“Boll” Peanuts

15 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by in Cocktails & Pick-Ups!

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Poking around the produce section of my grocery store I found  a REAL treat…fresh peanuts.  They’re green peanuts.  They’ve not been shelled or roasted, just picked and sent to me.  Ready to boil to make this snack.  Boiled peanuts.  All three of us love these as well as the rest of my family.  I was introduced to them when I went to school in Georgia.  Friends of mine had all kinds of tips and pointers for me.  My friend Parks told me how her daddy’s favorite boiled peanut stand was on a road outside of Athens, Georgia on the way into the university.  My college boyfriend, Mike, initiated me to the joys of boiled peanuts at Southern gas stations  So here’s the delicacy that makes everyone just a little happier.  Except maybe your doctors.  These precious goobers are highly addictive so look out!  You can add flavorings to the salty water making them completely to your liking.  A handful of fresh garlic gloves make these tremendous and adding red pepper flakes makes my heart sing.  Often they’re eaten outside where you can throw the shell in the grass or on the ground.  If you plan on storing them make sure you keep them the salty water in which they were cooked.  It keeps them fresh two or three days longer in the refrigerator.  Just a few years ago when Dana, Andrea and I went on girl’s weekend at Hawks Cay I found them at some gas station in Islamorada.  Driving around after a full day of sun with a styrofoam cup of boiled peanuts and cold gallon jug of rum punch in the back seat makes for three very happy girls!  Oh, wait!!   I forgot to tell you they’re divine made in a crock pot!!  Can it get any easier?  I think not!  So I, for one, am going to count my blessings and pony up to a big bowl of peanuts.  As they say in the South “boll” peanuts!

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BOILED PEANUTS

  • fresh, green peanuts in the shell, rinsed
  • 1 cup of table salt
  • 2-3 tablespoons red pepper flakes or a handful of fresh, peeled garlic cloves, both are optional
  • a large pot of water
  1. Add salt and washed peanuts to the pot of water along with red pepper flakes or garlic if using and bring to a boil.
  2. Maintain a medium bubble and boil for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

If made in a crock pot use the same ingredients but add a couple of tablespoons of salt for every quart of water used.  Cook in crock pot 4 to five hours or all day depending on your taste.  The longer they sit in that salty water the saltier they get.

Another Perfect Appetizer…Guineitos Verdes en Escabeche

29 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by in Cocktails & Pick-Ups!, Vegetables

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Green Bananas.  These little darling’s are so darned good I’ve had people eat them as a side!  Made in advance they are perfect for poolside, picnics, parties you name it.  They’re so easy and as luck would have it cheap.  Make them one day in advance of serving.  I know they’re kind of ugly but, hey, lots of things in life are.  Think of monk fish.  Who would have thought that veiny mess would taste like lobster?  So trust me on this one.  They’re always a huge hit!  Btw, they’re not exactly low cal…but then neither is the long, tall  Mojito you should be having with them!

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Pickled Bananas or Guineitos Verdes en Escabeche

  • 8-10 green COOKING bananas
  • 8 cups of water
  • 2 tablespoons of salt
  • 2 cups olive oil
  • 1 cup white or apple cider vinegar
  • 15 whole peppercorns of the equivalent coarsely ground
  • pinch of salt
  • 5 bay leaves, fresh if you’ve got them
  • 2 pounds white, yellow or sweet onions, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 4 gloves garlic, finely minced

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  1. Trim the ends of the bananas and cut a shallow slit just the peel, lengthwise, on both sides of the bananas.
  2. In a large pot bring the 8-10 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil.
  3. Add the slit bananas to the pot, cover and boil over low heat for 25 minutes.
  4. Drain and peel.  Set aside.
  5. Fill a medium size pot with all the rest of the ingredients, olive oil to garlic, mix well, cover and cook over low heat for 45 minutes to an hour.
  6. Cut bananas into 1-inch rounds. Layer bananas and Escabeche sauce in a deep glass or non-reactive dish.
  7. Marinate in refrigerator for 24 hours.
  8. Serve with pretty bamboo mini-skewers.

Daily Island Life or La Vida Cotidiana

11 Thursday Apr 2013

Posted by in Breakfast & Brunch

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I always found early morning in Puerto Rico to be special. As a child and as an adult. Pamela and I just got back from a long weekend at our grandparents house in Rio Piedras, a university town outside of San Juan. We had a wonderful time tho it was bittersweet and wrought with emotion. Stifled, repressed emotion thick in our throats. Our beloved Madrinita at 90 years old has decided that she is ready to go. And so, while she is of sound mind, we flew down for a visit. We didn’t want our next trip to be for a funeral. We arrived late in the afternoon and grabbed a taxi to the house, dinner waiting as expected. The reunion with our aunts was tough; we wiped any tears away before they could be detected, there was joy mixed with sadness on both sides. Pamela and I struggled to get our suitcases up the stairs all the while exclaiming “Oh! Look at the tile!    So worn and beautiful.”  and “Our rockers are still in the same place!” “Here’s my bed!’ and “Man!! Put the fan on…high!”  We had the whole upstairs to ourselves. We always do a “walk-through” when we first arrive.  Cynthia and I started doing this as young girls recognizing the significance and  uniqueness of the lives we were living and where we spent that time.  Often we spent whole summers in that old house.  It was always an early start in my grandparents home.  The sun was barely up when we would smell our coffee brewing…Puerto Rican coffee.

The breakfast we WISHED we had!

The breakfast we WISHED we had!

