I had this during a potluck and begged for the recipe. The original recipe called for tomatoes and red wine vinegar. But due to the tomato scare earlier this summer, I traded the tomatoes for sweet red peppers and the red wine vinegar for sherry vinegar.
This sauce is no-cook, similar in preparation to pesto. It’s great with all kinds of meat, sausages, fish, shellfish, poultry and cooked or raw vegetables. I’ve used it as a sauce for pasta---which my godchildren seemed to love. A teaspoon perks up scrambled eggs and poached eggs. It’s even good poured over cream cheese and scooped up as a dip.
Store it in a container with a lid in the refrigerator. I roasted my own almonds, but if you use the pre-roasted variety, just rinse off the salt. For the roasted red peppers, I used the ones out of a jar, draining and rinsing the peppers before use.
Spanish Almond Pepper Sauce
¾ cup roasted almonds
2 garlic cloves
½ cup fresh parsleyBut due to the tomato scare earlier this summer,
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 roasted red sweet peppers, remove skin and seeds
1 teaspoon hot chili sauce, like Tabasco
2 tablespoons sherry vine (or red wine vinegar)
½-3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
In a food processor, process the almonds, garlic, parsley and salt until very smooth. Add the roasted red peppers. Process until pureed. Add the chili sauce. With the food processor running, add the sherry vinegar and gradually add the olive oil. Process until the oil is well incorporated.
Scrape the sauce into a lidded container. Store in the refrigerator.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Mock Split Pea Soup
This soup is perfect for low carbers. It requires no soaking or pre-cooking split peas. In fact, it doesn't use split peas at all. It uses green beans! So if you have a bag of frozen green beans, a half an onion, celery, garlic, water, salt and pepper, you have a soup!
The bacon is optional, however, it adds a smoky taste to the soup. Ham may be used too. Leave it in large pieces and simmer it with the soup. Remove it before pureeing the soup, cut into smaller pieces and return it to the soup.
Mock Split Pea Soup
1 16 ounce bag of frozen green beans
1 15 ounce can of chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 garlic clove
2 bacon strips cut into 1/2 inch pieces or use 2 tablespoons oil or butter
2-6 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot, cook the bacon until the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon and set aside. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add the onions, celery and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the they are soft, but not browned. Add the frozen green beans, the chicken broth, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are very, very soft. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Working in batches, put the solids and liquid into a food processor. Pulse until smooth. For a soup with more texture, pulse one 1 cup of the mixture only long enough to have some smaller pieces of the vegetables. Return the soup to the cooking pot. Add water to the desired consistency. Bring to a boil and simmer. Add reserved cooked bacon. Serve hot.
I hope you like it Lisa!
The bacon is optional, however, it adds a smoky taste to the soup. Ham may be used too. Leave it in large pieces and simmer it with the soup. Remove it before pureeing the soup, cut into smaller pieces and return it to the soup.
Mock Split Pea Soup
1 16 ounce bag of frozen green beans
1 15 ounce can of chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 garlic clove
2 bacon strips cut into 1/2 inch pieces or use 2 tablespoons oil or butter
2-6 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot, cook the bacon until the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon and set aside. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat. Add the onions, celery and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the they are soft, but not browned. Add the frozen green beans, the chicken broth, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are very, very soft. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Working in batches, put the solids and liquid into a food processor. Pulse until smooth. For a soup with more texture, pulse one 1 cup of the mixture only long enough to have some smaller pieces of the vegetables. Return the soup to the cooking pot. Add water to the desired consistency. Bring to a boil and simmer. Add reserved cooked bacon. Serve hot.
I hope you like it Lisa!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Chia-Bubble Tea
Chia-bubble tea
Bubble tea was all the rage a few years ago. It’s essentially iced tea, milk, sugar and large tapioca pearls. I was always a bit hesistant about the drink because what if you choke on a large tapioca pearl? Here’s a low carb recipe for it that I’ve developed. I kept the iced tea, but used heavy cream, a sugar substitute and chia seeds.
