Red Sweet Corn

I made another interesting produce discovery last week at Safeway.  I found Sweet Red Corn!  It is beautiful.  The only time I had seen red corn before was hanging on someones front door during Thanksgiving.  Not only is this corn beautiful but it is delicious and super healthy. The red sweet corn is higher in protein than other types of corn.  The main producer of Red Sweet Corn is Colorful Harvest, Inc. They are located in Merced, California.  Colorful Harvest is now also growing this corn in Southern California and Florida because it is becoming so popular.  I am somewhat am surprised that this corn has made its way across the country to our little corner of Maryland.  Since Safeway is a large grocery chain that can be found all across the country, you may find red sweet corn at your local Safeway, too. 

I found lots of recipes for Red Sweet Corn on California based food blogs.  The easiest and simplest "recipe" was for roasting the corn and then rubbing it with a lime coated in Ancho Chili powder.  So simple but so delicious.  Check out Colorful Harvest's website for more great recipes for red sweet corn.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Syracuse Salt Potatoes

"Salt potatoes are bite-size "young" or "new" potatoes scrubbed and boiled in their skins. Salt is added to the water to the point of saturation, giving them their name, and unique flavor and texture. After cooking, salt potatoes are served with melted butter.

Salt potatoes are creamy as the starch in the potatoes cooks more completely due to the higher boiling temperature of the extra-salty water. The salty skin stands up particularly well to both herbed and plain melted butter.

Salt potatoes are a regional dish of Central New York typically served in the summer when the young potatoes are first harvested. They are a staple food at fairs and barbecues. In this region, potatoes specifically intended to be made into salt potatoes can be purchased by the bag along with packages of salt during the summer months.

The Syracuse, New York area has a long history of salt production. Salt springs located around Onondaga lake were used to create consumable salt that was distributed throughout the northeast via the Erie Canal. Salinated water was laid out to dry on large trays. The salt residue was then scraped up, ground, and packaged. Salt potatoes were created in the nineteenth century by Irish immigrants working the springs who cooked their potatoes in the salty brine."

Wikipedia provided all this great background information about Salt Potatoes! 

Thanks to my husband's good friend from college, I discovered Salt Potatoes.  N and her husband R came down for B's 50th birthday party and part of their gift to him was a bag of Salt Potatoes.  At first, I thought that Salt Potatoes were an unusual gift but then I found out that they were a tradition in Syracuse going back to the 1800's!  

I used the recipe on the back of the bag of potatoes but since I didn't keep the bag I found a similar recipe on "allrecipes.com" to share with you.  I also found another recipe on the NY Times website that looks interesting.  N told me you can buy any new potatoes and boil them in salt to create Salt Potatoes. You don't need to buy a bag marked "Salt Potatoes".  Not that I would ever find them down here in Maryland.  Salt Potatoes are excellent.  You must try them.  B told me that the ones I made tasted just like he remembered from his childhood!

SALT POTATOES
from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:


4 pounds new potatoes
1-1/2 cups fine salt
8 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

Wash the potatoes and set aside.
Fill a large pot with water; stir in salt until it no longer dissolves and settles on the bottom.
Place potatoes in the pot and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender but firm, about 15 minutes.

Drain; cover to keep hot.

While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a small pan over medium high heat, or in microwave. Serve immediately poured over potatoes.

New York Salt Potatoes

by Kim Severson (NY Times)
adapted from American Test Kitchens Recipe
8 cups of water
1-1/2 cups of kosher salt (add another cup if using the Diamond Crystal brand)
3 pounds well-scrubbed small red or white potatoes, as uniform in size as possible and with skins on
1 stick butter, cut into pieces
Freshly snipped herbs (optional)
Pepper

1. Bring salt and water to a boil and add potatoes. Cook until tender, about 25 minutes.

2. Drain potatoes in a strainer and place pot back on stove over medium heat and add butter. When just melted, after about a minute, add potatoes and, if desired, herbs and black pepper. Toss and serve immediately.



Yield: Six servings

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Frozen Hot Chocolate - Slimmed Down Version

I was just reading my August 2010 issue of Woman's Day Magazine and I saw a recipe by Joy Bauer, R.D. for a slimmed down version of Frozen Hot Chocolate.  This sounds like a great summer treat for adults and kids!  Let's give this one a try.  I'm sure D will enjoy this.  He likes Starbuck's Frappachinos and Dunkin Donuts Coolatta's so why not Frozen Hot Chocolate??  The article in Woman's Day says that Frozen Hot Chocolate is a signature dessert at Serendipity, a Manhattan restaurant.  Serendipity has been around for years in NYC.  I think there is now a Serendipity II or even II.  If I remember correctly, it is a very expensive restaurant that specializes in ice cream and desserts for kids. 

Here is the Joy Bauer's slimmed down recipe:

Frozen Hot Chocolate

1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups ice cubes

Garnish:  reduced-fat whipped topping and/or dark chocolate shavings

1.  Combine chocolate syrup, evaporated milk, vanilla and ice in a blender until smooth.

2.  Pour into glasses.  Garnish with a dollop of whipped topping and/or a sprinkling of chocolate shavings, if desired.

Variations:  Mexican Hot Chocolate:  Add 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon.  Peppermint Hot Chocolate: Substitute 1/4 tsp mint extract for the vanilla extract.

150 cal, 5 g pro, 0 g fat, 85 mg sod.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe

Have you ever eaten dessert at Chili's?  Well, their most famous dessert is their Molten Lava Cake.  My son absolutely loves the Molten Lava Cake from Chili's.  When we were on vacation two weeks ago in New Mexico, we drove through Roswell, NM on our way home from Carlsbad Caverns.  Since we didn't see any aliens, we decided to have dinner there.  Not to mention the fact that there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING else around between Carlsbad Caverns and Roswell.  They actually have a Chili's in Roswell, NM so we ate dinner there that night.  It was late and we had a long drive back to our hotel in Santa Fe.  Because of that, I decided that D should not order his most favorite dessert. That meant, of course, that I owed him dessert at Chili's (I still do, in fact, owe him dessert at Chili's).  Now that we are home, I was thinking I could probably make him a copycat of Chili's Molten Lava Cake.  Big mistake on my part.  I didn't find the right recipe but I do think that these Chocolate Lava Cakes are really good.  I will continue to try to find the best Copycat Chili's Molten Lava Cake recipe.  Sadly, this is not it.  I found that out in a big way today!  Oh well, I tried.