I remember lying still in bed listening to the doves outside our windows cooing and relishing the last bit of morning coolness, resigned to the searing heat which would without fail creep through the house soon enough.  Morning was when someone would go to the market, the market called Plaza del Mercado.  I don’t know who.  I never saw anyone come into the house with bags.  None of the women in our house drove.  Dressed in heels and linen they briskly walked down the street and out of sight to do their errands always hidden under the protective  canopies of their umbrellas.  The searing rays of the sun would NEVER touch their peaches and cream complexions!  So I don’t know who went to market.  But somebody did.  Cynthia and I would race through the house playing only stopping long enough to grab a quick drink of water in the kitchen where we would find a big bowl of red beans soaking on the counter to later be ladled and savored over rice at lunch.  Or we would find a bowl of bacalao, salt cod, soaking in water to eventually become somebody’s lunch but not ours.  As little girls we hated bacalao!!  We’d smell that fish cooking and panic thinking that maybe our grandmother had forgotten to prepare a little piece of chicken or something for us.  I never made it to that market.  Even as an adult when I lived and worked in Puerto Rico I never went.  So on this trip I asked my aunt if she would make the arrangements for the three of us to go…and we’d like to walk if that was okay.  And it was!!  The morning of our adventure Pamela and I got up early, dressed, splashed water on our faces and made our way downstairs for breakfast.  The same breakfast we always have.  And love!  Several cups of steaming, strong cafe con leche, at all times in cup and saucer.  There is not one mug in that house.  Not one!  I like that.  A huge tin of soda crackers waited on the table along side a chilled platter of cheese from the island, queso de hoja, a firm, white cheese which comes wrapped in a leaf to give it more flavor.  And the best part, an ample bowl filled with ice-cold, scarlet red papaya, again, from the island.  Heaven!  Sheer heaven!  Breakfast finished and teeth brushed we girls headed out.  ”Wait!  We’ve got to take a selfie!”

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That was Pamela’s idea and a good one at that.  The sun was out but being early April the weather was still pleasant and breezy.  We had a wonderful walk, uneventful but with a lot of laughs and a few serious discussions with our beloved aunt, Maita.  We entered the market and I was surprised to find that it to be a one-story, building holding a maze of passageways each with stalls of varied produce, meats and specialties of the island.  It was fantastic!!

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We saw people lined of at the octopus stand waiting to tuck into a hot breakfast stew.  Everything for your breakfast octopus needs!  We saw baskets of plastic-wrapped coconut candy the color and size of large chocolate chip cookies, the coconut surrounded by browned, caramelized sugar.  There were stacks and stacks of salt cod, bacalao and row after row of cut pumpkin; whole pumpkins stacked to the ceiling inside the stalls.

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Butchers sipped the last of their coffee patiently waiting for the customer who needed some freshly cut pigs feet.  Or pig tails.  We strolled past long cases filled with beef and veal from the island, fresh pineapples arranged in perfect towers and box after box of yuca, yautia and name.

This little piggy went to market and now he's going home with you!

This little piggy went to market and now he’s going home with you!

Bunches of plantains and bananas hung everywhere and on the ground were boxes of tiny, sweet peppers called aji dulce and long pods of fresh pigeon peas, gandules.  Every manner of voodoo/santeria/ witchcraft item was sold in pretty, little bottles all lined up behind the flower stalls.

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Is your heart-broken or do you just want to keep your man?  Does your baby have colic or are you out to put a juju on someone?  Well, this is the place for you!  There were sweets; all manner of candies made from mango, guava, coconut and sweet potato.  You could even purchase household items at the hardware and notions store, suitcases, mops and plastic bowls all set out in front.  If you were hungry there was a myriad of stands each calling out to you to taste their alcapurrias, grated root vegetables stuffed with meat or crab then fried to a golden, crispy goodness or sorullitos, cornmeal sticks stuffed with cheese and fried so the cheese melts making a gooey, savory snack.

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And, of course, all manner of coffee.  Except iced coffee.  To many islanders that’s bizarre and almost wasteful.  Our own aunts beautiful faced wrinkled with distaste as she exclaimed “Con HIELO???”.  ”With ICE???”  Salsa played in the background while old and young men alike laughed and played dominoes or just caught up with each other.  For me it was all magic!  And a most splendid memory.  Morning life on the island.

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This recipe is adaptable in that you can make your own pastry, I did today, or you can buy the already made pie crusts at the grocery store.  The same with filling.  I’ve made my own but today I used three different store-bought jams and jellies.  These are like Puerto Rican  Pop Tarts!  They can be for breakfast or eaten as a snack.  The filling is good with a traditional jam such as strawberry or you can give everyone a tasty surprise and use mango, guava or passion fruit.  They are so good!  I sometimes crumble a little white cheese, like a queso fresco, in the guava filling then fill the tarts.  The result is a sweet/salty pop of flavor.  I have a hard time staying away from them! If you buy already made pie crusts you’ll want to roll them out a bit on a floured surface.  If the dough is too thick when baked the tarts can end up rather hard and dry.  Thin, as always, is better.  You’ll need a top and a bottom piece for each tart no matter which shape you choose.  To the bottom of my rounds a good teaspoon of filling was enough.  The filling will spread when baked so try not to over-fill as the tarts will leak filling while in the oven.  If you want a traditional size Pop Tart shape brush the bottom piece of dough with a filling that has been thinned out with a bit of water.  Just enough that the jam spreads easily.  Add one tablespoon of water to one egg and beat well.  Paint the inside of the top piece with the egg wash.  This will help the two pieces of dough to stick together.  Place the top piece over the filled bottom and seal the tarts by pressing the tines of a fork all around the edges.  Poke the top of each sealed tart with the fork to release air.  Brush the tops of the tarts with the egg wash.  When all the tarts are assembled bake at 375° on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  They’re done when they are barely golden. Cool on a wire rack.  Ice with the topping of your choice after they are completely cool and add any sprinkles of colored sugars while the icing is still wet.  Buen provecho!

