Vegan Mango Salsa...and Picnic Game

I'M GOING ON A PICNIC, AND I'M BRINGING...Vegan Mango Salsa

JULY IS THE NATIONAL PICNIC MONTH

I received an invitation recently from a new food blogger friend... Louise,
@ Months of Edible Celebrations for the Online Picnic which sounded really fun to me...so I accepted; of course. Who would want to miss a wonderful summer picnic (even if it's online)...but who knows one day perhaps, we can actually arrange to meet in person for a lovely picnic. Louise has been the gracious host of this PICNIC GAME event, and this will be her 6th season. Some of my food blogger friends have joined since the beginning...and as for me this will be my first season.

 I've always loved, loved, a red and white checkered table cloth, and a picnic basket filled with goodies.

Had I responded to Louise a bit sooner, I could have used the letter M...for Mango Salsa, but then the letter V was still available, so I chose VEGAN...for Vegan Mango Salsa, which I think it compliments this lovely all fresh fruit, and fresh veggies included. There's no oil, or seafood of any kind in this recipe, which actually I put together from memory, knowing what goes into a fresh fruit or tomato salsa which I also make in the summer, or all year round in S. Florida.

We are just in the midst of our Mango season, here in South Florida, and our tree is finally giving us some ripe and beautiful generous mangoes! Actually for this lovely colorful, light and yummy salsa, you only need 1 large perfectly ripe mango, which I was lucky to pick from the tree!

Growing up in Ohio, we would have our annual family picnic in Middlefield Ohio, which was considered the Amish section (not that we were Amish)...but my aunt and uncle had a summer farm out there and we would love, those awesome summer picnics out on the farm. Here, in South Florida, we can have a picnic on the beach, every single day...weather permitting.

Well...I'M GOING ON A PICNIC, AND I'M BRINGING...

A- Angel Food Cake... Modern Day Ozzie and Harriet
B- Basil Leaves in Caramelized Prawnes... Simply Beautiful HealthyLiving
C- Chicken Piccata... Mae’s Food
D- Darned Easy Potato Salad...Of Pups and Pearls
E- Eccles Cakes filled with Leeks,Spinach and Blue Cheese...Green Gourmet Giraffe
F- Fourth of July Picnic S’more Tartlets...Moveablefeasts
G-Gluten free & Eggless Chocolate Steamed Cake...Kristy Gourmet
H- Ham Cheesy Patties...MyCookingGallery
I-  Italian Frittata with Vegetables...My Little Italian Kitchen
J- Jelly Roll...Laws of the Kitchen (Cake Law)
K- Kahlua Zucchini Chocolate Chunk Bread...Dying for Chocolate
L- Lemon Lavender Cupcakes...Art of Natural Living
M-Meringue Roulade with Raspberries...Canela Kitchen
N- Nutella Rice Pudding...RumblingTummy
O- Old Time Favorite Iced Red Bean Popsicle...Simply Beautiful Healthy Living
P- Pickles... Sidewalkshoes
Q- Quinoa Blueberry Mango Salad...Bakeaway With Me
R -Raspberry and Fig Cobbler...Nee's Place
S- Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream...Canela Kitchen
T- Two Ingredient Ice Cream Bread...Simply Beautiful Healthy Living
U-Uninvited Smashed Potatoes...A Month of Edible Celebrations

V- Vegan Mango Salsa...food and thrift

W-Watermelon Salad...From My Southwest Kitchen
X- X-Mas Coconut Wreath Cake...Family Plus Food Equals Love
Y- Yellow Squash Crustless Quiche...Bizzy Bakes
Z- Zucchini Cake-Double Chocolate...Berries and More

I almost forgot the recipe for the...

Vegan Mango Salsa

recipe by; Elisabeth

1 large mango, peeled pitted and diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 of a medium minced red onion

a handful of chopped fresh cilantro

2 jalapeno, seeded and diced

juice of 2 limes

juice of 1 lemon

Salt, and Pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, combine all the salsa ingredients. Add the juices of the limes and lemon. Season with the salt and pepper; preferably sea salt, and freshly ground pepper!

Refrigerate, until chilled for about 2 hrs. and serve.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY...

Mush was always at my side...even on her last day sitting on my lap while I was at the computer. She passed away peacefully, in her sleep on; 2-18-14 @ 4:44 A.M.

Gundel Palacsinta {crepes}

Since we all love palacsinta=crepes=pancakes, as the Hungarians wish to describe it in English, which really does not have anything to do with our American version of the 'pancakes'...rather, I would have to insist that it is more on the French version, of 'crepes'...or the Italian version of 'crespelle'. The Hungarian version...as far as I'm concerned is the BEST by far, which even my executive chef; son-in-law agrees on. Instead of using all milk in the batter, you replace 1 cup of milk with 'seltzer' water just after letting the batter rest for at least 30 minutes to one hour, you whisk it the seltzer water and it really lightens up the batter.
 

