, and More Travel Woes

noreply@blogger.com (glamah16) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:54:00 +0000

So this week I have been kind of AWOL. I have tried to keep up with my reader . My cooking attempts have been dismal. I wont even describe it.But I hadn't been grocery shopping yet since our return and needed to use what was on hand. Friday evening I caught another flight to Washington D.C for my cousins wedding. She was a former Miss Maryland and first runner up in Miss America. Not only had I lost my cooking mojo, but the travel curse continued. I was calmly informed that my flight was delayed and I would miss my connection in Detroit( it was the cheapest fare!).I almost secretly sighed oh goody , I get to turn around and crawl back to my sweet bed and have a weekend to me!But no, the most efficient airline agent got me on direct flight with my nemesis airline of last week. So I had to go. But more delays and I finally arrived at BWI .I crawled into the hotel bed at 3:00am finally and had to wake for a early morning wedding. I don't recognize my hometown at all. Downtown Silver Spring is not what I remembered from 10 years ago.There was some film festival going on connected with the Discovery Center.Lobby talk was of being in Tokyo, So Ho, Tribeca,Sydney etc. on their documentary assignments.Since when did Silver Spring become so glamorous? I guess you cant really go home again. The bride was gorgeous naturally and all the aunts started grilling me as to when I would become legal. You know the usual good natured meddling. I was the oldest cousin and still single. Certain Someone wasn't there because he was stretched to thin with work, time , etc after the events of the past few weeks. It was all just to much going on. We left the hotel that night /morning at 3:30am to catch or early 6:00 am flights. I had been riding in my youngest aunts rental car. We missed our exit and turned around only to be slammed in the rear by some young kids rushing to their internships at 4:00 am. More drama , but no serious injuries or damage. When the police came I had to chuckle when my aunt started with why we were here, to attend the former Miss Marylands wedding,surely you know her,etc. The officers admitted he didn't keep up with the beauty pageant circuit. We made our flights down to the wire and alas I'm home.After eating crap all week I wanted a nice home cooked meal.

I decided to take the last of the pork loin in the freezer and cook it like Certain Someones mother taught me . Only I took extra measures and studded it with garlic gloves, added my own rub of spices and juniper berries on top with rosemary, and then baked it in a bed of salt. Nuria did a post on this last week. Its an amazing way to cook meat. Missing Sweden I served it alongside with Ligonberries. I also made a nice egg noodle dish with cream, leeks, oyster mushrooms, red peppers and a fine drizzle of Black Truffle oil. Certain Someone said I got my cooking mojo back and all is right with the world.

Be It Ever So Humble There Is No Place Like Home.

noreply@blogger.com (glamah16) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 01:08:00 +0000

I'm back. A delayed arrival due to spending the night stranded yesterday in JFK. Sleeping in airports is not fun. Certain Someone had a direct flight back and was ensconced cosily at home waiting for me when I called to tell him of the cancellation from JFK to Chicago. Due to my work ,rates, etc. we had booked separate flights . Have you ever slept in a cold airport on a bench with a bunch of stinky grouchy people?People fighting for personal space and peace.Grumpy airline workers getting attacked by frustrated passengers.I felt homeless almost or like Tom Hanks in that movie Terminal.Anyway I'm home. 20 hours of delays, missed connections, and incompetence going to Sweden and over 24 hours of the same coming back. Mother Nature has been relentless in the Midwest. I wont name airlines but a certain national carrier is not very nice on the communication and customer service front. Finally after several tantrums I got a little something(some food vouchers) from my tantrums, especially as I witnessed my flying companion over from Helsinki and others getting vouchers . I understand weather issues, but they just f***** up my tickets,lost my bags, and other issues along the way causing more confusion.Broke, hungry , and stinky I plunged into a hot tub and slept when I got home. I prayed no one would see me. I actually saw a famous companion of a certain billionaire talk show/media queen in the wee hours at a gate leaving for Bermuda.I have a picture of us together at party from a while back.I need to get cooking again and catch up with all of you guys. Bear with me as I get settled this week. It's good to be home.Beautiful week in Sweden but lousy travel.I guess you cant have everything. But there are some angels out there looking out along the way .

