Creole Shrimp and Rice...my way!

Living in sunny South Florida gives us the advantage of obtaining the freshest seafood every day...available, 365 days a year. You can even buy it from fishermen coming back from the fishing boats...not cheap, but affordable and oh, so amazing and fresh!

I love shrimp, especially the pink Key West shrimp. I saw the CREOLE SHRIMP AND RICE  recipe in June, 2013 issue of Cooking Light magazine and I was impressed by it, but adding the 1 cup of milk to make the Creole Sauce was not my 'cup of tea', so I adapted the recipe changing it to the 'ruby red' spicy sauce, and serving it with Jasmine rice!

I discovered this beautiful bag of little treasures...fresh San Marzano mini tomatoes...grown in Texas, so sweet, crunchy and yummy; you can eat it just like 'candy' but I used it in my sauce, along with the Red Gold tomatoes... that I still had left over from my promotion pack. No need for extra spices, although I used the same recipe as the one from Cooking Light, and added 1 can of the Chili Ready diced tomato.

We all have a way of dealing with 'stress' a different way. Most people eat for comfort...or shop for comfort...be a 'hoarder' of accumulated unnecessary things; as for me, I also shop, but I do the 'thrift shopping' and only for items that I really could use in my kitchen or around the house.

As for eating...I substitute it for 'food shopping'! My cupboards are slightly overflowing with just about every staple item needed for cooking or baking; my fridge is full with fruits, vegetables, dairy products, breads and rolls in the freezer. Food shopping brings me comfort, but it can be costly if all the perishable items are not used up in time.

I'm not the type of person to complain about my physical health...aches, and pains, or even keeping a doctor's appointment; rather cancelling and re-scheduling, instead. To get to the point, I've been neglecting my every 3 months dermatology check ups...after over a year, I finally visited the dermatologist office to check for dangerous moles or spots sprouting up. Since the last couple months I had at least half a dozen suspicious moles and spots...some cancerous, removed from my back, chest, and arm, and now I am dealing with two more that are a little more complex.

So, if you did not hear from me for over a week...posting, commenting, its not because I'm on vacation its just LIFE HAPPENS...every day is a 'challenge' of some sorts.

I had a dangerous skin cancer (Basal Carcinoma) surgically removed from the middle of my forehead this morning...three consecutive sessions...digging, scraping, carving; now its stitched up, and I'm not feeling my best, and next month I will have to have another one surgically removed.

Here's some helpful information about skin cancer...from the SKIN CANCER FOUNDATION

When you don't hear from me, and I'm not blogging...or on Facebook...something's up.
I also forgot to mention that, Pinterest has been a great comfort for me for the last week, just pinning...pinning...and marveling at all the amazing and beautiful things. Also, I've been 'downsizing' and getting rid of things. I hauled more clothes, books...mostly cookbooks, and small pieces of furniture, to donate...you would think that I'm moving!

Have a wonderful week, ahead! xo

Linking to:Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherines Corner
                  Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage

 

Jelly Roll...Piskóta Tekercs

Jelly Roll, or Piskóta Tekercs ...pronounced as (Pishkota Tekerch) is, and has been truly a childhood favorite of mine and for a lot of years...also, my children are quite familiar with this awesome and light delicate cake that my favorite Hungarian aunt Mariska used to make on many occasions. My son insists that it is best filled with the smooth-as-silk chocolate filling, not just any old chocolate filling but the one that is like a mousse type and tastes like milk chocolate.

I did not take too good of a photo of it...it was an extremely stormy day over this weekend, I got soaked in the rain coming out of the supermarket yesterday afternoon...of course leaving my umbrella at the house. As you know our South Florida weather is very 'tricky'. It was somewhat a sunny/partly cloudy day earlier, and all of a sudden you get this 'flash storm' hit you out of 'nowhere' that lasts about an hour and it's all over with, and the weather clears up again~

I actually have this recipe in my head from years ago...very simple method...4 eggs, 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of sugar, but I do have the classic recipe in my 1986 Good Housekeeping book. I am so thrilled that I ordered the new version of the Good Housekeeping cook book from Amazon, it finally arrived.
The best way to order books is to choose the 'used' versions, especially when it is gently used...and 'like new'. This book is a 'dream'...seriously! The new price is $35. and used...$5.19 plus $3.99 shipping charge. The outer jacket cover is still on the book and it is amazingly new...just can't see any flaws at all.

