Monthly Archives: September 2010

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Plum Recipe Throwdown: Red or Purple? You Choose for Plum Tatin Cake

September 27, 2010 in Desserts

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Ina Garten's Plum Tatin Cake with Purple Plums

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Ina Garten's Plum Tatin Cake with Red Plums

I love plums in early fall! I was craving plum desserts, so I decided to try Martha Stewart’s skillet plum cake. This turned out to be a 100 per cent, total disaster. The plums sank into the cake instead of floating on top like it showed in Martha’s picture, and the cake texture was tough and coarse like cornbread. Martha, if you’re reading this blog – and I hope that you are – take this recipe out of your repertoire! It is unworthy of you!

Undaunted, I hunted for another plum cake to try. A few weeks ago I was watching Ina Garten make her plum tatin cake. It looked so amazing, and I love Ina’s simple elegance. And, I have always loved the rich comforting taste of the slow-braised apples in a classic Tarte Tatin. Why not plums? BUT. Which plums to chose? I tried both red and purple, and the clear winner in Donna’s Test Kitchen weekly Sunday taste testing was: purple! They give the cake a richer taste and are prettier that the red plums.

This cake was a huge hit! It is easy, flavorful and so beautiful on a serving platter. You MUST try this for a fabulous ending to a fall feast!

Happy Monday to all you Meatless Monday fans!

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Home-Made Ricotta in a Ricotta Salad Stack – A Beginner’s Adventure in Cheese Making for Fab Frugal Friday

September 24, 2010 in Frugal Tips, Healthy Fare

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Ricotta Salad Stack made with home made ricotta

Home made cheese? I never thought I would be so bold as to attempt this, but life has a way of changing us, sometimes allowing us to do the previously impossible. When you tell someone “I made my own cheese,” they will be astounded  – - – that is, until they find out how easy it really is. To make ricotta: 5 minutes max is all it takes.

I decided it was time in my progression as a cook to attempt a home made cheese. In all the recipes I reviewed, ricotta seemed the most do-able. A good step for beginning cheese makers. And, I am happy to report success! You don’t even need a thermometer – that’s how easy this is!

Here’s the entire “recipe:”

I was inspired by posts on two blogs – Recipe Girl and  Eggs On Sunday and followed them pretty closely. Bring 2 cups whole milk and 2 cups half-and-half to a boil with a pinch of salt and boil exactly 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Strain in a fine mesh strainer. That’s it. Really.

True, it is creamy and yummy and a little less than purchased ricotta. But. To be honest, the main satisfaction you will get is not savings or taste, but in feeling competent enough to make cheese.

To show off my newly acquired cheese-making talent, I just shaved some zucchini very thin, used some sliced garden tomatoes and basil leaves, a little s & p, and – Voila! - effortless, fresh and delicious first course – Heavy on the ricotta, of course!
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Cinnamon Curry Apple Chips

September 22, 2010 in Appetizers, Desserts, Frugal Tips, Gluten Free, Healthy Fare, Side Dishes, Vegan Recipes

Cinnamon Curry Apple Chips

If you have a surfeit of apples in your kitchen or in your backyard at the moment, here’s a simple, healthy snack, for mere cents compared to the cost of the store-bought kind. Kids are bound to love them! Lots of apple chip recipes use cinnamon, of course, but I thought I’d add a little twist. The curry is NOT overpowering here, but is just enough to give it that little “Hmmm, what IS that?” factor (to blatantly ape Rachael Ray’s frequent line about nutmeg). Read the rest of this entry →

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Oprah’s Famous Celery Root Soup – Simplified for Meatless Monday

September 20, 2010 in Appetizers, Entrees, Gluten Free, Healthy Fare, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Entrees

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Oprah's Famous Celery Root Cashew Soup

Celery root soup hit the celebrity circuit last winter when Oprah called it her new favorite soup. I was determined to make a simplified version as soon as fall brought its first golden leaves and chilly air. What’s better than a comforting bowl of soup in the fall?  Perfect for a Meatless Monday treat! This soup recipe is so unique and refreshing, and surprises your taste buds. The rich flavor of the cashews pairs perfectly with the celery root, and the apple adds tartness. And, I love how the recipe calls for a few of the stalks of celery, which ups the celery flavor and health benefits.

