Cookbook Sundays-Cream Cheese Brownies
Risotto with Peas, Zucchini and Saffron
Here's a fabulous shrimp dish, made by my daughter...cannot take credit for it, but I will post the basic risotto recipe, and the finishing of the shrimp, and veggies.
Basic Risotto
1 cup white arborio rice
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
5 cups hot stock (or water)
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
Heat olive oil in a heavy non-stick 2-quart pot. Saute onion in oil until translucent. Add rice and stir rice until grains are coated with oil Add wine and stir constantly on medium heat until wine is absorbed. Add 1 cup hot stock or water, stirring until liquid is absorbed. Continue cooking for about 20 minutes, adding the remaining liquid 1 cup at a time. This rice creates its own creamy sauce; add additional liquid if creamier texture is desired. Remove from heat, stir in cheeses and serve immediately.
For the shrimp:
Just cook 1 lb.of shrimp-which is peeled, and deveined, tails removed, in small amount of broth, or water, and fold in at the very end, when risotto is done.
For the vegetables:
Sauteed, thin sliced zucchini, and frozen peas, added at the end of cooking the risotto, along with a few strands of saffron.
Very tasty, and yummy!
Today, I was watching my precious little grandson, and could not decide what to make for lunch...well, "lo and behold" mommy always has fresh chicken broth on hand, and marinara sauce, not to mention leftover rice, steamed spinach, and steamed broccoli, which was a side dish the night before. Such a beautiful solution, to Minestrone soup, on a cold, and damp S. Florida day. Always have staples, like canned beans of any kind. In this case, we had the perfect Great Northern beans, which was the best choice, for the soup.
Minestrone Soup
32 oz. of chicken broth, homemade, or canned, or in a 32 oz. carton
16 oz. of Marinara sauce, homemade, or from a jar
2- 15oz. can of Great Northern beans, or (any kind of your choice)
1 15 oz can of dice tomatoes
you can add, leftover broccoli, steamed chopped spinach, or any
other cooked vegetables, ie. carrots, celery, additional beans,
( I added leftover rice, you can add dittalini (tube) pasta, even leftover meatballs
or chopped leftover chicken is good.
All you have to do is add all the ingredients of your choice, together and simmer to1 15 oz can of dice tomatoes
you can add, leftover broccoli, steamed chopped spinach, or any
other cooked vegetables, ie. carrots, celery, additional beans,
( I added leftover rice, you can add dittalini (tube) pasta, even leftover meatballs
or chopped leftover chicken is good.
an almost boil, and serve. Really delish! Serves 6.
Sweet Potato Latkes and Pickles?
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| These are the best sweet potato latkes I've made, this year, for the first night of Hanukkah, and my camera went "blank" on me...the screen, just totally gave out. My nine year old granddaughter, (bless her little heart) stepped right in, to take the first shot...and that's the only photo I have of this, while still frying in the cast iron skillet, she took such a nice pic. I finally got my new camera-Canon SX130 IS, which I will be taking my photos of my foods. Gabriella did not waste any time, checking out my camera, while I was still reading the instruction book, she already took such amazing photos of the Christmas tree, and her little brother, and figured out the video. Fort the sweet potato latkes, the real secret to it, as far as I'm concerned, the best way to make it crisp, and not come out soggy, you have to add a couple of Idaho potatoes to it, and make sure, you use matzo meal, instead of flour. |
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| I have been wanting to make my homemade pickles for quite a while now, but not been able to, because I could not find the small cucumbers for pickles. I really like the Kirby brand, but cannot find them anywhere. While at Costco's, I found a bag of these cute gourmet mini cukes and got all excited, about jarring them...and the jar?...yeahh..."thrift find" a quart size light blue mason jar, 2 of them, from Goodwill, for $.99. each. All you have to do is to sterilize the jar in the dishwasher, just run it through a regular wash with the other dishes, prepare the brine= vinegar and water, and pack them tightly in the jar with the boiled water/vinegar, and the herbs. I will post the recipe for the latkes, and the pickles. I also have a Tagging to pass to 15 bloggers., with 7 questions...tthanks to my sweet friend Jo, from Chic & Gorgeous, who passed the tagging to me, last week. So, I'm posting the recipes, and also the tagging. |
Not- So Traditional Apple Crisp
I have cut out this recipe, called Traditional apple crisp from our local Palm Beach Times food section, and carefully glued it onto the index card.The recipe calls for 6 apples, but I only had 4, so I substituted a can of sliced peaches in syrup, and gave it a shot...and you know what? It's the best apple crisp I have tasted so far, and I know for a fact, that there are other versions of this, which I have seen on the food blogs. So here is my adaptation of the recipe.
