M is for Making this: Slow CHICKEN w Sweet Potatoes & Jerk

Slow CHICKEN w Sweet Potatoes & Jerk [It was supposed to be PORK, but I really don't like pork.]-- Caribbean Pork w Sweet Potatoes

We really liked this. It is not low cal. Could it be made w/ chicken and w/o the flour? The simplicity is perfect. The taste is great. No ketchup, soda pop or canned soups in a crock pot. I had lost this recipe and was really sad about it. Found it and had to stay up to type it. Serve w light salad, ice water, or soda water with lemon or lime. Very flavorful.

Serves 4 active 10 min/total 7 to 8 hr on low

1 can (13.5 or 14 oz.) lite coconut milk

3 Tbsp FLOUR

1 Tbsp Caribbean jerk seasoning

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2-lb boneless pork butt, cut in 1½ in cubes

2 large (2 lb) sweet potatoes, peeled, l cut in 1½ in cubes

2 cups frozen petite green peas

½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1. Put coconut milk, flour, jerk seasoning and garlic in a 3 qt or larger slow cooker. Whisk until well blended. Add pork and sweet potatoes; stir until well coated.

2. Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 house or until meat is tender.

3. Spoon off fat. [if necessary. The cut that I bought was very lean]. Stir in frozen peas and cilantro. Cover and let stand 5 minutes for peas to cook.

Per serving: 757 cal [Wow. I had no idea.] 49 g pro, 59 g car,8 g fiber, 37 g fat (14 saturated fat), 158 mg chol, 240 mg sod

From woman’s day 11/1/05

S = Scream in the Summer

Y is for Yum! Strawberry Shortcake

Chocolate Shortcakes with Strawberries, or other Fresh Fruit

Preheat oven to 400ºf. Cover cookie sheets with parchment paper

Prepare lots of strawberries by washing, cutting into quarters and gently cover with about 1/2 cup sugar (not too much). Allow strawberries to macerate in the sugar and the water.

Combine in a large bowl and then whisk to blend.
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Add:
1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter,
cut into 1/2-inch cubes

When mixture resembles coarse meal, mix in:
about 1/4 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips

In a small bowl beat together:
1/2 cup chilled whole milk
1 large egg

Gradually add milk mixture to dry ingredients, tossing until dough comes together in moist clumps. Gather dough together. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and gently knead 5 turns to combine. Be careful not to over mix or else dough will be tough.

The short cake can be served as one large and dramatic cake or as smaller individual ones. To make smaller cakes gently shape into 8-inch-long log. Cut log crosswise into 8 rounds; shape each into 2 1/2 x 3/4 inch round. Arrange rounds on prepared baking sheet.

Bake biscuits until bottoms are golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on rack

Cut warm biscuits horizontally in half. Place bottom halves in shallow bowls. Spoon strawberry mixture in middle and spoon cream over. Cover with biscuit tops. Also very pretty with a little powdered sugar on top (skip the cream).

S is for Spin Fun.

The Valentine Gnomie... The white flag should've read, "I surrender!" Didn't really have time to create and be clever, if not brilliant. Wrapped him in an assortment of valentimey decor and called it "Done." Meanwhile I worked on a magnet board for the room.

The following is from an in-class party last week:

Treat #1: Rum Balls by Birthday Girl Vonda! A professional chocolatier.

Treat #2: Peanut Butter Bars brought in by the very trim "Peanut Butter" -- Don't ask about grams of fat, she said the next class.

Treat #3: Cream Filled Chocolate Mini-Cupcakes, brought in by Shauna, a chef.

The On-as: Donna, Vonda, Rona & Shauna!
It was an amazing, fun and HARD workout. I asked birthday girl Donna (who I've known for about 17 years, & whose son is a pal of S's) if she's had a good life so far... Rona was trying to kill us. Well, Rona made us earn the treats.

I've learned that when treats are offered at Spin, take one. Once I said, "No thank you." Only to go home and do a lot more dammage than one mini cup cake would have done. Thankfully, there aren't treats very often... and never before a trio of treats.

FAST MARSHMALLOWS + Slow: Cassoulet! = Sunday.

This worked! I've changed enough of this recipe to call it mine. Cassoulet is a soup sort of dish with dark meat (chicken thighs), sausage and white beans in a tomato based soup/sauce. Often it has too many beans or too many spices or it is just not worth eating. This is it... everyone ate it. Even N had some, after he ate his left-over (home-made) macaroni & cheese.

chicken thighs (Don't bother cutting them up or the expense of boneless. Costco's are pretty lean.)
Italian sausage (Hot isn't really necessary. Do get the good stuff -- not hot dogs! Kielbasa would work...)
1 big jar, maybe two, of good pasta sauce, spicy, no mushrooms (This is a major shortcut of the earlier recipe.)
1 or 2 big cans of cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained (If you soak them yourself resist the temptation to use a lot!)
some water
oregano
thyme
2 bay leaves
minced garlic cloves
some salt (go easy!)