I simplified things quite a bit by not making the “cashew cream” called for in the recipe, but I blended cashew butter and water in the blender and had success. The chive oil is a nice touch too, but optional.

Tal Ronnen, of The Conscious Cook fame, is the vegan chef who rose to celebrity status when he cooked for Oprah when she did her 21-day vegan cleanse. If this innovative soup is typical of things to come, we can’t wait Chef Ronnen!

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Dessert Quesadilla Recipe – Easy Desserts for Fab Frugal Friday

September 17, 2010 in Desserts

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Peaches and Cream Dessert Quesadilla

If you’re looking for a peach dessert recipe, I’m guessing that “quesadilla” is not the first thing that comes to mind. Most people don’t think of quesadillas being a dessert. That’s too bad, because dessert quesadillas are fabulous! And, they are a perfect “Desperation Dessert” that you can throw together in just minutes. If you don’t believe me, [ Warning: Shameless Plug Ahead] check out my book “Quesadillas” and try one of the recipes from the dessert section – Mango Madness, Caramel Apple or Triple Chocolate Decadence for starters!

The crispy crunch of the tortilla and the soft melted cream cheese inside are the perfect template for an easy dessert feast with whatever fruit or traditional dessert ingredient you have in your kitchen. And, quesadillas take only minutes to make. Drizzle on some caramel or chocolate sauce, or sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on top and you’re in business – the Simple, Easy Desserts business!

The key to making a top-notch quesadilla is something I learned as a kid growing up a few miles from the Mexican border: Cook them in a large covered skillet over medium heat with NO FAT IN THE PAN.  Let me repeat for emphasis: DO NOT PUT FAT IN THE PAN!!! If you put fat in the skillet, it only makes the quesadilla greasy and often brunt on the outside. Just trust me on this – your flour tortilla will NOT burn and will NOT stick. It will turn out with a perfect crispy golden crunch. Go ahead – test me on this. I promise you will be in Quesadilla Heaven!

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Vietnamese Rice Noodle Soup – our version of Pho: Let’s call it Phaux.

September 16, 2010 in Appetizers, Entrees, Gluten Free, Healthy Fare

Vietnamese Rice Noodle Soup, a.k.a. Pho

One of my favorite categories in any Asian restaurant is the soup. As a kid I loved egg drop and hot & sour soups* from what was then the only available Asian cuisine in our area, a Chinese restaurant. Then came college and the discovery of  Japanese food, particularly sushi, with a side of seaweed salad and the perfect simplicity of a cup of miso soup. Japan was usurped by Thailand, and the reigning favorites for a good long time were tom yum with shrimp and tom kha gai, that tangy coconut ambrosia.Most recently, I have become a tad obsessed with pho (actually pronounced “fuh”, despite my bad pun in the title), the rice noodle soup hailing from Vietnam. I  know, I’m a little late to the party, but I’d officially like to start making up for lost time. Read the rest of this entry →

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Sugar-free Apple Butter Recipe with Apple Butter Sticky Biscuits – Daring Cooks September 2010 Challenge

September 14, 2010 in Contests and Carnivals and Roundups, Desserts, Gluten Free, Healthy Fare

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Sugar Free Apple Butter Recipe

An Apple Butter (a sort of apple jam that has no added pectin) recipe is a natch for fall . . . but I was skeptical about whether it could be made sugar free.  That was the challenge for Daring Cooks this month, with the host John from Eat4Fun.  The recipe uses apple cider and a little other sweetener of choice. I was so excited to see that they featured a sugar-free recipe, because my husband was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes recently. Turns out, those Daring Cooks were right. I am thrilled to announce that this recipe is every bit as good as sugary apple butters! One amazing Daring Cook took this challenge to the max and made FIFTEEN different jams and chutneys. Incredible!