Not Exactly A Vacation, But A Very Busy Week In Sweden

noreply@blogger.com (glamah16) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 16:33:00 +0000

Where to continue?This week has been spent running back and forth between Stockholm and Skärplinge with the move and other details. On the drive I fell in love with the beautiful historic churches I would see peep up from the vast vistas. I did manage to see Uppsala and the historic Cathedral and Castle on a quick drive by. I vow to explore that town some more. Another town I fell in love with was the ancient Gävle that sits alongside a river. It was once a major trade hub centuries ago . In the rural countryside I saw old American cars with Confederate flags. I guess they like The Dukes Of Hazard. I wonder if they know what the symbolism of a Confederate flag really means? Certain Someone and I spent an isolated 2 days and night in our new home (I like saying that).I worked on the kitchen and he hooked up his old computer. We have no Digital Box so no TV. Just the quiet of nature and some old MP 3's. I was amazed at the china and crystal collection Certain Someone had in storage. I have a well stocked kitchen for sure with weights, bowls, blenders, etc. I see a lot of baking bread and such up there.I want to plan a huge Midsommar bash for next summer. In the eerie country silence I saw a real fox looking back at me from the back yard and he jumped into the woodpile. Two country neighborhood cats came a calling. I think they thought the old owner was there with his cat. Our friends almost ran over a Moose near the house when leaving one night after the move. All this common up here. I walked to the sea as Certain Someone napped.The beach is a stark rocky patch that looks so beautiful.Finland awaits on the other side of the sea.I finally got used to the whole Outhouse thing. It wasn't to bad and actually quite cute inside with its yellow interior, candles, etc. It never really got to dark to make me scared to walk to it. The whole Midnight Sun thing going on. I admit I jumped whenever I heard a car . It's that's isolated and who knows what or who is lurking around. One of those places you wonder if a tree fell, would you hear it?
Not much to report on the food front. A lot of quick MAX burger , pizzas and kebab consumed. Swedish pizza is odd yet very good. Mostly run by Iraqis immigrants, it has wild non traditional ingredients. My favorite are banana chicken, ham,curry types. Some have kebab on top. Kebab resembles gyro meat. Thinly shaved aromatic lamb served with peppers, sauces,etc. Delicious. Certain Someones favorite is Palmyra.I would fly over for it , it's that good!

The wedding was wonderful. Set in a beautiful old German Church in Gamla Stan(OLD TOWN). After the dual German and Swedish language ceremony we walked the cobbled streets in our finery to an old Shipping Club called Sjöfartshuset. One of those Old Boy Clubs lined with portraits of old titans of the sea and some royalty. Swedish weddings are very long and full of toasts and speeches between courses. Also rigid seating plans with lots of careful thought. Each guest is numbered in the program with a chart pointing to where they sit and a brief description of some obscure details of the person. I was listed as , the Sambo(remember it means legal partner) of Certain Someone ,a Food Blogger and jewelery designer. Its fun to learn other tidbits from people. The food was fabulous and topped of with a marzipan tiered cake. My feet were killing me by the nights end. The following day BH (my host) and I rose for ladies brunch with fellow food bloggers Anne and Dagmar . We went to Hasselbacken an old Swedish restaurant for brunch in Djurgarden. What a lovely time we had talking blogs, food, and Sweden. I know I will see them again in my returns. I gave them some cornmeal and Masa they requested and they gave me a lovely cookbook of Swedish pastry from Haga(in the west coast). We parted ways and ventured to NK where BH and I purchased fragrant teas and browsed the food halls. She surprised me with Cloudberry and Raspberry jam I had had my eye on. A true taste of Sweden.