Chocolate Lava Cake
Preparation:  15 Minutes
Cooking Time:  10 - 20 Minutes (or more if necessary)
Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:

6 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate (or use your favorite 70% dark chocolate bar)
6 oz. butter (diced, room temperature)
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
butter for ramekins

Directions:

(1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees
(2) Butter four 3.5 oz. ramekins
(3) Melt chocolate on low flame in a double boiler.
(4) When chocolate is melted, remove from heat and stir in diced butter until it melts.
(5) In another bowl, beat eggs and sugar, until it starts to whiten.
(6) Stir in melted chocolate and then stir in the flour.
(7) Pour chocolate batter into prepared ramekins.
(8) Bake for 10 to 20 minutes or until top is cooked through, but center is still liquid.
(9) Tip ramekins upside down onto dessert plates and serve.

Voila!

Tips:

You can prepare your chocolate lava cake batter ahead of time and then bake just before serving.

Butter the ramekin bottoms first, and then butter the sides, wiping from the bottom up to the top.  This helps the chocolate to rise even more.

If you don't like liquid-center cake, just cook these babies for a little longer, and you will have an incredibly moist mini chocolate cake.

Serving Ideas:

Serve chocolate lava cake with a Creme Anglaise (English Cream) or a Coulis Aux Framboises (Raspberry Sauce).  I like serving it with good vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Deep Chocolate Vitamuffin Copycat Recipe

I did not even know what a Vitamuffin was until I saw a post about them on Facebook by one of my cousins. She was talking about how her little boy (2 or 3 years of age) insisted on eating one of her Vitamuffins.  This was a problem because they are very expensive.  I can tell you that they range from a low of $4.19 for a box of 4 Vitatops or Vitamuffins up to a high of $5.99 for the same box!  When I saw how expensive they are, I did some searching and found this recipe pretty much all over the internet.  I don't know how the "Vita" part of the Vitamuffins have been copied in this recipe but the fiber part is clearly added with the clear fiber supplement.  I found clear fiber supplement at a local pharmacy.  I read a few reviews of this recipe that said the muffins were fairly dry and not as dense as the real Vitamuffins.  To remedy this problem, I used fat free Greek Yogurt in place of the applesauce and added a tablespoon of safflower oil.  I also used regular sugar but reduced the amount to 3/4 of a cup rather than using Splenda or some other sugar substitute.  That is just my preference.  If you like Vitamuffins or Vitatops but they are too expensive for your budget, try these with my "tweaks."

Deep Chocolate Vitamuffin Copycat Recipe

1-3/4 cups whole wheat flour (I used white wheat flour)
3 egg whites (I used egg substitute)
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup fat-free half & half
1-1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups hot water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons clear fiber supplement plus 2 teaspoons

Directions:

1.  Spray 24 cupcake pans with cooking spray and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Mix all dry ingredients together.

3.  Add all wet ingredients except the 1-1/2 cups hot water.

4.  Mix together both wet and dry ingredients while slowly stirring in hot water.

5.  Do not overmix.

6.  Evenly scoop batter into cupcake pans.

7.  Sprinkle each cupcake with chocolate chips.

8.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

9.  Let cool for 10 minutes.

French Red Potato Salad

I made this recipe for 4th of July so I made it into "American Red White & Blue Potato Salad".  I used baby red, white and blue potatoes.  If you can't find the blue potatoes, use the purple ones.  They will do just fine.  The main thing is to cook the potatoes just right.  Be careful not to over cook or under cook them.  This recipe was created by Catherine Kitcho for her "Use It Up Cookbook: Creative Recipes for the Frugal Cook."  She is a caterer turned author. This is one of her favorite recipes from her catering business.  She did not like the idea of serving salads with mayonnaise base for events that were held outdoors in hot weather.  Catherine Kitcho says that this potato salad actually tastes better when it's warm and I agree. 

French Red Potato Salad
by Catherine Kitcho

2 pounds red potatoes
8 green onions, sliced thin (scallions)
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, minced
2 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 cup white wine
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup olive oil

Cut the potatoes into quarters, and steam for 15 minutes or until cooked through but not mushy.

Drain in a colander and rinse in cold water.  When cool enough to handle, cut the potatoes into cubes and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Add the onions, parsley, dill weed, salt and pepper, and stir to distribute.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, wine, garlic, and olive oil.  Pour over the potatoes and stir thoroughly.

Serve immediately or chill and serve later.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Slow Cooker Baked Beans

This recipe looks much easier than the Baked Beans with Maple Glazed Bacon recipe I posted recently.  I think that I will try to combine the ingredients from the previous recipe (meaning the vinegars) to give this recipe some zing.  But the idea of cooking it all in a slow cooker is so much more appealing than spending two days trying to make baked beans.  Although the Baked Beans with Maple Glazed Bacon recipe got high praise from everyone who tried it, this one looks much simpler and less labor intensive.  I will definitely try it with a few of my own "tweaks."  {This recipe needed a lot of revisions.  I made my changes as noted below.  I doubled all the original ingredients except the onion but I increased the amount of water from 1 cup to 4-5 cups.}

Slow Cooker Baked Beans


Prep Time: 1 hr.
Cook Time: 10 hrs.
Servings:  12

Ingredients:

24 ounces dry white beans
1 pound bacon
1 onion, chopped
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons salt
4-5 cup water
2 teaspoons maple flavoring
4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup molasses 
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 cup ketchup (or tomato paste)
1/4 tablespoons prepared mustard

Directions:


1.  The night before, combine the beans with water to cover by an inch or two.  Bring the beans to a boil and cook for 1-1/2 hours.  Pour beans and their liquid into a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.  Drain beans and place them in a slow cooker.  Add  bacon, onion, brown sugar, maple syrup, salt, maple flavoring, molasses, garlic, vinegars and water.

