If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Shrimp Creole

Serves 12

This recipe from chef John Besh is designed for a “typical” Sunday supper at his house. Halve the ingredients to serve 6 to 8 people.

5 pounds jumbo Louisiana or wild American shrimp, peeled, deveined

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon minced fresh lemon grass

½ cup olive oil, divided

3 yellow onions, diced

10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 rib celery, diced

1 bell pepper, red, green or yellow, seeded, diced

5 pounds overripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped

1 bay leaf

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

Leaves from 2 sprigs basil, chopped

Leaves from 1 sprig mint, chopped

Sugar, optional

2 cups long-grain rice, cooked

1. Put the shrimp into a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Mix in the lemon grass. Heat ¼-cup of the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp; cook, stirring and tossing, until they turn pink, about 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan; set aside.

2, Add remaining ¼-cup oil, onions, garlic, celery and bell peppers. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Heat to a simmer; add the bay leaf, allspice and red pepper flakes. Simmer 10 minutes.

3. Put the shrimp back in the

——————————————————————————–

Advertisement

——————————————————————————–
skillet; add the basil and mint. Cook until warm, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. If the sauce tastes too tart, add a little sugar to balance the flavor. Remove the bay leaf. Serve over rice.

– John Besh, “My New Orleans” (Andrews McMeel 2009)

Per serving: 259 calories, 9 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 244 mg cholesterol, 18 g carbohydrates, 27 g protein, 425 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.

Shrimp Creole

Serves 12

This recipe from chef John Besh is designed for a “typical” Sunday supper at his house. Halve the ingredients to serve 6 to 8 people.

5 pounds jumbo Louisiana or wild American shrimp, peeled, deveined

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon minced fresh lemon grass

½ cup olive oil, divided

3 yellow onions, diced

10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 rib celery, diced

1 bell pepper, red, green or yellow, seeded, diced

5 pounds overripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, chopped

1 bay leaf

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

Leaves from 2 sprigs basil, chopped

Leaves from 1 sprig mint, chopped

Sugar, optional

2 cups long-grain rice, cooked

1. Put the shrimp into a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Mix in the lemon grass. Heat ¼-cup of the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the shrimp; cook, stirring and tossing, until they turn pink, about 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan; set aside.

2, Add remaining ¼-cup oil, onions, garlic, celery and bell peppers. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Heat to a simmer; add the bay leaf, allspice and red pepper flakes. Simmer 10 minutes.

3. Put the shrimp back in the

——————————————————————————–

Advertisement

——————————————————————————–
skillet; add the basil and mint. Cook until warm, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. If the sauce tastes too tart, add a little sugar to balance the flavor. Remove the bay leaf. Serve over rice.

– John Besh, “My New Orleans” (Andrews McMeel 2009)

Per serving: 259 calories, 9 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 244 mg cholesterol, 18 g carbohydrates, 27 g protein, 425 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.

• Simple Salisbury Steak Recipe This is the greatest. This simple Salisbury Steak recipe is quick to prepare. Just a nice blend of flavors. Your family will love it. Serve it with Mashes Potatoes and enjoy! Ingredients 1 lb ground beef 1/3 cup finely chopped onion 1/4 cup cracker, crumbs 1 egg, slightly beaten......
• BBQ Sauce Recipe If you want to do your own barbeque sauce here is a great recipe. There is a little prep time involved-but the end result is a very good tasting BBQ sauce.　 Ingredients 　 1. ½ white onion 2. 3 cloves garlic 3. 3 tablespoons olive oil 4. 1 2/3......
• Stuffed Peppers Now on to the recipe (it doesn't involve cupcakes)... I concocted this version of the stuffed pepper while playing in the kitchen one day and was pleased with the results. I used brown rice for a healthier twist and chose lean, ground sirloin. Tofu would work as a replacement for the meat,......

Using tortillas or lettuce instead of sandwich bread can add excitement to everything from snacks and school lunches to family dinners. Almost any salad or sandwich recipe can easily rolled into a wrap for a nutritious, fun and flavorful dining experience.

Wraps are great for entertaining, so invite the neighbors for a featured family meal of Sunny Chicken Salad, Red Edge Roll Ups and Pastel Summer Punch. Explore the endless possibilities of wraps throughout the week with Grilled Brie and Pear Burritos, Korean Lettuce Wraps, Blue Cheese Pepper Steak Wraps and Confetti Chicken Wraps. Register at MealsMatter,org to add these or other recipes to your personal cookbook and shopping list.

