MENU LICIOUS

Delicious Popcorn From Indiana

2014-10-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

Nothing compares to fresh "Quality" homemade popcorn; you know what's in it!

I was tired of the popcorn that I was consuming, and recently discovered an excellent resource for popcorn kernels (see below for the varieties from one company that I recently tried). I do not have a relationship with the popcorn company or Smart Balance, other than being a consumer. I will show you what the grains look like uncooked and cooked, right after they are popped (microwave method used.)

Yield 2.5-3 cups popped per one- quarter cup fresh kernels (3 cups of popped corn are about a serving size) that equals to about 100 calories (give or take) without the oil! Each 4 oz bag from this popcorn company will yield near to three servings.

Stovetop Directions: 1/4 cup kernels, 1 Tablespoon of Smart Balance Oil and a pinch of salt for cooking. Heat oil on medium, add the salt (a tiny pinch!) two kernels and cover. Add the rest of the kernels when a first one pops, and keep shaking your covered pot every minute or so until popping stops (use pot holders if you need them). It will all be popped in a few minutes once the first kernel pops (I used a large pot with a glass vented lid) Remove from heat when popping stops. If you like it salty or buttery, add those ingredients after popping and toss.

Microwave Directions: Use a microwave popper dish w/lid. 1/4 cup kernels, 1 Tablespoon of Smart Balance Oil and a pinch of salt for cooking. Pop 3.5 minutes (test the time for your microwave). The microwave method will have more unpopped kernels compared to the stovetop even if you figure out the timing!

Smart Balance Oil Label

The Popcorn

The company selectpopcorn.com has a variety of corn kernels. I could not decide which one to try, so I ordered the samples (2 dozen = 8 oz of each kernel, in 4oz packages). I was surprised when I ended up saving on shipping cost by navigating my way to a flat rate shipping, saved a few dollars just before checking out! They were shipped in one parcel. Since the sample order contains two of each packaged kernels, it is a good idea to gift the duplicate or share the order with a friend because it is plenty!

As you can see they all arrived fresh and packaged well.

Pink Blossom is noted to be the healthiest kernels that Riehle's grows. It contains more antioxidant properties than yellow (anthocyanin and cyanidin). Some of the corn pops tiny. The popcorn has a soft, moist, quick dissolving crisp with a long lasting chewy texture (from the hull/shell) in the end with only a few unpopped kernels remaining.

Shaman Blue is crunchy! from the beginning to the end, but not dry tasting! Only a few unpopped kernels remained. Be careful that you do not chew too hard on your handfuls, the hull is CRUNCHY! Fairly consistent in popped size. A few popped tiny.

Baby White Hulless has a nice delicate crisp, easy to eat and swallow and no hulls left over:) Only a few kernels were left unpopped. The popcorn pops small (not tiny) and is more consistent in size.

Baby Yellow Hulless popped in a variety of sizes. There were a little kernels leftover. Since they are cooked in a microwave, it is expected that some kernels will not pop; for the sake of preventing burnt popcorn, I remove it when there is hardly any popping. Taste a little sweet, naturally!

Baby Blue Hulless pops fairly consistent with a few smaller sizes. This one is not too moist or dry; it taste like a blue corn chip, but is very white. :) It is crunchy with some chewy pieces that linger in the mouth towards the end:) A few unpopped kernels remained.

Autumn Blaze Hulless pops in different sizes and some tiny cute pops. It has a slight butter flavor. Crispy and crunchy. Some unpopped kernels remained.

Midnight Red pops consistent, not many different sizes. This one is crunchy and has a slight dry nutty flavor. Only a few did not pop.

Sunburst pops consistently. It is mostly crisp, but it has some crunch to a few of the pops. Easy to eat! Has a movie popcorn quality. Naturally a little moist. Not many unpopped kernels.

Goldenrod Pops up LARGE and consistent. 1/4 cup kernels made nearly four cups instead of the usual three. A few left over unpopped kernels. It has a light crisp then dissolves quickly. Some chewiness with only a few crunchy to hard hulls. The hulls are large. Reminds me of movie popcorn.

Ruby Red is known to be one of the healthier kernels too (like Pink Blossom) with more antioxidant properties (anthocyanin and cyanidin) compared to yellow corn. It pops in different sizes with some left over unpopped kernels remaining. It has a crispy- crackly and crunchy texture with a slight earthy, dry nutty flavor.

Pearl White mostly pops consistent in size (most yellow corn varieties seem a bit larger and sweeter in general) with only a few unpopped kernels leftover. It has a soft, quick dissolving moist crisp. A few chewy bits linger in the mouth (not hard). Almost a movie type popcorn.

Rainbow Delight is the end of my samples. They pop into white and yellow. Some are moist with a hint of natural butter flavor (or sweet), and some are dry but lots of corn flavor. Both are crispy, and the yellow dissolves faster. They pop in different sizes. As usual, some unpopped kernels remained.

That's It! I hope you get a chance to try them all too!

I think my favorite kernel is the Baby White!

Side by side shots.

Want to learn more about popcorn and all the AMAZING nutritional facts? visit POPCORN.ORG

The Great Egg Sandwich

2014-08-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

Serves 2

This is dedicated to Joseph Checkler

And, to all the restaurants that should be serving great egg sandwiches!