2. Mix well, cover and cook on high setting for 5 hours, stirring occasionally.  Cook on low for another 7 to 9 hours.  During the final hour of cooking, add the ketchup and mustard, remove bacon, chop it and put it back into the slow cooker.  Mix well and serve.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Baked Beans with Maple Glazed Bacon

My husband is closing in on his 50th birthday.  He decided that he wanted to have a birthday party.  I am not a big birthday party person but I relented and hosted a party for him yesterday.   It turned out great.  His one food-related request was to ask me to make baked beans like his mother used to make.  The funny "aside" on this comment is that his sister came down for the party and informed us that his mom used premade baked beans, put bacon or pork on top and baked them in the oven.  Funny!  But not...  because these beans took a long time and a lot of work. The things you do for your family!!  At least they went over well and my husband liked them.  I will tell you that these beans are quite "tangy" so next time I make them I will reduce the vinegar and increase the brown sugar and/or molasses.  I would also like to suggest that you read this recipe thoroughly. I missed a few things when I made it.  I could not find dried yellow-eye or cannelini beans so I used dried pinto beans.

Baked Beans with Maple-Glazed Bacon

• ACTIVE: 20 MIN
• TOTAL TIME: 7 HRS 45 MIN
• SERVINGS: 6 

Ingredients

• 
  
  1. 3-1/2 cups yellow eye or navy beans, rinsed and picked over, then soaked overnight for 2 hours and drained
  2. Kosher salt
  3. 9 slices of bacon, 1 slice cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
  4. 1 large onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice
  5. 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  6. 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
  7. 1/4 cup dark unsulphured molasses
  8. 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  9. 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  10. 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  11. 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  12. 1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions

1. In a large pot, cover the beans with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil.  Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 2 hours; add water as needed to keep the beans covered by 2 inches.  Season the beans with salt and let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes.  Drain the beans, reserving 4 cups of cooking liquid.  Transfer the beans to a large, deep baking dish.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, cook the bacon strips over moderate heat until the fat has rendered, 5 minutes.  Add the onion and cook over moderate low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 minutes.  Stir in the apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, crushed red pepper, black pepper and 1-1/2 tablespoons of kosher salt and simmer for 1 minute, until the sugar is dissolved.  Pour the bacon-onion mixture over the beans and stir in the reserved bean cooking liquid.  Cover the beans with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the maple syrup with the red wine vinegar and mustard.  Arrange the remaining 8 bacon slices on a rimmed baking sheet, and generously brush them with maple syrup mixture.  Bake the bacon in the same oven as the beans for about 15 minutes, basting 3 times and turning the bacon twice, until richly glazed. Transfer the bacon to a plate.
4. Carefully pour 1/3 cup of water onto the baking sheet and return it to the oven for about 3 minutes to dissolve the caramelized syrup.  Uncover the beans and carefully stir in the syrup.  Bake the beans, uncovered, for about 20 minutes longer, until the liquid has reduced by about one-fourth.
5. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees.  Top the beans with the glazed bacon and bake until browned, about 15 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

MAKE AHEAD

The beans can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight.  Reheat, covered, in a 350 degree oven before proceeding.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Creamy Cole Slaw

One of my favorite things about summer is eating summer foods.  I mean foods like watermelon, barbecue, hot dogs, burgers, potato salad and cole slaw!  The problem with cole slaw is that there are so many different kinds.  I like the creamy tangy kind. I don't like cole slaw with onion in it.  It just seems wrong.  Also, my cole slaw  has to have some color in it which is why I added some shredded carrots and some red cabbage to this slaw recipe when I made it a few weeks ago.  There is just something about this dressing that makes the slaw almost, if not actually, PERFECT!!

Go ahead and try this recipe.  It is easy and so much better than the slaw you get at the grocery store.

CREAMY COLE SLAW

Ingredients:

·         3/4 cup mayonnaise

·         3 tablespoons sugar

·         1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

·         1/3 cup oil

·         1/8 teaspoon onion powder

·         1/8 teaspoon dry mustard

·         1/8 teaspoon celery salt

·         1 dash black pepper

·         1 tablespoon lemon juice

·         1/2 cup half-and-half

·         1/4 teaspoon salt

·         1 large head cabbage, finely shredded

Preparation:

Blend mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar and oil. Add onion powder, dry mustard, celery salt, pepper, lemon juice, half-and-half and salt. Stir until smooth. Pour coleslaw dressing over shredded cabbage in a large bowl and toss until cabbage is well coated. Keep coleslaw refrigerated. Coleslaw

 serves 8.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Feta Corn Salsa

As I have mentioned many times, I am not a fan of tomatoes.  I do like salsa, though.  I had this salsa at a Wining Women event a few months ago.  It is the perfect salsa for me.  No tomatoes!  It has a sweet-salty taste that is "to die for." The combination of the feta cheese and the apple cider vinegar along with the sugar really makes this salsa delicious!  Don't let the black beans put you off. It is such a great salsa for a summer day!  Easy to make and yummy... 

Feta Corn Salsa

1 whole yellow pepper, diced
5 green onions, diced (or to your own taste)
1 container of crumbled Feta cheese
1 bag of frozen sweet corn (defrost by running warm water over it)
1 can of black beans, drained

Dressing:

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup oil (I used safflower oil)
1/2 cup sugar


Mix together and chill for at least 1 hour.  Serve with scoops corn chips or other corn chips.  Also great over salad!


Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Homemade Marshmallows

Everyone knows what a marshmallow is, right?  Those ubiquitous round pillows of sweetness that come out of a plastic package from the grocery store.  Jet Puffed or Stay Puft or whatever they are called in your neighborhood.  We use them in hot cocoa, to make s'mores, toasted, in rice krispie treats, and so on.

Well, marshmallows didn't start out as little round drum-shaped pillows.  Way back in ancient Egypt, over 2,000 years ago slaves were making the Pharaohs candy out of the marsh mallow plant (which is only one variety of many mallow plants).  These candies were very different from what we know today as the marshmallow. The ancient Egyptians mixed the mallow sap with honey and grains and then baked it into cakes.  Soon, these delightful treats made their way to Europe and around the world.  The Romans and Greeks loved the mallow plant, too. They believed that tea brewed from the marsh mallow plant would soothe sore throats. They also believed it would eliminate mucus.  Interesting, huh? 

Europeans also loved this sweet treat. There is even an Italian cookbook written in the 15th Century which devotes an entire section on how to season mallows.  Why not?

In Medieval times, marshmallows liquids were given to cure all kinds of illnesses like toothaches, coughs, sore throats, chapped skin, indigestion, and diarrhea. It was used by herbalists of the time for everything from love potions to scorpion sting protection. Even Monks, living in the south of France, grew the mallow plants, along with licorice roots, in monastery gardens during the same time period. 