Glamah Does Sweden ...Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (glamah16) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:57:00 +0000

This trip would be my 3rd visit to Sweden. Once alone to meet my uncle and cousins, and the last few with Certain Someone for weddings, meeting friends,etc. Getting there this time around was challenging. I had a connection via London but arrived later due to weather delays.British Airways informed me that there were no more available direct flights to Stockholm. They rerouted me via Schipol in Amsterdam.Lots of waiting around,coveting the new shops in the controversial Terminal 5.From a professional perspective this has raised the bar in Duty Free shopping. Anyway I finally arrive in Stockholm, funky, irritated, but full thanks to a upgrade on the last leg(meals and wine, would you believe American tried to charge me $6 for wine !Used to be complimentary).I had been travelling 20 hours.Another fellow Chicagoan who had the same fate as me told me our bags were still in Amsterdam.I found one bad and waited with a mob to trace the other. They took my paper and said the other(with my dress for the wedding) would be delivered to me me.Certain Someone and our friends were waiting for me.I was never so happy to see him. Talk about weary traveller.

We woke and started the 2 hour drive to Tierp to close on the house. Tierp is a small town near the summer house that can be best be described as somewhat "rural" and full of older people.We went to the supermarket\cafe for coffee and quick bite.Now you have to be black to understand this. I was waiting for the stares.There were a few, but Lo and behold I saw a "Sistah" in the market. She looked right past me.Then I saw a "Brothah". I felt better and the people were nice. A few stared , but maybe because I was so Glamah!.The real estate agent and soon to be former owner were very warm and offered to speak English. I told them to go ahead in Swedish and take care of business. Just put my name on the deed! Hahaha. I reminded Certain Someone that I was his SAMBO( which is a shortened way in Swedish meaning legal partner, not derogatory as I first thought when I heard it)!The former owner offered to introduce us to our neighbors and advised us on shopping for supplies etc. He recommended Uppsala (I say upps upside your head, I say upps upsides your head...) for the nearest dose of real shopping: Uppsala is a lovely ancient University town with a Castle and Cathedral that are breathtaking from a distance. The owner was amused when he saw me get excited seeing another black person on the street. I reminded him how would he feel if he was in the most rural of Africa and felt "different", he agreed and admitted he would welcome the site of a fellow Euro.

We drove along the country gravel road and what I saw took my breath away. Certain Someone had managed to buy a paradise! It was lovingly cared for by the former owner and his family for 35 years.A beautiful yellow wooden summer house on 1.5 acres of land with a guest house, outhouse,woodshed,work shed, etc. Apple, pear, and plum trees, deers, and all sorts of more flora and fauna, and impish magpies galore.A five minute walk and your by the Baltic Sea. The former owner was distressed that the water line had receded this year. So getting the boat out will be difficult because of the shallow waters.Around the boathouse is a spot that the government used to spy on the Russians. There is a listening post by the dock. All I kept saying throughout the walk through, was this would be great for a party(the last thing the former owner wanted to hear from the American)! I mean it was huge! Three bedrooms in the main house. The city girl in mna had to adjust to nature, but I loved it.My creative mind started running away with improvement plans. There is a huge rock pile that I wan to use to build a stone BBQ range.There is even a spot for bonfires. Its to arid and against the law to start them now. My only regret is that we cant use it all the time. His parents will use it more than us.And perhaps short term vacation rentals down the line.This area is going to be hot soon because the prices are way more favorable than the popular archipelago region and the new highway makes it a straight shot.Our neighbors were an elderly couple that had lived there forever.The man grew up there and the wife had been there for 40 years. Their property looked more farm like. Since they live there all year round they will kind of keep an eye on things. If we did give a party it would most likely freak them out(hundreds of Swedish yuppies\ brats with loud techno blaring, just kidding ) , so we need to be considerate.The former owner bought a farm and has a new project to occupy him. We invited him to check in anytime, and he invited us to his new farm.I know it was hard for him to part with this charming property.Memories.To bad we wont be here for Midsommar!We drove back sleepy from the sun and all the sensory overload.

