RECIPE CONTEST

Some of you that read my other blog, noticed that I have a contest running for this, my cooking blog.  Doesn't make a lot of sense does it ... or does it?   In this new year I have decided to award one guest chef to be featured in my blog per month - complete with a gift, from ... drum roll...my kitchen!  How will we know if  I really sent a gift?  Well, the winner has permission to relentlessly harass me in the comment section if I don't.  But only for one day.

                                                                     

 If you'd like to be a guest chef, please email me your recipe and I will give it an honest try in my own kitchen. - If I love it (or like it a whole heck of a lot), I will post it.  If I post it, I will send you a personal gift from my kitchen - guaranteed.  Almost guaranteed.  *Remember the harassment rule.  I will have one guest chef each month in the new year, and you can send as many recipes as you'd like.  Email your recipes to:  javatalk@hotmail.com

                                                                               

I thought I should share this here, since here is where the contest runs!  Make sense?  Indeed.

If your recipe does not win the month you submit it, it does not mean it won't win for a later month.  I have received several already, so I've been busy in my kitchen!  Have fun with this, share anything you like related to the recipe (or not)... and keep them coming!

                                                   
                                                                      It could be you!

mel            

Chicken Pesto Toasties

I totally got in to this.  Making my own pesto.  Roasting my own chicken.  Heck, I almost made my own bread! Growing up I made several loaves of bread every Saturday morning.  It was one of my household chores.  Feeding a crew of 8, the bread never lasted very long.  There is little that compares to freshly baked bread, pulled from the oven, sliced thick and slathered in butter - accompanied by a cup of tea.  I'm drifting away a little here in my memories, so lets come back ...

Pesto:


Mix the following in a food processor or
Magic Bullet:

2 cups fresh basil leaves, pack 'em in                                                                 
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/3 cup pine nuts, or walnuts - minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste

This will yield 1 cup
Adjust the above to your liking in any way you like.  It's your pesto!




Directions:

In a bowl, add 4 chicken breasts - cooked and shredded, or chopped.
Add 1/2 cup pesto
Add 4 Tbsp. light mayo or salad dressing
pepper to taste

Spread Italian bread with butter and cook both sides, in a frying pan, until golden.
Top with chicken mixture, spinach leaves, and sliced Roma tomatoes.

                                                                   

                                                                             

                                                                           

                                                                         



Wine Paring:

American Chardonnay                                                        
Pinot Grigio
Sauvignon Blanc

Mel

                                                                             

Biscuit Lasagna

This is the most - requested meal from my adult children, and it was when they were younger.  I like it better than traditional lasagna, I think because of the cheese - stuffed biscuits.  I'm sure you can add whatever you like to the stuffing - it would be great with mushrooms, spinach, even peppers!  Some people have trouble breaking away from tradition - step out once, and you may never go back.  Sometimes, the grass really is greener.                            

INGREDIENTS

1

lb ground beef

1

28oz  tomato pasta sauce

1

tsp. garlic powder

1

tsp. Italian seasoning

1/2

tsp. pepper

1

can (12 oz) Pillsbury Homestyle Buttermilk Biscuits

1

cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)

1/2

cup cottage cheese

1

Tbsp. parsley flakes

1/2

tsp. dried minced onion

1/2

tsp. dried basil leaves

2

Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 400°F.  In skillet, cook ground beef until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in pasta sauce, garlic powder, Italian seasoning and pepper. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Press or roll each into 4-inch round. In small bowl, mix mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese, parsley flakes, onion and basil until blended. Place about 2 tablespoons cheese mixture on each biscuit round. Fold dough in half over filling; press edges with fork to seal.Into ungreased 13x9-inch glass baking dish, pour hot beef mixture. Arrange filled biscuits on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until biscuits are golden brownI double the cheese mixture - we like our biscuits more stuffed!
To reduce calories, I use reduced-fat cheeses.  Can also use chicken in place of beef, or no meat at all for vegetarian.
Wine Pairings:

                                                                                  Chianti (Sangiovese (Gabbiano)Cabernet Sauvignon (Clayhouse)

                                                                                                        

 

                                                                                                                

                                                                                                     

                                                                                                        
mel
                                                                                                        

Thai Me Up

If you like spice.  If you like a hint of peanut.  If you like fresh, you will salivate over this Thai Beef Noodle dish. I've upped the heat on it, increased the peanut sauce amount, and doubled the recipe; because it's fabulous for leftovers - and I couldn't be more satisfied.


