Ah, back to less healthy! Phew, that was close...

So, MD, yeah, we try to go every year to our family's (my wife's fam, but I've adopted) annual "crabapalooza" crab feast, but sadly will miss this year. So, in honor of our sadness, here's one from their neck of the woods.

MARYLAND CRAB CAKES:

INGREDIENTS:

1 large egg

2½ tablespoons mayonnaise (I like Hellman’s Real)

1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard (I like Maille brand)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ cup finely diced celery (you’ll need one stalk)

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

1 pound lump crab meat*

½ cup panko (I like the Whole Foods 365 brand for this recipe)

Canola oil

DIRECTIONS:

1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. Combine the egg, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, celery, and parsley in a large bowl and mix well. Add the crab meat (be sure to check the meat for any hard and sharp cartilage) and panko; gently fold mixture together until just combined, being careful not to shred the crab meat. Shape into 6 crab cakes (about ½ cup each) and place on prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

3. Preheat a large nonstick pan to medium heat and coat with canola oil. When oil is hot, place crab cakes in pan and cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side. Be careful as oil may splatter. Serve immediately with tartar sauce or a squeeze of lemon.

Quick Tartar Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise

1½ tablespoons sweet pickle relish

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon minced red onion

1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/GetHealthyFeelGreat/

Buon Appetito!

Summer time (summah in deference to my northern roots)

A friend sent this, and I believe she's secretly trying to invoke summer to arrive. I, however, have enjoyed the long, cool spring. It will be hot soon enough. This recipe veers a bit from the unhealthy recipes we usually try to stick to : ) Here you go!

Ingredients:

3 cups watermelon puree (seedless if possible)

1/2 cup fresh blueberries

1/2 cup chopped fresh strawberries

1 kiwi, peeled and sliced

1 peach or nectarine, diced small

handful fresh cherries, pitted and chopped

Cut the watermelon into chunks and then puree it in a blender until smooth. Set aside.

Set out about 1 dozen popsicle molds (amount needed will vary depending on size of molds). Fill each one with the chopped fresh fruit. Then pour in the watermelon puree until each mold is full to the top. Place a popsicle stick into each one. Place into your freezer and freeze for about 6 to 8 hours.

When ready to serve, run the popsicle molds under warm water for a few seconds and then pull each one out.

https://www.facebook.com/HJT77

Buon Appetito!

Ah, the simple pleasures...

COCONUT BARS

Coconut and chocolate have long been one of my favorite combinations. These layered bars make the most of those flavors with a rich chocolate shortbread crust and a sweet, gooey toasted coconut topping.

Coconut Bars
By Jennifer
Makes 16 2-inch bars

Ingredients:

For crust:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces

For topping:
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 & 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.

To make the crust, whisk together flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add butter, and mix with a pastry blender or fork until combined. Dough will be crumbly but should hold together when pinched.

Press dough into bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.

Place eggs in a large bowl and beat lightly. Add sugar and vanilla, and mix well. Mix in flour until combined. Stir in 1 cup coconut.

Pour topping over partially baked crust and spread evenly. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup coconut over filling.

Bake 30-35 minutes, or until topping has set and coconut is lightly toasted. Cool in pan before cutting into bars.

http://goboldwithbutter.com/?p=3132

Buon Appetito!

Another experiment...

So, I'm always trying to think of ways to expand my repertoire as far as new recipes go. To date, I've made probably at least a dozen types of liqueurs and today I added another notch to the ol' proverbial gun. I have long since been a fan of hazelnut in any way, shape, or form. I researched quite a bit about hazelnut extract and it appears to be difficult to find a decent pure extract for a decent price. I did, however, find quite a few recipes to make my own. So, after perusing a bunch of them, I decided to do 1 cup of roasted, chopped hazelnuts, to 1 cup of vodka and let it "steep" for at least 4 weeks. I can't tell you how it turned out since that was less than a week ago. I will update, though, later on. I ended up buying some extract, the best one for the price I could find. It turned out to be pretty good, and quite concentrated, which helps. I needed some for my 2-layer hazelnut/Frangellico/Nutella cheesecake anyway. So, today I made a hazelnut liqueur. I think it turned out good, but I always get several  opinions before I call it "done". As with the anisette, I used extract this time, as opposed to the "cellos" that I make with various zests.