“Family Meals Matter” features recipes selected by registered dietitians from the thousands of user-contributed recipes available at our free online nutrition and meal-planning website, Meals Matter (www.MealsMatter.org), sponsored by Dairy Council of California.

FEATURED FAMILY MEAL

——————————————————————————–
Register with Chicago Tribune and receive free newsletters and alerts >>
——————————————————————————–

Sunny Chicken Salad

2 cups cooked rice, cooled
2 cups cantaloupe, cubed
1-1/2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed
1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 lb. plain nonfat yogurt
4 lettuce leaves
Preparation

Mix together first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Combine next 4 ingredients in another bowl. Gently stir yogurt mixture into rice mixture until well combined. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, until chilled. Serve lettuce on individual plates topped with chicken salad.

———

Red Edge Roll-ups

1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
6 cups lowfat cottage cheese
24 each flour tortillas, 8-inch
12 cups california strawberries, stemmed and quartered
Preparation

Mix together sugar and cinnamon. On griddle or in saute pan, heat 1 tortilla. Place 1/4 cup cottage in center of tortilla, top with 1/2 cup strawberries. Spinkle with 1 tsp sugar and cinnamon mixture. Fold up bottom third of tortilla, then fold in both sides, leaving top open. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 24 wraps.

———

Pastel Summer Punch

2, 6 oz. cans frozen pineapple juice, thawed
1, 6 oz. can frozen orange juice, thawed
5 cups water
1 quart cold milk
Dash of salt
1/3 cup sugar
1-1/2 quart lime sherbet

• Sesame Chicken Recipe If you like Sesame Chicken this recipe is a must try! It is a little bit of work but well worth the effort. This Sesame Chicken Recipe has an excellent blend of flavors. It is not overly spiced or to hot. The mixture of Honey, Brown Sugar and Soy......
• Honey Barbeque Chicken Strips Recipe     Absolutely Delicious. This is as close as you are going to come to restaurant Honey Barbeque chicken. Except in many cases it is a lot better. And by cooking it yourself you know exactly what is in it. This is a great recipe for a party. This recipe......
• Banana Bread Recipe I love banana bread! I like to use bananas that are very ripe with lots of brown splotches; they give a sweeter flavor. However, the bananas in my house are usually eaten before this stage. Not the case this week! I noticed the bananas in the fruit bowl were......

I was more than a little disappointed to read that Michelle Obama doesn’t like beets.

The truth about controlling cholesterol naturally
Shocking discovery for joint relief
The Asian secret to strong, lush hair
The easy and effective way to purchase a hot tub
Unemployed or laid off? Get your college degree
Nurses: 4 degrees you must consider

They’re the one thing she mentioned when an interviewer with Ladies Home Journal asked her to name her “worst nightmare” food.
“Beets,” she said in the magazine’s September edition. “I’m a believer that there is a beet gene. People who love beets love them and people who hate beets can’t stand them. Neither the president nor I have the beet gene.”
The administration shunned beets again when the first lady had the White House garden planted with 55 vegetables ranging from collards to black kale — but not sturdy, storable beets. She said at the time they had been excluded because the president didn’t like them.
But now, she’s admitting a beet bias of her own — and blames it on genetics.
That’s the part that’s disappointing. Our tastes aren’t set in stone; we can learn to like almost anything if we try.
I’ll bet her aversion goes back to childhood when she was likely served canned beets, probably unseasoned and maybe even cold.
But I have to believe she might change her mind if she tried them again as an adult — when creative, skillful chefs are preparing them in better ways.
These days, they’re more likely to be roasted than boiled; it concentrates their flavors and makes their flesh silkier.
I know the Obamas aren’t the only grown-ups who think they don’t like beets. If you’re one of them, do something daring and try them again, this time prepared by a good chef.
Here are a few suggestions, taken from menus online:
• Forest Grill in Birmingham offers a salad of simple perfection: baby heirloom beets with warm goat cheese, candied walnuts and petite organic lettuce.
• The Rattlesnake Club in Detroit prepares a beautiful pyramid of sliced, roasted, ruby and golden beets with baby frisée and Red Oak salad, tossed with horseradish-aged sherry vinaigrette.
• Grange Kitchen & Bar, the sophisticated all-local-foods restaurant in Ann Arbor, serves a crispy duck breast entrée with beet mash, roasted beets and mustard sauce.
Back in the day, we gave peas a chance. Maybe one day, we can stop beating up on beets.

