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PREP AND COOK TIME 3 minutes
YIELD Makes 2 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt
1 ripe banana, sliced
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
1 tablespoon honey or granulated sugar
3 or 4 drops red food coloring
PREPARATION:
. Combine all ingredients in blender container; cover. Blend at high 20 seconds or until foamy.
. Pour into 2 glasses and serve immediately. Garnish as desired.
Cook's Notes
It's easy to change the flavors of this recipe to make it a year-round treat. Substitute your favorite flavor yogurt and use any fruit combination, such as chopped seedless orange and sliced strawberries.
Remember, drink responsibly. Don't Drink and Drive.
MARTINI OF THE MONTH
February 2012
Kissable Martini
Courtesy of TheBar.com
. 3/4 oz. Smirnoff Orange Vodka
. 3/4 oz. white creme de cacao
. 1.5 oz. milk
Combine all ingredients into a shaker with ice, and shake to combine.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with an orange zest and chocolate shavings.
How to Make White Chocolate Cheesecake
Dennis Weaver at The Prepared Pantry
How to Make White Chocolate Cheesecake We made tons of cheesecakes this week and served them to visitors in our store in Rigby, Idaho. The White Chocolate Cheesecake was declared the best. Melted white chocolate drizzled into batter makes this an outstanding cheesecake.
We tried different toppings. Sure you can top it with pie filling but pastry filling is more intense and about 3/8 inch of raspberry or cherry pastry filling spread across the top is perfect and does not detract from the cheesecake. Or melt pomegranate jelly or another red jelly or jam and pour it over the top for a gorgeous cheesecake. Pomegranate jelly makes the cheesecake shine like a jewel. Wafers make a smoother, more luxurious cheesecake. We've made plenty of these cheesecakes with white chocolate chips but white chocolate wafers are better. The grind is finer with wafers and there is more cocoa butter. And wafers melt easily where white chocolate chips can be hard to melt.
White Chocolate Cheesecake
For the crust:
1 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the filling:
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups white chocolate wafers or 8 ounces
other quality white chocolate
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In a springform pan, mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar together. Press the mixture across the bottom of the pan and up the sides to form the crust. Put the crust in refrigerator while you mix the filling.
With the paddle attachment of your stand-type mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar together. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Melt the chocolate. Drizzle in the melted chocolate while the beaters are running. Pour into the crust.
Bake for 50 minutes or until the cake is done. Let cool on a wire rack. After ten minutes, loosen the sides with a spatula and remove the ring. Refrigerate the cheesecake to cool completely. Baker’s note: Drizzle in the chocolate while it is still warm. If the chocolate cools too rapidly, you will have clumps in the cheesecake.
Dining Books You Will Need In 2012
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Planning a Romantic Valentine's Day Dinner
February 2012
Valentine's Day is coming up. If you're single and frustrated with the dating scene, you're probably dreading this lovey-dovey Hallmark holiday. But if you're dating or internet dating, you probably feel like the pressure's on. For some people --especially women-- how their new partner performs on Valentine's Day says a lot about how they'll be in the future.
Sound like a lot of pressure? Don't let it be. Just remember what Valentine's Day really means to you (which, apart for earning money for Hallmark, is a chance to show somebody how much you care for them), and act accordingly. The best way to show your best side on Valentine's Day (that is, if you're not still only internet dating)? Make a romantic dinner for two.
If you're an accomplished cook and generally feel comfortable in the kitchen, planning a romantic dinner for two probably seems like a no-brainer. But, if like most people, you're more comfortable ordering at the window than firing up the saute pan, cooking a nice dinner for two probably seems a little daunting. But it doesn't have to be. With a few good recipes and a bit of planning, you can bring off a perfect dinner without a hitch.
Plan ahead. When planning a romantic dinner for two, the whole point is to spend some quality romantic time with your partner. But if you're slaving in the kitchen all night, it can be pretty difficult to do that. The more you plan ahead --and the more dishes that can be made ahead-- the easier things will be on Valentine's. And the more time you'll get to spend with your sweetie.
Know your abilities. Know a chef's knife like the back of your hand? Then the sky's the limit when choosing recipes for Valentine's Day dinner. But if you're less comfortable in the kitchen, keep that in mind when you choose recipes. Remember, a fancy dinner isn't fancy if it's not prepared properly... it's a mess. You'll impress a lot more with a simple, well-prepared meal than with an ambitious disaster.
Think of your partner. Chances are, there are things that you love and things your partner loves... and that the two don't always go hand in hand. When cooking a special dinner, think of your partner first and foremost. While you don't want to make something you won't enjoy eating, your partner's tastes should definitely be the priority. Want to make things extra romantic? Think of a particularly memorable meal you had together (like your first date) and prepare your very own version of that.