Some friends were coming for a BBQ at our friends house that evening. Since everyone was working Certain Someone and I did the shopping and menu planning. He paid,I planned and executed. Food is expensive in Sweden.We spent $100 for what I probably have gotten for $75 back home.I made skewers of shrimp with pineapple,pineapple and Halloumi,Halloumi,mushroom,pepper kebabs, a quick thin sliced pork cutlet marinated in Hoisin, brown sugar, pineapple,spices,oil, sausages,ribs,etc. They didn't marinate for as long as I would have liked but the result was fabulous. Our host BH made a warm potato salad with mixed greens,feta, and asparagus. Delish. A foodie friend of theirs chipped in with a nice dressing for the vegetable kebabs an being the grill master. I introduced them to something new as they never had pineapple on the grill before. I also made rum cocktails with spiced rum, lime, pineapple,and lime. Delish!I apologized for taking over my hosts kitchen, but she said she was happy I was in her kitchen.What can I say, I thrive in the kitchen.Can you believe this is only DAY 1 on a Monday? Tomorrow moving day.

Sweden...Land Of The Midnight Sun

noreply@blogger.com (glamah16) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 05:00:00 +0000

These are some photos from prior trips taken in Gothenburg and Stockholm.

Well folks I'm off to Sweden, the land of the Midnight Sun. I will try to post via the Go.Blogger and Blackberry route(nix that, way to expensive with international roaming charges) or my friends computer.If not I will have a full recap of my adventures when I return. I plan to meet up with two fellow Daring Bakers in Stockholm and look forward to getting to know them. The rest of the week will be occupied with moving into Certain Someones summer house and a wedding.See ya when I get back.
PS:
We all love contests and chances to win free stuff!How apropos Sweden,Salmon,Salmon,Sweden..... Check this out:
WIN A SUMMER OF WILD SALMON CONTEST
Please submit your best salmon recipe to MarxFoods.com by Friday, June 20, 2008. Salmon should be the star of the dish, but the recipe can incorporate any variety of salmon—fresh, frozen, smoked, canned, pickled, etc.
The creator of the winning recipe will receive three separate 5 lb. shipments of wild salmon fillets (15 lbs. total); one in July, August, and September, 2008, on the date of the winner’s choosing. Each shipment will contain a different type of wild salmon, varying by species and river origin.
The winning recipe will be judged by the MarxFoods.com staff on deliciousness and originality. Please only enter a recipe that can be created in a home (vs. professional) kitchen.
Results will be announced on Wednesday, June 25.

I submitted mine! Good Luck and see/read you when I get back.
Glamah

Cheers,It's Friday Cocktail Hour...News,Prizes,Contests,and Bellini's!

noreply@blogger.com (glamah16) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 23:10:00 +0000

Wow, this week has buzzed by and I'm no where near ready for my trip Saturday. I almost forgot about my little Friday Cocktail Hours. Today I decided to mix some bubbly stuff with some fabulous white peaches in my CSA box. I have an abundance of produce as its only me for the past week. As I was slicing my peaches for freezing, I thought of the Bellini! Perfect.First a few things before we toast.
I am horrible with the whole award /meme thing. It doesn't mean I don't appreciate it. I just may forget to pass it on or write about it because my time is spent trying to hit all your wonderful blogs between posting, living life, and taking care of Certain Someone.I will go through a little blog withdrawals next week, but that will be good. The wonderful Marye had passed along the Blogging with Purpose award to me a few weeks back. I love Marye and feel she's a real , down to earth ,caring, honest person who truly has a healthy handle on life. I look forward to her daily posts.

And Gabi kind of reminds me a little of myself for various reasons I have observed over the months.She's an awesome cake decorator. She awarded me the Yummy Blogs award.

So I cant even begin to think who to pass these on to because I love everyone I read. I really consider you virtual friends and all of you have a purpose and are Yummy. Or else why would I tune in? So these awards go to all of you. Feel free to pass them on.

I also won 2 prizes last week. I never win. First Andrea informed me that I won "Spain and the World Table by the Culinary Institute of America"! Then Bren is sending me some fantastic goodies from her recent trip from Trinidad Tobago Culinary Festival. I guessed the two ethnic groups and national dish of Trinidad Tobago. OK it took me two tries on the National dish. But I won some!