Ingredients

2 Poppy or Sesame seed bagels.
2 slices of American cheese.
2 slices of bacon (large sections of fat removed and discarded (use ham or sausage if you like).
Instant grits pack cooked in 1/2 cup water (don't add salt, it usually has plenty of sodium).
Handful of sliced, yellow baby potatoes.
2 fresh eggs..
Whipped cream cheese or whipped jalapeno cream cheese (if you like it hot!).
No other salt or seasoning, black pepper optional.

If you're like me and could never eat an entire package of American cheese by the time it expires, then when a recipe calls for American Cheese, purchase Lunchables; they have the cutest tiny slices of American cheese! Someone tell the cheese makers to start selling smaller packages of sliced cheese in all grocery stores! I used the cheese from two lunchables to make two egg sandwiches.

Directions

Fry the bacon, preferably with a cast iron skillet & bacon press. Towel blot excess fat..

Fry the potatoes in leftover bacon fat until they start to turn golden brown.

Blot excess fat!

Place bagels in a 350 oven; get them crispy on the outside while eggs fry.

Eggs are fried in the bacon fat after the potatoes.

Remove bagels from the oven and slice them in half while eggs are still cooking.

Blot eggs to remove excess fat!

While removing excess fat from eggs,

place the bottom of the bagels (with cheese) in the broiler until golden brown.

Time to make the sandwiches.

Add the bacon.

Add the grits :)

Add the potatoes.

Add the egg. If the egg white will hang over the side of the bagel, cut it,

then place the excess white on the sandwich first, and the yolk part on top.

Pierce the egg yolk so it won't explode when you bite into it!

Plain cream cheese is used on the left; Jalapeno cream cheese on the right.

(The inside, top of bagels are not toasted, the outer-side is crispy)

A few potato slices were added to the center of the pierced egg

(for safety measures) to keep yolks from escaping out of the hole:)

Doesn't matter, egg yolk comes out of the hole with the slightest pressure on the bagel.

If you put the yolk facing down, then there is no telling where it will run off to:)

Best to leave it facing up.

If you prefer, scrambled eggs taste just as good!

Slice and serve with any leftover grits and potatoes.

The sandwich must be eaten with a Mexican Coke!

Any other way will not work!

Someone tell Coca-Cola why bother with anything but Mexican Coke.

Regular coke taste watered down even after the first sip.

It's not as healthy as Mexican Coke (if Coke were healthy!)

Wrap leftovers well, eat cold or reheated!

Make them ahead of time, and freeze them.

To heat them in a microwave, heat them for a couple of minutes,

(check in brief increments) so that they don't over cook.

Enjoy!

Vegetable Egg Stir-Fry with Radishes

2014-07-16T11:52:00.002-07:00

Serves 1-2

Please excuse the paragraph justification not working.

The next time that you feel like buying radishes to add to your salad, and end up not buying them because you don’t want to waste the entire bunch before you get a chance to eat them, buy them anyway.

A radish tastes different once it is cooked; it gets a slight sweet, nutty flavor and texture similar to an onion or potato; try them in stir-fries or roast them with meats and other vegetables. People also pickle them :)

This is just a quick stir fry with egg and other fresh veggies that I had available. I was out of soy sauce but happen to have a Chinese take-out packet (who doesn't?:) The dish doesn't need any other seasonings (no extra salt was added).

If you end up with extra bok choy, and don’t plan to eat it right away, freeze it.

Wash and separate the leaves from the stalks. Place them in boiling water (AKA Blanching) for a couple of minute of minutes. Either transfer the bok choy to a bowl of ice water immediately or place the bok choy in a bowl (in the sink) and let the cool water run over it. Use your hand to check when the bok choy is cool to the touch, and place the pieces on a drying rack or in a colander. let it dry a few minutes then freeze the stalks and leaves in separate small freezer bags. Remove as much air as possible. They’ll be ready to add to soups, stir-fries, or other meals. I would use them up within a few weeks!

Ingredients (mostly just a handful of each, and chopped)

Bok Choy separated from the leaves (chop the leaves)
White onion
Radish
Red Bell pepper
Garlic
Egg
Rice (handful of pre-cooked rice (mine is yellow; it was cooked with turmeric)
Packet of soy sauce (Tablespoon)
Oil

Directions

In a large skillet, saute the bok choy stalks, onions, radishes, and peppers over medium-high heat.

(I usually use Smart Balance Oil; I used a few teaspoons of peanut oil this time.)

Don't add the garlic yet, or it will burn.

Saute until the vegetables start to brown.

Add the garlic, stir and cook it for a couple of minutes.

Make space in the center of the pan, add a drop more of oil (wait until the oil is hot) then,

add a beaten egg. Place the bok choy leaves on top of the vegetables, and let the egg cook a minute.

Using a fork, stir the egg until it is finished cooking.

Stir everything together.

Add the rice and a tablespoon of soy sauce. Stir again until well combined and hot.

Enjoy!

Turkey Balls and Organic Spaghetti and Sauce

2014-07-03T21:06:00.001-07:00

Serves 3-4

Serve sauce and balls over pasta (or rice).

All the spices and the packaged ingredients combined made a very good tasting meal.

The turkey had no gamey taste. The sauce has a little sweetness.

