New Recipe of the Week: Apple and Poppy Seed Slaw

This recipe came through in an email this week and I made it one night and served it with grilled corn-on-the-cob and BBQ chicken.    It was a nice change to your average coleslaw.   I followed the recipe exactly.   If I were to make it again (and I would make it again), I would use less vinegar and less poppy seeds.   Enjoy!

Apple and Poppy Seed Slaw

Recipe by Rick Rodgers (Bon Appétit; July 2001)

Serves: 8-10 (perfect for a summer BBQ)

Ingredients

• 8 cups shredded green cabbage (about 1 small head)
• 3 medium carrots, peeled, coarsely grated (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, coarsely grated
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar  
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Preparation

• Mix cabbage, carrots, apples, and green onions in large bowl. Add vinegar and toss to coat.
• Whisk sour cream, mayonnaise, apple juice concentrate and poppy seeds in medium bowl to blend. Add to cabbage mixture and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Toss to blend before serving. 

Let me know what you think.  Cheers!

PS - If you are looking for a drink pairing, vodka/lemonade is a sure bet.

Perfect Pairing: Mango Daiquiri and Green Curry

So, today was HOT.  Very hot!  With it being summer and all I should be grilling, but with a heat index of 105 there is no way that was going to happen.  Instead I picked up a whole red snapper and planned to make my green curry with fish recipe (go here for recipe: http://livelearnanddrinkwine.blogspot.com/2010/12/green-curry.html).  Yes, I know I’m crazy; craving spicy food in this heat.   

After coming in from the heat, all I could think about was an icy cold beverage.    When I opened the fridge to put the fish away, a fresh, ripe mango was sitting there calling out “daiquiri.”   I swear!   I didn’t hesitate; out came the Vita-Mix, the rum, and the ice.  I peeled the mango, cut it into chucks, added the rum and ice and hit “blend.”   Oh, I also had some Mango Nectar (juice)  in the fridge from Trader Joe’s, so I added a splash of that as well.   For the rim of the glass, I rubbed it with lime juice and then dipped the rim in some Mexican spices (Tajín) to give it a little kick.  You could also blend sugar and cayenne for a somewhat similar effect (easy on the Cayenne).   

This Mango Daiquiri was really refreshing. It went well with the spicy green curry and helped cool me down after each bite.  YUM!   I highly recommend you try these two together.  

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

There truly is nothing better than homemade ice cream.   This is one of my favorite summer ice cream recipes that I tend to make every summer when the blueberries are in season.   

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

By Julianna Grimes Bottcher (Cooking Light, July 2006)

Ingredients

·                                 2 cups granulated sugar

·                                 3/4 cup (6 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened

·                                 4 large egg yolks

·                                 3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

·                                 1 cup half-and-half

·                                 3 cups fresh blueberries, coarsely chopped

·                                 1/4 cup powdered sugar

·                                 1/4 cup water

Preparation

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until smooth. Combine milk and half-and-half in a medium, heavy saucepan; bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Gradually add half of hot milk mixture to cheese mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°, stirring constantly. Place pan in an ice-filled bowl. Cool completely, stirring occasionally.

Combine blueberries, powdered sugar, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and cool completely.

Stir blueberry mixture into milk mixture. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Spoon ice cream into a freezer-safe container; cover and freeze for 1 hour or until firm.

Note: This recipe yields two quarts of ice cream, so if you make the entire recipe, use a traditional bucket-style freezer. Halve the recipe if you use a countertop model; they typically have a smaller capacity.

My version

For my version I pretty much follow the recipe except, I use 2 cups of heavy cream and 2 cups of low-fat milk (vs. 3 cups of low-fat milk and 1 cup of half-and-half).   I also add 2 Tbps. of vodka.  Yes, you read that correctly.   That is a little cooking tip I picked up in Italy. It helps prevent the ice cream from freezing solid; therefore making it creamier.  I also make the whole recipe (instead of halving it) and just end up having to make two separate batches using my Cuisinart countertop ice cream maker.  

I serve my ice cream with Almond Florentines (crisp almond cookies that are to die for) to add some additional texture.  

Almond Florentines

Ingredients

·                                 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

·                                 6 tablespoons sugar

·                                 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

·                                 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all purpose flour

·                                 3/4 cup sliced almonds

Preparation

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Mix in sugar, cream, and flour, then almonds. Stir until batter thickens, bubbles at edges, and leaves dry path when spoon is drawn through, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Drop 1 rounded teaspoonful batter for each cookie (about 24 total) onto prepared sheets, spacing mounds 2 to 3 inches apart.  Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until golden brown, turning sheet after 8 minutes, about 16 minutes total. Cool cookies completely on sheets. 

