Corn Salsa

August is one of my favorite food months, there is always so much amazing fresh produce available this time of year.  For my family, that usually means more fresh veggies than we know what to do with.  With the massive amounts of veggies coming from my mom's gardens the only way be able to use them all without wasting is to turn them into things that can be canned and saved for later use.  This is one of my favorite uses of fresh produce, a salsa without tomatoes.  Fresh, zingy and just a touch of spice.  All my produce is fresh, however, if you don't have access to fresh corn (or its out of season) substitute sweet canned corn.


Ingredents:
3 cups corn, cooked, shucked and cooled
1/2 cups roasted red peppers, small dice
1 medium white onion, small dice
4 cloves garlic, fine dice
4-5 Thai chili's, fine dice
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
Salt and pepper

Mix all the produce together in a large bowl.  In a separate bowl  whisk together vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper.  Pour over the corn mixture, toss and chill.

This salsa is delicious served with just tortilla chips or try it in one of these warm applications:
Grilled into chicken and cheese quesadillas 
Stirred into couscous
Topper for tacos or enchiladas
Topper for leafy green salads (great with grilled chicken or fish)  

Dinner Colaberation

It's been far, far to long since I have update my blog.  My apologies friends.  I pledge to make food, writing and this blog a bigger priority.  So my first post in a long time will be a simple one, a good dinner with good friends.  I have a lot of friends here that appreciate great food but very few that have the know how or appreciation for cooking great food.  So when I was invited to cook with a friend and her aunt, who is an amazing C.I.A. (Culinary Institute of American) instructor chef I jumped at the chance.
As is my habit, we waited til the absolutely last second to finalize our menu.  What we came up with was a herb crusted stuff pork loin with a warm spinach and bacon salad.  Our guest chef surprised us with sausage and pepper croquettes that were the perfect complement to the meal.  For dessert?  Caramelized peaches with french vanilla ice cream.

The dinner was delicious, the company great, overall a wonderful night of food and friends.  If your looking for an evening as nice as mine, try these recipes, just add friends!

Ingredients:

Pork
2 lb Pork Loin (the actual loin not the tenderloin)
 -score the fat on the outside with deep 'X' shaped marks.  Insert a knife into the center of the loin, using a honing steel, widen the hole until there is a hollow center to the pork, for stuffing. 
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
 -grind these four ingredients together in a mortar and pestle, rub 2/3rds of mixture on the pork, save the rest for the stuffing.

Stuffing
1/2 a loaf french bread, cubed and lightly toasted
2 white onions, sliced thinly
5 cloves of garlic, finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely sliced
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 
-heat a little olive oil in a skillet and add above ingredients, minus the bread and balsamic vinegar and add the remaining fennel mixture.  Once the onions are translucent and soft, add the balsamic.  remove the mixture from heat and add the bread.  When the bread mixture has cooled stuff it into the hollowed out pork.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-45 mins (internal temp of 145 or higher). 


Warm Spinach and Bacon Salad
 2 bags prepared spinach, cleaned
2 red onions, sliced thinly
1/2 cup walnuts, crushed
-mix together in a large bowl, set aside
 1 lb bacon, cook, cool and crumble, reserving bacon fat
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
 -add crumbed bacon to the spinach mixture.  Warm reserved bacon grease over low heat, slowly stir in brown sugar then vinegar.  Pour over spinach mixture and serve immediately.   


Peaches and Cream
5-6 fresh peaches, pitted and sliced.  set aside.
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
-create a simple syrup with the water and sugar (bring to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat).  add the cinnamon sticks.  In a glass or ceramic baking dish, pour syrup over the peaches.  Just enough to coat, do not drown them.  Bake for 30 mins in a 350 degree oven.  Serve warm over a scoop of french vanilla ice cream.   

demi cubes

I don't often endorse products but this is one that I can't help but share with you.  Demicubes is a up and coming company founded by one of my former chef instructors at culinary school.  I'm really excited to see his product launch, I just know its going to go far.  Please check out his website or facebook page and get in on a great new product! 

www.demicubes.com

www.facebook.com/pages/Demicubes/190557970994064

Spicy Apricot Chicken

My absolute favorite flavor combination is spicy and sweet, love, love, LOVE it!  This quick and easy recipe is a perfect glaze for chicken wings.  No more boring buffalo or BBQ, try this tasty glaze next time you have wings.

1/2 onion -small dice
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
2 Thai chili peppers -diced up
1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 jar apricot jam (great from the store or make your own)
bunch of fresh parsley

1 pound chicken wings and drums

Saute the first three ingredients in a touch of olive oil.  Once they have softened add the tomato paste and swirl it around the pan for about 30 seconds.  Add your jam and let simmer for ten to fifteen minutes.

 Deep fry your chicken wings and drums (to an internal temperature of 165) then toss with the glaze and parsley.  Serve warm and try not to get addicted! 

Fall Pumpkin Recipes

It’s that time of year again; the leaves are changing color, there is a chill in the air and almost every porch in town has a pumpkin as decoration.  Whether it’s spending the day looking for the perfect one at the pumpkin patch or carving up a jack-o-lantern, a pumpkin is a sure sign of fall fun.  With all these festive ways to use pumpkins it is easy to forget that they are first and foremost food.   

            The pumpkins you see carved into jack-o-lanterns are the same variety used to make canned pumpkin.  Fresh and canned pumpkin is edible and its health benefits are numerous.  Pumpkin is naturally fat free, cholesterol free, sodium free and a strong source of vitamins A and C.  A one cup serving has less than 50 calories, about ten grams of carbohydrates and a little over one gram of protein. 

            Whether you use canned or fresh pumpkin, your recipe options are limitless.  This sweet squash obviously lends itself well to baked goods, who hasn’t enjoyed a slice of pumpkin pie during the holiday season?  However, it is easy to become creative with this versatile ingredient.  Lesser known uses include soup, risotto, pudding, pancakes and lasagna.  If you are looking for a way to add pumpkin into your diet this holiday season try one of these recipes. 

For your sweet tooth:    Vanilla Pumpkin Cider Cake (contains alcohol)

Ingredients:

2 cup of all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder
3/4 teaspoon of baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
3 room temperature eggs

1 room temperature egg white
1-15 oz. can of pureed pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup Woodchuck hard cider

To make this cake combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a bowl and set aside.  In a separate bowl or mixer combine eggs, egg white, pumpkin, sugars, oil, vanilla and cider and mix well.  Using small batches add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just incorporated.  Pour the batter into a greased and floured 9 x 13 pan (or two round pans).  Bake at 350 for 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove from oven and cool. 

As your cake cools you can prepare a whipped cider icing. 

Ingredients:

1 container cool-whip

¾ cup woodchuck hard cider

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Whisk all the ingredients together in a large bowl; keep refrigerated until ready to use.   Spread icing onto a cooled cake and serve. 

For a savory option: Pumpkin and White Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1 can (15 oz) white beans – drained

1 small white onion –finely diced

1 ½  cups chicken stock

3 sliced bacon- chopped small

1 can pureed pumpkin (15 oz)

½ cup apple juice

½ cup water

½ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

In a large pot slowly cook the bacon to render the fat, remove the bacon from the pot. Add the onion and cook in the bacon grease until translucent.  Add all other ingredients (except thyme) to the pot and simmer until warm.  Remove from heat and puree in a blender.  Pour into individual serving dishes and top with the cooked bacon you set aside and the thyme.  Serve and eat.