She's Cookin'

Thanksgiving Roundup

Turkey recipes abound and its officially countdown time to the big day! I’ve ordered my Mary’s Free Rangeorganic turkey – all it takes is a phone call to Whole Foods – and I’ll pick it up next Monday so it has 2+ days to defrost in the refrigerator. So let’s talk turkey! Have you decided to try something new or do you have a tried and true recipe? Or maybe you’re relieved of turkey duty and travel to your mom’s or sister’s house or you could be one of the many who enjoy the holiday feast by making reservations – it’s all good!

These days its just not as simple as roasting a turkey – there are recipes for dry rubs, brining, glazing, deep-fried, smoked, and grilled turkeys! For the past 10 years I’ve made a Brown Sugar Cured Turkey recipe from Bon Appetit – it’s a rub of brown sugar and herbs that is slathered on the bird the day before and refrigerated uncovered for 24 hours. Doing this draws the moisture to the skin and infuses the meat with a subtle sweetness. My mouth is watering just describing it to you!

Even though my words of advice for the home chef are usually along the lines of “don’t try anything too radically new” for the big day, last year I took a huge leap of faith and brined the big bird! After the grand opening of Whole Foods in Huntington Beach, I was contacted about testing a brining recipe for Kikkoman and thought that might be kind of fun for a change. I mentioned that I only use low-sodium soy sauce and the box I received included it and several other popular Kikkoman sauces along with a gift card to purchase a turkey.

My kitchen is not equipped with gigantic stock pots, my largest one was not big enough for a 12-pound turkey submerged in two gallons of soy-laced water , so I used doubled turkey-sized oven bags suggested in another brining recipe that I had seen recently in Bon Appetit. And actually the bag helps keep the brining liquid from sloshing out of the pot as you move it from the kitchen to your refrigerator that’s in the garage Anyway, it was quite comical and in the end resulted in a succulent, but not salty, turkey infused with a rich savory umami flavor. The brown rice syrup glaze gives the bird a crisp, burnished skin. Hubs raved about it and no mention was made of turkeys past, so that means it was REALLY gooood!

Savory Brined Turkey with Brown Rice Syrup Glaze

Savory Turkey Brine:

(by Kikkoman for a 16-24 pound turkey. Can be halved for a smaller turkey)

2 gallons cold water

10 ounce bottle of Low-Sodium Kikkoman Soy Sauce

½ cup kosher salt

½ cup sugar

2 tablespoons dried sage

2 tablespoons dried celery salt

1 tablespoon dried thyme

The night before roasting, remove giblets and turkey neck; rinse turkey inside and out. In a large stockpot* mix water with remaining ingredients. Stir well until all the salt is dissolved. Place turkey in pot, cover with lid and refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours. Remove turkey from brine, pat dry with paper towels

*You can use two turkey-sized oven bags (insert one oven bag into another) and placed into a dutch oven or stock pot to make it easier to move in and out of the refrigerator. Slide turkey into the bag, breast side down. Place the turkey in the bag and pour brine over, close the bag with a twist tie.

Brown Rice Syrup Glaze:

⅔ cup brown rice syrup*

¼ cup Trader Joe’s Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar or apple cider vinegar

4 fresh thyme sprigs

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons butter

Combine brown rice syrup, vinegar, thyme, and black pepper in a small saucepan. Heat over med-high heat to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Mix in butter. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before using.

*Brown rice syrup is lightly sweet, amber-colored and smooth, Lundberg Sweet Dreams® Brown Rice Syrup is a nutritive sweetener that is about half as sweet as sugar. It’s a tasty alternative for those who watch their sugar intake. Bake with it, pour it over ice cream or pancakes, or stir it into your morning coffee.

To Roast Turkey:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set oven rack to the lowest position.

2 teaspoons pepper

2 celery stalks, cut into chunks

2 peeled onions, quartered

canola oil

Sprinkle main cavity of turkey with pepper, fill with celery and onion. Close cavity with turkey lacing pins. Tuck wing tips under turkey. Brush turkey with canola oil.
Place turkey in rack in roasting pan; add two cups water to pan.