Easter Runaway

04 Thursday Apr 2013

Posted by in Turkey and Birds

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In just a few days western Easter will be celebrated.  Here in south Florida the weather is as always…brilliant blue skies, soft, cool breezes and that blinding, white sunlight so typical of this time of the year.  It’s always been that way.  As children Easter was one of our favorite holidays.  There wasn’t the pressure and stress of Christmas, we got pretty, new outfits and best of all was the CANDY!!  In our house the only time candy in large quantities was allowed was Halloween and Easter.  There were never cookies after school.  We had apples, oranges and bananas.  Mama never exclaimed “Let’s bake a cake!”.  Mama’s idea of a good cake was the one she was about to pick up from Las Olas Bakery.  No.  There were never sweets in our house.  And it wasn’t just Mama.  Dad leaned towards vegetarianism and would give Mama a hard time if she brought home any kind of baked good.  ”Cookie”, he’d say, “don’t give them that stuff.  It’s bad for them.  It’s junk.”  ”Okay, Jackson.”  And that was the end of that.  Every once in a great while she’d sneak into the house those mini grocery store donuts that came in a bag.  We all called them “dancing teenager donuts” because there were boys and girls in silhouette, the girls in minis and the boys in skinny pants and loafers all dancing across the bag.  It looked like they were all doing the “Pony”.  But on Easter there was candy all over the house!!

Look at that sugar ring around Tommy's mouth!

Look at that sugar ring around Tommy’s mouth!

We each had our own baskets used year after year as we did our Christmas stockings.  I no longer have my basket; Dad probably threw it out.  But it was magnificent.  All of our Easter baskets were!!  Mine was a rich, eggplant purple, large in size and deep.  Perfect to hold lots of trashy Easter candy.  I remember one particular Easter season when I was maybe eight or nine years old my mother and I had a heated argument.  Well, MY end was probably loud and heated…Mama never raised her voice at us.  I remember being white-hot angry, incensed and yelling to her, “I hate you!  I’m running away and you’ll never see me again!”  Can you imagine saying something so hateful to your mother?  Well, I did say it.  She calmly continued loading the dish washer and replied, “That’s fine, Cielo.  Be careful.”  Now, remember.  This was almost 50 years ago.  Children didn’t have or care about luggage.  When you traveled your mom assembled your wardrobe and packed the bags.  Fury fueling my ill temper I tore to the garage in search of a suitcase.  There were only large, cumbersome, leather bags tidily stacked to the ceiling.  None would do.  I was desperate.  And then I spied our four Easter baskets Mama had set out in preparation for the coming Sunday.  I grabbed my purple beauty and ran to my room.  Throwing in a top and a pair of shorts I made my way to the kitchen.  If I was to be on my own I would need food.  The only problem was in our house there never WAS any food.  What to do?  What to do?  I know!!!  I grabbed the only food available.  And, conveniently for me, portable!  Oranges, apples and bananas were stuffed into my basket and I was ready.  Muttering under my breath and slamming as many doors as possible I made my grand exit.  Mama paid me no attention.  I hooked my basket over the handlebar of my bike, flipped my kickstand back and was off!  Adrenalin racing through my body I rode my bike almost standing up.  I’d show them.  They would N.E.V.E.R. see me again.  We lived four bridges off Las Olas, the main drag, and at eight years old I was not yet allowed to leave the islands.  ”Who cares?”, I thought, “I’m on my own!”  Over the bridges I sped and made a right onto Las Olas.  As I passed Nurmi and Isle of Venice I felt the basket getting heavier and heavier.  And it kept banging up against my tennis shoe, my knee and the bike, oranges and apples bouncing precariously.  As I crossed the little fixed bridge after Navarro Isle I had a scary thought.  Well, scary for an eight year old.  Right at Jody Cabot’s house the thought occurred to me, “IT’S GETTING DARK.”  It’s getting dark.  I slammed the bicycle pedals in reverse and came to an abrupt stop.  I had nowhere to go.  There was no consideration or hemming and hawing in THIS 3rd graders mind!  I spun my bike around so fast and took off for home.  I remember having the thought, “I’ll runaway tomorrow.”  Ha!  And every time I pass the Cabot house, which is now townhouses, the thought still crosses my mind, “Yup.  It’s getting dark.”  No one said anything or even noticed when I came BACK into the house, old , purple Easter basket swinging across my arm.  And Easter came as usual.  That year, in addition to masses of bad candy, our parents gave the four of us BUNNIES!!

Me with my bunny!

Me with my bunny!

Sweet, fluffy bunnies!  After the thrill wore off I was somehow responsible for them.  Months later it had become too much for this 8-year-old.  I wasn’t playing with them so they had become wild and their pen had that awful animal pee stench.  I came home from school one day and the bunnies and their pen was gone.  ”DAAAAAAd!!!  The bunnies are gone!”  ”‘I know”, Dad replied, “You didn’t take care of them so I gave them to Rodell”, (our lawn man).  ”I heard him say as he was leaving something about rabbit stew tonight.”  Thanks, Daddy.  But Happy Easter everybody!

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This recipe is for Puerto Rican roasted turkey.  It is just sublime!  The flavors explode in your mouth and give new meaning to the same old holiday bird.  This method of serious marination works on whole and breast of turkey as well as chicken.  The longer it marinates the better it is.  I marinated this breast two days in the refrigerator,  turning it over and massaging the spices in some more after one day.  After rubbing the marinade all inside and out I placed the bird in a clean trash bag and squeezed as much air out as I could.  This gave the flavors more of a chance to be absorbed and also the meat didn’t take as much room in the refrigerator as it would have had I put it in a baking dish.  The turkey breast wouldn’t stand up since it was missing the rest of his body so I loosely wadded up four sheets of aluminum foil and placed them around the meat thus steadying it.  It you choose to roast a whole turkey a Mofongo Stuffing takes this dish over the top!  And I promise I’ll post the recipe for that soon!!

Pavochon or Puerto Rican Roasted Turkey

  • 1 turkey or turkey breast
  • 6 or 7 cloves of garlic, mashed to a paste
  • adobo, preferably with culantro and achiote, you can find this in the spice section of your grocery store
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • vegetable oil, just enough to rub all over the turkey, coating well

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1. One or two days before roasting the turkey rub all over, inside and out with the        adobo. I use roughly one teaspoon for every pound of turkey.