No additional salt is needed; the packaged foods have plenty.

Ingredients

1 LB Jennie-O ground turkey (85% lean is good)

1 LB Trader Joe’s “Trader Giotto’s” Tomato Basil Marinara

1 lb Trader Joe’s “Trader Giotto’s” Organic Pasta from Italy

Turkey ball Ingredients

1 egg

Sprinkles of:

Onion powder

Garlic powder

Parsley

Paprika

Savory

Cumin

Chili powder

Black pepper

Cayenne pepper

I did not measure, just added a little flavor to the meat, did not need much since the sauce is full of good flavor.

Directions

In a large bowl, using a fork, mix all the seasonings, egg and turkey well. Use a small cookie scoop to form balls. Place balls on baking pan lined with foil and coated with non-stick spray. Bake at 325 for 40 minutes (you can do other things while the balls are roasting :). Set aside for a minute once they are cooked.

Bring the water to a boil and cook pasta, add a pinch of salt to the water.

While the spaghetti is cooking, add balls (discard the liquid and fat from roasting) and sauce to a sauce pan. Bring the sauce to a low bubble, cover and remove when it is thoroughly hot.

Potato Salad With Egg Parsley and Dill

2014-07-01T17:28:00.001-07:00

Yield about 2 pints

I purchased small (not tiny) yellow potatoes from Trader Joes. They were great for breakfast, and other meals but I had to make a salad to satisfy my craving. I always end up with too much; I know my neighbor will eat it up!

No exact measurements really:)

Boil 7 small cubed (½” cubes) potatoes until tender (not falling apart, taste the potato and feel the texture after 5 minutes of boiling. Keep checking the potatoes until you like the texture). During the last minute of boiling, add a couple handfuls of chopped celery, ½ handful of chopped white onion, few pinches of parsley, and a few pinches of dill (I used frozen herbs). Drain and cool for about 15 minutes in the refrigerator (The celery should still be crispy, just not too hard compared to the other ingredients.)

Remove salad from the refrigerator. In a large bowl, add a little mayonnaise at a time and mix in increments by folding it over, and gently mixing. Add enough mayonnaise to coat but still see that it is potato salad :) Cube one hard boiled egg, and fold that in last with a sprinkle of black pepper.

Add salt if you like but there is salt in the mayonnaise already. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour prior to serving or if you prefer, serve it at room temperature.

This will keep for a few days in the refrigerator.

Lite Vanilla Cupcakes With Lite Fruit Syrup and Lightly Sweet Whipped Cream

2014-06-23T11:24:00.001-07:00

Yield 12 Cupcakes

These taste like lite pound cake.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup white sugar
3 large egg whites (use the yolks in meatloaf or bread dressing).
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup melted, cooled, unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon Smart Balance oil
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest (grated lemon skin)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Fruit

1/2 cup frozen blueberries or fresh
1/2 cup frozen strawberries or fresh
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Cream

8 oz heavy whipping cream
1 Tablespoon powdered sugar

Directions

Microwave the butter in a safe glass bowl or cup. Melt in 1/2 minute intervals until liquefied. Set aside.

Fruit (Lite on the sugar.)

This is a quick microwave light syrup method and will add flavor to your cupcakes

Place each fruit in a microwave safe bowl, add one Tablespoon of powdered sugar, and cover with a loose lid.

Heat on high in 1/2 minute intervals mixing in between until hot, and sugar is dissolved.

Once cooled, mix in a food processor or blender to make it smooth (or use more fruit, and a bit more sugar, and do not blend; keep it chunky). Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl whisk egg whites until they start to turn white and get air bubbles.Stir in milk, lemon zest, and extracts. Set aside.

In another large bowl, sift 11/2 cups of flour with baking powder and salt, stir to combine.

Add the sugar to flour mixture, then add butter and oil, mix until incorporated. Now it is crumbly!

Add bubbly egg mixture to flour mixture. Mix until smooth and shiny (should look like pancake batter).

Use a 1/4 measuring cup per cupcake.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick test comes out clean (place a toothpick in the center of the cake, if it comes out without batter, then the cake is baked.) They should be slightly golden as in the first photo.

Whipped Cream (lite on the sugar)

Place a freshly rinsed large steel bowl upside down in the freezer for 15 minutes. Remove the bowl, and quickly dry and wipe out any ice from the inside with a paper towel. Add 8 ounces of heavy whipping cream and 1 Tablespoon of powdered sugar (btw, that white lump in the cream is the shape of one of my measuring spoons, it is sugar:).

Beat and stir for 4 minutes with a whisk or until you have whip cream (Do not place the bowl next to your body, you want to keep it as cold as possible.) If you prefer a big food processor, excellent! Then you can use that and will have to wash it too :) Or, keep your arms strong! I go sit in a leather chair, and rest the bowl on top of the leather arm while I whip it up! The leather keeps the bowl cool! LOL! True!

Be creative, and decorate the cakes to your liking, but keep the cream or prepared cakes refrigerated until you are ready to work with it or eat.

Note

I didn't have any paper liners (use individual liners if you can). I put the batter directly into a silicone muffin tray, it worked but the cakes were sticking to the silicone (or hard to remove and messed up some of the bottoms). I used baking spray for the remaining batter, and that did the trick. (I was trying to keep the cakes as white as possible but the cooking spray only added a little more golden color).