Put it in your lovely All-clad slow cooker, the one you got for yourself (and the family, right?) on sale at Williams-Sonoma at Christmas, and leave it on low for a long while, about 4-6 hours.

Serve with asparagus, great bread, perhaps a green salad with a vinegar based dressing. Water to drink. For dessert? Some chocolate is nice.

WE CONCLUDED THIS LOVELY MEAL WITH A MASSIVE MINIATURE MARSHMALLOW FIGHT... THEY WERE FLYING INTO EXPOSED CLEAVAGE, OPEN MOUTHS, ONTO THE FLOOR! That sort of fun might not be for every family but we enjoyed it, a lot. Ginger enjoyed a few marshmallows and, hold on, we even cleaned it up before they were smashed into everything. I LOVE SUNDAYS!

Mexican Beef Tips. Slow down & eat.

My printer (in my usual techNo-Nological stupor) is offline, perhaps permanently. Not knowing where else to keep this recipe, I am putting it here.

It is a good one to keep, practical and easy. It was in the Deseret News' ridiculous food section in November. Look! It doesn't call for breakfast cereal, Pillsbury products OR re-formed frozen cheesecake! (No joke, Valerie Phillips often calls for those ingredients.) Credit needs to be given to Alicia Ross and Beverly MILLS (real name?) of the Desperation Dinners syndicated column.

MEXICAN BEEF TIPS

FLEXIBLE: Serve shredded over/in/with lettuce, cheese, rice or chips for nacho, burritto or quessidilla filling/topping.

Makes about 10 cups beef and liquid.

Note: The beef will hold on low in the slow cooker for up to two hours before serving. Or prepare beef completely up to 48 hours ahead and refrigerate. Then rewarm on the stove top over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or until heated through, or place in the slow cooker on low for 45 minutes to an hour or until heated through. You may cool the beef completely and freeze it (with cooking liquid) in an airtight container for two to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, and reheat according to the directions above.

• 41/2 lb. extra-lean beef tips for stew

• 1 tbsp. chili powder

• 1 tsp. ground cumin

• 1 tsp. onion powder

• 1 tsp. garlic powder

• 2 (14.5 oz. each) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes (or regular stewed tomatoes plus 1/2 tsp. additional cumin and garlic powder)

Directions: Place the beef tips in the bottom of a 5-quart or larger slow cooker. Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, onion powder and garlic powder over the beef. Add both cans of tomatoes, with their juices, pouring them directly over the tips. Cover the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Stir well, and serve immediately, or store according to the directions in the Note above.

Variation: Stove-top method

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a 41/2-quart or larger Dutch oven or soup pot. Brown the beef tips for about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the spices and both cans of tomatoes, and cover the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer the beef for 31/2 hours or until the beef cubes are so tender that they fall apart. Stir and check the liquid level periodically, and add water to keep moist but not soupy.

Nutrition information per 1/4-cup serving: Calories 76 Fat 3 g Sodium 86 mg, Carbohydrates 2 g Saturated fat 1 g Protein 10 g, Cholesterol 31 mg, Dietary fiber 0 g

Y is for Yum!

My pal Stephanie Higginbotham made this amazing cake! My very chic, smart and fun cousins Jody & Mel, and thier 3 fantastic, smart, sweet and funny sons were coming to Utah to visit us (and ski) just past Christmas ... I knew I needed one of Steph's cakes. As long as she is making her wonderful confections, I'll never make another cake. If you have read this blog for a while you probably know any holiday or celebration, is an excuse to order one, or two, of her cakes. Isn't it lovely? Her cakes taste as good as they look! Above is the Before picture and below is the After:

L is for Let's do Lunch.

I found this image on the Bizarro blog. :)
No idea where he found it.

The Pumpkin Soup

CREAM OF PUMPKIN SOUP
Gama has been making this recipe for years. H has been making it for years too. Missionaries in New York ate it. CEL loves it. It is a very mild and flavorful soup. It is also very pretty. The children eat it and dunk bread and cheese in it. It is a fall tradition in our home.

In a heavy bottomed pot (slower cooking) combine and saute:
1 1/2 Tablespoons finely chopped ONION
3 Tablespoons BUTTER until it is tender

Thoroughly stir in:
2 1/4 Tablespoons FLOUR

Cook the roux over low heat, stirring, until it is foamy.

Remove the pot from the heat and add:
2 1/4 cups PUMPKIN PUREE (you can make your own or use the canned stuff, it a-ok)
5 1/2 cups scalded CHICKEN BROTH (one large can of Swanson's chicken broth)
1 1/2 teaspoons SALT
3/4 teaspoon GINGER
1/4 teaspoon NUTMEG
1/4 teaspoon WHITE PEPPER

Return the pot to the heat and cook the mixture, stirring with a wire whisk, until it is thick and smooth.

