Waldorf Salad with Grilled Chicken

The Waldorf Salad was originally created between 1893 and 1896 at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City, which is presently known as the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. I've always loved the combination of the salty crunchy nuts and the sweet tartness of the apple. This recipe takes the salad one step further with the addition of the grilled chicken. I simply season my chicken with Mrs. Dash's lemon pepper and put it on my Forman Grill. Then I assemble my salad and place the warm chicken on top and I have a great no frills lunch with oodles of flavor in just minutes.

Ingredients:

                                                                    

1 medium apple, chopped into medium size chunks

1 stalk of celery, chopped

Walnut pieces

Raisins

1/4 c. mayonnaise

1/2 T lemon juice

1 T honey

A dash of nutmeg

1/2 of a chicken breast

Mixed salad greens

Method:

Mix together the mayonnaise, honey, and lemon juice and set in the refrigerator. While the dressing is chilling, grill your chicken and toss together the apple, celery, walnuts, and raisins. When chicken is done, add the dressing to the apple (or Waldorf) mixture along with the nutmeg and toss.

Divide salad greens on to two plates and then top each plate with half of the Waldorf mixture. Top with warm sliced chicken breast and serve.

Makes two salads 

Shrimp and Asparagus in a Champagne Risotto

This recipe I have had for quite a number of years. It is a nice Spring dish that is actually rather easy to execute, just don't forget to choose the small pencil thin asparagus for this recipe. Pair the risotto with a Chardonnay and Gorgonzola salad to round out your meal.

Ingredients:

3 T butter

1 large onion, chopped

5 1/2 c. chicken or vegetable broth

2 c. Arborio rice

1 lb fresh or frozen cleaned shrimp

1/2 lb asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces

**1/2 c. white or sparkling wine

3 grinds of fresh pepper

Method:

In a large skillet, saute the onion in the butter until the onion is translucent. Add rice to skillet and coat with butter and onions. In the meantime heat the broth in a separate pot. Add a ladle of broth to rice and stir until it is absorbed, repeating the process until all the broth is gone. Add the asparagus with the last ladle of broth. Continue to cook and when rice is about done, add the wine, pepper and shrimp. Cook until shrimp is opaque and the wine has been absorbed by the rice.

Rice should be slightly al dente and coated with enough broth so that the grains cling together on a spoon.

**You can purchase pony bottles of champagne, they come in packs of 4. This way you don't have to uncork a regular size bottle for the small amount called for in the recipe.

Makes 6 servings.

Delicious German Pancake

Several years back, before the kids came along, my husband and I decided to take a trip up to Toronto Canada by way of the upstate New York wine country. We stayed at B & B's along the way, and one of the places we spent a night was at  Lady of the Lake in Skaneateles, one of the finger lakes in New York. A delightful retired German couple owned the B & B and for breakfast we were served this pancake, I have to say it was divine.

The owner gave me a copy of the recipe and I just couldn't believe how simple it was to make. This pancake is very moist due to the eggs and fruit. Each pancake is made one at a time, but they are worth it! I used berries but you could also fill the center with apples, brown sugar and cinnamon or even fresh peaches with a little white or brown sugar.

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/3 c. milk

1/3 c. flour

2 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp salt

Method:

Melt 1 tsp of butter in an oven proof 8" or 9" pan and coat the bottom and side with the butter. (I used a cast iron skillet.) Whisk all ingredients together and then pour into the pan. Add the fruit of choice to the center and bake in the oven set at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.

Remove from pan and at let sit for one to two minutes. (Don't be alarmed if the pancake looks huge, it will deflate.) Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and serve.

XO

Spicy Black Bean Soup

This black bean soup is chalked full of potassium, fiber and protein and is also very easy to prepare. The soup can be made on the stove top and then simmered in a crock pot to help the flavors blend. Typically I will serve this with Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of green onions. Very hardy and very delicious!

(And it goes great with my cheddar-rosemary scones!)

Ingredients:

3 T. canola or vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 stalks of celery, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup of shredded carrot

1 green pepper, chopped

6 c. black beans

(!f using canned beans make sure they are rinsed and drained and
if using dry beans, prepare them according to the pkg. instructions)

     

 4 1/2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth

2 T cider vinegar

2 tsp. cumin powder

1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp Tobasco sauce

1 tsp. liquid smoke (can be found in the condiment isle

         of your local supermarket)

Method:

Heat oil in large pot and saute the onion, celery, green pepper and garlic until vegetables soften and the onion is translucent. Add prepared beans along with the broth, vinegar, and the spices, and simmer for 45 minutes or until the beans become soft.

Add the bean mixture to a food processor or blender. Before blending, reserve a small amount of the bean mixture and set aside. Blend the mixture until if is smooth then pour back into the pot and add reserved mixture, the tobasco sauce and liquid smoke, heat through and serve.

Serves 6

 I love Julia's philosophy...if no one is there to see it, well then it just didn't happen!

Savory Rosemary and Cheddar Scones

I like sweets but sometimes I want something a little more savory. These cheddar and rosemary scones can be paired with either a hearty soup or a delicate homemade peach jam.

I like a lot of flavor so I bumped up the amount of both the cheddar and the rosemary!

Ingredients:

2 cups of all purpose flour

1 T baking powder

1 T sugar

1 tsp salt

1 T chopped fresh rosemary

6 T of butter shredded or chopped into small pieces

1 large egg

3/4 c half-n-half

1 c. shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese

sprinkling of sea salt and sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and rosemary. Add the butter and cut with a pastry blender until the dough resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk together the egg and half-n-half and stir (reserving two tablespoons) in with the cheddar cheese and form a moist dough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and press into a disk shape about 12 - 3/4 inch thick. With a small glass or a cookie cutter, cut the desired shape and place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Brush tops with the reserved egg mixture and sprinkle with sea salt and sugar.

Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Recipe usually nets 20-24 scone depending on the their thickness.

A Word about Old Joe!

Ahh…can’t start my day without a cup of Joe! I don't want to miss my morning coffee klatch. With one eye open I groan…COFFEEEE.

Yes coffee is part of our social as well as our addictive lives. And while I don’t get the caffeine crave (I admittedly drink decaf) I am guilty of coffee socialism. When I lived next to my best friend in our condominiums, well two doors away, I couldn’t start my day without popping in to her kitchen to share 10 minutes and cup of coffee with her.  Or she’d stop by midday and say “Put on a pot and we’ll chat.” After she got married and moved away, well my coffee socials ended and so did my every day morning cup.

According to the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia…

Today, coffee is the third most popular drink in the world, behind water and tea.

And I thought wine would have placed somewhere in there before old Joe. So coffee is a worldwide phenomenon, the universal drink which transcends language, culture and time. The cultivating of coffee expanded from Africa to the Middle East and then from the Muslim world to Eastern Europe, Indonesia and eventually to the Americas. The earliest signs of coffee consumption date back to the mid 15^th century.

We here in the United States love our coffee with 54% of the adult population partaking of this tasty hot beverage according to National Coffee Association’s 2009 statistics. And the U.S. reportedly imports 4 billion dollars of coffee each year. We drink it to get the day started, we drink it for an afternoon jolt, we drink it with dessert, we drink it with alcohol, we drink it cold and we drink it, most of the time, piping hot.  I‘ve bought coffee scented candles and I even own coffee scented soap. The aroma of coffee appeals to even the non-coffee drinkers by evoking a feeling of home and comfort. It is so familiar to most of us that it becomes a means for complete strangers to bond. If you ever go into a Starbucks, people are generally in a good and relaxed mood, despite the stimulating affects caffeine has on their nervous systems.

So  regardless of the fact that I am not a regular coffee drinker, there are times when I do crave the taste of a hazelnut decaf, and this morning is one of them. With all that being said, I raise my cup of coffee to salute this drink of the ages, and all of the glorious ways it flavors our lives.

To you old Joe, for I have enjoyed you well!

My Mom's Homemade Fudge

My mom didn't do a lot of extra cooking while I was growing up, but she did make wonderful fudge. She put peanut butter in it long before they started making all the different types of fudge. This recipe is easy, quick and very creamy!!!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c butter

3/4 c. evaporated milk

5 oz of marshmallow fluff

6 oz of semi-sweet morsels

3 level T. of peanut butter

Method:

In 2 quart saucepan bring the sugar, marshmallow fluff, butter and evaporated milk to a boil. Make sure to continue stirring so the mixture does not burn. Once mixture reaches a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes and continue to stir.

Remove pot from heat and beat in the chocolate pieces. Beat until everything is blended then add the peanut butter and mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into a buttered 8 or 9 inch square pan and refrigerate until the mixture is set. Cut into squares and  serve.

Chris's Rating...9 out of 10!!

Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Shrimp

This is a perfect spring-like salad on a cold and rainy February day. I like the shrimp warm when topping a salad like this, it tends to melt the goat cheese just a little, and then you get the crunch of the almonds plus a little of the sweetness of the strawberries. You can also use red raspberries or raisins instead of the strawberries depending on the time of the year...both work nicely. I toss this salad with nothing more than a drizzle of olive oil, white balsamic vinegar and a hint of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Ingredients:

Fresh baby spinach

Raspberries, strawberries or raisins

Goat cheese

Sliced almonds toasted

Shrimp, peeled and deveined with tail fin removed

Mrs. Dash's lemon pepper

Olive oil and white balsamic vinegar
toasted sliced almonds

Dash of sea salt

Method:

Sprinkle the lemon-pepper on the shrimp and sauté in non-stick pan. (I use only a little water to sauté the shrimp)

Toss the remaining ingredients, season with the sea salt and top with the warm shrimp and serve

And here's the nurse in me coming out...if you pair a fruit rich in vitamin C like strawberries, with a food containing iron like the spinach, the vitamin C will actually help to boost the absorption of the iron during digestion when these two foods are consumed together.

A little tidbit from your foodie friend here!!!

Have a great day!

XO

Souzoukakia ~ Authentic Greek Meatballs with Bacon

These meatballs have a unique flavor which comes from cumin in the meat and allspice and cinnamon in the sauce. This recipe is from a cookbook I bought when my husband and myself traveled to Santorini, Greece. Although the cookbook recipe didn't call for the bacon, I did have these meatballs with the bacon when I was in Greece and they were delicious!. Typically I like to serve this with rice and a tossed Greek Village Salad of cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, feta cheese and greens sprinkled with vinegar and olive oil.

Ingredients:

1 1/3 lbs of ground meat

4 cloves of crushed garlic

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 c. dry white wine

1 c. soaked crust less bread

1 egg

12 bacon strips

1/4 c. olive oil

flour and oil for frying

Method:

Put first 6 ingredients into a bowl and knead well. Mold mixture into small oblong rolls and coat them with flour. Heat oil and fry them until they are browned and remove from pan. In the meantime, heat bacon strips in the microwave or in the oven until partially cooked and are flexible enough to be wrapped around one meatball. Secure the bacon with a toothpick and return meat bundles to the pan and cook until the bacon is cooked through.

Ingredients for the Sauce

1 1/2 c. skinned tomatoes, canned tomatoes are fine

2 c. water

1tsp butter

3 oz. canned tomato paste

salt and pepper

cinnamon and allspice

Put all ingredients and to a pot and simmer on low heat. When sauce is warm and blended, pour over meatballs and serve.

XO

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