Since I use a small counter-top convection oven, I put the remaining batter in the refrigerator until the first batch of cupcakes was baked. The second batch (after the batter was refrigerated) came out fluffier and had a bit more rise. Maybe the secret to light and fluffy muffins and cupcakes is to refrigerate the batter for 20 minutes prior to baking :) Watch your baking time (ovens vary).

Enjoy!

Avocado Bagel Sandwich

2014-06-22T21:55:00.000-07:00

1 Serving :)

This is a quick, delicious sandwich.

Plan bagel with garlic powder toasted: Some Smart Balance spread and sliced Avocado. No salt needed if your spread has sodium; you know the bagel already has sodium!

Prolonging avocado shelf life is difficult especially when you want to use it for a few meals.

Wash fruit and vegetable skins prior to slicing or eating instead of washing them when you bring them home from the store; helps prolong their life and reduce molding from moisture.

In order to help an avocado last for a few days, slice it from one end as you use it; sprinkle a little lemon juice on the opened end, and wrap it in NEW plastic every time you prepare a meal.

Keep it refrigerated once it is ripe or opened; usually it is ripe when you can easily move the outer skin by pressing on it; if it is too soft, it will be too mushy to slice or even over-ripe and possibly rotten. If it is not ripe enough to the touch, keep it on the counter until it is.

If you are planning to use an entire avocado once you open it, then you want to cut it lengthwise in half, pluck the seed out and peel away the skin (like a banana). Try not to cut it into too many slices while using a metal knife, as I read many years ago (and learned from my uncle) that metal can reduce the potency of vitamins. I have seen where produce gets a funky dark color after it has been sliced and stored in the refrigerator. There are lots of coated, ceramic and plastic knives on the market today that will come in handy for slicing produce.

Peach Cobbler

2014-06-13T16:58:00.001-07:00

Serves 8

Ingredients

½ stick unsalted melted butter (4 Tablespoons)
1 ½ cups all purpose- self-rising flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt

⅔ cup sugar (½ white with ½ brown)
1/1/4 cups 2% milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 ripe peaches cubed (save a few quartered slices for the top)
1 Tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

In a preheated 350 degree oven, melt butter in a 9” baking pan. Remove the butter and set aside.

(I started to brown my butter by accident but everything came out fine.)

Add honey and lemon juice to peaches (or any fruit- drained if canned). Gently stir until it is incorporated, set aside. "Fresh, juicy, ripe peaches were used here".

Using a fork and a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, then the sugar.

Add milk and vanilla to the flour, stir until batter is shiny and a little thicker than pancake batter,

(a little lumpy batter is okay.)

Pour the batter directly onto the melted butter (do not try to mix the butter and batter, just leave it be). Use your fork to spread the batter evenly. Add peaches, and gently spread evenly with your fork again. Top it off with a few of the sliced quartered peaches.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Check if it is baked at the center; use a toothpick to poke it in a few areas. If batter is on the toothpick, continue to bake until toothpick comes out clean of unbaked batter.

Let cool 10-15 minutes; serve warm (you could garnish with vanilla ice cream.)

The cobbler below taste like an American jelly doughnut. Freezes well and microwaves quickly as t he peach does (about a minute or so on a paper towel works great). This is half blueberry and half strawberry (total one cup of frozen fruit with only lemon juice) I reserved some of the white cane sugar for the top (no brown sugar or honey was used). Sprinkle the top with sugar as soon as it comes out of the oven.

Enjoy

Tomato and Cheese Pizza Cobbler

2014-06-08T17:17:00.000-07:00

Serves 4 (at two slices each)

If you do an internet search for "Pizza Cobbler" you won't find many pizza cobbler recipes; however, you do find Buku amounts of sweet fruit cobbler recipes that look like sliced pizza. I don't know why that is.

I bring forth my own Real, Pizza Cobbler.

This is a real cobbler pizza without the yeast and all that sugar. It tastes like pizza! Think of it as comparing hamburger to steak :)

It takes less than 10 minutes to prep. In one hour, you’ll have a quick, great tasting homemade pizza!

Prebake and freeze for quick individual meals later.

I will post a yummy peach or any fruit cobbler recipe next...

Ingredients

½ stick unsalted butter or 4 Tablespoons
11/4 cup all purpose, self rising flour
½ Tablespoon cornstarch
½ Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon parsley
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon ground garlic
½ teaspoon of savory (or oregano)
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of black pepper

11/4 cups 2% milk
1 cup shredded low fat mozzarella (use ¼ or 1/2 of it for the top)
½ cup tomato sauce (fresh, canned or jarred)
3 tomato slices cut into quarters (used for the top)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the oven, melt the butter in a 9” round pan; remove butter as soon as it is melted and set aside.

With a fork, mix dry ingredients.

Add the milk to the dry mixture, stir with a fork until thick, sticky batter forms.

Mix in the cheese (save some of that cheese for the top).

Add the batter to the butter, gently level it with a fork; don't worry about the butter separated.

Add the sauce, rest of cheese, and sliced tomatoes.

Bake 40-50 minutes. Deep golden brown is okay if you want the edges crispier!

Let it cool for about 5-10 minutes; cut and serve.