  1. Mix together the garlic paste, oregano and pepper and cover the inside and out with it.
  2. Place in the refrigerator until your roasting day.
  3. Take the turkey our of the refrigerator and hour or two before roasting so it will come to room temperature.
  4. Preheat oven to 325°.
  5. If you’re going to stuff your turkey now is the time.
  6. Coat the entire turkey with the vegetable oil.
  7. Cover the whole turkey with an aluminum foil “tent” and put in oven.

I cook a 4-6 turkey about 3 hours.  I cook a 6-8 pound turkey about 4 hours.  I cook an 8-12 pound turkey about 4-5 hours.  Since every oven is different check your bird as it gets closer to completion.

Hot and Gooey Hummingbird Bread Pudding

22 Friday Mar 2013

Posted by in Breakfast & Brunch, Dessert

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In preparation for The Prince to come home for spring break I made Hummingbird Bread Pudding with a runny Cream Cheese Pecan Sauce. People, it was crazy good!  I wish I could take credit for the recipe but that would be outright theft.  I’ve had Hummingbird cake a million times but I’m not a big cake baker.  Then I saw it as a bread pudding as I was flipping through my “go to” channels on television.  Hummingbird Bread Pudding?  Brilliant.  It’s easy, fast and oh, so satisfying.  And just a computer search away.  From the Cooking Channel, its proper name is “Donna Bell’s Bakeshop’s Hummingbird Bread Pudding”.  I tweaked it just a little; for instance I used 2% milk instead of whole and I doubled the Cream Cheese Pecan Sauce and also made it a bit thinner…I like to drizzle my sauce rather than drop dollops.  An old, old recipe with a brand new twist…and CREAM CHEESE!  Making the first two of my spring break crew happy, happy boys!

Donna Bell’s Bakeshop’s Hummingbird Bread Pudding

yield: 8-10 servings

Bread Pudding

  • nonstick cooking spray
  • 3 cups whole or 2% milk
  • 4 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 bananas, 1 mashed, 1 cut into small pieces
  • 1 1/4 pounds crushed pineapple, drained
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1/2 loaf French bread, (I used Brioche), cubed in small pieces

Cream Cheese Pecan Sauce

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 4 tablespoons milk, plus extra if needed to thin
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup toasted, finely chopped pecans to sprinkle on top
  • I doubled the Cream Cheese Sauce.
Great for breakfast, it's loaded with fruit!

Great for breakfast, it’s loaded with fruit!

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  2. Grease a 9X13 pan or casserole pan of your choice with the cooking spray.
  3. Whisk together the eggs then add the sugar and cinnamon.
  4. Mix in the mashed banana.
  5. Fold in the banana pieces, pineapple, coconut and pecans.
  6. Gently mix in the bread and let sit for 15 minutes to soak up the custard fruit mixture.
  7. Stir once again, pour mixture into casserole dish and bake for about 45 minutes.
  8. For the Cream Cheese Sauce mix the cream cheese with the spoon then slowly add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
  9. Mix in the milk and vanilla adding milk in very small amounts until it is as thin as you like.
  10. Let the bread pudding cool slightly then drizzle the sauce over the warm cake.  I like to drizzle the sauce over the individual pieces but that’s just me!
  11. Top with the toasted pecans.  Again, I do individual pieces.  It’s the rebel in me!

Long on Strawberry Shortcake

12 Tuesday Mar 2013

Posted by in Dessert

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This is a super easy and super quick recipe given to me by my sister-in-law, Tina.  It’s one of those recipes so satisfying but simple from the genre of “Why didn’t I think of that?”.   And another point in this recipes favor is that it can be made full fat or low-fat.  Cool and refreshing it can also be made in advance.  Obviously a great shortcake can be made from scratch even so sometimes we find ourselves short on time or worse…short on energy.  With strawberry season upon us it seemed like the perfect time.  And it made two college boys and one dog very, very happy!

Fueling up for some springbreak beach time!

Fueling up for some spring break beach time!

The recipe I used for these shortcakes is the low-fat version.  I used Bisquick brand for the shortcakes but any pancake/baking mix will do.  Additionally, to bring down the fat content, I topped the cakes with non-fat whipped topping from the can.  I know it’s all chemicals.  I know it’s bad for you.  But if you’re watching your girlish figure and you only do this once a year…well, it certainly won’t kill you!

Low-Fat Strawberry Shortcakes

yield: 4 shortcakes

  • 1 pint strawberries, sliced, I used 2 pints
  • 1/4 sugar
  • 1 cup low-fat Bisquick or mix of your choice
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/3 cup fat-free milk
  • Fat-free whipped topping, I used canned from the dairy section
  1. Stir strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar
  2. Heat oven to 425°.
  3. Mix Bisquick mix with 2 tablespoons sugar and milk until soft dough forms.
  4. Drop 4 spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
  5. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
  6. When serving, split shortcakes and fill with strawberries.  Drizzle juice from berries over cakes.
  7. Replace split top of shortcake and finish with a dollop of whipped topping and a few more berries.  Enjoy without guilt!
Even Pericles got a little strawberry lovin'!

Even Pericles got a little strawberry lovin’!

Original Bisquick Strawberry Shortcakes

yield: 6 shortcakes

  • 4 cups sliced strawberries
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 1/3 cups Original Bisquick mix
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
  • 1 pint whipping cream, whipped, or 8 ounces whipped topping
  1. Mix strawberries with 1/2 cup of sugar and set aside.
  2. Heat oven to 425°.
  3. Stir Bisquick mix with milk, 3 tablespoons sugar, and the butter until a soft dough forms.
  4. Drop 6 spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet making a total of six cakes.
  5. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
  6. Split shortcakes; fill and top with strawberries and whipped cream or topping.

Tres Leches Cupcakes for the Birthday Girl!

