Gumbo

Gumbo

Gumbo is a type of spicy stew typical of Louisiana and South Carolina cuisines, but also consumed frequently on the Gulf of Mexico. The hearty dish consists basically of two ingredients: broth and rice. While this may sound boring and limited, gumbo is actually a dish with an extremely large variety of flavors and consistencies, depending on how the broth is made.


The main varieties of gumbo broth include seafood, chicken, red meats (including sausages), and pork. A vegetarian variety also exists, and it was created for consumption primarily during Lent. Instead of meat, vegetarian gumbo is made using mashed greens that have been thickened with a roux, a mixture of butter and wheat flour.



INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons butter 
3 cloves garlic, minced 
2 cups chopped onion 
3/4 cup chopped celery 
1 pound okra, chopped (optional; use for thicker Gumbo)
1/4 cup butter 
1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
1/2 pound cubed beef stew meat (optional) 
4 cups water 
4 cups dark beer
1 (16 ounce) can whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped 
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar 
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 
1 sprig fresh thyme 
2 bay leaves 
1 pinch salt 
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 
1 pinch ground black pepper 
1 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 
1 Crab, cut in half
1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined 
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 
1/2 lemon 


Direction:
In a large pan cook, onions, celery and okra, stirring constantly until golden brown. Add garlic last as it will burn and taste bad. Set aside. 
In a large heavy bottomed stock pot over medium-high heat, combine 1/4 cup of butter and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the roux becomes chocolate brown. Stir in the vegetable mixture, and stew meat. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are tender, and meat is evenly brown. Mix in Beer, water, tomatoes and sugar. Season with parsley, thyme, bay leaves, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. 
Add shrimp, crab and andouille to stock pot. Stir in hot pepper sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Remove seeds from lemon and squeeze juice into stock pot. Simmer an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaves, sprinkle with file powder, and serve with white rice.

Basic White Bread

Basic White Bread

I love bread. Especially when I have spent all day making it. It just builds the anticipation. I love the way that the house smells when I bake bread. I can not wait to get that oven open and slice a little piece of Heaven. 


Are you the same way? Homemade bread just taste so much better than the stuff you buy at the store and even if the process is a little bit time consuming, it is totally worth it.


This is a basic recipe for making simple white bread that you can use as it is or integrate it with other ingredients and make different kinds/flavors of bread like cinnamon bread or chocolate chips bread. Just have fun with it!




Ingredients:


2 cup bread flour (VERY important that you have the right flour!!)
1 package of instant yeast
3/4 cup lukewarm water
1/4 cup milk
1- 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1- 1/2 tbsp butter


Directions:
In a bowl of your electric mixer place yeast and dissolve it in 3/4 cup lukewarm (not hot because you will scorch the yeast; not cold, it will not activate the yeast) water. Let is sit for about 5-10 min. (This is HIGHLY important, because if the yeast does not dissolve completely, your bread WILL NOT RISE). In a sauce pan combine salt, sugar and butter. Add milk and heat over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolve. Cool to lukewarm. Add milk/yeast mixture to the yeast and water. Add in flour. Turn your electric mixer to low speed and with the dough hook mix for about 5-6 min or until you get a soft and sticky dough. (If you don’t have a mixer just knead the dough by hand) Placed dough in a greased bowl, cover with a warm towel (get a towel wet, ring it out, microwave about 30-40 seconds) and let rise for about 2 hours or until doubled in size. (I usually set it above the fridge). Now punch dough down and on a slightly floured surface roll it out into a long rectangular. Starting at a short side, roll the dough all the way to the other side. Place roll in a greased loaf pan. Cover again with a warm towel and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Bake at 200 C for about 30 min.


Remove from pan immediatelly and let it cool down before slicing it. Enjoy with fresh homemade butter.

Quick Homemade Butter

Butter

I got this recipe from Emeril Lagasse on the food network, and got to test it with a class of kindergartners at Thanksgiving time. (They used baby food jars, which actually is a great way to freeze and store leftover butter until you are ready to use it.) Making butter is so incredibly easy to make and just as delicious as store bought, if not better. If you haven’t done this yet, go out today and buy a pint of heavy cream, and then spend 10 minutes to make your own butter.  It’s incredibly simple to do, and it tastes wonderful! I love the fact that I can control the salt content in this, so I don't feel as guilty when I'm eating it! Enjoy!