Read more: Sylvia Rector: The beet goes on, with new recipes | freep.com | Detroit Free Press http://www.freep.com/article/20100815/COL20/8150326/1046/ENT07/The-beet-goes-on-with-new-recipes#ixzz0xkfwdi5G

• Antique Singer Sewing Machine Antiques -> Sewing -> Machines and Machine Parts If you love sewing collectibles and are trying to build up your collection, one of the best additions you can find is an antique Singer sewing machine. These machines can enhance any personal collection and may even be the focal point in......
• Relationship Advice - The Lies Men Tell Women in Relationships Recently on my weekly Relationship Radio Show on in Atlanta, I had the privilege of interviewing relationship coach Bj Moorer. Bj has a bit of a different view of the relationship world. Bj's interesting take on relationships is best summed up by the title of her brand new ebook "Love,......
• Bye-bye Vista and hello Windows 7 It's been so long since Windows 7 has floated around the internet in Beta and RC form. About few days ago (as I can recall), Microsoft has released Windows 7 RTM (release to manufacturing) final build version. I didn't seem to care much at that time but I've heard......

Most North Texans couldn’t pick Gloria Rubio out of a crowd. But throw a bowl of black bean dip alongside chips and salsa and they’re likely to immediately think of her namesake Gloria’s restaurants, where the smooth concoction is a signature offering.

SHANNON AUVIL/DMN
Mario Sabino’s is located about a mile away from a Gloria’s restaurant on Lemmon Avenue in Dallas. Accusations involving recipes have boiled over between the eateries. That dip, and several other Gloria’s menu items, are now Exhibit A in a Dallas County lawsuit that boils over with charges of culinary espionage and counter-charges of vindictiveness.

Rubio and ex-husband Jose Fuentes accuse former Gloria’s manager Mario Alfaro of poaching recipes, employees and customers from the Dallas dining icon.

They say Alfaro used Gloria’s recipes at the Mario Sabino’s restaurant that he and business partner Sabino Valle opened last year on Lemmon Avenue, about one mile away from an existing Gloria’s.

Robert Buchholz, an attorney for Alfaro and Mario Sabino’s, said his client is simply making common dishes, not hijacking trade secrets. He said Rubio and Fuentes are lashing out at a former employee who left Gloria’s and became a success.

He described the lawsuit as “baseless, ridiculous, vindictive.” A countersuit accuses Gloria’s owners of trying to harm Mario Sabino’s “in a fit of rage and jealousy.”

Through their attorney, Rubio and Fuentes declined to comment this week.

Their affidavits are peppered with mention of clandestine recipes, industry secrets and evolving culinary ideas that took years – and international journeys – to perfect. That includes the double-refried bean dip, a recipe customers always request.

“We have always replied back to them that we cannot share the exact recipe for the black bean dip,” Rubio said.

The former couple wants a judge to permanently forbid Mario Sabino’s from using Gloria’s recipes, which they consider trade secrets.

Buchholz said he hopes a Dallas County judge will toss out the lawsuit during a pretrial hearing on Monday.

“They have no evidence and no proof of any trade secrets,” the attorney said. “Therefore, as a matter of law, the judge should rule that they have no trade secrets and their case fails.”

• Steelhead & Salmon Drift-Fishing Secrets User Reviews Send this to a friend Steelhead & Salmon Drift-Fishing Secrets Manufacturer: Customer Rating: List Price: Varies based on product options Sale Price: View Sale Price Availibility: View Product Availability Buy Now Product Description Product Details No details are available for this product Video Reviews No video reviews......
• Starbucks must pay $100m in tips Starbucks said the ruling was "fundamentally unfair" A US judge has ordered Starbucks to repay its California coffee-makers more than $100m (£50m) in tips that were paid to shift supervisors. San Diego Superior Court Judge Patricia Cowett said the coffee-makers - "baristas" -......
• Denied Mou, Guti Pellegrini praise MADRID - Veteran Real Madrid, Guti Hernandez, forget the personal feud with former coach, Manuel Pellegrini. That was after Jose Mourinho insists there is no place for Guti in his plans with the Spanish giants. The appointment of Mourinho as the architect of Los Galacticos Anyar indeed be bad......

Recipes for your garden veg
The hard work of growing the garven fruit and veg is over. Here are a few recipes to make the best of your produce.

By Francine Raymond
Published: 11:00AM BST 03 Aug 2010

Comment

Previous1 of 3 ImagesNext
Baby Artichokes with hard-boiled eggs Photo: ALAMY Courgette soup and crostini with artichoke and pepper Photo: ALAMY / PHOTOLIBRARY.COM
Squash Risotto Photo: PHOTOLIBRARY.COM
The best meals I’ve eaten have been inspired by ingredients rather than recipes.

