tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33550598482364765662024-03-04T23:00:52.975-08:00The Undercover CookThe Undercover Cook is a full-time mom and marketing manager in search of interesting food choices, smarter eating and latest in food trends....even when time is in precious short supply.The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-63736198777275485712011-07-19T11:50:00.000-07:002011-07-19T11:50:12.385-07:00Big News!!!<div style="text-align: center;">Thank you for visiting me on blogspot, but The Undercover Cook blog has moved to</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><a href="http://www.theundercovercook.com/"><span style="font-size: x-large;">www.TheUndercoverCook.com</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Please make the jump and visit me on my website blog for the latest recipes, easy smarter eating tips and interesting food trends. See below for easy links to my most recent July posts on The Undercover Cook. Hope to see you soon on my new website!</div><div style="text-align: right;">-Jenna</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>■7/18/11 <a href="http://theundercovercook.com/2011/07/blueberries-part-2-fantastic-cinnamon-multigrain-blueberry-pancakes.html">Fantastic Blueberry Cinnamon Multigrain Pancakes</a><br />
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■7/16/11 <a href="http://theundercovercook.com/2011/07/blueberry-boy-bait.html">Blueberry Boy Bait</a><br />
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■7/14/11 <a href="http://theundercovercook.com/2011/07/the-nutty-professor-banana-smoothie.html">The Nutty Banana Smoothie</a><br />
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■7/11/11 <a href="http://theundercovercook.com/2011/07/chickpea-marsala-burgers.html">Chickpea Marsala Burgers</a><br />
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■7/7/11 <a href="http://theundercovercook.com/2011/07/chipotle-mango-bbq-chicken.html">Chipotle Mango BBQ Chicken</a><br />
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■7/5/11 <a href="http://theundercovercook.com/2011/07/banana-nutella-muffins.html">Banana Nutella Muffins</a><br />
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■7/1/11 <a href="http://theundercovercook.com/2011/07/homemade-watermelon-sorbet.html">Homemade Watermelon Sorbet</a>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-19499249866277899572011-07-01T06:05:00.000-07:002011-07-01T06:05:47.521-07:00Homemade Watermelon Sorbet<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The 4th of July weekend is finally here! For me that means barbecues with friends, beach time with my little guy and even a little neighborhood parade for the kids. Now that is the good stuff!</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_aJhHHA8dynGPfA8MUS2o1nFBJ8qnMvzyL0e4-fIbP5YBYU54jXPf-rZzAmEp5XVz44hhVceTI5ieEZz9PAmhmU5RKLwZ5p1yCs2AR7Wef35Hy4o3o218t1F6etlhdUMuaFFdlk1Z88/s1600/watermelon+sorbet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje_aJhHHA8dynGPfA8MUS2o1nFBJ8qnMvzyL0e4-fIbP5YBYU54jXPf-rZzAmEp5XVz44hhVceTI5ieEZz9PAmhmU5RKLwZ5p1yCs2AR7Wef35Hy4o3o218t1F6etlhdUMuaFFdlk1Z88/s320/watermelon+sorbet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So I have been looking for a great new recipe worthy of the 4th of July weekend. I wanted something cool and refreshing and not too complicated for my laid back weekend of fun. The first food that popped into my mind was watermelon. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBft1ymTPrjsOTJ6u8NKFW8-CwcCWA7ZtcsxSfaR1Zl6is14v67_5IhQpZ8RzAWo-tKXhLKTjLOrOBAwcrKMwLyO0dX5VHOS-1_-wu1VW-M6_FSbzAlmxnGPuO4Jz4c5NN9qkmof4ZUY/s1600/Logan+%2526+watermelon+sorbet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBft1ymTPrjsOTJ6u8NKFW8-CwcCWA7ZtcsxSfaR1Zl6is14v67_5IhQpZ8RzAWo-tKXhLKTjLOrOBAwcrKMwLyO0dX5VHOS-1_-wu1VW-M6_FSbzAlmxnGPuO4Jz4c5NN9qkmof4ZUY/s320/Logan+%2526+watermelon+sorbet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">To me watermelon is one of the quintessential signs that it is summer! I have lots of great memories of sitting in the backyard with all the neighborhood kids around a couple of giant watermelons. One of the dads would slice and pass out big pieces to all the kids. We would sit in the grass eating watermelon right out of the rind with glorious sweet red sticky juice running down our arms. The collective moms would generally ban us from returning inside until we hosed down. What you want us to play in the hose on a hot summer day?? Bonus!!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLpcl34dwWRgjTzZ9Y4Qv7Fi-cjbMRxFs8RCewFoKpZaMRRWiW8X4Htg5PFLkxyAubHvWCTFA3yX4Qo_bQFE_T1otgJ0VMAu6SudN1hjG3HlKd5ApvghN38Errvdhlzvi1dzI7IZB_ak/s1600/watermelon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLpcl34dwWRgjTzZ9Y4Qv7Fi-cjbMRxFs8RCewFoKpZaMRRWiW8X4Htg5PFLkxyAubHvWCTFA3yX4Qo_bQFE_T1otgJ0VMAu6SudN1hjG3HlKd5ApvghN38Errvdhlzvi1dzI7IZB_ak/s320/watermelon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In my quest for the ultimate 4th of July dish I found a great recipe for <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Watermelon-Sorbet-with-Chocolate-Seeds-12499">Watermelon Sorbet with Chocolate Seeds on Epicurious.com</a>. The recipe for watermelon sorbet, which was previously published in Gourmet magazine, was simple. I followed it exactly leaving out the optional liqueur kick at the end to keep my sorbet kid-friendly. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzt0TKmo3lCWDQnsmASa6DqPQvj1yApOQDBOxYkUqkHzVOAOSmv7aCp6F8xHvLqMqspuBIns7-za_U6T0O-zVy1Gv7LXQZIUEOVCo8SLDUoavAHFNLhvRwmShUCoBIKVc_xLq-y8sFeBk/s1600/watermelon+in+processor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzt0TKmo3lCWDQnsmASa6DqPQvj1yApOQDBOxYkUqkHzVOAOSmv7aCp6F8xHvLqMqspuBIns7-za_U6T0O-zVy1Gv7LXQZIUEOVCo8SLDUoavAHFNLhvRwmShUCoBIKVc_xLq-y8sFeBk/s200/watermelon+in+processor.jpg" width="200" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk66IFhpTj-lyVFshCZ57nc7H2DPmFL7YeljerN0r1_Y432A3EVbC-HwYfs50oeFTtwYHgujeZe5RfeQnbPoIAYYGhRRuYtBUTJxDoQYKGkvC3O5VabSOhf8BWoABECsN0rR0LqJ3GwSQ/s1600/watermelon+puree+in+processor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk66IFhpTj-lyVFshCZ57nc7H2DPmFL7YeljerN0r1_Y432A3EVbC-HwYfs50oeFTtwYHgujeZe5RfeQnbPoIAYYGhRRuYtBUTJxDoQYKGkvC3O5VabSOhf8BWoABECsN0rR0LqJ3GwSQ/s200/watermelon+puree+in+processor.jpg" width="199" /></a></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The most time consuming preparation step was cutting up the watermelon and picking out all the seeds. You could opt for a seedless watermelon to save time, but they aren’t quite as flavorful as the seeded variety.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMS5h43BcZVf2U5olBHog8yI_0xOBLjAoz8DgzYbJxAs6D8dDwTWRLMmNWTfYek1pAmFLb7Q-VvjwDM6m6EPU0ayYDebBFuS_RmtMsk1smA6zdh8p_YcLZhia6cFrSDGj-PhfZzxq9YA/s1600/puree+and+sugar+in+pan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMS5h43BcZVf2U5olBHog8yI_0xOBLjAoz8DgzYbJxAs6D8dDwTWRLMmNWTfYek1pAmFLb7Q-VvjwDM6m6EPU0ayYDebBFuS_RmtMsk1smA6zdh8p_YcLZhia6cFrSDGj-PhfZzxq9YA/s200/puree+and+sugar+in+pan.jpg" width="200" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj112GzCrrYWSsmjTu3Jd962BD2X_SMvC_3uiaaqSglo9bGprsJLI7ckIudMOgrTVdXhBFpZmmJtMaFxP8A8CNPbPRE02_L4rf1agoqGpnP86zeKNMjd1hep4Rr6lx39tuR75D973vxSr8/s1600/watermelon+puree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj112GzCrrYWSsmjTu3Jd962BD2X_SMvC_3uiaaqSglo9bGprsJLI7ckIudMOgrTVdXhBFpZmmJtMaFxP8A8CNPbPRE02_L4rf1agoqGpnP86zeKNMjd1hep4Rr6lx39tuR75D973vxSr8/s200/watermelon+puree.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">I did skipped more complicated Gourmet presentation suggestions of trying to freeze the sorbet in the left over watermelon rind and making my own chocolate “watermelon seeds” out of melted chocolate. Simply serving sorbet in bowls with a sprinkling of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips will be perfect!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjCZJMa3N2zOJQnzwkAVCqJylgcfHXgyVV3gb13w80Gx3b2rqkAsw9rs3p-iTkrSbQANgc7388n25UKYM_t9oxG9IgyDdCiafHBies4jPfChSZDXdm5PIXRVsodaEiMwn7s061y33jYQ/s1600/DSCN0699.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhjCZJMa3N2zOJQnzwkAVCqJylgcfHXgyVV3gb13w80Gx3b2rqkAsw9rs3p-iTkrSbQANgc7388n25UKYM_t9oxG9IgyDdCiafHBies4jPfChSZDXdm5PIXRVsodaEiMwn7s061y33jYQ/s200/DSCN0699.jpg" width="200" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwW1-YA054FWjHoXurWIYwHTLmCtSR4OwVSewtS4tMpj2u3Uk5scwFBVK5ebbBiDNehKLLuauSRJGnH8eY3FENHygDZV3qw4Mj1rQfmXSWRSN4DgKiITuusL7CEAlKLgMcXWRBYWV00U/s1600/DSCN0701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWwW1-YA054FWjHoXurWIYwHTLmCtSR4OwVSewtS4tMpj2u3Uk5scwFBVK5ebbBiDNehKLLuauSRJGnH8eY3FENHygDZV3qw4Mj1rQfmXSWRSN4DgKiITuusL7CEAlKLgMcXWRBYWV00U/s200/DSCN0701.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVvpsBBSpZvn-njEflvuAhhnB2Uq1FrM6wITQi4HFTzOnqDevRu9LGfeI4-yCBYwTJ8aJibKeysRcM9pYHnC3hWSBSuVl7BP4Hrnuc9yaJrWruAP9e2Fk8nhiMD3DJb4vYYQl1WqVpbs/s1600/watermelon+sorbet+with+chocolate+seeds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVvpsBBSpZvn-njEflvuAhhnB2Uq1FrM6wITQi4HFTzOnqDevRu9LGfeI4-yCBYwTJ8aJibKeysRcM9pYHnC3hWSBSuVl7BP4Hrnuc9yaJrWruAP9e2Fk8nhiMD3DJb4vYYQl1WqVpbs/s320/watermelon+sorbet+with+chocolate+seeds.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;">Now I mentioned that I left out the optional liqueur when making the sorbet to keep my dish family friendly. There is still an opportunity for a more adult version after the sorbet is made if you so desire. This sorbet makes phenomenal Watermelon Zinger drinks. Just skip the the chocolate chips, scoop servings into drink glasses, add a shot of vodka and give a quick stir. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEauB7Ouj1r_xXUkQqqYDS_pLgmlJC5KpmCpS2W5ypIpTQJmdh9LbzKuZbuoVLZoE227ynu3iLRmY81gLq22OabZ5Hhdx28xMBk_Mlx4QTixwWrveCSrhrysUvEXR7JQwsTaKBp2-IXKA/s1600/watermelon+zingers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEauB7Ouj1r_xXUkQqqYDS_pLgmlJC5KpmCpS2W5ypIpTQJmdh9LbzKuZbuoVLZoE227ynu3iLRmY81gLq22OabZ5Hhdx28xMBk_Mlx4QTixwWrveCSrhrysUvEXR7JQwsTaKBp2-IXKA/s320/watermelon+zingers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>Happy 4th of July weekend everyone!</b></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Watermelon Sorbet with Chocolate Seeds</span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9myBktvYpbuV1jx5VZDG_vWJxMrsF0iKa0Fn0zo7-Cbs4Z7irCoCVOcD1ZlVk7OYj0ofYW4BAw2UjKOaWh2GTjg-2ho-Wxkeym7QAorGUXEx13-0-Rl7DpFjBGsHwA2A8P5E8inskAHg/s1600/Watermelon+sorbet+ingredients.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9myBktvYpbuV1jx5VZDG_vWJxMrsF0iKa0Fn0zo7-Cbs4Z7irCoCVOcD1ZlVk7OYj0ofYW4BAw2UjKOaWh2GTjg-2ho-Wxkeym7QAorGUXEx13-0-Rl7DpFjBGsHwA2A8P5E8inskAHg/s200/Watermelon+sorbet+ingredients.jpg" width="169" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Total Recipe Time: 3-4 hours (25 minutes prep + freezing time)</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Makes: 1 1/2 quarts</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Approx 3 1/2 pound piece of watermelon</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 cup sugar</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/4 cup fresh lime juice</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">semi-sweet mini chocolate chips</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Cut the watermelon into chunks remove and discard all the seeds and rind.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Place watermelon chunks into a food processor. Give a few pulses on low until you get watermelon puree. Repeat until you have 5 cups of watermelon puree.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Place 1 cup of puree and sugar in a sauce pan. Heat on moderate heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved (approximately 2-3 minutes).</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Remove sauce pan form heat and stir in the remaining watermelon puree and lime juice. Blend well.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until the watermelon mixture is fully cold.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Pour the watermelon mixture into an ice-cream maker. Run ice-cream maker until sorbet is frozen to a slushy state (approx 25 minutes). Place frozen sorbet in the freezer for at least 2-3 hours to further freeze.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Portion into bowls, sprinkle semi-sweet mini chocolate chips and serve immediately to your delighted guests!</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Watermelon Zingers</span></b></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">watermelon sorbet (without semi-sweet chocolate chips)</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">vodka or rum</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Portion watermelon sorbet into glasses. Top with 1-2 oz of vodka or liqueur of choice. Stir and serve with a straw.</span></span></div>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-64801714610636120722011-06-27T19:40:00.000-07:002011-06-27T19:58:36.506-07:00The Ultimate Southern Pesto to Dress up Dinner<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Oh joy! A friend gave me a new cookbook last week, </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px; text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1128111242">Bon Appetite, Y’al</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.virginiawillis.com/books.html">l</a></span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> by Virginia Willis. High-brow French cooking meets down home southern - I am in love already. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I had the best of intentions of diving into the pages over the weekend and cooking up a storm on Sunday. But the reality of being the on-the-go mother to a toddler set in and I managed only to skim the first few chapters during little man’s nap time. (I really need one of those time-turners thingies like in the Harry Potter movie, to create some more hours in my day!!)</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1TfWtqVyG_iXE5d93c7eBwRtbqNuF5ySw_uJW16NKwBThm71kku3Q1FfzupriuggdizjaFJMVPJ_7p3ol6nenPBEidwDoi4rmjgIYpSxHx1x36xGNq3UXG8jVZgC7jMeACRkek4Qw3A8/s1600/southern+pesto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></a></div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Today I was determined to try something new from the luscious pages of my new cookbook. What I came up with was an awesome little super quick recipe, perfect for dressing up ordinary chicken on a typically rushed Monday night.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1TfWtqVyG_iXE5d93c7eBwRtbqNuF5ySw_uJW16NKwBThm71kku3Q1FfzupriuggdizjaFJMVPJ_7p3ol6nenPBEidwDoi4rmjgIYpSxHx1x36xGNq3UXG8jVZgC7jMeACRkek4Qw3A8/s1600/southern+pesto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1TfWtqVyG_iXE5d93c7eBwRtbqNuF5ySw_uJW16NKwBThm71kku3Q1FfzupriuggdizjaFJMVPJ_7p3ol6nenPBEidwDoi4rmjgIYpSxHx1x36xGNq3UXG8jVZgC7jMeACRkek4Qw3A8/s320/southern+pesto.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Pecan-Basil Pistou is Willis’s southern twist on a basic pesto recipe (or pistou which is the French version of the italian classic condiment). The southern twist, as you may have guessed from the name, is the pecans. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Pesto is incredibly easy to make it. There are 5 basic ingredients - fresh basil, garlic, parmesan, pine nuts and olive oil, plus a little salt and pepper for seasoning. With the aid of a food processor you can whip this recipe up in about 5 minutes. This southern version swaps out the pine nuts in favor of pecans which add a rich meaty flavor. I modified the recipe slightly to fit the ingredients I had on hand and my personal taste.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg08Tun7B6JXPvIHO4Ha3qlrHfxLn2Q9g5XkPthFWg5ovKXCmeow-ESlkkmK-SD27vQHjThbVDNJU3Wtv-HxFrKFzng6FtFQ8zDFPj0KnCyARKdpvLfa_7kaYVSd0KpFJ7jMhyphenhyphenpyOc-rIs/s1600/basil+in+food+processor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg08Tun7B6JXPvIHO4Ha3qlrHfxLn2Q9g5XkPthFWg5ovKXCmeow-ESlkkmK-SD27vQHjThbVDNJU3Wtv-HxFrKFzng6FtFQ8zDFPj0KnCyARKdpvLfa_7kaYVSd0KpFJ7jMhyphenhyphenpyOc-rIs/s200/basil+in+food+processor.jpg" width="200" /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigI_D0k0J81HrOfrpr9DrLs5imHDxD6DlBaIPEPzH-Qpg80hDW2wo3N2elbo9_S69VRhPGjNapAN-x5cDGzjSMo57zW2pA9R3UoM5zfe6Y2158U0kql3ka1kdG_h5TIKAMoJE-V-RlNec/s1600/pesto+in+food+processor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigI_D0k0J81HrOfrpr9DrLs5imHDxD6DlBaIPEPzH-Qpg80hDW2wo3N2elbo9_S69VRhPGjNapAN-x5cDGzjSMo57zW2pA9R3UoM5zfe6Y2158U0kql3ka1kdG_h5TIKAMoJE-V-RlNec/s200/pesto+in+food+processor.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Pesto is an excellent condiment for dressing up pasta, or bread or variety of other foods. For dinner tonight I added a dollop of my freshly made southern pesto to pan seared chicken. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My chicken was simple - thin sliced chicken breast seasoned with garlic salt & pepper then quickly seared in a dash of olive oil over medium high heat. I made the pesto in the food processor while the chicken was sizzling away in the skillet. After plating the fully cooked chicken, I added a spoonful of of my freshly made pesto right before serving. It took my chicken from everyday ordinary to Italian-Southern fusion cuisine! Now that is what I call totally delish!!</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3M70SL_YrPdTebPWD3BXVV0KD39fhzholrWQyBPqU-i96fmE9Vzb95FUy-3IsIq-vVuksuy_kpfFSLLuJRooQoMvkohpzpx644aMVaODrRVcJS6GE6QO9moZ9uo3LjsjteNnY0_nzRJU/s1600/Chicken+w%253A+southern+pesto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3M70SL_YrPdTebPWD3BXVV0KD39fhzholrWQyBPqU-i96fmE9Vzb95FUy-3IsIq-vVuksuy_kpfFSLLuJRooQoMvkohpzpx644aMVaODrRVcJS6GE6QO9moZ9uo3LjsjteNnY0_nzRJU/s400/Chicken+w%253A+southern+pesto.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Ultimate Southern Pesto</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Total prep time: 5 minutes</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1-2 cloves of garlic, finally chopped</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/2 cup pecans</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3/4 shredded parmesan</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3/4 cup extra-version olive oil (plus extra if needed to get to desired consistency)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">course salt and freshly ground pepper</span></li>
</ul></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Place the basils leaves, chopped garlic, pecans, shredded parmesan and 3/4 cup of olive oil in a food processor. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed to get all ingredients fully processed. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">With the food processor running on low, slowly pour in a little more olive oil until the pesto reaches the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Store any left pesto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Or freeze for up to one month.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Tip: If you opt to freeze the pesto, try freezing in an ice cube tray. When fully frozen, pop out the pesto cubes and store in freezer bag in the freezer. This way you can easily take out just the portion you want to use.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2tJq2SmVFZnDVqsOM8NuepNG_MtgiFSEEuxwVdn63TlJeAK9bGxOgxtuXYNvPDxzV_KJQSuqM_a1IGb43LCkPT4rE-S_iFy8aKzQ_6wRay3aYMYO78qKW9-sIrvJJ4luDT8Mh4uw3GE/s1600/Chicken+with+southern+pesto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS2tJq2SmVFZnDVqsOM8NuepNG_MtgiFSEEuxwVdn63TlJeAK9bGxOgxtuXYNvPDxzV_KJQSuqM_a1IGb43LCkPT4rE-S_iFy8aKzQ_6wRay3aYMYO78qKW9-sIrvJJ4luDT8Mh4uw3GE/s320/Chicken+with+southern+pesto.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-7835311258366060292011-06-21T19:46:00.000-07:002011-06-25T06:02:01.155-07:00Brown Sugar Teriyaki Steelhead Trout with Toasted Pecans<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Yeah for the first day of summer! Warm days, vacation plans and the inevitable need to get into a bathing suit again. (deep sigh!) Time to head back to the gym.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Naturally, I am trying to work out more this time of year. I won’t lie...it is so hard to make time most days. My best opportunity is to use my lunch hour to pop over to the gym for a quick workout, but even that is a challenge to accomplish. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I am trying to sneak in a little extra work out time in other places too - like Logan’s bath time. While he plays with his bath toys I grab my arm weights (which I keep under the sink) and sneak in a few reps. Logan helps me count. Of course being barely 2 years-old his numbers tend to come out in random order. I have no idea how many reps I am actually getting in, but I figure any number is 100 times more than what I was doing before , so it is all good.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQF0W8ePphYLu8qtKB8Yyiwe-GvGcacUnbSvc0-TRQYuWE_hEYzc0YDYoztrA7z4Lo77hS4LwN4tz8On1iwS3nGukdMXjPtR2shzNVWSoLulBBDNVwmWmuCugsJQLBv6mhoCccSKasXFE/s1600/DSCN0610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQF0W8ePphYLu8qtKB8Yyiwe-GvGcacUnbSvc0-TRQYuWE_hEYzc0YDYoztrA7z4Lo77hS4LwN4tz8On1iwS3nGukdMXjPtR2shzNVWSoLulBBDNVwmWmuCugsJQLBv6mhoCccSKasXFE/s200/DSCN0610.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In keeping with my new found quest to become bathing suit ready, I am trying to keep it lean and healthy at dinner time. I am also trying to <a href="http://theundercovercook.blogspot.com/2011/04/wish-for-new-tasty-fish-dish.html">eat more seafood</a>. Tonight my healthy choice was steelhead trout baked in a super simple teriyaki and brown sugar glaze then finished with a few toasted pecans. It was totally delish!</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7xD1iU0PaN-w8UhBNyy2kaiYOx16HsFzyqZv_878v0j_tNESrF93Q8deQviliYvEsIudFYbY9FV_PHVC0L9muaidyIRrepbHJIZCQKaQUAlY-q5F9A0IUXgy0yOOWnmy7QxQnvHmQyk/s1600/steelhead+trout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7xD1iU0PaN-w8UhBNyy2kaiYOx16HsFzyqZv_878v0j_tNESrF93Q8deQviliYvEsIudFYbY9FV_PHVC0L9muaidyIRrepbHJIZCQKaQUAlY-q5F9A0IUXgy0yOOWnmy7QxQnvHmQyk/s320/steelhead+trout.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If you have never tried steelhead trout, it is a meaty fish that looks a lot salmon. However the flavor of steelhead trout is milder than salmon. It is also less oily and therefore has less omega 3 fatty-acids than salmon as well. Give it a try and let me know what you think.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7C_-ewicFWxlz3c5FD_dByl-tUqGDOv6vldmsgU58DtjOYrM_gXUgBbOuKbkZ4Yh_HeTdA6-WWsv6C9ZxZBollp-krqpbbWS0DCe0besDh9HGVaLgHO3_Lki8sFmSJ4bXsU8DepuJIU/s1600/trout+with+toasted+pecans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi7C_-ewicFWxlz3c5FD_dByl-tUqGDOv6vldmsgU58DtjOYrM_gXUgBbOuKbkZ4Yh_HeTdA6-WWsv6C9ZxZBollp-krqpbbWS0DCe0besDh9HGVaLgHO3_Lki8sFmSJ4bXsU8DepuJIU/s320/trout+with+toasted+pecans.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Brown Sugar Teriyaki Steelhead Trout with Toast Pecans</span></b></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7uZc6T3jhSrHxQ2oBl6iOau0jxRmFZtThM78Kg6fKtkVBuwrEYlmosktKY7t32Nq4d7uKCblnjVl0ZQ1nYWurta8KXDQs5Px-8L-av_IvjB0v17dnGGoEYVLgm0P_udapnX4AgmzNogI/s1600/ingredients.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7uZc6T3jhSrHxQ2oBl6iOau0jxRmFZtThM78Kg6fKtkVBuwrEYlmosktKY7t32Nq4d7uKCblnjVl0ZQ1nYWurta8KXDQs5Px-8L-av_IvjB0v17dnGGoEYVLgm0P_udapnX4AgmzNogI/s200/ingredients.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Prep Time: 5 minutes</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Cook Time: 20-25 minutes</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Makes: 4 entrees</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">4 steelhead trout fillets (skin off)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3/4 cup teriyaki sauce</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">4 tablespoons brown sugar</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/2 cup toasted pecans</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tin foil</span></li>
</ul><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Preheat oven to 350º.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Tear off 4 sheets of tin foil, each approximately 12 inches long. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Place 1 fillet on each piece of tin foil. Top with each fillet with 3 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Pull two sides up of the tin foil together and roll closed. Pull the other two sides up and roll closed to form a sealed packet.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Place the 4 sealed packets of fish on a baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until fish is fully cooked.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">While fish is cooking, place pecans on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until the color deepens and the nuts become fragrant. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When fish are fully cooked remove from the foil packs and place on serving dishes. Top with brown sugar teriyaki sauce to taste (from the foil packets) and toasted pecans.</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2wwtXriBVEIeFNv0M2kElscB0xXUpz_9nkLNecnvKuSk6hBiAbm4UIgIeE5V9woLHzCV63S2m1jm9eBzIpPQkH56hSv_vksOsYrOOq8WRIgNVoZt2E3eXW5pt1bOf9UhC3DkQSTF720/s1600/trout+with+brown+sugar+teriyaki.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2wwtXriBVEIeFNv0M2kElscB0xXUpz_9nkLNecnvKuSk6hBiAbm4UIgIeE5V9woLHzCV63S2m1jm9eBzIpPQkH56hSv_vksOsYrOOq8WRIgNVoZt2E3eXW5pt1bOf9UhC3DkQSTF720/s320/trout+with+brown+sugar+teriyaki.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-43464403051208700022011-06-16T19:34:00.000-07:002011-06-16T20:03:44.466-07:00Rational Roast Chicken vs Wonderful Waffles<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Today as I was picking up little dude from daycare I hear one of the other mother’s making an innocent comment about her kids being on a waffle kick for breakfast for the past month. And just that quickly the urning for waffles began. All of a sudden the left-over roasted chicken and fresh asparagus I had planned for dinner sounds so plain-Jane and boring. <i> I want waffles!</i></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I have the internal debate the whole ride home. “Responsible mommies do not serve waffles for dinner.” “Waffles would be so easy.” “There is healthy respectable roasted chicken and fresh asparagus in the fridge that shouldn’t go to waste.” “I <i>want</i> some yummy waffles!"</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxDmMQmuMPHvNJuuH8B51iO4Ge3_KpSwp-1L1rz6SwDMlb16h1qTDdCh_08e1NqQdXRrCK9kVTRl2bf9jM77NtqAFf9AOqP8_IinFeR0PDWQkCWEGuUMsXNmopvEq1TGSpIoEoFx36To/s1600/berries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJxDmMQmuMPHvNJuuH8B51iO4Ge3_KpSwp-1L1rz6SwDMlb16h1qTDdCh_08e1NqQdXRrCK9kVTRl2bf9jM77NtqAFf9AOqP8_IinFeR0PDWQkCWEGuUMsXNmopvEq1TGSpIoEoFx36To/s320/berries.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">As you probably guessed - the waffles won out. However I did decide if I was going to be that “irresponsible” about dinner then I was going to have to work for it a little bit. So I went home, tossed Logan in the stroller and we walked to the grocery store to pick up my contraband waffles. Now I live on the coast in southern Georgia and it is the middle of June. It is hot, humid and the ‘skeetos and lethal. This was some serious penance for a few waffles. </div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTwGBISOeVrRQOvGB5T70oG3n9VrfP-IgQJjrvMbgjZzdnBZehBcE1Xg5c8JR3NP0MvjXiG2hKUZZodsvmwbZl0U_c0tuwqtJuUSeP8ZhjBQUv4mgK6fyDsc5zgjs5035G90eJ6ufJVU/s1600/Waffles+with+Almond+Butter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTTwGBISOeVrRQOvGB5T70oG3n9VrfP-IgQJjrvMbgjZzdnBZehBcE1Xg5c8JR3NP0MvjXiG2hKUZZodsvmwbZl0U_c0tuwqtJuUSeP8ZhjBQUv4mgK6fyDsc5zgjs5035G90eJ6ufJVU/s320/Waffles+with+Almond+Butter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So here is how dinner ended up - <a href="http://www.kashi.com/products/kashi_waffles_7_grain">Kashi 7 Grain Waffle</a>s smeared with <a href="http://www.maranathafoods.com/product/natural-almond-butter-no-salt-creamy">MaraNatha All Natural Roasted Almond Butter</a>, a generous handful of fresh berries topped with just a subtle kiss of <a href="http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11486143&whse=BD_823&topnav=bdoff&cat=10690&hierPath=10722*&lang=en-US">Kirkland Signature 100% Real Maple Syrup</a>. And to drink I whipped up my <a href="http://theundercovercook.blogspot.com/2011/03/making-sunshine-on-rainy-day.html">Sunshine in a Glass Mango Smoothie</a>. It was heaven! </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnD1SSxQtbUYNof_DlOqMFeI9SzkaJlqDVzy0uzM0PQ_EZLUlWsw3wIPsB4tBIeEKvpGsgJHKf2arjl7s_kxJnhLGBJO_8qV-7cKmFDE_X4iysG5Jg3pbvw9ZXnmVpY6VYgsCdQKwgEM/s1600/Picture2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnD1SSxQtbUYNof_DlOqMFeI9SzkaJlqDVzy0uzM0PQ_EZLUlWsw3wIPsB4tBIeEKvpGsgJHKf2arjl7s_kxJnhLGBJO_8qV-7cKmFDE_X4iysG5Jg3pbvw9ZXnmVpY6VYgsCdQKwgEM/s320/Picture2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">After careful examination of the various nutrition labels I have determine that with the possible exception that there was nothing green on our plates, dinner actually wasn't all that bad for us. Yeah for yummy waffles! The roast chicken will just have to keep until tomorrow.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjPRkVY8loPTtdmLsl7xvja_3876HAAoBBtKYQag40mEV6dK5szS0dNFPNxiFlDkQJ0XzIVAmhUfP2EzcHLsPtPqfs3HRMn67PV10k8pxJ2Ys8rgVTo_HgoIGbwc-0b4T-TmEQghtk0VE/s1600/Kashi+Waffles+with+Berries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjPRkVY8loPTtdmLsl7xvja_3876HAAoBBtKYQag40mEV6dK5szS0dNFPNxiFlDkQJ0XzIVAmhUfP2EzcHLsPtPqfs3HRMn67PV10k8pxJ2Ys8rgVTo_HgoIGbwc-0b4T-TmEQghtk0VE/s320/Kashi+Waffles+with+Berries.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-62511262698604475502011-06-12T12:03:00.000-07:002011-06-15T17:52:43.255-07:00Pearl Couscous with Brown Butter, Sizzled Sage and Walnuts<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I can not lie, this week has been a doozie. Work is flat out kicking my butt - too many projects, too many priorities and not enough time! It is enough to drive a foodie to cook excessively. By Friday I am in need of a de-stressing detox and someone to hide the carton of cookies and cream ice cream I have stashed in the back of the freezer. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I check the pantry for a healthier alternative before the cookies and cream wins the battle of the dinner plate. I manage to find some whole wheat pearl couscous, walnuts and dried figs. This may sound like a weird combination but it actually gives me dinner inspiration.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPDrJ5-qI_fuZq2ZBPwGc1rOkjr0s_78ae4akngYqBBxQjLcK0pO1_jxr164m54gRIAVM3dEC5bseFH9K_FZbLM_QLFdLhOsekrCwV8KsuRw8bEYKsjD6q_PFKZ05CNQK-FaexBANXNI/s1600/Whole+Wheat+Pearl+Couscous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWPDrJ5-qI_fuZq2ZBPwGc1rOkjr0s_78ae4akngYqBBxQjLcK0pO1_jxr164m54gRIAVM3dEC5bseFH9K_FZbLM_QLFdLhOsekrCwV8KsuRw8bEYKsjD6q_PFKZ05CNQK-FaexBANXNI/s320/Whole+Wheat+Pearl+Couscous.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Dinner tonight will be brown butter couscous with sizzled fresh sage and walnuts paired with a fig, goat cheese and walnut salad. Sounds fancy doesn’t it? It is actually a really easy dinner to pull off.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6OZ1XoFeRTZ9nTyQvJ-j2gOKszRdiAni84u9beh9d8GVglX8jewA5cLxxLWkULwc-wSsqMsQamdrvqcP07Eov5mzLcKQRzbJdsg6XpqvTwBTVOlzMgAW0DDsJkw53NqdJy4PD8fWXrg/s1600/Pearl+Couscous+with+Brown+Butter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB6OZ1XoFeRTZ9nTyQvJ-j2gOKszRdiAni84u9beh9d8GVglX8jewA5cLxxLWkULwc-wSsqMsQamdrvqcP07Eov5mzLcKQRzbJdsg6XpqvTwBTVOlzMgAW0DDsJkw53NqdJy4PD8fWXrg/s320/Pearl+Couscous+with+Brown+Butter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Brown butter is one of my favorite indulgences. Browning butter only takes a couple of minutes in the skillet and you are rewarded with a nutty rich butter experience. Once the butter is browned simply add some fresh chopped sage and walnuts let it sizzle for for another minute or two and toss it with the cooked couscous. Capital “P” - Perfection!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DQqbiEB4YvkqucCEsrS7qfSx_TO-lOVfiv4YwkrfvJk6mp-TWneXtWqC_f5r_02mwwffqp8aVhhTXFLG-GMIKCxICCxR4u8TF91mQMIKK4osdwQ2zw5hMvAW3dIy9_G3XRZwLdIiINI/s1600/DSCN0545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8DQqbiEB4YvkqucCEsrS7qfSx_TO-lOVfiv4YwkrfvJk6mp-TWneXtWqC_f5r_02mwwffqp8aVhhTXFLG-GMIKCxICCxR4u8TF91mQMIKK4osdwQ2zw5hMvAW3dIy9_G3XRZwLdIiINI/s320/DSCN0545.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">My fig and goat cheese salad was another easy thrown together thing. It doesn’t even require a recipe just an assembly list - green leaf lettuce, yellow bell pepper, sliced dried figs, goat cheese and toasted walnuts. I topped it with a balsamic vinaigrette. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Friday detox dinner accomplished! One delicious dinner and a lovely glass of pinot noir later and the stress level has come down....at least until Monday comes back around again. </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXyymrxltqYyZ_tDiWFe-1_l26Q48g5-B_Mhn19E3KxLEFE9h5qkYNG-vxlBU_oCBpFGNVDC9-TOTeUDDB4m9xFZiXzOSdg0kFdwDVIlbj85Ro2pC2Deu7CMTQE6Zi63ACVT60b2BClU/s1600/DSCN0555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXyymrxltqYyZ_tDiWFe-1_l26Q48g5-B_Mhn19E3KxLEFE9h5qkYNG-vxlBU_oCBpFGNVDC9-TOTeUDDB4m9xFZiXzOSdg0kFdwDVIlbj85Ro2pC2Deu7CMTQE6Zi63ACVT60b2BClU/s320/DSCN0555.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pearl Couscous with Brown Butter, Sizzled Sage and Walnuts</span></b></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Prep time: 2 minutes - Cook time: 23 minutes - Makes: 4 servings</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaT4A3N7NHnGVge8W8u-FnFzgDsSM9hS4GhsHhER9ClmI4bPlo2KT5_rqcdRFsMesw6MvOtkmD5kPudpqXGourn3JLwRSDQ7Fyw4-0Gz743pgACvkgLGPUVVOTyVMZ79H4yk0841LQhhE/s1600/sage%252C+butter+and+walnuts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaT4A3N7NHnGVge8W8u-FnFzgDsSM9hS4GhsHhER9ClmI4bPlo2KT5_rqcdRFsMesw6MvOtkmD5kPudpqXGourn3JLwRSDQ7Fyw4-0Gz743pgACvkgLGPUVVOTyVMZ79H4yk0841LQhhE/s200/sage%252C+butter+and+walnuts.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">1 1/2 cup whole wheat couscous</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">4 tablespoons butter</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">6 leaves fresh sage, chopped</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">1/2 cups chopped walnuts</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Cook couscous according to package directions.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Place butter in a large skillet and put on high heat. Sizzle the butter until it turns brown.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Add chopped sage to the butter. Sizzle the sage for 1 minute stirring occasionally. Add walnuts and sizzle for another 20 seconds. Add the drained cooked couscous, toss together and serve.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: right;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-55172542184550412072011-05-31T19:52:00.000-07:002011-05-31T19:52:25.557-07:00The Undone Lamb and Rice Stuffed Grape Leaves<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This week I wanted to make something savory, healthy, delicious and interesting. I went looking for a recipe for something I have never made before. What I found was recipe for </span><a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/lamb_rice_grape_leaves.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Lebanese Stuffed Grape Leaves</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> in the current issue of </span><a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Eating Well</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> magazine. Now this is something I have never made before!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">One slight problem though, I live in a fairly rural area. Our local Winn Dixie doesn't exactly stock grape leaves. Not to be deterred I decided to modify the recipe. Instead of stuffing and boiling the grape leaves, I pan sautéed the filling and served it with naan (which is available at my local grocery store). </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_p9qG0hXNuU9Lyj_4s0fWq3jee2926BYz1uav5UZ9Vyieq5XKdGOtBVaEPhBYdsu-EQI39mwlea6QGgZxk97JfADSJGL0reppXIGigyzkr3GZsF32zUIz1I1d3HAI0aCrz0_ignnHsk/s1600/Lebanese+Lamb+Dinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy_p9qG0hXNuU9Lyj_4s0fWq3jee2926BYz1uav5UZ9Vyieq5XKdGOtBVaEPhBYdsu-EQI39mwlea6QGgZxk97JfADSJGL0reppXIGigyzkr3GZsF32zUIz1I1d3HAI0aCrz0_ignnHsk/s320/Lebanese+Lamb+Dinner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The results was delicious! In case you have never had lamb, it a naturally flavorful meat much more flavorful than ground beef. The lamb and spice blend flavored the brown rice and lentils beautifully. I served my Lebanese lamb,and rice dish with naan and a side of cool creamy plain yogurt. I didn't miss the grape leaves at all!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd3TaYbUiI9yU8jHWNHf21XcAkp1r7BJHvdFHcYEWw-eGSFLqPNS6PJPHd5l0PdDAQq7C9fSj4XBUR5a1ncHCXQ_P1nIRNewrBBRXaTX2hrK9FDtYNLjUoDVkpRTthR2zGPcXmIkWpdIA/s1600/lamb+ingredients+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd3TaYbUiI9yU8jHWNHf21XcAkp1r7BJHvdFHcYEWw-eGSFLqPNS6PJPHd5l0PdDAQq7C9fSj4XBUR5a1ncHCXQ_P1nIRNewrBBRXaTX2hrK9FDtYNLjUoDVkpRTthR2zGPcXmIkWpdIA/s200/lamb+ingredients+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACp40KelkXjaZKW3iSllYi5wvUFRiFc9BHeYbE17jZPfYuFVj_NJjmxFUy1hL47UhJ2XoyCArqjnGnYamSJpBcIAHF7VM_RaHnCtlzy5M3wZ3Wo3bzL2VxoqEN2xa4qjFcUhEMm5bNaM/s1600/lamb+ingredients+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiACp40KelkXjaZKW3iSllYi5wvUFRiFc9BHeYbE17jZPfYuFVj_NJjmxFUy1hL47UhJ2XoyCArqjnGnYamSJpBcIAHF7VM_RaHnCtlzy5M3wZ3Wo3bzL2VxoqEN2xa4qjFcUhEMm5bNaM/s200/lamb+ingredients+3.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hv6jNruZMRr9VdB395ZaCDoWbDTnjVetVyJtGEifIjwrO5zTmamMIBmWT8qGyOxSWmPTC6rJ4a_j3LPrglsAAuNcQqN2ooBTYnOctvxGDlFgEKBsYfZBeVOVdHf9gtDEbYDYsrgRThc/s1600/lamb+ingredients+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6hv6jNruZMRr9VdB395ZaCDoWbDTnjVetVyJtGEifIjwrO5zTmamMIBmWT8qGyOxSWmPTC6rJ4a_j3LPrglsAAuNcQqN2ooBTYnOctvxGDlFgEKBsYfZBeVOVdHf9gtDEbYDYsrgRThc/s200/lamb+ingredients+4.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The other modification I made to the Eating Well recipe was to add some lentils. I really like lentils in dishes like this. Not only are they a tasty edition, they also reduce the amount of meat in a portion and add in a healthy dose of protein, fiber, and other healthy nutrients. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHlZOTtfw1AC_fjF75DL7HuouL4lpjzEG33gMul2ggSQ5tov6dH4ig5Q1aeSu-gurA8phA2dYaVyojAGgYN6EndS_2fDjG0Vd9XX6tVx5F4kuA4d8R4jSYiklzN8nXrmKjWaWMseAWHA/s1600/Lebanese+Lamb1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQHlZOTtfw1AC_fjF75DL7HuouL4lpjzEG33gMul2ggSQ5tov6dH4ig5Q1aeSu-gurA8phA2dYaVyojAGgYN6EndS_2fDjG0Vd9XX6tVx5F4kuA4d8R4jSYiklzN8nXrmKjWaWMseAWHA/s320/Lebanese+Lamb1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Lebanese Lamb, Rice and Lentils</span></b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Prep time: 8 minutes</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Total time start to finish: 1 hour 10 minutes</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Makes: 12 1/2-cup servings</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 lb ground lamb</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup lentils</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1/3 cup minced fresh parsley</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2 teaspoons dried mint (or 2 tablespoons fresh minced mint)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon dried marjoram leaves</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2 teaspoon s ground cinnamon</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2 teaspoon ground cumin</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 teaspoon salt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon ground allspice</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">lemon wedges for serving</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">plain yogurt for serving</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">COOK brown rice and lentils according to package directions. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">PLACE ground lamb, rice, lentils, parsley, mint, marjoram, cinnamon, cumin, salt, pepper and allspice in a large bowl. Use you hands to fully MIX the ingredients.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">PLACE lamb and rice mixture into a large skillet on medium high heat. Brown meat until fully cooked, stirring fairly often to help the mixture cook evenly.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">SERVE the Lebanese lamb, rice and lentils hot with lemon wedge and yogurt on the side if desired.</span><br />
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</span>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-75464638223614489312011-05-29T20:07:00.000-07:002011-05-31T18:44:42.272-07:00Hanging Out with Food Bloggers for the Weekend<div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Last weekend I attended <a href="http://www.blogher.com/">BlogHer</a> Food in Atlanta. It was my first blogging conference and I was thrilled to meet a bunch of women and a few men who share my passion for food and food writing. The bloggers at the conference ran the spectrum. There were some very well-known established bloggers, newbies who had written only a couple of posts and everything in between. There were professional chefs and new cooks; food activist and food connoisseurs; the diet conscious and those who savored more indulgent kinds of food. It was a glorious experience. </span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo71wPEzgTk06a1oRcPKl0Y6PfCywx_AosNPQLelP7dwRGOxjH0nnQ-Y6UaZCBJopIfblJV27QOZXjo69k8TDQrbS8IQDOKQAZeEzvTYAcAXrCQSMHxdkYs0ye7cLO1mavWBeQ2y8hPR4/s1600/Jenna+%2526+Katie+BloggerHer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo71wPEzgTk06a1oRcPKl0Y6PfCywx_AosNPQLelP7dwRGOxjH0nnQ-Y6UaZCBJopIfblJV27QOZXjo69k8TDQrbS8IQDOKQAZeEzvTYAcAXrCQSMHxdkYs0ye7cLO1mavWBeQ2y8hPR4/s320/Jenna+%2526+Katie+BloggerHer.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">first day at the conference</td></tr>
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</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I sat in on many great break out discussions. Two of the ones I found most relevant to me were about getting your family to eat healthier. (I’ll talk about that more in a future blog post.) </span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">One break out discussion I wished I had attended was Food Blogging for Change. This one featured “Mrs Q” who writes <a href="http://fedupwithschoollunch.blogspot.com/">Fed Up with School Lunch</a>. Mrs Q apparently works in a school and is simultaneously doing a little undercover reporting on the state of school lunches while advocating for change. I like her already! Her latest triumph was reforming the daily lunch menu at her son’s daycare. Go Mrs Q!</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBYaQ5uZPuYnhGamhxDHeqBp8REQ9DmbbKQ7SkfKkn7AyEbl7ug_urSqqg3KVXVeppmQ3nqwTLApszD2Zw5tADeA4oqAYAKyzzE-LQUS2YTiGQFnPmWEa8GAYHNdLTzHgZ068ucPWxPk/s1600/Mary+Eva+and+Jenna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBYaQ5uZPuYnhGamhxDHeqBp8REQ9DmbbKQ7SkfKkn7AyEbl7ug_urSqqg3KVXVeppmQ3nqwTLApszD2Zw5tADeA4oqAYAKyzzE-LQUS2YTiGQFnPmWEa8GAYHNdLTzHgZ068ucPWxPk/s320/Mary+Eva+and+Jenna.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary Eva indulging my need for between session chocolate</td></tr>
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</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">At the conference I learned about many great new food blogs like <a href="http://devilandegg.com/">Devil and Egg</a> by Caroline Campion and <a href="http://blackamericacooks.com/">Black America Cooks</a> by Donna Pierce. In fact I learned about so many great blogs that I could make this post just one long list of yummy food blogs. Instead though, I am going to savor them slowly and then making individual postings about the interesting food I find along the way.</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlo_Li8ghzWW73ZGXqBS8nOlTNcs5EinYdxMk1-rAOvluIyFE3MJwGdl5oiZM5DZ_JHRTgD0kZxeDp18WinT3pmKQhVID5BvceMGNOvsAji9a3iRk9ycO2g7Ad8jz6UOhFmV5-fUkwKq0/s1600/Katie+and+Jenna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlo_Li8ghzWW73ZGXqBS8nOlTNcs5EinYdxMk1-rAOvluIyFE3MJwGdl5oiZM5DZ_JHRTgD0kZxeDp18WinT3pmKQhVID5BvceMGNOvsAji9a3iRk9ycO2g7Ad8jz6UOhFmV5-fUkwKq0/s320/Katie+and+Jenna.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katie and Jenna at dinner at the Terrace</td></tr>