Note you could use fresh or dry herbs or other vegetables to your liking. You may want to add ¼- ½ cup of meat to the sauce too (there is enough room:).

Note
Store any leftovers covered in foil. Keep refrigerated up to 3 days; reheat slices directly on the center rack in a preheated 350 degrees oven for 8-12 minutes (microwave not recommended). You can use the tin foil wrappers on the bottom rack, and remove the slices with that.
If you plan to prebake and freeze it, store foiled covered slices up to two weeks, bake it initially to a light golden color.
To re-heat frozen slices, remove foil, follow directions above but re-bake it for 15-30 minutes. Time will vary depending on your oven and how many slices you have. You can test it by removing a slice, and cutting it in half to check that the center is hot. (My frozen slice takes 15 minutes to re-heat.)

The Easiest Way To Cook A Scrambled Egg Or White Egg

2014-05-20T08:33:00.001-07:00

1 Serving :)

Moist and Fluffy! Plus it fits perfect on a muffin!

Enjoy.

I use a glass Pyrex measuring cup and place a microwave safe plastic lid on the top (not sealed).

With a fork, beat one egg with a dab of Smart Balance Spread (or your favorite butter spread).

Cover, and cook on high in the microwave for one minute. Remove, flip egg, and cover.

Cook for a half minute more.

Time may vary depending on microwave, and amount of eggs.

Same goes for Egg Whites.

Tangy Jalapeno Party Wings Dinner or Appetizer

2014-05-12T13:55:00.001-07:00

Yield 3 lbs

If you are going to make these tiny wings for a party appetizer, then I recommend that you purchase at least 4-6 wings (flat or drum) per person (separated with tip removed).

If you are going to make them for dinner, you may wish to serve at least six to eight per person!

Salad is a good choice for the vegetable to serve prior to the wings.

I served these wings with mashed potatoes (very yummy) but a bit of a mess to transition from using your fingers to using a spoon or a fork!

If you are having a party, best to stick with fries or garlic toast so that a fork is not necessary.

Ingredients

3 lbs of small raw sectioned wings (with tips removed)
Salt, black pepper and paprika to taste and for color.
7 jarred whole jalapeno with 3 Tablespoons of the jalapeno pickled juice.
2 celery stalks chopped (about a handful).
2 green onion chopped (about a handful).
2 cloves garlic chopped.

Directions

Rinse and thoroughly dry wings. Place in a large bowl and add 3 Tablespoons of jalapeno juice, and add salt, black pepper and paprika to taste (paprika to taste and to color). Marinate for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place wings on roasting pan and elevated on a roasting wire rack. roast for 35 minutes.

After 35 minutes of roasting, remove wings from oven and place them into a large bowl. Add five sliced jalapenos (with seeds), celery, green onion, garlic and a touch of salt. Mix it well.

Drain chicken fat from roasting pan and place chicken wings back onto the pan (not the wire rack). Broil one side, then flip them and broil the other. It should only take another 20 minutes to finish browning these delicious chicken wings!

Garnish with two more sliced jalapeno peppers for an extra kick of spice and flavor!

Note

Ovens vary. I use a counter-top convection oven for all of my cooking.

Flour Tortillas

2013-12-06T14:32:00.000-08:00

Yield 8-10 servings

Ingredients

21/4 cups of all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of baking powder

3 Tablespoons vegetable shortening

1 Tablespoons Smart Balance Oil (plus more to coat)

1/2 cup of very hot water (add a bit more if needed)

Directions

In a large bowl, stir sifted flour, salt, and baking powder.

Add oil and shortening, mix by hand until crumbly, lumpy dough forms.

Add hot water slowly until the dough becomes loose and is easy to form (use only the amount of water you need). Knead dough for a few minutes until a large ball forms. Drizzle oil to coat, and cover the dough; set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Separate dough into 8- 10 equal size pieces. Knead each portion, and roll them in the palms of your hands to form balls. Cover and set aside for 10 more minutes. Make sure you keep the dough in a warm area, away from any drafts.

Roll each ball into a flat circle (no additional flour is needed).

It is best to use a hot cast iron skillet pan for cooking. Cook over medium high heat until bubbles appear,

then make your first flip.

Flatten the bubbles a bit by using a spatula. Remove from heat when some golden brown spots appear. Adjust heat after the first Tortilla is cooked. If you prefer soft and moist Tortillas after you remove them from the skillet, place a couple at a time into a colander over boiling water, cover for a couple of minutes, remove with tongs. Store unused Tortillas refrigerated in a plastic bag. Heat them straight from the refrigerator, in a microwave for a few to 30 seconds, they'll be soft. Enjoy!

Note

For cleaning cast iron pans, see note below my Naan Bread Recipe Here.

Thai Iced Tea

2013-12-03T17:30:00.000-08:00

Yield 8 Servings

This is one of my most favorite, occasional beverages. Thai Iced Tea is a hit at a party, and so easy to make

Ingredients

¾ cup tea (Pantai Norisingh Thai Tea, available at Amazon or most Asian stores)

8 cups boiling water
11/2 cups sugar
Plenty of crushed ice
1 can of evaporated milk
Straws

Directions

In a large pot, bring water to a boil. After water starts to boil, stir in tea and sugar. Reduce heat to low and steep for 3 minutes.