1.75 L vodka (I used a better quality 80-proof instead of my usual 100-proof mediocre vodka this time)
3 C filtered water (I was using tap, but was advised to use filtered, and it does make a difference)
2 C sugar
1/4 C pure hazelnut extract

As before, I heated the water/sugar mix until the sugar was dissolved, then added the hazelnut extract and took off the heat. Let cool. Add to vodka. The longer it sits, the better it seems to get, too.

Here it is, looks and tastes pretty good. 

Buon Appetito!

Post Derby experiments...

As I said in the previous post, we were fortunate enough to get to try an awesome appetizer at the Kentucky Derby party we helped cater this last Saturday. One of our new friends made homemade ricotta cheese while we were puttering around prepping for pizza time. It was great, and seemed quick and easy, and I stole the recipe, no, not really, Bob was very willing to share. So, yesterday (Sunday) afternoon we decided to make it ourselves. I love to try new things and experiment. I had a little leftover dough so I rolled it into 6 mini loaves, let it rise and threw it on the stone to bake. In the meantime, we started the ricotta. Here's the recipe:

1 gal whole milk
8 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 t salt
and the zest of said lemons...(we used 6 lemons, but could have done it with 3-4, better to have more than enough, though)

Heat the milk (add salt) on medium, stirring occasionally until it reaches 185°, add the lemon juice, take off the heat and let sit for 5 min or until curds form. Strain through a sieve lined with cheesecloth (or a thin cotton towel). If desired, strain over a large bowl and save the whey. We tasted it and it was pretty good actually, so we saved it. I have yet to use it, but my buddy Bob told me that his dad used to save it to cook the pasta in (which I plan on doing tonight). So, the longer you drain it, the thicker it will get. Keep an eye on it, 5 min is very soft, and 10 is a little better. We actually left it for 15-20 min, and while it was awesome, I think I would strain it 10 min next time. We cut the fresh bread, put some ricotta on it, a little salt and olive oil, then topped it off with some lemon zest. Very nice and refreshing.

The "pre-cheese" milk

Lemon zest

Fresh lemon, fresh bread, fresh cheese...kitchen smells great. *Notice the 11 halves, yup, that's our math for you...

Curds

Curds after straining

Leftover whey

Finito il pane!

Formaggio finito!

Finished product, seconds before being devoured...

Buon Appetito!

Kentucky Derby Party

"Gentleman, start your horses..." Or something like that. So, I was asked to cater the homemade pizza for an anual Kentucky Derby party that friends of ours host. It was the maiden voyage for my dear pizza stone, as she has always been comfortably ensconced in my own oven. Whenever you are out of your element it's a bit tricky and you feel a little lost. I wasn't sure how it would all work, but it seemed to come together nicely. We don't know much about the whole racing scene, but it was enjoyable, and as always, made better with great friends, and great food and drink (Kentucky bourbon, even). I won't bore you with the pizza details since I wrote about a previous party not long ago. Suffice it to say, it turned out great. There were plenty of other awesome things to eat as well, companatta, quinoa chips with salsa, a great salad, olives, just to name a few. It was all topped off with a delicious fruit pizza made by our host, very nice indeed. One of the appetizers/sides that we loved was the fresh ricotta on crostini drizzled with olive oil and garnished with lemon zest. It was awesome. One of our new friends we met that day made the ricotta while we were prepping for the pizza. Since we loved it so much, we went ahead and made it at home the next day (later post). All in all a great day, though the horses we had drawn did not win. Here are some pics:

Helping Bob drain the fresh ricotta

again...

