Abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and every Friday, I am looking forward to cooking and sharing many of my fish and seafood recipes and veggie main dishes.  And so my daughter doesn’t feel like her only option is eating tuna fish, I’m posting this salad for her as I heard the slight panic in her voice the other day when we were chatting over the phone about meatless meals.  Her long busy day running from classes to work to all her activities does make it hard for her to take the time to eat well.  And she knows that getting enough protein in her meals helps her stay fuller longer.

Quinoa is a perfect little grain, actually a seed; that is a complete protein and a great source of nutrients.   I’ve purchased both the white quinoa and red quinoa, now preferring the red more for salads.  But either will work well, as I used the white in my Quinoa Tabbouleh .  For this salad I kept it light and citrusy with chopped oranges, green onion, bell peppers and pine nuts for crunch, but the possibilities are endless; from dried fruits to chopped raw or cooked veggies, various fresh herbs and chunks of cheese.

Citrus Red Quinoa Salad

Pinch of Kosher salt

Zest from 1 large orange, then peel and roughly chop orange segments

1 red or orange bell pepper, diced

1-2 green onions, finely chopped

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

For the vinaigrette:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice or lemon juice

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon minced fresh ginger

Pinch of cumin

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

You don’t need to live in New Orleans to enjoy the local festivities of Mardi Gras and Fat Tuesday!  There is something so colorful and fun about the New Orleans’ King Cake that I have to make it every year just to feel like I’m celebrating right along with the folks in New Orleans. 

Fat Tuesday is right around the corner wrapping up the the Mardi Gras or Carnival Season that is so well celebrated in New Orleans.  The season begins on January 6, also known as “King’s Day” honoring the meeting of the Three Wise Men with the baby Jesus.  The hiding of the baby in the cake was to symbolize the finding of the baby Jesus.

Before my move to Florida, I had considered a relocation to New Orleans.  I made several trips there to look around and during those times, the city grabbed my heart.  The people there seemed to live life to the max, enjoying food,drink and festivities of all the seasons.  It was there that I tasted my first King Cake, so sweet and naughty…it was love at first bite! 

There are many versions of the recipe; Jessica at Kitchenbelleicious posted her second version just the other day.  This is made as a brioche dough with a filling of both cream cheese and apples.  There are several steps involved but so well worth it!  Sprinkle on the colored sugars, the more the merrier and enjoy!!

King Cake

adapted from the LA Times test kichen

For the Apple filling:

2 tablespoons butter

2 large tart apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, quartered and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch slices

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces

1 tablespoon Apple Jack Brandy

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the apple slices, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, and cook, stirring frequently, just until the apple starts to soften, 3 to 4 minutes (the slices should still be crisp). Remove from heat and stir in the toasted pecans and Apple Jack Brandy. Remove to a separate container, cool, cover and refrigerate until needed.

For the Cream Cheese filling:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons sugar

1/2 beaten egg (save the other half egg to make the egg wash for the cake)

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese with the vanilla, salt and sugar. Add the beaten egg to the cream cheese mixture and beat until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

For the Brioche:

3/4 cup milk, divided

1 package (2½ teaspoons) active dry yeast

1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided

2 eggs, plus ½ beaten egg (use the remaining half egg leftover from the cream cheese filling), divided

10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature

3 1/2 cups (15.75 ounces) bread flour, plus more for dusting

1/2 teaspoon salt

Apple filling

Cream cheese filling

In a small pan, heat one-half cup plus 2 tablespoons of milk over medium heat just until warmed. Remove from heat and pour the milk into a small bowl or measuring cup. Stir in the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar, then set aside until the milk is foamy and the yeast is activated, about 10 minutes.

Whisk the 2 eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer) until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Stir in the yeast mixture and remaining one-third cup of sugar until fully incorporated.

If using a stand mixer, switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer running, add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. With the mixer running, add the flour mixture, one spoonful at a time, until fully incorporated.

Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until it is soft and somewhat silky (it’s a rich dough and won’t be entirely smooth), 5 to  7 minutes. Place the dough in a large, oiled bowl and lightly cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.

When the dough is doubled, punch it down (it will be very smooth and elastic) and roll it out onto a lightly floured surface into a 10-by-28-inch rectangle. Lightly cut the dough lengthwise to divide the dough into 2 equal halves.

