Friday Delights

A VALENTINE’S DAY BREAKFAST!

2012-02-08T08:34:00.000-08:00

1. Good morning Letter

2. A Follow Me trail leading to the kitchen

3. Favorite flowers awaiting

4. Sunny side up Eggs

5. Heart Shaped Greek Yogurt Pancakes

6. Freshly Squeeze Orange Juice

7. Chocolate covered strawberries

Homemade Donuts

2011-12-28T13:53:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 envelope of rapid active dry yeast

1 cup warm almond milk

2 tablespoon greek yogurt (optional)

1/3 cup coconut sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg, room temperature

3 tablespoon butter

3 1/3 cup soft winter wheat flour or all-purpose flour

Vegetable Oil for frying

Vanilla Glaze:

3 tablespoon butter

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup almond milk

Makes: 11 to 12 donuts

In a pot over a low flame add the almond milk and coconut sugar. Once the sugar is dissolve add the butter and greek yogurt. Heat the mixture to a temperature between 100 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don't have a thermometer, just place a drop of it against your skin and it should be warm not hot. Don’t want it too hot because you will kill the yeast. Sprinkle the yeast on top and let it sit. After two minutes, stir until dissolved. Let it sit for 10minutes while it bubbles and forms up.

In a bowl, mix the flour and salt. After the yeast mixture is done, pour it into a mixing bowl with the egg. Add 1/2 cup of flour at a time to the yeast mixture on low speed. Keep adding until everything is combined. Crank up the mixer to medium speed and Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic about 5 minutes.

Turn dough out onto a clean flour surface and roll dough out about 3/8 inches thick. Cut with a floured donut cutter or use what i used a mason jar top. Place donuts on a cookie sheet and let donuts sit out to rise in a warm place until it double in size. It takes about 30 minutes to an hour.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in vanilla, milk and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Keep mixture on low until donuts are ready to be dipped.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan to 350 degrees. Place donuts into hot oil and fry until they are golden brown on each side. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel. Remove glaze from flame and dip donuts into glaze while still hot and set on a wire rack. I like to double dip my donuts in the vanilla glaze, yummy. Happy Donut Eating!!!

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Greek Yogurt Pancakes Topped with Orange-Honey Cranberry Sauce

2011-12-27T11:29:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 large egg (room temperature)

1 1/4 c. of greek yogurt (room temperature)

3 tbsp. melted butter
3/4 cup soft winter wheat flour or unbleached all purpose flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

Separate the yolk from the white. Whisk yolk and melted butter. Whisk in the yogurt and set aside. Mix the dry ingredients. In a mixer whip the egg white until stiff peaks are formed. If your egg is not whipping up you can add some cream of tartar.

Combine the egg yolk, butter and yogurt to the dry ingredients. Stir the ingredients until mixtures are incorporated. Fold in the whipped eggs and fold until everything is combined. Use a 1/4 measuring cup and pour pancake mixture into measuring cup and pour into a greased medium hot pan...make sure you spray the pan with olive before pouring the pancake if it is not nonstick.

Orange-Honey Cranberry Sauce:

1 bag of cranberries

1 cup water

1/2 cup honey or to taste (more can be added)

Juice from 1 navel orange

zest from 1 navel orange, grated

Juice from half a lemon

pinch sea salt

Mix cranberries with 1 cup of water in a small pot. Cover and simmer until berries starts to burst. Add the honey, orange juice, zest, salt and lemon juice. Cook until sauce thickens.

Fried Wontons with Honey Crisp Apple Filling

2011-10-27T13:36:00.000-07:00

These little snacks are so simple, crunchy and tasty!!

All you need is Won Ton Wrappers, Chopped Apples (honey crisp is the best), Lemon Juice, Pinch of Sea Salt, and Cinnamon. In a bowl combine chopped apples, lemon juice (half of a lemon), pinch sea salt and cinnamon. This is optional but I took about 1 tbsp. of butter and melted it over medium heat. Place the apple mixture in the pot with the butter and coated the apples with the melted butter on medium heat for about 3 minutes. Place 1 tbsp. of the filling in the center of the wonton skin and brush all the sides with water. Place another sheet on top and seal all the edges with your finger, make sure you get all the air pockets out. Heat up about one inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry the wontons until they are golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towel. You can dust with powder sugar or leave them plain.

Lentil Chili

2011-08-29T07:17:00.000-07:00

Lentil chili Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup of brown lentils
6 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 medium yellow onion
1 red bell pepper, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 -28 oz can whole tomatoes ( I crushed them with my Hands)
2 medium carrots, chopped
2/3 cup of tomato sauce
1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
1/4 chopped parsley
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 1/2 tablespoon cumin
1 1/2 tablespoon coriander
4 tablespoon chili powder
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt to taste

Saute onions in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until translucent. Add the chopped garlic and sauté the garlic for about 1 minute. Add the red bell pepper, and jalapeno pepper and cook until all peppers are tender. Add the carrots and sauté for a minute or two. Add the spices turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder and cayenne pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add lentils, tomatoes, broth, water and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and simmer, partially covered, cook until lentils are soft about 30 minutes. Uncover and season with salt and add the chopped parsley.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Almond Flour Flaxseed Pancakes

2011-08-22T06:57:00.000-07:00

1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup + 1/3 cup flaxseed meal (5/6 cups almost 1 cup)
3 eggs ( separate the egg whites and place in another bowl)
1/4 tsp. Baking soda
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tbsp. Honey
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 tsp. Vanilla
Sprinkle of cinnamon

In a large bowl Mix the almond flour, flaxseed meal, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a smaller bowl mix the yogurt, almond milk, honey, coconut oil, vanilla, and 3 egg yolks. Make sure all ingredients are room temperature before combining. I made the mistake and mixed all ingredients with the cold eggs and my coconut oil became lumpy. So I just sat my bowl of mixture on top of some warm water that was heating in a pot on the stove until it liquified.

For fluffy pancakes, the secret trick is to whipped the 3 egg whites ( the egg whites that were separated) until soft peaks are formed. At this time, mix the yogurt/egg mixture to the almond/flaxseed flour. Mix until well combined. If you feel like your mixture is a little to thick you can add moderate splashes of almond milk until your desired consistency is reached. The flaxseed will absorb quite a bit of liquid, but you don’t want to over do it with the splashes. Remember you have to fold in the whipped egg whites which will loosen it up some. My batter was thick enough so that they didn’t spread much in the pan, but thin enough to easily slide off the spoon. If you haven't done it yet fold in the egg whites until all is well combined.

Preheat a large frying pan on medium-low flame. Add one tablespoon or two of olive oil or coconut oil to pan. Drop 1/4 cup of batter to the pan and flatten batter slightly with the back of the spoon. Flip when the edges puff up and batter doesn't stick to the pan. Serve hot with favor syrup.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Penne with Roasted eggplant and cherry tomatoes

2011-06-24T09:08:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce: Inspired By Tyler Florence

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28-ounce) whole, peeled tomatoes, drained
Handful fresh basil leaves, torn
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Handful of Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Italian Seasoning
Honey, enough to sweeten the mixture
Cayenne Pepper
Salt & Pepper to Taste

I placed all ingredients in my blender and blenderized until ingredients reached a smooth consistency.