1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
cinnamon
1/2 cup (4oz.) butter
4 medium apples
1 15 oz can sliced peaches in syrup
(save 1/2 cup of the syrup)
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
Dash of salt
Combine oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in butter, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside. Peel, core and slice apples. Fold in the canned, sliced peaches, and add the syrup. Place in a 10 x 6 by 2-inch baking dish, or a square 8x8 dish. Sprinkle with the granulated sugar, sprinkle the crumb mixture over all. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes.
Serve with vanilla ice cream, or ice cream of your choice. So yummy, and comforting, it is a simple, yet a wonderful easy dessert. Serves 6.
Cranberry Sauce, and a Stylish Blogger Award
Well, for Hanukkah, all we do is just keep frying the nice and aromatic shredded potato latkes=pancakes. The best way to do them is to just pass it through the shute of your food processor with the shredding disk, and you'll have a big bowlful to work with, a super messy kitchen, and the aroma of fried potatoes, and onions...and before you know it, your batch of latkes are gonna be eaten up in less than 10 minutes.
Will post some photos about the latkes, my granddaughter took the photos with her camera, mine just totally went blank...no screen. Will be getting my new camera this weekend. A present to myself!
The "Smiling" Hug (huge) Pot
(this is a reflection of the corner of the white rimmed stove top...so cool!)well, actually, this is my wonderful turkey leftover resource, a hug pot of turkey broth which I made after Thanksgiving, as a thrifty, and frugal person that I am, living the good life, on the beach, in S.Florida
I could not bare the thought of throwing good leftovers out, when there are so many people in the world, even in this country who go hungry, and not enough food to eat. We have so many things to be thanking God for our everyday life's blessing, and Thanksgiving is the one most important day of them all!
I commented on Chef Dennis at More than a Mount Full post late last night about his amazing, and beautiful Thanksgiving feast, and also his gorgeous Turkey Pot Pie. Left a comment with a "typo" error which I do so often because I type too fast, and have this crazy "gift for gab"...just saying what comes to my mind, and like magic, it's all there in typewritten words, not looking back for goofy and weird mistakes, sometimes!
Just to prove to you, here's the copy and past comment posted to Dennis, but immediately I posted another one correcting it. You have to have enough sense of humor sometimes to laugh at your own self...well, in that case, no wonder I have such happy days, and not be in a "funk". When you learn to laugh at your own self, and not be so self-absorbed, I find that the world looks to me like a happier one, and people will tend to get closer to you, and understand you better. (I've been trying to explain that to my children.)
Herb Biscuits, and a Giveaway Winner!
Las Vegas.
Brenda is having the time of her life, in Las Vegas, and keeping us posted with such beautiful and envious photos of the places she visited, and having a glorious time.
But in the meantime, her 8 days are almost over, and she will be back continuing her drool worth cooking, and baking....moving on!
WE HAVE A WINNER for the GIVEAWAY!!!
Congratulations, Carolyn.. from. All Day I Dream About Food. has such a beautiful light, and balanced food blog, with yummy main dishes, like this recent Lemon Tarragon Chicken Soup and the unforgettable
Pumpkin Bourbon Cheese Cake with a Spiced Pecan Crust.
You gotta check it out, and browse through all her other delicious recipes.
