WELL DONE WEDNESDAY - ALEPPO PEPPER!

I was trying to find a spice that added a little heat, but milder than cayenne or crushed red pepper.  Aleppo is a Turkish pepper that is used far more internationally than here in the US.

While it offers heat, it is more smoky and actually has a bit of a fruity taste.  I use it in just about every kind of protein especially in a pan fried chicken dish.

Amazingly it is fabulous in brownies and other chocolate desserts.  It makes brownies a little more complex than your average boxed type brownie. 

Great in deviled eggs too!

ALEPPO!
ENJOY!

HOLIDAY GIFT - BAR SPOON STRAWS

I have lots and lots of these!!! I have also given them as gifts many times over. Perfect to add to a bar tools gift you plan on giving. They are very inexpensive. I love using these at parties in Bloody Marys, Screwdrivers and any tall drink over ice. They always strike up a conversation.

You can get them so many places, from Williams and Sonoma to Target and online at Amazon. So for the cocktail person on your Chrsitmas list add these!

ENJOY!

TOM DOUGLAS' BIG DINNERS COOKBOOK

A few weeks ago, we had dinner with good friends at Etta's restaurant in Seattle. Head chef, Tom Douglas and his staff prepared a wonderful feast....it was amazing.

Born in Cleveland, raised in Newark and Delaware, Tom found himself broke in Seattle at age 19, and never left. Thank goodness. Never formally trained except by his two granmothers and his mother, he loved to cook - often making breakfast in bed for his parents-he took Home Economics in school.

He wrote a cookbook in Seattle called, " Tom Douglas' Seattle Kitchen". He realized by listening to his fans that they were choosing a single recipe from the book and then trying to figure out the rest of the menu themselves for bigger crowds. So to help everyone out, he put together the book above, "Tom Douglas' Big Dinners".

It is fabulous! There are 13 different menus with additions of cocktails that set the appropriate mood. He also suggests assortments of appetizers for cocktail parties. He adds tips for do-ahead dishes and shortcuts. There is an introduction to each menu that helps with the setting of your event. The full-color photos are tremendous and beautiful. A must have for the people in your life that cook for lots of family and friends!

Great Christmas Gift!

ENJOY!

LU CRACKERS

Most people I know have their biggest food weaknesses in chocolate and sugar-laden desserts. For me it is SALT-laden foods. I love salt...and I try to never add salt since I think on a daily basis I am always over the prescribed milligrams limits of salt anyway.

But I found these water crackers that are sooooo good. Their most glorious flavor is sea salt and olive oil....seriously sea salt and olive oil..simply perfect. I have tried the new Tollhouse sea salt and olive oil crisps or flatbread crackers.....nothing close to these LU crackers.

They need nothing, no cheese, no other dollops of things on top of them to make them taste good...these are just so simply perfect alone.

Try these at your next cocktail party!

ENJOY!

6 MONTHS - HALFWAY - TIME FOR KJ

My blog has reached the halfway point...6 months...6 months to go!! So it's finally time to toast with my favorite wine KENDALL-JACKSON CHARDONNAY!!!!

Okay, I'm back now....

For a little history lesson, Jess Jackson, founder of Kendall-Jackson wines was born in 1930. In 1974, he and his family bought an 80 acre pear and walnut orchard. He converted it into a vineyard and started selling grapes to local wineries. In 1982, he produced his first bottle of wine under the Kendall-Jackson label. In 1983, Kendall-Jackson won the first Platinum Award ever presented by the American Wine Competition.

Jess, his wife Barbara and his family still run the business today. For nearly three decades it has been an American favorite - MINE ALWAYS!

For you calorie counters, KJ packs 104 calories in a 5 oz serving, 0 calories from fat and 2% of your daily serving of carbs.

The winery suggests the following food pairings with Kendall -Jackson Chardonnay:

Cheese/Nuts: Asiago, Havarti and Almonds

Meat/Fowl: Veal, Chicken and Pork

Seafood: Halibut, Shrimp and Crab

Veggies/Fruit: Apple, Mango, Squash and Potato

Herbs: Tarragon, Sesame and Basil

Sauces: Cream Sauces and Pestos

I LOVE IT!

HAPPY 6 MONTHS TO ME!

ENJOY!

SATURDAY'S MARGARITAVILLE FROZEN CONCOCTION MAKER

Sorry this didn't get posted yesterday, I was having some technical difficulty.

This margarita maker is now on sale at Amazon for $205. To make even larger batches there is a heavy duty machine upgrade...haha!!!! Several people I know have these machines and LOVE them!

Who invented the Margarita you ask??????

Legend has it that in 1938, showgirl Margorie King visited Rosarita Beach in Mexico. She asked bartender, Danny Herrera to pour her a tequila drink because she was allergic to everything else on the menu. Happy to oblige, he splashed some tequila over shaved ice and topped it off with a lemon and triple sec......

There is another account however, that pins the drink on Dallas socialite Margarita Sames, who loved to throw together random drinks for her guests when she entertained. One day she combined tequila, Cointreau and lime juice during a fiesta at her holiday escape home in Acapulco. The story goes that her guests were bewitched and the drink caught on like wildfire in the States.

