Paula Deen Night

Paula Deen Night

I chose three recipes from Food Network Star's Paula Deen. The favorite of the night was the tomato pie. I made no changes in my recipes.

Tomato Pie

Squash Casserole

Is it Really Better...Cake?

"Fish " Cakes & Gorilla Bread

This night of Chicas Cuisine was inspired by a recent cooking class I attended at Sur La Table. I am usually not a fan of tofu but after tasting the "fish" cakes my mind was opened to its possibilities. And the night was ended with another tasty favorite Gorilla Bread from one of my faves Paula Deen.

Cocktail Sauce

Source: Sur La Table Vegetarian Delights Cooking Class

Ingredients:
1/2 cup ketchup or chili sauce
1 TBSP dice Vidalia sweet or sweet type onion
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
2 TBSP horseradish sauce (optional, to taste)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
1 dash Louisiana Hot Sauce of Tabasco sauce, if desired
salt, to taste
1 TBSP granulated sugar

Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Comments:
I chose not to add horseradish sauce because I don't care for the taste. All other ingredients I combined in a bowl and mixed together with a spoon.

Old Bay Tofu "Fish" Cakes

Source: Sur La Table Vegetarian Delights Cooking Class

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup onions, diced
1 carrot, diced fine
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds firm or extra firm tofu, combined
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/8 cup dry white wine
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
juice from one lime
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs, finely ground
3 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups soy milk (unsweetened is best)
oil for frying

Directions:
Saute the onions and carrots in olive oil until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one more minute. Allow to cool.

Add the tofu, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, Old Bay seasoning* and wine, one teaspoon of salt, pepper and lime and combine well. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Old Bay seasoning and 1 teaspoon salt. Pour the soy milk into a separate shallow bowl.

Using about 1/4 cup of the tofu mixture at a time, form small patties. Gently coat the patties with flour, then dip in soy milk. Next coat well with the seasoned breadcrumbs. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Saute tofu patties in a thin layer of oil until golden brown on each side. Serve with cocktail sauce.

Comments:
The chef who taught the course explain that the Old Bay seasoning is key to this recipe. Tofu requires a lot of seasoning to give it taste. I followed her instructions and altered the recipe by adding Old Bay Seasoning to the tofu and allowing it to marinate. I also added Old Bay to the flour used for dipping before frying.
Firm tofu is a must for this recipe or the patties to form properly. If the tofu patty is not firm add additional breadcrumbs to create a firmer patty.

Green Bean and Celery Salad

Source: Food Network Magazine

Ingredients:
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
pinch salt
3 tbsp olive oil
1 minced shallot
2 tbsp capers
handful chopped parsley
handful chopped celery leaves
pinch of pepper
3/4 lb of halved green beans
few thinly sliced celery ribs

Directions:
Whisk lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt and olive oil in a bowl. Add shallot, capers, parsley, celery leaves and pepper. Boil green beans until crisp-tender, 4 minutes; drain and add to dressing along with a few thinly sliced celery ribs.

Comments:
You may substitute frozen green beans for fresh green beans.

Garlic Herbed Vegetable Bake

Source: Visitor Magazine

Ingredients:
2 zucchini thinly sliced
2 large tomatoes thinly sliced
2 baking potatoes thinly sliced
10 garlic cloves thinly sliced
1 whole garlic bulb with outside skins removed and clove tops cut off
10 fresh basil leaves chopped

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400. Arrange vegetables in a lightly oiled, shallow, 12-inch, circular casserole dish. Position the whole garlic bulb in the center of the dish and alternate slices of vegetables around it in overlapping circles. Sprinkle with the thinly sliced garlic and basil.

Brush the vegetables with olive oil and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Sprinkle with salt or garlic powder to taste. If desired, garnish with whole, fresh basil leaves. (Note: If you prefer the garlic to be soft enough to use a spread, wrap them in foil and cook an additional 20 - 30 minutes. Taste great on toast!)

Comments:
The picture in the Visitor magazine made this dish look very appealing but looks can be deceiving. First, I was unsuccessful in finding a 12-inch circular dish. I improvised and used 2 smaller circular dishes but was unable to form successful rings. The dish tasted very bland and the potatoes having to be cooked longer caused the other vegetables to be overcooked. This recipe could use some tweaks.

