Food and Recipe Blog

It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

Joi — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:52:28 +0000

Looking for extra-cute Christmas gifts for the cooks on your list? Or maybe your looking for cute, new Christmas lovelies for your own home (I’m with you all the way!). You might want to check out Avon.com. They have an adorable Polar Bear (Bernard) they feature on lots of great items – from gift bags to spreader sets. I happen to collect polar bears, so you can imagine how badly I’m flipping out.

Click through any of the items below to learn more – also be sure to look around at all of the other Christmas decorations just waiting to be bought.

Bernard the Polar Bear and Friends Spreader Set

Bernard the Polar Bear Holiday Door Mat

The More the Merrier Figural Salt and Pepper Set

More the Merrier Platter

* By the way, I fixed the screwed up link under my “Follow Me on Twitter” – Many, many thanks to the wonderful person who took the time to let me know it was bonking!!!

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It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

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B. Smith Cooks Southern Style: On Shelves Now!

Joi — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:32:16 +0000

Lifestyle guru, TV personality and restaurateur B. Smith debuts her first comprehensive cookbook filled with 200 recipes she has mastered throughout her amazing career this week. With her trademark casual yet elegant approach, B. Smith Cooks Southern-Style explores the cuisines of the American South (which includes Cajun, Creole, Soul Food, and at least one hundred and one ways to use smoked pig.)

From beginning to end, B. Smith takes the reader on a trip through a culturally rich and diverse history of ingredients, flavors and textures of Southern cuisine—all while lightening up traditional southern dishes and in true B. Smith style, giving tips on how to entertain like a pro.

Not your average “meat and potatoes” guide, with delicious recipes like BBQ Root Beer Pulled Pork, Spicy Tomato Shrimp Grits, Grilled Okra and Roasted Tomato Salad, Sweet Bourbon Corn Pudding, Oven Baked Buttermilk Chicken, Coconut Pecan Cake and even Country Style Alligator Sausage Patties & Gravy, Smith’s recipes are a perfect blend of tradition and innovation.

B’s book is available now at national retailers such as Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and Borders.

You can watch B. Smith demonstrate one of her new recipes on NBC’s “Today Show” on Thursday, November 5th!

Praise for B. Smith Cooks Southern Style:

“Really simple delicious recipes that will bring out the South in you.” – Emeril Lagasse

“I know a great recipe when I see it and this book is full of them. B. Smith has really captured the heart of delicious, yet healthy, Southern cooking.” – Patti LaBelle

“Southern Cooking both contemporary and traditional – may be having its moment. Throughout Smith remains an affordable host, keeping the proceedings accessible and fun.” – Publisher’s Weekly

To read my own review of this particular cookbook (I love it!), please click the following link: B. Smith Cooks Southern Style: A Cookbook Review!

Order B. Smith Cooks Southern-Style on Amazon – grab several for the cooking enthusiasts on your Christmas list…. just be sure you grab one for yourself as well!

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B. Smith Cooks Southern Style: On Shelves Now!

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Post tags: B. Smith Cooks Southern Style, cookbook review, Cookbooks

Iron Chef America Will Travel to the White House

Joi — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:03:34 +0000

Iron Chef America is headed to Washington D.C.! Food Network stars Mario Batali, Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse will travel to the White House to take part in a very special competition in Super Chef Battle, a two-hour episode of Iron Chef America. They will be greeted by none other than First Lady Michelle Obama. She will, in fact, be the one to reveal the “secret ingredient.” The chefs will be joined by White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford and receive their challenge: Create a meal for America using The White House Kitchen Garden’s produce as their secret ingredients.

“We are honored to showcase The White House Kitchen Garden in Iron Chef
America,” said Bob Tuschman, Senior Vice President, Programming and Production for Food Network. “This is the most intense culinary competition we’ve ever shown. It’s awe-inspiring to see what four master chefs can create from locally-grown ingredients in the heat of Kitchen Stadium.”

The White House Kitchen Garden was created early in the Obama administration and measures approximately 1100 square feet and is located on the west side of the South Lawn. The four-season herb, fruit and vegetable
garden features 75 varieties of seeds planted in slightly raised beds using
succession planting methods. Cultivated by White House staff and volunteers, produce from the garden and honey from the adjacent beehives are available to the White House Chefs for preparing meals for the First Family and for official functions, and all extra food is donated to Miriam’s Kitchen, a soup kitchen near the White House.

The special episode premieres Sunday, January 3rd at 8pm ET/PT.