Ingredients:


1 pint heavy cream
Salt (optional)


Directions:


Find a large jar with a tight-fitting lid that will hold the cream about half full. Refrigerate the jar for at least 1 hour. Pour the cream into the cold jar. Tightly secure the lid and shake as hard as possible until chunks of butter start to form, 15 to 30 minutes. Pour into a strainer set over a bowl. The chunks in the strainer are butter, and the liquid in the bowl is buttermilk.


Pour the buttermilk into a clean container, cover, refrigerate, and reserve for another use. Turn the butter into a clean bowl and cover with very cold water. Pour into a strainer, discarding the liquid. Continue rinsing the butter with very cold water until the water runs clear. (The cloudy water is buttermilk which will make the butter turn sour.) When the butter is clean, work with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to press out any remaining liquid. Discard this liquid. If desired, add salt to the butter. (Salted butter will keep longer.)


Transfer the butter to a clean container for keeping, pressing with a wooden spoon or spatula to dispense any air bubbles. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Potato Pancakes

Latka Gravas

I was first introduced to potato pancakes, or latka gravas, as a child. My family got invited to celebrate Hanukkah with a neighbor of ours and it was a wonderful experience. One thing I still remember to this day is the latka that she made. This is a traditional potato pancake recipe, and is a wonderful comfort food. Serve with applesauce and sour cream for a light appetizer, or with roast chicken for a hearty  meal.


Ingredients:


4 large potatoes
1 yellow onion
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (you can use more flour if the mixture seems too wet.)
ground black pepper to taste
2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Sour Cream (Optional)
Applesauce (Optional)


Directions


Finely grate potatoes with onion into a large bowl. Drain off any excess liquid.
Mix in egg, salt, and black pepper. Add enough flour to make mixture thick, about 2 to 4 tablespoons all together. Turn oven to low, about 200 degrees. Heat 1/4 inch oil in the bottom of a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Drop two or three 1/4 cup mounds into hot oil, and flatten to make 1/2 inch thick pancakes. Fry, turning once, until golden brown. Transfer to paper towel lined plates to drain, and keep warm in low oven until serving time. Repeat until all potato mixture is used.

Ceviche

Ceviche 

Ceviche is a very popular party food in the Latin community. Every Latin woman that I have ever met has their own version of this delicious meal. In the end though, it is still made from fish and either lime or lemon juice. It is not a form of sushi, though. Sushi is raw fish and other sea creatures, and this is not raw in any way. The reason that it is not raw is because the acidity in the lemon juice "cooks" the meat. You know that it is cooked and ready to be consumed because the meat turns white and is no longer pink. I love how healthy this dish is, and how simple it is to make.Ceviche can be made from all kinds of different fishes and shellfish, depending on your own personal taste. They might have slightly different recipes for it in Mexico or in Peru, possibly by adding more ingredients, but this recipe is the basic one and the one that will be found in Central America. Ceviche is eaten in restaurants and at parties, but you can go ahead and make your own, now that I'm giving you the recipe....especially if you have the urge to have some.



Ingredients:


Any amount of white fish you would like to use (I make about a half-gallon at a time because people will eat it up quickly)


Chopped/diced onion (one cup for every three cups of fish you make)


Chopped/diced red and green peppers (one-half cup of each) for a festive color


Hot sauce (only if desired) picante


Salt and Pepper to taste


Lime juice, enough to entirely cover the fish completely


A glass or ceramic bowl or large jar


A box of your favorite saltine crackers for enjoying the ceviche


Instructions:


Chop the white fish into small squares and put into the bowl or container you have prepared for this. A round pyrex bowl is perfect.


Add the onion, the green and red peppers (you could also use yellow) Add the hot sauce (picante) to taste.


Cover everything well with the lime juice. It should cover the fish by at least 1/4". Cover the bowl with a clean dishtowel or cover. Leave on the kitchen counter overnight, or until the fish is the color white. 6-8 hours is about right.