Roast turkey for two hours. Brush with glaze; add water if pan is dry. Roast for 30 minutes; brush with glaze. Tent with foil if browning too quickly. Roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165 degrees, about 30 – 45 minutes more depending on weight. Generally, roasting time is calculated as 15 minutes per pound. Brush with more glaze. Transfer to platter; let rest for 30 minutes (temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees).

Enjoy

AND, for some savory side dishes reminiscent of what we grew up with, but with a fresh, healthier twist:

Fresh take on Green Bean Casserole

Butternut Squash with Pancetta

Cat Cora’s Brussels Sprouts

Simple + Sensational Peach Crisp

No one seems to be happy about the state of public school lunches in America – they are quite appalling. When I think back, it seems that complaining about school lunches has always been the norm – it’s just that now we’re more concerned with the actual nutritional value that kids receive from a lunch with a reimbursement value of $2.72. I’m not going to go down that road today… Rather, I was reminiscing about the one day every week – I think it was Friday – that I looked forward to cafeteria fare way back when I was a school girl. Friday was the day the white-haired lunch ladies served up Apple Brown Betty made from scratch. Forget whatever else was on the tray; with your carton of cold whole milk – it was a sweet, satisfying mid-day treat!

With a few peaches left from a carton of juicy, very sweet Summer Flame peaches hubs bought at Trader Joe’s, I decide to splurge and make a dessert that actually included butter and sugar. This is a rare occasion in our house; I prefer savory over sweet and over the years we’ve all but eliminated sugar from our diet except for the occasional batch of cookies that The Young Baker makes when she’s at home. Normally, I would blend the peaches into a smoothie with coconut milk or yogurt, but on this day, I was struck with the desire to make a crisp (or Betty) like the hair-netted lunch ladies used to make.

It’s so simple: I sliced the peaches (leaving the skin on), placed them in a small saucepan, added a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of butter and cooked the mixture for a few minutes to marry the flavors. Poured the peach mixture into a baking dish. Then, using the same saucepan, melted 2 tablespoons of butter, added a cup of granola and ½ cup of brown sugar, mix them together over low heat and spread it over the fruit. Baked at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes until the topping is browned. Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy this down-home dessert

So there you go – no flour or rolling required! Easy, peasy.

Hungry for more? Visit me at She’s Cookin’ HQ for more deliciousness!

Enchiladas with Chile Verde Sauce

Are you a true chile head? If so, then you know about Hatch Chile season and you still have a little time to catch them in the stores or farmers markets. Hatch Chile season begins in late August/early September and lasts until mid-October so you’re hitting it at its peak!

Although, a touch of capsaicin adds just the zing I prefer in most dishes, I guess I’m not a true chile-head, because I wasn’t familiar with the short-season, infamous Anaheim-like peppers from New Mexico. That’s what distinguishes a Hatch chile – they hail from the Hatch Valley in New Mexico and their arrival is celebrated each year during the Hatch Valley Chile Festival. This year’s two-day festival attracted some 30,000 chile-heads, foodies, and celeb culinary entertainment from Food Network and BBC to pay tribute to Hatch’s most famous crop, sample famed chile recipes, watch the crowning of the chile festival queen, and be a kid at the carnival.

For the past two weeks I’ve been a kid at my own chile festival as I played with nearly a bushel of the long green babies that Melissa’s Produce sent me. Some hot, some mild, my family and some of their lucky friends got a taste of hatch chiles in hash browns, salsas, sauces, stuffed, layered, and rolled. I think I’m officially addicted to them! But it’s a healthy addiction to have since Hatch Chiles have zero fat, cholesterol, and sodium with practically no calories, and are high in fiber and vitamins A and C! I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect ingredient to get the creative juices flowing for my work in low sodium, heart healthy recipe development, thank you, Melissa’s.

Hatch chiles vary from mild, to medium, to hot, to extra hot and are best grilled over an open flame (or roasted) and peeled before they are used as an ingredient in sauces, salsas, marinades, stews, burritos, chiles rellenos, bread, etc. Today, I’m sharing a simple, mild Hatch Chile sauce, served two ways: creamy and “straight”, with chicken enchiladas. The creamy version, similar in flavor to a creamy poblano sauce, adds a cool balance to the piquant, smoky, mildly spicy note of the vibrant green “straight” sauce – served over your favorite enchiladas it’s a flavor bomb!

