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And I Am Off…
By the time you read this tomorrow morning, I will be relaxing on a plane with a friend heading to Ft. Lauderdale, FL. I am super excited since we have been planning this trip for a while and finally all three of us were able to agree on a weekend. By all three I mean- myself and two of my college friends. Two of them are turning forty this year and all of us thought it was a great occasion to go away- just by ourselves without the kids or the husbands. The last time I went away, alone was over four years ago when I flew to Paris for the long weekend. A friend was working there for a couple of years and I went to visit her. It was fabulous and very memorable- especially the food. I remember going down to an open market with her early in the morning and purchasing some snails, which we devoured right after we enjoyed a coffee with a fresh croissant.
Speaking of the food- that is what I am looking forward to the most this weekend. I can’t wait to try some delicious Cuban and any other ethnic cuisine that will be come my way. The funny thing is, my husband tries to convince me not every trip can be or should be a culinary experience – but I disagree- and why not??? I don’t need to go to a fancy restaurant to enjoy the food- I just want to eat great, delicious food cooked by someone who loves to feed people. It is amazing how good the food is when it is made with love and care.
Besides the food, I am looking forward to the spa treatments we have planned. I can’t wait to relax and enjoy my friends and eat great food- okay there it is again- the food. I can’t help myself- no great occasion is complete without delicious food and drinks.
I hope you get the opportunity to get together with some family or friends to enjoy great food and conversation this weekend.
Mango Raspberry Crumble- A Memorial Day Dessert Recipe
This is a dessert I recently made and think will be perfect for the upcoming long weekend. Next week I will be posting recipes for a burger and some side dishes including a fabulous drink- so stay tuned.
I love to make fruit crumble in the summer with all the gorgeous fruit in season. In this case I had tons of mangoes in my fridge. My daughter loves, loves mangoes and has at least 2 to 3 everyday.
We were going for a barbecue to a friend’s house and I offered to make the dessert. As I mentioned I had lots of mangoes- so that was a natural choice. I also had fresh raspberries and decided to pair them with the mangoes. I added some raspberry liquor which gave the fruit mixture a delicious flavor- yum!
As far as the crumble was concerned, I decided to doctor it up a bit. I had the usual suspects including oats, brown sugar and walnuts- I also added some sweetened, shredded coconut, ground ginger and nutmeg. Since I was using mangoes, I thought of coconut- a tropical theme.
I brought some vanilla ice cream along and the dessert was a big hit. Everyone enjoyed it. I thought the coconut was a great addition and I especially loved the raspberry liquor with the fresh fruit. Overall it was a huge success.
If you are having a big Memorial Day get together- definitely make this dessert- everyone will love it- guaranteed!
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Migas Tacos- An Austin, TX Favorite..
I made these tacos for the New York Times, Local a few weeks ago. It was right after my daughter and I returned from our trip to Austin. We go there almost every year to visit family and really enjoy the Mexican food- it tastes a lot more authentic and it is available almost everywhere.
One of the things I really enjoyed was something called migas tacos. Eggs were cooked with onions, jalapenos, tomatoes and topped with cheese. The one ingredient that makes these tacos different are the tortillas chips- yes thats right- crunchy tortillas strips are added to the eggs while cooking. The chips provided a great texture and flavor to the eggs. The cooked eggs are placed on a tortilla and topped with cheese- what could be better than that? Well, how about a roasted poblano and avocado crema…
I made this yummy, creamy sauce to complement the tacos. It was delicious on top of warm, savory tacos.
Overall, the meal was a big success. I made some vegetarian refried beans and roasted potatoes on the side. I made them for dinner and everyone loved them- including my daughter. For her, I skipped the jalapenos and tomatoes. She had some of the beans but doesn’t like potatoes.
Try these tacos for a brunch or dinner – you will love them.
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Gadgets That Make Me Happy- My Favorite Messermeister Peeler
It’s amazing how little things make me happy-especially things in the kitchen. I try to keep up with all the new, small gadgets- but there are so many out there and it is impossible to keep track. I do enjoy using the right gadget while cooking- it is amazing how much time I save doing so.