The fish will have cooked in the lime juice. If it is too watery, just pour some of the lime juice out. Refrigerate until cold. When it is cold, it is ready to be served. It will last for about a week.


This is a great diet food, and you can also make shrimp ceviche, too. Just substitute the shrimp for the fish.


Eat by placing a bit of the mixture on a cracker, and enjoy with your favorite drink.

Turkey Wraps

Turkey Wrap

I have always loved the turkey wraps that you can get at Costco, but I don't always have time to go stand in line every time I want one. After I discovered how simple and healthy these are, I started experimenting with different cuts of turkey, cheeses, tortillas and sauces. The one that I have pictured is a delicious version of the classic one that we all know. You can make it for a quick lunch, or make as a side dish at a party or an appetizer at your next family barbecue. I really hope that you enjoy this as much as I do!




Ingredients:


1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional)
1 tablespoon reduced-fat mayonnaise (Any flavor. I used a south western flavor in this one)
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 flavored 10-inch flour tortillas (Any flavor. I used sun dried tomato flavor)
1/2 avocado (optional)
1 medium tomato
1/4 pound smoked deli turkey
4 slices (about 3 ounces) provolone cheese
1/2 cup chopped spinach
1/2 cup romane lettuce 
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts
Cooked bacon (optional)


Directions:


In a small dish, stir together mustard, mayonnaise and garlic powder. If using avocado, cut it in half, twisting to remove seed and reserve one half for another use. Then cut remaining half in half again. Peel skin away from avocado flesh. Cut each piece into 4 slices and set aside. Slice unpeeled tomato thinly and set aside.


Microwave one tortilla for 30 seconds, uncovered on high. Spread half mustard mixture over entire tortilla surface. In center of tortilla, leaving 1/2-inch edge, place 2 slices of cheese and half each of the turkey, avocado (if using), tomato, lettuce, sprouts and bacon, if using. Fold in sides and roll burrito style.


Repeat process to make second sandwich. Cut sandwiches in half and wrap each half foil. Serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve.

White Chocolate Cappuccino

White Chocolate Cappuccino

Who doesn't love a nice warm cup of hot cocoa? Everyone has some kind of memory tied to this drink. Whether it was camping trips, rainy days or just a surprise from mom, everyone loves this classic drink. My version has an added "kick" to it, which is AMAZING on a cold morning when you want a break from coffee. I hope you enjoy!



Ingredients:


2 cups 2% milk


2 cups half and half


1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped


10 ounces of white chocolate (Ghirardelli is recommended)


½ tablespoon vanilla


1 teaspoon almond extract


4 cups freshly brewed dark coffee


cocoa powder or grated cocoa nibs, for garnish



2 teaspoons of brandy (perfect little kick on a cold night) (optional)




Directions:

Place milk and half and half into a sauce pot. Add scraped vanilla seeds and pod to the pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add white chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Whisk in brandy, vanilla, and almond extract. Strain through a fine sieve to remove vanilla bean. Return to a low heat and whisk until frothy using a hand blender. Divide the coffee into mugs and ladle the white chocolate mixture over. Garnish with a sprinkle of cocoa powder or grated cocoa nibs.

Pomegranate Cosmopolitan

Pomegranate Cosmopolitan

Popularized in New York City, the Cosmopolitan has been called the quintessential New York cocktail. Now trendy everywhere, it is not only delicious, but classy, pretty, pink, easy to make and fun to serve (especially at Christmas). 
The traditional cosmopolitan is made with vodka, cointreau or Triple Sec, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed lime juice. 


Because it is such a popular cocktail, people tend to think the Cosmopolitan has been around forever, but it’s actually not that old. Dating back to the 1970s, it gained popularity during the hit television program Sex and the City. 


It’s fun to take a traditional cocktail and mix it up a bit. The following variation tastes great and still maintains the integrity of the original cosmo. A complaint (perhaps the only one) of the original cosmo is that the taste of the cranberry juice can overwhelm the other flavors. In this version, the combination of pomegranate juice with the cranberry cocktail, modifies the sharp cranberry taste. 