If your feeling a little competitive and want to score some free salmon, check this out from Marx Food:

Wild Alaskan Salmon is in season and MarxFoods.com is seeking out new and exciting recipes and applications. Please submit your favorite salmon recipe below by Friday, June 20, 2008. Salmon should be the star of the dish, but the recipe can incorporate any variety of salmon—fresh, frozen, smoked, canned, pickled, etc.
The creator of the winning recipe will receive three separate 5 lb. shipments of wild salmon fillets; one in July, August, and September, 2008, on the day of their choosing. Each shipment will contain a different type of wild salmon, varying by species and river origin.
The winning recipe will be judged by the MarxFoods.com staff on deliciousness and originality. Please only enter a recipe that can be created in a home (vs. professional) kitchen. Each contestant is limited to entering one recipe.
A winner will be announced on Wednesday, June 25.
TO ENTER
Submit your salmon recipe in the comment section below. Please include a recipe name or title. Stories are welcome and if you have an accompanying photo, please e-mail it to us and we’ll add it to your post.

Now onto the Bellini's!What better perfect summer cocktail than the Bellini! If you have fresh white peaches or frozen peach puree, give it a shot. Don't use yellow peaches. I was always under the mistaken impression that the alcohol base was Champagne. A true Bellini uses a Prosecco or other Italian dry sparkling wine. They were created and made famous at the famous Harry's bar in Venice. Cheers.

Bellini Serves 1

2 parts white peach puree(make your own if you can while you can get them this summer!)

4 parts Prosecco,or other sparkling wine, preferably Italian( although I could see a nice Spanish Cava being used in a pinch).

dash of cherry juice or grenadine optional.

Pour peach puree in a flute and top off with the sparkling wine.Sit back , relax,and take a deep breath.

And finally a interesting tidbit I got via email from a friend.Don't know if its true or not, but it's somewhat funny and food related.

WANTED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER (the actual AP headline) Linda Burnett, 23, a resident of San Diego, was visiting her in-laws, and while there she went to a nearby supermarket to pick up some groceries. Several people noticed her sitting in her car with the windows rolled up and with her eyes closed, with both hands behind the back of her head. One customer who had been at the store for a while became concerned and walked over to the car. He noticed that Linda's eyes were now open, and she looked very strange. He asked her if she was okay, and Linda replied that she'd been shot in the back of the head, and had been holding her brains in for over an hour. The man called the paramedics, who broke into the car because the doors were locked and Linda refused to remove her hands from her head. When they finally got in, they found that Linda had a wad of bread dough on the back of her head. <>A Pillsbury biscuit canister had exploded from the heat, making a loud noise that sounded like a gunshot, and the wad of dough hit her in the back of her head. When she reached back to find out what it was, she felt the dough and thought it was her brains. She initially passed out, but quickly recovered and tried to hold her brains in for over an hour until someone noticed and came to her aid. Linda is a blonde and a Republican, but I'm certain that's irrelevant. Practice random acts of kindness!

Playing Around With Country Bob's Original All Purpose Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (glamah16) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:00:00 +0000

A few weeks back, the people at Country Bob's emailed me and asked would I mind reviewing and talking about their product.Would I mind? Send it on over.

The promptly sent over 2 bottles of their Original All Purpose Sauce. Come to find out they are based in Illinois! With all my cake projects, etc I was to busy to cook. Certain Someone was leaving for Sweden and I relented and let him have his Harold's chicken. He's addicted to this South Side Specialty. Normally they drown the chicken and fries in either a hot or BBQ Sauce.Its unbelievable. I told him to order it plain and undressed so we could add the Country Bobs to it. On first taste it pretty good. Not as sweet, thick, and gooey as most BBQ sauces. I actually described it as cross between a Steak Sauce and a BBQ . I liked. I just felt eating it with the chicken, I poured more on as it was a thinner sauce.

So then I decided to actually cook with it. If you visit their web site, they have a lot of great recipes. On a leisurely Sunday with the man away I decided to make Chicken Sausage. With that I was going to make Chicken Meatballs baked with Country Bobs! I much preferred using Country Bobs Original All Purpose Sauce as a cooking sauce , but it was good as a dunking sauce too. I definitely would like to try their other products.