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Enchiladas with Hatch Chile Sauce

Recipe by Priscilla Willis Yield: 4 servings

1 pound cooked chicken breast* ( about 1 whole or 2 half breasts)
8-10 corn tortillas (I used Mission white corn tortillas)

8 grilled or roasted hatch chiles, peeled
1 onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
16 oz. container light sour cream, divided use
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Olive or canola oil

1 cup shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Garnish: diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, and fresh cilantro

*Note: You can use leftover roasted chicken, rotisserie chicken or other purchased cooked chicken. I cook the chicken in foil packets in the toaster oven at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes – I think this gives you moister chicken than if you cook it on the stove. Cut the chicken breast into strips, sprinkle with seasoning – I use Mrs. Dash’s Garlic and Herb because it has no sodium. Place the chicken in the middle of the aluminum foil and fold the edges together to make a packet. Reserve the juices to add to the shredded/chopped chicken.

1. Grill the hatch chiles until skin is charred. Remove from heat and place in a paper or plastic bag to steam – this makes it easier to remove the skin. Allow to cool, remove skin, stem, seeds, and membrane.

2. Cook onions over medium heat with a tablespoon of olive oil for about 5 minutes to soften, add garlic and cook for another minute. Place chiles, onion and garlic in a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth. Makes about 1-¾ cups of sauce. Cover and refrigerate or, if using immediately, pour 1 cup of the mixture into a sauce pan to make the creamy hatch chile sauce, reserving the remainder to serve as a salsa alongside. Warm sauce over low heat and add half (8 ounces) of the sour cream to the chile mixture.

3. Quickly fry the tortillas one at a time in the oil. Add a spoonful of shredded/chopped chicken breast in the middle, sprinkle with a bit of shredded cheese and a dollop of either the creamy or “straight” sauce if desired, roll up, and place in a baking dish (seam side down).

Preheat oven to Broil.

4. To plate: place spoonful of the creamy hatch chile on the plate, spread with the spoon back, place two enchiladas on top, sprinkle with cheese, place under broiler for 1 minute or so to melt the cheese. Drizzle with sour cream. Garnish with tomatoes, green onion, and cilantro. Serve with additional hatch chile sauce on the side. Shown served with no cheese on top for a lower-calorie, heart healthy alternative – the little bit of cheese and sauce inside the enchilada with the garnishes and scoop of salsa gives big flavor!

Enjoy

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Vegan Zucchini Bread

The kids are back in school and whether it’s with a sigh of relief or a twinge of regret, we wave good bye to summer and return to our school/work routines while anticipating the balmy days of fall. I’m in shock because my “baby” turned 20 and we’re headed up north to move her into an apartment at UC Santa Cruz. So I thought I’d do something different and introduce you to this month’s Top Mom. (I feature a mom each month on She’s Cookin’.) September’s Top Mom is someone I met in my daily online food blog travels and it’s my pleasure to introduce you to the sweetheart Roxana who has a delicious baking blog called  A Little Bit of Everything.

When you see what Roxana whips up in her kitchen you can’t believe that she only began cooking two years ago! I could tell that this is a woman who excels at anything she puts her mind to. After learning she had high cholesterol, Roxana quickly adopted a vegan diet and began sharing amazing recipes for quick breads and desserts that she had adapted to be dairy free and, many of them are gluten free also.

Since baking isn’t second nature to me, I admire people that make it look so easy! 1-2-3 and your whole house is filled with tantalizing aromas and, violà, you have before you a warm slice of fresh-baked bread, a plump roll, or moist fruit-filled muffin – that’s Roxana! She shares simple recipes that are full of healthy ingredients, delicious flavors, and easy enough for the home chef, on her website as well as a number of food blog clubs, communities, and weekly roundups. I wish I had half her energy! Say good bye to summer while enjoying this savory vegan zucchini quick bread – all sorts of healthy deliciousness toasted for breakfast, a lunch box treat, or a savory afternoon snack!
Hello everyone. My name is Roxana and I’m the baker, photographer and writer behind A little bit of everything. As my blog line states, I bake a little bit of this, a little bit of that. I love baking yeast breads, sweets or not, and after finding out I have high cholesterol I left the butter and cheese at the store and came home with dairy and egg-free ingredients. I was a vegetarian, so going vegan wasn’t as hard as you may imagine. Instead of regular butter I now use soy-based vegan butter. As for the eggs, I have not yet used store-bought egg replacer but used mashed bananas, applesauce or flax seed meal. So far everything went well, with a few failures but that could happen even to the best of us.