Luxury, not complexity. Fortunately, when it comes to Valentine's Day dinner, complex dishes don't always win the day. But luxurious ones do. Don't feel like cooking? Splurge on cold items that you wouldn't normally eat, such as oysters, nice wines, or fancy French cheeses.
Go all out with decorations. A romantic dinner is more about ambiance, really, than it is about the food. Create that ambiance by going all out with your table decorations. Light plenty of candles, spread a layer of rose petals onto a white cloth table cloth, and watch your partner's eyes light up when they enter the room.
Put in the effort. Really want to impress your partner on Valentine's Day? Nothing works quite like a fancy-looking homemade dessert. One that always goes over well? Chocolate-covered strawberries. These little treats are elegant, delicious, inexpensive, and best of all... a lot easier to make than you might think. The recipe below is for about 24 strawberries.
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Ingredients:
1 lb. milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp. vegetable shortening
1 lb. fresh, ripe, organic strawberries with leaves
Instructions: 1. Insert a toothpick into the top of each strawberry.
2. In a double boiler or the microwave, melt together the chocolate chips and vegetable shortening til smooth. Stir often.
3. Using the toothpicks to hold them, dip each strawberry into the melted chocolate.
4. Turn strawberries upside down to set and cool. (Inserting the toothpicks into a length of Styrofoam works great!). Refrigerate 2 hours to set.
This article was written by Shawn Wilson, a member of the customer support team at Datepad, where internet dating is always free. Datepad has a massive directory of informative dating articles along with a great list of dating site reviews on their dating blog.
BLACK -
AFRICAN AMERICAN CHEFS
1. Augustus Jackson - African-American White House Chef.
2. Charlie Black -teamed up with the Lake County Health Department
3. Chef Joe Randall - Savannah GA.
4. Edna Lewis - The Grande Dame of Southern Cooking.
5. Erika Davis - executive pastry chef, Biloxi, Mississippi.
6. Milton Guzman - came from the New York restaurant industry
7. Leah Chase - co-owner and chef in New Orleans
8. Leon West - Member of Chef Hall of Fame.
9. Marcus Samuelsson - Executive chef & co-owner Aquavit New York.
10. Patrick Clark - Member of the Chef Hall of Fame.
11. Robert W. Lee - Member of Chef Hall of Fame.
12. Stanley Jackson - Member of Chef Hall of Fame.
13. Sylvia Woods - Queen of Soul Food chef.
14. Timothy Dean - Baltimore Washington D.C. area.
15. Walter J. Royal - executive chef in Raleigh North Carolina.
New England Informer would love to have you on our list. If you are a Black/African American chef, please contact us at neinformer@verizon.net and let us knowwho you are.
Dining Calendars
Soul Food Seasoning Tips
February 2012
Soul food recipes and other southern cuisine menus have the reputation of having some of the tastiest seasoning in the world of eating. In fact, many would debate the seasonings make the meal more than any other factor besides the cooking technique.
Any way you choose to look at it, if you want to call it soul food you have to season with the precision of a concert violinist. Spices have a history of value. Yes, wars have erupted, kings have lusted after it and nations have quickly paid ransoms for it. Yes, people have valued seasonings and spices as much or more than gold, jewels or money for thousands of years.
Nothing ruins a meal more than a flavorless slice of meat, bland tasting vegetables or a dry tasting piece of pie or cake. Most people take seasonings for granted until they don't have it or can't taste it in the food they eat.
In fact, failing to season food properly has ruined an untold number of marriages and love relationships. On the other hand untold numbers of marriages and love relationships have blossomed because of good food seasoning techniques. That's proof of how serious knowing how to properly season food is.
Of course the next best thing to having the right seasonings to enhance the flavor of your food is knowing how to season. Here's proven tips, ideas and suggestions for improving your food seasoning skills.
1. When seasoning gumbo, broths or other hot liquids, make sure they're at the same temperature you'll serve them to help keep the taste consistent.
2. Cold foods such as macaroni, potato or egg salad will need slightly more seasoning than hot food. The colder the food the less our taste buds pick up flavors.
3. To intensify flavors, season chicken, fish, beef and pork before you cook them.
4. Season sauces, soups and gumbos after cooking to get a more accurate and consistent taste.
5. To avoid over seasoning apply a small amount taste, add and taste until the correct taste is achieved.
The Top 10 Soul Food Seasoning and Spices according to our research.
1. Sugar
2. Salt
3. Pepper
4. Garlic Powder
5. Hot Sauce
6. Cinnamon
7. Nutmeg
8. Onion Powder
9. Sage
10. Thyme
Knowing how to cook means knowing how to season your soul food properly. Like any activity, the more you practice the better you'll get at doing it. So, continue to practice and experiment with different seasoning and flavors, you may discover your own unique style or even your own soul food recipe. Happy seasoning.