Last week, I decided to make the Gundel Palacsinta at my daughter Lora's house, and I got into so much trouble with her because I started it in the late afternoon just as she was preparing dinner for the kids...and all she needed was, to have them spoil their appetite before dinner...because, you just can't ignore to have at least one piece to nibble on when it comes straight off the pan and is nice and hot. Dipping it into the warm homemade chocolate sauce is 'sinfullly' good! There are quite a few different ways of presenting the Gundel Palacsinta, but these two are my preferred ways; as long as the filling is made the proper way, and the 'to die for' chocolate sauce is done the authentic way.

 

Here's a little bit of history and why it is called Gundel, and where did it get its name: Wikipedia
Recipe. I found which is quite authentic...in Hungarian:
 Tuti Receptek...Gundel Palacsinta
In English, which is also identical...recipe that I preferred:
Gundel's Walnut and Chocolate Pancakes...{Crepes}

Now, I must tell you the original recipe suggests rum in the chocolate sauce, and in the filling as well, but you can omit it...or use the rum essence, which also gives the rum flavor. When you order it in the Gundel Restaurant in Budapest, special specific way; the waiter will just 'frown' at you and instead...you may want to skip the Gundel Palacsinta if you prefer not to have the alcohol...you cannot have it your way!

The original way of presentation is, to spoon the chocolate sauce over half the portion, and sprinkle with powder-(icing) sugar the other half. Well, to me it just not seemed right....makes it too thick and globby. I also thinned out the sauce a little, so I can drizzle it easier...sauce does get thicker as it cools, anyway!

This is how I presented my Gundel Palacsinta last Friday, when I made it for my family...just the way it was required, according to the recipe...the chocolate sauce was so 'shockingly' amazing, rich with chocolate, cocoa, vanilla, rum essence, egg yolks, and heavy cream...cooked to perfection...although I'm not so thrilled about the 'blotchy' sauce overshadowing the palacsinta, I prefer the drizzle or having the sauce under the palacsinta, as I made it yesterday for my BFF's belated birthday!


Just look at the filling...sooo creamy, smooth, with the heavenly walnut filling...can't get better than that! Three of us shared these two crepes...so very rich, and sinfully incredible! I made the lighter version of the crepes, on the above two photos for my friend, who is holding the plate! She loved it with the lightened version of the chocolate drizzle, as well. You can thin out the sauce when you warm it up with a little heavy cream.

Here are two of my talented blogger friends who also made the Gundel Palacsinta:

Gizi  and  Zsuzsa

also...yet; another version from researching this amazing classic recipe which happens to be a little over 100 years old. I merely wanted to research how other people are making it, different way of folding and presenting the palacsinta, but we all agree on one thing...a Superb classic Hungarian dessert originated by, Károly Gundel!

check this version out...(sad to say today is their last post)
Hungarian Chocolate Crepes, from the Diplomatic Kitchen

Nutella-Banana Bread

 

Glancing at this photo of my Nutella-Banana Bread makes you think...it's either the sloppiest presentation you've ever seen, or you might think that it is actually creative; well, I might add that it could be a 'mad artist...off their 'rocker'! Well, not that...either!

 

 Linking to: Thursday Favorite Things @Katherines Corner



                    Full Plate Thursday @Miz Helen's Country Cottage

 

Also, you will notice that this is the 4th inspired recipe from a magazine, or newspaper article of the local food section. I don't have to take the time to type out the recipe...you can actually just click on it. I changed the title of the Chocolate-Hazelnut Banana Bread, to Nutella-Banana  Bread...simply for the reason that I did omit the hazelnuts...I added 1 extra bananas, and another 1/2 cup of flour...other than that, it does deserve the name...NUTELLA-BANANA BREAD!

Chocolate-Hazelnut Banana Bread, from Cooking Light magazine

 



Click on the above link for the recipe. I used chocolate chips to melt down to drizzle on my bread...just got a little carried away, but let me assure you, that one bite of this Nutella-Banana Bread makes you feel like you're in 'Nutella Heaven'! My 7yr. old grandson loves it just spooning it on Ritz crackers...it really is so good for you with genuine hazelnuts added in with the skim milk and cocoa to make this incredible spread.

 

Bacon-and-Egg Muffins

Just think; you can make these fabulous muffins for breakfast...bacon, lightly scrambled eggs, and shredded cheddar cheese, all rolled into one!

There's about a dozen version of the Bacon-and-Eggs Muffins recipe online, but I found this to be the best, from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine. This is what I call a 'hearty' breakfast, or 'snack'
treat. Here's the recipe, just click to view and print it!

Have a wonderful and safe Memorial Day weekend! xo
Bacon-and-Egg Muffins