Acorn Squash and Leek Galette

18 Mar 2012 5 Comments

by georgiecakes in Appetizers, Bake, Food, Gourmet, Healthy, Main Dish, Pie, Tart Tags: , , , ,

Today I’m guest posting for my friends over at Hello Boutique.  Seeing the new fashion styles at their online store inspired me to put a new spin on my menu.  Like maybe making more of these low calorie galettes for starters.  They will have you ready for spring in no time.


Acorn Squash & Leek Galette

2 butternut squash

1 large leek, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 oz cream cheese

1 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded

Salt & pepper to taste

9-inch piecrust, store bought is perfect (I used pillsbury pie dough)


Preparing the Acorn Squash:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Cut the acorn squash in half, scoop out seeds. Using 1 tablespoon of butter, dollop into the center of squash, place on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil to one side, leaving room for the leeks. Taking the chopped leeks and toss with olive oil, set to the other side of foil lined baking sheet, place in oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until squash is tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes prior to mixing with other ingredients.

While acorn squash and leeks are roasting, roll out the piecrust to fit a rectangular cookie baking sheet, set aside until ready to use.

Mix cream cheese and 3/4 of the shredded cheddar cheese in a bowl. Scoop the acorn squash out, along with the leeks. Combine into the cheese mixture, mix well. Spread evenly over piecrust, leaving a couple of inches along the edges to fold over.  Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown in color. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, slice and serve. Enjoy!

*recipe adapted from Three Many Cooks

Kale & Feta Baked Wontons for #Greenslove

02 Mar 2012 30 Comments

by georgiecakes in Appetizers, Bloghop Love, Food, Gourmet Tags: , , , , ,

#Greenslove couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m still feeling the remnants of #chocolatelove as I sit here eating the last piece of chocolate, really. I’m only eating healthy greens for the entire month, I’m going to try, really.

#Greenslove

I recently had a dinner party and wanted to make an appetizer that would allow me to use a array of ingredients that would satisfy everyones palate. I also wanted it to be something simple to make and healthy for you.  I made two flavors of baked wontons but one stood out… Kale & Feta.

Kale & Feta Baked Wontons

Kale & Feta Wontons

1 Bunch of Kale, cleaned and chopped (2 cups)

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled (I used tomato & basil flavored feta)

1/2 cup cottage cheese

2 garlic cloves, minced

dash salt (to taste)

dash of pepper (to taste)

14 wonton wrappers

1/4 cup olive oil

Kale & Feta

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet, set aside until ready to use.

Rinse and dry the kale. Cut the kale away from the vein of the stem and chop into strips. Place kale in a saucepan, add minced garlic, salt and pepper and sauté for five minutes or until leaves are tender. Set aside and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Add feta cheese, cottage cheese and mix until all ingredients are incorporated.

Baked Wontons

Taking a wonton wrapper, lay flat on work surface, scoop a teaspoonful of kale & feta mixture into the center of your wonton wrapper, folding over the top, then the bottom, followed by the sides. Brush lightly with olive oil to seal closed. Place on the baking sheet, allowing 2 inches between each wonton, bake for 10 minutes. Plate and serve.

March is #greenslove month!

Please join in on the #greenslove fun by linking up any leafy green recipe for the month of March 2012. Don’t forget to link back to this post, so that your readers know to come stop by the #greenslove event! The twitter hashtag is #greenslove.

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Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…

Al Dente Gourmet ~ Aldy ~ @AlDenteGourmet
ASTIG Vegan ~ Richgail ~  @astigvegan
Bon a croquer ~ Valerie ~ @Valouth
Cheap Ethnic Eatz ~ Evelyne ~ @cethniceatz
Easily Good Eats ~ Three Cookies
Oh Cake ~ Jessica ~ @jesshose

Balsamic Herb Glazed Chicken

26 Sep 2011 23 Comments

by georgiecakes in Food, Gourmet, Healthy, Italian Dishes, Main Dish Tags: , , ,

Today’s post is for a special club I’ve joined – The Secrete Recipe Club.  Wondering what the secret is… well I’ll tell ya… it’s  a group of  food bloggers who get to test, taste and share each others recipes, the only thing is…  shush – it’s a secret, that is until the reveal date.