If you watch NBC’s The Biggest Loser, you saw the beautiful garden, the White House kitchen, and even two of the First Family’s chefs on last night’s episode. They created a fresh salad with vegetables and herbs from the garden that left all of us craving a bite.

I can’t wait to see what the Food Network Chefs cook up! Can you imagine how excited they must be?

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Iron Chef America Will Travel to the White House

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Post tags: Bobby Flay, Emeril Lagasse, Food Network, Iron Chef America, Mario Batali, Michelle Obama

E. Coli Outbreak From Ground Beef: 2 Dead and 28 Sick

Joi — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:41:35 +0000

Two people have died and 28 people are very sick after an E. coli outbreak in ground beef, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Sixteen of those people are in hospitals and three have developed kidney failure as a result of the contamination, the CDC said late Monday.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last week that Fairbank Farms in Ashville, New York, was recalling more than half a million pounds of fresh ground beef products that may be contaminated with a strain of E. coli (a potentially deadly species of bacteria).

The products subject to recall were sent to retailers including Trader Joe’s, Price Chopper, Lancaster and Wild Harvest, Shaw’s, BJ’s, Ford Brothers, and Giant Food Stores. The exact products affected are listed on the USDA’s Web site.

The recall was for distribution centers in eight states, but Fairbank Farms said some retailers may have sent the affected beef to other states.

Each package is printed with “EST. 492″ inside the USDA mark of inspection or on the nutrition label. They were packaged on September 15 and 16 and may have been labeled at the retail stores with a sell-by date from September 19 through 28, the USDA said.

E. coli can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and people with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to foodborne illness.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service advised consumers to safely prepare raw meat products, whether they are fresh or frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

The only way to be sure ground beef is cooked to a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer to measure the internal temperature, the FSIS said.

Of the 28 people infected with E. coli from the outbreak, eight are in Massachusetts; four each are in Connecticut and New Hampshire; two each are in Maine, Pennsylvania and South Dakota; and one each is in California, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and Vermont.

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E. Coli Outbreak From Ground Beef: 2 Dead and 28 Sick

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Grilled Shrimp Salad Courtesy of a George Foreman Grill

Joi — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:40:23 +0000

Baby Spinach is Love.

A few of my daughters and I often have lunch at Applebee’s in Owensboro, Kentucky. There is a particular salad that my oldest daughter (Emily) and I are addicted to. I’m kind of surprised that the servers don’t just bring it to us automatically. It’s a grilled shrimp and spinach salad with a vinaigrette dressing.

Few things tickle my fancy more than trying to play copy cat with restaurant recipes, so I tried to knock this one out a few days ago.

I bought a bag of frozen Salad Shrimp, some baby spinach, a jar of roasted red pepper, a purple onion (I refuse to call it red, it’s purple), sliced roasted almonds, and a few vinaigrettes – one was a Red Pepper Parmesan vinaigrette and the other was my personal favorite (Ken’s Steakhouse Raspberry Vinaigrette with Walnuts – What?! Why so good?).

I thawed the shrimp, then tossed it lightly with olive oil. I threw on a little seafood seasoning and grilled it on my beloved George Foreman Grill. Then I tossed it into a gorgeous bed of baby spinach and added coarsely chopped purple onion, red pepper slices, and almond slices. I didn’t add any fresh bacon crumbles because, frankly, I was out of bacon! However, it would have been a great addition.

If it had just been my daughters and I, I would have marinated the salad with the Raspberry Vinaigrette, but my husband (the silly man) doesn’t like it, so I kept the salad bare and allowed people to add the vinaigrette of their choice. He opted for the Red Pepper and Parmesan Vinaigrette. It would have been better if it had just been a red pepper vinaigrette (sans the Parmesan) – the Parmesan was unnecessary and just got in the way, in this particular salad anyway. The Raspberry was the better call, in my opinion.

If you’re looking for healthier lunch alternatives, this is a great one. It’s also quick and easy which is usually a popular scenario for lunches.

Another great alternative would be to go the way of the Orient, and replace the red peppers with mandarin oranges – then use a ginger-based vinaigrette and maybe crispy Asian noodles in addition to the almonds. I’d also throw in some edamame.. I basically just look for ways to add edamame to my day – love it.

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Grilled Shrimp Salad Courtesy of a George Foreman Grill

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Post tags: grilled shrimp salad, salad recipe, spinach salad

Pourfect Bowl Set: My Newest Kitchen Obsession

Joi — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:31:50 +0000

I recently got the Pourfect Bowl Set in the mail and like any crazed baker, I had to try them out immediately. Since they came (two days ago), I’ve used them six different times!