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</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Of course it was not all work and discussion groups while I was in Atlanta. There was also some pretty good food to be had too. On my free night I went with a friend to <a href="http://www.ellishotel.com/terrace/">The Terrace</a>, a farm to table concept restaurant in the Ellis Hotel. It was awesome. From the scrumptious mushroom pate with a hint of garlic to the perfectly cooked lamb with smashed potatoes and mint Greek yogurt, the meal was excellent! If you are ever in Atlanta, I highly recommend it.</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwMFBstObjY3-wg4Y86UL3-YLIxJ2thwVvDxpNNJZIrFQBDupOHjDLa2H4zzRQWzjpLhNc6Ztmwg22jqe4iOJjRgEupmUbQek7CqNj0JZMpALimzlH_evsdkzCTh8qBhO7KH94QidXew/s1600/terrace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpwMFBstObjY3-wg4Y86UL3-YLIxJ2thwVvDxpNNJZIrFQBDupOHjDLa2H4zzRQWzjpLhNc6Ztmwg22jqe4iOJjRgEupmUbQek7CqNj0JZMpALimzlH_evsdkzCTh8qBhO7KH94QidXew/s320/terrace.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the menu with food sources listed to the right</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNQvKR6mVx3jyyywFhC_obGX8zpP-R6N80pTTDpQ6YfOb1Mmvea-jDqRWZlvVSUbKKs9QZwwgDjw_K1RXGpwlb-0r0FEJeGh2mMiQAt7xQLHTwGgzHFQMaYeaj0bDBpq7eXO8hmzG6FM/s1600/lamb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNQvKR6mVx3jyyywFhC_obGX8zpP-R6N80pTTDpQ6YfOb1Mmvea-jDqRWZlvVSUbKKs9QZwwgDjw_K1RXGpwlb-0r0FEJeGh2mMiQAt7xQLHTwGgzHFQMaYeaj0bDBpq7eXO8hmzG6FM/s320/lamb.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my fabulous lamb and smashed potato dinner</td></tr>
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</span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The last day of the conference we took a field trip to <a href="http://www.sweetauburncurbmarket.com/">Sweet Auburn Curb Market</a> as a group. The market, which had its origins in the 1920’s, was a bevy of fresh greens and freshly cut meat. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmo-ijNPf64GPZ-tVLXR3Tueic9eiF1hJ9LxsRksK1-dnfoWW9JRxHVm_CXNi0CE5huPeahtoHdugqMTlFsSPfhZ7j2ruqYe03SU3CDLLMFrNlyg4DhtGxnxAaX-Id6gFfqMpXIJoTDqk/s1600/auburn+market+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmo-ijNPf64GPZ-tVLXR3Tueic9eiF1hJ9LxsRksK1-dnfoWW9JRxHVm_CXNi0CE5huPeahtoHdugqMTlFsSPfhZ7j2ruqYe03SU3CDLLMFrNlyg4DhtGxnxAaX-Id6gFfqMpXIJoTDqk/s320/auburn+market+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loved the sign - "Buy your whole pig here"!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS17a8-R9bPLpQddmw3biQhnmV3SM88d4ql6HE5gYIWw6tBbXTZfWmQ7JwQDJ5LaxgaLt8XvD7YYC-Vljpk_cMRnKwk1_tpiSoNxz-blwfa5TvRFswHeH9HKIrhba-7nOJv0Jw41zC6cI/s1600/turnips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS17a8-R9bPLpQddmw3biQhnmV3SM88d4ql6HE5gYIWw6tBbXTZfWmQ7JwQDJ5LaxgaLt8XvD7YYC-Vljpk_cMRnKwk1_tpiSoNxz-blwfa5TvRFswHeH9HKIrhba-7nOJv0Jw41zC6cI/s320/turnips.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">bins and bins of fresh veggies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-bfjdHNeryjBD2VqTibp8Qa5BoIbofN5O8NcZ2IiwsVrMZvbI91-QX6Un_hdu10g8tuPZiIlASSXo7hOW2Fzh8212LA483hnFkBpIV6xn3ytOIb0ijCQZlp3QfJMYIhVP2P7yLp_yoM/s1600/Auburn+market.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi-bfjdHNeryjBD2VqTibp8Qa5BoIbofN5O8NcZ2IiwsVrMZvbI91-QX6Un_hdu10g8tuPZiIlASSXo7hOW2Fzh8212LA483hnFkBpIV6xn3ytOIb0ijCQZlp3QfJMYIhVP2P7yLp_yoM/s320/Auburn+market.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">one more look at the Sweet Auburn Curb Market</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It was a shame I couldn’t do more shopping since I was flying out later that day. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">At least I had a delicious lunch at Afro Dish while I was there. This restaurant serves up authentic Caribbean and African cuisine. I had the jerk chicken with plantains and rice served up to me by the owner himself, Ralph Sarpong. </span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuHU1KAQudsMS_jIjoggiBkCwv-POI_5jMfLuFZ1px_rXAZ58h7QItKGsYdBpQ73wr7vWOq_w5rtjEraOe_IEJe-5H9PJc50Rh6maeV0PUElypKeehseGcQ15RIK8XMol2q3JZpJ45bI/s1600/afro+dish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGuHU1KAQudsMS_jIjoggiBkCwv-POI_5jMfLuFZ1px_rXAZ58h7QItKGsYdBpQ73wr7vWOq_w5rtjEraOe_IEJe-5H9PJc50Rh6maeV0PUElypKeehseGcQ15RIK8XMol2q3JZpJ45bI/s320/afro+dish.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a great find at the market</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mkiowJF3c3zj5OW3QEDI3brfXTrrrwg16n9pBZdcJPm5fG0lEzqfFmNrOI8micbpDHm4UEngKeIIzsYDpo1oupWJyfERO2RGe30tlvSnmm6LwbdHVtkHmDqevCXoWnmsV8IwAp4uvkM/s1600/jerk+chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7mkiowJF3c3zj5OW3QEDI3brfXTrrrwg16n9pBZdcJPm5fG0lEzqfFmNrOI8micbpDHm4UEngKeIIzsYDpo1oupWJyfERO2RGe30tlvSnmm6LwbdHVtkHmDqevCXoWnmsV8IwAp4uvkM/s320/jerk+chicken.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a great picture, but my lunch was delicious!</td></tr>
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</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">So that was my first food blogging conference. A big thanks to Katie Williamson and MaryEva Tredway for palling around with me in Atlanta. It was a great experience. Now that I am back, I am looking forward to trying out some new ideas in the kitchen and checking into some new-to-me blogs on line. </span></span></div><div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-24893253534596114642011-05-15T22:01:00.000-07:002011-05-29T13:14:07.569-07:00Avocados and Hummus<div style="font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Toddlers are tricky little beasts, aren’t they? Last Sunday my little pumpkin loved avocados. He scarfed down all that I gave him and then asked for more from my plate. Today he took one look at the luscious perfectly ripe green chunks on his plate, shook his head vigorously and declared, “No like it ….no like it.” </span></span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“Please take a bite, Logan. You do like it!”</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">With slight giggling (at silly mommy) then more vigorous head shaking my 2 year-old declares, “No like it, mommy….Noooooo like it!!” (audible sigh from mommy) </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDk75KF8rhF3KWD9muuQpZnIja78vwfEAYD1iVR5F3sZn4mQCFDNacg4EsOYXQAEC9EIqWESeHEfHumjAPYe815iBfUlfjZpMgapwCxAeawzf_G_WlSVvPB07kW_uUTgxcpmiQR4hhgE/s1600/Logan+high+chair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDk75KF8rhF3KWD9muuQpZnIja78vwfEAYD1iVR5F3sZn4mQCFDNacg4EsOYXQAEC9EIqWESeHEfHumjAPYe815iBfUlfjZpMgapwCxAeawzf_G_WlSVvPB07kW_uUTgxcpmiQR4hhgE/s320/Logan+high+chair.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Two year-olds are tricky beasts indeed.</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Every week or so Logan picks a new favorite food. Last week the favorite was almond butter. He wanted large spoonfuls of almond butter as his meal and snacks. He was only mildly interested in other foods if I smeared them heavily with almond butter. </span></span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This week he has moved on from almond butter and his new love is hummus (which he pronounced “tumus”). He wants copious amounts of hummus at every meal including breakfast. So much for the food diversity I had in mind! </span></span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Having a favorite food though isn’t all bad. It has turned out to be a great carrot to hold out to get Logan to at least take a bite of the other foods on his plate. I dole out the favored food of the day in smallish spoonfuls. Before he gets the next spoonful he has to take a bite of another food on this plate. For the most part it is working reasonable well, but only if I sit with him and keep suggesting (or insisting) on alternating food bites. Bottom line is getting a 2 year-old to eat healthy is generally a lot of work no matter how you do it.</span></span></span></div>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-27618305456658070002011-05-09T21:21:00.000-07:002011-05-29T13:01:21.104-07:00Changing the World Starting with Dinner<div style="font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> am a new mom with a beautiful 2 year-old son, named Logan. I have been thinking a lot lately about what are the “right” foods for a healthy growing toddler and how I get my precious boy to eat them. I want my child to grow up with a healthy love of real food but I will admit as a full-time working single mom it can be a challenge to get healthy food choices to the table every night.</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYC1TTFMP2IO9YKgQxdSHGvEhOYxdN8WhkuUXivg7XxezTJ4ut2QZA6xEJI8a1mcXNSpBpzeubfEoXU1-imfT6WiY6CoH_LEj4-MUQ2XVCZCZGtYXwKUVRIUlFadVTem-UdxDJtEOJWs/s1600/iStock_000010883842family+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxYC1TTFMP2IO9YKgQxdSHGvEhOYxdN8WhkuUXivg7XxezTJ4ut2QZA6xEJI8a1mcXNSpBpzeubfEoXU1-imfT6WiY6CoH_LEj4-MUQ2XVCZCZGtYXwKUVRIUlFadVTem-UdxDJtEOJWs/s200/iStock_000010883842family+pic.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">60 years ago moms stayed home and cooked from scratch. Dinner time was sacred family time. But today moms work full time jobs and dinner is shoved in between a flurry of after-school and social activities. As a nation we cook less therefore the skill of cooking is growing weaker with each generation. Our only choice in our harried lives seems to be relying on convenience foods which generally are over processed and under nutritious. What are the consequences of placing such low value on the food we put in our bodies? A national obesity crisis and sky rocketing health care cost. I shudder to think what we will look like as a nation 20 years from now. </span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I want to change things. I want to raise my child with a love of food, healthy balanced eating habits and the ability to live and eat in the modern world. I also want to see our nation develop a healthy relationship with food again.</span></span></span><br />
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</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_xQuU7971y7tRW1NB-xTfOJq9DVh76y5u8PJlMODHg85bJgrReYRoX8rfZ-1BugVNsdQVUyXMCaQ9scxwg1pqcPit-99zNENEGBqH8hhLuD6nlHgyst3mdnWkucSFyq8BztGGt3iAwE/s1600/iStock_000014227614+fast+food+w+scale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></a></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the national food problem is so large and so pervasive (and we are just too busy to cook up a solution) it is hard to get motivated to tackle the problem head on. It is easier to rock back on our heels, complain and throw the blame. Because clearly it is the fast food industry’s fault or the food manufactures who are to blame for our societies growing waistlines and lack of will power. It couldn’t possibly be our faults for over-scheduling our lives and demanding ever cheaper convenience food items could it? </span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_xQuU7971y7tRW1NB-xTfOJq9DVh76y5u8PJlMODHg85bJgrReYRoX8rfZ-1BugVNsdQVUyXMCaQ9scxwg1pqcPit-99zNENEGBqH8hhLuD6nlHgyst3mdnWkucSFyq8BztGGt3iAwE/s1600/iStock_000014227614+fast+food+w+scale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_xQuU7971y7tRW1NB-xTfOJq9DVh76y5u8PJlMODHg85bJgrReYRoX8rfZ-1BugVNsdQVUyXMCaQ9scxwg1pqcPit-99zNENEGBqH8hhLuD6nlHgyst3mdnWkucSFyq8BztGGt3iAwE/s320/iStock_000014227614+fast+food+w+scale.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 11.0px 'Lucida Grande'; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what do we do now to solve the toxic relationship we have developed with food? Lobby congress to change food regulation? Run for congress and write new laws? Change the school curriculum to include food education? Pressure school districts to take junk food vending machines out of schools? Boycott fast food establishments? Go organic? Go vegan? When so many things are wrong it is hard to know where to start.</span></span></span><br />
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</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For now I am going to start by with my own family. I pledge to keep family dinner sacred and to do my best to cook real foods. I am still a working single mom who has not magically found extra hours in the day to make all my food from scratch. It is going to be a balancing act. I don’t have the ability to farm my own vegetables or buy all organic meat at this time, but I can certainly start cooking more food that is unprocessed or at least minimally process. I will do the best I can starting with small changes and work my way up to bigger ones, one meal at a time.</span></span></span></div>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-1483113432684671272011-04-19T19:32:00.000-07:002011-05-09T19:44:13.131-07:00Sugar Bunnies<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I really love Easter. In my part of the country, Mother Nature marks the occasion with a bounty of azaleas. Everyone emerges from their winter hibernation in their best new spring outfits for sunrise services, Easter egg hunts and a delicious Easter dinner. It marks the end of whatever you may have given up for lent and the beginning of spring (or at least the promise of spring if you live farther north than I do). </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwSshf4vp2GmQWTaQXMLVzZtb5eac0RH1L20ePi4n3bccSGUTonPPaD8KYVcVG4MmUDdpYXrOR-LjWP62bhendQx44NKy3I6u439Mmtd-1Y0Xfvq2OjEbB7GnwD0S7anH_qRDT8yk14w/s1600/March+27%252C+2011+Weslyn+Memorial+Gardens+028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwSshf4vp2GmQWTaQXMLVzZtb5eac0RH1L20ePi4n3bccSGUTonPPaD8KYVcVG4MmUDdpYXrOR-LjWP62bhendQx44NKy3I6u439Mmtd-1Y0Xfvq2OjEbB7GnwD0S7anH_qRDT8yk14w/s320/March+27%252C+2011+Weslyn+Memorial+Gardens+028.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This year I was lucky enough to be invited to Easter brunch by a dear friend. And after the past several weeks of non-stop activity, a day of feasting with friends and family with no prepping, cooking or cleaning sounds just glorious! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">However even if someone else is cooking the meal I still need to bring a little something. So I went looking for an easy fun dessert I could bring for the occasion. I wanted something fun that would appeal to guests of all ages. I settled on Sugar Bunnies - my Easter version of sugar cookies with cream cheese icing. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonq53kOl3b0AfOy9RPKj-LRyppwSwhs4pfK-r_FbUqCVtJuOOKSwvUC0g6YRQVFRVxS6bfMCgN9fifNONFAqpYWOVhCqGCPSR2qp9z5fJADn4tUOi6Ofp98x-j9RZcAPgv9A3BoR4isU/s1600/DSCN0078.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonq53kOl3b0AfOy9RPKj-LRyppwSwhs4pfK-r_FbUqCVtJuOOKSwvUC0g6YRQVFRVxS6bfMCgN9fifNONFAqpYWOVhCqGCPSR2qp9z5fJADn4tUOi6Ofp98x-j9RZcAPgv9A3BoR4isU/s320/DSCN0078.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sugar cookies are classic cookie. You will sometimes see them referred to as a "rolled cookie" because you roll the dough out and cut it with cookie cutters. I know this is a little more effort than slice-bake-cookies, but for a holiday the extra effort is worth it. And you will be rewarded with fun shapes and festive icing!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The thing I really like about this particular recipe (besides the taste!) is that you make the cookie dough in the food processor. It is a really easy way to make cookie dough.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The key to sugar cookies is don't skimp on the refrigerator time before you roll out the dough. Cold dough sticks less to the rolling pin and counter top. If your dough starts to get sticky and hard to work with, then pop it back in the fridge until it is cold then try rolling it out again.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Happy Easter everyone!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Sugar Bunnies</span><br />