So next time you are enjoying a margarita in your backyard with your Margaritaville Machine or at your favorite watering hole....you have a little story to share!
ENJOY!

NEW ENGLAND HOT DOG BUNS

I had heard something about a "special" bun for hot dogs you could only get in New England...so my husband always said...........but about 14 years ago........can't believe it's been that long......I started visiting New England and YES they have their own BUN!!!



A top sliced bun that has flat sides is buttered, grilled and holds the hot dog better so it doesn't fall apart like some side cut buns. It is the same bun used for the traditional Maine lobster roll.



I must admit I love them.....no not with hot dogs...but the lobster really does stay in the roll better and the buttery grilled taste is divine...



So if you come here....get one..or a dozen!

ENJOY!

OH NUTS!

Alright, I have blogged enough sweets for a while...now to my favorite snack...SALT! I love salted nuts, but even I will say sometimes they get a bit boring.....NO MORE!

Planters have outdone themselves in these almond and cashew flavors.....they beg a nice cold beer...isn't that what summer is all about. These cashews and almonds are skinless and have great flavors.

For almond lovers the flavors are:
Cracked Pepper & Onion
Sea Salt & Olive Oil (my favorite)
Chili Lime

For cashew lovers the flavors are:
Chipotle
Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper (my other favorite)

These are VERY hard to stop eating and their natural ingredients make them a much better snack for your health. Six ounce bags are in your grocery for about $5.00

Visit the Planters website for more delicious information!
ENJOY!

WHOOPIE PIES

If you never heard of or have never seen a WHOOPIE PIE, I was with you until I started dating a North Easterner!!!! They are indigenous to the Northeast - especially Maine and Amish regions in Pennsylvania.

The name, according to lore, comes from Amish schoolchildren who would open their lunchboxes and find these treats and shout "whoopie!" I am sure North Easterners have their own claim to fame on the name and the invention.

The Whoopie Pie is really not a pie at all. It is two plump, round usually chocolate cakes that sandwich a white WAD of sweet, sometimes marshmallow, frosting. They are kind of like Hostess Ding Dongs without the hard chocolate outside.

My husband used to talk about them all the time and how he got them in his lunchbox. My first encounter with them was in Maine and you find them everywhere. They are usually wrapped in plastic and in baskets near cash registers in gas stations, small grocers and many local restaurants.

There is a cook book out that suggests altering the fillings to include salted caramel, bacon-chive goat cheese, and even a ganache filling which would certainly be sacrilegious to the original 13 colonies!!!

When you travel throughout the Northeast these are a must try!

ENJOY!

DAVE'S CHILDHOOD SATURDAY NIGHT DINNER

When Dave was a youngster, his Mom always made homemade pizza on Friday night, as a good Catholic no meat, so on Saturdays she made hot dogs, beans and BROWN BREAD....which Dave loved

The hot dogs were whole beef, the beans were Boston baked and the BREAD was B & M out of a can......Dave thought this was awesome.

Shopping for the ingredients is quick and gross.......hot dogs, B & M Boston Baked beans, and really the B & M Brown bread comes in a CAN like soup..So as a test Dave recreated this meal in Maine for many West Coasters..and you Steve...remember???

Crazlie popped the bread out of the can and then heated the bread in the oven...for at least 30 minutes 350 degrees.

I thought it would be horrible.... and the jury is still out........ but Dave misses his Mom for all those "creative" meals and has a wonderful memory from his childhood....so LOVE IT

You decide?????

ENJOY!

HERBS DE PROVENCE

Herbs de provence is a "must have" for any spice rack or pantry. Born in the south of France the combination of herbs is endless. Many markets and grocers sell a wide variation on the combinations of spices. For me, I love the combination of rosemary, basil, marjoram, thyme, savory and lavender. Some substitute, chervil, tarragon, mint and fennel for some of my favorites.

Herbs de provence infuses robust flavor to any meat, poultry or fish dish before or during cooking. Herbs de Provence is not a spice blend to add after the cooking process is done.

Mixed with olive oil it makes a perfect marinade for chicken, beef, fish, potatoes and turkey. It is also perfect on a pizza and kabobs before grilling.

Speaking of grilling, if you have a charcoal grill, sprinkling a pinch on the charcoal adds a smoky herb flavor to whatever you are grilling.

Many specialty food shops sell Herbs de Provence in terracotta jars that make a perfect gift for every cook...there is a BIG HINT in here for my family!!!!!!

ENJOY!

ABSOLUT BOSTON - YES!!!!!

This is for you Mary Ann!!!!!!!


How sweet is this! If you like sitting down to a nice hot cup of black tea you will love this. Proceeds from the sale of Absolut Boston go to the Charles River Conservatory environmental cause. Absolut Boston is the third city Absolut has featured for their charity vodkas - New Orleans is a spicy peppery and mango version and Los Angeles is a light vodka with the natural flavors of blueberry, acai berry and pomegranate (sounds healthy doesn't it?)

Here are two cocktails that can be made using Absolut Boston.

