Both of these recipes call for margarine which I haven't thought about since 1945 when "margarine" was a plastic bag of white fat with an orange dot included for coloring. My job was to squish all of this together until the yellow color was uniform.
VACUUM CLEANER COOKIE BARS
(Ever wondered why cookie, singular, is not "cooky"?)
1/2 cup margarine - do not use butter - melted
1 18.25-oz. box of yellow cake mix - don't get the kind with pudding in the batter.
3 eggs
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 1-lb. box powdered sugar
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (the only relatively-healthy thing in the whole mixture)
Set oven at 325 Cream together the melted margarine, the cake mix and one egg. Put this mixture in the bottom of a well-greased 9x13 in. pan.
Beat the two eggs slightly and blend in the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Stir in the coconut and walnuts and pour over the rest in the pan. Smooth it out evenly. Bake for 45-50 minutes until it's a golden brown. Cool to room temperature before cutting into bars. Source: Rhonda Nelson, Warren High School, Downey, Calif.
I don't like pie crust; it seems unnecessary to me - just added calories. This recipe is said to make it's own crust so it's worth a look to me.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE PIE
4 eggs
1/2 cup margarine, melted
1 3/4 cups of sugar
1/2 cup self-rising flour (whatever that is)
2 cups of milk
1/2 cup coconut - what is this? National Coconut Day?
Beat the eggs together, add the margarine, sugar, flour and milk. Continue beating until it's all well-mixed. Stir in the coconut and pour it all into two UN-greased 8 in. pans and bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes. Source: Linda Heinbach, Yosemite High School, Oakhurst, CA
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
Richie's New Chicken Dish
Having mastered Chicken Cordon Bleu and Chicken Picatta, Richie turned to a cook book entitled "World Wide Recipes" compiled by a group of Home Economics teachers!
Ah, 8th grade Home Ec(k) -- the memories flooded back ... too hurried to use hot water when we washed the dishes; the teacher's ensuing wrath .. But we were hardier back then. No one ever came down with the bubonic plague or anything.
Our first dish which was called "Eggs Goldenrod." Take one hard-boiled egg, separate the white from the yolk. Chop the white and grate the yolk and set aside. Make a white sauce (butter, flour and milk aka "gravy") then put in the egg whites, stir well and serve over toast. The grated egg yolks are the garnish. To this day, this is a favorite comfort food.
Richie's Southwestern Chicken Breasts is nearly as easy.
Marinade
1/3 cup olive oil
juice of two limes
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teas. Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
pepper to taste
Mix the above together in a bowl big enough to hold the marinade and four skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Put the bowl in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Stir it around every now and then.
Then set the marinade aside and grill the chicken using the marinade to baste it. Or do as he did --put the chicken and marinade together into a suitable pan and on into the over at 400 degrees for half an hour, turning once.
He used only two chicken breasts, consequently the dish was a little over-powered by the balsamic vinegar. If you use only two, recommend halving the amounts above.
Having eaten our nice, healthy chicken tomorrow we will turn our attention to desserts; specifically, Vacuum Cleaner Cookie Bars (so good you vacuum them down?) and Mission Impossible Pie that requires no crust - it makes its own. Save room!
Ah, 8th grade Home Ec(k) -- the memories flooded back ... too hurried to use hot water when we washed the dishes; the teacher's ensuing wrath .. But we were hardier back then. No one ever came down with the bubonic plague or anything.
Our first dish which was called "Eggs Goldenrod." Take one hard-boiled egg, separate the white from the yolk. Chop the white and grate the yolk and set aside. Make a white sauce (butter, flour and milk aka "gravy") then put in the egg whites, stir well and serve over toast. The grated egg yolks are the garnish. To this day, this is a favorite comfort food.
Richie's Southwestern Chicken Breasts is nearly as easy.
Marinade
1/3 cup olive oil
juice of two limes
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teas. Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
pepper to taste
Mix the above together in a bowl big enough to hold the marinade and four skinless, boneless chicken breasts. Put the bowl in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Stir it around every now and then.
Then set the marinade aside and grill the chicken using the marinade to baste it. Or do as he did --put the chicken and marinade together into a suitable pan and on into the over at 400 degrees for half an hour, turning once.
He used only two chicken breasts, consequently the dish was a little over-powered by the balsamic vinegar. If you use only two, recommend halving the amounts above.