When Priscilla asked me to be September Top Mom I jumped with joy. Oh my goodness, I was featured on one of the blogs I enjoy reading. As you know Priscilla is a sweetheart and her recipes always make me hungry.

I’m happy STHM of a beautiful 22 month-old daughter. I’m blessed I have the opportunity of staying home and watching our precious daughter grow. Today I’m going to share with you a vegan bread recipe. As probably some of you know I LOVE zucchini. It’s a yeast bread, perfect with a salad or a bowl of soup. I added some seeds to the dough, just for the crunchy bite.

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Vegan Zucchini Bread

Ingredients:

1 cup zucchini, shredded and drained

3 cups bread flour

¼ cup lukewarm water

1 ¼ tsp. dry yeast

1-3 tablespoons of water added to dough

1 tbsp. pumpkin seeds

1 tbsp. sunflower seeds

Instructions:

Turn the oven on to 375F.

Start by shredding 1 cup zucchini. Spread them on paper towel to remove as much moisture as possible.

In your mixing bowl measure 3 cups of bread flour. Make a well in the middle and pour ¼ cup lukewarm water. Sprinkle 1 ¼ tsp. dry yeast and let it proof.

When bubbles appear and the yeast has increased in volume add 1 cup shredded drained zucchini, 1 tbsp. pumpkin seeds and 1 tbsp. sunflower seeds. With the dough hook on slowly start mixing adding until the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl. I’m not going to say how much water you need since it all depends on how wet are your zucchini. You may need to add somewhere between 1-2 tbsp. water to ¼ cup.

Take the dough out of the mixing bowl and place it into a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled in volume. When risen, divide the dough in two balls and flatten them just a little bit. Place on baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap again and let rest for the second rise.

Just before baking, with a sharp knife cut the dough in different places to prevent cracking.

Bake for about 30 minutes until slightly golden. Remove from the oven and immediately brush with (vegan) butter. Let the butter melt softening the crust.

When cooled, slice and enjoy!

Thank you Priscilla for allowing me to share a recipe with your readers. It’s been a pleasure! I hope I didn’t disappoint.

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I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly not disappointed! I’d like a few slices of Roxana’s zucchini bread right now

SXSW Pizza

When people ask me what is my favorite food, I’ve never been able to give them a straight answer because I love variety and the unique flavors of so many cuisines. But, if I HAD to pick a favorite, pizza is certainly at the top of the list, so I was really pleased when it was announced that August’s Five Star Makeover Challenge was, you guessed, it PIZZA!

The true origin of pizza differs depending on the source and whether you’re talking about the etymology of the word “pizza” (Latin), or what culture was the first to start adding toppings to flavor bread (Middle East and Mediterranean), or who invented the edible plate (Greeks). Generally, its agreed that pizza, as we know it, came from humble beginnings; a Galette flat bread with a red sauce, it was a dish of the poor people and sold in the streets of Naples, Italy in the 16th century. Later, after tomatoes were brought to Europe by explorers from the Americas, the sauce was made from oil and tomatoes.

Origins aside, pizza has evolved to gourmet status with a place on the menu of many a fine dining establishment. The pizza’s appeal transcends borders and its versatility knows no bounds – you can have pizza for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert now!

The pizza I created for this challenge speaks to my roots in the South (the S in SXSW), my love of Southwestern flavors (the SW), and the bounty of tomatoes from our garden. This year we planted three varieties of tomatoes: Organic Beefsteak, Heirloom Black Krim, and Sweet Tangerine Hybrid and I used each one in this delicious vegetarian thin crust SXSW Pizza.