Remove from heat; let cool for 25 minutes. Strain the tea into a ½ gallon pitcher.

Chill well. Serve tea in a tall glass, over crushed ice, and top it off with a splash of evaporated milk (the milk will sink to the bottom). Add a straw and enjoy!

Note

If you don’t use crushed ice and a straw it will not taste the same:) Don’t have crushed ice or a blender, fill a freezer bag with ice and hammer away:) When you finish drinking your tea, you will enjoy chewing on the flavored ice.

You will also need the full amount of sugar to get the flavor. True!!! If you cannot have the sugar then don’t make this recipe, have it less often, or make it for a party.

Skillet Naan Flatbread

2013-12-01T16:35:00.002-08:00

Yield 8 Large Servings

If you've never made homemade bread, you should give this a try. There are so many ways to serve Naan bread. This bread could be used to make fresh pizza, just follow the recipe below to make the crust.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Top cooked Naan bread with desired sauce, fresh cheese and cooked meat or vegetables. Bake on center rack for 8-10 minutes or until cheese melts.

I tried variations of Naan recipes, and I even tried an egg in this one, but I think this final recipe has a good texture and is quite tasty without eggs; try it instead, with cooked egg and bacon on top!

Ingredients

2 teaspoons dry yeast

¾ cup warm milk (not hot but warmer than room temp, or about 110 degrees)

1 Tablespoon sugar

21/2 cups flour (plus more for kneading)

11/4 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

Optional dried or powdered seasonings.

½ cup firm, Greek yogurt

3 Tablespoons cooled, melted, unsalted butter (plus extra to spread on cooked Naan)

¼ cup warm water (comfortable enough to put your finger into it)

Smart Balance Oil for coating hands and dough

Cooking Spray (Canola spray was used here)

1 Tablespoon fresh or roasted minced garlic (optional, or you could use any favorite fresh herb in the final roll out)

Directions

In a 2 cup measuring cup, mix yeast and milk until dissolved; stir in sugar and set aside for 5 minutes; the yeast mixture will expand and have bubbles at the top.

In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, salt and baking powder; give it a quick stir to incorporate. If you want any additional flavor, now is the time to sprinkle in any dry seasonings, such as, 1/8 teaspoon of onion powder, or 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder, or both or more. No dry seasonings were used in this recipe only salt, and fresh garlic was rolled in at the end of preparation. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add yogurt and cooled melted butter to the milk and yeast mixture; stir well using a fork, and add it to the flour a little at a time while slowly mixing the dough by hand until all the milk mixture is incorporated and sticky dough starts to form.

Once the dough starts to form continue to knead a little more while adding the warm (not hot) water. “Do not overwork the dough; you barely have to knead it.”

As soon as you have a large, rough, less sticky dough ball, drizzle a coat of oil on it by hand, and transfer it into a LARGE plastic covered bowl for 1 hour. Keep the dough in a warm location, away from any drafts.

The dough should be double in size after 1 hour, a little smoother, and ready for kneading again.

Sprinkle a working surface and your hands with flour; knead the dough for about 30 seconds, then make 8 equal balls.

Coat dough balls with oil for the last time, and place them in a large clean, plastic, covered bowl for 30 minutes. Keep the dough in a warm area.

Finally, after the balls have increased, sprinkle flour on your hands, rolling surface, and rolling pin. Gently knead and roll each ball flat and roll in the garlic or herbs.

Roll the Naan in-between cooking each piece unless you have enough counter space to roll them all out at once. You can roll them in the desired shape, and as large as what will fit in your skillet, but not too thin that they tear; this Naan was rolled to about 1/8-1/4” thick. Dust off excess flour prior to cooking; use a bit of cooking spray on your skillet in between each piece.

Cook the Naan over a medium high heat. You could adjust the heat after the first Naan is cooked. Each piece will take a few minutes to get golden brown, and you make the first flip of the dough after the dough starts to bubble.

Brush the Naan with butter as soon as you remove it from the skillet, and start stacking them until they are all cooked. Naan bread is best served when warm.

Note

Clean a new iron skillet just once with dish soap, and follow the drying and oil coating process before use. Promptly after cooking, clean it with hot water only, and a dedicated scrub brush over your sink, (use a pot holder while the pan is hot or when you are cleaning it.) Shake off excess water, and place the skillet over medium heat until thoroughly dry. Remove from heat, then immediately dip a folded paper towel into a can of shortening; Rub entire skillet with shortening until it is completely coated with a slight sheen (Be careful not to burn your fingers.) It will be ready to use again or let it cool to store.

Potato Tot Chili Pepper Dipping Sauce

2013-06-30T11:47:00.001-07:00

2 servings

I stumbled into using this sauce on tater tots one day; I had left over chili sauce from a restaurant; I tried it and was hooked. This recipe sauce is super hot; if you don’t want it as hot, then reduce the chili pod to one or even a half of one.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon Smart Balance Oil
½ chopped sweet roasted bell pepper (jarred)
3 sliced Japanese Chili Pods (dried)
1 Tablespoon clover honey
1 Tablespoon water
1 teaspoon ketchup
½ teaspoon rice vinegar (or use your favorite vinegar)
¼ teaspoon soy sauce

Directions:

Over med heat, add oil and peppers, stir and cook until fragrant. Add the rest of the ingredients, cover, and reduce heat to low; cook for 8 minutes while stirring frequently. Remove from heat; let it cool a bit before chopping further in a food processor.