Forced to wear our matching "Legalize Marinara" shirts

Pizza (obviously)

Bob assembling fresh ricotta crostini 

and done...

pizza toppings

Kentucky bourbon (yea!)

discussing recipes

Jack doing what Jack does best...eat and act cheesy... 

our "non-winning" horses

Awesome fruit pizza

Buon Appetito!

*Disclaimer/Apologetics!

Just a quick note, from time to time people send me things that look good so I share them. Whenever I find something I enjoy, I like to share, whether it be food, drink, a new restaurant, a movie, etc...I have tried to give credit where it was due, but, alas, I am new at this. I received a note that I had not posted something correctly (with the proper credit) and for that I apologize. I have hopefully fixed it and will do better in the future. Thanks

For my gluten-free friends...

This recipe looked good either way, but especially for the gluten-free crowd.

Brownie Layer Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 cup Coconut Sugar
• 3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil, Melted
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• Pinch of Salt

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together. Add eggs one at a time until combined. Then Add the melted coconut oil and vanilla extract. Mix well and pour into a greased 8×8 inch pan. Bake brownies for 15-20 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the middle of the brownies comes out clean.

Cheesecake Layer Ingredients

• 8 Ounces Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
• 1/3 Cup Cream
• 1/3 Cup Sour Cream
• 1/3 Cup Plus 2 Tablespoons Coconut Sugar
• 1/2 Tablespoon Vanilla
• 2 Eggs, Room Temperature  

Beat all the ingredients together until smooth. It is important that the cream cheese is room temp or it will chunk up. You can use a stick blender to smooth out the mixture if your cream cheese isn’t soft enough. Pour cheesecake mix over baked and slightly cooked brownie layer. Return to the oven and bake 25-30 minutes, or until the cheesecake layer is lightly brown. Allow to cool for several hours before serving. Cut into squares and serve.

Buon Appetito!

http://thecoconutmama.com/2013/04/brownie-cheesecake-bars-grain-free/

From a friend...

Here's a fairly simple recipe from a friend. Why not make these at home? You'll save money and they taste much better!

Ingredients

3/4 lb Good quality dark or milk chocolate
1 Cup of Smooth or Chunky Peanut Butter (I used smooth)
1 Cup of Powdered Sugar
1/3 Cup of Graham Crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
Peanut butter cup mold about $1.50 each (available at craft stores) or muffin papers

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EDS06E/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000EDS06E&linkCode=as2&tag=spewitpen-20

Directions:

Chocolate
Melt chocolate at 50% power in the microwave stirring every 30 seconds. The chocolate does not have to be completely melted, as it sits little pieces will melt in. Be extra careful not to overheat the chocolate or it will seize.
Place about a teaspoon of chocolate in each well or muffin cup and with the back of a spoon, “pull” the chocolate up the sides ensuring the bottom and sides are completely covered.
Place in the freezer for about 30 seconds to stiffen up the chocolate and you can “re-pull” more or fill in any gaps.
Place back into the fridge
Filling
Mix together peanut butter, powdered sugar, salt and graham crumbs in a bowl
Microwave about 90 seconds to soften the mixture and allow it to be poured.
Place 1 tablespoon of the peanut butter mixture into the cup and gently tap or shake to smooth it.
Place in the freezer for about 5 minutes
Top: 
Spoon enough chocolate on top of the peanut butter to cover it and shake or tap the mold/cup to smooth the top
Refrigerate until cold

Originally from http://www.spendwithpennies.com/reeses-peanut-butter-cups-recipe/

Buon Appetito!

Chicken Tikka Masala

I heard from a  few people that this was awesome, I have yet to try it, but I'll go ahead and post it anyway.