25 Monday Feb 2013

Posted by in Dessert

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This past Sunday was my niece and God-girl’s twentieth birthday. It seems like just yesterday she was fiercely biting James in the bath tub eliciting heartfelt howls of pain followed by a rush of hot, fat tears. This is the niece that sometimes has, no, I’m sorry, OFTEN has a bit of an attitude problem. Even as a child her friends would understand if she was somewhat callous or brutal. They would dismiss it saying, “Oh, that’s all right. It’s just Catherine being Catherine.” She is loyal and steadfast but equally impulsive. And she will slice you to bloody ribbons with one very well-placed biting, caustic remark. MY KIND OF GIRL! Being the first-born she has paved the way socially and academically for her siblings. As a baby she quickly let her parents know they would be tested…and often. I remember Pamela calling me sobbing, “I’m so tired! Catherine was playing quietly on the floor in the kitchen, I turned around to answer the phone and when I turned around again she was on top of the dining room table pulling the flowers out of the vase and playing in the water!! She can’t even walk yet! Oh, God! What am I going to do? What am I going to DOOOOOO??” I remember thinking, “Hang on, sister, it’s going to be a bumpy ride!” And an interesting one. Entering Pre-K Cat was a four-year old sophisticate. All the other little girls had pink and purple lunch boxes, brightly painted with wide-eyed fairies, long lashed ponies and long-legged, sexy ass Barbies. Butterflies, rainbows and princesses were everywhere. Pamela eagerly asked her precious little girl, “Catherine, would you like an Ariel or My Little Pony lunch box? Jasmine’s awfully pretty.” Catherine coolly replied, “No, Mama. Black, please. Matte.” Haha!! MATTE!! She was four! A number of years past and in that time she gained a brother and two little sisters. Cat had evolved into a lovely young girl. Still with an attitude. But she never followed the crowd and was always true to herself. She lost a few friends on the way because she wouldn’t sway and she never, ever brought indignity to the family name. She tried to help her mama keep the children in line, usually by force, intimidation and coercion. Having four young ones, Pamela was always tired and frazzled. Catherine must have been about eleven or twelve when she had a bit of an accident in Publix, our local supermarket chain. She took the cart and the three other children to the bakery section for each to get their FREE cookie. Pamela was frantically grabbing things for dinner on the other side of the store. With Catherine supervising, the little ones looked in the cake order books at all the character and sports birthday cake designs each dreaming of THEIR next birthday cake and which decoration they would have while slowly chewing on their cookies. Meg was in front holding several pages between her fingers, each page showing a different Disney princess, all beautiful, sweet and kind with tiny, wasp-like waists and ample bosoms spilling out of low-cut bodices. Decisions, decisions…but which one? She wouldn’t let go of the pages. Christopher wedged his body up front wanting to get a closer look at the Florida Marlins baseball cake. And Annie. Poor Annie was jumping up and down behind her big brother and sister trying to catch a glimpse of her beloved Polly Pocket. That’s when the afternoon went to hell in a handbasket. Jostling for position turned into pushing and shoving PDQ. Catherine quickly shot from frustrated to angry…mad as a wet hen. Grabbing Meg’s arm roughly she shouted, “Meg!” Meanwhile, on the other side of the store Pamela was grateful for a quiet moment when she could concentrate on the dinner items needed. She tried to focus all the while hearing in the back of her brain, “Cleanup in the bakery! Cleanup in the bakery right away!” As it dawned on her that the children were in the bakery and the cleanup was in the bakery she looked up and there they were. Catherine in front, scowling, pushing the cart as fast as she could, Christopher and Meg trying to keep up and Annie all the way in the rear, crying because she cried about EVERYTHING. Apparently when Catherine yanked Meggie’s arm she backed up smack dab into the middle of a tall rack holding shelf after shelf of bottles of RED WINE. Bottles went flying, wine splattering everywhere! The bakery women with their matronly hair nets appeared out of nowhere, furious, all of them pointing their fingers at Catherine. Well, they picked the right girl to yell at because Cat didn’t care about their stupid red wine. She raced back to Pamela to tell on her brother and sisters boiling mad. As Pamela looked down the aisle at them she could see big, purple splotches on Cat’s feet and legs. Catherine was wearing her prized leather Rainbow brand flip-flops that she had bought with her own money. “I feel like Jesus!” were the angry words out of Catherine’s mouth. JESUS!!! Haha!! No “I’m so sorry, Mama!” or “It wasn’t my fault!” or even “She started it!”  Just “I feel like Jesus.”  If she had known the word “dammit!” she’d have said it!  And THAT’S our beloved Cat! Happy Birthday, girlie! Yaya loves you to the moon and back!

Cat and Boy. Two of my favorite people!

Cat and Boy. Two of my favorite people!

I made these pupcakes, (that’s what Catherine used to call them as a toddler), in honor of my girl. They are positively sublime, super easy to make but they take a little time. With a regular Tres Leches cake one would pour the final milk mixture over the cake and be done with it. While with cupcakes the milk is lightly spooned on until absorbed and spooned on repeatedly until gone. It may take about 15 minutes, maybe 20. These are really sturdy cakes, will take all the milk mixture and not fall apart. They also reach their peak of rich flavor after being thoroughly chilled. Don’t be tempted to sample one right after icing! You know you tasted the batter on the sly while mixing and it was fantastic! That’s just going to have to do. I like a barely sweetened whipped cream icing which really highlights the taste of the cake but feel free to experiment with different flavors…Dulce de Leche icing on Tres Leches cupcakes can’t be ALL that bad!! I also shook a little high quality Vietnamese cinnamon over half the batch and left the other half with just the whipped cream on top. Some people don’t care for cinnamon. Go figure. But take that into consideration if you’re taking them to a party or picnic. They must be chilled so make room in your refrigerator for your tray. But anyway you make them they’re bound to please! Oh my gosh! I almost forgot! I REEEEEally love the taste of coconut but I’m not a big fan of little bits of things floating around in my mouth so instead of shredded coconut in the batter I substituted canned coconut cream in place of the evaporated milk using the same amount. Coconut cream can be found in any grocery store in the section that houses Bloody Mary mix, Tom Collins mix or Margarita mix.  This recipe is a compilation of recipes from “La Comida del Barrio” by Aaron Sanchez and “Miami Spice” by Steven Raichlen to the blog “lick the bowl good”.  Y’all will love it!