And, what the heck, I decided to take it one more step further and try and use it in a recipe.

My first thought was sticky buns, which are a ton of work. But, what about the same sticky idea baked into a biscuit?! These are delicious – sort of a faux cinnamon roll. My family raved about these and ate every little crumb that came out of the oven. They are almost as easy as a batch of biscuits – I just rolled out the dough and spread apple butter, nuts and raisins on the dough and cut them into pieces just like you would cinnamon rolls. Then, I baked them in muffin tins and – Voila! - almost effortless fall dessert!

Hey! I think I’m going to love apple season!

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Apple Butter Sticky Biscuits

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Salsa Recipe to Celebrate at Summer’s End: Sassy Smoky Roasted Tomato Salsa

September 13, 2010 in Appetizers, Gluten Free, Healthy Fare, Side Dishes, Vegan Recipes

“It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts
while eating a homegrown tomato.”

–  Lewis Grizzard

Roasted Tomato Salsa

Sassy Smoky Roasted Tomato Salsa Recipe

This salsa recipe is the reason we grow a huge garden every summer. Sure, I love all the other veggies, but the absolute best are the peppers and tomatoes. We make gallons of salsa at the end of every summer. Then (and this is my very favorite part) we go around the neighborhood leaving jars of salsa on front door steps, in mailboxes, on the front seat of cars. I have become known as “The Salsa Fairy” by all my friends and neighbors. Next to “Mommy,” it’s my favorite title ever!

We posted this salsa recipe last year, but I decided a re-post was in order because last night I added a new flavor twist: roasted cumin. The earthiness of cumin just can’t be beat and is so good in this salsa. I discovered a new spice in the spice aisle: McCormick’s Roasted Ground Cumin. It has a deep, rich roasted intensified cumin flavor. If you’re a cumin fan, you MUST try this!

We love salsa here at fff -check out our Grilled Pineapple Mango Salsa, and our Charred Zucchini Salsa Verde.

Roasting about half of the tomatoes quickly at a very high heat gives a wonderful roasted smoky flavor, but keeping half of the tomatoes raw gives it the perfect freshness and texture. And, the chipotle chile powder and smoked paprika are delicious in combination with tomatoes.

Don’t skip the EVOO. Olive oil used with tomatoes improves BOTH their flavor and health benefits exponentially.

Celebrate a Meatless Monday with this salsa and you may find yourself eating it right out of the bowl with a spoon!

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Fab Frugal Friday: Raw Banana Ice Cream

September 10, 2010 in Desserts, Gluten Free, Healthy Fare, Vegan Recipes

Raw Banana Ice Cream

Standard advice for bananas that are about to turn the corner into overripe mush: Bake some banana bread! Tried and true, nothing wrong with that. Who doesn’t love a good banana bread? But quickbreads and muffins and the like, while delicious and perfect for a comfort food day, are on the heavy side – and it can get a little old. there are fun ways to jazz it up, of course, but I recently learned of an idea that takes leftover bananas into a whole new arena – one that could NOT be healthier!

I give you: raw banana ice cream. Read the rest of this entry →

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Hot Pink Hummus with Fresh Beets

September 8, 2010 in Gluten Free, Healthy Fare, Side Dishes, Vegan Recipes

Hummus with fresh beets

As many of you know, if you’re Facebook-friendly with me, I am a bit of a hummus addict. I would eat it every day if I could, I do believe. I love garlicky hummus, lemony hummus, hummus with and without tahini, hummus with avocados and coconut oil,  hummus with roasted red peppers, hummus with pine nuts, hummus with “40 spices”, hummus with sundried tomatoes. I love it in wraps, I love it as a dip for crudite or tortilla chips, I love it spread on toast, I love it just plain eaten by the spoonful. You could say I’m a little obsessed. So when I saw  hot pink hummus in the prepared food section of my local co-op, I knew I had to give it a try. Read the rest of this entry →

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