We’ve been having a problem with the Beefsteaks developing “blossom rot”, so have been picking them before they mature into their biggest, brightest, beautiful selves – this is the variety I used for the fried green tomatoes. The Black Krim’s have a dark maroon skin with red flesh, they grow to a medium-size which is perfect for bites of pizza, alternated with slices of the extra sweet, golden orange Sweet Tangerine Hybrid. With Marcella Hazan’s dough recipe (thank you, Angela of Spinach Tiger), a sprinkling of aged Asiago cheese and the delightful crunch and Southwestern flavors of toasted pepitas and smoky roasted corn – this was a garden fresh, gourmet pizza bursting with flavor that I think you’ll love and that I’ll be making again and and again.

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Basic Pizza Dough Recipe

Adapted from Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking | Yield: 3 individual or 2 -12″ pizzas

1 1/2 t. active dry yeast

1 cup luke warm water, divided into 1/4 cups

3 1/4 cups unbleached flour (I used 3 cups), divided into 3 one measure cups

Extra virgin olive oil (1 t. for bowl) and some for finished product

1/2 T salt

Pizza stone, or paddle if using oven (or cast iron for grill

Cornmeal

Dissolve yeast into 1/4 cup of warm water in large bowl, 10 minutes or less.

Add one cup flour. Stir with wooden spoon

Add in olive oil, salt, 1/4 cup water. Stir.

Add one cup flour. Stir.

Add 1/4 cup water. Stir.

Add one cup flour Stir.

Hold back on water and flour, adding as needed. I added water, but did not add last 1/4 cup of flour. Stir. Dough should be manageable, but not sticky. At this point you can knead by hand for 10 minutes or place in your kitchen aid type mixer with dough hook for about 5 minutes.

Place in oiled bowl. Cover and set in warm place for three hours. Dough cooks and tastes best when chilled overnight. Take out and bring to room temperature. Divide the dough in half and roll out, using cornmeal so that it doesn’t stick. If you can manage it, give it a toss in the air several times to stretch the dough proper.y, or I use a rolling motion with my hands to stretch the dough because I’ve never perfected throwing it in the air Do what works for you!

To Bake, heat pizza stone in oven for 30 minutes in pre-heated oven at 450 degrees.

To Grill, set your grill on highest heat, pre-heat cast iron griddle for 20 minutes

SXSW Pizza Toppings

(for 1 – 12″ pizza)

2 small green tomatoes, sliced and fried (see directions below)

2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced

1 ½ cup asiago cheese

toasted pepitas (about ¼ cup)

kernels from 1 ear roasted corn*

1 roasted red hot cherry pepper, seeded and diced

*I brushed the corn with Gianni’s Chipotle Garlic Balsamic, but extra virgin olive oil with a dash of chili seasoning works fine too.

1. Spread grated cheese on rolled out dough. Alternate fried green and sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle with pepitas, roasted corn, and red pepper. Bake in 450 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is bubbly.

Fried Green Tomatoes

From Southern Living, June 2011

Ingredients

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

• 1/2 cup buttermilk

• 1/2 cup self-rising cornmeal mix

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 3 medium-size, firm green tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices (about 1 1/4 lb.)

• Vegetable oil

Preparation

• 1. Whisk together egg and buttermilk. Combine cornmeal mix, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup flour in a shallow dish. Dredge tomato slices in remaining 1/4 cup flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.

• 2. Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet; heat to 375° over medium-high heat. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle hot tomatoes with salt to taste.

Enjoy

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Besides being a catchy acronym for the South by Southwest flavors in this fabulous pizza, SXSW also makes reference to the annual SXSW in Austin, Texas, the mega happening of interactive, media, music, and film festivals that one day I’d like to attend

Cheers to pizza in all its incarnations!

When She’s Not Cookin’…

As you know, I cook. And I cook a lot. And this summer I’ve been cooking a lot more than I’ve ever wanted to cook due to strict diet restrictions put on hubs by his cardiologists. Which explains why, dining out is such a treat for me, and there’s nothing more beautiful and  relaxing than a weekend brunch at the beach.

