Archive for June, 2008Yield: Serves 4 INGREDIENTS Slaw 1 medium-sized green cabbage ½ - red bell pepper 1 medium-sized carrot – grated ½ medium sweet yellow onion – finely chopped Dressing 1 ¼ cups good mayonnaise, I prefer Hellmann’s ¼ cup cider vinegar 1/3 cup sugar ½ teaspoon celery salt Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste PREPARATION Wash and cut the cabbage and bell peppers into long strips. Place them in a medium-sized bowl. Add finely chopped onion and grated carrots. Set aside. To make the dressing, add all ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir until well combined. To make coleslaw, pour dressing over slaw mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to ensure that the flavors meld together. Sweet ice tea is a mainstay in the South. There are numerous recipes for sweet tea, but the good ones all have one thing in common – the use of simple syrup as the sweetener, as opposed to granulated sugar. Granulated sugar does not dissolve well in cold water and if you sweeten the tea with it you can sometimes get a “grainy” feel to the tea and the sugar settling down in the bottom of the glass. Any brand of tea can be used, but my personal favorite is Luzianne.
INGREDIENTS Simple Syrup 1 cup water 2 cups granulated sugar PREPARATION Bring water to a boil and then stir in the sugar. Cook until the sugar dissolves completely and then remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature. Tea 3 family-sized tea bags Pinch of baking soda PREPARATION Bring 3-4 cups of water to a boil. Add a pinch of baking soda to the water and add 3 family sized tea bags. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for at least 20 minutes. Pour into a gallon pitcher and add cold water. Add simple syrup to taste. Refrigerate.
In case you’re wondering….. a small bit of baking soda reduces the bitterness in the tea.
I have made this recipe a number of times and it always turns out great. Soaking the chicken overnight in buttermilk is the key. The chicken fries up tender and moist and the overnight soak gives the chicken time to absorb all the great spice flavors. Yield: Serves 4-6 INGREDIENTS 1 quart buttermilk, plus 2 cups 2 tablespoons hot sauce 2 chickens (3-4 lbs) cut up into 8 pieces 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon sweet paprika 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper Salt and freshly ground black pepper Peanut oil for frying Warm honey for drizzle, if desired PREPARATION 1. Combine 1 quart of the buttermilk, kosher salt and hot sauce in a large baking dish. Add the chicken and coat each piece. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight. Place remaining 2 cups of buttermilk in a bowl and refrigeration for later use.
2. Stir together the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Divide the mixture among 2 shallow platters and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Drain the chicken in a colander and pat dry. Dredge a few pieces at a time through the flour mixture and pat off the excess. Dip the chicken in the reserved buttermilk and then into the second platter of flour and pat off the excess flour. Place chicken pieces on a baking rack set over a baking sheet while the oil heats.
4. Pour about 3 inches of oil into a deep cast iron skillet (I think a cast iron dutch oven is ideal). Make sure that the oil does not come up more than one half up the sides of the skillet. Put the pot over medium high heat and heat the oil to 375 degrees F on a deep fryer thermometer.
5. Working in small batches, add the chicken pieces to the hot oil, 3 or 4 at a time and fry, turning the pieces occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove from oil with slotted spoon and transfer to a rack to drain; repeat with the remaining pieces.
6. If desired, while hot, drizzle the chicken pieces with honey. Recipe: Bobby Flay – FoodNetwork – Boy Meets Grill 
Since beginning my food blog, I have picked up some tips on how best to photograph food. Currently, I use a Canon Power Shot S5 IS and it does a credible job in photographing the foods that I prepare to showcase on the blog. My daughter, 11 year old Maria is the talent in the family when it comes to photography. She shoots most of the photographs used on the blog. For both of us, there has been a learning curve on how best to photograph foods. We came across these ten simple tips for photographing food and they have been very useful in creating more appealing food photographs. If you ever get the urge to photograph some of your memorable dishes, keep these tips in mind: 1. Settings: Choose a setting that enhances and doesn’t detract from the food. Simple and plain backgrounds do the best. Make sure there is no distracting clutter in the background (unless that is your intent). Use plates that contrast or harmonize with the food.
2. Light: Natural light is the best for food photography. An ideal set-up is next to a large window with a light curtain diffusing the light.
3. Color Balance: Learn to balance color, particularly when natural light is not available.
4. Don’t Move: Keep the camera still. Sounds simple, but it can be really difficult. In low-light situations, long exposure will be very sensitive to any camera movement causing the photo to be blurred. If possible, use a tripod or try resting the camera on the back of a chair.