Gorilla Bread

Source: Paula's Home Cooking

Ingredients:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
2 (12-ounce) cans refrigerated biscuits (10 count)
1 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon. In a sauce pan, melt butter and brown sugar over low heat, stirring well; set aside. Cut the cream cheese into 20 equal cubes. Press the biscuits out with your fingers and sprinkle each 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar. Place a cube of cream cheese in the center of each biscuit, wrapping and sealing the dough around the cream cheese.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the nuts into the bottom of the bundt pan. Place half of the prepared biscuits in the pan. Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar, pout half of the melted butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle on 1/2 of the nuts.

Layer the remaining biscuits on top, sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar, pour the remaining butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 of the nuts.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Place a plate on top and invert.

Chili & Cornbread!

Vegetarian Chili

Source: allrecipes.com (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/vegetarian-chili/detail.aspx)

Servings: 6-8

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 1 hour
Ready In: 1 hour 10 min

Ingredients

1 (12 ounce) package frozen burger-style crumbles
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 (15 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans
1 (15 ounce) can light red kidney beans
1 (29 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (12 fluid ounce) can tomato juice
5 onions, chopped
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a large pot, combine meat substitute, black beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato juice, onions, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cover. Let the chili simmer for at least 1 hour before serving.

Camp Cornbread

Source: allrecpies.com (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/camp-cornbread/detail.aspx)

Servings: 12

Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Ready In: 35 min

Ingredients
(8 ounce) package corn bread muffin mix
1/3 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 (8 ounce) can canned cream corn
1/2 cup white sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. Place the muffin mix a large mixing bowl. Stir in the milk and egg. Mix in the cream corn and sugar. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of pan comes out clean.

Fancied Up Pasta & French Baguette

Hi all! Today's menu is from a June 2011 issue of Taste of Home that I picked up at a local grocery store. The dishes are fairly easy to make (except for a good amount of vegetable chopping involved) and pretty filling.

Dish 1 - Original Recipe

(Click on photo to enlarge) 

NOTES/TIPS:

• Since I do not eat meat, I substituted the beef with MorningStar Farms Meal Starters Grillers Recipe Crumbles.
• Likewise, I substituted the beef broth with vegetable broth.
• I added a bit more pasta than what the recipe called for. So when trying this recipe, assess whether you prefer it with more pasta.
• I didn't find sweet yellow pepper when I went shopping for the groceries, so I picked a green bell pepper instead. 
• I had most, but not all of the spices; I did not use chili powder, but I added a tad bit of red pepper flakes for just a little kick. Also, I didn't quite follow the measurements for the spices; I played with the seasonings until I was pleased with how the dish tasted! P.S.: You might also find this post on common ingredients' substitutions useful.
• I skipped the cheese at the end, since I was serving this with another already "cheesy" dish.

Dish 2 - Original Recipe

(Click on photo to enlarge) 

NOTES/TIPS:

• I used a lot more mushrooms; 3 cups didn't seem enough for me. 
• I only used 1 onion and the dish still turned out well: after slicing 1 onion, my eyes had had enough...
• Instead of fresh garlic, I went for a shortcut and used garlic powder. 
• Likewise, I used dried basil leaves instead of fresh ones. Unless I plan to use the entire package quickly, I try not to buy fancy fresh herbs; the leftovers always sit in my fridge for days or weeks and go to waste - read money wasted, booooo!

That's all folks!

Smooches & enjoy! ♥
Savvy Beautiful

Italian Feast

This time around, I decided to try my hand at some Italian dishes. I found most of them from foodnetwork.com. The favorite dishes from the dinner were the meatless meatballs and bruschetta. All the recipes are listed below.

Bruschetta with Gorgonzola Cheese and Honey

Taste Rating: 5/5 Difficulty Rating: 1/5 Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Ready In: 25 mins Servings: 6

Ingredients:

36 slices (1/2-inch thick) baguette bread, about 1 loaf 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 8 ounces Gorgonzola, sliced 3 tablespoons honey

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange the sliced baguette on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil. Bake until the bread is pale golden and crisp, about 10 minutes.

Arrange the cheese on the toasts and bake until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.

Drizzle the toasts with honey. Place on a serving platter and serve immediately.

Comments:

I absolutely loved this recipe. Some of the ladies were a little apprehensive about the honey and were unsure if the sweet and salt flavors would really complement each other. So rather than drizzling the honey on all the slices, I placed the honey on the table and gave them the option to do so. Some preferred it with the honey while others preferred it without it. I personally preferred it with the honey.

Trenette with Eggplant and Basil Pesto

Taste Rating: 2/5 Difficulty Rating: 1/5 Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Ready In: 45 mins Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

Pesto: 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (see Cook's Note) 1 clove garlic 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan

Pasta: 1 pound trenette or other short-cut pasta 1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan, plus 1/2 cup 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 (1 1/2 pounds) medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

For the pesto: In a blender or food processor, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the oil until the mixture is smooth and thick. Add the cheese and pulse until just incorporated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.