Prep time: 20 minutes - Refrigerator time: 1-2 hours - Cooking time:15-20 minutes<br />
Makes 15-25 cookies (depending on how big your cookie cutters are)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWj6gduLJS_nl1WSUm-YWjrcoGWXgL8uecbJZ-8tiOlyTXSgXKIi9dJRfg6RMT_Tb9dKTPbngFsCRXCkjIA0uNDWNmbSfmbqNh4zoZiZs3BaLosdipwFRUthuIQkyNnVXMjz12RHla6vU/s1600/DSCN0017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWj6gduLJS_nl1WSUm-YWjrcoGWXgL8uecbJZ-8tiOlyTXSgXKIi9dJRfg6RMT_Tb9dKTPbngFsCRXCkjIA0uNDWNmbSfmbqNh4zoZiZs3BaLosdipwFRUthuIQkyNnVXMjz12RHla6vU/s200/DSCN0017.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup granulated white sugar</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1/2 cup confectioners' sugar</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1/8 teaspoon baking soda</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1/8 teaspoon cream of tarter</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1/2 teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 large egg</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Cream cheese icing (recipe below)</span></li>
</ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Place the first six ingredients (flour, white sugar, confectioners' sugar, baking soda cream of tarter and salt) in a food processor. Pulse for 5 seconds.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Distribute the butter slices over the flour mixture and process about 15 seconds. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Pulse an additional 15 seconds or until the mixture resembles course meal (no big chunks of butter).</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxRHesuhv8_UviowjU4RDAZCNHCcMG9X9CJJselwrhURCDeZ2hQCepY4pq2UtMnKgQQJ2dPqCjgbwy3XctNhq0IvTSGRCofe3vsUBbs7AbhFqfBNidw2jAMuuKFwuB4ipXW6DskU4_SM/s1600/DSCN0019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgxRHesuhv8_UviowjU4RDAZCNHCcMG9X9CJJselwrhURCDeZ2hQCepY4pq2UtMnKgQQJ2dPqCjgbwy3XctNhq0IvTSGRCofe3vsUBbs7AbhFqfBNidw2jAMuuKFwuB4ipXW6DskU4_SM/s320/DSCN0019.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">In a small bowl mix the egg and vanilla with a fork. With the food processor running, pour the egg & vanilla mixture down the feeder tube. Continue processing until the flour mixture and the egg come together into dough (about 35 seconds).</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwEUNd75AAtvzoo-5BCAOyq1_Touy-MQnt2Nj-uT6ABlNAK7NuTOWs5k2jyoCdcW6Fh9zEj0rF9vjqX-OfVX-7tDJZnPD9cFxOrMFQ-kPmpzhpFVO6vtVyrL9foDqDLgMAIR5BrvwHFw/s1600/DSCN0022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwEUNd75AAtvzoo-5BCAOyq1_Touy-MQnt2Nj-uT6ABlNAK7NuTOWs5k2jyoCdcW6Fh9zEj0rF9vjqX-OfVX-7tDJZnPD9cFxOrMFQ-kPmpzhpFVO6vtVyrL9foDqDLgMAIR5BrvwHFw/s320/DSCN0022.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Remove the dough from the food processor and place on a counter or other work surface. Kneed the dough for a few seconds then divide into two pieces.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Press each piece onto a rectangle slab, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj193GBcD_XWJ-HTU_HYDFP8gYCcXzCxS_ASjbd11JYiVScb8S_aGsY7ezmEQLxM8B8-yWSx2qiU0ljM_XEePwhEA3pFq-a7gT6JgjnY-MPOUQtS_VPQTxFS_yfMHZ4tFA9E9h4UvsbpPs/s1600/DSCN0024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj193GBcD_XWJ-HTU_HYDFP8gYCcXzCxS_ASjbd11JYiVScb8S_aGsY7ezmEQLxM8B8-yWSx2qiU0ljM_XEePwhEA3pFq-a7gT6JgjnY-MPOUQtS_VPQTxFS_yfMHZ4tFA9E9h4UvsbpPs/s320/DSCN0024.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">When ready to start baking, preheat oven to 375 F. Spray baking sheets with non stick baking spray and set aside.</span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Remove 1 slab of dough from the refrigerator. Remove and discard the plastic wrap. </span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Prepare counter top or other work space to roll out dough. Sprinkle surface with flour. Place dough on surface and lightly sprinkle dough with flour. Lightly rub flour on rolling pin then roll out dough to 1/8 in thickness. If dough gets sticky sprinkle a little more flour.</span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Use cookie cutters to cut out cookies. (If you don't have cookie cutters a glass can be a good substitute.) Use a spatula to place cookies on the prepared baking sheets. Leave about 1 inch between cookies to ensure even cooking. Once you are done you can gather up scraps, re-roll and cut out a few more cookies.</span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Repeat the process with the second slab of dough. </span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Bake cookies for 15-20 minutes. Cookies should be firm and just starting to become golden around the edges.</span></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmHPpB_fUxGq0PuOIEWr7qW7sWHroOnzsgABYIMwSofPzY5o5lWpe0Bw0AJoipsuKEYGTvIXsTTfR1WcKlBEl4Iri2KlbRVTb0BPIqX1BPP6HUHwpE_pUdHMpCugBsXoz2TPKgMMDNHY/s1600/DSCN0075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmHPpB_fUxGq0PuOIEWr7qW7sWHroOnzsgABYIMwSofPzY5o5lWpe0Bw0AJoipsuKEYGTvIXsTTfR1WcKlBEl4Iri2KlbRVTb0BPIqX1BPP6HUHwpE_pUdHMpCugBsXoz2TPKgMMDNHY/s320/DSCN0075.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Cool cookies completely on the baking sheets. When cookies are completely cooled store in an air tight container until ready to serve. Add cream cheese icing when ready to serve.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ND6j2SzpfCdIN4rDEBxhWSXlB4EL6sUCdxnEygA6UVRmmcO1IXrWW0h91F3aDm7w84nbwAEtsgQO9c5023ppv2l1eO49ajYgsEV-h7yrQyu9HcmuF4kiw5m5btHLfH5rRC_77UkT0eI/s1600/DSCN0077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ND6j2SzpfCdIN4rDEBxhWSXlB4EL6sUCdxnEygA6UVRmmcO1IXrWW0h91F3aDm7w84nbwAEtsgQO9c5023ppv2l1eO49ajYgsEV-h7yrQyu9HcmuF4kiw5m5btHLfH5rRC_77UkT0eI/s320/DSCN0077.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJsTVMk3sVj36bd-I0zHuFo3ukEzWIPHm94TtPAQ9joLLyActDsq08N6pDmFk4Uuqex6uIvk8M7a3fAJ6ZjUm-LZ4Gg0sYMotqGlV3ZzEN-F02sJcVSP75ZSX_JG4wODIiynP-I4U-RM/s1600/DSCN0027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJsTVMk3sVj36bd-I0zHuFo3ukEzWIPHm94TtPAQ9joLLyActDsq08N6pDmFk4Uuqex6uIvk8M7a3fAJ6ZjUm-LZ4Gg0sYMotqGlV3ZzEN-F02sJcVSP75ZSX_JG4wODIiynP-I4U-RM/s200/DSCN0027.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Cream Cheese Icing</span></div><div>Prep time - 5 minutes</div><div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">8 oz container of cream cheese, room temperature</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">5 tablespoons white granular sugar</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">3 tablespoons whipping cream </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">food color</span></li>
</ul></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Place all three ingredients in a bowl. Use a hand mixer to mix ingredients. Scrap the side of the bowl down with a rubber spatula. Blend again until icing has smooth consistency. If icing is too stiff add a little more whipping cream until you achieve desired consistency. </span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Divide icing into 4-5 smaller bowls (depending on how many colors you want to make). Add food color a drop of two at a time and blend with a spoon until you achieve the desired color for your icing.</span></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvv0xlhNPYY-jXBAkTKC44_6QCPR37bb_IcO8sKuDjCXmZ99QTCW4jXPhg22Xv4yxlBbg_I0cbq2P_p0q1WqvkWEravkoRPZL6Ovyzfiic2v_2Ffq3TFDEVVVaK8-4hg1oGQnTxloqfsI/s1600/DSCN0030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvv0xlhNPYY-jXBAkTKC44_6QCPR37bb_IcO8sKuDjCXmZ99QTCW4jXPhg22Xv4yxlBbg_I0cbq2P_p0q1WqvkWEravkoRPZL6Ovyzfiic2v_2Ffq3TFDEVVVaK8-4hg1oGQnTxloqfsI/s200/DSCN0030.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MRgdqAH-i6zjJ9Vg9KuVIjLlEkfcbQEgoFHE9kBHAv35AJrtSledPGY-2g266fDpOvchyphenhyphenIv0Boxx4vvo9Oh7hOKcKtj_l09lEX3qbz97xSd0xv4dy9nuNJgRZkl7yRgrF_4WUjt_0Kc/s1600/DSCN0029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MRgdqAH-i6zjJ9Vg9KuVIjLlEkfcbQEgoFHE9kBHAv35AJrtSledPGY-2g266fDpOvchyphenhyphenIv0Boxx4vvo9Oh7hOKcKtj_l09lEX3qbz97xSd0xv4dy9nuNJgRZkl7yRgrF_4WUjt_0Kc/s200/DSCN0029.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">When complete cover bowls with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator until ready to serve.</span></div>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-31567597181245960122011-04-17T19:08:00.000-07:002011-04-17T19:12:40.498-07:00An Inspired Appetizer That is All Heart<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I like to be known among my friends as a cooking diva who serves up interesting tasty treats when I have people over. But as mom with 2 full-time jobs (the one I get paid for and my non-paid non-stop mom duties) I have to admit, that lately I have been as short on cooking inspiration. To put it bluntly I have been in a cooking rut.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKSRZhiFJy8aVSdrOjUPg6DprWomoo6zBEzEJ8KqFBYKM7GXrdrSQ1LQErPiD9DUMU0RFUQ7usSETsk8ExGbyVuMfYSK9IinlZ2zSHnBLRuZw6ZZD-ihb7EXuvsR-ZQV9jyhe9HCRyj4/s1600/IMG_1717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNKSRZhiFJy8aVSdrOjUPg6DprWomoo6zBEzEJ8KqFBYKM7GXrdrSQ1LQErPiD9DUMU0RFUQ7usSETsk8ExGbyVuMfYSK9IinlZ2zSHnBLRuZw6ZZD-ihb7EXuvsR-ZQV9jyhe9HCRyj4/s320/IMG_1717.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This past month I flipped through </span><a href="http://www.saveur.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Saveur Magazine</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> determined to try something new to break out of my ordinary food funk. I was delighted to find some recipe inspiration that made my taste buds tingle with anticipation - Heart of Palm Fries.!</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The heart of palms are dredged in a simple panko breading, deep fried then served with a side of Chipotle Mayo. What a truly unique appetizer to serve up at my next event! And after cooking up this tasty treat this past weekend I am happy to say the recipe did not disappoint. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I made the recipe almost exactly as it was written but with some minor tweaks. The biggest changes I made were simplifying the egg mixture and swapping in a lemon for fresh lime juice (after all the limes in the fridge mysteriously made their way into the blender for pre-party margaritas). One other tweak I made was to add a little garlic to the the chipotle mayo. I recommend using pre-minced garlic rather than chopping your own so you aren't overwhelmed with raw garlic flavor.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I found this recipe very easy to make. However to make it truly hostess friendly I would definitely make it all a day ahead of time. The panko coating is perfect for this. If you make the palm fires ahead of time, </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><u>cool them completely</u> and</span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> then store in a single layer in a sealed container in the fridge over night. Take them out 30 minutes before you want to reheat them so that they come to room temperature. Bake in a 400° over for 7-8 minutes or until you hear them start to sizzle a little. Serve the palm fries hot with chipotle mayo on the side. Voila gourmet success! </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Heart of Palm Fries with Chipotle Mayo</span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMWfaMZuL1bCD58wtNodqFj-63RjfOy7KR2dmKRO0bmNMZrtjpbI2TForSUg4BdqYDmTDr8ylUTNf7pHNQHlyy6j1ur8f_wqZPy8Po1lq1CxxIbtBrVHRmUvZWIq3ChEv59MPFwR6h6Q/s1600/IMG_1700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMWfaMZuL1bCD58wtNodqFj-63RjfOy7KR2dmKRO0bmNMZrtjpbI2TForSUg4BdqYDmTDr8ylUTNf7pHNQHlyy6j1ur8f_wqZPy8Po1lq1CxxIbtBrVHRmUvZWIq3ChEv59MPFwR6h6Q/s320/IMG_1700.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Chipotle Mayo</b></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 cup mayonnaise</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2 chipotle chiles in adobo</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 tablespoon lemon juice</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 teaspoon honey</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/2 teaspoon </span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/2 teaspoon sesame oil</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 teaspoon minced garlic</span></li>
</ul><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b>Palm Fries</b></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Canola oil</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 1/2 cup flour</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">4 eggs, beaten</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2 28-oz. cans of heart of palm, cut in quarters length-wise</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">salt to taste</span></li>
</ul><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Place all the ingredients for chipotle mayo in a mini food processor and blend until well blended. Put chipotle mayo in the refrigerator until ready to serve.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Pour canola oil into a large pot until 2 inches deep. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 375°.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi38xyKjL1sO7NkV8RSTrR66ehFnCAjH54Y-m6-85Ml_0oHu8EgknqiJ8NfmCmrntvLtUwkKezyJVQX6YJBn8HXc1GszwvJZQ3fdax6mKZ8vmxiyjNavefsa63S7SLuQbKR58Zu5ipZ1ew/s1600/IMG_1707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi38xyKjL1sO7NkV8RSTrR66ehFnCAjH54Y-m6-85Ml_0oHu8EgknqiJ8NfmCmrntvLtUwkKezyJVQX6YJBn8HXc1GszwvJZQ3fdax6mKZ8vmxiyjNavefsa63S7SLuQbKR58Zu5ipZ1ew/s200/IMG_1707.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">While oil is heating place flour, eggs, and panko into three separate dishes. Cut palm of fries into quarters length-wise. Then work in batches to dip palm quarters into the flour. Shake off excess flour and dip into beaten egg mixture. Finally place palm quarters into panko crumbs and shake to evenly coat.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Fry for 1 1/2 to 3 minutes until the desired golden brown. Place palm fries on paper towel to drain. Serve warm with chipotle mayo.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90-YPKk6uAQb5rXdG28FnfvfhKp1xEIvheEjf05PHSszU2T2S6T8woQw1ZjsiNFaF1LJEljsIO6lfSvkEVWj4VYtsau6ixSeP-Uh5KJjGXunE6Hhhlmx1-tXcy1qmDq45sYqzOvG1qjY/s1600/IMG_1719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi90-YPKk6uAQb5rXdG28FnfvfhKp1xEIvheEjf05PHSszU2T2S6T8woQw1ZjsiNFaF1LJEljsIO6lfSvkEVWj4VYtsau6ixSeP-Uh5KJjGXunE6Hhhlmx1-tXcy1qmDq45sYqzOvG1qjY/s400/IMG_1719.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-14096391480390286222011-04-11T09:41:00.000-07:002011-04-11T09:41:00.278-07:00A Wish for a New Tasty Fish Dish!<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You may have heard that earlier this year the USDA released the new updated </span><a href="http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2010/PolicyDoc/PolicyDoc.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Dietary Guidelines for Americans</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. It is full of do’s and don’t’s for improving your diet and includes some interesting analysis on the changes in our overall eating habits and obesity rates over the past 40 years. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One of the sections I found particularly interesting was Chapter 4 - Food and Nutrients to Increase. (It is just always more fun to focus on what you should be adding instead of what you need to be deleting!) This section included one of my favorite food groups - seafood!</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The USDA is recommending that 8 oz or more or roughly 20% of our protein should come from seafood. It also recommends that we consume “a variety of seafood, as opposed to a just a few choices”. This got me thinking about the variety of seafood that I eat. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When I am out at restaurants I absolutely eat lots of different varieties of seafood but when I am home I tend to prepare three varieties the most often - salmon, shrimp and crab. Clearly I am in a cooking rut. Time to break out and start cooking more seafood varieties at home! So every month I am going to pick a different seafood to prepare. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This month I started with barramundi, a mild, slightly sweet, flaky white fish. I have enjoyed this fish while dining out several times and was delighted to find a bag of plain frozen filets in the freezer on my last Costco run so I could try cooking it for myself. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigTw2b0gTvctlIHa4lCb8R2wCLApfYiBsmZZBugAMUxex0foi5EG9C5ru__GOlx7RiamyBYmBdj-iRZjNrd8HsJXhyUw2ec8hLN80Cy0fVA5XuhL07p2sRGpj57PPI_BYq1mZ-ceADQk/s1600/Picture1-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigTw2b0gTvctlIHa4lCb8R2wCLApfYiBsmZZBugAMUxex0foi5EG9C5ru__GOlx7RiamyBYmBdj-iRZjNrd8HsJXhyUw2ec8hLN80Cy0fVA5XuhL07p2sRGpj57PPI_BYq1mZ-ceADQk/s200/Picture1-1.jpg" width="178" /></a></div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The firm texture and mild flavor make barramundi a very versatile fish. You can put all kinds of different sauces and spices on it. I decided to go Greek with mine. </span></span><br />