Chia seeds are the new "superfood". It’s high fiber, low carb, high protein and loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids. Unlike flax oils, chia oils are stable and do not become rancid. When soaked in water, the chia seeds absorb it and swell up, forming a gel around the seed. This gel gives it that tapioca-like mouth feel. An added bonus is that chia is pretty tasteless. The chia 'pearls' are small, so my choking phobia is a little diminished.
The recipe is simple. However, the chia seeds need to soak in the tea for at least 8 hours in the refrigerator in order for them to gel. The longer the seeds are soaked the softer the seeds will be.
You may use a black tea or green tea. In fact, herbal teas offer a nice flavor change.
Chia- Bubble Tea
8 fluid ounces water (0 net carbs)
1 tea bag--black tea, green tea, white tea, herbal tea (1 net carb)
1 tablespoon chia seeds (1 net carb)
sweetener to taste (varies)
1 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (1 net carbs)
Put the water in a pot and bring to a boil. Put the tea bag into a heat-proof container. Pour water over the tea bag and allow to steep for 2-5 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea. Remove tea bag and discard it. Add the chia seeds to the hot tea. Stir and allow to cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate over night. Remove from refrigerator. Stir. Add the heavy cream and sweetener. Drink up!
Total net carbs= 3 net carbs not counting the sweetener you use
Bubble tea was all the rage a few years ago. It’s essentially iced tea, milk, sugar and large tapioca pearls. I was always a bit hesistant about the drink because what if you choke on a large tapioca pearl? Here’s a low carb recipe for it that I’ve developed. I kept the iced tea, but used heavy cream, a sugar substitute and chia seeds.
Chia seeds are the new "superfood". It’s high fiber, low carb, high protein and loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids. Unlike flax oils, chia oils are stable and do not become rancid. When soaked in water, the chia seeds absorb it and swell up, forming a gel around the seed. This gel gives it that tapioca-like mouth feel. An added bonus is that chia is pretty tasteless. The chia 'pearls' are small, so my choking phobia is a little diminished.
The recipe is simple. However, the chia seeds need to soak in the tea for at least 8 hours in the refrigerator in order for them to gel. The longer the seeds are soaked the softer the seeds will be.
You may use a black tea or green tea. In fact, herbal teas offer a nice flavor change.
Chia- Bubble Tea
8 fluid ounces water (0 net carbs)
1 tea bag--black tea, green tea, white tea, herbal tea (1 net carb)
1 tablespoon chia seeds (1 net carb)
sweetener to taste (varies)
1 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (1 net carbs)
Put the water in a pot and bring to a boil. Put the tea bag into a heat-proof container. Pour water over the tea bag and allow to steep for 2-5 minutes, depending on how strong you like your tea. Remove tea bag and discard it. Add the chia seeds to the hot tea. Stir and allow to cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate over night. Remove from refrigerator. Stir. Add the heavy cream and sweetener. Drink up!
Total net carbs= 3 net carbs not counting the sweetener you use
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Very bad with blogging!
I've neglected my blog! But I promise to do a better job with it in the future.
My latest kitchen experiment is with chia seeds and I'm working on a recipe right now.
My latest kitchen experiment is with chia seeds and I'm working on a recipe right now.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Slow Cooker Leftover Chili
A few days ago, I looked in my refrigerator and saw a lot of leftovers: part of a roast beef, some pork chops, a couple grilled chicken breasts, etc. Some foods reheat well and others don’t. For example, roast pork tastes ‘funny’ when it’s re-heated, but it’s good cold. Well, it was cold outside and I wanted something easy and satisfying. So I looked around my pantry and found some whole cumin seeds (leftover from an Indian spice mix I tried) and dried ancho chilis. I bought the ancho chilis for a chorizo recipe I was going to try, but I never got around to buying the ingredients for the sausage. But there they were.
I remember reading somewhere that you have to toast the ancho chilis before grinding them and found it was true. These chilis were dried but they were too leathery. Toasting them over medium heat in a skillet, crisped them up and gave them a nice ‘toasted’ aroma. Since I went to the trouble of toasting the anchos, I toss the cumin seeds into the pan too and toasted them until they were just fragrant. Both went into my spice grinder and voila—my own chili powder!