Ingredients

• 6 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 4 teaspoons finely grated peeled ginger
• 4 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons garam masala (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garam_masala)
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 cups whole-milk yogurt (not Greek)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise
• 3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) or vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 6 cardamom pods, crushed
• 2 dried chiles de árbol or 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus sprigs for garnish
• Steamed basmati rice (for serving)

Preparation

• Combine garlic, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, coriander, and cumin in a small bowl. Whisk yogurt, salt, and half of spice mixture in a medium bowl; add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and chill 4-6 hours. Cover and chill remaining spice mixture.
• Heat ghee in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, tomato paste, cardamom, and chiles and cook, stirring often, until tomato paste has darkened and onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add remaining half of spice mixture and cook, stirring often, until bottom of pot begins to brown, about 4 minutes.
• Add tomatoes with juices, crushing them with your hands as you add them. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often and scraping up browned bits from bottom of pot, until sauce thickens, 8-10 minutes.
• Add cream and chopped cilantro. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, 30-40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside sheet. Arrange chicken on rack in a single layer. Broil until chicken starts to blacken in spots (it will not be cooked through), about 10 minutes.
• Cut chicken into bite-size pieces, add to sauce, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, 8-10 minutes. Serve with rice and cilantro sprigs. DO AHEAD: Chicken can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill. Reheat before serving.

I believe it was originally from BON APPÉTIT...

Buon Appetito!

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2013/04/chicken-tikka-masala

My Tiramisu

As promised, here's my tiramisu recipe. It's pretty easy and homemade is just as good or better than any I've ordered. In this pic I a sprinkled some orange zest over it, which I don't normally do, however, it paired with chocolate really well. Just as a heads-up, I use BelGioioso mascarpone, 16 oz (which, for the record, costs less at Chef Smart than the typical 8 oz container does at the grocery store). Actually, for that matter I get the mascarpone and lady fingers at Chef Smart (for the locals). I also use the leftover coffee from the morning mixed with a little rum to dip the lady fingers in and I do not toast them, although it's a good idea. I usually grate some dark or semi -sweet chocolate over the top as well as a light dusting of cocoa powder. Have fun with it, but here's a basic recipe to get started.

Famous Tiramisú Dessert

3 large eggs (*or pasteurized egg substitute)

1 cup espresso or strong coffee

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. cognac or brandy

8 oz. BelGioioso Mascarpone

2 Tbsp. cocoa

10 ladyfingers, toasted

Step 1: Combine 3 egg yolks, 1 Tbsp. espresso, sugar and cognac in large mixing bowl. Beat 2-3 minutes. Add Mascarpone and beat 3-5 minutes until smooth.

Step 2: In another bowl, combine 3 egg whites and a pinch of sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into Mascarpone mixture. (*If using egg substitute, skip Step 2 and beat until fluffy.)

Step 3: Dip one side of each ladyfinger into remaining espresso and layer on bottom of small serving dish.  Spread Mascarpone mixture and sprinkle with cocoa. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.  Serves 6.

Buon Appetito!

More awesomeness!

Here's another. I will be posting my tiramisu recipe in the near future (which this mascarpone recipe reminded me to do). As we know, anything with mascarpone has got to be good!

Mascarpone Brownies
By Kirstin
Makes 28-32 brownies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick), plus 1 tablespoon salted butter
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
5 ounces Mascarpone, room temperature
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
3 whole eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.

Melt 1/2 cup butter and chocolate together in a medium sized bowl over a double broiler or bain-marie. Once melted, remove the bowl from heat and whisk in the Mascarpone, then sugar, salt and vanilla. Next, whisk in the egg yolks. Then, whisk the whole eggs in one at a time. After the mixture is well blended, add the flour to the chocolate mix with a rubber spatula, stirring only until incorporated.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean, and the brownie top is shiny and slightly crinkly. Let cool to room temperature.

Buon Appetito!

http://goboldwithbutter.com/?p=3311

Awesomeness...

When I saw these, I had to post. We used to make a lemon bar that was similar (only with lemon instead of caramel, of course). I like recipes that are not too complicated. So, here's one.

Caramel Cheesecake Bars
By Annie
Makes 16 bars

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon sugar

½ cup toffee bits

For the filling:

12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup prepared caramel sauce

For topping:

Additional caramel sauce, for drizzling

½ cup toffee bits

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar. Toss with a fork until evenly mixed. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the toffee bits in an even layer over the graham cracker mixture. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, but maintain the oven temperature.