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</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I lightly sprinkled it the fillets with olive oil, salt and pepper and baked them on a broiler pan. While those were cooking, I made a simple topping with a little more olive oil, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, capers and feta. I choose to serve the fillets over a bed of couscous and peas, but you could add any sides you like. The dish was TASTY! And so simple and quick. The whole meal was ready in under 20 minutes! Just hoping that my next seafood variety attempt turns out as well.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_yvzGTgGsFeRETuc5hkBWzAmZBFBi2ZijZ1ykEsfehjN9iCwxw33NRi520cYZqzaiMriOaAoRTG5hhKRfyR-RvUH13XGOKxA_C5i06akNRqLToY-_7DF79KOA4jz-FzXGwE9nrh_0ss/s1600/barramundi+018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw_yvzGTgGsFeRETuc5hkBWzAmZBFBi2ZijZ1ykEsfehjN9iCwxw33NRi520cYZqzaiMriOaAoRTG5hhKRfyR-RvUH13XGOKxA_C5i06akNRqLToY-_7DF79KOA4jz-FzXGwE9nrh_0ss/s320/barramundi+018.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Barramundi with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Capers & Feta</span></b></span><br />
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</span></b></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWUW31DmcJ27kpWMgTrMFegxYTPsLSJJ_i67aYol2pSpWPmBInT-_8iCAuneQyDO9CD17FaDRVrxFlbHxR82MkF6Cs5id3JL9AHMQ9GZ6quYr4ve5Lt-QnbPGMp8UOpnS4494wrjkXEM/s1600/Picture2-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQWUW31DmcJ27kpWMgTrMFegxYTPsLSJJ_i67aYol2pSpWPmBInT-_8iCAuneQyDO9CD17FaDRVrxFlbHxR82MkF6Cs5id3JL9AHMQ9GZ6quYr4ve5Lt-QnbPGMp8UOpnS4494wrjkXEM/s200/Picture2-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2 barramundi fillets with skin on, thawed</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">olive oil </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">salt and pepper</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3 tablespoons olive oil</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 clove minced garlic (approx. 1 teaspoon)</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 tablespoon capers</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, chopped</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/3 cup of feta cheese, crumbled</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Preheat oven to 400.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sprinkle fillets with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place skin side up on a broiler pan. Bake for 14 minutes or until fully cooked.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Place 3 tablespoons of olive oil and garlic in a pan and turn heat to med high. Watch closely and stir occasionally until garlic starts to sizzle. Add capers and sun-dried tomatoes to olive oil and garlic. Stir to incorporate. Cook for 1-2 minutes until thoroughly heated and set aside until ready to serve.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When fish is fully cooked (it should be opaque white and flaky throughout) remove from oven. Peel the skin off and discard. If the fish is fully cooked the skin will peel off very easily. If the skin does not peel off easily cook the fillets a little longer.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Place fillets on serving dishes. Spoon sun-dried tomato mixture over fillets. Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over top and serve.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5dClZBF8a4nGlown8Yom2123aGwvqLF8hWsWRtBNS-fRQ4dmASmFMFEGuMd_cadTogF8plT65az_gknvTv3_4t7rRAPOX2aMCreC43FTQwZV6GeTNAB8URPfOOA5v8rd1JjvaXS3uU0/s1600/Picture3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN5dClZBF8a4nGlown8Yom2123aGwvqLF8hWsWRtBNS-fRQ4dmASmFMFEGuMd_cadTogF8plT65az_gknvTv3_4t7rRAPOX2aMCreC43FTQwZV6GeTNAB8URPfOOA5v8rd1JjvaXS3uU0/s320/Picture3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div></div>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-9814811797243383972011-03-31T18:50:00.000-07:002011-04-01T07:17:43.706-07:00Making Sunshine on a Rainy Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5AMkaJvaHRBIOInoh0MOchz0ebRpiokjw9Tz_RYzPkoV4vhQd_WiwLjuWVTcAa7S2rOo2ZtULBaabR0tlDw1u8iF2C32r_sg0XNHaemw54KJVH_x0RXBDn4bR7UAMVHxvODhXReKTrD0/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5AMkaJvaHRBIOInoh0MOchz0ebRpiokjw9Tz_RYzPkoV4vhQd_WiwLjuWVTcAa7S2rOo2ZtULBaabR0tlDw1u8iF2C32r_sg0XNHaemw54KJVH_x0RXBDn4bR7UAMVHxvODhXReKTrD0/s320/Picture1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It has rained here for two and a half days and I am ready for some sunshine. But of according to the weatherman if I want sunshine this week I am going to have to make it myself. So that is exactly what I did - I made a glass of sunshine in the form of a mango smoothie.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Smoothies are one of my all time favorite everyday treats. I make mine with organic yogurt, frozen fruit or berries and enough skim milk to get it to the right consistency. I always use the whole frozen fruit or berries instead of fruit juice and ice because it really pumps up the nutritional value while providing a richer, creamier, taste experience. (And how often can you say the nutritionally better option really does tastes superior??)</span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Why do I call smoothies my everyday treat? Because look at all the healthy stuff you have going in there! Just keep your portion size reasonable if you are concerned about calories and you can treat yourself one any day you want.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One of my really great mommy tricks is swapping in a delicious smoothie in place of ice cream. My little boy can’t tell the difference. So he is getting a great serving of fruit and yogurt instead of the loads of empty sugar calories in ice cream. And the best part is I am the hero mommy who served him “dessert”. Winning!</span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Today’s I am serving up a mango smoothie because it really does remind me of sunshine in a glass. It is super simple - frozen mango chunks, yogurt and milk. That is it. Tomorrow when I don’t need sunshine quite so much, I can mix one up with frozen strawberries and kiwi or maybe I will do frozen blueberries and blackberries. Who knows? The possibilities are only limited by the frozen fruit in your freezer so blend on and enjoy this everyday treat!</span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnD1SSxQtbUYNof_DlOqMFeI9SzkaJlqDVzy0uzM0PQ_EZLUlWsw3wIPsB4tBIeEKvpGsgJHKf2arjl7s_kxJnhLGBJO_8qV-7cKmFDE_X4iysG5Jg3pbvw9ZXnmVpY6VYgsCdQKwgEM/s1600/Picture2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinnD1SSxQtbUYNof_DlOqMFeI9SzkaJlqDVzy0uzM0PQ_EZLUlWsw3wIPsB4tBIeEKvpGsgJHKf2arjl7s_kxJnhLGBJO_8qV-7cKmFDE_X4iysG5Jg3pbvw9ZXnmVpY6VYgsCdQKwgEM/s200/Picture2.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Sunshine in a Glass</span></b></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">(<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a.k.a. Mango Smoothie)</span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 heaping cup of frozen mango chunks</span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 (6 - 8 oz) container yogurt</span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 cup skim milk (use more of less to get to desired consistency)</span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Place everything in a blender. Start blending on LOW until well blended. Then increase the speed to HIGH and blend until smooth and creamy. </span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This recipe makes 2 reasonable servings or 1 extra large serving (shown in the pictures).</span></span></div>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-42492401204387619372011-03-20T11:31:00.000-07:002011-03-20T19:34:32.097-07:00Even a Food Lover Needs Food on the Go Sometimes<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:18px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There are people who eat to live and then there are those of us who live to experience food. We delight in sampling new things and detest wasting calories on the on mundane tasteless convenience and fast foods that many American’s diets have been reduced to. But even a food connoisseur need</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">s food in a hurry sometimes. That is why I love one of the current urban food trends – food trucks. Apparently I am not the only one who thinks this is a hot food trend. <a href="http://www.mintel.com/menu-insights">Mintel</a> (a leading food and drink marketing research company) highlighted food trucks this month in its Menu Trends email.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div> <img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7bvOd-Rhufi1JfLaODAaEU_MinawaY0kqnStxRgsxyyfRkZDefyiEcjGYULaJorlWug1bq_BjM8KXxoALGvfg_qJqtCtblVail5nVtCjaCWeBP3j4jVk4StGQSFA8-pjyqTV55sLLcFE/s320/November+4%252C+2010+020.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586234071515814514" /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px 'Lucida Grande'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">A food truck is basically a mini restaurant stuffed in the back of a truck. Y</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">ou can think of it as the marriage of an urban restaurant concept and an old fashion food cart. The menus may be limited, but the menu items have interesting twists making them the perfect fas</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">t food option for a food lover like myself.</span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px 'Lucida Grande'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In addition to putting an emphasis on interesting food choices, food trucks put a lot on emphasis on being mobile. They regularly move around the cities </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">requiring potential customers to visit a truck’s website or follow it on twitter for the day’s location. It can make finding your lunch a lot like a game of Where’s Waldo!</span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px 'Lucida Grande'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Did I mention food trucks are definitely an urb</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">an trend? Since I live in a very non-urban area, I can only experience food trucks when I travel, so on my recent trip to Los Angeles I seized the opportunity and went looking for food trucks.</span></p><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuOWKgKuK3LlCNZVx0jNbTN_Ki6E74Lyj3a8COqOnUdOOqeSNVHaNyosgymJBhAknGy5ovvoElAiZdCQs6qaCYQ2jbC6A8CwpOQ_mpYPcZgutm0YcAH181MHTAnWaY7sZ_0MriyMr0oow/s320/November+4%252C+2010+026.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586235839408236258" /> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px 'Lucida Grande'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">I found several but one particularly memorable one was the <a href="http://shrimppimptruck.com/">Shr</a></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><a href="http://shrimppimptruck.com/">imp Pimp</a> truck. Like most food trucks the Shrimp Pimp has a narrowly focused </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">menu. I tried the Drunken Shrimp </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:arial;font-size:medium;">Tacos for lunch. They consisted of sherry ginger marinated shrimp popped on top of jicima, a green pepper slice, mandarin orange and fresh cilantro and all wrapped up with a corn tortilla. A totally tasty lunch time treat.</span></p><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 237px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit5ROkupIXgg-9iTCEULQZrTwD33WJo4XM2DIfsVCh50Gzd_gK9pVX_FW9my7GH0hYikMz5GTNhObRMhK0xpX9OgHc8A4JzG_FYaq0FhyphenhyphenP2Qjh118r7MkmmyAkaZdWbNIZqbB6J9mzhAs/s320/November+4%252C+2010+038.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586235078850366050" /><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 10.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px 'Lucida Grande'"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:medium;">Next month I am headed to New York City where I hope to explore a whole new genera of food trucks - maybe <a href="http://kogibbq.com/">Kogi BBQ</a> or <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/rickshawtruck">Rickshaw Dumplings</a> or <a href="http://www.wafelsanddinges.com/">Waffles and Dinge</a>s - with so many choices it is heard to know where to start!</span></span></p></div>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-57241240392566895962011-03-08T19:08:00.000-08:002011-03-26T18:55:51.028-07:00The King of Cakes for Mardi Gras<div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I have to admit I have never been that interested in Mardi Gras. It has always seemed like a made up excuse to drink way too much and behave badly. Imagine my surprised when 18 pages into this month’s Saveur magazine I learned that Mardi Gras is really a celebration of of the Epiphany (the wise men’s discovery of Jesus). Of course the article really didn’t expound on what the Epiphany has to do with consuming vast amount of Hurricanes and yelling for beads on Bourbon Street, so we will have to make our own speculations how we got from a pinnacle Christian event to the modern day Mardi Gras celebration.