Boston Tea Party Martini
3 parts Absolut Boston
2 parts lemon juice
1 part simple syrup
Simple syrup is just 2 parts sugar mixed with one part water. Boil to dissolve sugar in the water and let cool.

Homerun
1 part Absolut Boston
2 parts white grape juice
top off with some ginger ale



as a little aside - Dave and I were out being stupid yesterday and were coerced by a great bartender to have a shot of blueberry vodka and red bull. At least I got to have it over ice.....it was interesting....
ENJOY!

THOMAS ANGOVE

Days shy of 45 years since he invented boxed wine, Australian winemaker Thomas Angove died at age 92. He was also the first winemaker to use stainless steel to store wine in bulk.

His son runs the business now and admits that when he was 15, his Dad brought home a prototype and he said...."That's ridiculous Dad, no one is ever going to buy wine out of a carton box or a plastic bag...but my Dad persevered, didn't listen to me and was determined."

Ironically in is will, he asked to be buried in a glass bottle!!!!!

So raise a glass and toast the man who has changed (be it for better or worse) wine history. On a side note....my husband and I have tried many of these boxed wine. I am a Kendall Jackson drinker true and true so it was pretty hard to find one that compared. Overall the best I tasted was Black Box. However, for me it has to be opened in the refrigerator for about 24 hours to get a little mellower....
ENJOY!

PANTRY MUST HAVE BBQ SAUCE

One Saturday afternoon we decided that we really wanted to BBQ the chicken I had taken out of the freezer but we didn't have any bbq sauce.... I went online and saw a hundred recipes for sauce and combined them all based on the ingredients I had on hand. This recipe has 13 ingredients and I had all of them in my refrigerator or pantry. It turned out fabulously , I think all these ingredients should be in everyone's pantry.

Ingredients

1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vineger
3 tbl brown sugar
1 tbl worcestershire sauce
1 tbl simple syrup*
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp minced shallot
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dry ginger
1/4 tsp dry allspice
1/4 tsp ground dry mustard
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (more for spice)

*simple syrup can be made easily by combining a tbl of sugar and 2 tbl water...heat until sugar is dissolved.

Combine all ingredients......DONE...
ENJOY!

CALZONE OR SUBMARINE DRESSING

I have not perfected the calzone, but I work on it often to get the ratio of dough to ingredients to liquid. I will post my calzone when it is READY. In the process I came across this little beauty. It just seems to have the perfect balance of oil to vinegar and the spices are a great balance too.

A product of V. Formusa Co. based in Chicago under the brand Marconi, I found it at a grocery-size Italian market. Not sure how widespread it is marketed, but worth looking for or they do have a website. Just go to http://www.marconi-foods.com/. You will also find tons of great products on this site including some standard Italian salad dressings and vinaigrette's. Even when I don't quite achieve the perfection I want in my calzone, the flavor of this makes all the cold cuts I use taste great and all subs are fantastic.

ENJOY!

MY FAVORITE SALAD DRESSING

Girard's makes a wide variety of salad dressings, I think about 20 in all. Girard's began in the mid 1930's with an original French salad dressing. With its popularity, Wilfred Girard opened Girard's French Restaurant in San Francisco.

The salad dressing company has been bought and sold a few times moving up and down the California coast to its current home in Los Angeles.

So famous for high quality ingredients and their trademark triangle bottles, these dressings are great. My favorite is the Light Caesar dressing.

On grocery shopping day, I buy an assortment of vegetables and chop them up and put them in individual glad containers and store them in the refrigerator. During the week, my family's favorite appetizer is to dip the fresh vegetables in the salad dressing. A confession---- Wheat Thins and Triscuits taste pretty good "dipped" as well. Makes me feel better when our dinner may not include enough vegetables, it's a fun way to get your daily.

Try it and you will LOVE it. It is sold in most grocery stores or online at http://www.girardsdressing.com/

ENJOY!

THE BEST PICKLES AND RELISH

These pickles are the best ever. Better than Vlasic or any other brand I have tried. I just eat them out of the jar but they are so good in so many recipes or just as a side for any sandwich.

This relish is AMAZING!!! You will never make tuna salad without it again. Great on hamburgers and hot dogs and in potato salad. There is even a spicy version.

A MUST have in the refrigerator. If you can't find them in your local grocery, just go to http://www.wickles.com/ . and order some. One of my absolute favorite foods.

ENJOY!

A Pantry Must Have

ARTICHOKE PESTO This Artichoke Pesto is YUMMY and the recipe for Crab and Artichoke Dip is delicious and EASY!!!!

Crab and Artichoke Dip:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and combine:

8 oz jar of Stonewall Kitchen's Artichoke Pesto

6 oz good fresh crabmeat (more if you feel rich)

1 shallot minced

1 clove of garlic minced
1/4 cup cream cheese

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1/4 tsp lemon zest

pinch of salt and pepper

After combined, pour into greased baking dish. Bake for 20-30 minutes until it is heated through and bubbly. Serve with french bread toasts or crackers.

Stonewall Kitchen Artichoke Pesto can be found at http://www.stonewallkitchen.com/

ENJOY!!!!