Pour in a pot and simmer for 30 minutes or longer. Adjusting the Taste

Roasted Eggplant & Cherry Tomatoes:

2 small eggplants, not peeled, cut in half lengthwise
Cherry Tomatoes
Sprinkle
Salt
Oregano
Garlic Powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Brush each with Extra-virgin olive oil

Roast eggplants skin side down and cheery tomatoes at 400 degrees until soft and golden. About 25 to 30 minutes. While the eggplants and tomatoes are roasting, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.

Add the drained penne and stir to coat with the sauce. Fold in the eggplants and the cherry tomatoes and sprinkle with cheese, I used feta cheese.

Blueberry Biscuit

2011-06-16T09:19:00.000-07:00

A Taste of Summer in Every Bite!!!

Ingredients:

3 cups white whole wheat flour

1 tsp. salt

4 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

5 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cubed

1 cup of yogurt

1 tablespoon of honey

1/2 cup of blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degree. In a large bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Do a couple of whisks and than add the cold cut up pieces of butter. Use your fingers and cut up the pieces of the butter into the flour until the entire mixture resembles a coarse cornmeal. With a large spoon, stir the yogurt, blueberries and honey into the dry mixture, just until all the ingredients are combined gently. With your hands press the dough together into a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times, until the dough is holding together. Roll the dough into a 3/4 inch thick rectangle and cut the biscuits out using a round glass or biscuit cutter. Place the biscuits onto a ungreased baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown. Serve Warm

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Going Raw for a Week….Ready, Set, Go!!!

2011-05-31T09:27:00.000-07:00

Last week I decided to go 90-100% raw for a week. Over the years, my diet included a lot of grains, canned foods, fast foods, frozen foods, and sweets. About 2 years ago, I had decided to change all that and became a vegetarian. Becoming a vegetarian was a huge lifestyle change for me because I loved those BK whoppers and pop in the microwave dinners. Trust me, it was very hard in the beginning, but once I noticed how good and healthy I was feeling I was excited to keep this vegetarian thing going. So now, I have decided to challenge myself once again with eating raw foods for a week. I try to incorporate raw foods in my diet any chance I can get – I wish it were more often, but sometimes I get a little frustrated because I don’t know what to make or how to prepare good tasting raw foods. So this week, I will be taking my Raw aspirations into an exciting reality!!

To start the morning, I will be eating this delicious raw cereal!!! This cereal is anti-oxidant rich because it has apples, dried cranberries, hemp seeds, flax seeds, walnuts, granola, and homemade almond milk. This cereal is going to nourish my body throughout the day and get my day started with a bang!! I added granny smith apples, which is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. They’re also a good source of fiber and vitamin C. Next, I added some dried cranberries (sweeten only with honey) they are also high in Vitamin C and can reduce the effect of free radicals. I added hemp seeds, which are an amazing source of protein. In one tablespoon you will get about 8g of protein, Amazing!! Next, I added some flax seeds and they are a great source of fiber, lignans and omega 3 fatty acids. I added some granola (just baked oats sweeten with a little honey), which gives you that cholesterol-lowering benefit. Threw a couple of chopped walnuts another source of omega 3 and other rich minerals. At last, homemade almond milk, which has number of vitamins and minerals, like manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, zinc, calcium and iron. WOW, almond milk!!!

So, I hope my journey will inspire you to start making raw foods apart of your lifestyle!!

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Saturday's Inspiration

2011-05-21T15:10:00.000-07:00

We all need time to sit and rest, a place to relax and take a nap.

Salmon Cakes

2011-05-06T06:44:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a good way to boost your intake of omega 3 try eating salmon patties. Its simple and easy to make and the best part is that it’s a good way to use convenient canned salmon.

All ingredients were not measured so I leave the spice judgment up to the individual cook, Happy Patty!!!

Ingredients: Make 6 patties

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

Panko bread crumbs about 1/3 cup
2 cans of Salmon
1 large egg
pinch cayenne pepper
chili powder
garlic powder
Thyme
parsley
onion tops
salt and pepper
Millet flour

Saute onions, garlic and jalapeno peppers in some olive oil. Once the onions are translucent you can set them aside and let them cool down. Remove the water from the canned salmon and place salmon in a bowl with the spices and bread crumbs. Taste mixture before adding the egg because you may need to readjust the flavors. Once the flavor is how you like it you can begin to add the egg and the onions and jalapeno peppers. Make patties and roll them in the millet flour or any flour you may choose to use. In a heavy pan over low medium heat pour 1/3 cup of canola oil in the pan. Add patties; Fry patties slowly on one side turning patties and frying until brown on the other side.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Whole Wheat Crepes

2011-04-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

WheneverI get a chance to cook breakfast for my family, I usually make crepes. It’s yummy to the tummyand a fun way to spark food creativity! As most people know, crepes are a very thin pancake and usually sweeterand can be rolled, folded into a mouthwatering treat. Pouring a thin liquid ofbatter onto a nonstick hot pan and spreading the batter evenly over the surface of thepan is how you make crepes. They can be eaten plain or stuffed with anyvariety of fillings. This morning I decided to fill my crepes with strawberriesand chocolate drizzle, Yum!

Ingredients: 8 servings

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tablespoon honey

3 large eggs

1 1/3 cup Almond milk

3 tablespoon melted unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

Blendall ingredients in a blender until smooth. Refrigerate for 1 hour, covered. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. I used my 8-inch black skillet. Coat the pan with canola oil.Transfer about 1/4 cup of the batter onto the pan and spool it around or spread it out using aspatula or spoon. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until the crepe begins to brown aroundthe edges. Flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes until crepe is no longerwet in the center. Here is a great video on how to make crepes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1DgmbMMOgA

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

ps: This recipe made it to Foodbuzz Today's Top 9 (April 22, 2011)
Thanks :)!!! http://www.foodbuzz.com/top9?number=1#s

Almond Crusted Mahi Mahi

2011-04-14T08:10:00.000-07:00

A very easy and creative way to eat Mahi Mahi fillets.

Ingredients: 2-3oz of Mahi Mahi fillets

1/4 cup, chopped Almonds

1/4 cup Panko

1 tsp. tarragon

2 tbsp. soft butter

Pinch of salt

Mix all the ingredients together. Rinse the Mahi Mahi fillets under cold running water and dry them off with paper towels. Season the fillets with salt and black pepper, not a lot of salt just a sprinkle. Coat Mahi fillet with the almond mixture on both sides. You can pan fry these or place them in the oven.

For Pan Fry:

Heat 2 tablespoon of canola oil in a medium hot pan. Add fish and fry for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Or-

For Oven:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place fish in a baking dish and cook for about 10 to 13 minutes on both sides until golden brown. Or you can run it under the broiler for a couple of seconds to toast the top.

Strawberry Shortcake with Lemon Almond Cream

2011-04-08T18:11:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Shortcake is where the heart is!!