You walk into a shop, spot a seasonal ingredient at its best, imagine it would taste good together with a particular herb or spice, take it home and cook it. When you grow your own veg, your garden can become your supermarket, with your trug as a trolley.

Related Articles
Gardeners’ top recipes
Black spot on roses
How to make your garden bloom in summer
How to ensure your garden doesn’t turn into a desert
How to control viburnum beetles
How to control wasps in your garden You can wander through the beds, see a plant that’s approaching its peak, (though not necessarily the peak of its growth – younger is often better), pop it in your colander, add some pickings from the herb garden, go into the kitchen, cook it as simply as possible, and eat it.

Here are my favourite recipes from the vegetable patch:

Cold courgette soup

Pick four or five courgettes – I prefer the yellow varieties like Gold Rush for this soup, but any colour will do – and fry them gently in butter plus a little olive oil until soft, adding a couple of leeks and some chopped garlic. Don’t let the vegetables brown or your soup will taste bitter.

Add 600ml/1 pint of vegetable stock (I like Marigold powder best), a big bunch of basil and season with sea salt and black pepper, then simmer for 15 minutes until the vegetables are soft.

Liquidise, then add the juice of a lemon. During hot weather, serve the soup chilled topped with extra basil and a swirl of single cream, but if it’s chilly outside, serve hot with a dollop of creme fraiche and a spoonful of pesto.

Courgette Muffins

These delicious, zingy muffins are easy to make with children home for the holidays. With a light texture and a taste that’s far from common or garden, they have a surprise ingredient – grated courgette, straight from the veg plot.

Cream together 110g/4oz butter with 60g/2oz each of caster sugar and soft muscovado sugar. Add two free-range eggs and 80g/3oz each of self-raising wholemeal and white flour, shaking in a teaspoon of baking powder. Pack in some flavour with the juice and zest of a lime, and one finely grated courgette.

Spoon the mixture into large, buttered muffin tins (or paper cases) and bake in a moderate oven 180C/350F/gas mark 4 for half an hour. Eat muffins fresh as they don’t keep. They’ll soon be scoffed, and those who don’t like courgettes will be none the wiser.

Squash Risotto

I often think squashes and pumpkins are more fun to grow than to eat. It takes copious amounts of herbs, spices and ingenuity to turn these watery cucurbits into tasty fare. But squash risotto is an exception.

Use kabocha or acorn squash for this recipe, or Jack Be Little if you want to stuff them with the risotto to make individual portions.

Brown 60g/2oz of squash flesh per person in a little oil and butter with sage leaves and chopped garlic until soft. Add 60g/2oz arborio rice per person and stir together.

Then, stirring continuously, add a glass of white wine (pour another for yourself – making risotto is an arduous task) and then spoon in ladles of hot stock until the rice is al dente. Stir in a knob of butter and plenty of Parmesan cheese.

Baby Artichokes with hard-boiled eggs

You have to be hard-hearted to harvest baby artichoke buds before they reach maturity, but picked at this stage they can be marinated and preserved.

Trim 450g/1lb of precious buds into a bowl of water with the juice of a lemon, cutting off the stems, the outer leaves and snipping the spines, then boil until tender in salted water. Drain well, cool and place in a large glass jar. Wash your hands well or the bitter taste of artichokes will linger.

Reduce the marinade for about 15 minutes, uncovered in a saucepan, combining 300ml/½ pint of water, a lemon, a tablespoon of olive oil, a sprig of thyme, a couple of bay leaves, a little chopped chilli, some garlic cloves and a handful of black peppercorns.

Cool the liquid, then gently pour over the cooked artichokes, covering them completely. Keep in the fridge once opened. Particularly tasty in salads and on bruschetta.

Bruschetta

Toast a couple of hearty slices of sourdough or country bread. Rub the surface with a cut garlic clove and drizzle with olive oil. Roughly mash a few artichoke hearts or marinated buds with a ripe chopped beefheart tomato and decorate with olives, capers and ground black pepper.

This Italian way of eating large slabs of bread turns a sandwich into a Mediterranean feast and works beautifully with tomatoes and mozzarella, or grilled peppers and goat’s cheese, or baked aubergine, lemon and basil… the list goes on.