Jelly Roll
adapted from the Good Housekeeping cook book
1986 edition

3/4 cup cake flour (I used 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs separated (at room temperature)
3/4 cup sugar (I used 1 cup)
Confectioners' (icing) sugar
1- 10 to 12 ounce jar jelly, or jam of your choice
(I used seedless blackberry jam)

Grease a 15 1/2 inch x 10 1/2 inch (I used a smaller size, size doesn't have to be exact)
Line pan with waxed paper, and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix cake flour (or all-purp. flour) baking powder and salt.  With electric mixer, beat egg whites until soft peaks form
(use the finger test if it adheres nicely to the finger, it's done) use 1/4 cup of sugar to add gradually while mixing. (I used 1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl,
with same beaters and with mixer at high speed,  egg yolks, vanilla extract and 1/2 cup sugar until very thick and lemon-colored (pale)

With rubber spatula, gently fold flour mixture and beaten egg whites into egg-yolk mixture.























Spread batter evenly in pan; bake 15 minutes or until cake is golden and top springs back when lightly touched with finger.






















Meanwhile, sprinkle clean cloth towel with confectioners' sugar. When cake is done, immediately invert cake onto towel.
Carefully peel waxed paper from the cake. If you like, cut off crisp edges.

Starting at a narrow end, roll cake with towel, jelly-roll fashion. Cool cake completely, seam side down, on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.

To serve, unroll cooled cake. Spread cake evenly with jelly. Starting from same narrow end, roll cake without towel. Sprinkle roll with confectioners' sugar; place seam side down, on a platter.


















I would like to announce the winner for the Red Gold Tomato Giveaway, which was determined by RANDOM.ORG ...number generator.

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result: 2

Congratulations, Patty....and thanks to everyone who participated!

 

 

Red Gold Tomato Giveaway

Red Gold has been producing premium quality tomato products since 1942, focusing on growing local in the Midwest, while it's cold in the winter, has the perfect growing season for tomatoes; perfect angle of the sun, perfect temps-and even the winter is good for tomatoes, as it breaks up the soil for tiny root systems.

Red Gold produces premium quality canned tomatoes and tomato-based products for retail, food service, private brands, and club stores. The Red Gold family of consumer brands includes Red Gold, Redpack, Tuttorosso, and Sacramento. Exceptional quality and operational excellence are the shared values that contributed to the employee-created mission statement: “To produce the freshest, best tasting tomato products in the world”.

Red Gold has graciously contacted me if I would sponsor a giveaway for their product...of course I said "yes"! I received a selection of 5 different diced tomatoes, along with recipe index cards...my most favorite choice was the Red Gold Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic, and Oregano...I made delicious cheeseburgers with it and topped it off with slice Provolone cheese. Photo and recipe to follow!


The gift pack for the giveaway will include a sample of Red Pack goodies (ketchup, Red Gold w/Green Chilies, Red Gold Lime Juice & Cilantro), as well as coupons and recipes for a Spicy Tomato Burger and Caribbean Chicken Burger.

Look for the Red Gold Summertime Grillin' Party-  on their Facebook page. It stated on July 24th the first day of the promotion!

To enter: click on the Grillin' Party image that's posted on their Facebook header. The direct link is: https://www.facebook.com/RedGold/app_349542138512669

The promotion for the Red Gold Giveaway will end on Sunday, Aug, 4th 2013 11.00PM EST. and the winner will be determined by RANDOM.ORG

So far...no restriction apply that I'm aware of, so you can all apply (until further notice)

Thank you for all your kind comments, they are truly appreciated! xo

linking to: Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherines Corner 

                        Full Plate Thursday@Miz Helen's Country Cottage