Sweet and Spicy Sesame Shrimp

2013-06-28T18:24:00.001-07:00

Serves 2

This is a light sauce, super easy to cook, takes about a half hour to complete with precooked pasta or rice. Easy clean up as well :)

Ingredients:

12 medium uncooked shrimp
1 Tablespoon Smart Balance Oil
2 cloves minced garlic
2 sliced Japanese Chili Pods (or more if you want it hotter)

½ diced roasted sweet red bell pepper (I used jarred)
½ cup frozen peas
1 teaspoon dry chicken bouillon
½ cup cold water
1 teaspoon corn starch
2 Tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon rice vinegar
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions:

Soak shrimp for ten minutes, in cool water with a sprinkle of corn starch (to remove excess fish odor). Remove shells, devein, and pat dry, set aside. Over med-high heat, saute: 1 Tablespoon Smart Balance Oil, garlic and chili pods until fragrant or toasted to your liking; add shrimp, toss until they start to turn pink, then add: bell pepper, peas, chicken bouillon, water and corn starch mixture, and stir. Add honey, vinegar and reduce heat to low; continue to cook about 8 minutes while stirring frequently. Sprinkle salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with sesame seeds. Serve alone, over pasta, or rice; Datalini Pasta was used here.

Red Plum Good Cake

2013-06-19T18:19:00.000-07:00

Serves 8

Something wonderful happens to plums after you cook them! If you haven't tried them cooked, you still have time for the California variety, season runs to about September.

Following my grandmother’s basic cake recipe, you could use just about any fruit.

Slice each end of two plums to as near to the pit as possible, and set aside; cube, and fold in remaining plum. I know, the garnish looks rough :) that's because I was in a hurry. You could take your time to make it fancy, but either way taste the same! Since these plums were a little tart, I sprinkled a few extra pinches of sugar to the prepared batter and sprinkled a few pinches of sugar on top of the sliced plum garnish prior to baking. Bake until golden brown and a center, inserted toothpick comes out clean. This one took 30 minutes at 400 degrees and cooled for thirty minutes before served. No almond extract was used in this recipe, only vanilla.

June Chicken Breast with Ranch Salad

2013-06-05T17:26:00.003-07:00

This is one of the easiest and tastiest dishes ever. And, I just adore these colorful, new plates that I purchased from Amazon.

Coat chicken with duck sauce and sprinkle each side to taste with: Paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried dill, salt and black pepper. Broil each side until golden brown; these were rather thin and small in size, took about 8 minutes per side. Great flavor combination over a bed of lettuce with ranch dressing.

Spicy Asian Mexican BBQ Chicken Marinade

2013-04-18T12:32:00.000-07:00

Yield 11/3 cups

Ingredients

¼ cup fresh or frozen cilantro
4 Tablespoons tomato juice
3 Tablespoons fresh or frozen lime juice
2 Tablespoons Smart Balance Oil
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
3 Tablespoons clove honey
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon savory

Directions

In a tall glass or container/ bowl, puree all the ingredients until well incorporated (I use a Smart Stick); you can use a blender of choice). Marinade chicken overnight. For this recipe, I grilled 8 drumsticks for 18 minutes per side, over a medium-low flame. After placing the chicken on the grill, baste, and reserve about a 1/4 cup of sauce for the 2nd basting, when you turn them over. Use the remaining marinade in place of little water for cooking rice; stir in broccoli pieces with butter and salt to taste, before adding your rice.

Balsamic-up Barbecue Sauce

2013-04-05T19:11:00.000-07:00

Yield 1 Cup

Hey, that chicken looks burnt. It's the skin. It's Okay. I finally have a grill.

It’s been well over five years since I last grilled anything; I never wrote down any of my barbecue grilling sauce recipes until now. This one was good, sweet and sour; I used it on chicken, and I hope you like it as much as I did.

I marinated two breast and two wings overnight. I heated up the grill to a low to medium heat. The wings took about 7 minutes on each side, and I basted them with sauce twice (once when I placed them on the grill and once when I flipped them over). The breast took about 20-25 minutes, and I basted them the same. What ever sauce I had left over, was enough to wet the chicken pieces for serving; plenty of sauce for the amount of chicken used. I also had left-over, cooked bacon fat (hickory smoked flavor), so I added a Tablespoon of the fat to the sauce just before grilling. Garlic toast would be another good side to this chicken and sauce.

Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients

½ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup ketchup
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon clove honey
2 Tablespoons mustard (Spicy or Regular)
½ Tablespoon lemon
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper Ingredients

Directions

Bring to a boil while stirring in all the ingredients, one at a time. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes while sauce reduces and thickens. Keep refrigerated.

Crispy, Chewy, Freezer, Snacking Chocolate Chip Cookies

2013-03-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

Yield 3 Dozen

These cookies will have a soft crisp and chewy consistency right out of the freezer. They taste good warm or room temperature, but the freezer makes them better!

If your freezer is colder than mine, let the cookies thaw a few minutes. If you want to try another yummy taste, omit the dark chocolate and add white chocolate morsels instead. You could also add an extra ¼ cup of chopped macadamia nuts to the white chocolate.