5. Shoot A Lot: Practice, practice, practice! Shoot a lot of pictures and don’t be afraid to try different angles when taking photos of food. Some shots are best taken from above and others look better when taken from the side where you can get a full appreciation of the texture of the foods.
6. Zoom In: Photograph food as close as you can. Use the macro setting on your camera if it has one. Usually a macro setting can be identified on the camera by a flower symbol. This will allow you to photograph the food close-up without the blur.
7. Preparation: Don’t forget to take photos of the food being prepared, not just the final product. Sometimes they can yield a more interesting photo.
8. Be Quick: Work quickly! The faster you take the picture the more appealing the food will look. 9. Details: Make sure you check the edges of your plates and glasses for any smudges and wipe them away before photographing. Again, the camera will pick up any minute particles or smudges. To add color to a drab dish, sprinkle with chopped parsley, basil or dress it up with a lemon wedge.
10. Don’t Shoot: Learn that some foods will never photograph very well. Meals that are all one color or that contain brown sauces are difficult to capture in an appealing manner.  Yield: 1 Root Beer Float INGREDIENTS 2-3 scoops of good vanilla ice cream 1 – 8 ounce bottle of your favorite root beer 1 – glass beer mug – frosted PREPARATION Approximately ½ hour before assembling the float, place your mug in the freezer and chill. Remove mug and pour about 3-4 ounces of root beer into the bottom of the mug. Add 1 scoop of ice cream. Pour another 2 ounces of root beer over the ice cream. Add another scoop of ice cream on top and then fill the mug to the top with the remaining root beer. Yield: 24-36 bars
INGREDIENTS 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs ½ cup (1 stick) butter 1 – 14 ounce can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut 1 cup chopped nuts PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350 degrees F or 325 degrees F for glass baking pan In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter and mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9×13x2 inch baking pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips, coconut and chopped nuts over the top of graham cracker mixture. Drizzle can of Eagle Brand milk evenly over the mixture. Bake the bars for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool. Cut into bars and serve. Store leftovers covered at room temperature. Note: For an added layer, you can include 1 cup of butterscotch chips.
Orzo (OHR-zoh) – In Italian this means “barley”, but it’s actually small rice-shaped pasta, that is smaller in size than a pine nut. Orzo is ideal for soups and can be used as a substitute for rice. Yield: 6 Servings INGREDIENTS 1 pound orzo 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large shallot, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, minced 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, juices drained 1-1/4 cups whipping cream 1 cup frozen peas thawed ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese Salt and freshly grated black pepper PREPARATION Bring a heavy saucepan of salted water to boil over high heat. Add the orzo and cook until tender, about 8 minutes, stirring often. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy, large frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until they are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the cream and peas. Add the orzo and toss to coat. Remove the skillet from the heat. Add the Parmesan cheese to the mixture and toss to coat. Stir the pasta mixture until the sauce coats the pasta thickly, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to maintain a creamy consistency. Season the orzo with salt and freshly grated black pepper and serve. Source: Giada De Laurentis - FoodNetwork - Episode #El1F01  These are a great alternative to baking chocolate chip cookies. Same great taste as the original Toll House cookies, but in half the time!