I love strawberries and i love finding new ways to eat them. We are all familiar with the strawberry shortcake and it's various types. The classic combination is a sweet biscuit filled with sweet juicy strawberries and whipped cream. I must say that this is an elegant dessert at its best. So why did i change those classic ingredients...well, i have know clue why. I guess i like to experiment with my food. You all are probably asking; well, how did your experiment go...was it good or not? If my husband ate two and i ate three (hey...they were pretty small) i guess that means they turned out to be pretty tasty!!

Ingredients:

Biscuits

1 1/2 cup organic soft white wheat berries (milled) or all purpose flour

3/4 cup cake flour

3 tablespoon honey

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

6 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cubed, plus 1 1/2 tablespoon melted butter

1/2 cup almond cream

1/2 cup plain yogurt

Lemon Almond Cream

zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoon of butter

1 cup whipped almond cream

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 1/2 tablespoon honey

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Making the Biscuits: In a large bowl, whisk the flours with the baking powder and salt. Use a pastry blender and cut in the cold butter until it is the size of small peas. Mix the almond cream and the honey. Stir in the cream until a shaggy dough is formed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 2 or 3 minutes. Roll the dough out into a 7inch round about 3/4 inch thick and use a biscuit cutter or glass jar to cut out the biscuits. Place biscuit on a baking sheet and brush with melted butter and bake until biscuits are golden brown. 25 to 30 minutes.

Making the Lemon Almond Cream: Set a strainer over a medium bowl. In a small sauce pan, combine the lemon zest with the lemon juice, honey, egg, egg yolk, pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, strain the curd into the bowl and 1 tablespoon of butter. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate until cool. In a medium bowl whipped the almond cream. After curd has cool down, fold the lemon curd into the whipped almond cream and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Prepare the Strawberries and split the biscuits in half and arrange. Mound the lemon cream on the biscuits, top with the strawberries and replace the tops. Time to Serve!!

Homemade Almond Milk

2011-04-04T08:50:00.000-07:00

So what’s the big hype about almond milk? Well, almond milkis considered to have more nutrients than any other dairy milk alternative. Itcontains no cholesterol and low amount of sugars and sodium. It’s a good optionfor people who are lactose intolerant.

The taste of almond milk is different from cow’s milk andyou soon realize that once it hits those taste buds. The milk from the almondextract is nutty, creamy, and light. It can be flavored with vanilla extract, added strawberries or cocopowder. You can remove the pulpfrom the almond milk or you can leave it in. It just depends on the individual person and how they liketo drink their milk.

Another one of almond milk benefits is that it’s a goodsource of magnesium; selenium and Vitamin E. Almonds are rich in protein, whichhelps the body with growth and repair. So milking those almonds nuts are verybeneficial for the human body. You can easily extract the milk at home using ahigh power blender like the Vita-Mix. But if you don’t have a high powerblender you can still extract the milk;it may take a little longer to do, but hey you have nothing to lose. What Ilike about making my own almond milk is that I don’t use any preservatives andadditives. You will not get that benefit from a store-bought carton of almondmilk. It would only be right to say that consuming almond milk means consumingit 100 percent right.

Almond Milk Recipe

Yield: 5 cups

1 cup of raw organic almonds

4 cups cold distilled water

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

Pinch of salt (optional)

1.5 Tbsp. Honey

Removing the Pulp:

Bowl

Metal Strainer & Cheesecloth

Or nut milkbag

First thing,is soaking the almonds over night. Cover the almonds with water, and soak themfor at least 4 hours, or overnight. This softens them and makes them mucheasier to blend. Rinse almonds very well after the soak.

Afterthe almonds have been soaked and rinsed, I like to remove the skin from the almonds. I justrun cold water over the almonds and apply pressure to the nut using my fingers to slip the skins off . Youcan also blanch the almonds to remove the skin or buy whole blanched almonds.Depends on you!!

Placethe soaked almonds into your blender. Add 4 cups of cold distilled water if youhave a high power blender if not just add the water a little bit at a time for aweaker blender. Blend the almonds and water, after a few minutes you shouldhave a creamy milk. You can remove the pulp at this time or you can leave itin. Removing the pulp is easy; you need the metal strainer, bowl andcheesecloth or nut milk bag. Layer cheesecloth over metal strainer set over abowl. Pour the milk through the strainer into bowl. Once the milk has passedthrough the strainer, gather up the cheesecloth and gently squeeze the rest ofthe excess liquid. You will beleft with the almond meal or pulp inside the cheesecloth. Once milk has beenstrained place it back in the blender and add the vanilla and honey. Blend for 1 to2 minutes. Taste the milk and adjust taste.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Mock Cornbread

2011-03-19T06:56:00.000-07:00

Millet is a very delicate looking grain. It’s tiny in sizeand round in shape. If you every looked or bought bird seeds it’s usually one ofthe main ingredients. It’s those tiny little yellow seeds you may see. I likemillet because it is highly nutritious and easy to digest. It’s very high inthe minerals iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. Another thing is thatI am allergic to corn so using millet flour, as a mock cornbread is perfect forme. I must admit I miss all things with corn :( But if you haven’t triedmillet it’s mildly sweet with a nut-like flavor, very tasty i must say!! If you want toenhance the flavor a little bit just roast those tiny seeds in a dry pan beforecooking.

Now, this delicious mock cornbread was made from hulled, organicmillet. All I had to do was place it in my miller, change the setting to a fineflour and mill away. I was able toproduce this fine flour in minutes that retain all of it nutrients even thenatural oils in the grain are kept. WOW! To be honest the taste and texture wasquite a bit like cornbread after cooking the millet in the oven. I think I havefound my substitution when it comes to corn…Millet Baby…The taste is sodelicious!!

Ingredients:

3 cups Millet Flour
1 cup almond milk
1 cup plain yogurt
1 egg
1tbsp. honey
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp. olive oil, for skillet

Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees.

Mix millet flour, salt and baking powder. Combine the almond milk , yogurt, olive oil and honey in a large bowl. Pour the wet ingredients in the dry ingredients. Mix well. The dough will be as soft as cake batter. Pour the 2 tbsp. olive oil in a black skillet and grease that skillet up. Place the skillet in the oven to warm up about 5minutes. Transfer the batter into it. It will sizzle while you pour the batter mixture into the pot. Bake it until golden for about 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Shrimp Okra Gumbo with Quinoa

2011-03-14T12:22:00.000-07:00

One thing i love doing is cooking and eating healthy foods. In Louisiana,gumbo is a popular dish and you can have it so many ways. I guess that is why ilove this southern state because you have so many diverse foods that are sosimple to make. Growing up I would see my grandmother cooking gumbo all thetime when she was expecting out of town guest. I asked her a question "Grandmawhat makes Gumbo so special because i see you cook it all the time for yourguest?" And she replied, "Child gumbo warms the heart andsatisfies the soul. These people have been traveling for a long time and i knowtheir souls need some satisfaction. Just wait and you will see their faceswill light up like Christmas lights on a Christmas tree after eating grandma’sgumbo."