The French, who love their sweets, were the first to think of making a candy strictly for adults from the mallow root. This was around the middle of the 1800's. Before the French thought of using the sap to satisfy our confectionery passions, this delightful root sap was used mainly for medicinal purposes.

The French shop owners started making their marshmallows by hand. They discovered cooking and whipping marshmallow sap with egg whites and corn syrup created a substance that molded easily.  It figures that the French would come up with something like this.  Viva la France!

Thus, the marshmallow was born. Since they tasted so good, everyone wanted some. This handmade delight took a long time to make because they were being molded one at a time.   It wasn't long before someone figured out a better way to make marshmallows.

Early in the 1900's, marshmallows were finally being made quickly enough that they were able to be sold as penny candy in tiny little tins. It was because of the "starch mogul system" that marshmallows were being made so quickly. In the starch mogul system, a machine automatically fills trays with starch about 2 in (5.08 cm) thick, which is then evened off and slightly compressed. Then a printing board, made of plaster, wood, or metal trays shaped to mold the marshmallow of the final product is pressed into the starch and withdrawn. Then the space created is filled with hot creme. The first moguls were wood, but all were steel by 1911. Gelatin and other whipping agents replaced the mallow root in the ingredient list.


In the 1950's, marshmallows came in a little box. The box had a wax paper layer and the marshmallows were sort of sugar coated.  These marshmallows were used mainly to make s'mores. 

Today you can find marshmallows everywhere and in almost everything. Marshmallows can be found in our cereals, hot chocolate, Jell-O, candy bars, and puddings. You will find them in recipes for hot foods like carrots, hams, and yams. Some wines are even made with marshmallows!

There is even furniture based on the marshmallow.  Have you ever seen a marshmallow couch or chair?

In the United States, we use the marshmallow at our most important holidays. At Halloween we give out candy bars with marshmallow centers. At Easter, the famous Peeps come to visit. During Christmas we sip hot chocolate with little marshmallows floating on top. Preschool and kindergarten teachers use marshmallows to make crafts at school.

Marshmallows even found their way into our movies as monsters.  Do you remember "Ghost Busters" from way back in 1984?  The Stay-Puft Marshmallow man was a big evil monster bent on destroying New York City!  The list of marshmallow goodies is endless. Can you think of any more? 

Thanks to http://www.twisted-candy.com/marshmallows.html for all of this great historical information about marshmallows. 

Now, what you have been waiting for......

I used Martha Stewart's Homemade Marshmallow recipe but there are hundreds or maybe thousands of recipes including all different varieties such as chocolate, strawberry, and raspberry.  You can find recipes without corn syrup, without sugar, vegetarian varieties, and so many more.  But if you are not diabetic or allergic to any of these ingredients, go ahead and try this one.  It is very similar to the ones by Alton Brown, Emeril and other famous chefs.  This is the one recipe that I can say came out great.  I did not think it would taste like the marshmallows from the grocery store but I had people tell me that they did.  You will have to make your own decision about that.  Don't be afraid to try making these!  If you are nervous about putting hot liquids in your mixer, just drape some plastic wrap over the top of the mixer.  I will also strongly suggest that you don't try cleaning the whisk attachment of your mixer until you are completely done with this process!  I hear that you will wind up with marshmallow "strings" and a big mess.  Follow the instructions carefully (i.e., don't let the sugar mixture get too hot).

Homemade Marshmallows
by Martha Stewart
Makes 24 (depending on how you cut them)

Ingredients:


• Vegetable oil, for brushing

• 4 envelopes unflavored gelatin (3 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons)

• 3 cups granulated sugar

• 1 1/4 cups light corn syrup

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. Brush a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish with oil. Line with parchment, allowing a 2-inch overhang on the long sides. Brush parchment with oil; set aside.

2. Put granulated sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 3/4 cup water into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Cook, without stirring, until mixture registers 238 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 9 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, put 3/4 cup cold water into the bowl of an electric mixer; sprinkle with gelatin. Let soften 5 minutes.

4. Attach bowl with gelatin to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. With mixer on low speed, beat hot syrup into gelatin mixture. Gradually raise speed to high; beat until mixture is very stiff, about 12 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Pour into prepared dish, and smooth with an offset spatula. Set aside, uncovered, until firm, about 3 hours.

5. Sift 1 cup confectioners' sugar onto a work surface. Unmold marshmallow onto confectioners' sugar; remove parchment. Lightly brush a sharp knife with oil, then cut marshmallow into 2-inch squares. Sift remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar into a small bowl, and roll each marshmallow in the sugar to coat. Marshmallows can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Kumato Tomatoes

What in the world is a Kumato Tomato?  I had no idea what these were until we had some friends over for dinner.  They brought appetizers and dessert.  The appetizer consisted of these brown tomatoes (Kumato) with fresh mozzarella and basil on top then drizzled with olive oil!  My boys loved them.  I don't eat tomatoes so I didn't try them.  I just may break down and take a taste-test myself.  I am hearing so many good things about these unusual tomatoes. 

I did some research (naturally) and found out that they have a more authentic tomato flavor.  What does that mean, you ask?  Well, in recent years tomatoes have become tasteless, or so I hear.  These Kumatos are intense and sweet.  They have a higher level of fructose in them.  The Kumato originates from a ‘lost’ wild tomato and has been developed through ten years of cross-breeding by plant specialists at Syngenta.  They have been available in the U.K., Australia and other countries for a few years.  I only recently found them in my local Giant grocery store. 


If you check out the company's website you will find many fantastic-looking recipes.  I will be trying a few of these.  I am especially looking forward to trying the Egg and Tomato Strata and the Tomato Sauce recipe, Baked Kumatos with a Crunchy Parmesan Crust!  The list goes on... 

The color of the Kumato is unusual to say the least.  They go from brown to a greenish brown and are always edible.  The Kumato ripens from the inside so it is edible no matter what color it is.  They come in two sizes:  a regular golf-ball size (which is what I found in my grocery store) or mini Kumatos.  I haven't seen the mini ones yet. 