Yield: 25 cookie bars
INGREDIENTS 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup butter, softened ¾ cup granulated sugar ¾ cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 eggs 1-12 ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
PREPARATION Preheat oven to 375 degrees F Grease a 15×10 inch jelly roll pan or 9×13x2 baking pan (I use 9×13x2). Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and set aside. In an electric mixer with paddle attachment, combine butter, sugars and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Gradually beat in flour mixture into the butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Spread batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool. Cut into squares. We all need to be more cognizant of our snacking habits and particularly those of our children. In June, 2007 the Mayo Clinic published these helpful tips on children’s snacking. Take a look….. 1. Give you kids a say. Offer comparable choices, such as regular or frozen yogurt, celery or carrots, whole-grain toast or whole-grain crackers, apples or oranges. Better yet, recruit your children’s help at the grocery store when you’re selecting snacks or in the kitchen when you’re assembling snacks. 2. Designate a snacking zone. Restrict snacking to the kitchen. You’ll save your children countless calories from mindless munching in front of the TV. 3. Make it quick. If your children need to snack on the go, think beyond a bag of potato chips. Offer string cheese, yogurt sticks, cereal bars or other drip-free items. 4. Don’t be fooled by labeling gimmicks. Foods marketed as low-fat or fat-free can still be high in calories. Likewise, foods touted as cholesterol-free can still be high in fat, saturated fat and sugar. Check nutrition labels to find out the whole story. 5. Go for the grain. Whole-grain snacks – such as whole-grain pretzels or tortillas and low-sugar, whole-grain cereals – can give your children energy with some staying power. 6. Out of sight, out of mind. If the cookie jar is full, your children will probably clamor for cookies. But if there aren’t any cookies in the house, fresh fruit or raw veggies may seem more appealing. 7. Play with your food. Ask your children to make towers out of whole-grain crackers, spell words with pretzel sticks, or make funny faces on a plate using different types of fruit. Use a tablespoon of peanut butter as glue. 8. Think outside the box. Offer something new, such as fresh pineapple, cranberries, red or yellow peppers, or roasted soy nuts. Slice a whole-grain pita and serve with hummus. 9. Mix and match. Serve baby carrots or other raw vegetables with fat-free ranch dressing. Dip graham cracker sticks or fresh fruit in fat-free yogurt. Top celery, apples or bananas with peanut butter. 10. Revisit breakfast. Many breakfast foods – such as low-sugar, whole grain cereals and whole-grain toast – make great afternoon snacks. 11. Use the freezer. Mix mashed bananas and peanut butter, spread between graham crackers and freeze. For a new twist on old snack time favorites, freeze grapes or peeled bananas, or fill an ice cube tray with juice or pudding. 12. Have fun. Use a cookie cutter to make shapes out of low-fat cheese slices, whole-grain bread or whole-grain tortillas. Eat diced fruit with chopsticks. Give snacks funny names. Try the classic “ants on a log” – celery topped with peanut butter and raisins – or make up your own. 13. Sweeten it up. Healthy snacks don’t have to be bland. To satisfy your child’s sweet tooth, offer fat-free pudding, frozen yogurt or frozen fruit bars. 14. Pull out the blender. Use skim milk, fat-free yogurt and fresh fruit to make your own smoothies. 15. Promote independence. Make it easy for older children to help themselves. Keep a selection of ready-to-eat veggies in the refrigerator. Leave fresh fruit in a bowl on the counter. Store low-sugar, whole-grain cereal in an easily accessible cabinet and stock canned fruit or packaged in its own juice in the pantry. 16. Remember your leftovers. A small serving of last night’s casserole might be a great snack. 17. Drinks, count, too. Offer your child plenty of water between meals. Liven it up with shaped ice cubes, a crazy straw, or a squirt of lemon, cranberry or other fruit. 18. Keep it safe. Make sure your children’s snacks are age appropriate. Never give foods that pose a choking hazard –such as nuts, raisins, whole grapes or popcorn – to children younger than age 4. 19. Practice what you preach. Let your child catch you munching raw vegetables or snacking on a bowl of grapes. 20. Be patient. Your children’s snacking habits may not change overnight. Look for positive changes over weeks or months.
Yield: 6 Servings INGREDIENTS Pastry 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons granulated sugar ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ pound (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter, diced 2 tablespoons ice water Filling 1-1/2 lbs Golden Delicious apples ¼ cup flour ¼ granulated sugar ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced PREPARATION For the pastry, place the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse 12 to 15 times, or until the butter is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Keep hitting the pulse button to combine, but stop the machine just before the dough becomes a solid mass. Turn the dough onto a well-floured board and form into a disk. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F Flour a rolling pin and roll the pastry into an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured surface or Silpat. Transfer it to a rimmed baking sheet, lined with parchment paper or if you are using a Silpat for rolling, leave the Crostata on the Silpat, dust off excess flour and and place it on baking sheet. For the filling, peel, core and cut the apples into thin slices. Cover the tart dough with the apple slices leaving a 1-1/2 inch border. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in the bowl of the food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts holding together. Sprinkle evenly on the apples. Gently fold the border over the apples to enclose the dough. Bake the crostata for 20-25 minutes, until the crust is golden and the apples are tender. Allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Adapted: Ina Garten - FoodNetwork - Episode#1G1A12 During the summer, you can find heirloom tomatoes at many farmer’s markets or at Whole Foods. If not, just use your favorite red tomatoes in this recipe. INGREDIENTS