Ingredients:


1½ oz vodka (citrus flavored) 


½ oz Grand Marnier 


1 ounce POM pomegranate juice 


½ oz cranberry juice cocktail 


Juice of ¼ lime 


Sugar, to taste 


Splash of orange juice (optional)

Passion Fruit Lemonade

Passion Fruit Lemonade

Do you love passion fruit? I sure do. There is something earthy and reminiscent about this fruit for me. The smell takes me to long summer days at the desert and warm summer nights at the beach. I love the crunch of the passion fruit seeds. The tang. The sour. The sweet. Its amazing how just a teaspoon of passion fruit takes a boring beverage and turns it into a memory!


I have always loved getting the Passion Fruit Lemonade's from Starbucks, but at about 5 dollars for one cup, (especially when you get one more then once a week) I've figured it is SO much cheaper to just spend a few more dollars and get everything to make it myself. My version is pretty close to their version. I hope you enjoy!


Below is a simpler version that you can make if you are pressed for time:


Passion Fruit frozen drink mix
Lemon juice
sugar
ice water 


Mix until well blended. Enjoy!


Here is my version of the recipe:


2½ cups water
1¼ cups sugar
½ teaspoon  lemon peel, finely shredded
1¼ cups lemon juice (about 4 lemons, depending on their size)
6 passion fruit pulp, (scooped out seeds)
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Water
Ice
Lemon or passion fruit flavored vodka (Optional for adults)


In a medium saucepan, heat water and sugar until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool.


Add lemon peel, lemon juice and passion fruit pulp to sugar syrup. Cover and refrigerate. (Base can be stored in the refrigerator up to 3 days.)


For each serving, pour ½ cup base into a glass. Stir in ½ cup water. Fill the glass with ice and garnish with a lemon slice.


If desired, you can strain the passion fruit pulp to remove the seeds.

Sutter Home Red Velvet Cupcakes

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Sutter Home Sweet Red Velvet Cupcakes are the perfect dessert! I found this recipe while searching online for something completely different! Pair these with a glass of chilled Sutter Home Sweet Red. Here is the link to the Sutter Home page that I found this on. Enjoy!




Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour


1 tsp. baking soda


3/4 tsp. salt


1 tsp cocoa powder


1 1/4 cups sugar


1 cup oil


1/3 cup Sutter Home Sweet Red


3/4 cup buttermilk


2 large eggs


1 tbsp red food coloring


1 tsp. white vinegar


Sweet Red Cream Cheese Frosting (See Below)


Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 2 cupcake pans with liners. Combine first 5 ingredients and sift. Combine next 6 ingredients and mix until blended. Mix wet ingredients into dry and mix until just blended. Scoop into prepared cupcake page, filling each 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until done. Let completely cool to frost.  Makes 12-18 cupcakes.


Sweet Red Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 oz. cream cheese – room temperature


4 oz. butter – room temperature


2 tbsp. Sutter Home Sweet Red


1/2 tsp. vanilla


2 cups powdered sugar


Combine cream cheese and butter, mixing well. Add Sweet Red and vanilla, mix together. Add powdered sugar and whip until smooth and light. Frost cooled cupcakes.

Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers

Jalapeno Poppers

My boss always has some kind of party going on in the summer. Whether it's a Cinco de Mayo party, a pool party, or just a simple barbecue, it’s always a lot of fun. There are some great memories and stories of previous get-togethers, and everyone always remembers the amazing food that was served. I decided to make these bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers for this year’s summer kick-off party; her husband's 60th birthday.

*Caution: Jalapenos can cause burning sensations on the skin. Wear rubber gloves if you have sensitivity skin and keep away from the face and eyes. Do you touch your face or eyes for several hours after working with jalapenos. Wash hands thoroughly after finished handling peppers.

Ingredients:

8-10 large jalapeno peppers 

8 ounces cream cheese (1 package), at room temperature

12 ounces of finely shredded cheddar & monterey jack cheese - divided (can also use 

Mexican blend cheese)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 pound hardwood smoked regular sliced bacon

Toothpicks (optional)

Directions:

Preheat grill and spray with grill spray to prevent sticking.