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Chocolate Graham Cracker Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting or S'mores Cupcakes

I found this recipe on Martha Stewart's website but this delicious recipe is courtesy of Jennifer Shea, owner of Trophy Cupcakes in Washington State.  I finally made the cupcakes today after much debate and contemplation.  The recipe looked fairly difficult.  They got rave reviews from my intrepid tasters! 

The batter is very watery.  Don't be alarmed by that.  I was lazy today so I used chocolate morsels rather than chopping or shaving a chocolate bar.  It didn't really work because I ran out of chocolate to put on top of the cupcakes.  Also, I found that I had left-over batter.  I'm not sure why there was so much batter left after I filled all 24 cupcake "cups" but I could probably have made another two or three cupcakes with it. Another issue I had with these cupcakes was that I didn't want to go out and buy a torch.  I found out from another blogger that I could have frosted the cupcakes with the Marshmallow Frosting and not torched them or I could have tried to brown them very carefully under a broiler.  Instead, I used homemade marshmallows to top each cupcake.  They came out great!  I will post the recipe for the marshmallows soon.


Chocolate Graham Cracker Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting


Ingredients:

Makes 2 dozen.

2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 20 squares)

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (I used semi-sweet)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 standard muffin tins with cupcake liners; set aside.

Sift 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix ingredients together on low speed.

In a large bowl, mix together eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and continue mixing on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add boiling water and stir to combine; set cake batter aside.

Place graham cracker crumbs, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and melted butter in a large bowl; stir until well combined.

Place 1 tablespoon graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Use the bottom of a small glass to pack crumbs into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Reserve remaining graham cracker mixture for topping.

Place 2 teaspoons chocolate in each muffin cup. Transfer muffin tins to oven and bake until the edges of the graham cracker mixture is golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and fill each muffin cup three-quarters full with cake batter. Sprinkle each with remaining chocolate and graham cracker mixture. Return to oven and bake, rotating pans halfway through baking, until tops are firm and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer muffin tins to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely.

Transfer frosting to a large pastry bag fitted with a large plain round or French tip (such as Ateco #867 or Ateco #809). Pipe frosting in a spiral motion on each cupcake. Transfer cupcakes to a baking sheet. Using a kitchen torch, lightly brown the frosting, taking care not to burn the cupcake liners. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container, up to 2 days.

Marshmallow Frosting


Makes enough for 2 dozen cupcakes


8 large egg whites

2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately
 
Enjoy!
 
The Creative Cook

Tropical Cream Cheese Spread

I made this Tropical Cream Cheese Spread for the last Wining Women event of the season.  The theme of the event was supposed to be Tropical Island Wines but the hostess found out that no Tropical Island wines are available for sale in the United States.  At least not in our area.  The hostess decided to switch the country of origin to Argentina because those wines are readily available.  I was once again extremely brave (or stupid) about taking a brand new untried recipe with me to an event and I would say that I was also extremely lucky.  The Tropical Cream Cheese Spread turned out to be very tasty.  The strawberries I served with it were fragrant and delicious. The coconut cookies I bought were also a big hit.  I wish I had kept the wrapper of those cookies so I could give them a plug here.    This is a nice (easy) summery appetizer that I will make again to bring to a summer event.  If you use neufchatel or light cream cheese it will be just as yummy but about 1/3 the calories.   I found the recipe on http://www.worldfamousrecipes.org/.



TROPICAL CREAM-CHEESE SPREAD

Yield: About 1 & 1/2 cups.



8 ounces cream cheese or light cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tablespoons peach preserves or orange marmalade
1/4 cup crushed pineapple packed in juice or syrup, drained
1/3 cup sweetened flaked coconut (I used unsweetened coconut)
2 teaspoons honey

Combine all ingredients in the work bowl of a food processor;

Process until well blended and smooth.

Transfer the spread to a serving or storage container and cover.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Can be kept up to 1 week in refrigerator.

Serve with fresh fruit (strawberries, banana slices, pineapple spears) or with crackers and toasted bread rounds. 



Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Herbes de Provence Redux

I definitely did not try hard enough to find Herbes de Provence in my local grocery stores.  No sooner did I publish the post on Herbes de Provence, when I found a bottle at a grocery store in Westminster.  I bought that bottle although I am  not sure why.  I guess I felt that I should explore all possibilities.  I kept looking and found it again at another local chain.   Shame on me!  I had no idea how many places I could find Herbes de Provence but now I know.  I am feeling obligated to try as many recipes that call for Herbes de Provence as possible.  I found several so don't worry about that.  I also did some reading of reviews on the recipes.  I am pretty sure that there must be many versions of Herbes de Provence available in various parts of this country.  Some of the recipe reviews mentioned that the lavender was overwhelming.  I think these people must have used an imported version of the Herbes.  The McCormick Spice people did a nice job of blending the Herbes de Provence to our pedestrian American taste buds.  They bottle the Herbes de Provence under their Gourmet Collection Blends label.  I had no issues with lavender when I tried these Herbes.  In fact, there may not be any lavender in the McCormick blend.  I imagined that I tasted it in there very very slightly but when I read the ingredients I did not see lavender listed.  The list of ingredients goes something like this:  Spices (including rosemary, marjoram, thyme, and savory).  Yes, they actually use a parenthesis in the list of ingredients.  Isn't that interesting.  Of course, the McCormick Spice people know that here in the United States, we use lavender more in soap or candles than in foods.  The recipe for Herbes de Provence mentions lavender as optional but traditional.  Most the recipes I have reviewed and tried call for at least a tablespoon of Herbes de Provence so I wouldn't want to use the imported version and get a mouthful of soap with my chicken or potatoes or whatever.  Thank you McCormick Spice Company!! 

I am including two of the recipes that I found on the web for Herbes de Provence Chicken and Herbes de Provence Potatoes.  I don't necessarily recommend you try them together like I did.  It was pretty good but could be overwhelming if you don't care for the Herbes.  Both recipes are very easy to make.  Why not bring a little bit of the South of France into your kitchen when you get the chance?


Chicken Herbs De Provence


1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence seasoning

• 4 teaspoons champagne vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 4 chicken breasts

Directions

Combine all ingredients and marinade chicken for at least two hours.
Grill until tender basting frequently with marinade or bake 30 minutes at 400.

(I had to roast the chicken about 45 minutes to get it to its proper doneness so be careful here.)