Do ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
 

The last time I made the ice cream a couple weeks ago, I ran out of time and ended up buying Dark Chocolate Almond Laceys at Trader Joe’s.  That did the trick just as well.   
 

  

Ice Cream Sandwiches    

(photo by: Sang An)

Personally, I like to just serve the cookies on the side but you can also use them to make ice cream sandwiches.    How fun!   Let the ice cream sit out for about 10 minutes to soften.  Place 6 cookies, flat side up, on work surface.  Mound ¼ cup ice cream onto each; flatten gently with spatula. Top with another cookie, flat side down, and press very gently to adhere. Place sandwiches on baking sheet, cover with foil, and freeze at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.  I’m also sure you could make them on-the-fly without freezing in advance.   

If you have an ice cream maker, you should definitely try this recipe.  If you don’t have an ice cream maker, you should go out and buy one.   

Summer Sangria

I just posted a new recipe for a white sangria that I tried this past weekend on my other blog (The Sparkling Queen).  It was really good and refreshing!

Check it out here:  http://blog.thesparklingqueen.com/2011/07/11/summer-sangria.aspx

You Win Some, You Lose Some

 

Well, my new recipe of the week was a FAIL.   I made my first cheesecake.  Actually, the first one in the oven in my spring form pan (that I asked for as a gift five years ago); I have made no-bake cheesecake before. 

The recipe was a Honey Ricotta Cheesecake with orange zest.   I followed the recipe for the most part, although I did not use fresh ricotta and instead used low-fat ricotta.  That may have been the whole problem right there.   Not sure what I was thinking?  Actually I do, I was trying to lose some of the guilt of eating cheesecake.   Big mistake!

I did not like the texture (it wasn’t smooth and creamy) of it and it was lacking flavor.   It wasn’t horrible; I ate my first piece but did not crave seconds.  

I did, however, like the boozy raspberries I marinated to put on top and will definitely make those again.  I put the raspberries in a bowl and then added a big splash of Grand Marnier and a drizzle of agave syrup and let them sit for a couple hours.   YUM!    

FYI – Agave Syrup is something I came across in Mexico. It is a “natural” sweetener similar to honey.   I usually put a drop or two in margaritas and in salad dressings.

Since I would NOT make this cheesecake recipe again, I’m not even going to bother sharing it with you.    Better luck next time.

Cheers!

Leftover Experiment; Grilled Vegetable Panini with Goat Cheese

So, last night I grilled steak and grilled vegetables.  Well, I had lots of leftover vegetables and decided to use the vegetables to make a Panini today for lunch.  I had some bread and some goat cheese and put it all together.

To back up, I marinated the vegetables (red peppers, portabella mushrooms, red onions, zucchini, and asparagus) for 8 hours and then grilled them on a charcoal grill.

Marinade Recipe

Teriyaki (store-bought)

Olive Oil

Splash of Balsamic Vinegar

Salt

Lemon Pepper

Just mix the above together in a large zip lock baggie, add the veggies and leave out at room temperature for 8 hours.   (I need to apologize because I am not big on measuring, I just eyeball things; I will try to get better about documenting my measurements more accurately).  

For the bread I used Tuscan Pane bread.  I buy it at Trader Joe’s for $3.00; it comes pre-sliced and I always have it on hand in the freezer for grilled bread to serve with salads and pastas and for bruscetta.   It is convenient and thaws out in less than 2 hours.   (Sidebar: For the grilled bread I spread olive oil and put salt and pepper on each side and then grill it - which can also be done in the George Foreman; if you want to get fancy you grate a little parmesan on top when it is done.)

Back to the sandwich…. I put olive oil and salt and pepper on one side (the outside) of each slice of bread.  On the other side I spread goat cheese on both sides and added some cayenne and minced garlic and then the grilled vegetables.    

I warmed up my George Foreman (that’s correct, no fancy Panini machine here) and put the sandwich in for 4 minutes (make sure to warm up the Foreman first).  You could also make this on the grill, or even in a skillet, like a grilled cheese, for that matter.   

It was really good and filling.  I don’t make Paninis very often but I think I will remember that it is a good way to use up leftovers.  Quesadillas are another good way to use up leftovers.

If you have any good Panini recipes, please share them with me.

Cheers!