Having eaten our nice, healthy chicken tomorrow we will turn our attention to desserts; specifically, Vacuum Cleaner Cookie Bars (so good you vacuum them down?) and Mission Impossible Pie that requires no crust - it makes its own. Save room!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
No Doggie Bag 'Cause We (Nearly) Licked the Plates Clean
We first visited Aliotta's Via Firenze several years ago - I vaguely remember blogging about our delight with the food and service then. We drove by it the other day and I said, "You know ... we need to get back there.." visions of the Gamberini Don Mike floating temptingly through my mind. Last night we did.
Aliotta's is located in a corner of a strip mall which is an unexpected place to find a "romantic" restaurant. "Suspension of disbelief" comes to mind. After we were seated, I gazed at our surroundings - "rustic romantic" would be my overall impression - three huge chandeliers, a faux balcony. Very tall walls, black leather armchairs and white table clothes with a beige cloth overlay. Maroon napkins twisted into coils popped out of the water goblets. the silverware was over-sized -- the pasta/soup spoon was as big as a 12-year-old's fist.
"Who cares what the room looks like! What about the food?" you cry. Very well. First came a basket of little pillows of warm Italian bread. Already on the table was a square white plate for the bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar that sat next to it. Richie ordered a glass of the Pont Merlot ($7.50) and I splurged on a half-bottle of Prosecco ($18) which proved to be an economy -- three full flutes of wine from a fat, thick bottle that kept it cold until the last drop.
Richie ordered Saltimboccca, a classic dish - veal scaloppini topped with parma proscuitto in a sage-wine sauce. ($24) I started with a Caesar salad of insanely-fresh Romaine that had been thoroughly tossed in the good, thick dressing. Gobbling slightly, I offered some to Richie, who eagerly joined me. Our hot dishes arrived together - mine was the appetizer-size Gamborini Don Mike - four prawns, wrapped in parma prosciutto and grilled with a sambuca romana cream sauce. ($15) Yes I did use the bread to sop up the leftover sauce! You would have, too!
Aliotta's has a huge menu; in fact, I just now noticed Capracci Della Casa - thin-sliced, cured beef tenderloin with lemon, capers and shaved Parmigiano, drizzled with extra olive oil. ($14) Read the extensive menu at aliottas.com.
Visit Aliotta's at 4485 Torrance Boulevard (NE corner of Torrance and Anza) Torrance, 90503 310-371-9555.
Aliotta's is located in a corner of a strip mall which is an unexpected place to find a "romantic" restaurant. "Suspension of disbelief" comes to mind. After we were seated, I gazed at our surroundings - "rustic romantic" would be my overall impression - three huge chandeliers, a faux balcony. Very tall walls, black leather armchairs and white table clothes with a beige cloth overlay. Maroon napkins twisted into coils popped out of the water goblets. the silverware was over-sized -- the pasta/soup spoon was as big as a 12-year-old's fist.
"Who cares what the room looks like! What about the food?" you cry. Very well. First came a basket of little pillows of warm Italian bread. Already on the table was a square white plate for the bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar that sat next to it. Richie ordered a glass of the Pont Merlot ($7.50) and I splurged on a half-bottle of Prosecco ($18) which proved to be an economy -- three full flutes of wine from a fat, thick bottle that kept it cold until the last drop.
Richie ordered Saltimboccca, a classic dish - veal scaloppini topped with parma proscuitto in a sage-wine sauce. ($24) I started with a Caesar salad of insanely-fresh Romaine that had been thoroughly tossed in the good, thick dressing. Gobbling slightly, I offered some to Richie, who eagerly joined me. Our hot dishes arrived together - mine was the appetizer-size Gamborini Don Mike - four prawns, wrapped in parma prosciutto and grilled with a sambuca romana cream sauce. ($15) Yes I did use the bread to sop up the leftover sauce! You would have, too!
Aliotta's has a huge menu; in fact, I just now noticed Capracci Della Casa - thin-sliced, cured beef tenderloin with lemon, capers and shaved Parmigiano, drizzled with extra olive oil. ($14) Read the extensive menu at aliottas.com.
Visit Aliotta's at 4485 Torrance Boulevard (NE corner of Torrance and Anza) Torrance, 90503 310-371-9555.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Could Everyone Just Sit Down, Shut Up and Think?
I was appalled to see that a group calling itself the "New Black Panther Party" was offering a $10,000 bounty on one George Zimmerman who was involved in an episode with the late Trayvon Martin more than a month ago. So I went to Google...