My special food blogger for this month is Mindy at The World in My Kitchen. She’s a very talented and creative chef! I chose her Balsamic Rosemary Chicken recipe because it looked incredible and sounded so good my mouth was watering. I did however make a few changes by adding a Tuscan seasoning that includes rosemary, garlic and a melange of other earthy spices.

Balsamic Herb Glazed Chicken

Here’s what you’ll need to make this incredible Balsamic Herb Glazed Chicken.

6 chicken breast cutlets

1 cup balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons Tuscan seasoning

2 tablespoons olive oil

Balsamic Herb Glaze

In a small saucepan add balsamic vinegar, Tuscan seasoning, bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until balsamic has reduced to a glaze. Remove from heat, mix in the olive oil and allow to cool.  Transfer to bowl or serving dish.

Balsamic Herb Glazed Chicken & Salad

Heat a pan over medium high heat, coat with olive oil. Add chicken breasts and cook chicken 8 to 10 minutes on each side.  I’m using a grilling pan,  searing each side.  Remove from pan and let stand for 5 minutes.  Plate chicken onto your serving platter.  Drizzle a generous amount of balsamic glaze on your chicken.  Serve as lunch or dinner  alongside a salad or  atop of a panini. Enjoy!

Click the link below to check out more great recipes from this month’s Secret Recipe Club!


Summertime Cruising

03 Aug 2011 4 Comments

by georgiecakes in Appetizers, Around Town, Farm, Food, Gourmet, Grill, Main Dish, Serendipitous Adventures Tags: , , ,

My cousin Al invited us to a cruise party this past weekend.  Wondering what a cruise party is? It’s a pool side party serving up a smorgasbord of food all day long – minus the ship.  We couldn’t have asked for a prettier day.  The sky was blue as far as the eye could see, the pool’s glistening waves tempting us to jump in; and the occasional cotton candy cloud rolling by giving just enough shade when we needed it most.   Life is SWEET!

Summertime - Pool - Palm Tree - Patio

Al certainly picked the perfect time to have a cruise party – smack in the middle of a heatwave.   It’s been hot! It’s been hazy!  It’s been humid!

There’s somethings about Al you need to know… he throws the best parties!  I rarely miss one unless I’m out of town.   The man is brilliant when it comes to cooking and menu planning –  decorating and designing are second nature to him.  He built the fireplace below and restored much of the furniture in his home.  I adore his home with it’s cozy and inviting presence, you feel as if your wrapped in a warm cashmere throw, it’s beautiful and easy to relax in.

Home Decor - Canning

There’s also a garden and greenhouse.  Did I mention it’s a very large and beautiful garden.  Filled with incredible luscious vegetables that we consumed for dinner.  I have dibs on the pumpkin blossoms!

Greenhouse Garden

I’m willing to share the cucumbers, leek flowers, herbs and loofah gourd… really!  Just think of all the wonderful recipes you can create to eat and pamper yourself, like making your own loofah or leek flower soup.

Cucumbers - Leek Flowers - Loofah Gourd

Here’s whats left from last years harvest of canning.   I’ll have some chili peppers please!

Canning

The menu Al planned included appetizers like chips and homemade salsa, tomato caprese, mozzarella wrapped in prosciutto, antipasto salad and grilled shrimp.

Grilled Shrimp

Lunch was served buffet style with potato, pasta and cole slaw salads along side an assortment of sandwiches on homemade bread. Gawd was that bread good!

Homemade Bread

Al was hard at work on this dinner menu marinating the pork in a lemon and parsley sauce.  The chicken and beef in a teriyaki and Italian sauce while they rested within mason jars for 24 hours, rotating them every 8 hours.  Dinner was exciting, we got to thread our own shish-kabobs!

Shish-kabobs

There was so much good food that I’m posting one recipe only, and that was the party goers favorite  “Pork Lion Shish-Kabobs”!

Here’s what you need to marinate the pork lion:

3 lbs pork lion, trim fat, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 cup lemon juice

1 tsp salt

1 tbs parsley finely chopped

2  tsp thyme

1/4  tsp ground pepper

Place all the ingredients together in a bag, jar or container mixing well.  Refrigerate and allow to rest for 24 hours.  Heat grill, thread skewers with pork and desired vegetables — we used red – green – yellow peppers, leeks, mushrooms, broccoli and tomato’s.  Place shish-kabobs on grill, thoroughly cook until meat has reached tender perfection.

I think you’ll  love these.

After filling ourselves with all the incredibly good food, good coffee and yummy brownies, we ended the evening with a midnight swim.

We Don't Skinny Dip We Chunky Dunk!

If you would like to find out more about Al and his business you can visit his site at The Border Group.  Here you can learn more about local real estate, home staging and decorating and other ideas to make you home more beautiful.

Smile And Have A Vegemite Sandwich

25 Jul 2011 4 Comments

by georgiecakes in Around Town, Food, Gourmet, Holiday, Love My Local, Photography, Serendipitous Adventures Tags: , , , ,

Vegemite & Crackers

I’ve not been around for quite some time — taking a very much needed break from the inter-web.  As fluent as I may think I am with computers, apps and new technology, my head was beginning to feel as though it was half baked; coupled with a nasty virus that made its way through a twitter link to my hard drive, I was forced to take a sabbatical!  In hindsight I’m pleased, though on the day I discovered the virus I was in full panic mode.  My computer would need to spend time at the repair shop and me, well I would have to improvise with what I had – an iPhone.

Silly stuff I do with my iPhone while playing with my photography apps.

Destroy Boredom

It’s just as well… since my cousin was visiting from Australia and we were about to embark on a sightseeing adventure.  Our holiday started in Pennsylvania — making our way to the historical sites like the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, Thank you founding fathers and mothers for our independence.

Amish Country - Intercourse PA

Next was Amish country, I ‘m amazed at how incredibly manicured the Amish keep farm lands without modern day technology.  By the way they make really good whoopie pies, be sure to have one during your next visit.

The kids enjoyed the petting zoo at Kitchen Kettle Village where they got to take pony rides and feed the Llama and Goats.

Does this filter make my teeth look big?

This is Chloe – I want to set her free, bring her home and let her graze on hay all day.

Chloe

Later we stumbled through NYC, discovering some of the best shopping and restaurants, and eating some of the best desserts – walking it all off during the adventurous trek over the Brooklyn Bridge.

Brooklyn Bridge

Our last stop was Boston.  I could really live here — it’s absolutely gorgeous!  We shopped on Newbury Street, visited historical sites and ate loads and loads of good food.  We were so exhausted by the end of the trip that it took two days to recuperate.

Boston Harbor

When my cousin arrived she brought Australian crackers and Vegemite.  So we did what any Aussie would do…

Vegemite

We made a proper cup of tea and spread Vegemite atop of our crackers.  I’m told when I was young and living in Australia I ate Vegemite daily.  I thought perhaps absence would make the heart grow fonder…  but I was wrong…  Vegemite is a taste one must acquire.  It’s loaded with essential vitamins, like vitamin B; though it’s still not enough to persuade me to smear it on bagels, vegetables or crackers.

I’ll stick to granola, like this amazing Early Bird  Brand gathered in Brooklyn.  This is my kind of snacking.

Early Bird Granola

We had a great time with my cousin while visiting family and friends.  I’m looking forward to one day going back to Australia on holiday to experience the food and culture there, explore Queensland, Kata Tjuta, Ayers Rock, Blue Mountains, Victoria and NSW.  I’m back to work, fully rested and computer de-bugged…  the Land Down Under will have to wait… for now.

French Toast Soufflé

25 Apr 2011 1 Comment

by georgiecakes in Bake, Food, Gourmet Tags: , , , ,

After a few weeks of fasting, this is how we started our Easter Sunday.  Allow me to introduce you to the sugary, syrupy, luscious, lovely french toast soufflé.  I really love this stuff!

French Toast Souffle

French Toast Soufflé

French Toast:
1 loaf sweet bread or challah bread
6 large eggs
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup condensed sweet milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Dash salt

Praline Topping:
1/4 cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup or Maple Syrup
1 cup Pecans (Finely chopped)
½ Stick of butter

Slice the sweet bread into 1-inch thick slices, about 10 pieces.   Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch baking dish in two rows, overlapping each slice.  In a bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, condensed milk, sugar, vanilla and salt; beat with a whisk until all the ingredients are blended.  Pour mixture over the bread slices, covering all the bread slices evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon the mixture in between the slices making sure they are covered.  Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate allowing the sweet bread to soak, absorb and marinate overnight.

The next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve immediately with warm maple syrup.

Did I mention how much I love this stuff!

Artichokes & Lima Beans

23 Apr 2011 4 Comments

by georgiecakes in Food, Gourmet, Greek Dishes, Healthy, Holiday Tags: , , ,

Here’s a healthy side dish that’s full of protein and super yummy.  A unique combination of artichokes, lima beans and fresh dill make this dish surprisingly delicious.

Artichokes, Lima Beans, Fresh Dill

Here’s what you will need… medium cooking pot,  prep time 10 minutes, cook time 45 minutes, Serves 6

½ cup Olive Oil
6 stalks Scallions, Chopped
2 cups Water
16 ounces Lima Beans (1 – 16 Ounce Frozen Bag)
16 ounces Artichokes (1 – 16 Ounce Can)
½ cup Dill Fresh (chopped)
1 dash Salt and Pepper, to taste

Artichokes

In a pot on medium heat, add olive oil and scallions sauteing until translucent. Add Lima beans and dill and mix for 2 minutes. Add water, salt and pepper bring to a boil. Add artichokes and cook for 4o minutes. Serve with your favorite protein, fish or lamb, or enjoy on it’s own as a main meal.

Spanakorizo (Σπανακόριζο – Spinach & Rice)

19 Apr 2011 4 Comments

by georgiecakes in Food, Gourmet, Greek Dishes, Healthy, Holiday Tags: , , , , , , ,

This week is Holy Week for me, leading up Greek Orthodox Easter (Πάσχα, or Paskha).  Christians and Catholics will celebrate Easter this week, while Passover will be celebrated in the Jewish faith.  Every few years these holiday’s fall within the same week depending on which calendar you follow, the lunisolar, the Julian or the Gregorian.

Spanakorizo

It’s no wonder the food blogosphere is deep rooted into a miscellanea of recipes that may even precede these calenders themselves.   It’s these holidays where our most traditional recipes emerge for these sacred festivities representing our past, present and future.

This week my lovely mother is visiting me for the holiday and we’ve put together an exceptional menu.  A week of fasting leading us up to our traditional Easter feast of roasted Lamb & potatoes,  spinach pie, cheese pie, Greek salad and many more scrumptious favorites I will be sharing over the next few weeks.  Today’ s menu starts with Spanakorizo “Σπανακόριζο” – Spinach & Rice.

Here’s what you will need… medium cooking pot,  prep time 1/2 hour, cook time 25 minutes, Serves 6

1/4 cup olive oil

1 scallion onion (chopped)

1 bunch spinach (roughly chopped)

1/2 cup long grained rice

3 cups or water (or broth)

1/4 cup fresh dill (chopped)

3/4 cup of fresh pureed tomatoes

salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Saute scallion onion until translucent.  Add tomato puree, dill, salt and pepper, stirring for a few minutes, then add spinach and saute into mixture.  Add water and bring to a boil.  Stir in rice, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.   Allow Spanakorizo to cool for 15 minutes prior to serving.

Whatever holiday you are celebrating this week, I hope it’s amazing!

Gigantes “Fosolada” Greek Beans

29 Mar 2011 3 Comments

by georgiecakes in Food, Gourmet, Greek Dishes, Healthy, Main Dish Tags: , , , ,

The first time I saw these gigantic beans was visiting my mother’s village Myrtia, Greece.  Myrtia is perched atop a small mountain in a seaside village on the southern Peloponnese coast.  The view from the village is absolutely breathless… see for yourself.

Myrtia & Skala Shipwreck Dusk "Photo Courtesy Stathakis"

My mother’s sister, Thea Kannellio operates the only restaurant in the center of town, known as the “kentro”.  Every evening the most incredible aromas of Greek rustic dinners would emerge from her kitchen, drawing in the village folks.  Here I had my first tasty morsel of this humongous bean… I instantly fell in love with its earthy flavor and refreshing taste.  I insisted my Thea Kannellio make these every week during my stay, though she preferred me to taste other culinary dishes her country had to offer.

Thea Kannellio, Papou & Mama Vasiliki

When I returned to the states, I searched every specialty store to find these lovely beans.  This was not an easy feat, but I prevailed!

 

Arosis Gigantes Bean

Now I could satisfy my yearning for these giant little beans.  First in line…  a cooking lesson from my mother and the sharing of this traditional recipe the way her mother prepared gigantes.  The recipe was now being passed onto me.

 

Gigantes Oven Baked

Much to my liking they emerged from the oven perfectly and exactly as I remembered them -  thick, juicy, earthy, flavorful and satisfying!

Here’s what you need… dutch oven, sauté pan, prep time 1 1/2 hours, cook time 1 hour, Serves 12

1 pound dried gigantes beans (about 2 ¾ to 3 cups)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup onion chopped

1 cup celery chopped

1 cup carrots chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1  can crushed tomatoes, undrained (28-ounce)

1/4 cup fresh leaf parsley chopped

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Sort and wash beans, place 3 cups of the washed gigantes beans in a large bowl and cover with water, allowing beans to soak overnight for about 12 hours.  After soaking, remove all floating beans and discard.  Drain and rinse well, place in a large pot cover with water, about 2 inches above beans, and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until beans are tender. Drain beans.

 

Gigantes Soaking

Preheat oven to 325°.  While beans cook on the stove top, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic, cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in oregano and tomatoes, simmer 10 minutes.  Stir in parsley, salt, and pepper. Combine the cooked beans and tomato mixture in a 3-quart casserole and bake at 325° for 1 hour.

 

Garlic - Carrots - Celery - Herbs - Olive Oil

These are nutritious and super good for you.  Serve them as a main dish with bread, as a “meze” or side dish with roasted lamb.  Whichever way you decide to serve these gigantes up, be sure to make plenty – it’s easy to get carried away eating straight from the pan until every “little – big” morsels has disappeared.

Myrtia & Skala Shipwreck Day "Photo Courtesy Stathakis"

And remember… beans, beans they’re good for you heart!

Turkey Joes on Pitas

06 Jan 2011 2 Comments

by georgiecakes in Chef, Food, Gourmet, Main Dish Tags: , , , , , , , ,

 

Turkey Joes

In an effort to get thin and I mean fabulously thin, one of my new year’s resolutions is to lose those extra pounds I so graciously packed on from, well… to be exact starting May 24th 2008.  Why do I remember this date so well you may be asking?  Because it’s the day I quit smoking, upon which I immediately began following my dream… to bake and to bake well, as well as a pastry chef.

I know…

I think the nicotine withdrawals clouded my judgment.  As well as my slight obsession with fondant!  Mastering how to make it, mold it and apply it.  To this day, I continue to struggle with fondant.  Oh’ and  I am still a non-smoker, Amen!

So for anyone who’s quitting smoking as a new year resolution… please, I beg of you…  take up an alternate hobby, such as dancing, tai chi, biking, yoga, painting – anything other than baking!  It will definitely make you look and feel better.  Kind of like these super scrumptious Turkey Joes.

Here’s what you need… a skillet, prep time 35 minutes, bake time 25 minutes, Serves 6

Victoria Gourmet Spice Rack

1 ½ Lbs Ground Turkey

½ Cup Tomato Sauce

1 Garlic Glove (minced)

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste

1 Tablespoon Onion Powder – I use Toasted Onion Herb

1 Tablespoon Italian Spices – I use Sicilian Seasoning

2 Tablespoons Chili Powder – I use Texas Red Seasoning

Turn stove top to medium heat.  In the skillet add olive oil, minced garlic, tomato paste.  Add the seasonings I use Victoria Gourmet Season but you can use your favorite Italian seasoning, Chili powder and onion powder allowing to brown for a few minutes.  Add the raw ground turkey and mix well with seasonings and cover, “the cover is optional”.  Let simmer for 25 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes allowing dish to savor the flavors.

I love serving these on soft pita bread and I heart these low calorie Pita Breads by Joseph’s.   I also make lettuce wraps with the Turkey Joes as appetizers.  They’re super tasty any way you serve them.

Pita Bread by Joseph's

Cheers to good health!  And may we all be skinny and b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l this year!

Bella – Bella for Portabella!

20 Dec 2010 1 Comment

by georgiecakes in Appetizers, Bake, Chef, Food, Gourmet, Main Dish Tags: , , ,

Agaricus bisporus is not the most glamorous name, but that’s what they call this dark brown mushroom in scientific circles.  However, to the rest of us they’re known as Portabella or Portobello depending on where you live.

 

Roasted Portabella, Tomato & Mozzarella

I first was introduced to mushrooms in 1978 at a friend’s house for dinner.  Sautéed button white mushrooms in a garlic and butter sauce, these were being served as one of the side dishes.  Well that is, “were” as in past tense, before my friend and I ate more than half of these tasty little morsels straight from the pan.

 

Portabella tasty little morsels

Thus began my affection for this “fun guy” or is it “fungi”…  I’ve been preparing these ever since that infamous introduction!  I make these as an appetizer, main course or snack – today I’ve prepared them to be served as all of the above.

Roasted Portabella, Tomato & Mozzarella

Here’s what you need… small roasting pan, oven temp 400 degrees, bake time 35 minutes, Serves 4

4 Portabella mushrooms “large”

2 Tomato’s “large”

2 Garlic Gloves

6 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

¼ Cup Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons fresh Italian oregano

½ Cup Fresh Sweet Basil

1 Teaspoon seasoned sea salt

1 Teaspoon cracked pepper

1 Cup vegetable stock

1 Cup or a ball of fresh mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400.  Clean Mushrooms gently with a brush and lay inside roasting pan with tops facing down. Slice tomatoes ¼ inch thick and set alongside mushrooms in roasting pan.  Press garlic through garlic press and spread onto mushroom be sure to get inside cap and within the mushroom gills.  Take 1 Teaspoon each of Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar and dash onto of mushroom caps and gills.

In a bowl combine the vegetable stock, remaining olive oil and balsamic vinegar, as well as the oregano blend together then pouring mixture onto mushrooms and tomatoes.  Finally add the sweet basil by layering over the tomatoes and mushrooms.  Place in oven without cover and let roast for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile cut the fresh mozzarella into very thin slices about 1/8 of inch.  Remove mushroom from oven  and with a spoon scoop roasting juices from the bottom of pan and begin basting the mushrooms and tomatoes to marinate.  It’s time to begin layering all the ingredients starting with mushrooms at the bottom, then add mozzarella – baste with roasting juices between each layer, add tomato – baste some more, add final layer of mozzarella and baste one more time.  Place in oven and let roast for five minutes until mozzarella has melted.  Remove from oven and serve immediately.

 

Something good is coming your way

Something good is coming your way – Buon appetito!

Soup it does the body good!

13 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment

by georgiecakes in Chef, Food, Gourmet, Main Dish, Soup Tags: , , , , , ,

I heart soup, especially on a day like today when it’s cold and rainy outside.  Each season offers a distinctive harvest of produce to inspire any epicurean with a colorful pallet for creating masterpieces of this liquid bullion.

Photo credit/ Wikimedia commons

It’s in the company of some of the best comfort foods, whether it’s thick & hearty or a subtle warming broth, it does the body good.