Roasted Baby Potatoes with Herbs



Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Serves:

4 to 6 servings



Ingredients

• 1/2 pound small red-skinned potatoes (about 1 3/4-inch diameter), scrubbed

• 1/2 pound small white-skinned potatoes (about 1 3/4-inch diameter), scrubbed

• 1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence, plus extra for garnish

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the potatoes into a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the herbs, garlic, and oil together until blended, and then pour over the potatoes. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Transfer the potatoes to a heavy large baking dish, spacing them evenly apart.

Roast the potatoes until they are tender and golden, turning them occasionally with tongs, about 1 hour. Transfer the roasted potatoes to a decorative platter and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and Herbes de Provence, if desired. Serve hot or warm.


Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Lemon Pound Cake

I found this pound cake recipe posted on an answer-type website.   It was the answer to someones question of whether anyone had the recipe for Starbuck's Lemon Loaf cake.  I have a feeling that the recipe came from another website because there is a request to look at "Illustrations below" but there are no illustrations anywhere on that site.  Sadly, I can't give the original owner of this recipe the proper adulation.  This is a really great cake.  I am not a lemon cake person.  Neither is my husband.  I made this cake specially for D.  He always orders the lemon pound cake when we go to Starbucks so I thought it would be fun to try to replicate that cake.  I did not think that the glaze was right.  It should have a cream cheese or at least some type of thicker frosting made with powdered sugar.  Not that the glaze isn't totally yummy but it is not authentic.  Try this cake. You will love it.

Lemon Pound Cake


Published: March 1, 2002

Makes one 9 by 5-inch cake, serving 8

You can use a blender instead of a food processor to mix the batter. To add the butter, remove the center cap of the lid so it can be drizzled into the whirling blender with minimal splattering. This batter looks almost like a thick pancake batter and is very fluid.

INGREDIENTS

16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), plus 1 tablespoon, softened, for greasing pan

1 1/2 cups cake flour (6 ounces), plus 1 tablespoon for dusting pan

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (8 3/4 ounces)

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest plus 2 teaspoons juice from 2 medium lemons

4 large eggs

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Lemon Glaze (Optional)

1/2 cup granulated sugar (3-1/2 ounces)

1/4 cup lemon juice , from 1 or 2 medium lemons


1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with 1 tablespoon softened butter; dust with 1 tablespoon cake flour, tapping out excess. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. In glass measuring cup or microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter, covered with plastic wrap, at full power until melted, 1 to 2 minutes. (Alternatively, melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat.) Whisk melted butter thoroughly to reincorporate any separated milk solids.

3. In food processor, process sugar and zest until combined, about five 1-second pulses. Add lemon juice, eggs, and vanilla; process until combined, about 5 seconds. With machine running, add melted butter through feed tube in steady stream (this should take about 20 seconds). Transfer mixture to large bowl. Sift flour mixture over eggs in three steps, whisking gently after each addition until just combined.

4. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue to bake until deep golden brown and skewer inserted in center comes out clean, about 35-45 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto wire rack.

5. If using lemon glaze, while cake is cooling in pan, bring sugar and lemon juice to boil in small nonreactive saucepan, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.

6. After turning cake onto wire rack, poke the cake's top and sides with a toothpick and brush on Lemon Glaze. Cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour. (Cooled cake can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.)


Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Sauteed Baby Artichokes

I had a craving for artichokes and we stopped at Wegmans on the way home from my in-laws this weekend.  We were wandering around the store looking at the Asian Wockery when, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a gorgeous 2 lb. box of baby artichokes!  I had to have them.  They were only $4.00 so I figured it wasn't a big deal.  I had no idea what to do with these babies so I did some research on google.  I found a recipe on simplyrecipes.com.  It looked great and gave me a chance to remove all the leaves and gunk because when I opened the plastic box I found out that some of the baby artichokes were moldy and black.  The recipe calls for Herbes de Provence.  I have heard of Herbes de Provence but I have never used them nor have I tried to find them in my local grocery store.  Naturally, the grocery stores in my podunk little town do not carry Herbes de Provence even though it says online that Herbes de Provence are "widely available."   I found a recipe to make your own Herbes de Provence but even that proved to be impossible.  I couldn't find a few of the ingredients.  I just made my own combination of the herbs that I had in my cabinet. Good luck finding it or lavender, chervil and powdered bay leaves in your grocery store.  Anyway, the artichokes turned out great.  I will try a little harder next time to find all the ingredients even if I have to drive all the way to the closest Wegmans in Timonium.


Sauteed Baby Artichokes Recipe


INGREDIENTS

2 pounds baby artichokes

Bowl of water with 3 cups of water and juice from 2 fresh lemons (about 3 Tbsp) or equivalent amount of vinegar

1 cup of water

1/2 cup olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp lemon juice or balsamic vinegar

1 pinch of Herbes de Provence

1/2 teaspoon salt

Dash pepper

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1/4 to 1/2 cup to taste)

1. Rinse the baby artichokes. Set out a bowl with 3 cups of ice-cold water; add the fresh squeezed juice from 2 lemons (about 3 Tbsp of lemon juice) or vinegar. Working on the artichokes one by one, cut off the stem to 1/4-inch from the base; peel back and remove the petals until only the top third of the cone tip is pale green green. Cut off the pale green tips. Trim off any remaining green from base of artichoke. Halve or quarter the artichokes, depending on their size and drop in the bowl of acidified water (to prevent discoloration).

2. Drain artichokes. In a large skillet, heat the artichokes and 1 cup of water to boiling. Cover and simmer 3-5 minutes , depending on the size of the artichokes. Drain well.

3. Using the same skillet, heat to medium high and add the olive oil. Add the artichokes, onions, garlic, and Herbes de Provence. Cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle on 1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar, salt and pepper. Put in serving bowl, sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Serves 4

Herbes de Provence

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1 tsp ground rosemary

• 1 tsp summer savory

• 1/2 tsp lavender (optional but traditional)

• 1 tsp marjoram

• 1 tsp dried basil

• 1/2 tsp dried sage

• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Crush slightly with a pestle or the back of a spoon. Store in an airtight container. Rub into meat,chicken or fish for a dry rub or combine with olive oil for a marinade.


Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Blue Cheese Cheesecake

I went to another Wining Women event last night and I made a Gorgonzola Cheesecake. I know, it sounds crazy but the theme for the night was Wines With silly names, I thought Blue Cheese Cheesecake was kind of silly! It was really tasty though! I paired it with a ripe pear and made some candied walnuts. Try it as an appetizer. You won't regret it. Use good blue cheese or gorgonzola.

Gorgonzola Cheesecake
12 cloves roasted garlic (see below)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Cornmeal Crust (see below)
1 pound gorgonzola or blue cheese, room temperature
5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
5 eggs, room temperature

Prepare Cornmeal Crust (recipe below)

To Make Filling: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and position rack in center of oven.

In a large bowl, place gorgonzola cheese and cream cheese; mix together until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, while beating to incorporate.

Pour the cheese filling into prepared Cornmeal Crust. Tap lightly on counter to remove air bubbles. Place roasted garlic cloves around the perimeter of the pan at equal distances.

Place cheesecake in center of middle oven rack. Bake for approximately 1 hour, or until internal temperature is 160 degrees with a cooking thermometer or until the center is almost set, but jiggles slightly when gently shaken. NOTE: Do not open the oven door during the first 30 minutes of baking as drafts can cause a cheesecake to fall or crack. Remove from oven and allow to cool on counter for at least 1 hour, after which you may either serve or store in the refrigerator.

Serve warm or at room temperature with toasted baguette bread or crackers.

To Serve later, store refrigerator up to 1 week. To reheat, simply slice and warm for 5 minutes in a 350 degree F oven.

Roasted Garlic: Peel the outer skin of the garlic only; leave garlic bulb whole. Slice 1/2-inch of the pointed end of the garlic bulbs. Pour 1/2 teaspoon olive oil over the top of each bulb and let it sink in between the cloves. Wait 2 minutes and then repeat with another 1/2 teaspoon olive oil over each garlic bulb. Cover and bake 1 hour or until cloves are browned at cool and remove cloves from head. Garlic may be stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for several days.

Cornmeal Crust

1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Grease a 10-inch springform pan.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water to a boil; stir in cornmeal, garlic, salt, and basil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Fold in parmesan cheese. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes.

Press warm cornmeal mixture onto the bottom of the springform pan. Smooth the surface and set aside.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Chocolate Shortbread Hearts

I almost forgot to tell you about the delicious Chocolate Shortbread Hearts that I made right before Valentine's Day. The only adjustments I made were that I didn't have Dutch processed cocoa powder so I did a substitute for that and I never buy salted butter so I had to substitute for that, too. I did some reading and found out that you can add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to substitute for the Dutch processed cocoa powder and add half a teaspoon of salt for each cup of butter to account for the extra salt in the salted butter. I also melted some white chocolate chips and dipped the hearts halfway into the white chocolate. The kids and adults loved these cookies!

Chocolate Shortbread Hearts

Ingredients:

2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup salted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder. Stir with a whisk until combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs and vanilla. Mix, scrape down bowl and mix again.

Add flour mixture and mix until combined.

Remove dough from the bowl and divide into 2 portions. Wrap each piece in clear film, forming a disk shape.

Refrigerate 2 or more hours.

Remove one disk from the refrigerator. (If dough is too hard, let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes).

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare 3 sheet pans with silpat or parchment paper.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured board to 1/4 inch thick, you do not want to use tons of flour and leave the beautiful dark dough whitish looking. The cookies also work if you like them rolled thinner.

Using a 3-inch heart cutter, cut as many hearts as you can from the dough, placing each on a prepared sheet pan.

Bake for 15 minutes. Cool cookies right on the tray, or after 15 minutes, remove cookies to a wire rack.

I melted a cup of white chocolate chips in the microwave and dipped the cookies halfway in the white chocolate.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Chinese New Year Celebration

This year we decided to celebrate Chinese New Year rather than Valentine's Day since they both fell on the same day. I was stuck inside for a long time with the two blizzards we had so I was anxious to do some cooking. I made pork dumplings with a soy-sesame dipping sauce, stir fry sesame beef with jasmine rice and napa cabbage salad. I bought some duck sauce, chinese noodles and fortune cookies to round out the meal. It turned out great. These recipes will stay on our menu!

I couldn't find round dumpling wrappers so I used square and made my dumplings triangular. They were great anyway.

Pork Dumplings
from Family Fun Magazine Feb. 2010

Ingredients:

1/4 pound finely shredded Napa cabbage (about 2 cups)
1 egg white, lightly beaten1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 cup finely minced scallions
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 pound ground pork
24 round dumpling wrappers or wonton skins

1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the cabbage and blanch it for 1 minute. Drain the cabbage, rinse it immediately with cold water, then drain it again. Over a sink or bowl, squeeze small handfuls of the cabbage to release as much water as possible, then wrap it in two layers of paper towels and squeeze again. Wrap and squeeze the cabbage one more time, then set it aside.

2. Whisk together the egg white, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, sugar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the cabbage, scallions, ginger, and garlic. Add the pork and stir in the filling until it is thoroughly combined.

3. Fill a small bowl with cool water. Lay 4 dumpling wrappers on a work surface, covering the remaining wrappers with a damp cloth.

4. Spoon 2 level teaspoons of the filling onto the center of each wrapper. Using your fingertip, moisten half of the outer edge of the wrappers with water.

5. Pick up each wrapper and bring the opposite edges together over the filling, forming a taco shape. Press the edges together, pinch a few pleats to seal the dumplings, then gently squeeze around the filling to eliminate any air pockets.

6. Transfer the stuffed dumplings to a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper, spacing them so they don't touch. Keep them covered with a damp cloth while stuffing the remaining dumplings.

7. Refrigerate pork dumplings on a baking sheet covered in plastic wrap for up to 2 hours before cooking.

Cooking the Dumplings:

Steamed or Fried

For Steamed Dumplings:

1. In a Dutch oven or other large, lidded pan, place a lightly oiled metal steamer, or lettuce leaf-lined bamboo steamer, over an inch of water (make sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the steamer).

2. Bring the water to a gentle boil. Arrange half the dumplings on the steamer, spacing them so that they don't touch. Cover the pan or bamboo steamer tightly.

3. Cook pork dumplings for about 8 minutes.

4. Transfer them to a plate and serve immediately, or keep them covered in a warm oven until the remaining dumplings are cooked.