Carolyn is a gracious and lovely lady, who always visits so many blogs, and leaves such upbeat, and kind comments, you can't help but notice. This is what friendship, and support is all about...and not just...me, me, and only me, and myself. I cannot tell you how it irritates me, when you have a friend request on Foodbuzz, and they answer you back, with "don't forget to visit, and follow my blog, etc. etc., or with a "you're welcome"...and nothing else, or better yet: :DITTO...well, ditto to you too, but I don't want to say it, just keep thinking, Ughhh!...OK. that's enough of that, now I sound like an old Yenta!
You are the winner of the Giveaway cookbook. I left you a comment on your blog, and also where to contact me, so I can mail the book out to you, by tomorrow. I know you will love this book or the person you will be giving it to, as a gift.
Thanks to all of you for participating...and thank you, Carolyn, enjoy the book!
I also would like to let all my friends know that I will be giving away more books, since I have such easy access to them at such a ridiculous small price, no more than $3.00 tops, for a book that is worth at least $30.00, and in new condition. Apparently in this area, either people are just buying them and recycling them, or getting them as gifts and not liking them. At any rate we're the winners for being able to acquire such great books.
Again, I bought this book at yet, another thrift store, that is a huge warehouse, and one entire large section, is loaded with all kinds of books, including great cookbooks. I have a photo of this fabulous book section in my previous post about a month or two ago.
This place is called World Thrift, and here, you can find everything to your heart's desire. Prices are a little higher than Goodwill, but you have a lot more choices. Books range between $.95 to $3.95 for a recently published book....no kidding. Dressed to Grill, is a hard back cover book, with spiral notebook look, inside. It is inspired for single ladies wanting to please their guy. No photos, just cute drawings, and cute, and silly names for recipes.
For instance, this herb biscuits is called: Hey, I bake biscuits, too! This is a 2002 edition, retails, at $16.95, I paid $.95...now how can you not want to buy a great book for 95 cents?
Recipe, for Herb Biscuits
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 Tbsp. ice cold unsalted butter cut into
small pieces
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. buttermilk, or plain
yogurt
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil for brushing
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Scatter the butter over the top. With a pastry cutter, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the pieces are no larger than peas. Add the herbs and buttermilk or yogurt, stirring just to blend. (Handle the dough as little as possible to keep the biscuits, tender and light.)
Turn the dough out unto a lightly floured work surface, then, with your fingertips, (I used a rolling pin) press, or roll into a circle about 1/2 in. thick. Cut 3 inch rounds, (I used 2 /12in.) with a biscuit cutter, or the rim of a glass.
Reshape any remaining dough and cut more biscuits. Place the rounds on an ungreased baking sheet. (If making ahead, cover, and refrigerate until ready to pop in the oven.)
Brush the biscuits with olive oil. Bake until golden brown, about 18-20 minutes.
Makes 10 to 12 biscuits. (Incidentally, mine turned out super golden, and flaky.)
Thanksgiving Turkey, and other Goodies
Hi friends... Thanksgiving is over, but the show is not, or should I call it "show and tell?" Anyway, here's the scoop. My son-in-law, the executive chef, and his best friend/neighbor/Vet had this brilliant idea to have 4 families, and 2 sets of grandparents come together, and everyone making something. This was the first Thanksgiving to have all these families, and children eat together under one roof. It was quite an adventure, but lots of great food, and desserts, and lots of fun. (Glad I wasn't hosting it)...anyway, we had two, 20lb. turkeys, this was mine that I made to bring along, with all the trimmings. For that matter, getting up at 6 AM and have the turkey in the oven by 7...luckily all the other thing were done the day before. For that matter, I could've had it in my little condo, but how do I fit 20 adults, and 10 children in? I surely would have the "condo commandos" on patrol and be not only reported, but be "blacklisted"
So, bare with me, while I show off my "dressed bird" at both angles. Got this yummy tender Butterball turkey at Costco a couple days before, and all the other good stuff, including a huge bag of fresh cranberries. Can't beat Costco, that's for sure!
