CAJUN FOOD - Cajun Snapper Sauce - Recipe

Jalapeno and Serrano Peppers

This is a really nice and simple recipe that we found in a Local newspaper when we were camping in Louisiana near New Orleans.

They listed it as a popular sauce made and used by many of the locals for their own cooking.

It's easy to make and it really kicks up whatever the Fish might be that you are broiling.

PRESERVING FOODS - Pineapple Pickles - Old Recipe

Fresh Pineapple

As strange as it sounds, Pickled Pineapple is a really tasty treat that you should try when they are in season.

It really works as an appetizer or on a Buffet table as a flavor surprise for others.

It can also be used as a colorful addition to cold salads and other dishes, with a surprisingly interesting  flavor.

HUNGARIAN FOOD - Hungarian Goulash - a traditional family recipe.

Hungarian Goulash

In my travels over the years, I have sampled this dish, Hungarian Goulash, a number of times. If prepared properly, it can be a great and hearty dish.

Once in a friends home, and it was, honestly an over-salted thick "mush".

Another time, I was in a small restaurant in Malmo, Sweden and they served this dish to me, and it was fantastic.

Its hearty flavors were blended together so well that each spoon was a treat for my taste buds.

SEVEN-UP POUND CAKE - Recipe

A ShoeBox Recipe

This old ShoeBox Recipe is an oldie from the past.

I remember it being popular in the Sixties and Seventies. 

It uses part of a Seven-Up Soft drink as an ingredient, but any carbonated Lemon/Lime flavored soft drink will do in the recipe.

It is easy to make and tastes great.

INGREDIENTS:

3              cups       Sugar

1/2           lb.           Butter

1/2          cup         Crisco

5             large       Eggs, mixed

3             cups       Flour, plain

1             tbs.        Baking Powder

1             tsp.        Vanilla flavoring

1             tsp.        Lemon flavoring

3/4         cup         Seven-Up Soda

DIRECTIONS:

1.       Cream the Butter, Crisco and Sugar together for two minutes.

2.       Add the Eggs, Flour, Baking Powder and flavorings to the mixture one at a time while stirring constantly, until well blended.

3.       Fold in the Seven-Up.

4.       Pour the mixture into a well-buttered cake pan.

5.       Bake in a preheated 325F oven for 1-1/4 hours, or until done (using toothpick method)

6.       Remove from the oven and let cool before removing from the pan.

NOTE: Toothpick method= Stick a toothpick into the center of the cake and if there is cake mix stuck to the toothpick, then the Cake is not done.

FRENCH DRESSING (Kind of) - Old Recipe

OK, this is another old recipe that we have used occasionally over the years.
With the many manufacturers brands of Salad Dressings that are on the market today, we have all become used to that STANDARD taste that they all attempt to provide to the consumer.
This recipe, is KIND OF the same flavor.
It tastes somewhat different, but the bottom line is that it has a very nice flavor and makes a really good Salad Dressing. Try it, or not! I think is a nice and different dressing that is both quick and easy to make and it requires absolutely NO COOKING!

INGREDIENTS:

1        Can          Tomato Soup (10-3/4 ounce size)
1/2      cup          Sugar
3/4      cup          Vinegar ( a mild variety)
1         tsp.           Worcestershire Sauce
1         tsp.           Dry Mustard
2-1/2  cups          Vegetable Oil (your choice, original recipe used Crisco Oil, I use EVOO)
1         tsp.            Salt
1/2      tsp.            Black Pepper, fine grind
2         tbs.            Sweet Pickles, finely chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all of the ingredients together until well blended ( use a Blender if desired), and serve chilled or at room temperature

Save the Bananas - Make Banana Nut Bread - RECIPE

SIMPLE BANANA NUT BREAD

OK, You love Bananas! And last week they were on sale at a great price. So you picked up a large Bunch.

Yeah, You had great intentions to eat one or two a day. But for one reason or another, you look and there are 4 or 5 Bananas left on the counter, and they are really starting to look bad;  not BAD, as in uneatable, but Bad, as in UGLY and Brown.  So you grab them and head to the trash can. 

STOP!  Use those Bananas!

Here is a nice, simple recipe for you to make a very tasty Banana Nut Bread, and not waste those wonderful and healthy Bananas.

NOTE: This recipe is for using 6 Bananas. You can adjust the major ingredients up or down for 4 to 8 Bananas total without harming the final results. The ingredient to adjust for the total number of Bananas are; the Butter, Sugar (or artificial sweetener), Flour, Nuts. 

INGREDIENTS:
6            Bananas,              Ripe
1/4         lb.                        Butter
1-1/2     cup                       Sugar (or equivalent Artificial Sweetener)
4           large                      Eggs
2           cups                       Flour, self-rising
1           tsp.                        Baking Soda
1          cup                         Nuts, chopped (Walnuts, Pecans, etc.)

DIRECTIONS:

1-       Mash the Bananas.

2-      Combine all of the ingredients together with a Spoon, until well blended.

3-      Pour the mixture into a large, greased Bread Pan.

4-      Bake in a preheated 375F oven for approximately 45-minutes, or use a toothpick, and if it is inserted into the center of the bread and comes out clean, then the bread is done.

TURMERIC - Food Facts - Use in these dishes

We had dinner the other night with my Brother and Sister-in-Law. During that time, when we were discussing growing our own herbs, out of the Blue, she asked if we used Turmeric when we cooked. 

At first, I had to stop and think, and ended up responding with: "Yeah ....But not often!"

She laughed and the conversation moved on, so I went to my book, Food Facts, and reviewed what I had written there, as I really hadn't used it often or even recently.

There, I saw that I had obviously researched this herb before, and here is an excerpt from my book, Virginia, of which, by the way, you have a copy (sic)!

Turmeric is a root of the ginger family that has a mild, earthy and slightly bitter flavor. It is used, with mustard, as a flavoring for meats salads and dressings.

It is also used as a flavoring and coloring in some prepared mustards, and is a main ingredient in many Curry recipes.

Some of the foods it goes well in are;

Casseroles-....................use in Curried, Macaroni. Noodle and Rice dishes, and sometimes is used in place of Saffron.

Fish-...............................use in creamed seafood dishes such as Lobster, Salmon and Shrimp.

Meats and Poultry-......use 1/4 –tsp per preparation of; Broiled Chicken, and curried Beef and Lamb.

Preserves & Pickles-....use in Chow Chow, Chutney and Relishes.

Sauces & Gravies-........add to Bordelaise, Creole and Barbecue Sauces

Salads & Dressings-....use1/2-tsp per cup in Mayonnaise, French Dressings, or ¼ tsp just for color

Soups-...........................use a dash in creamed soups and chowders

Vegetables-...................use a dash on creamed potatoes

Buttermilk Custard Pie - RECIPE

Here is a simple little Dessert Recipe that I got from my Sister-in-Law, Virginia.

SIMPLE RECIPE, RICH DESSERT: We were invited to dinner at their house last week, and she served this up as one of the desserts. I ate a piece, and Boy, was it good.
I stopped eating this great dessert though, after just one piece, because my taste buds told me:  
Hey, Lookout Bro, anything this good has to be really really fattening.
A quick look at the ingredients and, it is obvious that this recipe will never make anyone's list of low-fat, low-cal desserts.
But, It REALLY is GOOD! Try It!

INGREDIENTS

1-1/2       cups       Sugar
1/2           cup        Bisquick
1              cup        Buttermilk
1              Tsp.       Vanilla flavoring
1/3           cup        Margarine, melted
3              large      Eggs

INSTRUCTIONS:

1-  Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl until well blended
2-   Coat a Pie Pan with cooking spray.
3-   Pour the mixture into the coated Pie Pan, and place in a preheated 350F oven.
4-   Bake for 30-minutes or until Golden Brown, and remove before it is set in the middle.
5-   Allow to Cool and it will set.

NOTE: From Virginia: "After it sets, it will still be a little JIGGLY".

AVOCADOs - Purchasing Tips

Avocados are a popular food that provides good nutrition and has a healthy Fat content. Here are some tips on how to Select and Purchase the best Avocados.

Purchasing:  When purchasing; if the Avocado is soft to the touch then it is ready to use, but if it is firm and hard then it should be allowed to ripen at room temperature.

Hass Avocados show their ripeness by not only yielding to pressure, but by changing color from green to a purple-black color. 

The other Green-skinned varieties do not change color when ripe.   

Firm Avocados will ripen at room temperature or even faster if stored in a paper bag at room temperature.   

Avocados will not ripen when cut. 

Large avocados are generally lower in fat but also have a less rich flavor than their smaller counterparts.

This is an excerpt from my book FOOD FACTS available on Amazon..

Summer Soup - RECIPE

Summer Soup                                       Soups & Stews

Ingredients:

2          large           Potatoes, chopped

2          medium     Onions, chopped

3          medium     Carrots, chopped

2          slices           Bacon, fried and chopped

1          can             Chicken broth

2          tsp.              Salt

1          tsp.              Pepper

1          tsp.              Garlic Powder

1/2      tsp               Cayenne

1          tsp.              Paprika

1          quart          Skim Milk

Directions:

-          Place the chopped vegetables into a pan and cover with water.

-          Bring to a Boil and add the Salt, Pepper, Bacon and other spices.

-          Cook until the vegetables are tender.

-          Place the mixture into a blender and Puree.

-          Add the Chicken Stock and blend together well with a spoon, while seasoning to taste.

-          Chill the mixture in the fridge.

-          When ready to serve add ½ cup of skimmed milk per serving, blending by hand (use a whisk).

-          Top each serving with a Lemon Slice and serve.

SAGE - Other Uses

Sage is another great flavorful Herb, also of the Mint family, that, aside from cooking, has other applications, such as;

• Bacteria fighter- Sage works great to help eliminate bacteria.
• Breath Freshener- Because of it's bacteria fighting properties, it is a good Breath Freshener.
• Sore Throat Pain- Mixed with Echinacea, it can be as effective as Lidocaine in reliving sore throat.

Sage Mouthwash- Mix 1-tbs Sage leaves with 1-cup hot water. After about 5-minutes, strain the mixture, and gargle with the liquid.

Freezing Eggs - A Frugal Tip

Eggs!   

Sometimes you just need a few for the occasional breakfast or salad garnish.
And at times, especially when baking on holidays you can use up to several dozen eggs over just a few days.
One way to save some money is to purchase eggs that you may need in a few weeks or months even, while they are on sale at a low price and then freeze them until needed.

Yes, I said freeze your eggs. They can be stored in this way for 1-3 months without any damage to them, and then just take them our from the freezer and thaw them overnight and you have nice fresh eggs ready to use.

Raw whole eggs, raw egg whites and hard-boiled eggs can be frozen; but not eggs in the shell.   

One quick way to freeze egg whites is to place them in an ice tray and then freeze.  After freezing, remove the cubes and transfer them to a freezer container. 

You can prevent raw eggs and yolks from becoming thick when freezing, by adding either 1-1/2 teaspoons of sugar or 1/8 teaspoon of salt for each 4 eggs frozen. 

But be sure to label the freezer container with what you added for future reference. 

Thaw frozen eggs overnight in the refrigerator when possible; otherwise, you can thaw them under cold running water.

I place the sealed bag in a large bowl of room temperature water and let then sit on the counter. It only takes a couple of hours to thaw this way.

• This selection is from the Book by Don Bobbitt called; FOOD FACTS.