Wickipedia says the group was founded in 1989 in Dallas, TX, by Aaron Michaels. The Party's idealogy is: Black nationalism, Pan-Africanism (whatever that is,) anti-Zionism (sadly, I do know what this is,) anti-imperialism which is howlingly funny to me. If you go with them, imperialism - theirs - is dandy! Tsk, tsk, isn't that always the way with the zealots.
Before the bounty offer, several members were arrested in Philadelphia during the 2008 presidential election for voter intimidation.
Yesterday the leader (not going to give him more publicity by using the name) issued the insultingly paltry sum of $10 grand for "a legal citizens arrest" of Zimmerman, adding "I don't obey the white man's law, I don't follow the American law."
Meanwhile the "real" Black Panthers have their knickers twisted into knots and want all to know that New Panthers have nothing whatsoever to do with Old Panthers (many of whom must be Graying Panthers by now.)
The Anti-Defamation League and the US Commission on Civil Rights both consider the group as a "hate group." My question to them is, "Why don't you consider the Rev. Al, Jesse Baby and Maxine Waters as "hate individuals?" The LA Times described these men as "community leaders" which begs the question, "Where is their community? Inside a plane, flying in to lead yet another demonstration?" I want a map to their community! Let's all tour Sharptonville, Jesseland and Maxinela.
Wickipedia says the group was founded in 1989 in Dallas, TX, by Aaron Michaels. The Party's idealogy is: Black nationalism, Pan-Africanism (whatever that is,) anti-Zionism (sadly, I do know what this is,) anti-imperialism which is howlingly funny to me. If you go with them, imperialism - theirs - is dandy! Tsk, tsk, isn't that always the way with the zealots.
Before the bounty offer, several members were arrested in Philadelphia during the 2008 presidential election for voter intimidation.
Yesterday the leader (not going to give him more publicity by using the name) issued the insultingly paltry sum of $10 grand for "a legal citizens arrest" of Zimmerman, adding "I don't obey the white man's law, I don't follow the American law."
Meanwhile the "real" Black Panthers have their knickers twisted into knots and want all to know that New Panthers have nothing whatsoever to do with Old Panthers (many of whom must be Graying Panthers by now.)
The Anti-Defamation League and the US Commission on Civil Rights both consider the group as a "hate group." My question to them is, "Why don't you consider the Rev. Al, Jesse Baby and Maxine Waters as "hate individuals?" The LA Times described these men as "community leaders" which begs the question, "Where is their community? Inside a plane, flying in to lead yet another demonstration?" I want a map to their community! Let's all tour Sharptonville, Jesseland and Maxinela.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Holy Jumpin' Jalapeno Bananas!
When we went to the Hermosa Beach Farmers Market yesterday, I was on a mission. The week prior, I'd cantered down the food aisle just for a Look-See as I'd already had lunch. New among the purveyors was "Chef Barry's Spicy Banana Gourmet BBQ" (try saying that with a mouthful of food.) I liked his menu and resolved then and there to come back next week with an appetite.
His menu is simple: the four meats are all "slowly smoked" and are: brisket, pulled pork, fresh salmon, chicken breast, all served on Chef Barry's handmade rolls.
The sides are: Sweet-Smoked Baked Beans and Homemade Mac & Cheese and Jalapeno Potato Salad. The specialite de la maison is his invention - Spicy Banana Jalapeno Corn Bread muffins.
I elected to try all of the sides as they intrigued me the most. Chef Barry regretted it, but he was out of Mac & Cheese so I can't report on it, but the fact that it was sold out speaks for itself. I would imagine it's a popular dish with mothers, encumbered with little kids at the market.
Since "Too hot is just about right" with me, I thought the Jalapeno Potato Salad wasn't that spicy at all. If I were going to do this, I'd pour pickled jalapeno juice over the still warm potatoes after I'd drained them. I wish Chef Barry would consider two versions - the regular and JALAPENO Potato Salad, but that's just me. In fact, it was good. The potato chunks al dente, the onion chunked, not minced - if you're going to have onion, then damn it! Have onion!
The minute I saw the beans, I knew they'd be good -- a lovely, dark brown in a thick syrup with bits of pork peeking shyly out. They were, as they say in Texas, larrupin!
Classically-trained, Chef Barry makes his own mayonnaise using canola oil. Everything is fresh and made from scratch. I was dying to ask if he grew his own jalapenos, but decided that was kind of a snarky question.