Here's the backside of my beautiful "broad breasted" turkey. It was so tender, melt in your mouth white meat, that my electric knife just would not work slicing it, because it was so moist, and tender, any knife for that matter worked. The stuffing was made from Pepperidge Farm Herb seasoned, from 3, 16ozs. bags...(4 in a huge box) plus half of a huge bag of Nonni's brand of foccacia parmesan croutons. Just simple sauteed mushroom, onions, and celery, and about 1/4 cup of my pecan pesto mixed in their for more flavor. Stuffed the bird, and made a casserole of it on the side. Yumm!
Sun dried Tomatoes in Herbed Olive Oil-and a Giveaway!
Sun dried Tomatoes in Herbed Olive Oil
1/2 lb. sun dried tomatoes, just plain-not in olive oil
(can be purchased in your supermarket, or specialty market)
3 cloves garlic cut in half
extra virgin olive oil to fill the jar
1 teaspoon of mixed dry herbs
(I mixed dry pepper flakes, dried oregano, and parsley, along with black pepper,
and a dash of garlic powder, to make a batch, or use your favorite mix herbs.)
3 large basil leaves torn in half
In a medium saucepan, place the sun dried tomatoes, and the garlic halves, fill with water, just enough to cover the tomatoes, bring to a boil, and turn it off immediately. Let it sit for about 10 minutes off heat, strain all the water, pack the jar with all the listed ingredients, fill to the top with extra virgin olive oil, and refrigerate when it cools completely. You can use it for many uses, as in pasta, pizza topping, or for any recipe that calls for sun dried tomatoes in oil. It's a lot less expensive to make your own, and will taste so exquisite. It also makes a special gourmet gift for someone for the holidays. Just cut a scrap of a holiday paper, or cloth, wrap a pretty bow or holiday string around it, and make someone "happy"...smiles guaranteed!
As I mentioned previously, I found this wonderful coffee cake book at Goodwill last week,and could not imagine anyone dropping this great book off, when it looked brand new, and such good recipes of coffee cakes with beuatiful photos of it inside. Also savory cakes as well. The paperback books at my local Goodwill store cost $.79 cents, sometimes more, as much as $2.49, regarding the type and size of a book.
This book retails at $18.95, and it's a 2006 edition.
99% of the time the books that are donated there are in "mint", new condition. Such bargains are so amazing to find. I am going to start more giveaways, because all I've been doing with some of these books by re-donating it back or forcing my daughter to take them, when she herself has so many books. As I googled about the author of this book, and found another really good recipe from one year ago....@happygomarni.com.
http://www.happygomarni.com/2009/11/milk-chocolate-walnut-coffee-cake.html
To enter the giveaway:
1) Please follow foodandthrift on Twitter...sorry, I don't have an account on Facebook. If you already do so, please see number 3. If you are doing so for the first time, please let me know that you are now following me on Twitter, so I could add you to the giveaway.
2) Leave a comment on this post! You are encouraged to share a comment about coffee cakes, other books or any other thoughts.
3). If you RT or post on your Twitter page this giveaway post link, you get an additional entry. Please drop me an additional comment on this post saying that you did so.
4) To get an additional chance in the giveaway, become a "follower" of food and thrift find's blog.
5) Drawing will be done randomly from all comments recorded by Sunday, Nov. 28, at 11 PM (EST) and one lucky winner will announced.
6) Please note: Shipping only in the US. I apologize to my International friends.
Cookbook Sundays-Cranberry Oatmeal Walnut Cake
Cranberry Oatmeal Walnut Cake
adapted from Coffee Cakes by Lou Seibert Pappas
1 1/2 cup quick cooking or old fashioned
rolled oats
2 large eggs
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, or low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup dark molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup whole -wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup (2 ounces chopped walnuts
pecans, or toasted and skinned hazelnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan
(I used a bundt pan)
Spread the oats in a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until
lightly toasted. Let cool.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, brown sugar, and oil together until blended and
stir in the buttermilk or yogurt, molasses, and vanilla.