In a bowl combine together the cheeses and garlic powder. Mix until blended and manageable.

Rinse the jalapenos and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and veins with a paring knife or spoon. Rinse off any remaining seeds. (If you like the heat and hot foods leave in the veins and seeds.)

Fill each jalapeno half with the cheese mixture. Do not over mound the cheese mixture. Wrap each stuffed jalapeno with a slice of bacon. Start at the top of the jalapeno and wrap around the jalapeno slightly overlapping the bacon. Try and encase the jalapeno and cheese mixture as much as possible. Probe a toothpick at the end of the wrapped jalapenos if needed.

Place on grill, making sure to avoid hot-spots and flame ups to avoid burning the bacon before its ready. (I kept it at medium-low and had the peppers in the middle of the grill since it is the warmest spot.) Grill for about 5-7 minutes on each side, or until peppers are tender and bacon is browned and cooked.

Addictive Jalapeno Popper Bites

Jalapeno Popper Bites

Jalapeno Poppers have always been a hit at parties, baby showers and just every day get-togethers. I don't know if it's the spiciness of the jalapenos or the creaminess of the cheese but people just can't get enough. I've always made those traditional kind. I would stuff a jalapeno with cream cheese and bacon, do the triple dip in flour, egg wash and panko bread crumbs and either fry or bake them. But honestly that got to be too much of a process and I only made them if someone requested them. While surfing around on pinterest.com, I read a blog entry about jalapeno popper bites. I remembered the basic idea behind the recipe while I was out shopping and decided what the heck let's try it.  I have to say it's got to be one of the simplest
recipe I've ever made.  I'm going to try these at
my next event and see how they do. Enjoy!




Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) can Pillsbury crescent rolls


6-8 ounces cream cheese, softened


4 jalapenos, seeded and diced finely


8 pieces of bacon, cooked and crumbled





Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with cooking spray.


Open can of crescent rolls and separate each roll along the perforation. Cut each triangle in half.


Place 1-2 teaspoons of cream cheese on each roll and top with a teaspoon of diced jalapeno and a teaspoon of crumbled bacon.


Gather the edges of the dough up and pinch them together making sure all the filling is sealed inside. Place the ball of dough seam side down and bake for 11-14 minutes or until golden brown.

Pulled Pork with Chipolte BBQ Sauce

Pulled Pork

This recipe is by far my favorite for pulled pork. The combination of smoky chipotles with the citrus is to die for. You can make this in the oven ahead of time and freeze some of it for future use. Just heat in the Crock-Pot for the day that you plan to use it. You can always add more bbq sauce when heating or eating. For easiest results, prepare the sauce while the meat is cooking. 

PULLED PORK

12 Pound Pork Shoulder

2 Tbsp Homemade BBQ Rub (fine kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, cup onion powder, garlic powder, paprika)

3/4 Cup Brown Sugar 

1 Cup Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 Cup Ketchup

5 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

1 Bottle Dark Beer

1. Make sure to trim off excess fat off Pork Shoulder, but be sure to leave some fat through the meat. Stab the meat a few times making sure you are spacing this out through the meat. This will allow your BBQ rub to penetrate the meat.

2. Rub the meat with powder mix  and wrap nice and tight with cling wrap. Place in fridge overnight or at least 6 hours and turn 2-3 times.

3. Take the Meat out and bring to room temperature.

4. Mix the Worcestershire Sauce, Ketchup, vinegar and 1/4 of beer in Dutch oven and place meat in the dish.

5. Pre-heat oven to 350 and place meat inside oven when ready with lid.

6. Allow to cook for 4- 5 1/2 hours but be sure to check regularly to make sure meat is not drying out, or until you notice it is pulling apart easily. If you think it is drying out, add more beer .

Remove Shoulder from oven and serve warm with a Chipolte BBQ Sauce ( See Below)

CHIPOLTE MAPLE BBQ SAUCE

One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

3 chipotle peppers in adobo, diced

1 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup apple cider or unfiltered apple juice

Juice of 2 lemons

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons dry mustard

2 teaspoons sea salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir to combine

.Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat

Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce is thick and reduced by about a quarter, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool slightly

The sauce will keep, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.