For Pot Stickers:

1. Heat 1-1/2 teaspoons peanut (or vegetable) oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Arrange half the dumplings in the skillet and cook, without disturbing, until their sides are golden, about 2 minutes.

3. Add 1/4 cup water and immediately cover the pan, reducing the heat slightly. Cook pork dumplings for 5 minutes.

4. Uncover the pan and raise the heat again. Cook off any remaining water, shaking the pan a few times, and continue frying the dumplings until their sides become crispy, about 2 minutes more.

5. Transfer them to a plate and serve immediately, or keep them covered in a warm oven until the remaining dumplings are cooked.

Freezing the Extras: to save uncooked dumplings for another meal, arrange them on a cornstarch-dusted baking sheet, spacing them so they don't touch, and freeze them for at least two hours. They can then be transferred to a freezer bag and kept frozen for up to three months. Steam or pan fry dumplings directly from the freezer (do not thaw), adding 2 minutes to the fresh cooking time for each method.

Another option for dumplings from womansday.com:

Steamed Chinese Dumplings
Makes 42

Dumplings:

12 oz lean ground beef
1 can (8 oz) sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1/3 cup sliced scallions
1 Tbsp each minced garlic and ginger
1 Tbsp each lite soy sauce and rice wine vinegar
1 pkg (12 oz) wonton wrappers

Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup each lite soy sauce and rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp sliced scallions
1 tsp each minced ginger, dark sesame oil and sugar
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1. Dumplings: put a steamer basket into a large nonstick skillet. Add just enough water to almost come up to the bottom of the basket. Line a baking sheet with foil or wax paper. Fill a small bowl with water.

2. Combine beef, water, chestnuts, scallions, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and vinegar in a bowl. Mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until blended.

3. Put 4 wonton wrappers on work surface. Place 1 heaping tsp beef mixture in center of each. Dip your finger in bowl of water and run it along edges of wrappers. Bring up 1 set of opposite corners of wrapper over filling and pinch to seal. Bring up other set of opposite corners of wrapper over filling and pinch to seal. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.

4. Put as many dumplings as will fit in an even layer in steamer basket. Cover and steam 10 to 12 minutes until dough is tender and center is cooked through (you'll need to cut one open to check). Remove dumplings and repeat with remaining dumplings. (If the first batch cools off before serving, they can be reheated in microwave.)

5. Dipping sauce: Stir all ingredients in a small bowl until blended and sugar dissolves. Serve with dumplings.



Soy-Sesame Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

1 garlic clove, halved
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (unseasoned)
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced scallions

Rub the cut garlic over the sides and bottom of a small bowl. Place the garlic halves in the bowl, then add the vinegar and sugar. Stir the mixture until the sugar is dissolved, then whisk in the soy sauce, water, and sesame oil. Remove the garlic and pour the sauce into a small serving bowl (or 4 individual ones). Sprinkle with scallions. Makes 1/2 cup.

Some other ideas for dipping sauces:

1. Stir 1/4 cup each honey, rice vinegar and light soy sauce.
2. Mix 1/3 cup ketchup, 3 Tbsp Thai chili sauce and 2 Tbsp water.
3. Stir 1/3 cup orange marmalade, 1 Tbsp each rice vinegar and water, and 2 tsp grated ginger.
4. Mix 1/3 cup hoisin sauce and 2 Tbsp each rice vinegar and chopped scallions.


Sesame Beef
Serves 4
from www.womansday.com

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1 red pepper, cut into 1/2-inch strips
8 oz sugar snap peas
1/3 cup stir-fry sauce
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tsp sesame oil

1. Heat 2 tsp vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet. Put 2 Tbsp cornstarch into a large plastic zip top bag. Add steak and seal bag; shake to coat.

2. Add to skillet; stir-fry over medium-high heat 3 to 5 minutes until browned and just cooked through. Remove to a plate.

3. Add 2 tsp oil to skillet; heat. Add vegetables; stir-fry 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender.

4. Add sauce to skillet; bring to a simmer. Add steak; toss to coat. Serve with rice. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, toasted peanuts or chopped cilantro, if desired.


Napa Cabbage Salad
Serves 6
from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 head napa cabbage
1 bunch minced green onions
1/3 cup butter
1 (3 oz) package ramen noodles, broken
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:

1. Finely shred the head of cabbage; do not chop. Combine the green onions and cabbage in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Make the crunchies: Melt the butter in a pot. Mix the ramen noodles, sesame seeds and almonds into the pot with the melted butter. Spoon the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake the crunchies in the preheated 350 degree F oven, turning often to make sure they do not burn. When they are browned, remove them from the oven.

4. Make the dressing: In a small saucepan, heat vinegar, oil, sugar, and soy sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, let boil for 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat and let cool.

5. Combine dressing, crunchies, and cabbage immediately before serving. Serve right away or the crunchies will get soggy.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Turkey Corn Chili

This chili recipe is from Rachael Ray. When I found this recipe, I also noticed many comments about it being very soupy. I would recommend reducing the amount of stock or broth. You could even just cook the chili longer. I think that because this recipe calls for left-over turkey rather than ground turkey, it doesn't absorb as much of the broth quite as quickly as we might like it to. If you don't mind a wet chili, then follow the recipe. If you like your chili drier, then reduce the amount of stock by half. I used ground turkey which helped the problem of "wet" chili. Check out the comments on www.foodnetwork.com for this recipe and see what others had to say.

Turkey Corn Chili
by Rachael Ray

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large bell pepper, red or green, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1-1/2 pounds light and dark meat cooked turkey, diced
1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons chili powder
1-1/2 to 2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper sauce
course salt
2 cups frozen corn kernels or leftover prepared corn
1 (32-ounce) can chunky style crushed tomatoes
2 cups prepared chicken stock or broth, paper container or canned
2 scallions, white and greens, chopped

Directions:

Heat a deep pot over medium high heat. Work close to the stove for your chopping. Add oil to your pot, 1 turn of the pan, and add vegetables as you chop them.

Add bay leaf and cook vegetables 5 minutes, stirring frequently, reducing heat if veggies start to stick. Stir in diced turkey meat and season with chili powder, cumin, and cayenne sauce. Season with a little salt, to taste. Add corn, tomatoes, and broth. Combine your chili well, adjust seasonings, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes. Garnish chili with chopped scallions.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook