Salmon Ball

My friend Candy made this for a holiday party (December 2022). This is the recipe she followed: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/24633/salmon-ball/

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (16 ounce) can salmon, drained and flaked
1 bunch chopped parsley
 
Directions
 
In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix cream cheese, onion, horseradish, salt and lemon juice. Mix in the salmon, distributing it evenly throughout. Form mixture into a ball and roll in the parsley. Wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator until serving.

Garlic Parmesan-Stuffed Mushrooms

I made this tasty appetizer for a holiday party, December 2022.

Adapted from https://tasty.co/recipe/garlic-parmesan-stuffed-mushrooms

Ingredients
 
15 mushrooms
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon black pepper, freshly ground
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, chopped, to garnish
Some chopped fresh spinach
1.5 T minced onion
1-2 slices cheddar cheese, grated

Directions
 
Preheat oven to 350°.
 
Cut the stems off of each of the mushrooms and finely chop them.
Bake the mushrooms stem side down for about 15 -20 minutes on a baking pan to release some of the water from the mushrooms.
 
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan over high heat. Cook the chopped stems with the garlic, salt, and pepper for about six to eight minutes, constantly stirring. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Remove from heat.
 
In a medium bowl, combine cooked stems, cream cheese, breadcrumbs, half of the parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper, spinach, minced onion and cheddar cheese; mixing until evenly combined. The mixture should be extremely thick.
 
Spoon a generous amount of the cream cheese mixture on top of each mushroom.
 
Place the parmesan cheese in a plate and pressed the stuffed mushrooms into the cheese for the topping.
 
Bake for 20 minutes.
 
Garnish with a sprinkle of parsley, and then serve!
    
My Notes:
 
The last four ingredients are my additions.

For the mushrooms, I bought the 24 oz. size container from Costco. This recipe makes a large batch of stuffing, so having the large mushrooms was perfect (19 total). I removed the entire stem of each mushroom. 
 
I used closer to 6 oz of cream cheese. Adjust as needed. This recipe makes a big batch of stuffing, so buy more mushrooms!
 

  

Carrot Cake

I first made this for a rotation dinner group back on 26 March 2020. It was the first time I made carrot cake and it was one of the best carrot cakes I've had.

I can't believe I never made it again until today, 31 December 2022. I will definitely keep this at the top of my list to make from now on. This time I took photos as I prepared it. 

Serves 12

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

2 cups white flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1-3/4 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded carrots (I used a potato peeler and then chopped the carrots. This is about 5 medium carrots)
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 8-oz.can crushed pineapple, drained

For the frosting:

1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & lightly flour a 9"x13" pan.

Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Add the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix with a wooden spoon until smooth.

Stir in carrots, coconut, walnuts and pineapple.

Pour into the pan and bake for 40-45 minutes.

Add the frosting to the top after the cake has cooled.

To make the frosting:

Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth; add the sugar and beat until creamy.


My changes from the original recipe: 

I added 1/2 cup of dried cranberries to the mixture. I reduced the amount of cinnamon to 1 teaspoon, as my husband is not a fan of cinnamon.

For the frosting, I added about 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, lemon zest, and 1/8 teaspoon of vanilla. Once I put the frosting on the cake, I added more lemon zest on top.

 Shredded and chopped 

Mixing the ingredients together

 

 Added dried cranberries

 Poured into the pan

 Out of the oven after 44 minutes

Combining the frosting ingredients:

Frosting the cake:

Freezing Leftovers: 

Yes, you can freeze carrot cake. When I have leftovers (still in the pan), I'll cut them into individual servings and place the pan into the freezer long enough for the frosting to firm up. Then I wrap each serving in saran wrap and then tin foil; place in  zip lock bags. 

To defrost, remove the foil and saran wrap when you take them out of the freezer. Then allow to defrost several hours on the counter or overnight. This way the frosting doesn't stick to the saran wrap. 

Festive Olive and Cheese Appetizer

I made this appetizer last night for Christmas Eve. It's very easy and fast to make.

 

Recipe from https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/273496/festive-olive-and-cheese-appetizer/

Servings: 6
 

Ingredients

24 sprigs fresh rosemary
12 ounces marinated mozzarella balls, drained
½ cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, rinsed and dried
¼ cup pitted Kalamata olives, rinsed and drained
¼ cup sugar plum tomatoes

Directions

 
Arrange rosemary sprigs in a 10-inch-diameter circle to resemble a wreath. Start by placing one sprig at a 45-degree angle with the leafy tip facing outwards. Continue adding sprigs in the same direction until you have formed a full circle.
 

Arrange clusters of mozzarella balls, olives, and tomatoes over rosemary sprigs.

Notes: 

The quantities for my dish was a little different. You can place any amount of cheese and olives, depending on the size of the dish. 

I purchased the mozzarella balls from Costco. They were not marinated, so I placed the cheese, olives, and tomatoes in a bowl and tossed them with olive oil, a little bit of crushed red pepper, salt and pepper, and Italian seasoning. Then I placed everything on top of the rosemary wreath.

Chocolate Espresso Cookie

5 December 2022

Chocolate Espresso Cookies

 

This is a recipe from a Bon Appétit magazine from about 30 years ago. This makes about 48 cookies. Today I made this for an upcoming cookie exchange with my friends. 

Ingredients

 

1 C. flour

1/2 C. Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. baking soda
3 T. each butter and margarine, room temperature
1/2 C. plus 2 t. sugar
1/2 C. packed golden brown sugar
1-1/2 T. instant espresso powder
1 t. vanilla extract
1 large egg white
 

Directions

Sift the first four dry ingredients into a small bowl.

 
In another bowl, beat butter and margarine with a hand mixer. Add both sugars, espresso powder, and vanilla and beat until blended. Mix in the egg white. Add the dry ingredients (half at a time) and beat until just incorporated.

   

  

Using hands, knead briefly in the bowl until smooth. Form the dough into one log, about 14” long by 2” thick.  Cover with plastic wrap and chill for an hour in the refrigerator.

 

Position the oven racks in top and bottom 1/3rd of the oven; heat to 350 degrees. Slice the logs 1/4” thick and place on baking sheets. Bake until cracked and almost frim, reversing the baking sheets from top to bottom after 7 minutes; 14 minutes total baking time.
 

Cool on racks.

 

These can be made two weeks ahead.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

My Notes: I use a deep bowl for the main mixing because when you add the dry ingredients it blows all over the kitchen when mixing.  

Yellow Caviar Dip

 I made this dip recently for a holiday party.  My original recipe (https://monicacooks.blogspot.com/2009/04/red-caviar-dip.html) calls for red caviar. I couldn't find any in the area grocery stores so I went with yellow caviar.  

Ingredients:

1 8-oz package of cream cheese, room temperature

5 T. Sour cream

2 T. Chives, fresh, chopped (set some aside for garnish)

2 oz. Yellow caviar, drained  (set about 1/2 t. aside for garnish)

French baguette, sliced

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the cream cheese and sour cream. Fold in the chives.

GENTLY fold in the caviar until combined. 

Transfer to a serving bowl.  

Top with remaining caviar and a few chives for garnish.

Chill in the refrigerator (covered w/saran wrap) before serving.

Mediterranean Strata

 Mediterranean Strata

4 October 2022
 
Our cookbook club organizer selected “The Breakfast Bible 100+ Favorite Recipes To Start The Day from Williams Sonoma.”
 
I selected the Mediterranean Strata. It was very easy to put together.
 
Serves 4-6 (10-12 servings for a pot luck dinner).
 
1 T unsalted butter
1/2 lb crusty Italian bread, day-old, cut into 1-inch cubes (I used a French baguette)
1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained well and chopped
1/3 C Kalamata olives, pitted and halved (I didn’t read this correctly and thought it said 1/2 cups.
1/4 C oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced (I chopped them)
1/4 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded (I small-diced the cheese)
1.5 T grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 C lightly packed fresh basil leaves, chopped
6 large eggs
2 C. whole milk (I used 1.75 cups half and half; and 1/4 cup water)
Salt and freshly pepper
 
Butter the bottom and sides of a 9”x13” baking dish that is 2” deep. Place the bread cubes in a single layer in the prepared dish. Top with the artichoke hearts, olives sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, Parmesan, and basil, spreading the ingredients out evenly.
 
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and season with salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the strata. Cover with aluminum foil and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, or refrigerate for up to 24 hours.  (I did the 1-hour method).
 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
 
Bake the strata, covered for 20 minutes.  Uncover and continue to bake until the eggs are set and the strata is golden brown, about 20 minutes longer.
 
Let cool slightly, the cut into squares and serve.

Overall, a very easy dish to make and quite tasty. 

Photos as I prepared the dish:

Cherry Tomato, Feta & Basil Salad

This is quicky and easy tomato salad to make. 

Ingredients

1 clove garlic, minced

3 T. Olive Oil

1 T. Balsamic vinegar

1 t. Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Squeeze of lemon juice, about 1 T

2 C. Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half

Fresh basil, chopped, about 6 leaves

1/4 C. Crumbled Feta cheese

Directions

Combine the first six ingredients in a serving bowl and whisk together. Taste and adjust as needed to your liking. 

Add the tomatoes, basil, and feta cheese; toss to combine. 

Cover and let sit in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This will allow the flavors to meld.

Note: I made this again recently and added peeled/diced cucumber (one small) and about 10 Kalamata olives, sliced.

Peruvian-Style Chicken w/Green Sauce

(Updated to add photos and some comments)

I hosted a rotation group dinner (11 April 2015) with 17 friends and chose Peruvian foods for the dinner theme. I made Peruvian chicken, a green aji sauce, a yellow sauce (both spicy from jalapeno and aji peppers); and a rice/lentil side dish.

The following are the recipe for the chicken and both sauces. There are links below to the rice/lentil side dish and a Peruvian potato salad that a friend made.

I've made this chicken dish many, many times. I double the green sauce to use for other meals.

Peruvian-Style Roast Chicken with Green Sauce

Adapated from: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/peruvian-style-roast-chicken-with-green-sauce.html

For the Chicken

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice, from 2 limes
4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons sugar
4 pound whole chicken

Combine all of the ingredients except the chicken in a blender or mini food processor, and blend until smooth. Remove the giblets from the inside of the chicken and pat the outside of the chicken dry with paper towels; place in a bowl, breast side up with the legs facing you. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or your fingers, loosen the skin from the flesh over the breasts and legs, being careful not to tear the skin or push all the way through (you want the marinade to stay inside the bird). Spoon about 2/3 of the marinade evenly underneath the skin, and spread the remaining 1/3 evenly over the skin. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position, and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil for easy clean-up. Spray a rack (preferably a v-shape) with non-stick cooking spray and place the chicken on top. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Roast for 20 minutes, until the skin is golden. Turn the heat down to 375 degrees, and continue to roast for about an hour and ten minutes more, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and thigh. (Keep an eye on it -- if it's browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil.) Tent the chicken with foil and let rest for about 20 minutes. Tilt the chicken over the roasting pan to release the juices, then transfer to a cutting board. Carve the chicken and serve with green sauce.

For the Green Sauce [I love this sauce that I now double the recipe]

  

     

3 jalapeño chili peppers, seeded if desired [I use one large jalapeño pepper, keeping about

      1/4th of the seeds for a low-medium heat taste], roughly chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's [I used less mayonnaise]
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from one lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

[I added 1.5 ounces of queso fresco cheese, as it was listed in another recipe]

Combine all of the ingredients except the olive oil in a blender or food processor and blend into a smooth sauce. With the motor running, open lid and slowly drizzle in olive oil. It will seem very runny at this point but, don't worry, it will thicken up as it sits. Transfer the sauce to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Yellow Aji sauce 
Adapted from: http://vespawoolf.hubpages.com/hub/Peruvian-Sauce-Recipe

3 ounces (80 grams) queso fresco (fresh cheese), farmer's cheese or feta

1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
4 aji peppers (seeds & veins removed) or 1/4 cup aji amarillo paste
4 small sprigs huacatay or 1/2 teaspoon huacatay paste
4 Tablespoons (15 mL) vegetable oil, divided
1 Tablespoon raw peanuts
salt, to taste

Coarsely chop peppers, onion and garlic.

Pour 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil into a medium skillet. Over medium heat, saute vegetables until soft.

Scrape vegetables into a blender container. Add the remaining ingredients (including the rest of the vegetable oil) and blend for several minutes, until thick and creamy.

Drizzle over steamed potatoes or serve with fries, beef or chicken.

My notes: 

1. I used chicken thighs, legs, and a couple of large breasts (cut smaller). In all, about 30 pieces. Tony used his smoker and followed the directions for roasting. The breasts came out slightly dry, so next time, we’ll stick to legs and thighs. Total cooking time was about 1.5 hours. No resting of the chicken – we dove in and it disappeared quickly.

2.  The green sauce was a hit! This is definitely a sauce I’ll make many more times for my other meals. It would be great on any chicken, beef, or pork; even cooked potatoes. You can even use it as a dipping sauce with chips or pita bread.

3. The yellow sauce came out very thick. Adding a little water or sour cream will reduce the thickness. I didn’t have any raw peanuts on hand; and I used the aji amarillo paste instead of peppers.  

Here are two other recipes from the dinner:

Peruvian Potatoes with Spicy Cream Sauce (Papas a la Huancaina): http://monicacooks.blogspot.com/2015/04/peruvian-potatoes-with-spicy-cream-sauce.html

Peruvian Rice and Lentils (Tacu Tacu): http://monicacooks.blogspot.com/2015/04/peruvian-rice-lentis-tacu-tacu.html

 

Brazilian Chopped Salad

I had two couples over recently fora Brazilian-themed dinner. Tony did the steaks, a friend made a rice/bean dish; and another made this delicious recipe (https://www.aspicyperspective.com/brazilian-chopped-salad/).

Ingredients

For the Brazilian Chopped Salad:

• 14 ounces hearts of palm
• 12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 fennel bulb
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1/2 small red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped mint

For the Lime Vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon honey or agave
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

For the Vinaigrette:

• For the vinaigrette: Pour all the ingredients in a jar. Add 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.  Screw the lid on tight and shake to combine.

To Assemble:

• Drain the can of hearts of palm, then chop into 1/4-inch rounds. Cut the tomatoes in half. Cut the stems off the fennel bulb. Then cut the bulb in half and remove the core. Lay the fennel bulb halves flat, and slice into thin "shaved" pieces. Cut the avocado into chunks. Cut the onion half, in half again, then slice into thin strips. Finally, chop the fresh mint.
• Place the shaved fennel on a large platter (or in salad bowl.) Top with tomatoes, hearts of palm, onion, avocado, and mint. Drizzle the salad dressing over the top and toss.

Notes: My friend was kind to leave the chopped mint on the side, as Tony is not a mint lover.

This was a wonderful and flavorful salad. My friend wasn't sure about this because it was her first time eating hearts of palm and fennel. She loved it!