I was really surprised how fragrant my powder was and it gave my leftovers a good flavor. I cooked the stew until the meat fell into shreds. It resembled that barbecue pulled pork. Here’s the recipe:
Leftover Stew
4-5 cups cooked leftover meat (beef, pork, chicken, etc.) chopped coarsely
1 tomato chopped or ¼ cup tomato sauce
½ cup chopped onion
2 dried ancho chilis, seeds, stems and membranes removed and cut into quarters
1 tablespoon cumin seed
Put the first three ingredients into a slow cooker.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the chilis. Cook until the color changes from a dark red to a lighter red. Press down the peppers with a spoon occasionally during the toasting. Flip and toast other side. Remove from skillet and set aside. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the cumin seeds. Toast for 3 minutes.
Tear the chilis into smaller pieces and grind in spice grinder. You’ll have to do this in batches. Grind the toasted cumin seeds.
Add to the ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with sour cream, cheese, additional chopped onion, etc.
I remember reading somewhere that you have to toast the ancho chilis before grinding them and found it was true. These chilis were dried but they were too leathery. Toasting them over medium heat in a skillet, crisped them up and gave them a nice ‘toasted’ aroma. Since I went to the trouble of toasting the anchos, I toss the cumin seeds into the pan too and toasted them until they were just fragrant. Both went into my spice grinder and voila—my own chili powder!
I was really surprised how fragrant my powder was and it gave my leftovers a good flavor. I cooked the stew until the meat fell into shreds. It resembled that barbecue pulled pork. Here’s the recipe:
Leftover Stew
4-5 cups cooked leftover meat (beef, pork, chicken, etc.) chopped coarsely
1 tomato chopped or ¼ cup tomato sauce
½ cup chopped onion
2 dried ancho chilis, seeds, stems and membranes removed and cut into quarters
1 tablespoon cumin seed
Put the first three ingredients into a slow cooker.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the chilis. Cook until the color changes from a dark red to a lighter red. Press down the peppers with a spoon occasionally during the toasting. Flip and toast other side. Remove from skillet and set aside. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the cumin seeds. Toast for 3 minutes.
Tear the chilis into smaller pieces and grind in spice grinder. You’ll have to do this in batches. Grind the toasted cumin seeds.
Add to the ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with sour cream, cheese, additional chopped onion, etc.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Homemade Cheese Spread
I like cheese-stuffed jalapeno peppers and use a recipe in which the peppers are halved, then each half spread with cream cheese and topped with grated cheddar cheese before baking. These are tasty, but I didn’t like the cheddar cheese just used as a topping. One day I decided to warm the cream cheese and mix the cheddar into it. I made too much of this mixture and refrigerated the leftovers. To my surprise the mixture solidified and took on the texture of very popular processed pasteurized cheese products whose names rhyme with "Evita" or "Fizz".
Anyhow, I took my cheese spread a little further, adding a bit of mayo, changing the cheese combination, and so forth. I found the results to be really good. Even better is that the basic recipe can be modified for different flavored cheese spreads.
This cheese spread melts smoothly and can be used like the commercial products in cheese sauces and dips. Unlike the commercial varieties, it isn’t loaded with preservatives and it’s made from real cheese.