Ingredients:

2 lb. lean boneless beef top sirloin, cut 1 inch thick
6 Tbsp. soy sauce, divided
4 Tbsp. rice wine or dry sherry
4 tsp. sugar
4 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter
8 Tbsp. water

4 tsp. rice wine vinegar                                                                                      
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
12 oz spaghetti noodles (I like the wheat)
1 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper
1 1/2 cup chopped, cucumber
1/2 cup sliced green onions

Preparation:

• Cut steak into 1-inch pieces; place in glass or nonmetallic bowl.  Add 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 4 Tbsp. rice wine and sugar to beef; toss to coat and let stand 30 min., or refrigerate overnight.
• Combine remaining 4 Tbsp. soy sauce, peanut butter, water, rice wine vinegar, crushed red pepper and ginger in a large bowl.
• Cook pasta according to pkg. directions.  Drain and rinse under hot water.  Add pasta to peanut butter mixture; toss to coat evenly.  Set aside.  Drain beef; discard marinade.  set aside.
• Spray large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat.  Add beef and bell pepper to skillet.  Cook 6 minutes or until desired doneness.  Add beef and bell pepper to noodle mixture; toss to coat evenly.  Sprinkle with cucumber and green onions.                                                              Makes 8 servings

                             

Wine Parings:

A slightly sweet Riesling

Gewurztraminer

Pinot Gris

A not-to-oaky champagne

         

javatalk                                         

Chocolate Trifle

Guest Chef:  Darwin D. Martin

     My father, being diabetic, does not partake in his own baking - yet continues to wow his children with his decadent desserts.  His torte is our favorite at Christmas time, all six of us agree.  You break through the crunchy topping, glide into the creamy whipped topping, skid into the smooth pudding, and enter the delectable cake, only to do it over again - after all, it's a torte, it has layers and layers of angel goodness.  Have coffee on hand, Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1. One pkg. chocolate fudge cake mix
2. 2- 6oz. pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
3. 1/2 cup strong coffee
4. 6 Heath candy bars, crush like the hulk
5. 1- 12oz carton whipped topping, thawed

Preparation:

• Prepare cake; cool.  Prepare pudding; set aside.
• Grab a 5 quart trifle dish, or a decorative glass bowl.  
• Crumble cake, reserving 1/2 cup.
• Place 1/2 of the remaining cake crumbs in the bowl
• Layer with half of the coffee, half of the pudding, half of the whipped topping, and half of the crushed candy bars
• Repeat the layers again.
• Combine the remaining crushed candy bars with the reserved cake crumbs; sprinkle over top.
• Refrigerate 4 hrs. before serving.  Serves 10.

                                                                         

Accompaniment:

Good, strong, heady, coffee.   

Variety is Good:

• Drizzle with Kahlua instead of coffee
• Use a yellow cake instead, drizzle with sherry, use a vanilla pudding
• Use mousse instead of pudding
• brownies instead of cake (I find this too rich)

As for my dad, he makes his cake from scratch, cooked pudding, as well as homemade whipped creme.

Maybe that's his secret.  :)

merry christmas

Champiñones al ajillo (Gorgeous Garlic Mushrooms)

So what is Spanish food all about? Start with conviviality and freshly prepared dishes with extra virgin olive oils, wines, cheeses, chic peas, lentils, parsley, rice almonds, garlic, saffron, cinnamon and fresh fruit. Add these to more olive oil and wine, very fresh fish, seafood, game, cured hams, sausages like chorizo, fresh breads, and to a lesser extent, beef, and you are almost there

                                                                           

You can't get more Spanish than this for a tapa.  Gorgeous mushrooms infused with exotic flavors that will leave 'em whining.  So make plenty and include some fresh crusty bread, such as a baguette, to sop up those seriously-garlicky juices.

                                                  some serious inspiration        

                                                                               

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. good, strong olive oil
• 16 oz button mushrooms, whole or sliced
• 12 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 Tbsp dry sherry
• 4 Tbsp lemon juice                                                                          
• 1/2 tsp hot chili flakes
• 4 dashes of paprika
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• handful, of chopped parsley, to garnish

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in skillet over high heat and fry mushrooms for 3 minutes, stirring constantly
2. Lower heat to medium, add garlic, sherry, lemon juice, salt and pepper - cook 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

This dish is quite easy and quite delicious to serve with bread, as a tapa, but can also be an accompaniment to a beef, lamb, or pork roast, steak or chops.

If you slice the mushrooms, you can serve on toasted baguette slices.

Can be made a day ahead and served warm or room-temperature.            

Pairings:

Campo Viejo 2006 - an affordable, and versatile choice.