So, i would wait for hours for her company to come in just so I couldsee their faces light up. It’s so funny when I think about this because I wouldtry so hard not to stare at them while they were eating, but I just had to becauseit was the only way for me to see their faces light up like Christmas lights. And when they wouldarrive and they took their first sip of her amazing gumbo their faces wouldlight up with pleasure and they would say, "Good Lawd This Is Good; Youmust have thrown your kitchen towel in this, girl." Shaking their heads from side to side in disbelief that something so simple like this can taste so good, and licking their fingers as they dip them gently into the highly season gumbo juice to tear a piece of chicken meat from their chicken bones. While softly saying Mmmmm as they ate.

So, I guess grandma wasright after all…Gumbo does warm the heart and satisfies the soul because that wasthe first time I saw the magic of eating gumbo. If you are wondering what magicI am taking about it was the magic of producing a warm smile and a bright face.

So Happy Gumbo!!!!

Ingredients: Gumbo

2 pounds Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cup flour

4 cups smothered okra

2 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped bell pepper

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

1/4 cup garlic

1/2 cup parsley

13 cups water or shrimp stock

Cayenne pepper (you decide on how much)

1 tsp. black pepper

garlic powder (you decide on how much)

1 tbsp. chili powder

salt to taste

Preparing Smothered Okra:

Smothered Okra is a South Louisiana favorite and it can be eaten many ways but today it's the star of this shrimp okra gumbo.

1/3 cup olive oil

1 cup of fresh chopped seasoning (contains onions, bell peppers, onion tops, and parsley)

Garlic Powder (you decide on how much)

salt & black pepper (you decide on how much)

1 tbsp. italian Seasoning

1 tsp. honey

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 8oz can tomato sauce or tomato paste

2 capful of apple cider vinegar (suppress the slim)

3 cups water

Add the olive oil to a hot pot. Add the okra and the apple cider vinegar and sauté until sliminess begins to disappear. Add the chopped seasoning and cook until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes and continue to sauté for about an hour stirring every few minutes. Add remainder of ingredients and continue to cook for 30 minutes stirring frequently. Cover the pot. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally. If you need to add more water to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot please add. Cook until okra is tender and has broken up. We like our okra to be non- noticeable in the gumbo so i cook mine for a long time about hour and half until all the water has evaporated out.

Preparing Gumbo:

In a Dutch oven pot or cast iron pot, heat the oil over medium heat and than sprinkle the flour using a wire whisk or wooden spoon to mix. Constantly stirring until the flour reach a golden brown. Once roux is golden brown add the vegetables (onion, bell peppers, and garlic). Stir until vegetables are wilted. Next, Add the smothered okra to the mix and stir. Incorporating all the ingredients. Add the water, constantly stirring. Bring to a simmer and simmer gently for 45 minutes. Using a clean ladle, occasionally skim any impurities or foam that rises to the top of the gumbo. Season the shrimp. Add the shrimp, stir well, and cook until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley. Serve immediately with quinoa or rice.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Growing WheatGrass

2011-03-08T12:56:00.000-08:00

Oh, How much i love thee wheatgrass!!! So much that i blend it in my smoothies whenever i get a chance to. I just adore this little power house green food. It's packed with so many nutritional benefits like Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Vitamin A, E, & B. It also contains twelve amino acids and other vital minerals the body needs. By drinking wheatgrass juice it helps the body produce more red blood cells and yes we do need those little red blood cells to carry oxygen to the body. Today i had a handful of wheatgrass in my smoothie. Remember It's all about living and eating happy, healthy, and good!! So from my kitchen to yours, Cheers!!

Growing WheatGrass:

http://www.rawfoods-livingfoods.com/how-to-grow-wheatgrass.html

Here is a wonderful website that gives you some great information on the benefits of drinking Wheatgrass

http://www.soymilkquick.com/benefitofwheatgrassjuice.php

Don't forget to drink up!!!

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Zucchini Topped with Cashew Basil Pesto

2011-03-06T14:22:00.000-08:00

I try to incorporate more raw food dishes into my family diet when ever I can get a chance to. So this weekend I had this perfect dish to create. Zucchini pasta with a cashew basil pesto!! I used my Vita-Mix to blend everything together and used a potato peeler to make the zucchini pasta. So simple to make and such a delicious taste.

Ingredients:
1 cup Basil
2 Garlic Cloves
1/2 cup Cashews
2 Zucchini
1/2 cup Olive Oil ( Zoe Olive Oil)
Salt & Black Pepper to taste
Parmesan Cheese (optional) I did not use cheese

For the Pesto: Makes 1 cup
Place the basil, cashews, garlic, olive oil, salt & pepper into a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth but still having a little texture to it. Place remaining pesto in a glass jar and refrigerate or store in the freezer.

For the Zucchini Pasta
Wash the Zucchini under cold water and dry with a paper towel. Use a potato peeler to slice lengthways into long noodles. Place zucchini noodles into a bowl and add the pesto sauce and mix.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

(Vote HERE if you like this recipe - Thank you!)

Sunday’s Breakfast…Baked Eggs

2011-02-28T14:34:00.000-08:00

Cooked in a quick and spicy tomato sauce these eggs are simple and delicious!! You can easily overcook the eggs so as soon as the white part starts to firm up they are done. I like my yolk to be a little runny, but my husband like his to be firm. So, I leave his in a little longer. Chop some scallions or add some basil at the end and serve with bread. I like to pour some good olive oil on top and add a pinch of cayenne pepper to spice things up…Yum those eggs look good!!!!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon of olive oil

1 tablespoon of butter

4 cloves of garlic, chopped ( I love garlic so you can reduce it to two)

1 15oz can tomato sauce

1 Jalapeno Pepper, chopped & keep seeds

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 cup of water

Sun Dried Tomatoes (the amount depends on you)

5 eggs

3 tablespoon of honey

A dash of Italian seasoning (don’t know how many dashes i did so it’s on you!)

Pinch of Cinnamon

Pinch of Nutmeg

Salt & Black pepper to taste

Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Heat olive oil &butter in pan. Add onions and cook until translucent – about 6 minutes. I like to caramelize my onions it adds a little savoriness to the dish. Add garlic and jalapeno peppers. Cook until garlic becomes aromatic. Pour tomato sauce to the onions, garlic, and peppers. Add sun dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, italian seasoning, water and salt and black pepper. Turn heat to low and allow to cook for about 20 minutes.

Spread tomato mixture in the bottom of a baking pan or, do like I did. I used my black skillet i cooked the mixture in and just popped it in the oven. Crack eggs on top of tomato mixture. Place in oven and cook for 15minutes or longer for a firmer yolk about 25minutes.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Carrots & Garlic

2011-02-26T12:31:00.000-08:00

Roasting veggies brings out their hidden sweet, nutty flavors!!

Ingredients:

Brussels Sprouts

Carrots

Head of Garlic (peel away the outer layer but leave the skins on the individual cloves &keep intact)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Clean and wash vegetables. Season with Italian seasoning, salt, and crushed black pepper. Drizzle some olive oil on the veggies and place on a cookie sheet and roast for 10 to 25 minutes.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

ps: This recipe made it to Foodbuzz Today's Top 9 (February 28, 2011)
Thanks :)!!! http://www.foodbuzz.com/top9?date=2011-02-28&number=1#s

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone!!