• Simple Cheesy Chicken Breast Recipe  What a great recipe. This Simple Cheesy Chicken Breast Recipe is mouth watering good. If you are looking for something simple and quick that your Family will love. This is it. What a great dinner for some Super Bowl Guests. Enjoy    Directions 1. In a bowl combine oil and......
• Pumpkin Pie Squares Recipe If you have a lot of pumpkin on hand and want to do something a little different. Give this recipe a try. It has a rich taste of spiced pumpkin and very moist. Your family will love it. It is a large recipe. I made the full recipe and......
• Review: Progresso Chicken Cheese Enchilada Soup This soup is delicious. We tried one can to see if we'd like it and went back for about 10 more. Seriously! Everyone in my family likes it -- that's a plus too! It doesn't have any weird taste or after taste. We like just as it comes. Then we......

Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton will wed her longtime boyfriend Saturday in a ceremony that has been shrouded in secrecy but is likely to be attended by a plethora of famous faces.

Former U.S. president Bill Clinton and his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, were seen leaving a party honouring their daughter and her husband-to-be, investment banker Marc Mezvinsky, in Rhinebeck, N.Y. shortly before midnight Friday.

It is believed the couple will wed in front of more than 400 guests at the grand Astor Courts estate.

Roads were closed throughout the town of 8,000, while police, security guards and the Secret Service kept curious onlookers a safe distance from the estate and the Beekman Arms Hotel, where many wedding guests are staying.

While rumours have circulated that the likes of Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg are on the guest list, fans looking for Hollywood star power have so far only caught a glimpse of movie producer Steve Bing, who was seen Friday night outside the hotel.

A number of political heavyweights have also been spotted, including Madeleine Albright, who served as secretary of state during Clinton’s second term as president, and former Clinton adviser Vernon Jordan.

The former president himself wowed locals Friday by having lunch at a local restaurant, walking a few blocks of the trip to shake hands with dozens of people who shouted “Congratulations” and “We love you” as he walked by.

The notoriously publicity shy 30-year-old bride has kept many of the details around the ceremony under wraps. But one local resident said police told her earlier this week the road to Astor Courts will be closed from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., suggesting a late afternoon or early evening ceremony.

Andrea Alvin said Clinton’s wedding planner sent her a bottle of wine from the local Clinton Vineyards winery along with a note apologizing for the inconvenience.

“I think it’s great. It’s a happy occasion,” Alvin said. “It’s good publicity for the town. It’s just a weekend. What’s losing a weekend in the summer?”

Clinton and Mezvinsky were friends as teenagers in Washington, where the groom’s parents served in Congress, and both attended Stanford University. They now live in New York City, where Mezvinsky works at hedge fund G3 Capital. Clinton recently completed her master’s degree in public health at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.

• Al Gore Running For President? Just a quick post here on something I came across this morning. Could Al Gore be running for President after all? Two of the newsier things CNN says former president Bill Clinton tells Larry King tonight at 9 p.m. ET, during their prerecorded interview: • The Democrats running for president......
• Deep in the Heart of Texas I'm back from the great state of Texas; my visit with family was long overdo and enjoyable. One of my goals during the vacation was to maintain an exercise schedule, and honestly that was a challenge! I focused more on isometric/strength training exercises in the privacy of the guest bedroom (with the......
• GOP hopes for Massachusetts Senate upset [/caption] Republicans may be on the verge of pulling off what was politically unthinkable until now: winning the race to fill liberal lion Edward Kennedy's U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts. Tuesday's special election is deadlocked, according to a new poll. President Obama will campaign Sunday in Massachusetts to try to......

Here is a simple summer dinner that highlights the best of the bounty. Lettuce and salad greens are all over the markets right now; try using them in a full-flavoured salad with fried bread and anchovies. If white anchovies aren’t available, soak the regular jarred ones in milk for 15 minutes before chopping.

Peas are also in season this month, making them a perfect side for the barbecued chili-rubbed chicken on this menu.

And although sour cherries are ripe and ready at the market, the cherry galettes featured here call for sweet cherries. Mix them with pomegranate juice or sour cherry juice for amazing tang and flavour.

Bread and Anchovy Salad

A riot of flavours, this recipe calls for lots of fried bread, but use only as much as you need. The rest will keep for two weeks in a plastic bag. You can also turn the crusts into dry breadcrumbs

Ingredients

Salad:

1/4 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 ciabatta loaf, soft inside torn into strands

8 cups small lettuce leaves, preferably spicy ones such as arugula

6 white anchovies or 6 anchovies soaked in milk for 15 minutes, drained then chopped

Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and fry until golden (about 1 minute). Remove garlic from pan, reserving oil in skillet. Add ciabatta to oil and sauté until golden. Let drain on paper towels. Add more oil as needed.

Combine lettuce leaves, anchovies, garlic and crisp bread in a large salad bowl.

Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper to make dressing. Toss with salad and serve. Serves 4.