Lentils

I create soups recipes as I am preparing them, adding ingredients that often work really well together and some that just don’t!  Today I made Lentil soup and it tasted like a work of art, so much so that I had to share it with all of you.  And of course, document this recipe so that I could make it exactly, identically, perfectly the same way again.

Garlic Shallots Herbs

Here’s what you’ll need… Stockpot, saucepan, strainer, prep time 1 ½ hour

2 Cups of Lentils

2 Cups of water

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

2 Medium Shallots

1 Head of Garlic (Roasted)

2 Bay Leaves

3 Stalks of Celery

3 Carrots

¼ Teaspoon Slat

¼ Teaspoon Pepper

4 Cups Chicken or stock

1 Tablespoon of tomato paste

2 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

Lentil Garlicky Soup

In a sauce pan add water, lentils and garlic powder bring to a boil, drain and set aside. In your stockpot add olive oil, salt, pepper and tomato paste, heat for 2 minutes, then adding chopped shallots and roasted garlic browning for 10 minutes. Prepare the celery and carrots by cutting into small pieces, add to stock pot to sear along with olive oil, shallots and roasted garlic for 5 minutes.

Take the lentils (do not rinse) add to stock pot, allow to heat with herbs and oil for 2 to 3 minutes so lentils absorb all the flavors. Finally add the chicken stock mixing all the ingredients, simmer for 45 minutes and serve.

Soup really does the body good! Enjoy and SLURP!

Turkey & Rice Stuffed Peppers

08 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment

by georgiecakes in Food, Gourmet, Main Dish Tags: , , , , ,

Peppers

Here’s what you need… skillet, small roasting pan, oven temp 375 degrees, bake time 50 minutes.

1 Lbs Ground Turkey

1 Cup Rice

½ Cup Cherry Tomato

4 Sprigs Fresh Oregano

2 Fresh Bay Leaves

1 Medium Shallot

3 Garlic Cloves

2 Tablespoons Victoria Taylor’s Seasoning “Sicilian” or any Italian seasoning

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Pepper

2 Cups Vegetable Stock

2 Green Peppers

2 Red Peppers

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Preheat oven 375 degrees

Seasoning Sauté

Turn stove top to medium heat.  In the skillet add olive oil, minced garlic and chopped shallots, Italian seasoning, fresh oregano sprigs whole, bay leaves, salt & pepper and saute for 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Add rice and 1 cup of vegetable stock and cook for 10 minutes.  Add turkey and remaining 1 cup of vegetable stock and saute for 20 minutes.

Snug Peppers

While turkey and rice stuffing is sauteing begin preparing the peppers.  Cut the top of peppers and save to use again for roasting.  De-seed and de-vein the inside of peppers.  Fill with turkey and rice stuffing to the top.  Place the top of pepper atop again, snugly place in a small roasting pan. Tent the peppers with foil for 25 minutes then remove the foil for remaining 25 minutes allowing peppers to get a charred color.  Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

The way to a man’s heart…

05 Dec 2010 Leave a Comment

by georgiecakes in Chef, Food, Gourmet, Main Dish, Roasting Tags: , , , , , , ,

It’s true; the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.  Seriously!  This is the first meal I ever cooked for my husband Jeff and I can still hear him saying “you’re a really good cook… you’re a keeper”.

It’s my go to recipe when I’m cooking for a large group and want to make something incredibly simple and tasty.  This recipe has been on the menu my entire life.  I grew up eating this Greek style lemon & herb chicken with potatoes once a week and it seemed that every kid on the block would show up on that evening.  My Mother always knew to make extra.

I’ve even heard Howard Stern’s wife, Beth Ostrosky Stern refer to this recipe as the “Engagement Dinner” on the Rachel Ray show.

Jeff & Georgie... Smitten!

And we lived happily ever after!

Potato, Lemon & Herbs

Fresh herb roasted chicken & potatoes

Here’s what you’ll need…   Roasting pan, Oven Temp: 350 degrees, Bake time: 50 minutes.