For the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water. Put the pasta into a large serving bowl and add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Toss until coated.

In a large, nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until the eggplant turns golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and cool slightly. Add the pesto and toss until the eggplant is coated.

Add the eggplant mixture to the serving bowl with the pasta and toss until all of the ingredients are coated. Thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve.

Cook's Note: To toast the pine nuts, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until lightly toasted, about 5 to 6 minutes. Cool completely before using.

Comments:

I was not a huge fan of this recipe because it came out too bland for my liking. If I try it again in the future, I will definitely need to season the eggplant with some spices to give it some more flavor.

Meatless Meatballs: Polpette di Lupo

Taste Rating: 5/5 Difficulty Rating: 2/5 Prep Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 55 mins Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins Servings: 6

Ingredients:

1 pound stale country-style bread, crusts removed and cut into thick slices 1 1/2 cups milk 3 large eggs 1/2 cup grated pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano 1/2 bunch Italian parsley, leaves chopped to yield 2 tablespoons 1 bunch basil, leaves chopped 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced Salt and pepper 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 cups Basic Tomato Sauce

Directions:

In a large bowl add the bread slices and milk. Let sit until the bread is soaked through, then squeeze dry. Crumble and tear the soaked bread into smaller pieces and process in the food processor, using quick pulses, to yield 4 cups soaked crumbs.

Mix the crumbs in a bowl with the eggs, cheese, herbs, and garlic, adding salt and pepper, to taste. Form into round balls about 2 inches in diameter. Set aside on a rack or plate to dry for about 15 to 20 minutes.

In a saucepan or deep skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil to frying temperature, about 360 degrees F, and fry the bread balls until brown on all sides. Remove the balls as they brown and drain on a rack covered with paper towels.

Have the tomato sauce ready. Arrange the balls on a platter and lightly cover with sauce. Serve immediately.

Comments:

The website had a recipe for the basic tomato sauce, but I just used a ready made one from the grocery store. The recipe called for 3 eggs but after reading the comments on the site, I decided to use 2 eggs. I would suggest only using 1 egg since the mixture was still too wet. Before I was able to form the meatballs from the mixture, I had to add some more flour to dry it out enough to handle. I decided to bake the meatballs for 15 minutes to dry them out even more before frying. I was very pleased with the final result. The texture and flavor was great. This is a nice alternative to nut based vegetarian meatballs especially when cooking for guests with nut allergies.

Italian Cream Soda

Taste Rating: 4/5 Difficulty Rating: 1/5 Prep Time: 1 minute Ready In: 1 minute Servings: 1

Ingredients:

8 fluid ounces carbonated water 3/4 fluid ounce passion fruit flavored syrup 3/4 fluid ounce watermelon flavored syrup 1 fluid ounce half-and-half cream

Directions:

Fill a tall glass half full with ice. Fill to 2/3 with carbonated water. Pour in watermelon and passion fruit flavored syrups, then float the half-and-half cream on top. Stir when ready to drink.

Comments:

Instead of passion fruit and watermelon flavors, we used different combinations of hazelnut, raspberry, and caramel syrup.

Mango Lassi

This drink tastes more complicated than it is. All the recipes that I saw called for fresh mango, but I took an easier route and simply used mango nectar.

2 Cups Mango Nectar
2 Cups Yogurt (I used vanilla flavored)
1-1/2 cups of ice (or more)
Agave nectar to taste(optional)
Fresh Mango (also optional)

Blend all the ingredients together and serve chilled.

First Chicas Night of Cuisine Potluck!

We hosted a potluck recently and invited friends to share dishes we had learned from each other. Each person made a dish from someone else in the group. It was a fun day: good food and good company; what more can you ask for?

The Menu
(Click on the name of the dish to link to the recipe)

• Dick Cavett (appetizer)
• Mango Lassi (a drink)
• Sangria (a drink)
• Pimiento Mac 'n Cheese
• Couscous Stuffed Peppers
• Donna's BBQ Grillers
• Meatless Loaf
• Strawberry Pretzel Salad (it's a dessert)
• Red Velvet Cupcakes
• ... a few other dishes whose recipes have not quite made it to our blog yet. Sorry, we're working on it!

If you are also interested in the bits of decorative details we used to set up the buffet table and drinks station, check out this post.

Thanks to all our friends who were able to join us. That's all folks!

Smooches! ♥
Savvy Beautiful