Chili-Rubbed Chicken breasts with honey sauce

Whole chicken breasts are ideal for grilling, as the skin doesn’t burn and the chicken cooks on the bones. I usually cut the bones away with a small sharp knife when I take them off the grill. Don’t worry about the amount of ancho chili powder – it is not as hot as regular chili powder. If you can’t find ancho chili powder, replace with two-thirds the quantity of regular chili powder. Serve with sweet potatoes and green peas.

Ingredients

Chicken:

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

3 tablespoons ancho chili powder

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground ginger

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts

Salt to taste

Honey sauce:

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

Preheat barbecue to high. Combine olive oil, garlic, ancho chili powder, oregano, cumin and ground ginger. Rub spice mixture over chicken breasts and under the skin where possible. Season with salt.

Grill breasts for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once, or until juices run clear.

Whisk together vinegar, honey, mustard, olive oil and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over chicken breasts just before serving. Serves 4.

Cherry Galettes

Full of real cherry flavour, these tarts are my new favourite summer treat. Pitting cherries is a hassle but absolutely worth the effort. The tarts do not freeze well but the pastry does. Ingredients

Pastry:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/4 cup cold water

2 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar

Filling:

2 pounds (1 kilogram) red cherries pitted and halved (about 7 cups)

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup pomegranate juice or sour cherry juice

1 tablespoon tapioca flour

2 teaspoons cold water

Glaze for crust:

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon whipping cream

2 teaspoons sugar

Method

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter by hand or in a food processor until it is the size of small peas. Combine water and lemon juice and sprinkle enough over flour mixture to bring pastry together. Gather pastry into a ball, wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Combine half of cherries, sugar and pomegranate juice in a pot over medium-high heat. Bring to boil and cook for 2 minutes or until cherries begin to soften.

Combine tapioca and water and add to pot, stirring to combine, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in remaining cherries. Let cool.

Divide pastry into 6 portions and roll out on a floured surface into circles about 6 inches in diameter, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Divide cherries and juice among pastry circles and pile them into the centre of each, leaving a 1-inch border. Lift pastry edges and pleat around fruit to enclose slightly.

Beat egg yolk with cream to make glaze. Brush pastry edge with glaze and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is bubbling. Serves 4 with lots of leftovers

• "Tex-Mex" Rice Casserole Brown rice, beans, chicken, veggies, cheese, and a little spice - I made this dish last night, and it was pretty, darn tasty! It's fairly simply to make and is a great option when you have leftover rice and/or chicken. What I also like about this dish is it's healthier......
• Simple Southern Fried Chicken Recipe   I had to dig into the spice rack kind of deep to come up with the seasoning for this one. But it was great. We had it all on hand. This simple southern fried chicken recipe is sure to please everyone in your family. It’s not KFC, but it is very......
• Basic Gluten-Free Baking Tater Soup (Serves about 4-to-6 depending on whether used as an appetizer or a meal.) Ingredients: 3 cups of fresh water. 1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder or cube. * 1 large or 2 small fresh baking potato diced in about 1/2 inch cubes. 1/4 pound of cooked, diced chicken. 3/4 cup......

MAKES 2 (Each pie serves 6)
INGREDIENTS
Butter, for the tins

2 x 500g blocks puff pastry

350g/12oz sausagemeat or skinned sausages (a pork and apple variety works well)

2 apples, peeled, cored and grated

2 onions, grated

2 tbsp thyme leaves

16 thick slices cooked ham, fat trimmed from edges

4 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 eggs, beaten to glaze
METHOD

Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/ gas 5. Butter 2 x 20cm springform tins or deep, loose-based tart tins.

Cut one-third of the pastry off each block. Roll out the smaller pieces of pastry, then cut a circle from each to make the top of the pie – use a tin base as a template.

Roll out two-thirds of the pastry from each block and line the tins, leaving a good amount of excess hanging over the edge.

Mix the sausagemeat with the apples, onions and thyme, then divide into 4 portions.

Line each pie with 4 slices of ham and spread 1 tbsp mustard over the ham in each pie.

Add a quarter of the sausagemeat to each pie and press down to level it. Add another layer of ham and mustard to each, then the rest of the sausagemeat and level off the tops.
Put the pastry lids on top and brush with beaten egg. Fold the excess pastry over and press gently. Trim off any uneven bits to make the lid look as attractive as possible.

Brush again with beaten egg and cut a steam hole in the centre. Bake for 50 mins or until a skewer pushed in through the steam hole comes out very hot.