So I’m sharing a HOT TIP with you today:  the venerated Royal Hawaiian has upped the ante in Laguna Beach with a shaka brah weekend brunch inspired by Polynesian island favorites as well as popular breakfast and lunch entrees that is sure to please the whole family!

There’s an allure to the lush tropical setting and island tiki decor of the Royal Hawaiian that transports you to the beaches of Hawaii and has established them as a landmark in Laguna Beach since opening in 1947. Famous for their Lapu Lapu and Mai Thai cocktails, new ownership in 2006 brought a much needed refurbishment to the beloved Hawaiian restaurant. With a sophisticated, yet relaxed ambiance, the Royal Hawaiian continues to offer a warm and inviting place where locals and visitors feel welcome.

In February, Chef James Harris, formerly of French 75, came to the Royal Hawaiian and has created an outstanding menu reflecting his young spirit and creative talent in the kitchen. The new menu successfully combines Chef Harris’ fine dining style with the kitschy personality of the Royal Hawaiian and introduces new menu items as well as contemporary twists on popular signature dishes.

Highlights of the brunch menu include Portuguese Sausage and Eggs with fried rice and green papaya slaw (shown in the opening photo); Chef Harris’ award-winning Ahi Poke appetizer (below);

Coconut French Toast made with sweet bread, Portuguese Sausage and coconut syrup (above); and a Kalua Pork Scramble with Swiss Cheese, green onions, peppers, and breakfast potatoes.

Guests may also choose from their favorites like the Ala Moana Style Spare Ribs and Royal Hawaiian Burger and finish with one of an array of luscious desserts such as the Passion Fruit Cheesecake (below).

This weekend, make time for a leisurely drive along the coast to picturesque Laguna Beach and a brief sojourn to the islands with Royal Hawaiian’s brunch: Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., dishes priced from $5 to $17.00.

In addition to this new brunch menu, Chef Harris has also recently launched a fabulous new dinner menu and a ‘Taco Tuesday’ that is very popular with the locals.

Royal Hawaiian

331 North Coast Highway

Laguna Beach, CA 92651

(949) 494-8001

Spiked Mocha Frappe

Recently, I accepted an opt-in from Foodbuzz’s Tastemaker program . As a Featured Publisher with Foodbuzz I can participate in all sorts of friendly competitions as well as sample products for review or recipe development, but this was the first time for me – guess I was waiting for the perfect offer.

When I received an email about an opportunity to receive two bags of Godiva premium flavored coffee and, given a month time frame, create an iced/blended coffee drink, I paused for just a second. I mean, why not? It’s Godiva for goodness sake – I love their chocolate – and Chocolate Truffle, Hazelnut Crème and/or French Vanilla inspired by their most popular truffles, say no more!

For our morning coffee, The Don and I prefer just straight-up good quality Hawaiian or Columbian coffee to jump start the day, but chocolate is one of the few sweets I indulge in – it is full of antioxidants after all, and I like concocting new beverages – whether they’re cocktails or smoothies, so I knew creating an iced coffee drink would be fun. I also received some valuable market trend info from my college girl who relayed that spiked coffee drinks are crazy popular with the college set, so all I had to do was decide on which of the two flavors to use (or both?) and how to jazz it up. So I hope you like this freaky good frozen frappe – lovingly concocted with the nutty flavors of the hazelnut creme coffee, coconut milk, and my favorite liqueur, hazelnut flavored Frangelico, whose origin goes back 300 years to Franciscan monks of the northern Italian Piedmont region, so you know it’s heavenly!

Spiked Hazelnut Mocha Frappe

Recipe by Priscilla Willis | Yield: 2 servings

For coffee ice cubes:

2 tablespoons Godiva Hazelnut Creme coffee

2 cups water

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon (1 packet) coconut sugar

1½ cups light coconut milk, divided use

To make 2 drinks:

12 coffee ice cubes

½ cup light coconut milk

¼ cup Frangelico Hazelnut liqueur*

1 cup vanilla ice cream

Garnish: cinnamon powder and organic unsweetened coconut flakes

1. Brew 2 cups of Godiva Hazelnut Creme Coffee in your coffeemaker using 2 heaping tablespoons of coffee and 2 cups of water.