</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Anyway, </span><a href="http://www.saveur.com/article/Techniques/King-of-Mardi-Gras"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the article</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> got me thinking about King Cake, the popular custom of baking a cake in honor of the three wise men. This cake is traditionally a sweetened yeast bread (similar to a danish) stuffed with cream cheese and a tiny plastic baby then sprinkled with garishly colored cinnamon and sugar or drizzled with icinng. The bright colors are not just because they match LSU and Tulane colors but rather that to represent justice (purple), faith (green) and power (gold).</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">For the past 2 years a dear sweet co-worker of mine has ordered a King Cake and had it shipped to our office to celebrate Mardi Gras. It is such a sweet gesture, but truthfully the cake from the mail order company is not very good. It taste a lot like the cellophane-wrapped sticky buns you get in a vending machine and convenience stores. </span></span></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I got to thinking there has got to be an easy short cut route for making a King Cake when you don’t live near the bakeries that make them fresh. I came up with the below semi-homemade recipe. It is not only simple it tastes really good. So the only thing you may need to order in advance is the little plastic baby that is typically inserted in a King Cake (lucky recipient of the baby in their piece of cake wins the honor of providing the King Cake at next’s event). </span></span></div></div></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNj743o-ynr2UbSoalJ_VAshwwR1sDgQuME36KQihG2ia_2LPTbZOZkafI5qtlTCxGojpjhB-ex-oKBOJQRVu07YZT9mxqFDyxzvuw0hhEhMAmcfjgkDt79vkwvllyO2wemYEUzLpuQtc/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNj743o-ynr2UbSoalJ_VAshwwR1sDgQuME36KQihG2ia_2LPTbZOZkafI5qtlTCxGojpjhB-ex-oKBOJQRVu07YZT9mxqFDyxzvuw0hhEhMAmcfjgkDt79vkwvllyO2wemYEUzLpuQtc/s320/Picture1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: right;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I started my recipe with three cans of 8 count uncooked cinnamon rolls. The beauty of using these prefab cinnamon rolls is they are tasty, super easy and that each can comes with a little icing cup. Three cans = three icing cups, which happens to be the exact number of colors of icing you need for King Cake. I used gel food coloring get the really vibrant Mardi Gras colors. The only other thing you need to add is the cream cheese filling. I made the whole cake start to finish in under 45 minutes and that was with a toddler trying to “help” me cook. Give it a try and let me know what you think.</span></span></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: medium; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: medium; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: medium; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: medium; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOppLQRp3Y5EZFAztfZDhADU8Emx488Byds_duxypxy4JOrzLdSrdCpOhqPMRshHF7d34vWfn5CVzPRZe0ee8aQuTaBWX10iduEjwPmWWs6svY4999DkVUMctyDZKSx2sgYJtrALMTRoU/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="170" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOppLQRp3Y5EZFAztfZDhADU8Emx488Byds_duxypxy4JOrzLdSrdCpOhqPMRshHF7d34vWfn5CVzPRZe0ee8aQuTaBWX10iduEjwPmWWs6svY4999DkVUMctyDZKSx2sgYJtrALMTRoU/s200/Picture1.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">King Cake</span></b></span></div></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span>Prep time: 15 minutes </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Cook time: 25 minutes</span></div><div align="right" style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> <br />
<ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">3 cans of uncooked cinnamon rolls</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 egg, beaten</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">1 (8 oz) packaging of cream cheese, room temperature</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">3 tablespoons sugar</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a dash of vanilla</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">gel food coloring</span></li>
</ul></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Preheat oven to 400</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">°</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Place cream cheese in a bowl. Add sugar and a dash of vanilla. Use a hand mixer to cream together the mixture and set aside until ready to add to cake.</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Pop open the cinnamon rolls and set icing cups aside. Use and rolling pin to roll each cinnamon roll out into an oval shape and about 1/4 inch thick.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Place two of the ovals over lapping end to end. Brush the dough with the beaten egg where they over lap and roll again until 1/8 of an inch thick.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Place the pieces in an over lapping circle. Brush the places where they overlap with egg and press together.</span></span></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqXNBnp0igzE1qG7de3bxXcsQTQV270SsebBupRGBSpum2i_FnaN3qcYtE6_5MTOXvaH3iEJnou7_5tmxIw4bEnOPsB7kz6afCbnNVAtDEtY_o58L0LT2E_lhRfZX8vnLiLIZqpb19s4/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="270" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxqXNBnp0igzE1qG7de3bxXcsQTQV270SsebBupRGBSpum2i_FnaN3qcYtE6_5MTOXvaH3iEJnou7_5tmxIw4bEnOPsB7kz6afCbnNVAtDEtY_o58L0LT2E_lhRfZX8vnLiLIZqpb19s4/s320/Picture1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Spoon the cream cheese mixture in a ring around the center. Fold the end of the dough back over the cream cheese. </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Brush the place where dough over laps with egg and press together.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPeuIodyLI3GJ7cGMHRU2xHhUxwPKgbIehEhBwgXyUwDbw0yeHFVwbVgb0t-4No00diCE2HdPR0Bn-AEFFF0TVqnsJuM9zwphnDYlC_mjfoAYkv5EoR19DTXk0Q2hO2DIv0pBFfvmh4bw/s1600/Picture2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="258" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPeuIodyLI3GJ7cGMHRU2xHhUxwPKgbIehEhBwgXyUwDbw0yeHFVwbVgb0t-4No00diCE2HdPR0Bn-AEFFF0TVqnsJuM9zwphnDYlC_mjfoAYkv5EoR19DTXk0Q2hO2DIv0pBFfvmh4bw/s320/Picture2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Bake for 25-27 minutes. Check the cake after 15 minutes if it is starting to get to brown, loosely lay a piece of tinfoil over the cake and continue backing.</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">While cake is baking mix gel food coloring into icing cups to achieve desired color saturation level.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqE3ZXxrg2Rm8giE199Jc53tU9IN0Y7OTo_f43lFMXANkwJ6BLhNP1cFynTmrLk8w-ntEltlsyUhbTdcAMrBwQzcdmLamHd7uS8Bu2GJ4L4hu4VAjfJL_-VBbltZEDEwIPojbvGo1YsKY/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="134" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqE3ZXxrg2Rm8giE199Jc53tU9IN0Y7OTo_f43lFMXANkwJ6BLhNP1cFynTmrLk8w-ntEltlsyUhbTdcAMrBwQzcdmLamHd7uS8Bu2GJ4L4hu4VAjfJL_-VBbltZEDEwIPojbvGo1YsKY/s320/Picture1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">After baking, cool the cake completed. Drizzle with alternating colors of icing and serve. (You may need to microwave the icing a few seconds to get it to drizzle.)</span></div><div style="font: 12px Helvetica; margin: 0px;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-Df8d6i6MaS1V_DM9ubGq5wC4lCW-buxLu3HH_cyh6uvfLREFaGhJN-VWch0xvT3fw_vl4V30wJsOP4xVOPs0ReKnKZnhfkJNOXzRUws-7mi3bizz1CKyJ3gqQf0OPsCTkdREOvpspc/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="140" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-Df8d6i6MaS1V_DM9ubGq5wC4lCW-buxLu3HH_cyh6uvfLREFaGhJN-VWch0xvT3fw_vl4V30wJsOP4xVOPs0ReKnKZnhfkJNOXzRUws-7mi3bizz1CKyJ3gqQf0OPsCTkdREOvpspc/s400/Picture1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbScSpOJCG0IuJ7ZZ5c6m4gNGp8Zw9W1hHYhlKOUWD17rpANptSYeXqgn6EYJ5FfIfDFJHNv4cjDAUTCFP07-WWDghm6gAkK9coD2XSNoaUcjEZNZ2W_e2onHRWdAz9JcUBtRr31qPo_U/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-91662243169842223182009-11-08T15:29:00.000-08:002009-11-08T15:51:30.471-08:00Dinner from Disney<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-TuOJGPzQvn4hmZowK-N3X6bk2aZ_NuNOaxJQ2m-vq0WlTkEcjI7brTeuo9MFXVE28fg9HdohOD3H1m0tl2U8X6pwcC-pPeUMb1xtDaE5EwXxeVgJnATp-qMRVTiGqtDkrKlyaQXW9B0/s1600-h/Disney+copy.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 262px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 263px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401883921799676162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-TuOJGPzQvn4hmZowK-N3X6bk2aZ_NuNOaxJQ2m-vq0WlTkEcjI7brTeuo9MFXVE28fg9HdohOD3H1m0tl2U8X6pwcC-pPeUMb1xtDaE5EwXxeVgJnATp-qMRVTiGqtDkrKlyaQXW9B0/s320/Disney+copy.jpg" /></a>Just returned from taking Logan on his first Disney trip - an auspicious occasion in the Reed household! We went with 6 other families so between us we had nine kids ages six and down for a week in Disney. Oh boy!<br /><br />While I was in Disney I had the opportunity to eat all kinds of park food. Some meals were definitely better than others. One meal I particularly enjoyed was dinner at T Rex in Downtown Disney.<br /><br />The wait was kind of long (even with reservations) but the food was good and dining experience was excellent. The restaurant was decorated like Jurassic Park and there are regular “meteor showers” every 20 or 30 minutes. (Logan loved the light show!) For dinner I got the Omnivore Salad with shrimp - rosemary infused shrimp on top of a salad with strawberries, dried cranberries, goat cheese and maple pecans then topped with a balsamic reduction dressing.<br /><br />The salad was so good and better yet, it was something I could easily recreate and enjoy when ever I liked at home. I liked adding shrimp to the top. Seafood, in addition to being so tasty, is also good for you. It is a great source of lean healthy protein and vitamin D. It is also a natural source of Omega 3 fatty acids. Shrimp really are a tasty, bite-sized, little super food.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtognpwxpXkqWzACy_vft9PkTm4Q51TZhvK5MrV3NcKJ0_iCVmh3kRiowySxpCtd2qAjW7_-aU_WLKD1FmcQwA2m43kglkXn0ABIEx00Ez0BXbkuPKxfV4I-u2TXtF2NnQ4vRFEzfv5og/s1600-h/salad+cropped.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 234px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401882282573860802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtognpwxpXkqWzACy_vft9PkTm4Q51TZhvK5MrV3NcKJ0_iCVmh3kRiowySxpCtd2qAjW7_-aU_WLKD1FmcQwA2m43kglkXn0ABIEx00Ez0BXbkuPKxfV4I-u2TXtF2NnQ4vRFEzfv5og/s320/salad+cropped.jpg" /></a><br /><strong>The Anytime Omnivore Salad</strong><br /><br />1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined<br />2 tablespoon olive oil<br />1 clove garlic, finally chopped<br />1 teaspoon fresh rosemary<br />1 bag salad greens<br />½ cup strawberries, hulled and quartered<br />¼ cup dried cranberries<br />Maple pecans (recipe below)<br />Balsamic Reduction Dressing (recipe below)<br /><br />•Preheat oven to 400º.<br />•Place shrimp into a bowl. Add olive oil, chopped garlic, rosemary and a dash of salt. Toss to coat shrimp.<br />•Pour shrimp into a large glass baking dish. Bake for about 10 minutes or until shrimp are fully cooked (they will look white opaque).<br />•Portion salad greens onto serving plates. Top with strawberries and cranberries.<br />•Add cooked shrimp and maple pecans. Top with Balsamic Reduction Dressing.<br /><br /><strong>Maple Pecans</strong><br />½ cup pecan halves<br />¼ cup real maple syrup<br />½ teaspoon chili powder<br />salt<br /><br />•Preheat oven to 400º.<br />•In a small bowl toss together.<br />•Cover a baking sheet with tin foil. Spread pecans onto baking sheet. Bake for 6 minutes.<br /><br /><br /><strong>Balsamic Reduction Dressing</strong><br />1 cup basalmic vinegar<br />Garlic salt<br />Fresh cracked black pepper<br /><br />•Simmer basalmic vinegar in a medium skillet until it thickens to a syrup (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat. Season basalmic reduction with fresh cracked black pepper and a dash of garlic salt. Stir well. </div>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-89528218030525764632009-11-01T16:07:00.001-08:002009-11-01T16:23:05.097-08:00Pass the Pumpkins Please!I have a confession to make - I really really love Halloween. I love decorating my house and passing out candy to all the little trick-or-treaters. I even dress up to pass out the candy.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfj5TFaMz8oGCyjczwAkm7m4idKy4Tw3VMZpNfw_o4F2mZZs0eDp35aYMkaFMh65LklCWS1B323tNXgTxBA3JFzhDwJdpywrWdd6vt9y2wWpvgdPJ6uC9t8hxZ8uqkwVICt25XSRw2YGA/s1600-h/Halloween+2009+109a.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 234px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399291418200241106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfj5TFaMz8oGCyjczwAkm7m4idKy4Tw3VMZpNfw_o4F2mZZs0eDp35aYMkaFMh65LklCWS1B323tNXgTxBA3JFzhDwJdpywrWdd6vt9y2wWpvgdPJ6uC9t8hxZ8uqkwVICt25XSRw2YGA/s320/Halloween+2009+109a.jpg" /></a>This year was extra fun because I had another little person to “decorate” for evening – my 6 month old, Logan. Naturally I decided we needed to coordinate our costumes. Since I had an adorable little devil costume for him I decided to coordinate myself and go as an angel. Fitting, huh?<br /><br />Since I love this holiday so much I wanted to come up with a fitting dinner for Halloween night. Of course it had to be something simple or something I could make ahead since dinner time comes right about the time trick-or-treaters start making the rounds in my neighborhood. I came up with Pumpkin Soup with Cran-Apple Pistachio Relish. Let me tell you it was delish!<br /><br />Not sure why I don’t cook with pumpkin more often. It is available anytime of the year in canned form and it is really easy to add to all kinds of dishes. The best part is, unlike any other canned veggies, you can get cans of 100% pure pumpkin (no extra copious amounts of salt added!). <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJb3WJaHy7ksVt7lxjtL6gWvJJduTqDrVeEAqGliLIu0MSxajqTijqCWE2KKZYaGkaoylbMT1B8WP7J_4n2B3RhjmA__4V3xOWshaNnDEq92r-efhCuShBt9fmgoqZwaMjb5yaccLMpfo/s1600-h/pumpkin+soup+with+cran+apple+relish+edit.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 276px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 190px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399294058825978866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJb3WJaHy7ksVt7lxjtL6gWvJJduTqDrVeEAqGliLIu0MSxajqTijqCWE2KKZYaGkaoylbMT1B8WP7J_4n2B3RhjmA__4V3xOWshaNnDEq92r-efhCuShBt9fmgoqZwaMjb5yaccLMpfo/s320/pumpkin+soup+with+cran+apple+relish+edit.