2011-02-14T10:13:00.000-08:00

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Pizza Dough Garlic Rolls

2011-01-18T11:55:00.000-08:00

I have fresh leftover pizza dough and what shall i do with it, hmmmm?! Make garlic rolls!!

Ingredients: Pizza Dough

1 cup warm water

2 1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp active yeast

2 tbsp honey

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp salt

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Pecorino and Bean Salad

2011-01-07T09:08:00.000-08:00

This is a classic bean salad dish that I love to make. It is so easy to throw together and the flavors are outstanding. The aroma of the garlic and the rosemary sitting in the warm olive oil was just heaven. The pecorino I could not stop eating. Absolutely delicious!!!

Receipe by: Giada de Laurentils

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

2 cups (9 ounces) shelled edamame beans

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

5 ounces pecorino, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

Directions

In a small, nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, but not brown, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rosemary. Set aside.

Combine the edamame beans, cannellini beans, cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper in a serving bowl. Add the garlic mixture and toss well until all the ingredients are coated.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

My Christmas Cookies

2010-12-24T11:28:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas Everyone

A couple of my Christmas cookies I baked for my sweet family. I hope everyone enjoy their Christmas...remember Christmas is in the heart so enjoy your family and friends. And Thanks to all of my foodie friends for reading and commenting on my blog. I can't wait to see those delicious Christmas feast that you all will be sharing.

The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other~Burton Hillis

Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas From Friday Delights

Snowflake Buttons

2010-12-21T14:56:00.000-08:00

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Royal Icing Snowflake Buttons:

3 tablespoon Meringue Powder

4 cups sifted Confectioners' Sugar

6 tablespoon warm water

Beat all ingredients until icing forms peaks (7-10minutes at low speed with a stand still mixture, 10-12minutes at high speed with a hand-held mixer.)

Makes 3 cups.

Making Snowflake Buttons:

A sheet of White Paper

Parchment Paper

Cookie Sheet

Tape

Black Marker

Using the black marker draw out your tiny snowflake design on the white paper.

Tape the sheet of white paper to the cookie sheet and place the parchment paper on top

of white paper and tape it also to the cookie sheet.

Place icing in a pipping bag and begin to follow your design you have drawn as you pipe icing onto the parchment paper.

Allow snowflake buttons to dry 2-3hrs or overnight. Gently peel the parchment paper from the snowflakes...they are very delicate...so be patient.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

My Favorite Dessert

2010-12-19T15:26:00.000-08:00

Pecans, Strawberries, & Apples with a light drizzle of honey!!!

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Meatless Monday….A Favorite Winter Comfort Food

2010-11-15T14:02:00.000-08:00

Shepherd’s Pie is usually a one-dish casserole made with peas, carrots, ground meat and mashed potatoes. But this rich and creamy shepherd’s pie that I am about to introduce is made with lots of different beans. A rich and creamy pie topped with mashed potatoes and chopped cilantro sprinkle with gouda cheese. Yum, what’s not to love about that? The inside consist of slow cooked beans, peas and carrots in a creamy sauce. This makes a hearty dish!! Enjoy

Ingredients:

Bag of Cajun Beans (the bag had red beans, pinto beans, lima beans, black beans, chickpeas, green lentils, brown lentils)

1 can 15oz tomato sauce

1 onion chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

Bag of frozen peas and carrots, thawed

4 Russets Potatoes

1/2 cup Coconut Milk

2 tablespoon cilantro

Shredder Gouda cheese

Salt/Black Pepper

1/2 tablespoon of chili powder

1 stick Butter

Preheat Oven 375

Mashed Potatoes

Place potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Cook until potatoes are just softened. Potatoes are cooked, drain and peel them. Mash potatoes until smooth. Add coconut milk, butter, and cilantro. Season with salt and white pepper. Set aside.

Cooking Beans

In a pot, combine beans and water and cook until soft. Add more water if it seems dry when cooking. I used vegetable stock instead of water. Once beans are beginning to get soft, add tomato sauce, onions, jalapeno pepper, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper. Bring it to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 20 minutes longer or until beans are completely soft. Taste for seasoning. Spread the bean mixture into a baking dish and set aside.

Putting the Dish Together

Take the peas and carrots and spread over the bean mixture then spread the mashed potatoes on top. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until potatoes are golden. You can place the mixture under the broiler for about 1 minute to slightly brown it.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

(Vote HERE if you like this recipe - Thank you!)

Chickpea Soup with Kale & Potatoes

2010-11-12T06:28:00.000-08:00

Onlyif you could smell and taste this wonderful savory soup. But sinceyou can’t just imagine the combination of slightly nutty chickpeas, delicate potatoes,tangy kale with a salty kick of Parmesan cheese sitting in a warm creamyvegetable stock waiting to tickle your taste buds. Yum, that sounds good to me.Just looking at this soup makes me want to make it again. And I know you wantto try it. So stop drooling over your keyboard and make this soup already. Allyou need is one big pot, a can of chickpeas, small chunks of potatoes, kale andsome good vegetable broth.

Ingredients:
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
3 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 can of chickpeas
1 jalapeno pepper
2 medium red potatoes, diced in small cubes
2 small sweet potatoes, diced in small cubes
1 red pepper, deiced
1 small sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
6 cups vegetable broth
kale, chopped

pinch ginger

pinch cayenne pepper

Parmesan Cheese (optional)

First step is cooking the onions until they are translucent in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic, jalapeno and red peppers, cook until garlic starts to brown continuously stirring. Add the butter, the remaining olive oil, flour and spices. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the salt, bay leaf, kale and potatoes. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender. If it seems like the soup is becoming to dry add more broth or water as needed. Taste for seasoning. Parmesan Cheese On Top!!!

Fried Shrimp and Oysters Po-Boy Sandwich

2010-10-26T12:11:00.000-07:00

If you ever get a chance to visit Louisiana don’t forget to get the most favorite sandwich to eat. Yes, I am talking about the most famous po-boy sandwich. It almost always consists of meat, seafood usually fried, cheese, served on a submarine looking French bread. The traditional version is the shrimp and oyster po-boy. And let me tell you...I love it; that sandwich is so super good and I love making it at home!!! I always pile my sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, pickles, avocados, mayonnaise, ketchup and maybe a sprinkle of red onions. But today I am having my fried shrimp and oysters po-boy with grilled tomatoes, grilled red onions, shredder cheese, lettuce, and a homemade spicy tartar sauce. Good Lawd..that sandwich looks good, yummy.

Trust me this is a sandwich You Will Like!!!

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Serving Autumn

2010-10-18T08:04:00.000-07:00

Fall is here and the leaves are changing colors, jackets arebeginning to be pulled from the closets, football has started, children aregetting ready for Halloween candy and everyone is thinking about theirThanksgiving feast. To celebrate this wonderful season, I decided to plan aromantic autumn dinner for two. Mygoal was to come up with a luxury menu for the cooler weather by adding alittle southern twist to it. Idecorated the table with things that I had purchased from an auction. It’s amazingwhat you can find at those local auctions. The menu consists of many fall’scomfort foods that are grown to warm the body and soul. This menu starts with a delicious soupto a fall salad and ending with a fulfilling main course served with an apple-pearcider. Oh, and Let me not forget, Dessert!