In a medium bowl, combine flours, toasted oats, baking soda, baking powder,
salt, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Stir to blend. Add the dry ingredients to
the buttermilk mixture and beat for about 1 minute, or until smooth. Stir in the
cranberries. Spread evenly in the prepared pan. Toss the nuts, and remaining 1
teaspoon cinnamon together, and sprinkle evenly on the top.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester
inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack.
Cut into squares, or strips.
Serves 12.
Note: I used a bundt pan, and used the 2 teaspoon cinnamon, along with the chopped
walnuts in the batter. Also I used 2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour. (did not have
whole-wheat flour on hand. Also, I used a simple sugar glaze, mad with one cup of powdered sugar, and about 1 teaspoon water, mixed to a medium thick glaze, and drizzled the cooled cake with a large spoon.
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There's been so much going on getting ready for Thanksgiving, and this year it's going to be with two other families and their children. Glad it won't take place in my "shoe box" size beach condo. I actually did get a head start on Cookbook Sundays, thanks to my friend Brenda, from Brenda's Canadian Kitchen...who started it. I will link this back to her blog. This cake is so perfect for Thanksgiving morning with coffee or tea, and it really is from a coffee cookbook, called Coffee Cakes, by Lou Seibert Pappas. it's a 2006 edition, and it's a fairly new book for me that I found about a month ago, at Goodwill for $.79. Originally listed for $18.95. Now, that's what I call a bargain. I may want to start a "giveaway"...because, really, I'm starting to feel guilty for getting all these nice books for "peanuts"...and the rule is at Goodwill, any paper back regardless of the size, is 79 cents, so therefore, I have quite a lot collected, and I've been donating them back, along with a lot of my own that I don't need. I think it would be nice to pass them along to other bloggers that can use them. I will mention about this soon. |
adapted from Coffee Cakes by Lou Seibert Pappas
1 1/2 cup quick cooking or old fashioned
rolled oats
2 large eggs
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups buttermilk, or low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 cup dark molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 cup whole -wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup (2 ounces chopped walnuts
pecans, or toasted and skinned hazelnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan
(I used a bundt pan)
Spread the oats in a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until
lightly toasted. Let cool.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, brown sugar, and oil together until blended and
stir in the buttermilk or yogurt, molasses, and vanilla.
In a medium bowl, combine flours, toasted oats, baking soda, baking powder,
salt, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Stir to blend. Add the dry ingredients to
the buttermilk mixture and beat for about 1 minute, or until smooth. Stir in the
cranberries. Spread evenly in the prepared pan. Toss the nuts, and remaining 1
teaspoon cinnamon together, and sprinkle evenly on the top.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester
inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack.
Cut into squares, or strips.
Serves 12.
Note: I used a bundt pan, and used the 2 teaspoon cinnamon, along with the chopped
walnuts in the batter. Also I used 2 cups of unbleached all purpose flour. (did not have
whole-wheat flour on hand. Also, I used a simple sugar glaze, mad with one cup of powdered sugar, and about 1 teaspoon water, mixed to a medium thick glaze, and drizzled the cooled cake with a large spoon.
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Cleveland Winter 2017
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Usually, in cooking, I don't follow the recipes, I just need to know the basic ingredients, and I always change it around to my way, adding different ingredients. Just need the idea! As for baking, it has to be more precise...the only recipes that do not turn out are yeast dough breads, or rolls, (which most of the time, I blame it on the yeast, that it wasn't fresh)...LOL..just a big "copout"...in that case, it gets thrown out!
As a kid, growing up, in Ohio, my dad worked two jobs, my mom was a seamstress... always busy sewing clothes for people in our own home, and she only had time to make 1 pot meals, or casseroles, and during the week every one ate at different times. The only day we ate together, was on Sunday. I did not want to carry on that same tradition, and it was very important to me, that with my children, we always have our meals together. This tradition has been carried on by my children and to my little grandchildren.