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This recipe makes a good amount of soup. I like to refrigerate it and eat it for a week, but if that is more pumpkin soup than you want, try freezing it. Just portion into ziplock bags, push the air out, seal and freeze.<br /><br />The relish will keep in the fridge for several days, but it won’t freeze well. If you are going to keep the relish in the fridge think about waiting to add the pistachios when you are ready to serve it so they are nice and crunchy. Pistachios will get soft sitting in the fridge soaking up the fruit juices of the relish.<br /><br />Happy belated Halloween!!<br /><br /><strong>Pumpkin Soup with Cran-Apple Pistachio Relish<br /></strong>Hands on time: 12 minutes Start to finish: 25 minutes Makes: 6 servings (9 cups)<br /><br />2 tablespoon olive oil<br />1 tablespoon butter<br />1 medium yellow onion, diced<br />2 celery stalks with leaves, diced<br />¼ teaspoon garlic salt<br />1 tablespoon all-purpose flour<br />1 teaspoon thyme<br />¼ teaspoon curry powder<br />48 oz container low sodium chicken stock (6 cups)<br />15 oz can 100% pumpkin puree<br />2 tablespoons brown sugar<br />8 oz heavy cream (1 cup)<br />½ teaspoon nutmeg<br /><br />Directions:<br />• Heat a medium soup pot on medium high heat. Add olive oil, butter, onions, celery and garlic salt top pot and sauté for 6-7 minutes or until onions are soft and translucent.<br />• Add flour, thyme, curry powder top veggies and sauté for 1 minute.<br />• Add chicken stock, pumpkin puree and brown sugar to the pot. Whisk together and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken the soup.<br />• Reduce heat to low. Add heavy cream and nutmeg. Stir to incorporate. Keep warm until ready to serve.<br />• Ladle soup into bowls and top with Cran-Apple Pistachio Relish.<br /><br /><strong>Cran-Apple Pistachio Relish<br /></strong>½ cup pistachios, rough chopped<br />½ c dried cranberries, chopped<br />1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced<br />2 tablespoons lemon juice<br />1 tsp chipotle chili powder<br />2 teaspoons honey<br />• While soup is simmering chop the pistachios, cranberries and apple. Stir together with lemon juice, chili powder and honey. Set aside until ready to serve.The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-49114924826725037242009-10-13T12:09:00.000-07:002009-11-01T16:01:13.902-08:00Hosting the Sip-and-SeeThis past weekend I co-hosted a baby shower for my good friend Kim. It was what we call in the south a Sip-and-See Shower. That is when you have the shower after the baby is born. You come by to sip some lovely beverages, see the baby and shower the family with love. The added bonus (in my book anyway) is that since the baby is present you usually get out of having to play and sort of shower game.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYx_PeEiQf6L0SqTdsg8DgEvm0GYsGqCTutXAD3WzKGLbaoxtkUCf4iqYaKgjo1eSVLQj-P2pXDm47O9OB36XTlczTaeHoRid41pKM8JoVozdR_snLbvnSBsQ0-lA_I06gyJ2shmseFw/s1600-h/tables1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 301px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 167px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399287644375120850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXYx_PeEiQf6L0SqTdsg8DgEvm0GYsGqCTutXAD3WzKGLbaoxtkUCf4iqYaKgjo1eSVLQj-P2pXDm47O9OB36XTlczTaeHoRid41pKM8JoVozdR_snLbvnSBsQ0-lA_I06gyJ2shmseFw/s320/tables1.jpg" /></a><br />Now to host a successful baby shower you need four basic elements: food, pastel-colored punch (beak out the sherbet and the ginger-ale), a few cute baby decorations and adequate seating. As the owner of my own recipe development company, guess which element I usually get assigned – the food. And that is ok. I love to cook (obviously) and I love the chance to try out new and different little appetizers on my friends. However, this shower was a little different from the many showers I hosted in the past, because I recently became a new mom myself. And as it turns out, my 5-month-old doesn’t find the same fascination I do in spending hours in the kitchen. No, my recipes these days need to be more of the 20-minutes-and-done variety. So then the question became how do I come up with a Martha Stewart buffet on a Rachel Ray time schedule. The answer? First, divide and conquer (i.e. divide up the buffet responsibilities among all 3 hostesses). Second, come up with some new quick-time apps.<br /><br />One of the really great little nibbles I come up with was Southwestern Crab Quiche Bites. These little nearly-homemade quiches are awesome. Quiches by nature transport easily and reheat beautifully. Making them crab quiches just makes them more upscale. The nearly-homemade part comes in when I started with crab cakes, which have seasonings in them meaning you need to add fewer other seasonings to complete the dish.<br /><br /><strong>Southwestern Crab Quiches Bites</strong><br />Hand one time: 12 minutes - Start to finish time: 25 minutes - Makes: 45 appetizer servings<br /><br />45 phyllo cups <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0BOvoz23UhpnvAoZaM3WhWKritBc8LRTnnuUzbLa2tuFJDTewX8DMeTu6BsJVHlyln8j2NgyQgqO9IjgtQhwtLqvR-wG6Jzmyk09IWpNbShyphenhyphenWjHUBE7_KO_WCfeVLmXqmNZZyBR4iMo/s1600-h/OCT+10,+2009+002.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 222px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 166px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399288383186894658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO0BOvoz23UhpnvAoZaM3WhWKritBc8LRTnnuUzbLa2tuFJDTewX8DMeTu6BsJVHlyln8j2NgyQgqO9IjgtQhwtLqvR-wG6Jzmyk09IWpNbShyphenhyphenWjHUBE7_KO_WCfeVLmXqmNZZyBR4iMo/s320/OCT+10,+2009+002.jpg" /></a><br />2 frozen crab cakes (about 3.5 oz each), thawed<br />4 eggs<br />½ cup heavy cream<br />2 tablespoons mild chopped green chilies (canned)<br />¼ teaspoon chipotle chili powder<br />¼ teaspoon nutmeg<br />3-4 oz gruyere cheese<br /><br />• Preheat oven to 350º.<br />• Line baking sheet with tin foil. Place phyllo cups on the baking sheet.<br />• Crumble thawed crab cakes into phyllo cups.<br />• In a bowl whisk together eggs, cream, chilies, nutmeg and chipotle chili powder. Spoon mixture over the crumbled crab in phyllo cups.<br />• Top each mini quiche with gruyere cheese.<br />• Bake 13 minutes.The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-25714507449036436892009-07-25T15:03:00.000-07:002009-09-20T18:29:16.704-07:00The First Step to More<div>They say all big journeys start with a single step. I say if I want to change how Americans look at food the best place to start is with my own family’s dinner plate. Now this is a challenge as my guy is a typical Midwestern-raised, corn-fed man who would happily eat chicken wings, green beans and beer every night of the week So I am constantly sneaking in new items onto the dinner table when my family isn’t looking. I have found that the key to acceptance is usually just naming the dish to be something that sounds familiar.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfZc2kDtWXNo6mVKfWBKIqHx5ho4J85jSZ4IIhYlOJPj4jzkSBcdLPq6rLmH-VuH6Oke1_CfM5NVl3dqXJ-9BA-IBP2hl_P1mdNUI-QOM7CU69OPuuVMYleBrDteDyrkfuGt4ScgDbPs/s1600-h/Picture1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383726245685704962" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 203px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 134px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqfZc2kDtWXNo6mVKfWBKIqHx5ho4J85jSZ4IIhYlOJPj4jzkSBcdLPq6rLmH-VuH6Oke1_CfM5NVl3dqXJ-9BA-IBP2hl_P1mdNUI-QOM7CU69OPuuVMYleBrDteDyrkfuGt4ScgDbPs/s320/Picture1.jpg" border="0" /></a>My favorite new dish that I am sneaking onto the dinner table is couscous. It is ridiculously simple to make and very tasty to eat. Couscous looks kind of like rice but it is actually more like a tiny little pasta. It is perfect for a night when you need side dish in a hurry as it cooks in about 5 minutes. Couscous is traditionally a North African or Middle Eastern dish but don’t let the fact it is from a region whose cuisine you aren’t familiar with deter you from giving couscous a try. The flavor of couscous is really mild so it works well in all kinds of dishes. You can find couscous on the ethnic aisle or near the rice in your grocery store. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Below is a really simple basic couscous recipe. Try it in the place of rice one night and let me know what you think. Just tell your family it is tiny pasta and I bet they will probably like it too. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><strong><u>Couscous</u></strong></div><br /><div>1 cup dry couscous</div><br /><div>1 tablespoon olive oil</div><br /><div>2 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>-Put vegetable broth and olive oil into a pot and bring to a boil.</div><br /><div>-Pour in 1 cup dry couscous. Stir well. </div><br /><div>-Cover pot, turn off heat and let sit for 5-6 minutes.</div><br /><div>-When ready to serve, give couscous a quick stir before spooning onto serving dish.</div>The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-32272821688177308542009-07-20T17:59:00.000-07:002009-09-20T18:03:39.199-07:00Getting Out of the RutDid you know that 1 in 5 Americans have a diet that regularly consists of 10 or less foods total?? Seriously, I read that in Gourmet magazine some time ago. Now why in the world when there are so many delicious foods out there would a person recycle the same chicken dish and the same boxed mac and cheese night after night? Maybe it is just that people get in a rut or they just don’t have time to go look for something new to try. <br /><br />That is where I come in. I am constantly trying new dishes then coming up with a way to make them simple enough for anyone to prepare. This blog is my way to share. So if you are interested stay tuned and lets try some new foods together.The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-77774841757602474712009-05-05T06:11:00.000-07:002009-05-05T06:24:59.611-07:00Loyalty Declines Along with the EconomyIf you are like me you are probably getting a little tired of hearing all the economy doom and gloom. However we can't deny the effect the current economic trends are having on food trends, in particular how the average American shops for food. Various surveys and reports have shown there has been a huge shift in how we shop. Brand loyalty is on the decline while deal shopping is all the rage. Coupon usage is way up (so if you happen to be a brand manager issuing those coupons I hope you are keeping a close eye on that redemption budget....the old estimates will not apply!), promotional activity is up and purchases of lower priced private label items is up. What is down? Brand loyalty. According to a survey by Universal McCann only about a third of shoppers are planning to remain brand loyal with about an equal number stating they will only buy a grocery item that is on discount.The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-87914619114492652562009-04-24T08:47:00.000-07:002009-04-24T09:00:25.111-07:00Souping it UpObviously as we head into the summer months soups may not be at the top of your mind but here is an interesting little trend. Refrigerated soups are a very small sub segment of the retail soup category however according to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Mintel</span>, Chicago this small segment has growth that out paces the other types of soup, including canned soups. Refrigerated soups enjoyed 12% growth 2006 to 2008. Why? These soups fit well with current health trends and consumers preference for "fresher" options. Another advantage with refrigerated soups is that the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">manufacturing</span> process is easier to modify, so manufactures can modify flavors and varieties to adapt to seasonal preferences. So next time you are are at the grocery store check out the refrigerated soup options and see if there is anything there that appeals to you.The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-27839805977157269132009-04-17T04:06:00.000-07:002009-04-17T04:35:26.567-07:00A Popular Nut to CrackDid you know that almond consumption in the US has doubled in the past 8 years? According to <a href="http://www.gnpd.com/sinatra/gnpd/frontpage/?__cc=1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Mintel</span> Global New Products 2007 Database</a> they are the second most frequently used nut in new nut containing food products. Just think of all the wonderful foods you see on shelf these days that contain almonds, like confections, baked goods, cereals and ice creams. <br /><br />So what is making this nut so popular these days? Well for starters , of course, almonds are plain old fashion delicious but there is more to them than just taste. They are popular with food manufactures because they are a very low moisture nut with naturally high levels of antioxidants making them a very stable ingredient and easier to work with than some other varieties of nuts. Another factor adding to the almond appeal is the fact that they are one of the healthiest nuts around. Compared ounce to ounce to other nuts, almonds are highest in lots of key nutrients like protein, fiber, calcium, vitamin E, riboflavin and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">niacin</span>. But it is not just about what is in almonds, they are also attractive for what is not in them as well - lots of extra calories. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Almonds</span> are also among the lowest calorie type of nut. <br /><br />So as you are looking for a delicious new ingredient for your next creation, consider the almond. Popular, versatile, nutrient packed and delicious almonds can be a great addition to many dishes.The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3355059848236476566.post-43340420130412190142009-03-28T06:04:00.000-07:002009-03-28T06:31:01.019-07:00Grease PiratesSome trends are not necessarily a good thing. One of the newest rising trends in the food industry is grease piracy. Have you heard of this one? People are stealing used cooking oil or grease from restaurants and selling it to biodesiel companies to be recycled into fuel. Apparently there is profits to be had in the used cooking oil (and to think most of us home cooks probably just think of used cooking oil as a messy hassle rather than a potential profit center).<br /><br />According to April issue of <a href="http://www.gourmet.com/">Gourmet Magazine</a>, the average restaurant can produce 35-50 gallons of used cooking oil per week and they can sell it for about $1.50 per gallon to refineries who recycle the grease into gasoline alternatives. That represents a potential income of $3,000-$4,000 per year per restaurant. Of course if grease pirates start raiding multiple restaurants their potential profit stream goes up substantially. One man was arrested last year in California with more than 2,000 gallons of stolen oil in his tanker that he had siphoned off from various restaurants. I guess people can turn anything into a black market commodity. The best thing I can say about this trend is at least this waste product gets recycled in the end.The Undercover Cookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00681399313654859579noreply@blogger.com0