WINE CORNER
Party On-Wine Tastings Pt. 2
February 2012
Last month I discussed the amazing benefits of hosting and/or participating in private wine tasting at home. You don’t need to go out and hire a sommelier to do these events, simply put in a little research, ask your neighborhood wine consultant during your shopping trip and remember that each experience will naturally give you more knowledge!
Wine Clubs are fun, but perhaps you want a more interactive wine tasting party for your friends!! First, settle on a theme of some kind, basically as a way to narrow down your potential shopping list. Select whatever bottles are affordable for your budget, remembering that you can get 15-20 samples from one 750ml bottle, and then do a bit of basic research on each wine you choose. Write up a small summary of what you discover, either on note cards or paper that you can cut up into ‘cards’. Also, create ‘tasting sheets’ for your guests, where they can fill in what they experience as they try each of the wines: the scents, flavors, basic comments/observations. Use these headings to encourage people to think about the wine. Offer up your researched summaries to your guests only after they have walked around and tried all of the wines, coming to their own conclusions. Or, leave them in an envelope so people are influenced by their content, yet can still compare their observations to what you research. Finding a ‘Wine Tasting Wheel’ online can get a great tool, also, to help prompt people who may be at a loss for adjectives. Print out a few and leave them around the tables for your guests to reference.
Please remember to put out some food and water for everyone! At a basic tasting, your snacks should be simple, almost bland, to provide a cleanse of the palette and a little something to soak up some alcohol. Water crackers, mild cheeses (brie, cheddar, Monterey jack) and simple vegetables like celery and carrots work great; anything that isn’t heavily salty garlicy, sweet or sour can be an option. Stay away from salsas, chips and dip, and most fun appetizer foods until AFTER the initial tasting. Then people can go back to their favorites and try them with food, but until they’ve had a clean try of everything, I wouldn’t put much out. Pitchers of water should be available at all time, as well as spit buckets in case people want to limit their consumption. It’s a perfectly respectable way to experience a wine tasting-otherwise, after 5 or 6 samples, you may not even recognize what you’re tasting as the alcohol hits your system!
This is a wonderful way to make the wine tasting a fun social event, and doing the research ahead of time leaves you free to interact with your guests. Remember as people discuss their opinions that wine is very objective-taste buds and scent recognition are not the same for everyone, so it’s always great to see what others think, but no one can be right or wrong. If everyone liked the same thing, there’s be two wines and we’d all be bored with them!!
Good luck, have fun, and next month we’ll think more formal, perhaps a wine pairing dinner party?
Salute!
Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell peppers
1 pound smoked sausage, such as andouille or kielbasa, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3 bay leaves
6 cups chicken broth
1 pound boneless chicken meat, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 teaspoon Rustic Rub, recipe follows
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon file powder
Combine the oil and flour in a large cast iron or enameled cast iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Stirring slowly and constantly for 20 to 25 minutes, make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate. Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and continue to stir for 4 to 5 minutes, or until wilted. Add the sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves. Continue to stir for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth. Stir until the roux mixture and water are well combined. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
Season the chicken with the rub and add to the pot. Simmer for 2 hours. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley, green onions, and file powder. Remove the bay leaves and serve in deep bowls.
Rustic Rub:
8 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons cayenne
5 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons onion powder
6 tablespoons salt
2 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme
Combine all ingredients and store in an air-tight container.
Soul Food Recipes : How To Make Your Soul Food Safer
February 2012
Soul food recipes have a reputation as unhealthy, especially in the light of today's health conscious consumers. More people are watching their diets by choice or are forced to by doctors orders. The high fat, salt and calories contained in traditional soul food is blamed for the high rate of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and other health ailments.
That's why radical changes continue to take place when it comes to this popular southern cuisine. Those changes have combined healthier ingredients and cooking methods with the robust flavor of southern cooking. The result is a healthier and friendlier version more people are loving. Now you can taste healthier ingredients that make the dishes safer to eat than the past. No more artery clogging fat back, bacon or ham hocks in these dishes. We're talking leaner, meaner and healthier.
Now you'll find more natural ingredients, herbs and spices that work with your healthy soul food diet, not against it.
But including natural ingredients that harmonize with good health standards is half the battle. The other half concerns the cooking methods and techniques. Because what good is adding healthier ingredients to the dish if you end up cooking valuable vitamins and minerals out in the process? That's why you'll find less deep fat frying in today's soul food cooking and more steaming, roasting, baking, and sautéing , for example.
All these work to add the valuable health element in and eliminate former health concerns of the past. Another culprit is sodium, one of the biggest culprits blamed for the increase in high blood pressure, especially among African Americans. Now more recipes contain sea salt and even kosher salt, which contain much less sodium than table salt. But the movement continues toward no salt recipes by using a combination of spices, citrus juices and herbs instead.
These are quick and simple ways today's creative cooks are making soul food recipes safer for public consumption. Now you can have your favorite southern dishes without risking your soul.
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