6 Heirloom tomatoes 1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup basil - chopped in ribbons 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt Freshly grated black pepper PREPARATION Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella (approximately ½ inch thick). Arrange on a serving platter and toss basil leaves on top. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt and fresh pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature. Yield: 4 Servings INGREDIENTS 1 cup half-and-half 3 large eggs 2 tablespoons honey, warmed in microwave for 20 seconds ¼ teaspoon salt 8 (1/2-inch) slices of day old or stale country loaf bread or brioche 4 tablespoons butter PREPARATION In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the half-and-half, eggs, honey and salt. This can be prepared the night before and refrigerated. When ready to make the French toast, pour custard mixture into a pie plate and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Dip slices of bread into the mixture, allow it to soak for 30 seconds on each side and then remove from custard mixture. Over medium-low heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch nonstick saute pan. Place 2 slices of bread at a time in the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and place on rack in oven for 5 minutes. Repeat with all 8 slices. Serve immediately with pure maple syrup, whipped cream or fruit. Yield: 8 INGREDIENTS 1-8 ounce can of Pillsbury Crescent rolls 24 slices of pepperoni ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 cup pasta or pizza sauce, heated PREPARATION Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F Separate dough into 8 triangles; pat out each triangle slightly. Brush a small amount of pasta or pizza sauce on the dough. Place 3 slices of pepperoni overlapping one another on each triangle. Top each triangle with approximately 1 tablespoon for mozzarella cheese. Roll up each triangle starting at the shortest side of the triangle and roll up to the point. Place rolls down side on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheet and serve warm with pasta or pizza sauce.
INGREDIENTS 1 ½ cups heavy cream 1 sprig fresh thyme Butter 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices ¼ cup all purpose flour Salt and freshly ground black pepper ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for broiling PREPARATION Preheat oven to 375 degrees F In a saucepan, heat up the cream with a sprig of thyme and chopped garlic. While cream is heating, butter a casserole dish. Place a layer of potato in an overlapping pattern and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle lightly with some of the flour and dot with slivers of butter. Remove cream from heat and pour a little over the potatoes. Top with grated Parmesan cheese. Repeat the same steps and make 2 more layers. Bake uncovered for approximately 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese and broil until the cheese is brown, about 5 minutes. Adapted - Tyler Florence - FoodNetwork - Episode # BW2D14
CREAM CHEESE DUMPLINGS Yield: 25-30 dumplings
INGREDIENTS ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and diced 6 ounces cream cheese, softened 2 garlic cloves, minced 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper ¼ teaspoon salt 30 wonton wrappers Vegetable or canola oil PREPARATION Stir together sun-dried tomatoes, cream cheese, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Place 1 teaspoon of cream cheese mixture in the center of each wonton wrapper. Moisten the edges of the wonton wrapper. Fold two opposite corners together over the filling. Fold the remaining two corners together and pinch to seal. Twist top slightly to for a beggar’s purse shape. In a large heavy saucepan, pour in approximately 3 inches of oil and heat to 350 degrees F. Fry dumplings in batches until they are golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve with Tomato Basil Vinaigrette. TOMATO BASIL VINAIGRETTE Yield: 2 ¾ cups INGREDIENTS 3 cloves garlic 2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes, peeled and seeded 1 cup fresh basil leaves ¼ cup red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste PREPARATION Mince garlic in food processor. Add tomatoes, basil leaves, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard. Process until smooth. Slowly add olive oil while continuing to process. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside. Recipe: Rebecca Lang – Athens Magazine – November, 2007
Yield: 4-6 Servings INGREDIENTS 1-5 ounce bag mixed baby lettuces or spring greens 1 cup walnut pieces 4 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese 2 – Golden Delicious apples 1 tablespoon lemon juice Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Place walnut pieces on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for approximately 7-10 minutes, turning once during baking. Remove from oven and cool. Peel and chop apples into small pieces, sprinkle with a bit of lemon juice to prevent the apples from turning brown. Place greens, apples and Gorgonzola cheese in a serving bowl. Toss with toasted walnuts and serve with raspberry vinaigrette dressing. I found this fruit salad recipe in one of Ina Garten’s cookbooks and it’s a favorite. Very simple and doesn’t take long to assemble. The honey vanilla yogurt makes it really special. Yield: 4-6 Servings INGREDIENTS 2 cups plain yogurt 2 tablespoons good honey ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract ½ orange juiced 1 banana sliced ½ pint fresh blueberries ½ pint fresh raspberries 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half 1 bunch of seedless green grapes, halved PREPARATION Combine the yogurt, honey and vanilla extract in a bowl and set aside. Combine the orange juice and banana slices in a separate bowl. Add the berries and grapes and gently mix the fruit mixture together. Spoon the fruit into serving bowls and top with the yogurt.