2. Transfer the 2 cups of freshly brewed coffee to a small saucepan. Whisk in the cocoa powder, coconut sugar and coconut milk. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking often, until the cocoa powder is dissolves, about 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat.

3. Pour into two ice cube trays – should fill 2 ice cube trays, about 24 ice cubes – enough to make 2 freezes and 2 more for another day

4. Allow the coffee ice cubes soften a bit. Put 12 ice cubes into a blender. Pour ½ cup coconut milk over. Add vanilla ice cream and Frangelico. Pulse until blended, stopping now and then to mix the ingredients with a long-handled spoon if necessary. Pour into two goblets or tall glasses, sprinkle with cinnamon and coconut flakes.

* Of course, the liqueur can be eliminated for a non-alcoholic or kid-friendly drink.

Enjoy

Hungry for more? Visit She’sCookin’s HQ for more simple + seasonal fare, restaurant recommendations, and fun food happenings in Orange County.

A “Skinny” Dip

Don’t get the wrong impression – I’m only calling it a “skinny” dip because this delicious Creamy Zucchini and Goat Cheese Dip is  lower in calories than most any mayonnaise and/or sour cream based dips.

It’s the third recipe in this year’s Zucchini Throwdown, but  just because this humble dip is third isn’t an indication of it’s overall popularity. In fact, based on ease of preparation and popularity, it should have been first! I’ve made this dip for my family at least 5 times so far this summer, it was a hit with The Young Baker and her college buddies at a recent pool party at our house, and was devoured at a recent monster graduation party that one of our close friends had for their lovely daughter.

Dips are instant party food; always popular with kids and adults alike this one’s much healthier and lower in fat than the traditional heavy on the mayo and/or sour cream dips – especially if served with vegetable crudites or tortilla chips. I loved these colorful red, white, and blue tortilla chips from Trader Joes which I first bought for the 4th of July for the pool party. They still have them in some of the stores, if you like them too.

I adapted this recipe from Everyday Food (January/February 2011) edition that I downloaded on my iPad, substituting goat cheese for ricotta because it’s lower in sodium and, IMHO more flavorful, and added a welcome tangy bite to the delicate flavor of zucchini.

Creamy Zucchini and Goat Cheese Dip

Adapted from Everyday Food (Jan/Feb 2011) Yield: about 1½ cups

1 medium zucchini, grated
1-2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
½ cup goat cheese
zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons lemon juice

1. Grate zucchini on the large holes of a box grater on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Roll up and gently press down to release liquid from the zucchini. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over med-high heat. Add the zucchini, garlic, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is tender and golden brown in spots, about 5 minutes.

2. Remove from heat. Let cool. Add the goat cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with chips, crackers, or crudites.

Enjoy

Hungry for more? Visit She’sCookin’s HQ for more simple + seasonal fare, restaurant recommendations, and fun food happenings in Orange County.

Are You a Slow-Foodie?

In our fast-paced world it’s good to take a walk on the slow side now and then, escape the confines of the walls around us, spend time outdoors to enjoy, relax and rejuvenate. Living as close to the beach as I do you would think I’d be down there every day but, unfortunately, that’s not the case, especially in the summer when Huntington is over taken by surf and sun seekers by the thousands – which is why I accepted an invitation from the Slow Food Orange County organization to attend their annual barbecue in Bommer Canyon again this year.

Last year I came away refreshed and rejuvenated with a startling new appreciation for the natural beauty that’s within a few miles of the acres of suburban sprawl we know as home in the OC. Nestled in the heart of Bommer Canyon is part of the Old Irvine Ranch Cattle Camp where, amidst the rustic buildings under a canopy of old oaks and sycamores, Slow Food OC devotees gathered together for a magical evening of camaraderie, music, laughter, and incredible food! This year’s barbecue was the 3rd for Slow Food Orange County and each year it attracts more folks who are drawn to the vision of the Slow Food movement.

Grilling the chicken on the huge camp grill.