Cool in the tin for 15 mins, then release the sides of the tin and cool completely on a rack (still on the bases). Serve cold, cut into wedges, with pickles and salad. Or slide off the base and wrap tightly in foil, then cling film, before freezing.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-1293056/Recipe-Picnic-pie.html?ito=feeds-newsxml#ixzz0t69lr54h

• The LPGA Tour Championship The LPGA Tour Championship has had a little trouble, but it's not because of the players. Rain and darkness have delayed some play and cut some play short. On both Friday and Saturday, downpours caused tournament officials to decide cut the play down to 54 holes. On Sunday, the ground......
• Repairing Leather Furniture Furniture made of leather is generally more expensive than furniture made from other fabrics like cotton, acrylic, wool, or microfiber.  However, furniture experts consider leather to be the best all-around upholstery fabric.  This is because leather is extremely tough, softens and develops character with age, and is easy to clean. ......
• Fresh Pumpkin Pie Recipe   Pumpkin pie made with fresh pumpkin right out of the garden. This is a nice treat. Serve it fresh with whip cream or ice cream. It takes a little extra time to make a fresh pumpkin pie, but it is not as hard as you might think. It is......

Recipe: Peanut Butter Gelato
Recipe from ‘The Ciao Bella Book of Gelato and Sorbetto’
by F.W. Pearce and Danilo Zecchin

Posted: 06/22/2010 12:00:00 AM PDT

Peanut Butter Gelato

Plain Base (recipe follows)

1/2 cup sweetened smooth peanut butter

Make the Plain Base and chill as directed.

Place peanut butter in a blender and add half of Plain Base. Blend until smooth, then whisk into remaining base. Pour mixture into container of an ice cream machine and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for at least 2 hours before serving. Makes about 1 quart or 8 servings.

Peanut Butter with Strawberry Swirl Gelato

Make the Peanut Butter Gelato above; just after churning, spoon 1/2 cup strawberry jam (or one of your kids’ favorite flavors) over the top and quickly and lightly swirl in a zigzag pattern with a spoon or butter knife. (You may need to thin the jam with a little water to make it easier to swirl.)

Alternatively, transfer one-third of the gelato to the container you’re freezing it in and spoon one-third of the jam over it. Repeat layering with the remaining gelato and jam, then freeze for at least 2 hours before serving.

Plain Base

2 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy whipping cream

4 large egg yolks

2/3 cup sugar

In a heavy-bottom saucepan, combine milk and cream. Place over medium-low heat and cook,

——————————————————————————–

Advertisement

——————————————————————————–
stirring occasionally so a skin doesn’t form, until tiny bubbles start to form around the edges and mixture reaches a temperature of 170 degrees F.

Meanwhile, in a medium heatproof bowl, whisk egg yolks until smooth. Gradually whisk in sugar until it is well incorporated and the mixture is thick and pale yellow. Temper egg yolks by very slowly pouring in hot milk mixture while whisking continuously. Return custard to saucepan and place over low heat. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon and it reaches a temperature of 185 degrees F. Do not bring to a boil.

Pour mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean bowl and let cool to room temperature, stirring every 5 minutes or so. To cool custard quickly, make an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and water and placing the bowl with the custard in it; stir custard until cooled. Once completely cooled, cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. Makes enough for about 1 quart of gelato.

NOTE: This rich, custardy base is the starting point for many recipes with a range of flavors from maple nut and saffron spice to dulce de leche. But it’s also good enough to be made into gelato by itself, and in fact in Italy — where it is known as gelato de crema — it often is.

• Shirley J Queso I’m sure you’re all gathering up your recipes for Cinco de Mayo tomorrow! So before you head to the grocery store to pick up those last few ingredients– consider trying some queso, Shirley J style! Shirley J Queso: Ingredients: 1 lb. Velveeta cheese, microwaved until soft 1 cup Shirley......
• Rhubarb Crisp Recipe Rhubarb Crisp Ingredients Topping 1 cup sifted flour 1/2 cup raw rolled oats 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup butter, melted Rhubarb Filling 4 cups cut rhubarb, in 1/2 inch pieces (about 1 3/4 lb.) 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup unsifted flour 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon Directions for Rhubarb Crisp Preheat......
• Waxing a Snowboard pt 2 If you want your P-tex to maintain its clear color while you aer heating it, then you need to take care to keep the torch close, but not close enough to allow for the P-tex material to catch on fire. Filled the damaged areas on your snowboard in using the......

Planning a wedding can be a stressful task. That’s one reason couples say “I do” to enlisting the services of a wedding planner.