Homemade Cheese Spread
(makes about 12 ounces)
4 oz plain cream cheese
4 oz Monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese, shredded
4 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon Dijon-style mustard (optional)
½ teaspoon Worchestershire sauce (optional)
Microwave instructions:
Into a large microwave safe bowl, place the cream cheese and mayonnaise. Microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute on high, until the cream cheese is very soft. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth and well combined. Add the 4 oz Monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese. The cheese will cool the mixture. So stir, then return to the microwave for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir thoroughly. The jack cheese will become stringy: that’s okay. But stir thoroughly until any strings are well dissolved into the cream cheese. Add the cheddar cheese. Stir again and return to the microwave for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove and thoroughly stir until all the cheddar cheese is melted and mixed into the cheese. If using the Dijon mustard and Worchestershire sauce, add them now and stir thoroughly. Use immediately or cool and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Stove –top instructions:
In the top of a double boiler, place the all the ingredients. Stirring occasionally until everything is melted and thoroughly combined. Use immediately or cool and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Variations:
Mac-and-Cheese Spread
4 oz plain cream cheese
4 oz Monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese, shredded
4 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
½ teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder or 1 tablespoon grated fresh grated onion
Follow the instructions as listed above. (I call it mac-and-cheese spread because it tastes like the cheese sauce of homemade macaroni and cheese....not the boxed stuff. And this is great with steamed cauliflower!)
Parmesan Cheese Spread
4 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
4 oz shredded or chopped provolone
4 oz grated Parmesan
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mixture
Follow instructions as listed above.
Swiss Cheese Spread
4 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
4 oz shredded or chopped provolone
4 oz grated Swiss cheese
½ teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
Follow the instructions as listed above.
Some Uses:
Cauliflower or Broccoli and Cheese
Melt the cheese spread and pour over hot, steamed broccoli or cauliflower.
Cheese-Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers
(makes 12 pepper halves)
6 jalapeno peppers
Cheese Spread recipe
Additional toppings: additional shredded cheese, cooked bacon bits, chopped green onion, etc.
Slice the peppers in half, remove the seeds and membranes. Fill each cavity with the cheese spread. To microwave: place the halves, stuffed side up, on a microwave safe dish. Microwave 1-2 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the peppers are tender. Serve hot or warm. To oven bake: place the halves, stuffed side up, in an oven-proof baking dish or cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the peppers are tender. Serve hot or warm.
Onion Casserole/Dip
4 cups chopped onion
1/2 of the Cheese Spread recipe
Warm the cheese spread until it is melted. Mix in the chopped onion. Place in a buttered or oiled baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes until it is hot and bubbly and the top is lightly browned.
Spinach Casserole/Dip
2 ten ounce packages frozen spinach, defrosted
½ cup chopped onion
½ recipe of Cheese Spread
Squeeze the excess liquid from the defrosted spinach. Warm the cheese spread until it is melted. Combine with the remaining ingredients. Place in a buttered or oiled baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes until it is hot and bubbly, and the top is lightly browned.
Ham and Swiss Casserole
1 pound fresh cauliflower (or use 1 pound frozen)
½ cup chopped onion
6 ounces cooked ham chopped
½ to ¾ recipe for Swiss Cheese Spread
If using fresh cauliflower, separate into florets, and steam until tender. Drain, and cool slightly. If using frozen cauliflower, defrost and drain thoroughly. Warm the Swiss Cheese Spread until melted. Combine the melted cheese spread with the cauliflower, ham and chopped onion. Place in buttered or oiled baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until everything is hot, bubbly and slightly browned on the top.
Anyhow, I took my cheese spread a little further, adding a bit of mayo, changing the cheese combination, and so forth. I found the results to be really good. Even better is that the basic recipe can be modified for different flavored cheese spreads.
This cheese spread melts smoothly and can be used like the commercial products in cheese sauces and dips. Unlike the commercial varieties, it isn’t loaded with preservatives and it’s made from real cheese.