Rioja

http://youtu.be/BughmijXOfE  -  They play violins to their wines.  :)

  

                                                                                                           

                                                                                                            

       Body of a Woman

Body of woman, white hills, white thighs,
you look yourself like a world in your attitude of surrender.
My rough peasant's body digs in you
and makes the son leap from the depths of the earth.

I was alone like a tunnel. The birds fled from me
and the night enveloped me with its crushing invasion.
To survive myself I forged to you like a weapon,
like an arrow in my bow, like a stone in my sling.

But the hour of vengeance falls, and I love you.
Body of skin, of moss, of eager and firm milk.
Ah those goblets of the chest! Ah those eyes of absence!
Ah the roses of the pubis! Ah your voice slow and sad!

Body of my woman, I will persist in your grace.
My thirst, my unbounded desire, my uncertain road!
Dark river-beds where the eternal thirst follows,
and tiredness follows, and the infinite ache.

 - Pablo Neruda, 1924                     

                                                                           

                                                javatalk                      

                                                                                       

Toot's Meatballs

Two days ago my Aunt Toots passed away.  I couldn't tell you what her real name was, for me it would be Aunt Toots regardless.  I was always tickled that she lived on Lapidary Lane, in Falling Creek Village.  It was so "fairytale-ish", and so were her meatballs.  I've had many meatballs in my life - most were either smothered in barbecue sauce or some grape jelly concoction.  Not only were Aunt Toot's meatballs delicious without a sauce (the oatmeal makes all the difference), but the tartness of the jellied-cranberries along with the tanginess of the chili sauce, coupled with a smidgen of brown sugar sealed them as hers.  I've made them for over 25 Christmas's - in fact, the recipe card I have it on is written in my former husband's hand writing.  That was 25 years ago! 




Ingredients:

2 lbs beef
1/4 cup water
1 small finely chopped onion
2 eggs
1 cup oatmeal (ran through a food processor until powdery)
1 1/2 tsp salt

16 oz can jellied cranberry
12 oz bottle Heinz chili sauce

2 Tbsp. brown sugar                                                                                          


Preparation:

Combine first 6 ingredients and roll into walnut-size balls
Place on a tin-foiled covered cookie sheet
Bake at 350 for 20 min-1/2 hr, or until done

Stir remaining 3 ingredients into a crock pot and heat until melted
Place the meatballs in crock pot with sauce and simmer together.


If you choose to make these, please call them Toot's meatballs.  I think she would like that.  And so would I.

Say hi to Uncle Art for me.

Sweet Potato Corn Chowder

I have a passion for all things Cumin.  This Mediterranean sweat heart is the second most popular spice in the world after black pepper.  I find Cumin adds an earthiness to my soups and chili's. It's essential oil content lends a warm aroma to cooking, so I especially like to use it in the cold winter months.  Wonderful for digestive disorders, relieves symptoms of the common cold, treats asthma, arthritis and boosts the immune system! Hurray for Cumin!  




Speaking of ... I like it in my SP Corn Chowder too!  This soup packs a powerful punch to the senses, as well as to your nutritional content for the day. With a hunk of corn bread in one hand and a soup spoon in the other, you really won't want to be disturbed.   Dab some behind your ear though, and I'll follow you around all day.  :)

                                                                                                                           


Ingredients:

6 oz kielbasa, cut lengthwise then slice
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Lg onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp Cumin
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
3 Tbsp Arrowroot, or corn starch
1 tsp Cajun seasoning
16 oz pkg frozen corn kernels
8 cups chicken broth
2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 1/2 inch.
1 cup whipping cream
16 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 3/4 inch pieces, cooked.


Directions:

1. In large dutch oven, brown sausage for 5 minutes.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook 5 more minutes.  
2. Stir in Cumin, Chili Powder, and Cajun seasoning.  Cook 2 minutes.
3. Stir in chicken broth, bring to boil.
4. Add corn, sweet potatoes, cooked chicken pieces.  Return to boiling, reduce heat.
5. Simmer covered 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender.  Stir in whipping cream and pepper.
6. Heat to hot, but not boiling.  Stir in cornstarch mixed with a small amount of water - stir for a few minutes until thickened.

                                                    induction of spices

                                                                     melding the flavors

                                                            all is right in my world  :)

Side kicks:

Corn bread

Garden salad

Pairing:

Pinot Gris

Gruner Vetliner - Full-bodied, dry wine, able to pair with difficult foods.

Riesling - a very dry variety.

Chardonnay

As always ... enjoy   

javatalk