Local Tomato and Sweet Onion Salad
Basil Pistou, Burrat Cheese, California Olive Oil,
Lemon Juice, Monterey Sea Salt

Warm Heirloom Potato and Green Bean Salad
Garlic, Onions, Oregano, Red Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil

Grilled Corn, Bell Pepper, Summer Squash Succotash
and Chile Barbecued Citrus Marinated Mary’s Natural Chicken

The sun was low in the sky by the time the dessert of Local Berry Shortbread with a Grilled Lemon Biscuit and whipped cream arrived. Guest speaker, A.G. Kawamura, of Orange County Produce and former Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, took the stage for an after dinner talk followed by lively dancing to the country-rock strains of the 5 Star Band.

I joined the slow food movement last year. What exactly is it? Here are a few slow thoughts, if you’re passionate about any of them, then you’re a slow-foodie at heart and might like to get behind the movement and meet some other slow-foodies in your area:

• Eat locally and sustainably
• Eat fresh, seasonal foods
• Shop at farmers’ markets
• Plant a kitchen garden
• Visit a “pick-it-yourself” farm
• Preserve America’s food traditions
• Enjoy food with your family and friends
• Grow your own food or harvest your neighbor’s
• Eat together
• Join a CSA

Food is precious. Enjoy it! Taste it with others!

Pulled Pork with Mexican Zucchini and Corn

In May, I began contributing my Travel-Eats articles at Honest Cooking along with  “70 of the world’s most interesting food & beverage writers, bloggers, photographers and Chefs featured on Honest Cooking”. I’m proud to be considered one of the 70 and join several esteemed food bloggers that I know and, through my reading, getting to know many others as well. Each day, I’m amazed at the depth and breadth of the articles – Honest Cooking strives to become the leading and most inspiring place for serious culinary debate, salivating recipes, interesting food news and international food-fun, I urge you to take a few minutes to visit their site and see what you think . You can see all my articles on my contributor page.

Segue to the recipe…  Last week I posted Zucchini Keftedes, the first of three recipes from the Zucchini Throwdown that’s been going on in my kitchen. I think you’ll love the second, too -  a versatile zucchini side dish with a south-of-the-border twist, Mexican Zucchini and Corn from Nancy (Spicie Foodie) the writer and recipe developer behind the column “Mexico On My Plate” at Honest Cooking.

With zucchini fresh from our garden and the first of this season’s corn from the farmers market, this was the perfect healthy side dish for the pulled pork sandwiches that I made on 4th of July weekend. Pulled pork is one of our family’s  favorite summertime eats. Sometimes I make it all authentic with a dry rub and slow grilling the meat, but most of the time I make my pulled pork the no hassle way -  in the slow cooker. In my mind, the slow cooker is highly underrated, I relied on it heavily when I was working an 8-5 (hellooo, where did 9-5 come from anyway, I’ve never had a 9-5 job!) and still use it frequently in the winter months for stews, chili, and braised meats.

Mexican Zucchini and Corn

from Spicie Foodie

Ingredients:
•    1 large zucchini, quartered and sliced
•    1 can of corn or fresh corn when in season
•    1 large tomato, roughly chopped
•    1 small white onion, finely chopped
•    2 garlic cloves, minced
•    salt, to taste
•    ground black pepper, to taste
•    1 tbsp. corn or vegetable oil

Variations: add chile poblanos or spicy green chile like Serrano or Jalapeno, top with queso fresco and/or Mexican sour cream

I used fresh corn (kernels removed from 2 ears of cooked corn) since it’s available in the markets now and substituted poblano chiles for the tomato. Also, I used red onion because that’s what I had – it added a bit of color, too.

Instructions:

1. If you have a gas range, you can char the poblanos directly over the flame. Using tongs, turn the pepper to char all sides. Place in a bag or plastic baggie to cool and loosen the skin from the flesh. Skin and remove the stem, slice lengthwise to open, remove seeds and membrane. Then coarsely chop the pepper.

2.  Heat the oil, saute the onions until translucent. Next add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes stirring often. Add the zucchini and cook for 5 minutes.  Next add the chopped poblano, tomato, corn, and spices. Stir to combine the ingredients. Cover, turn the heat to low and continue to cook until the zucchini has soften and tomatoes have broken apart.

3.  Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Serve warm as a side dish or as a vegan meal. If using any of the suggested toppings add them before serving.

Enjoy