Our most recent creation was Blueberry Streusel Muffins, which we made this morning. The design of the Pourfect bowls made folding in blueberries a lot easier than other bowls. The fact that they have handles allows you to hold on to the bowl with one hand while you use the other to manipulate your food around.

These bowls blow me away. Check out the features that I love so much:

They’re gorgeous. They have a sleek design that makes me NOT want to hide them in the cabinets. They’re left out on a baker’s rack – you know the rule: Never hide pretty.
The Pourfect bowls feature convenient handles for gripping and holding onto.
There is a rubber ring on the bottom of these bowls to keep them from sliding. Brilliant!
The dripless spout lets you pour the food exactly where you want it – perfect for pancakes, waffles, cupcakes, muffins, scrambled eggs, omelets, and so on.
Egg cracking edge! There’s literally a spot for you to neatly and effectively crack your eggs.
The wide slope and design of the bowl keeps foods from sloshing out onto the counter or onto the cook! The bowls are deep and designed brilliantly – the food stays where it needs to until you need it elsewhere.
There is actually a measuring guide inside these bowls. Yes, as a matter of fact, they did think of everything.
A clever pivot on the front of the Pourfect Bowl helps to secure it against another bowl, dish, or pan as you pour your food.

The Pourfect Bowls were obviously designed by someone who not only cooks a great deal – but shares our passion for the art. Before you even think about Holiday baking, Thanksgiving recipes or Christmas cookies – head over to Pourfect Bowl.com and order your own Pourfect Bowl set. I promise you, they’ll…. sorry…. bowl you over.

Christmas Gift Idea! These bowls would get my vote for being one of the most briliant gift ideas for the cooks on your Christmas list. They’re highly original, gorgeous, and the lucky recipient would use them all year long – thinking fondly of you each time.

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Pourfect Bowl Set: My Newest Kitchen Obsession

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Post tags: Kitchen Gadgets, Pourfect bowl set, pourfect bowls

Holiday Baking Begins with Carnation Evaporated Milk

Joi — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:01:29 +0000

Thanksgiving and Christmas are on the doorstep – two of the most welcomed guests of the year. If I loved this time of year any more, I’d probably explode. From September to January, everywhere you look in our home (and yard), you see pumpkins, happy ghosts (I collect the smiling ones, not the grumps), scarecrows, bats, Pilgrims, Native Americans, turkeys, cranberries, snowmen, santas, angels, Christmas mice, Christmas trees, and or general hoopla.

The room, of course, with the most excitement, is the kitchen – It’s a non-stop party!

An ingredient that I can’t imagine anytime without, let alone the holidays, is Carnation evaporated milk. Not only does it add richness to every recipe it graces, it has a sentimental bond with me as well.

When my husband and I first started dating, I met his adorable mom (Frances) and stepfather (J.L.). They’ve moved on to Heaven now – I guess Heaven needed some extra cuteness. They were an older couple and he looked an awful lot like Abe Vigoda (”Fish” remember him?). When we first started going to their house, J.L. often had coffee made up (loved that about him). I normally put cool whip or whipping cream in my coffee – after all, I was 18-19 and probably didn’t even know what calories were. J.L. always put Carnation evaporated milk in his coffee. The first time he made me a cup, he asked if I wanted “creamer.” I said, “You bet!” To my horror, he reached in the fridge and pulled out a can of Carnation evaporated milk. My mind said, “Whoa, he’s lost it. That’s what my mom puts in Pumpkin pie!”

Never one to hurt someone’s feelings OR turn down a cup of coffee, I graciously accepted the alien cup of coffee. And not only drank every drop – went back for more WITH the evaporated milk.

I still, to this day, love Carnation Evaporated milk in my coffee. It reminds me of afternoons around the table with loved ones – and it tastes fantastic.

I also love evaporated milk in my recipes. Did you know that you can replace whole milk with evaporated milk in just about any recipe. I’ve never run into one that it didn’t work beautifully and richly.

Below is a fantastic recipe from Carnation Evaporated Milk. You have to try it as soon as possible… how about now?!

PEAR OVEN PANCAKE

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
3 large eggs
1 ripe pear, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 450º F.

POUR melted butter into 9-inch deep-dish pie plate or cake pan. Swirl to coat bottom and sides of plate.

COMBINE flour, 1/4 cup sugar and salt in medium bowl. Whisk evaporated milk and eggs in another medium bowl until blended. Add to flour mixture; whisk for 30 seconds or until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pie plate. Arrange pear slices on top of batter in pinwheel design, pushing down slightly. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Sprinkle top with sugar mixture.