My Mom loves collecting small gadgets for her kitchen as well- I guess that is where I get the habit from. I always find myself in the small gadget area at Bed Bath & Beyond, Crate and Barrel and William Sonoma. I love looking at all the colorful, cute gadgets.
The one I have chosen to talk about today is the peeler (Messermeister). We forget how important a good peeler is. I use it on a daily basis. I peel potatoes, mangoes, cucumbers, etc. I even use it to make chocolate curls. I bought this particular one last year once my previous one was on its way out. It is available on Amazon as well as at kitchen a la mode (for those who live in the Maplewood/South Orange area). After I buying it, I brought it home to test it out and realized how fantastic this peeler was. It is a cinch to use and does not involve much effort- it swivels!!
I especially found out how good the peeler is when my sister in law came to visit and used it in my kitchen. She had stopped using one since she didn’t like how hers worked. After using mine, she promptly ordered one for her online.
This past Sunday on Mother’s Day, as I prepared dinner, I asked my husband to peel the potatoes. He proceeded to use the peeler and announced how easy it was to use. That is when I decided to write about it and tell all of you.
So, go get yours- you won’t regret it. While you are at it- tell us what you love using in your kitchen and can’t do without…
Mexican Chili Enchiladas-Great way to use leftovers…
I loved making these enchiladas- what a great way to use up my leftovers. I feel like a champion when I come up with a completely different preparation to use up stuff in the fridge.
I had the Mexican pork chili in the fridge and wasn’t in the mood to cook a whole new meal. I always have all kinds of tortillas and cheeses in the fridge. So, I immediately thought of enchiladas. I had enough to make 3 to 4 enchiladas which was perfect for my husband and I. A big salad with the enchiladas was perfect for a healthy, delicious dinner.
I separated the meat from the sauce and then shredded the pork with my fingers. I then placed the sauce in a flat platter so I can dip the tortillas in there to make them soft and pliable. I stuffed the tortillas, placed them in a shallow platter and then topped the whole thing with a mixture of Mexican cheeses- how easy was that!
This method can be used for any kind of leftover. Even if your leftover has no sauce, you can use a jar of your favorite salsa or tomato sauce and bake your enchiladas to perfection.
Dinner was delicious and didn’t look like old, boring leftovers…
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Hazelnut and Dark Chocolate Gelato
This is my version of hazelnut chocolate gelato. It is a bit different than what you find in the stores or the recipes you see on line. First of all, I used my usual gelato recipe- which is made out of whole milk and corn starch. So, that means no fat from eggs and cream. Secondly, instead of steeping the nuts in the milk and then straining them out, I decided to include them in the mix. Doing that provides a great crunch and texture- although straining the nuts out makes this treat more kid friendly. My daughter liked it but she didn’t care for all the nuts in her mouth. I, on the other hand, thought it was delicious. The hazelnut flavor is richer and more enhanced. Especially once I added some hazelnut liquor- it makes it extra scrumptious.
To make the gelato more interesting, I added grated dark chocolate which changes the color as well as the taste. Milk chocolate can be added as well, but I prefer the dark one- plus it is healthier for you.
Overall it was a great, healthy treat we all enjoyed after a dinner get together. I think I will try another one soon – maybe a ginger gelato- yum!!!
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Rogan Josh (Kashmiri Goat Curry)
I grew up eating this delicious goat dish. It is one of the more popular Kashmiri dishes served in Indian restaurants all over.
I have this memory of a cousin cooking this dish and I remember it taking a long time. Since then I have thought this goat preparation to be extremely difficult and time consuming.
Well, it isn’t really true- at least the version I made- sure, it has a few more steps than what I normally post but the end result is totally worth it.
The meat is marinated in yogurt and a few very aromatic spices including cloves, cumin, fennel and asafoetida. The combination of these spices remind me of a Kashmiri restaurant- they all smell delicious…
The meat is then cooked in chicken broth and ginger powder. There are no onions, garlic or tomatoes in this dish but the spices used lend a delicious aroma and taste to this stew like preparation.
Rogan josh tastes delicious simply with some naan or homemade rotis. I can’t get enough of this delicious dish. Everyone loved it including my daughter. The only problem was- there were no leftovers- we ate up the whole thing in one sitting….
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