The menu for Serving Autumn:

Soup

Spicy Sweet Potato Soup

2 sweet potatoes, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper

2 tablespoon of butter

2 cup homemade vegetable broth

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds on Top

Salt/Pepper to taste

Salad

Spinach

Roasted Pecans

Raspberries, fresh

Feta

Salad Dressing

Orange juice, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt & black pepper

Main Course

Baked Salmon in a ~~Cranberry~~ Raspberry Sauce…could not find any cranberries
Rosemary Quinoa

Vegetables

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Potatoes with a Parmesan Crust

Honey Glazed Carrots

Dessert

Warm Apple Pie…This pie was delicious

Beverage

Sparkling Apple-Pear Cider

The amazing thing about this menu is that it was so easy to put together even my hubby helped!!

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Meatless Mondays or Better Yet Meatless Fridays

2010-10-04T16:49:00.000-07:00

Tempeh Meatballs in a Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Found this great recipe from VeganDad. I changed the recipe a little. Hey, I gotta give it a little Friday Delights southern flair. The flavor was delicious and the texture was just right!!

Ingredients:

2 packs of Tempeh, defrost in warm water

1/2 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 onion, chopped in chunks

6 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1/2 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. rosemary

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

2 tsp. sage

2 tsp. thyme

2 tsp. oregano

4 tbs. soy sauce (Kikkoman Soy Sauce)

4 tbsp. of homemade sauce (like a BBQ sauce)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the tempeh up and place in a food processor with the other ingredients.

Process until the tempeh is broken up and everything comes together.

Place in a bowl and take one tablespoon of the tempeh mixture and roll them into little balls. Place in an oven proof pan...i like to use my black skillet...and bake until brown or leave in the oven for 20 minutes.

Place in spaghetti sauce

http://fridaydelights.blogspot.com/2009/12/meatless-spaghetti.html

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Apple Crumble Muffins

2010-09-27T13:25:00.000-07:00

Fall is almost here and all I can think about is warm and cozy foods. In Louisiana, as soon as you feel just a slight sign of a cool autumn breeze you start hearing people immediately talking about cooking their favorite stews, chili, warm biscuits and gravy, and especially their seafood gumbo. But in my kitchen, I immediately start thinking about warm and cozy fall desserts or snacks. A couple of days ago, I posted an apple raspberry crumble and to keep this fall dessert/snack thing going I am posting a warm apple crumble muffin sweeten with honey and topped with an apple pie glaze.

The best breakfast snack to have on a cool autumn day, especially in Louisiana!!

Ingredients:

1 cup KA Unbleached All Purpose Flour

1 cup KA Unbleached Whole Wheat Flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg, room temperature

1/3 cup Honey

3/4 cup Plain Yogurt

1/4 cup apple cider

1/4 cup melted butter

1 tbsp. cinnamon
2 peeled, cored, sliced apples

In a large bowl combine each flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl mix egg, honey, yogurt, apple cider and butter. Pour liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and mix well. Gently fold in the sliced apples.

Topping: A Soft Crumble…So Beware of Crumbly Pieces around the mouth ;)!!
1/4 cup of Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup pecans
4 tablespoon cold butter
Pinch Salt
6 tablespoon brown sugar (if you have a sweet tooth) I did not use

In a food processor blend all ingredients until it resembles a crumbly mixture. Spoon batter into the muffin tins. If you are not using any cupcake holders you may want to grease the muffin tins before spooning the batter. Sprinkle each muffin with the crumble topping.

Bake muffins in a preheated 375 degree oven until they are golden brown or 25 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and cool completely.

Topped with an apple pie glaze

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Apple Raspberry Crumble

2010-09-24T15:22:00.000-07:00

Something to soothe the soul for Fall.

Ingredients:

1 Granny Smith Apple

2 Golden Delicious

1/4 c Fresh Raspberries

In a low heated sauce pan, add 1 tablespoon of butter. Add apples and cook until they are tender but not mushy. Take out apples and pour into a baking dish. In the same sauce pan increase the heat to medium high and add 1/2 cup of apple cider, 1/3 cup of honey, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and a pinch of cinnamon. Reduce heat to simmer and add 1 teaspoon of arrowroot. Pour sauce into baking dish with the apples and raspberries and combine well. Sprinkle Crumble.

Soft Crumble Top

1/4 c Flour

1/4 c Pecans

1/4 c Oats

4 tablespoon Cold Butter

Pinch Salt

1/4 c Brown Sugar (if you have a sweet tooth) I did not use

Blend everything in a food processor. Sprinkle on top of the apples and raspberries.

Place in a 425 degree preheated oven and baked until juices began to bubble and the crumble turns golden brown.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Oven-Baked Country Fries

2010-09-20T07:26:00.000-07:00

Oven Baked Country Fries

From Taste of Home

My mom made these delicious french fries. They were coated with Parmesan Cheese, Italian seasoning, onion salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, and Panko bread crumbs. Baked in a 375 degree oven for 40 minutes until they became golden brown and crispy. Yum Mom!

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Feta Cheese Ravioli in Tomato Butter Sage Sauce

2010-09-08T14:28:00.000-07:00

Creatinghomemade ravioli from scratch may seem like a difficult task. But I have foundthis simple technique for making good ravioli without breaking a sweat and it’s it's....WontonWrappers…Ta-Dah!!! Yep, wonton wrappers that you get from your grocery storeare the way to go if you don’t want to spend hours rolling, kneading, stretchingand cutting out homemade pasta dough. I love ravioli when it’s made with freshpasta, but it just takes so long to make and I usually don’t have that muchtime. Using wonton wrappers or pasta sheets give me the ability to make ravioliat home in minutes. Yeah, I know I may be cheating a little, but I prefer totake the easy way out. Besides, all I have to do now is worry about thestuffing and the sauce.

Toprepare the stuffing was a piece of cake. Remember it’s Friday so I like tokeep things simple, healthy but good and tasty. So, I purchased some Italianvegetarian sausage and some feta cheese from my local grocery store. I openedthe sausage package and broke it apart in the pot. I cooked the sausage untilit got brown. Vegetarian sausages are already precooked so I was not trying tocook them just adding a little color. I mixed the sausage with the feta andcreated this crumble mixture to be place in the center of the wonton wrappers.See, I told you guys this is a piece of cake. Stuffing is done.

Now,it’s time to prepare the sauce that took no time to make. This sauce wassavory and effortless. The sauce was made from just a few ingredientslike ripe cherry tomatoes cooked down into hot nutty brown butter and garlic,with chopped fresh sage and a splash of cream making it a rich background forthis delicious ravioli to sit in. Mmmm, this sounds good. And it took meno time to make. Sauce is done.

Ingredients:

Wantonwrappers

FetaCheese

VegetarianItalian Sausage

Eggwash

Bringwater to a boil in a large pot of salted water.