1 whole Chicken or (cut whole chicken)

3 Garlic Cloves

6 sprigs of Italian Oregano

6 sprigs of Fresh Sage

6 sprigs of Rosemary

1 Lemon

½ Stick of Salted Butter

½ Cup Olive Oil

1 Cup of Chicken Stock

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Pepper

6 Medium Potatoes

Preheat oven to 450.

Chicken & potatoes in roasting pan

Clean chicken and place in roasting pan.  Peel potatoes add to chicken in the roasting pan.  Peel garlic and slice into quarter pieces and set aside.

Clean herbs, oregano, sage and rosemary and set aside.  Cut butter into ½ slices and begin rubbing under the skin of the chicken, take the garlic and three sprigs each of each of the herbs and place under the skin of chicken.

Place the remaining herb sprigs in roasting pan and sprinkle salt and pepper onto the chicken and potatoes.  Add olive oil and chicken stock to the roasting pan.

Cut lemon in half and squeeze onto chicken and potatoes.  Tent the roasting pan with a piece of foil and place in oven.

Check every twenty minutes and base the chicken and potatoes with juices. 10 minutes prior to removing from oven remove foil so potatoes and chicken get a golden slightly crispy color.

Greek Chicken & Potatoes

Plate & serve immediately!

Rustic Village Bread

03 Dec 2010 5 Comments

by georgiecakes in Bake, Food, Gourmet, Greek Dishes Tags: , , , , , , , ,

My First visit to Greece was when I was seven years old and I remember everything like it was yesterday.  It was so exciting to see this foreign land my parents spoke of so fondly in stories of their childhood memories.

Yia Yia Angelikoula Rooftop

Upon arriving I was immediately immersed into their storybook life, enamored by the cobblestone streets, stone mason buildings, farm land and animals.  We harvested the olives, milked the goats and on occasion rode the very temperamental donkey.   My most cherished memories are of my grandmother; Yia Yia Angelikoula and how she began her daily ritual creating generous feasts for us.

Making Retsina Wine

I loved my grandparent’s house with its pure white walls and bright blue trim sitting at the peak of the hill.  At the rooftop terrace with its sprawling grapevines offering shade to our afternoon siestas while watching the Ionian Sea views as a mesmerizing lullaby.

Papou Micahel Grandfather

Inside the house the floors were lined with old wooden planks that my grandfather made and stone carved stairs painted in a chalky white that would leave residue on your bare feet.  At the foot of the stairs lied that magical charred brick oven where my grandmother produced banquets that would anoint us with our daily bread.

Farm Goat Herding

Here I learned to make bread along with my Yia Yia Angelikoula, my mother, my sister and cousins.

Yia Yia Angelikoula & Georgie

We gathered together each taking part in the sacrament of making and breaking bread.

Mama Bessie, Papou Michael & Thea Kannellio. A sketch by Georgie 98

Rustic Village Bread

Rustic Village Bread

350 – 45 minutes – loaf pan or circular cake pan.  Makes 2 loaves

Here’s what you’ll need…   2 – 10 x 5 Bread pans, Oven Temp: 350 degrees, Bake time: 45 minutes.  This recipe makes approximately 2 loaves of bread.

5 – Cups of Flour (overflowing)

3 – Cups of Warm Water

1 ½ – Table spoon of Dry Yeast

1 – Teaspoon salt

¼ – Cup of Olive Oil

In a bowl add yeast and warm water mixing well until yeast has completely dissolved.  Mix the salt with flour and add to water mixture.

Begin kneading using the heels of your hands pushing down on the dough with your hands. Fold and turn the dough while kneading adding the olive oil until dough no longer clings to hands.  When you have reached this consistency of no sticking – your dough is ready to be set aside to rise.

Place in a bowl and keep in a warm spot at room temperature keeping covered with a cloth during the entire rising time.  Dough rising is based on temperature and time can vary from 1, 2 or even 3 hours to rise.  Your dough should have double in size is when it’s ready.

Knead the dough once again, then separate in half and put into two loaves – you can use any baking pan rectangular or circle – cover and let raise double its size again for approximately one hour.  Place in oven at 350 for 45 minutes until bread has a golden shade.

Village Bread

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