To make the filling, in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and sour cream. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and well combined, 1-2 minutes. Beat in the sugar. Blend in the egg, vanilla and salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Blend in the caramel sauce. Pour the mixture over the crust in an even layer.

Return the pan to the oven and bake just until set, about 30-35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire cooling rack and let cool to room temperature. Cover with foil and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Drizzle additional caramel sauce over the cheesecake and sprinkle with additional toffee bits. Slice into squares with a large kitchen knife. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Buon Appetito!

http://goboldwithbutter.com/?p=3322

Must...Post...BACON!!!

Borrowed this from my bacon buddies at Yummly...

Chipotle Bacon Deviled Eggs

12 eggs, hard-cooked
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt, to taste (optional)
6 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and chopped
smoked paprika for garnish

Cut eggs in half.  Arrange egg whites cut side up on a serving plate and put the yolks in a small mixing bowl.  Mash yolks with a fork then stir in mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, chipotle chile, and garlic powder.  Mash and stir all ingredients together well.  Stir in chopped bacon, reserving some pieces to garnish the top of the eggs if desired. Taste and add salt if necessary. I found that these were salty enough with the bacon added, but it depends on your taste.  Spoon some of the filling into each egg white half, dividing the mixture as evenly as possible between the eggs.  Sprinkle eggs with smoked paprika and garnish with bacon pieces.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 24 deviled eggs.

Buon Appetito!

http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Chipotle-bacon-deviled-eggs-345649?columns=5&position=1/1

Beef...it's what's for dinner...

Misnomer alert!!! Actually it was chicken soup made with homemade beef broth...close enough. It turned out great, though. The original plan was to make chicken soup with chicken broth (stands to reason), however, I had a leftover beef bone from a roast we had for dinner the other night and I was boiling it at the same time. So, given my affinity towards efficiency (no laughing those that know me), I decided to kill 2 birds (fitting cliche) with 1 stone. Hence, chicken beef broth soup. I had made a roux and added it to the beef broth along with the grilled chicken, carrots, celery, orzo, and cannellini beans. I seasoned with rosemary, thyme, cumin, dried cilantro, garlic, black pepper, and salt. Very nice, hearty, soothing, etc. I realize that a post about what we had for dinner may seem boring at first, but I can promise you...it is...kidding, it gets better. I'm actually posting a simple rustic bread recipe I baked on my baking/pizza stone. Pics to prove it will be provided...


Simple Crusty Bread

Time: About 45 minutes plus about 3 hours’ resting and rising

1 1/2 tablespoons yeast

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

6 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, more for dusting dough

Cornmeal.

1. In a large bowl or plastic container, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees). Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches. Dough will be quite loose. Cover, but not with an airtight lid. Let dough rise at room temperature 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).

2. Bake at this point or refrigerate, covered, for as long as two weeks. When ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on dough and cut off a grapefruit-size piece with serrated knife. Turn dough in hands to lightly stretch surface, creating a rounded top and a lumpy bottom. Put dough on pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal; let rest 40 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate it.

3. Place broiler pan on bottom of oven. Place baking stone on middle rack and turn oven to 450 degrees; heat stone at that temperature for 20 minutes.

4. Dust dough with flour, slash top with serrated or very sharp knife three times. Slide onto stone. Pour one cup hot water into broiler pan and shut oven quickly to trap steam. Bake until well browned, about 30 minutes. Cool completely.

As a side note, I did use the convection setting at 450°...

All that for a simple bread recipe! Well worth it! This bread is very easy, 4 ingredients, gotta love it. I'll attach a link to the pizza stone below. It's the best one I've had. It works great for the bread, pizzas, etc, and it just stays in the oven. I tried to skimp and go to an outdoor stone place and have them cut one for me, which worked for a time, but eventually cracked. I think if I had seasoned it, like the instructions for my current one said to do, maybe it would have lasted longer. Anyway, I highly recommend the one I now have. Here you go: http://bakingstone.com/home.php

Buon Appetito!