Place1 tablespoon of mixture in the center of the wonton and brush the edges withegg wash. Place second wonton wrapper on top of the first and press the edgesdown to seal. Once water comes to a boil reduce heat. At gentle boil, placewonton ravioli one at a time. Don’t overcrowd pasta. Cook pasta until it becomes translucent or about3 minutes. Remove from water and place in sauce.

Sauce:To thin out the sauce add some of the pasta water from the ravioli

2pounds Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half

3tablespoons of butter

1tablespoon of olive oil

2cloves of garlic
2 tablespoon tomato paste

FreshChopped Sage, 7 leaves

4tablespoon of cream

Honey,to sweeten the sauce a little (removing some of the bitterness from thetomatoes)

SeaSalt and Black Pepper for taste
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper (optional)

Tip for Removing the Tomato skins: I like to remove the skins from my tomatoes before cookingthem. Boil water. Dip the cherry tomatoes in the boiling water for up to 60seconds or until skin splits. Then place them in cold water. Remove the skinsfrom the cherry tomatoes. Cut in half.

On medium high heat, Placeolive oil and butter in pan. Once butter starts to brown place tomatoes andgarlic in the pot. Cook the tomatoes down. Add the sage and salt and pepper.Taste, if it’s a little bitter you can add a little honey. Add cream and simmerfor 10 minutes. Serve over ravioli.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Simple Yogurt Waffles topped with Peach Lavender Jam

2010-09-07T08:40:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Makes 6

1 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

1/2 cup unbleached Flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

4 tbs. melted butter

2 eggs, separated

2 tbs. honey

1 cup of Plan Yogurt

1 cup of Milk ( I used almond milk)

Combine all dry ingredients flour, baking powder, and salt. Separate yolks from egg whites and beat egg yolks in another bowl. Whip egg whites until they reach soft peaks. Mix the melted butter, honey, yogurt, and milk with the egg yolks until smooth. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the liquid mixture. Combine all the ingredients until well incorporated. Fold in the whipped egg whites. Pour batter into waffle maker and cook until done.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Shrimp Stir-Fry with Super Easy Sauce

2010-09-04T11:47:00.000-07:00

I love stir-fry and I love that you can basically add anything to it. You can add veggies, shrimp, pork, beef, rice or whatever you may have in your refrigerator you may want to get rid of. And I love that it's a dish that you can cook in minutes, Love, Love, Love it, especially when I have had a long work day and I am looking for something quick to put on the dinner table. The sauce is super easy to make too. If you are like me making a quick sauce that's super good is all I need to complete my long day.

Ingredients:

Carrots, chopped

Broccoli Florets

Cabbage, chopped

Green Beans

Red Bell Peppers

Jalapeno Pepper with seeds

Scallions, chopped

Cashews

Ginger, Diced

Red Cabbage

Fresh Shrimp, deveined

1 tbs. butter

1 tbs. olive oil

Stir-Fry each chopped veggie separately. I like to stir-fry my cabbage with my garlic, butter, olive oil, jalapeno and its seeds and ginger together. It gives the cabbage great flavor. After veggies are stir-fried. Add the sauce and the cashews and mix well. Time to Serve.

Super Easy Sauce:

1/3 cup vegetable broth

2 1/2 tsp. soy sauce

2 1/2 tsp. of sesame oil

1 tbs. lime juice

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. honey

1 1/3 tsp. arrowroot

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

15 drops of dark sesame oil

I like to cook my shrimp with the sauce. So the shrimp can soak up some of that sauce.

When sauce begins to bubble, reduce heat to medium low and add the garlic and arrowroot. Adjust flavor if you have to. Sauce should have a salty, spicy, sour and sweet taste.

ps: This recipe made it to Foodbuzz Today's Top 9 (September 6, 2010)

Thanks :)!!! http://www.foodbuzz.com/top9?date=2010-09-06&number=4#s

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Ratatouille topped with Drop Biscuit

2010-08-26T08:43:00.000-07:00

Ratatouille is a traditional French Provencal stewed vegetable dish. It is usually served as a side dish, but sometimes it can become or be served as a meal. The key ingredients are tomatoes, garlic, onion, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, basil, thyme, marjoram, and carrots. When making ratatouille at home, I like to sauté my veggies separately from the tomatoes. I also like making a spicy tomato sauce to add under the veggies. It adds great flavor to the veggies by the way. In order to turn this wonderful side dish into a meal at home I like to add some drop biscuits on top. Yummelicious!!!

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, sliced

3 cloves garlic, diced

12 oz cherry tomatoes, cut in half

2 zucchini

2 summer squash

1 red bell pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon of rosemary, thyme, marjoram and fresh basil (you may substitute fresh herbs with dried herbs)

salt and pepper

Olive Oil

8 oz can tomato sauce

1/3 cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon arrowroot (any sauce thickener will work)

1 tablespoon Honey (or sugar)

Drop Biscuit:

1 cup unbleached white flour

1/4 cup honey

2 TSP. baking powder

1/4 TSP. baking soda

1/4 TSP. salt

1/3 Cup Plain Yogurt (or buttermilk)

4 TBS. Cold Butter

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

For the Drop Biscuit:

In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or knife or your fingers, cut in the cold butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the honey and the yogurt. Fold mixture until everything is well combined. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator until ready to use.

For the Ratatouille:

In a bowl, toss zucchini, squash, red bell pepper with 5 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper. Saute veggies on high heat in a black skillet or a skillet you can place in the oven. Try not to over cooked the veggies when you are sauteing them. You still want them slightly crunchy because they will soften up in the oven. After you have sauté the veggies, now is time to cook the onions. I like to cook my onions on medium high heat until they turn slightly brown, but still have a slight crunch to them. Make sure you add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and pinch of salt to the onions when you start cooking them. After the onions are done, you can pour it into the same bowl with the rest of the veggies.

Return pan to medium heat and add the tomato sauce, tomatoes, vegetable broth, garlic, cayenne pepper and herbs. Add honey or sugar to the tomato mixture. Taste to see if the bitterness from the tomato sauce is gone; if not then continue to add honey or sugar until it reaches your taste likeness. Simmer and add the arrowroot or desire thickener until tomatoes are cooked down and mixture is stew-like, about 10 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper.

Next, layer the vegetables on top of the tomato sauce. Divide the biscuit dough into six balls or you can use an ice-cream scoop and place each ball on top of the ratatouille mixture. Transfer skillet or pan to oven and cook until biscuits are golden brown, 18 to 25 minutes. Let cool before serving.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Blueberry Flaxseed Waffles with Blueberry & Raspberry Syrup

2010-08-24T08:10:00.000-07:00

These healthy hearty but light waffles are made with flaxseed meal and filled with blueberries. They are quite delicious and the blueberry and raspberry syrup adds the right amount of sweetness. I usually make these waffles when we start our Phase 1 Diet and you can check that out on know the cause if you are interested. However, these waffle are always calling my name no matter what diet I’m on or what time of the day it is. If you are like me I love making homemade waffles. I enjoy pouring the batter, spreading it evenly, closing the waffle maker and enjoying the aroma it sends through the house. I can’t resist these waffles and especially the berry topping, yum! It is definitely a Delight and something you must try!!!