But his great invention is the Banana-Jalapeno Corn Bread muffins. I don't like bananas but I do like "hot" so it was an "I have to try this" deal. I liked the petit size and the baby muffin top overhang. Bananas and jalapenos work well together. The bananas sweeten any sting from the bits of jalapenos.
He told us that his wife is a pastry chef and she was dubious about his muffins, but today she takes some to work with her every day!
Chef Barry Erlich caters - 310-704-1911 -- and you can dine live, so to speak, at the Tuesday Torrance Farmer's Market or the Friday Hermosa Beach Farmer's Market.
His menu is simple: the four meats are all "slowly smoked" and are: brisket, pulled pork, fresh salmon, chicken breast, all served on Chef Barry's handmade rolls.
The sides are: Sweet-Smoked Baked Beans and Homemade Mac & Cheese and Jalapeno Potato Salad. The specialite de la maison is his invention - Spicy Banana Jalapeno Corn Bread muffins.
I elected to try all of the sides as they intrigued me the most. Chef Barry regretted it, but he was out of Mac & Cheese so I can't report on it, but the fact that it was sold out speaks for itself. I would imagine it's a popular dish with mothers, encumbered with little kids at the market.
Since "Too hot is just about right" with me, I thought the Jalapeno Potato Salad wasn't that spicy at all. If I were going to do this, I'd pour pickled jalapeno juice over the still warm potatoes after I'd drained them. I wish Chef Barry would consider two versions - the regular and JALAPENO Potato Salad, but that's just me. In fact, it was good. The potato chunks al dente, the onion chunked, not minced - if you're going to have onion, then damn it! Have onion!
The minute I saw the beans, I knew they'd be good -- a lovely, dark brown in a thick syrup with bits of pork peeking shyly out. They were, as they say in Texas, larrupin!
Classically-trained, Chef Barry makes his own mayonnaise using canola oil. Everything is fresh and made from scratch. I was dying to ask if he grew his own jalapenos, but decided that was kind of a snarky question.
But his great invention is the Banana-Jalapeno Corn Bread muffins. I don't like bananas but I do like "hot" so it was an "I have to try this" deal. I liked the petit size and the baby muffin top overhang. Bananas and jalapenos work well together. The bananas sweeten any sting from the bits of jalapenos.
He told us that his wife is a pastry chef and she was dubious about his muffins, but today she takes some to work with her every day!
Chef Barry Erlich caters - 310-704-1911 -- and you can dine live, so to speak, at the Tuesday Torrance Farmer's Market or the Friday Hermosa Beach Farmer's Market.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
An Italian Passover Seder Dish
This comes from Bon Appetit -- and you don't have to be at a seder to enjoy it!
MATZO-ALMOND CROCCANTE (Italian brittle)
5 sheets matzo
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup margarine; butter if you don't keep kosher
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup sliced almods
5 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted
1/4 teas. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teas. sea salt
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a Sil-pat and spray with non-stick stuff. Break up the matzos, keeping them in a single layer - no gaps.
Stir the sugar, margarine/butter, honey and 1/4 cup water until the sugar dissolves. Don't stir it, but do swipe down the pan sides with a wet pastry brush (or if you're very careful a wet paper towel wound around a spoon.)
When the syrup is a deep amber color, pour it evenly over your pile of matzos and then sprinkle the whole thing with the almonds. Let it cool, then melt the cholocate and drizzle it over the almonds. Finish by dusting on the cayenne and sea salt. Let it sit for 30 minutes and then break it into pieces and enjoy.
I think the cayenne and sea salt would make this treat awesome and low in calories.
MATZO-ALMOND CROCCANTE (Italian brittle)
5 sheets matzo
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup margarine; butter if you don't keep kosher
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup sliced almods
5 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted
1/4 teas. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teas. sea salt
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or a Sil-pat and spray with non-stick stuff. Break up the matzos, keeping them in a single layer - no gaps.
Stir the sugar, margarine/butter, honey and 1/4 cup water until the sugar dissolves. Don't stir it, but do swipe down the pan sides with a wet pastry brush (or if you're very careful a wet paper towel wound around a spoon.)
When the syrup is a deep amber color, pour it evenly over your pile of matzos and then sprinkle the whole thing with the almonds. Let it cool, then melt the cholocate and drizzle it over the almonds. Finish by dusting on the cayenne and sea salt. Let it sit for 30 minutes and then break it into pieces and enjoy.
I think the cayenne and sea salt would make this treat awesome and low in calories.
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