Homemade Cheese Spread
(makes about 12 ounces)
4 oz plain cream cheese
4 oz Monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese, shredded
4 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon Dijon-style mustard (optional)
½ teaspoon Worchestershire sauce (optional)
Microwave instructions:
Into a large microwave safe bowl, place the cream cheese and mayonnaise. Microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute on high, until the cream cheese is very soft. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth and well combined. Add the 4 oz Monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese. The cheese will cool the mixture. So stir, then return to the microwave for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the microwave and stir thoroughly. The jack cheese will become stringy: that’s okay. But stir thoroughly until any strings are well dissolved into the cream cheese. Add the cheddar cheese. Stir again and return to the microwave for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove and thoroughly stir until all the cheddar cheese is melted and mixed into the cheese. If using the Dijon mustard and Worchestershire sauce, add them now and stir thoroughly. Use immediately or cool and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Stove –top instructions:
In the top of a double boiler, place the all the ingredients. Stirring occasionally until everything is melted and thoroughly combined. Use immediately or cool and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Variations:
Mac-and-Cheese Spread
4 oz plain cream cheese
4 oz Monterrey jack or pepper jack cheese, shredded
4 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
½ teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder or 1 tablespoon grated fresh grated onion
Follow the instructions as listed above. (I call it mac-and-cheese spread because it tastes like the cheese sauce of homemade macaroni and cheese....not the boxed stuff. And this is great with steamed cauliflower!)
Parmesan Cheese Spread
4 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
4 oz shredded or chopped provolone
4 oz grated Parmesan
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mixture
Follow instructions as listed above.
Swiss Cheese Spread
4 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup mayonnaise
4 oz shredded or chopped provolone
4 oz grated Swiss cheese
½ teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
Follow the instructions as listed above.
Some Uses:
Cauliflower or Broccoli and Cheese
Melt the cheese spread and pour over hot, steamed broccoli or cauliflower.
Cheese-Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers
(makes 12 pepper halves)
6 jalapeno peppers
Cheese Spread recipe
Additional toppings: additional shredded cheese, cooked bacon bits, chopped green onion, etc.
Slice the peppers in half, remove the seeds and membranes. Fill each cavity with the cheese spread. To microwave: place the halves, stuffed side up, on a microwave safe dish. Microwave 1-2 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the peppers are tender. Serve hot or warm. To oven bake: place the halves, stuffed side up, in an oven-proof baking dish or cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the peppers are tender. Serve hot or warm.
Onion Casserole/Dip
4 cups chopped onion
1/2 of the Cheese Spread recipe
Warm the cheese spread until it is melted. Mix in the chopped onion. Place in a buttered or oiled baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes until it is hot and bubbly and the top is lightly browned.
Spinach Casserole/Dip
2 ten ounce packages frozen spinach, defrosted
½ cup chopped onion
½ recipe of Cheese Spread
Squeeze the excess liquid from the defrosted spinach. Warm the cheese spread until it is melted. Combine with the remaining ingredients. Place in a buttered or oiled baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes until it is hot and bubbly, and the top is lightly browned.
Ham and Swiss Casserole
1 pound fresh cauliflower (or use 1 pound frozen)
½ cup chopped onion
6 ounces cooked ham chopped
½ to ¾ recipe for Swiss Cheese Spread
If using fresh cauliflower, separate into florets, and steam until tender. Drain, and cool slightly. If using frozen cauliflower, defrost and drain thoroughly. Warm the Swiss Cheese Spread until melted. Combine the melted cheese spread with the cauliflower, ham and chopped onion. Place in buttered or oiled baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until everything is hot, bubbly and slightly browned on the top.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Hornbeck on Oprah
Okay, I just don't get it.
Shawn Hornbeck has spent the last four years with his abductor. He was reunited with his family less than a week ago. His parents say he hasn't spoken to them about his confinement. So they decide to put him on Oprah????
I have to question the motive of these 'parents'. Your kid was abducted and spent the last 4 years with his abductor. You have made statements that you suspect your son was sexually molested. You said your son hasn't spoken about his years in captivity. Why the hell bring him on Oprah?
Way to go, 'parents'! Make your son feel safe and comfortable by putting him on display like a side-show freak.
Shawn Hornbeck has spent the last four years with his abductor. He was reunited with his family less than a week ago. His parents say he hasn't spoken to them about his confinement. So they decide to put him on Oprah????
I have to question the motive of these 'parents'. Your kid was abducted and spent the last 4 years with his abductor. You have made statements that you suspect your son was sexually molested. You said your son hasn't spoken about his years in captivity. Why the hell bring him on Oprah?
Way to go, 'parents'! Make your son feel safe and comfortable by putting him on display like a side-show freak.
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