Ingredients

½ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup (stick) unsalted, soft butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
11/4 cup sifted flour
Pinch of salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup dark chocolate morsels

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a fork, in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together, add vanilla and egg, and mix until incorporated.

In a large separate bowl, sift and mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Using a fork, slowly stir in flour mixture to sugar mixture, stir until soft sticky dough forms and all are combined (don’t over work it).

Next, fold in chocolate morsels.

Transfer to a clean bowl. Spoon 1 teaspoon of dough per cookie onto a non-greased cookie pan or sheet, and place the dough at least 2 inches apart or you'll end up with one large cookie. Keep the remaining dough covered, and in the refrigerator until all the cookies are baked. And, don’t put raw dough on a hot cookie pan.

Bake for 9 minutes or until light, golden brown (time may vary depending on your oven). As soon as you remove the baked cookies flatten them with a spatula if they are not flat. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes before you remove them for further cooling.

Keep the baked cookies in the freezer in an airtight container or freezer bag; eat them straight from the freezer. Not telling you how long they will keep because they will not be around long enough to worry about it :) Don't forget to share!

Scallop Burgers

2013-03-11T10:46:00.000-07:00

Yield 10 burgers

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons Smart Balance Oil
3 cups chopped or shredded, fresh or frozen, uncooked scallops or use your favorite fish or shrimp to make the burgers.
1 ½ cups bread crumbs
1 Tablespoon diced butter
1 Tablespoon lemon

Season to taste with: parsley, dill, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, savory, chili powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper & salt.

Directions

Combine all ingredients (not the oil) in a large bowl, and form burger patties (2 tablespoons each). Place patties in the refrigerator, on a non stick tray until ready to cook. Heat oil over medium-high heat; fry burgers a few minutes on each side, until golden brown. Serve over greens or on a bun. The sauce in the photo is 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon mustard & 1 teaspoon honey (combined); it will be enough to drizzle on 2 burgers.

Alissa's Brownies

2013-01-30T18:22:00.000-08:00

Yields 16 small brownies

These brownies are quick and easy to make. They are inspired from my grandmother's family recipe.
I reduced the amount of sugar salt and butter from her original recipe, and I also changed the chocolate from squares to dark morsels. You could make just one topping depending on how far you want to be creative before eating them or how sweet and chocolatey you want them to be. I quickly put this design on the brownies, but if you have time, you can be more precise with the chocolate. Have fun!

Ingredients

1/2 cup dark chocolate morsels
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup nuts, chopped

Directions

Heat oven to 350. Melt Chocolate and butter in a microwave at 50% power. Microwave in increments for a few seconds at a time while stirring in between until liquified (don't over heat it.)

Beat in sugar and eggs. Sift dry ingredients together; stir in. Add nuts, stir again. Spread in a butter greased 8” square pan (I used a 9" round, removable bottom pan.)

Bake 30-35 minutes until top, has a dull crust, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly.

Time to make the toppings

Vanilla Topping

Ingredients

11/2 Tablespoons soft butter
1 cup confectioners sugar
11/2 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Whisk it all together and frost brownies when they are cooled.

Chocolate Topping

Ingredients

1/4 cup dark chocolate morsels
1 Tablespoon butter

Directions

Melt Chocolate and butter in a microwave at 50% power. Microwave in increments for a few seconds at a time while stirring in between until liquified (don't over heat it.) Frost over white frosting, pipe or drizzle. I piped using a plastic food bag; I made a hole in the corner of the bag with a toothpick (see photo above).

I keep them refrigerated in an airtight container 5-7 days, or I keep them in the freezer up to a month; I also share them! Here is one brownie square ready to eat. Yum!

Honey Mustard Dressing, Sauce or Dip

2013-01-25T17:07:00.000-08:00

Serves 2-3

Taste so good over a spinach salad.

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon clove honey
1 Tablespoon light mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon brown mustard
A splash of white vinegar

Doesn't get any easier than this!

Directions

Whisk all ingredients and serve over salad or use it in another recipe for a sauce or a dip.

Grandma's Basic Cake with Any Topping

2013-01-25T16:37:00.000-08:00

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup milk
4 Tablespoons barely melted butter (=1/2 stick)
1 large egg

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9' removable bottom pan; dust the pan with flour and set aside. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients; add sugar and mix again. Continue gently mixing as you add melted butter, extracts, lemon juice, milk, and finally the egg. Mix until incorporated (don't over mix it). Pour into pan. Add 1/4-1/2 cup of any topping prior to baking but nothing too wet. Drain anything that has been washed, pat dry or make a thickened sauce with cornstarch and sugar from the juice, like I did here with sliced, fresh, juicy cranberries.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until light golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool well and serve. Keep it covered well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You could also slice up the cake and toast smaller pieces to make crunchier, bite size pieces, they'll look like this. They are perfect with coffee or tea and not too sweet, without any additional sugar.

Blueberries or plums are my first choices of topping for this cake (fresh, cleaned and patted dry). After baking, a soft sprinkle of powdered sugar or a light glaze can be added on top if you prefer it sweeter. And, sometimes the toppings will bake (sink) into the cake and it will appear swirled.