DON'T let her fool you.

DON’T let her fool you.

TRES LECHES CUPCAKES

yield: 18-20 cupcakes
Preheat oven to 325°.

Cake:

. 6 large eggs, room temperature and separated
. 1/4 teaspoon salt
. 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
. 1 cup sugar
. 1 stick butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
. 1 cup all-purpose flour

Milk:

. 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
. 1 12 ounce can evaporated milk or cream of coconut
. 3/4 cup heavy cream

Whipped Cream Icing:

. 2 cups heavy whipping cream, well chilled, as cold as you can get it!
. 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
. cinnamon, optional

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In a clean, large bowl pour in egg whites and add the baking soda and salt. With a hand mixer beat the egg whites until you get soft peaks. If there is any grease or crumbs of old batter in the bowl or on the beaters your whites won’t whip up. To check for soft peaks lift the beaters out of the mixture. You’ll see little “mountains” or “peaks” where the beaters last were and the peaks will still look moist and shiny. The top of the peak will kind of slump over and not hold its shape. That’s what you want. You don’t want stiff, grainy looking peaks. Then you’ve gone too far.

With the mixer on low add the egg yolks one by one.

Add the sugar and mix until completely combined.

Using a hand-held spatula, gently fold into the egg whites the melted, cooled butter. Folding means to sort of make a horizontal figure eight motion with the spoon while introducing a new ingredient so you still keep your mixture light and don’t smash all the air bubbles you just whipped in.

Slowly fold in the flour and mix until just combined.

Line two muffin tins with paper cups and fill each cup about 2/3 of the way. You should fill about 18-20.

Bake for 25 minutes and immediately after taking out of the oven pierce each cupcake with a skewer all the way down maybe 10-15 times each to help the cakes absorb the milk mixture. Set aside but leave cupcakes in the tins to cool.

In a medium bowl mix the condensed milk, the evaporated milk or coconut cream and the whipped cream until well mixed. I use a whisk to make it a faster process.

Using a regular teaspoon, spoon a bit of the mixed milk over a cupcake and using the back of the spoon gently blend it into top of the cake. Repeat with all the cupcakes until all the mixture has been absorbed. Set aside.

In a medium bowl whip the cold cream until you have soft peaks. Add the powdered sugar and whip until well combined.

Pipe the cream onto the cupcakes or just make old-fashioned dollops and add cinnamon if desired.

Chill well.

Gold, Green and Purple..It’s King Cake, Y’all!

12 Tuesday Feb 2013

Posted by in Breakfast & Brunch, Dessert

≈ 8 Comments

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We’re slap dab in the middle of New Orlean’s Carnival celebrations and King Cake Season  culminating today, Fat Tuesday..Mardi Gras, y’all!  Everyone in Louisiana has King Cake, in their office, school, home, they are everywhere!  And King Cake parties abound.  Gold, green and purple seem to be everywhere.  Why?  Because gold represents power, green represents religion and purple signifies justice.  It’s also a really great color combination. Anyway, King Cake is more like a coffee cake or sweet yeast bread than a true cake.  King Cakes truly epitomizes New Orleans.  I’ve been in New Orleans only four times.  The first time I went was with my parents for a family reunion, specifically Daddy’s French side of the family.  We were joined by Dad’s sister, Aunt Sunny and her husband.  I was named after my paternal grandmother Alice as was Aunt Sunny.  The family plantation, Magnolia Mound Plantation, is situated on the banks of the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge.  It was in my paternal grandmother’s family through the mid-1800′s.  It passed through many hands after it was lost.  During the time of our reunion Magnolia Mound had been rescued by the Junior League of Baton Rouge who gave great tours and gave visitors an authentic feel for life in the deep south of the 1800′s.  At the reunion we had crab boils with locals playing some really jumping Zydeco.  Other nights we could be found laughing and dancing on the house lawn under the stars drinks in hand…with enormous cauldrons of gumbo bubbling close by.  At linen draped tables nearby were silver salt cellars filled with file gumbo, (pronounced fee-lay), baskets overflowing with hot French bread and little crystal tubs full of spicy, cold homemade Tabasco butter.  It was jollification at it’s best!!  But when we hit New Orleans a few days later…well!  That was when I thought the fun really started!  Brunch at Brennan’s with many, many Bloodys. And the shopping after!!! Oh, my goodness!!  Mom and I had fun on Royal Street antiquing and then made our way over to Magazine Street for more shopping delight!!  And delight there was.  Mama had made plans earlier to meet up with Daddy, probably to give him all our shopping bags!, and that was the exact moment I found it.  The most  exquisite little lingerie boutique you could ever imagine.  Everything inside, EVERYTHING, had been hand-made in France with the finest silks and laces.  With no one to stop me –  I went craaazy!  Beautiful ensembles in peach, pink and cream.  Handmade silk and satin garter belts, pure silk stockings, teeny lace panties…as a size four dress I went crazy.  Then out of the corner of my eye I saw Mama and Daddy strolling towards the shop.  The shop girls  quickly rang up my sale, packaged it in tissue and ribbon and I scuttled out before Mama and Daddy could see what I was buying.  They never said a word and they didn’t exactly know what I was doing but they knew I was up to no good when I wouldn’t meet their eyes!  No worries! We were off to Antoine’s for champagne and another family party!  Laissez les bons temps rouler!  Let the good times roll!