BAKE for 15 to 20 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm.

TIP: For a harvest twist on this fabulous recipe, substitute sautéed apples for pears. YUM!

This recipe is from Carnation Evaporated Milk’s Holiday Recipe Guide, Full of Flavor. Click the link for your FREE copy. I love mine and have plans to make each recipe over the next 2 months.

Visit The Cooking Milk.com for more recipes as well as an awesome Virtual Kitchen with a friendly and lovely guide filled with great ideas and information.

TIP: Use Carnation Evaporated Milk the next time you make Hot Chocolate. I’d be willing to bet it’s a “secret” ingredient at a lot of coffee houses. It makes it richer and creamier somehow. Don’t forget the marshmallows!

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Holiday Baking Begins with Carnation Evaporated Milk

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Post tags: Carnation evaporated milk, Christmas Recipes, Holiday recipes, Thanksgiving Recipes

The Woman’s World Chocolate Cake Recipe

Joi — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:11:05 +0000

To all the readers who are here as a result of a recent Woman’s World Magazine, Welcome to Get Cooking! I’ve heard from a lot of fellow bakers and chocoholics who have a few questions about my Chocolate Cake recipe which appeared in the magazine.

Here’s the simple trick: To really jazz up a store-bought cake mix (and to make it taste like a rich homemade cake) I simply follow the directions on the back of the box. Then, after everything is all mixed together, I stir in a can of Sweetened Condensed Milk. After stirring, I pour the batter into the pan(s) and bake as directed.

Heavenly!

If this is your first time on Get Cooking, I hope you’ll bookmark the blog and check in daily for new recipes, kitchen gadgets, articles and more. Better yet, subscribe to e-mail alerts (the form is on the right)! When you subscribe to e-mail alerts, you’ll get a quick little e-mail telling you whenever I’ve added something new to the blog.

If you love coffee, chocolate, tea, homemade bread, desserts of all kinds, and delicious food – you’re in the right place!

- Joi (pronounced Joy)

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The Woman’s World Chocolate Cake Recipe

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Recipe for Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Risotto

Joi — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:15:37 +0000

Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Risotto Recipe

1/2 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, fine chopped
1 small pumpkin, peeled, seeded and medium diced (can substitute with butternut squash or acorn squash)
1/2 can pumpkin puree
4oz goat cheese
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
5 cup hot chicken stock
½ cup white wine
1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp whole butter, unsalted
1-2 tbsp kosher or sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 Bay Leaf, dried
chives, thyme or parsley, chopped

Directions:

Steep the bay leaf in your chicken stock.

in a heavy bottom stock pot, saute rice with pumpkin and onions over medium heat til onions are translucent and rice has a toasty aroma with a golden color. Add garlic and sauté briefly.

Deglaze with white wine, add bay leaf.

While stirring vigorously add stock one cup at a time.

It will take a few minutes to absorb the stock, so this is a labor-heavy task.

Continue adding the stock 1 cup at a time until it is absorbed. You will use almost, if not all of the stock depending on how you like it, al-dente or fully cooked. Before adding the last cup of stock stir in your pumpkin puree.

Once your rice is cooked to your liking you should season it with salt and pepper and add your cheeses while stirring.

Finish by adding in your butter, stirring until it is completely melted.

Stir in your chopped herbs allow to site for a minute before serving so it can allow all of the flavors to marry.

This wonderful recipe is courtesy of Chicago’s Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel’s Executive Chef Kerry Heiber. Thanks so much for sharing it with us!

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Recipe for Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Risotto

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Post tags: autumn recipes, Chicago's Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, pumpkin recipe, recipe, risotto, Thanksgiving Recipes

Stunning Pfaltzgraff Pumpkin Plate in Time for Thanksgiving

Joi — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:47:30 +0000

It’s time to get all geared up for Thanksgiving and this beautiful Pfaltzgraff 48-oz. Pumpkin Plymouth Pie Plate, Multi is here to help.

The beautiful Plymouth pattern features embossed pumpkins, acorns and ears of corn on a warm, creamy white surface.

Click through the link above to see Cooking.com’s entire collection of GORGEOUS autumn dishes and accessories. There’s a pumpkin bowl with a lid that’s begging me to buy it.

Okay, I give in. I held out as long as I could (approximately 2 seconds). I’m thinking that’s a record for me.

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Stunning Pfaltzgraff Pumpkin Plate in Time for Thanksgiving

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