Here is my quick Chicken Sausage Meatballs recipe:

Chicken Meatballs

4-5 chicken thighs

1 leek

1 apple

1 egg

1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs

1/2 bottle of Country Bob's Original All Purpose Sauce

olive oil

Spices to season:* play around with your qty's to suit your tastes

Maple Sugar

Red Pepper Flakes

Salt

Smoked Paprika

Cumin

Run the Chicken Thighs, leek, and apple through your Kitchen Aid Meat Grinder. Season with your spices. Add egg and breadcrumbs. Mixture is slightly runny, but able to handle with oiled hands to form balls. Place formed meatballs in a pre oiled baking dish. Bake at 350 for approx 25 minutes. Pour 1/2 bottle of Country Bobs and toss the meatballs. Cook for an additional 10 minutes. Serve as appetizers, as a sandwich, etc.

Sorry you missed it Honey!

The End Of The Era...The Last of Greats Is Gone

noreply@blogger.com (glamah16) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:12:00 +0000

The last of the great designers is gone. Yves St . Laurent passed away today.

yves st laurent
Originally uploaded by annedesplanques1984

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/style/01cnd-laurent.html?hp

He was my main inspiration as a child to pursue fashion. I even lived across the street from his Fashion house on a small street next to the Avenue Marceau. I have long since given up fashion design. Perhaps because fashion such as the one Mr. St. Laurent created doesn't exist anymore. Nowadays any pop tart of rap artist can call themselves a designer. Oh the watered down interpretations will live on in tribute,but we need more magicians such Yves.They don't come like that anymore.

It Looks Cute... But This Sweet Pea Cake Tried To Give Me Trouble

noreply@blogger.com (glamah16) — Sat, 31 May 2008 16:05:00 +0000

Babies are so cute. But behind all that cuteness they can be some messy trouble!My good old friend S (who looks like Liza Minnelli in her Halston/Cabaret days) is going to young hot grandma!And she asked me ( OK I suggested and hinted) to make her daughters Baby Shower cake. The child( yes I still think of her as a child) wanted a Sweet Pea themed cake. Gender neutral( I feel its going to be boy as I type this). Damn! I remember giving the girl Spice Girl clippings from my old magazines. I'm old. I'm not up on Mommy culture and all things baby, so I had to sleuth to find Sweet Peas cakes and deigns. Not much out there but yet its a popular theme.

So I went to Cake Walk , my favorite store, and purchased what I needed. I normally use mixes to provide protection against any disasters. But I loved that Perfect Party Cake recipe from Dori Greenspan. I wanted to use the sponge and butter cream.Normally I use Wilton butter cream made with shortening, but my taste buds wanted the real deal. Who know it would get so warm! In the fridge,out the fridge...... The Mama to be wanted a marbled cake( just divided the batter in to two and added cocoa), strawberry filling, and coconut butter cream. OK , she's pregnant! But her wish was my command. . I used Coconut extract for LorAnne Oils and Creme of Coconut as well. I forgot to get a divider as I was making tiers. So I fashioned one from heavy Styrofoam plates and lollipop sticks for support. And you know what it worked!. My issues were my layers crumbled apart as I tried to rectify a mistake. I pieced it together and filled it up with butter cream and filling. Then I I realized my top layer on the bottom tier had filling on top and no cake. I wasn't thinking!Quick something. I had some fondant that I placed over the filling. It worked. Then I added the second tier, careful to have 3 layers of cake this time. Some more crumble, but it took and was sturdy. This cake wasn't going to master me. and I wasn't going to let my friend down. Thank God I started the day before , because it was more time consuming than normal. I crafted the sweet peas from pastillage and gum paste. I wasn't happy with the cracking of the pastillage. But I was experimenting. I found some great new product that provides the airbrush effect in a can. Its a life saver to hide messy mistakes, smudges, etc. I let it rip. I had to clear the fridge to house the cake as this was real butter cream. Doesn't my sweet pea on top look like Chucky. Wasn't intentional. But in the end it cleaned up good and is cute. Whew! Now the hour and half drive!