Combine:
3 EGG YOLKS, lightly beaten
2 cups (1 pint) heavy CREAM (it is OK to use half cream and half milk, to lighten the soup, nowadays I use milk, yipes! even skim milk!)

Add the mixture to the pot . Bring the soup to the boiling point, stirring , but do not let it boil. Correct the seasoning and sprinkle the soup with
1/4 chopped PARSLEY (completely optional)

First typed 11.1 99 modified (simplified) by H, originally from Gourmet Magazine November 1971!

Y is for Yum. Red & White Cabbage Salad.

Red & White Cabbage Salad
great. simple. refreshing. pretty.

3 cups green cabbage, shredded
2 cups red cabbage, shredded
1 large Granny Smith apple, grated or diced
2 Tbsp dry-roasted salted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/3 fat free mayonnaise (I usually forget this.)
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/8 salt, or to taste (This isn’t necessary.)
1/8 tsp black pepper

combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes before serving.

G is for GINGERBREAD!

Gingerbread.
This is the best, most simple, most consistent and yummiest recipe, ever. Also, it has a lovely texture. I've tried a lot. We have been making it for over 10 years. I'm thinking that we just had our last Gingerbread party though... feel as though I've run an extra mile after running a marathon. Here is the recipe.

• Preheat oven to 350ºf Cover cookie sheets with parchment paper. It is reusable and fat free.

Heat to boiling point:
1 cup MOLASSES
Add: 1/2 cup SUGAR
6 tablespoons BUTTER
2 tablespoons MILK

Mix: 4 cups FLOUR
1 teaspoon BAKING SODA
1 teaspoon SALT Maybe a little less
1 teaspoon NUTMEG
1 teaspoon CINNAMON
1 teaspoon ground CLOVES
1 teaspoon GINGER, powered
Add molasses mixture to flour mixture.
Blend well. If the dough isn’t holding together, or you like it more malleable add a few tablespoons of warm water or milk.
Roll out the dough about 1/4 inch thick and cut into large and small gingerbread men, using special cookie cutters or very sharp knife.
• Bake for 5–7 minutes.
• Decorate when cool with frosting, candies, etc.
• If it gets too dry or crumbly put it in the microwave for abou 20 seconds, or less. Don't handle the dough too much.

H 1997

C is for Cookies, for Christmas, that are cool.

This is what a food section should aspire to. It is from San Francisco of course. The tag line reads like a bit of poetry: "Holiday cookies give a nod to the past and a wink to the future." The image is magical and makes you want to pick one up, not run to the lou. As I read the recipe I thought of ways to substitute for the mint (chocolate, almond, vanilla)... the food editor actually INSPIRED me in the kitchen.

Check out the entire food section at sfgate.com.

P is for Pumkin.

From the Day in Pictures section of sfgate.com.

Seriously folks, if you want to eat pumpkin, this is a great recipe. Something about these cookies makes them super yummy. Everybody loves them.

(Don't look SisterSkinny... it's not pretty!)

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Preheat oven to 375º

Combine:
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Stir in:
2 cups pumpkin puree (16 oz can)
2 teaspoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs

Then add:
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 teaspoons cinnamon (to punch it up a bit I recently added a bit of cloves, ginger and allspice, VERY optional)

Mix. Then Blend in:
12 ounces chocolate chips (mix semi-sweet & milk chocolate)
1 cup chopped nuts (Very optional)

Drop from teaspoon onto cookie sheet, covered with parchment paper. Bake 8 minutes, or a little more. Cool on cooling rack.

W is for Wednesday's Food Section.

The above is a tart of sorts made with fresh peaches, apples and a simple cinnamon/sugar topping, no crust.

Many newspapers use the Wednesday center part of the paper for food. My favorite paper (my home page) The San Francisco Chronicle has a brilliant Wednesday Food Section. The Deseret Morning News also has a Wednesday Food Section. What's the difference? Everything!

I honestly cannot figure out how the food editor of the Deseret News keeps her job. She doesn't do a bad job, she does a HORRIFIC job. I have been wanting to write a letter to the editor for a long while -- about the Captain Crunch Crab Cakes! or the endless article about cook-offs and contests, or the use of out of season produce and canned soups. Can't wait to see what she "cooks up today!" Can't forget to mention her over use of cliches and trite sayings.

While in SF with C, we ate breakfast at a favorite, fantastic, small restaurant on Chestnut Street, The Grove. Out of the blue C mentions Valarie Phillips, the food editor for the DMN, and her recipe for quesadillas, with "your favorite canned spicy cheesy soup," in a comparison to the Grove's lovely, simple, healthy menu. I just about spit I was suddenly so mad. It was funny at the time. A woman next to us noticed and we told her about the Captain Crunch crab cakes, quesadillas and cook-offs -- she was disgusted too. It was a funny San Franciscan exchange.

Perhaps I'll write that letter today...