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This is a wonderful cake, y’all.  It’s somewhere between cake and the best coffee cake on the planet.  There are all kinds of acceptable fillings and some cakes aren’t filled at all.  It’s all a matter of taste.  This particular cake has a cream cheese filling which is one of my favorites but the cake part is just out of this world!  I know the directions look long  and involved but it’s a really direct cake to make.  You do need time for the dough to rise so make sure you factor that in your plans.  I made a second cake to take to our Boston friends.  It’s that easy.  I found all kinds of great, cheap Mardi Gras gee-gaws at the Dollar Store, (note photo above!), and I get my sugar sprinkles and li’l plastic baby at a local craft store.  The plastic baby’s in the bridal/baby shower area.  And your baby won’t melt.  I don’t know why, but it won’t. So try it.  You’ll love it, I gah-rahn-tee! 

KING CAKE

yield: 12-14 servings

Preheat oven to 350° the last 15 minutes of the second rising.

  • 2 pkgs. dry active yeast
  • 1 cup milk warmed to 115°
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 4-5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • zest of one lemon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1-2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1 plastic baby toy
Pinch off a nice piece of this risen dough for your favorite child and they will love you forever!

Pinch off a nice piece of this risen dough for your favorite child and they will love you forever!

1. Combine yeast and milk and let yeast dissolve and get bubbly.  Takes about 5 minutes.

  1. Combine yeast and warmed milk and stir to dissolve yeast.  Set aside for about 5 minutes until yeast gets bubbly.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine yeast mixture, sugar, butter, eggs and mix until well combined.
  3. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, lemon zest and nutmeg.  Stir ’til well combined and add to yeast mixture.
  4. Mix on low until well combined and change to dough hook if you have one.  If not, use your hands.
  5. beat until mixture comes together well, the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl and kind of creeps up the dough hook.
  6. Remove the dough from the bowl and coat the bottom and sides of the bowl with the oil and turn dough a few times in the bowl to coat it as well.
  7. Cover with a clean dish towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place to rise.  This will take about two to two and on half hours.
  8. When dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured counter.
  9. Roll it into a rectangle, maybe two feet long and 5″ or 6″ wide.
  10. Spread the cream filling on dough leaving a one inch border without filling.
  11. Place plastic baby on the cream cheese.
It's like a giant Slip-N-Slide for the baby!

It’s a giant cream cheese Slip-N-Slide for the baby!

  1. Fold the two long sides together and pinch sides tightly to seal.
  2. Fold the two long sides one more time and seal long side.  It’ll look like a fat snake.
  3. On a greased baking sheet place dough seam side down and connect ends of dough to make a large circle. Pinch ends to seal.
  4. Using a bowl about the diameter of the center of your dough circle, cover bowl with tin foil and spray well with non-stick spray.  The dough will rise so it doesn’t have to fit snugly.  I used a round ceramic baking dish.  It needs to be oven proof.  A coffee can may also be used.
  5. Cover the dough ring and place in a warm place to rise for about 45 minutes.
  6. With a VERY sharp knife, gently make three slits on the top of the dough.  Think of a peace sign!
  7. Place in the oven and let bake for 30 minutes or until golden in color.
  8. When fully baked and out of the oven, VERY carefully remove bowl or can.
  9. Let cake cool then ice with glaze.
  10. Immediately after icing sprinkle with your colored sugar crystals over icing.  If you wait the sprinkles won’t stick.
Whoever gets the baby has good luck for a year and has to host the following year's King Cake party!

Whoever gets the baby has good luck for a year and has to host the following year’s King Cake party!

Glaze

  • 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  1. With confectioner’s sugar in bowl mix in two tablespoons water. Mix well.
  2. While mixing add a scant teaspoon of water until glaze if firm enough to run down the sides of the cake with a little coaxing from the back of your spoon.  Add the water as needed.
  3. Put your colored sugars on it NOW!!!

2013 Greek Festival…deconstructed!

08 Friday Feb 2013

Posted by in Uncategorized

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If it’s the second weekend in February it’s the Greek festival at Saint Demetrios! It’s such an exciting event but there’s a tremendous amount of work involved.  I thought I’d bring you a “behind the scene” peek-see look.  All weekend the kitchen is slammed with people rushing in and out carrying scalding hot trays of succulent lamb shanks or pulling out of the many ovens trays of tender Greek chicken.

Chef Delcho in action!

Chef Delcho in action!

The amount of food that comes out of that kitchen is astounding!  On the other side of the kitchen counter is the baked goods area in the capable hands of our ladies group, Philoptochos.  In the days prior to the festival these ladies have mixed and rolled out cookies that only scream “homemade”!!  Hundreds of snowy white Kourabiedes are stacked waiting for a happy home.

The powdered suger butter cookies just melt in your mouth!

The powdered sugar butter cookies just melt in your mouth!

A fellow Greek school classmate of mine baked 8 cakes from scratch for the festival!  No one asked her to.  But that’s the spirit of our volunteers at St. Demetrios.  That was Mary’s way of doing her part.

This ancient, moist cake is Karythopita. Its principal ingredient is walnuts...finely chopped, NEVER ground!

This ancient, moist cake is Karythopita. Its principal ingredient is walnuts…finely chopped, NEVER ground!

The list of Greek sweets is almost but not quite endless!

The ladies offer you Diples, sweet, fried ribbons of pastry splashed with a honey syrup, a sprinkling of chopped walnuts and finally dusted with a pinch of cinnamon. Can you stand it?

The ladies offer you Diples, sweet, fried ribbons of pastry splashed with a honey syrup, a sprinkling of chopped walnuts and finally dusted with a pinch of cinnamon. Can you stand it?

Chocolate Baklava. We have without chocolate if you're watching your weight.

Chocolate Baklava. We have without chocolate if you’re watching your weight.

The Greek festival is where you see family members savoring time with each other.  Mom will keep a watchful eye on the children who dance while Dad might help out in the Gyro or Souvlaki booth.

Have you ever seen a more beautiful mother-in-law daughter-in-law team?

Have you ever seen a more beautiful mother-in-law daughter-in-law team?

And what goes perfectly with a Frappe, the Greek equivalent of iced coffee?  Loukoumades!  Soft, round nuggets of dough dropped into vats of boiling oil and fried to golden perfection.  And being Greek you HAVE to gild the lily!  The hot balls are quickly tossed in a honey syrup, then strewn with chopped walnuts and finished with cinnamon.  It’s truly a bowl straight from heaven!