Makes 4 waffles

Ingredients:

12 tablespoons of Flaxseed Meal

4 Eggs

4 tablespoon Melted Butter

4 tablespoon Olive Oil

2 tsp. Baking Powder ( i used cream a tartar and baking soda)

1/2 cup of fresh or frozen, thawed blueberries

Measurements for Baking Powder:

Baking powder (1 teaspoon) = 1/4 teaspoon baking soda + 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Melt the butter in the microwave or saucepan. Mix the Flaxseed meal and baking powder. Add the Eggs, room temperature melted butter and olive oil. Mix all the ingredients until its well combined. Let it sit for 10 minutes to thicken. Add the blueberries and mix well. Pour the batter into the waffle maker and follow your waffle maker directions. Serve Hot

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Links to Post:
Blueberry Flaxseed Waffles with Blueberry & Raspberry Syrup/Foodgawker

Roasted Tomato Soup with Poblanos, Oregano and Onions

2010-08-12T08:47:00.000-07:00

I love roasted tomatoes and especially roasted poblanos. When you combine the two it gives you this amazing flavor. The intensity of the roasted tomatoes brings this deep flavor of richness and freshness. And it also makes the kitchen smell so good. I just adore roasted tomatoes!!! The poblanos are so versatile that they drive me spicy crazy because you can mix poblano chiles with any thing and you come out with an amazing dish. When you roast poblanos and add them to sweet onions, mexican oregano and garlic…OMG you get this nice flavor of smokiness and a mild dose of heat. This summer soup is awesome and the flavor is kick ass. You gotta try it!!!!

The soup is usually made with Beef Broth but I used Vegetable Broth. You can also add Queso fresco cheese cut into 1/2 cubes.

Ingredients:

5 medium or large ripe tomatoes

6 medium poblano chiles

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large sweet onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano

6 cups Vegetable broth

Salt to taste

Preheat Broiler. Add the tomatoes on a baking sheet and roast the skins until blackened on each side. Allow the tomatoes to cool. Peel the tomatoes and discard the peels. You may want to do this over a bowl. Pull the core out and discard it. Place tomatoes and its juices in a food processor and process until you get a puree.

Roast chiles under the broiler until each side has blackened. Place chiles in a bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let stand for 5 minutes. Peel, pull out steam and seed pod. Then rinse the inside of the chiles if you need to get rid of the remaining seeds. Slice the chiles 1/4 inch wide strips.

In a dutch oven pot over medium heat, add olive oil, then add onions and cook. Continue to stir the onions until they are browned but still crunchy. Add garlic and oregano to the onions. Stir and add the roasted poblanos. Stir. Add the tomato puree and cook over medium high heat until it starts to thicken. Stir in the broth and lower the heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

You can check out http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2154 for the original recipe.

Links posted:

Roasted Tomato Soup with Poblanos, Oregano and Onions/Foodgawker.com

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Celebrating 100 Posts!!!

2010-08-09T12:46:00.000-07:00

I did not get a chance to celebrate making it to my 100th post a couple of days ago. So, I would like to thank all of my readers and foodie friends for reading all of my blog entries. I am greatly thankful for each person comments and questions that they have posted on a blog post that I have written. My blog is my heart and I am so happy that I am able to share it with everyone. So once again, thank you, thank you, thank you for participating in what makes me so happy. Time to Cook!!!!!

Friday Delights

Some of my Top Recipe Blog Hits:

Whole Wheat Linguine & Feta Sauce French Toast with Strawberry Topping

Strawberry Apple Crumble Lemon Basil Chicken Breast

Homemade Flour Tortilla Spicy Louisiana Jambalaya

Cumin Grilled Chicken Breast Homestyle Louisiana Seafood Gumbo

Stuffed Black Bean Poblano Peppers Zucchini, Potatoes & Rosemary w/ Parmesan

Blueberry Muffins Shrimp Boudin Balls

Stuffed Spinach & Gouda Cheese Jumbo Shells Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Sourdough Calzone…My 100th Post

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Tropical Smoothie

2010-08-06T08:14:00.000-07:00

With this Louisiana summer heat you need something cold and refreshing to cool you off. If you like smoothies then this tropical smoothie will do the trick. It’s loaded with antioxidants and vitamins so you are getting a healthy cool down drink. To make this delicious smoothie you would need…

Ingredients:

1 Mango, diced

1 can Pineapple Slices (I used half the can and half the juice)

2 Kiwifruit

Half of Banana

1/2 cup Coconut water

1/2 cup pineapple juice

Honey

Ice Cubes

Place ingredients in a blender and Puree until smooth.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!

Sourdough Calzone….My 100th Post

2010-08-02T14:36:00.000-07:00

Iwant pizza not any pizza but a gigantic stuffed pizza. On Friday, I decided tomake something that I love to eat and that’s a calzone using my sourdoughstarter for the pizza dough. If you don’t have any sourdoughstarter, you can use any decent store bought pizza dough. If you are new to making a starter, it's a flour and water mixture that contains wild yeastused to rise bread. I’m usually making sourdough bread so having starterin the fridge is a plus for me. So, my first step to making this calzone wasmaking the pizza dough. All I had to do is take out my extra starter andrefresh it a couple of days with flour and water. After the starter wasrevived, I was able to make the pizza dough. (this had to be done fourdays before so the dough could rise and be ready on Friday.) I have to confess the sourdough calzone was pretty good.Just writing about it makes me crave it….Mmmmm.

Ingredients:Sourdough Pizza Dough

Makes2 Calzone

11/2 cup starter

1cup warm filtered water

4cups KA Flour

2tsp. salt

1tbs. Barley malt

Preheatpizza stone on middle lower rack to 425 degrees.

Mixall ingredients together in a stand mixer bowl using the dough hook at low speed.Increase speed to medium and kneed for five minutes or until dough peels awayeasily from the sides of the mixing bowl. Depending how wet your starter is,you may need to add water while mixing or additional flour. You are looking fora smooth and workable dough. Kneed dough into a ball and place the dough in awell oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap and a clean towel. Place bowl in anon-draft dark room and wait for dough to double in size. I usually let itdouble overnight, 24hrs.

After the dough has double in size, punch it down. Place the dough on parchment paper and divide the dough in half. Kneed for 3 minutes and let each dough rest for 5 minutes. Spread each dough using your finger tips intoa circular disk. Cover each dough and allow it to rest and rise for 1 hour.

Divide all filling ingredients and place onto the bottom half of the dough. Fold over and pinch the ends together making sure the calzone is seal. Repeat same step for second calzone. Place on parchment paper and rub with olive oil or butter. Cut three slits in the top and Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until calzone is golden brown and you can see the cheese bubbling.

The Filling is whatever you desire…This calzone had Italian sausage, jalapeno peppers, roasted red, yellow, green bell peppers, black olives, roasted tomatoes, onions, basil, tomato sauce and gouda cheese, lots of it.

Make Fridays A Little More Special Than Normal!!