Spoon the apple filling down the length of one side, leaving a 1½-inch border on the top, bottom and sides. Repeat with the cream cheese filling down the other side of the dough, leaving a 1½-inch border on the top, bottom and each side. Lightly brush the edges and center of the dough (along the score) with the egg wash to moisten. Gently and carefully pull the dough over the cream cheese filling, sealing the edge of the dough. Repeat with the apple filling. Press the sealed edges, making sure they are secure (otherwise the fillings could spill out while the cake bakes).

Gently twist the length of the dough to form a braid-like shape. Wrap the dough so it forms an oval wreath and gently press the edges together. Carefully transfer the wreath to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until almost doubled in volume, 45 minutes to an hour, or loosely cover and refrigerate the dough overnight, removing it from the refrigerator about 1 hour before baking for the dough to come to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Make an egg wash using the remaining beaten half egg (from the cream cheese filling) with the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk. Brush the top of the wreath lightly with the egg wash and place in the oven.

Bake the cake until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (the toothpick will remain moist if it hits the cream cheese filling, but there should be no crumbs sticking to it), about 30 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even coloring.

For the Glaze:

2 cups confectioners sugar

3-4 tablespoons warm milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl combine the confectioners sugar and vanilla extract. Slowly pour in the milk and stir until smooth and slightly thick. Add in the milk slowly, it will become smooth fairly quickly without alot of milk.

Purple, green and yellow colored sugars for decorating

Plastic baby, if desired

Allow the cake to cool before it is frosted. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cake, then lightly sprinkle over the colored sugars. If using the plastic baby, hide it somewhere in the cake (press the baby in through the bottom of the cake so as not to disturb the top or sides of the cake). Serve the cake warm or at room temperature.  Serves approximately 12-16.

The classic dishes I’m referring to are my personal list of basic dishes that I know I can always fall back on in a moment’s notice and create a delicious dinner.  These are the dishes that I notice so many people order out in Italian restaurants; ala Francese, Piccata, or Marsala!   Made just right, they are tender and flavorful dishes.  Each one is perfect for a comforting week night dinner or impressive for entertaining guests.  Doubled and tripled these are great party entrées as well.

I’ve already posted my Chicken Piccata and Chicken Francese recipe (ugh,I must replace that awful pic!) and now my Veal Scaloppini Marsala recipe.  There really are a lot of variations to the recipe.  Sometimes broth is added to the Marsala sauce, which I will do when I’m preparing for larger quantities, but when making it just for a small group, I like using dry Marsala only. 

My daughter loves mushrooms and for many years I’ve had to avoid them as way back in my 20’s I was allergic to them.  Did you notice “was”???  I am really happy to find that I’ve been adding in mushrooms lately and finding no reaction!  I’ve heard people will grow out of some allergies; guess that’s one good thing about the years passing! 

Also, the choice of meat can vary, which is another reason I love these dishes.  Instead of veal, pork or chicken cutlets work beautifully.  Whatever is used, the meat should be pounded to about ¼ inch thick.  For veal I like to ask the butcher to slice it thinly across the grain (which they should know!)  But if it is sliced incorrectly, the veal will curl and bubble as the muscles/grains tighten and your veal will not be fork tender!! 

Veal Scaloppini Marsala

Serves 4

8 veal scaloppini or thin sliced cutlets (I like to present 2 scaloppini with each serving as they are so thin; however use your judgment as to the size and serving amount)

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup flour

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 – 8 0z mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thin

1 scallion thinly sliced (optional)

½ cup dry Marsala (Marsala wine is sold either sweet or dry; I prefer to use dry)

Between two sheets of plastic wrap, pound the slices to about ¼ inch thick.  On a sheet of wax paper or using a pie plate, mix the salt and pepper into the flour and set aside.

Heat a large skillet with ½ of the butter and oil.  Add in the mushrooms and scallion if using and cook about 10 minutes until soft and lightly browned.  Transfer to plate and set aside.  Add in the remaining tablespoon of butter and oil to the pan and return to medium high heat.  Dip the veal into the flour on both sides and place in skillet.  Do not crowd the veal in the skillet, cook in batches if necessary.  Saute for 1 minute on each side until just lightly browned; remove to plate with mushroom. 

Pour in the Marsala wine allowing it to simmer into a rich sauce.  Add in the mushrooms and veal simmering until heated.  If the sauce is too thick add in additional Marsala.  For an additional touch of richness and shine, add in an additional pat of butter.  Serve immediately.

When my niece Nina heard about a roasted chicken recipe that had men proposing marriage to their girlfriends, she immediately thought of her single aunt and sent me the cookbook.  This cookbook, 100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know is from the editors of Glamour Magazine.  This was the cookbook where I found and posted the No-Fail Kale Caesar Salad, which has become my favorite go to salad for kale.  Nina didn’t send me the cookbook for the salad recipe though.  It was for the roasted chicken recipe, otherwise known as the Engagement Chicken. 

The story goes back over 25 years ago when an editor for Glamour magazine gave her assistant this recipe to prepare dinner for her boyfriend.  About a month later, the boyfriend proposed and had commented that the dinner was one “your wife would make” and had begun thinking of her in that way.  Hearing that, the recipe was passed among the Glamour staff resulting in one after another proposals!  In fact, the forward of the book lists over 70 engagement stories following this chicken dinner!

Ina Garten also did an episode on the Engagement Chicken and its history.  If you watch Ina’s show, chicken is her husband’s favorite Friday night dinner.  Ina did tweak the recipe a bit adding in onions and chicken broth to this lemon and herb roasted chicken.   Glamour’s recipe uses whole lemons pierced with a fork and placed inside the bird.  Then plenty of lemon juice is poured over the bird creating a very moist and tender chicken.

Now I know you’re all wondering what happened to me when I made this bird.   Well, I’ve had this cookbook almost a year now and I’ve enjoyed many of the recipes.  I finally made this last week .… for my son.  So, no story to report on my end but I do pity the girl who tries to steal my son’s heart because she better know how to cook!  He is definitely spoiled in that area!!

 Engagement Chicken

Adapted from 100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know

Serves 2 to 4

1 whole chicken (approximately 4-5 pounds)

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

3 whole lemons—2 for stuffing in the bird, 1 sliced for garnish

1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

½ cup chicken broth (optional)

Fresh herbs for garnish (4 rosemary sprigs, 4 sage sprigs, 8 thyme sprigs, and 1 bunch fl at-leaf parsley)

Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the giblets from the chicken, wash the chicken inside and out with cold water, then let the chicken drain, cavity down, in a colander for 2 minutes.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.  Place the chicken breast-side down in a medium roasting pan fitted with a rack.  Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper inside and out.  Prick 2 whole lemons with a fork and place them deep inside the cavity. Chicken cavity size may vary, so if one lemon is partly sticking out, that’s fine. (Tip: If the lemons are stiff, roll them on the countertop with your palm before pricking to get the juices flowing.)  Pour the lemon juice all over the chicken, both inside and out.

Put the chicken in the oven, lower the oven temperature to 350°F, and roast, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Using tongs or two wooden spoons, turn the chicken breast- side up. Return the chicken to the oven and roast for about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 180°F and the juices run clear when the thigh is pricked with a fork. Check the bird to make sure the lemon juice does not completely evaporate and add in more juice or chicken broth.  Continue roasting if necessary.  Keep in mind that cooking times in different ovens vary; roasting a chicken at 350°F takes approximately 18-20 minutes per pound, plus an additional 15 minutes.

Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving.    And here’s the secret: Pour the juices from the roasting pan on top of the sliced chicken— this is the “marry me juice.”   I also removed the lemons, cut them in half and squeezed the warm juices over the bird.   Garnish with fresh herbs and lemon slices.

While I’ve heard of several stories on its origin, my favorite by far is that this dessert with its traditional ingredients including espresso, ladyfingers (sugar) and a cordial was offered to customers at certain bordellos as a “pick me up” to enjoy after so they could go on with their day.  Now whether this tale is true or not doesn’t really matter to me; I enjoy the thought of the pleasure received in a bite of tiramisu.  And who wouldn’t take pleasure in slipping into the kitchen in the middle of the night for a spoonful of this!

Tiramisu is basically a no bake layered dessert.  A few steps can be prepared ahead then layered and refrigerated overnight.  Because this is not baked or any of the layers cooked, the alcohol is definitely prominent and not a dessert for the children.  I like to think of this (as I do its origin) as an adult only dessert.  Perfectly fitted for lovers on Valentine’s Eve.

Chocolate Raspberry Tiramisu

Adapted from Epicurious

1 ¼ cups heavy cream

1 pound mascarpone cheese softened

8 ounces dark chocolate or milk chocolate

2 cups seedless raspberry jam

4 tablespoons Grand Marnier or orange liquor
1/2 cup Chambord

36-40 lady fingers
2 cups fresh raspberries
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Shaves of white chocolate, optional

Begin to prepare the layers.  In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.  Add in the mascarpone and mix until blended, set aside.  Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Set aside to cool.  Once cool, stir the chocolate into the cream/mascarpone bowl.

In another bowl, mix the raspberry jam with the Grand Marnier, set aside.  Pour the Chambord in a shallow pan.

Using a 10 x 10 pan or 13 x 9 pan or individual serving pieces, layer the bottom of the pan with the ladyfingers, briefly dipping them into the Chambord.  Do not allow them to get soggy, just lightly dipped.  Spread half of the jam over the lady fingers.  Spread the chocolate mascarpone over the jam mixture and repeat the layers finishing with the chocolate mascarpone.  Top with fresh raspberries and cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate overnight.   Dust with confectioner’s sugar and white chocolate shavings (optional) when serving.   Makes about 8-10 servings.

February is #chocolatelove month! Please join in on the #chocolatelove fun by linking up any chocolate recipe from the month of Februrary 2012. Don’t forget to link back to this post, so that your readers know to come stop by the #chocolatelove event! The twitter hashtag is #chocolatelove :).

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I like to eat healthy.  I like to work out.  I like to feel good about myself, take care of myself and enjoy moments of pleasure and romance in life.

And, I really don’t think there should be just one special day to devote to romance and love.

But then again, to indulge in food every single day would not do my figure good!  So I do take advantage of this upcoming Valentine’s Day to splurge a bit more in chocolate sweets and creamy dreamy desserts.  The hardest part is deciding which one to choose!!

Florida grown strawberries are hitting the market lately totally pleasing my love for chocolate and strawberries.  I’ve made this chocolate strawberry shortcake for many, many years first baking it for a summer dinner in 1996!  (I really do jot down dates and notes on my recipes!!)

The shortcake is not as light as a traditional shortcake having chunks of chocolate throughout.  I’ve made it as one large shortcake split in half for an awesome presentation and smaller sizes for individual treats.  Of course, Valentine’s Day deserves the heart.

This dessert can be made in steps ahead; the chocolate sauce with brandy can be prepared up to two days ahead although I’ve had it in my frig up to a week dipping strawberries in it.  Oh, and don’t leave out the brandy, it definitely makes the sauce!!   The whipped cream and shortcake can be made earlier in the day or even the day before and the strawberries a few hours ahead as well.  Assembly is quick and easy right before serving.

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake with Chocolate Brandy Sauce

Adapted by Epicurious, 1996

For the Sauce:

2/3 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons brown sugar

6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon brandy

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Shortcake:

2 cups white/wheat flour or unbleached all-purpose flour

5 tablespoons raw sugar  - divided (3 tb in the batter and 2 tb for sprinkling on top)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

For the Filling:

2 pounds strawberries

1 tablespoon of agave or 2-3  tablespoons sugar  (depending on the sweetness of  the strawberries)

1 tablespoon Chambord liquor

1 1/3 cups whipping cream, chilled

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Sauce:
Combine cream and sugar in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until mixture comes to boil. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and stir until chocolate melts and sauce is smooth. Mix in brandy and vanilla. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)

For the Shortcake:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.    Spray or butter individual heart molds or a 9-inch cake pan, dust with flour.   Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl; whisk to blend. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add chopped chocolate. Gradually add 2/3 cup buttermilk, stirring with fork until dough forms.

Transfer dough to pan; press gently to level top. Brush dough with 2 tablespoons buttermilk and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake shortcakes until cooked through and golden on top, about 20-25 minutes. Cool shortcakes in pan on rack.

For the Filling:
Slice berries into large bowl, save a few whole for garnish.   Add agave or sugar and Chambord.  Toss to coat; let stand until berries begin to release juices, at least 30 minutes. Combine whipping cream, vanilla and sugar in medium bowl. Whip to soft peaks. Cover and chill cream until ready to serve.

If necessary, rewarm sauce over low heat, stirring often.  Remove shortcakes from pans and slice in half horizontally.  Plate the bottom half and spoon sliced berries with their juices over. Drizzle with some chocolate sauce. Spoon on whipped cream; cover with top shortcake and drop on more whipped cream, drizzle with more chocolate and garnish with a few strawberries.  Serve at once.

February is #chocolatelove month! Please join in on the #chocolatelove fun by linking up any chocolate recipe from the month of Februrary 2012. Don’t forget to link back to this post, so that your readers know to come stop by the #chocolatelove event! The twitter hashtag is #chocolatelove :).

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Nestled inside these little butter nut balls is a kiss.  Butter balls are popular cookies, soft and tender with a gentle touch of finely chopped nuts.  The unexpected surprise of biting into a butter ball and finding a chocolate kiss were knows as the Surprise Cookie in my family.

It was my Aunt Mary that made these cookies for us when we were little.  While my aunt made many Italian cookies, she seemed to bake more kid friendly cookies for us.  And as a child, I can honestly say I looked forward to her holiday cookie trays.  I remember my excitement when I first realized a chocolate kiss was in the cookie.  It was like finding the prize in the Cracker Jack Box.  They quickly became my favorite and to this day when I see a butter ball cookie, I wonder if it might have a kiss inside.

Aunt Mary had two daughters, Debbie and Diane.  Our mothers were very close sisters and therefore, I spent a lot of time at her home.  Diane was closer in age to me; we went from playing dolls together to having babies just a few years apart from each other.   Since I’ve moved away, we see very little of each other but it’s funny how food can bring back memories and make you feel like it was just yesterday that I was playing dolls with Diane on my porch!

Through the years, I began making these “kisses” with Baci chocolates.  Baci (Italian for kisses) is a small dark chocolate and hazelnut candy.  Under the chocolate coating are chopped hazelnuts and in the middle is a whole hazelnut.  Talk about surprise, surprise in those cookies!!  What I also love about Baci chocolates is that each chocolate is wrapped with an affectionate love note!

So while I have used Baci chocolate in the past, I made these with a Hershey’s Kiss just as Aunt Mary did.  I’ve tweaked her recipe a bit and just like my mom’s handwritten recipes, I didn’t have much detail on how she actually made the cookies.  I started chilling the dough before and after shaping so that they held their ball shape better when baked.  This recipe makes about 4 dozen depending on how much dough you use to wrap around the kiss.  I prefer just a small amount of dough to make a small cookie ball.

Diane just mentioned to me that her husband loves these frozen, so she keeps them in the freezer.  Mine simply don’t last that long between kids, sharing with friends and my own personal indulgence!

Surprise Cookies

1 cup butter, room temperature

½ cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ¼ cups whole wheat/white flour or unbleached all purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

1 12 oz bag of Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped

In a large stand up mixer, beat the butter sugar and vanilla thoroughly.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt together.  Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until combined.  Mix in the walnuts.  Chill dough for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Take about a tablespoon of dough and wrap around the Hershey’s Kiss rolling dough into small balls.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet; the cookies do not spread.  I will place the cookie tray in the refrigerator to firm the dough and chill for another 10-15 minutes.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just beginning to become lightly golden.  Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack.  While still warm, roll in sifted powdered sugar.  Cool further and when totally cool, roll again in powdered sugar.  Makes about 4 dozen cookies.  Store in covered container in a cool place.

February is #chocolatelove month!
Please join in on the #chocolatelove fun by linking up any chocolate recipe from the month of Februrary 2012. Don’t forget to link back to this post, so that your readers know to come stop by the #chocolatelove event! The twitter hashtag is #chocolatelove :).

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I’ve always used the method my mother did for making waffles of separating the eggs, whipping the whites and then folding them into the batter.  While it isn’t necessary to do this, as the taste will still be the same, I do find that the waffles are lighter and fluffier prepared in this manner.  Sometimes when I’m deciding on make either pancakes or waffles, I’ll lean toward pancakes as I don’t have to separately beat the whites for pancakes!  Pancake batter also can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight.  I’ve not done that with the waffle batter, but I do pre measure out the dry ingredients one day or more ahead so that it’s easier on me in the morning!  Waffles just take a bit more love and attention.

Recently Charles at Five Euro Food posted his Swedish Pancakes, which are made in the shape of 4 hearts connected in a circle.  They are made in a cast iron waffle iron for the stove; something new I learned, once again, from Charles!

I am forever appreciative of all who follow me and the many, many blogs I follow always picking up new ideas and inspiration.  Learning about new dishes, cultures and traditions fascinate me so.  Recently, I was extremely surprised to receive from Cecilia at The Kitchens Garden these gorgeous red shoes!!  How did she ever know my size!!

Actually, this one red shoe is The (Red) Educational Shoe Award.  Cecilia so kindly thought of me to pass this on to.  I’ve learned so much from Cecilia following her morning farm walks.  I’m impressed daily with her sustainable lifestyle and all that she does and endures through the freezing cold, hunters with rifles and scary sounds in the dark!   I’m so very flattered that she felt she actually found something new or interesting from me!!

To pass along the award, I can think of so many of you that have expanded my world and taught me so much.  And, there are a few men out there but I don’t believe any of those that I’m thinking of might wear high heeled red shoes!  So I will stick to the ladies on this one and also selecting just four, for the following reasons….

For lots of information and great recipes to keep me fit and eat healthy, Lisa at Smart Food and Fit and Kelly at Inspired Edibles.  Both ladies can toss their sneakers out for a night as they deserve this Red Shoe.  Kelly not only creates healthy dishes from breakfast to desserts, her plates are always presented so beautifully.  She explains the ingredients she uses in the recipes, the nutritional benefits and has shared many ingredients new to me.  She’s also complimented my recipes and pointed out nutritional tips in her comments which I love to see!!

Lisa keeps me challenged!  She’s really committed to keeping fit and eating clean!  Whenever I read her posts, I want to do a few more exercises, bike a bit further and tweak more of my recipes for cleaner ingredients!  She’s provided tips on packing school box lunches in her Lunchbox Series to new workout routines and eating healthy strategies.

My other two recipients for this Red Educational Shoe Award go to the ladies who share their travels.  While it’s my biggest dream to one day visit Italy, I’ve not yet had a chance to travel outside the US.  So, to Karen at Back Road Journal and Tanya at Chica Andaluza, this Red Shoe goes to you both!  Through most of October, I was able to virtually travel with Karen through the more untraveled areas of Italy, learning of new places like Bolzano and Bressanone Italy to beautiful wine vineyards and finally to Germany.  Her photos and care in explaining the sites, beauty and food fascinated me throughout her trip.  I hope she’s planning another vacation real soon!!

Tanya, the Chica at Chica Andaluza, to begin with, lives in Spain which would be a dream to me, building a home there and sharing her lifestyle.  And then she takes these “holidays” to what to me are the most picturesque, beautiful locations!  Places like Galicia and Asturias and Bali – I’m so jealous!  I’ve learned of new food, culture and places I’d love to visit one day.

So take your Red Shoe ladies, display it proudly and pass it along if you wish to!!

I Heart You, Lemon Waffles

2 eggs, separated

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour unbleached white flour, sifted

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-2 tablespoons raw (turbinado), depending on your sweetness level

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1 ¼ cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons lemon juice

4 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat waffle iron, spray if necessary.  Beat egg whites until stiff, set aside.  In a large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients, set aside.  In another medium size bowl, combine the yolk, cream, juice and butter.  Add to dry and mix until blended.  Fold in egg whites until just combined; do not over mix.  Cook according to the directions of your waffle iron.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar and warmed real maple syrup.  Serve at once.  Makes about 8 waffles, depending on your waffle size.

You can also check out  The Orange Bee for her orange flavored waffles!

Quick breads many times are full of oil or butter, sugar and white flour.  I’m attracted to the “idea” of these breads but then get turned off by the ingredients.  Not that I don’t use white sugar and white flour when making my Italian cookies as I like to keep to the traditional recipe.  But  during the rest of the year, I prefer to enjoy all I eat while knowing that I’ve tweaked it to be healthier for me…and that means enjoying what I eat without any guilt!! 

I do see more recipes around switching out the butter or oil for applesauce or yogurt, white sugar to raw sugar or agave and white flour to wheat or a blend of flours.   While I don’t have a gluten intolerance, I do try to lessen the gluten I consume.  This bread could be completely gluten free by replacing the 3 tablespoons of white/wheat flour with gluten free flour.  I personally just don’t like the smell of gluten free flour!

This bread can be served for breakfast, tea, as a side with dinner or a light dessert.  I prepared a jam of sorts as I don’t can I make just enough to last me for a week.  Figs and lemons simmered with orange blossom honey, cardamon and cloves provided just enough sweetness and taste to compliment this bread. 

Almond, Lemon and Thyme Bread

3/4 cup plain yogurt

3/4 cup raw sugar (turbinado)

Zest of one organic lemon

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup stone ground yellow cornmeal

1/4 cup almond flour

3 tablespoons white/wheat flour (replace with gluten free flour for a gluten free bread)

1 teaspoon baking powder (Rumford Baking Powder /Clabber Girl Baking Powder are gluten free)

3/4 teaspoon citrus sea salt or Kosher salt

1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan.  Combine the cornmeal, flours, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.  Set aside.  In a large bowl of an electric mixer, blend the yogurt and sugar until well combined.  Add the lemon zest and eggs, one at a time, mixing well.  Add in the flour mixture, blend to combine and stir in the almonds until just combined.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake for about 50-55 minutes or until lightly golden and toothpick tested clean.  Let cool completely on wire rack. 

Fig and Lemon Jam

3 small lemons

8 dried figs, chopped small

1/4 cup raw sugar

1/4 teaspoon cardamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1  tablespoon orange blossom honey

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon citrus sea salt or Kosher salt

Prepare the lemons by slices off both ends to allow the lemon to stand flat.  Using a paring knife, cut the peel and pith off by following the curve of the lemons.  Cut the lemon segments out and chop into small pieces.  Place lemon segments and any juices into a small saucepan.  Add in the remaining ingredients and allow to simmer gently for about 30 minutes or until thickened.  Allow to cool, refrigerate for up to 5 days. 

As I purchase all my meats and seafood from this market I’ve become very familiar with the guys and can always count on them to select the perfect cuts for me.  I learned early on to develop a relationship with the butcher and fish mongers.  Getting to “first name basis” and I find they will provide lots of helpful information, cooking tips, what’s a better buy for that day and all around outstanding service!!

Sea Bass does have some pretty thick bones.  Not a lot, but after having served this one time for a special dinner and my guest finding a bone, I am overly careful now to check!  The best way I know is to simply run my finger over the fish and use my kitchen pliers or tweezers to pull them out.  This one was really difficult and I had to push down with a fork to grasp some of the bones. 

To prepare it, I decided to pan roast the sea bass as it was quite thick.  I prepared the relish earlier in the day and simply seared the fish in a cast iron skillet and placed it in the oven to finish cooking.  If sea bass is not available, any other firm, mild flavored fish could be used like cod or flounder. 

Pan Roasted Sea Bass with Lemon Olive Relish

For the Sea Bass:

4 6 oz sea bass fillets

Sea salt (or Kosher) and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup chopped fresh parsley and thyme (or a mix of fresh herbs)

4 thinly sliced lemons

Olive oil for searing

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Using a cast iron skillet, heat the pan over medium high heat.  Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Season the sea bass with salt and pepper and rub the fresh herbs on each side.  When the pan is hot, place the fillets in the pan, do not crowd.  Place a few lemon slices around the pan. Sear for a few minutes and turn.  I like to sear both sides before placing in the oven.  The amount of time in the oven will be determined by the thickness of the fillet.  As these were fairly thick, I roasted them for about 6 minutes.  I tested the fillet by checking the firmness with my finger.  Remove the skillet from the oven and allow to rest just a few minutes.  Discard the lemon slices and plate the sea bass with a generous scoop of relish allowing the liquid to pour and soak in. 

For the lemon olive relish:

2 lemons

½ cup chopped green olives with pimentos

1 shallot, minced

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the ends off the lemons and set on the flat side.  Following the curve of the lemon, cut away the peel and white pith.  Holding the lemon over a bowl to catch the juice, cut out each lemon segment, discarding the seeds.  Coarsely chop the lemon and olives.  Mix together the shallot, honey, vinegar and parsley in the bowl with the lemon juice.  Add in the lemons and olives.  Season to taste with sea salt and pepper – not too much salt as the olives may have a salty taste.  Set aside until ready to use.