I want this machine!!!!

I want this machine!!!!

And I WILL have Loukoumades!

And I WILL have Loukoumades!

The music plays joyously from speakers well-placed under the tents urging a quick dance with a friend and then a longer drink to catch up.  The kids who dance with the church have been together sometimes since they were toddlers!!  They love to dance, in costume and out, at parties and celebrations.

Handsome Greek boys!

Handsome Greek boys!

All the kids take pride in their costumes, most handmade in Greece, all have meaning.  Ask any one of these kids where their costume’s from and is there any significance to the braiding, the coins or the pleats and they will give a quick lesson.  But in costume or out they truly love dance.

Dance hard and dance fast!

Dance hard and dance fast!

It’s just terrific.  The friendships are lifelong and many of the young people you see come back from college on their own to help out at Festival.  It’s what we do.

Been dancing since grade school and now...college!!

Been dancing since grade school and now…college!!

Dinner’s on and the lamb shanks at St. Demetrios festival are legendary.  The size of a caveman’s club, this is one succulent, fall-off-the-bone tender feast.  Served with Greek orzo, Krytharaki, and a Greek salad you’ll be begging for mercy.

Battle of the Titans!

Battle of the Titans!

There’s spinach pie, Spanakopita and cheese pie, Tyropita.  We have Moussaka, Gyros and Loukaniko, that exquisite Greek sausage flavored with orange peel, flambeed in Metaxa, Greek brandy and served on warm, soft pita bread.  We have a Greek market with gorgeous Greek olives and Greek cheeses that are like nothing you’ve ever had before.

Manouri, Mizithra, Kefalograviera...you can get it all. Right here.

Manouri, Mizithra, Kefalograviera…you can get it all. Right here.

There’s really something for everyone.  There’s plenty of room to spread out.  Pick up a bottle of wine or couple of Mythos beers,

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gather your parea, your group of friends

Your friendly bartender will help you make wise choices!

Your friendly bartender will help you make wise choices!

and spend a day or two with us as if on an island in Greece. Yassas!

Real Girls Eat Quiche

01 Friday Feb 2013

Posted by in Breakfast & Brunch, Cheese and Butter, Dinner, Eggs

≈ 8 Comments

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Earlier this week I met some dear friends for breakfast at a small, tucked away French restaurant.  There were all different kinds of quiches on the menu, ALL calling out to me.  I decided on spinach and at the first bite was not disappointed.  The baked custard filling was smooth and rich and each mouthful ended with the round, full flavor of cheese.  I had the choice of potatoes or a baby green salad with a vinaigrette.  Being breakfast I naturally opted for the salad.  Mama used to serve us sirloin burgers or grilled cheese sandwiches sometimes for breakfast if she had nothing else to give us.  We often had kind of off the wall meals.  Anyway, my breakfast was splendid but it left me wanting more!  I wanted quiche for dinner.  I wanted more of that baked custard filling and if it was lower in fat, well, all the better!  Now pie crust being pie crust I just couldn’t compromise.  There’s no substitute for butter or lard.  You either eat it or you don’t.  But I could certainly improve on the fat content of the filling.  And I seriously jacked up the amount of vegetables.  Paired with a gorgeous baby green salad for dinner…I was one happy girl!  We’re not big meat eaters but we do enjoy a bit of the pig for flavor.  Often I use a  couple of turkey bacon slices crumbled up.  A little finely chopped pancetta rendered is lovely as well.  I’m really crazy about those huge boxes of organic greens for cooking and salads.  To this quiche I’ve used the entire box of baby arugula, baby spinach or a fantastic blend of baby greens called “Super Greens” by Organic Girl.  Infinite kinds of cheeses can be used, the flavors just need to complement the pie.  Just because I have Pepperjack and Gorgonzola on hand I wouldn’t necessarily throw both cheeses in.  What I did have  on hand was two small slices of Muenster, two small slices of Swiss and I cut a bit off of my beloved hunk of Gruyere.  The Muenster added to the creaminess we all love and the Swiss and Gruyere both brought strong cheese flavors so not much is needed.  Also bringing down the caloric and fat content is the number of eggs.  In the deep dish pie I used only two whole eggs.  Four fresh egg whites completed the custard.  Sharing the plate was my baby romaine salad dressed only with a high quality Greek olive oil, a scant sprinkle of Maldon sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.  A cold, crisp glass of Pinot Grigio would have finished off my feast perfectly but being that I’m working on my girlish figure it was non laisse’!  Just not allowed!

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LEEK AND GREENS QUICHE

yield: one deep dish pie

Preheat oven to 350° if you have plenty of time or 375° if you’re in a hurry.

  • 1 deep dish pie shell in pie pan
  • 2 tablespoons good quality olive oil
  • 3-6 leeks, washed, drained and white part chopped up to light green part
  • 1-5oz. box organic greens of your choice
  • 1 small handful minced pancetta or ham or several slices of bacon or turkey bacon crumbled
  • 2 cups cheese of you choice, finely chopped or grated
  • 2 whole eggs plus the egg whites of 3 or 4 eggs, the equivalent amount may be used of cartoned egg whites
  • 1 pint half and half, I use fat-free
  1. In a large pan heat oil and saute leeks until soft and somewhat clear.
  2. If using ham or pancetta add to leeks and saute until slightly browned.
  3. While stirring add greens.  Keep tossing and stirring so they don’t clump up into one tight mess.
  4. When completely wilted and cooked, take the pan off the heat and if using bacon add it to the mixture and stir until well blended. Set aside to cool.
  5. In a medium bowl scramble the eggs to break up and add half and half. Mix well.
  6. Add egg mixture to greens, add cheeses and mix well.
  7. Pour into pie shell and bake until golden brown on top and middle is cooked through. It will take about an hour and a half at 350° and about one hour at 375°.  It IS deep dish!!
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