During the summer, you can find heirloom tomatoes at many farmer’s markets or at Whole Foods. If not, just use your favorite red tomatoes in this recipe. INGREDIENTS
6 Heirloom tomatoes 1 lb fresh mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup basil - chopped in ribbons 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt Freshly grated black pepper PREPARATION Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella (approximately ½ inch thick). Arrange on a serving platter and toss basil leaves on top. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt and fresh pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature. Yield: 24 INGREDIENTS 12 large eggs ½ cup good mayonnaise 3 slices of bacon , fried crisp and crumbled 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped Salt and pepper to taste PREPARATION Hard boil eggs by placing eggs in a medium saucepan and fill pan with water, covering eggs with 1½ inches water. Bring to a boil and continue boiling eggs for 10 minutes. Remove eggs from heat and immediately run cold water on the eggs to stop cooking. Let eggs cool in cold water for a few minutes and then peel. Carefully slice eggs lengthwise and remove the yolk and place in a bowl. Set aside the egg whites for filling. Gently mash the yolks and then add mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. Fold in the bacon and parsley. Spoon the mixture back into the egg whites. Sprinkle each with chopped parsley. Refrigerate until serving.
INGREDIENTS Yield: 24 cupcakes Cupcake Batter 2 cups granulated sugar 1 ¼ cups cooking oil 4 eggs 3 cups grated carrots 2 cups all purpose flour 2 tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon 1 cup chopped walnuts Cream Cheese Frosting 3 oz cream cheese – softened ¼ lb butter – softened 2 cups powdered sugar 2 tsp pure vanilla extract PREPARATION Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Sift dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, add the oil to the dry ingredients, mixing well. Beat in one egg at time, mixing thoroughly after each egg. Add carrots and walnuts to the batter and mix well. Pour batter into lined muffin tins, filling about 2/3 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely on wire racks. To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Beat the mixture until it is smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and blend. Frost the cupcakes after they have completely cooled. Yield: Approximately 2 cups INGREDIENTS 2/3 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice 1 teaspoon Grand Marnier liqueur ¼ cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons sour cream PREPARATION Before making the Chantilly cream, make sure that your mixing bowl and beaters are well chilled. Combine the cream, vanilla, Meyer lemon juice, liqueur in chilled bowl. Beat on medium speed for approximately 1 minute. Add the sugar and sour cream and continue beating for approximately 3 minutes or just until soft peaks form. Do not overbeat. An article appeared in the Los Angeles Times by Amy Scattergood that listed 100 ways to use Meyer lemons. Here are my favorite 25 from Amy’s list that will give you some ideas on how to incorporate Meyer lemons into your cooking and more.
Yield: 3-4 Servings INGREDIENTS baby carrots – 1 ½ lb bag ¼ cup good olive oil Salt and freshly grated black pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon freshly chopped dill 2 tablespoons unsalted butter PREPARATION Preheat oven to 400 degrees F Slice baby carrots on the diagonal and place them in a large bowl. Add olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss, so the carrots are well coated with the oil and seasonings. Place the carrots on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until tender. Stir once or twice during the baking process. Remove carrots from oven and place in serving dish. Add the butter and toss until it is melted. Garnish with freshly chopped dill. A staple in the summertime at picnics or BBQ’s, although really good anytime of the year. I’m not fond of pickle relish, so my recipe does not include adding relish. If you like, pickle relish can be included, approximately 1/2 teaspoon or to taste. Yield: 12 INGREDIENTS 6 eggs ¼ cup good mayonnaise ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard Salt and pepper to taste Smoked paprika to garnish PREPARATION Hard boil eggs by placing eggs in a medium saucepan and fill pan with water, covering eggs with 1½ inches water. Bring to a boil and continue boiling eggs for 10 minutes. Remove eggs from heat and immediately run cold water on the eggs to stop cooking. Let eggs cool in cold water for a few minutes and then peel. Carefully slice eggs lengthwise and remove the yolk and place in a bowl. Set aside the egg whites for filling. Gently mash the yolks and then add mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir well and then spoon or pipe (using a pastry bag) the mixture into the egg whites. Sprinkle each with a dash of smoked paprika. Refrigerate until serving. |
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