A wedding is supposed to be a happy day, but the year or so of planning to get to that day can strain relationships and fray nerves. Of course, nobody will forget to order the wedding dress, but there are

dozens of small details to consider before the day. Hiring a wedding planner is like having an assistant who can do the legwork.

“I helped plan my best friend’s wedding and I am confident I could plan my own. Still, I wanted somebody to make sure I didn’t forget anything,” says bride-to-be Lyndsay Pearce, who will tie the knot with

Chris Cowell Aug. 28. “It’s nice to have a person who can make sure things are done.”

Traditionally, the mother and friends of the bride would pitch in to help make arrangements for everything from caterers to florists, the limousine, photographers and the flower girl’s dress.

But most women have full-time jobs and don’t have time to spare. Some couples are also hesitant to leave the planning to amateurs.

A professional wedding planner’s role is to make sure everything runs smoothly.

“My job is to make sure all a couple has to do is to show up and have a great time,” says Barbara Hastings-McLeod of Sweet Beginnings Wedding Consulting. “Depending on the bride, I can help set timelines,

find vendors, put together a budget and co-ordinate events up to the end of the big day.”

She says her clients are often shocked by the time required to attend to all the small details that planning a wedding entails.

Each couple has individual needs, so fees vary. A full wedding planning package generally costs $2,000 or Hastings-McLeod can be hired for $750 just to co-ordinate events on the day of the wedding. She

doesn’t receive fees from the suppliers she recommends.

“I figure I couldn’t have done it more cost-effectively,” says Pearce, who admits she had no clue where to start to look for some suppliers.

But not every couple chooses to hire a wedding planner. They can draw on the services of a hotel’s catering manager. Most hotels have banquet rooms suitable for a wedding reception, in-house catering

facilities and rooms to accommodate out-of-town guests. Apart from arranging the reception venue, the catering manager can be a wealth of free information.

“Frequently we are the first point of contact for brides-to-be,” says Leigh-Ann Stephenson, the catering manager at the Four Points by Sheraton Victoria Gateway, which will see about 20 wedding parties this

year.

“You can’t have a wedding date until you have a venue for the reception, so we’re usually the first people 1/8couples 3/8 see.”

She says catering managers often work with the couple or wedding planner to arrange details for the reception — and sometimes even the ceremony — on the premises.

The service offered by catering managers is included in the cost of the room booking, making it a popular alternative for budget-conscious couples. But Stephenson points out catering managers cannot provide

assistance on other personal details a couple might need help with, such as working on dress and tuxedo fittings or renting limos. They can recommend suppliers or put couples in touch with wedding planners

if extra help is needed.

The major difference between a couple attempting to co-ordinate the wedding details on their own and a wedding planner is that the latter has done it more than once and knows what to anticipate, say experts.

“Typically, brides-to-be will focus on the frilly stuff and not think about the mechanics to make it happen,” says Kluane Bickerton, a former wedding planner who now publishes Weddings West, a wedding

planning directory.

“It sounds lovely to hold the ceremony outdoors. She may anticipate ordering portable washrooms. But will she know to get one with a door wide enough for her to fit into wearing a wedding gown? If the

ceremony is to be performed on a beach will she remember to warn people beforehand to wear flat shoes?”

Oversights such as these are easy to make and hard to forget when they happen.

Bickerton says a wedding planner’s strength is knowing the right questions to ask and being the go-to person when things go awry.

She cringes when she recounts one wedding she attended where the caterer didn’t show up, the bride needed to have her dress stitched up on her wedding day and the music consisted of a tape recorder.

“No one seemed to know what to do. Everybody was running around asking: ‘Weren’t you supposed to do that?’ ” says Bickerton, who worked as a planner for 15 years.

“There was nobody in charge.”

That’s when the services of a wedding planner can be invaluable.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Wedding+planners+help+bride+groom+avoid+conflicts/3165901/story.html#ixzz0rCqiso4R

• November Month In Review [/caption] November was a difficult month for me in terms of keeping to my budget. I had two unexpected expenses totaling $265, but adjustments to other categories kept me at only $115 over my projected budget. I expect December to be a good month for me. The only expenses I......
• Remember Basic Rules When You Make Cash Gifting. There are rules about etiquette, which you should remember for each movement made during wedding directly from a dress to gifting. Here is the list of all key points, which need to be considered if you have decided to present cash to your friends. If the person has invited you......
• She Said Yes! My Sister Is Engaged! I love all things wedding, and as you know I have been going through wedding withdrawal since my wedding happened over a year ago. Now, I am so happy to announce that my sister got engaged this week to her boyfriend of about 4 years! Yes that is right! Do......