The Gourmet Mom: January 2012

Ratatouille

Like a few of my other recipes, I have been trying to get some veggies into my diet and I find that when they are cooked this way and have onions in the recipe, I like it better. Ratatouille is a classic that is not used as much as it should in the kitchen. Get your kids eating their veggies!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small eggplant, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 pepper (red, green, or yellow), chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 small tomatoes, chopped

3 cloves garlic, pressed

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

3 or 4 leaves fresh basil, chopped

1 tsp. red wine vinegar

Directions:

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan. I cook the vegetables one at a time for about 5 to 8 minutes. Add oil as needed in between cooking vegetables and cook in this order; eggplant, zucchini, pepper, onion, and tomatoes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper for each cooking vegetable. Combine all of the cooked vegetables together in the pan, add the garlic, thyme, and basil and let simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add red wine vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and then turn off the heat. Serve hot or cold.

Recipe By The Gourmet Mom

Lisa Montalva

Jello Mousse

My mother would make this for me when I was a kid and I thought she was an amazing cook. I couldn’t imagine how she did this. Back 40 years ago she would whip the cream from heavy cream, added sugar and would even put it in a mold. Times have changed!

Ingredients:

1 package (6oz.) of jello, flavor of your choice

3 cups of boiling water

16 oz. container of whipped topping. You can use regular, light or fat free

Directions:

Boil water. In bowl empty contents of jello mix. Pour in boiling water and mixed well. Empty contents of whipped topping and this needs to be blended until smooth and there are no lumps of whipped topping.

I pour in individual glasses. One package usually makes 4 even though the box says 5.

You can top with more whipped topping if you wish.

Recipe By The Gourmet Mom

Lisa Montalva

Tip: Keeping Herbs Fresh

To keep fresh herbs fresh,wrap in damp paper towel.

Place in plastic bag and store in refrigerator.

Tip: Never refrigerate tomatoes

Never refrigerate tomatoes they lose their flavor.

Homemade LCM Bars

Ingredients:

90g butter (use shortening instead if you want a white bar)

200g marshmallows (do not use color red if you want a white bar) – I recommend using flavored

4 cups rice bubbles/coco pops

2-3 cups add ins (I used 8 crushed up S’mores Pop Tarts)

Melted chocolate to drizzle (optional)

Directions:

1. Line a large tine with baking paper, making sure it is overhanging on the sides – no need to grease

2. In a large bowl, combine rice bubbles and add-ins until thoroughly mixed together

3. Over medium-low heat, stir butter and marshmallows constantly until smooth and no lumps remain

4. This is where you must be fast since marshmallow sets quick – immediately pour marshmallow mixture into cereal mixture and mix to combine thoroughly

Slightly grease hands and push mixture into prepared tin until neat (the marshmallow may stick to your hands a little)

5. Refrigerate for 15 minutes

6. If desired to make the bar look a little prettier, drizzle with melted chocolate. Let set in fridge for 1/2 hr

7.Take out of tin using baking paper and then cut into squares. If not serving immediately, store in an airtight container until needed (if especially hot and humid, store in fridge)

Recipe Submitted by

Choc Chip Uru

Go Bake Yourself

www.gobakeyourself.wordpress.com

Creamy Tomatoe and Chorizo Sauce over Fettuccine

Ingredients:

1 lb. fettuccine noodles

1 can of crushed tomatoes

1 cup butter

1 pint of heavy cream

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

pinch cayenne pepper

2 chorizo links, cubed

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until aldente.

While pasta is cooking, heat butter and cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add in chorizo and brown. When mixture begins to bubble, stir in Parmesan, garlic powder, pepper, cayenne and crushed tomatoes. Continue cooking until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally. Toss fettuccine into sauce serve immediately.

Recipe By The Gourmet Mom

Lisa Montalva

Chocolate Coconut Cake

Sunday baking with my nephew...

Ingredients:

1 box of chocolate cake mix

3 eggs

1 ¼ cups of water

½ cup of oil

Coconut extract

Directions:

Prepare cake mix as indicated on box.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease 2 round cake pans and pour mixture evenly in both.

Bake for 30 minutes or as suggested on box.

When done, let cool completely.

Empty frosting into bowl, add in ½ teaspoon of coconut extract and blend with mixer.

Place first cooled cake on cake plate. Spread an even amount of frosting on first layer of cake. Sprinkle as much coconut flakes as you wish. Top with 2^nd layer and frost the top and sides. Sprinkle top with coconut and if you wish you can add coconut flakes to the sides as well.

Recipe By The Gourmet Mom

Lisa Montalva

Tip: Keeping Salad Fresh

If you have made too much salad for a meal here is a great tip to give it a day or 2 more before it gets soggy. Place the salad in a big baggie or bowl and layer with paper towels. Doing this will help absorb the extra moisture.

Onion and Pepper Sauté with Goat Cheese

I eat this dish when I am trying to lose a few pounds. It is so tasty. Add caramelized onions to anything it tastes great. The ingredients portions are for one, so double, triple or quadruple. Its so good!

Ingredients:

1 medium, sliced

½ pepper, sliced. You can use red, green or yellow or any other type you wish

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

1 tbsp. oil. I use olive oil.

½ cup goat cheese

Directions:

Heat oil in fry pan and add in onions and peppers. Stirring occasionally and not letting burn. Add in salt and pepper. You can cook as long as you wish depending on how caramelized you would like your onions.

Remove from heat and add in goat cheese, give it a toss and serve.

Recipe By The Gourmet Mom

Lisa Montalva

Raspberry Bellini & Raspberry Yogurt

Raspberry Bellini

Ingredients:

12 oz. raspberries

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 bottle champagne or sparkling wine

Directions:

Rinse & drain raspberries. Place in blender with sugar and process until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Place a sieve over a bowl. Pour raspberry puree into sieve and let stand for 10-15 minutes,until juice has drained through. Use the back of a spoon to speed things up if you get impatient.

Discard seeds.

Refrigerate strained puree until ready to use. To serve: place 1 Tbsp. puree in bottom of champagne flute. Fill with champagne. Stir gently and serve.

Raspberry Yogurt

Ingredients:

12 oz. raspberries

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp. butter

1/4 cup triple sec

Greek-style plain yogurt

Rinse and drain raspberries. Save a few for the garnish. Combine cornstarch with sugar in saucepan. Add raspberries, butter, and triple sec.

Cook and stir over low heat until thickened. Cool, then chill in refrigerator at least 2 hours.

To serve: Spoon yogurt into serving bowls, then top with raspberry puree. Garnish with reserved raspberries.

Recipe Submitted by
Beverly Noble

Author

A Lifetime of Recipes

www.aLifetimeofRecipes.com

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups wild rice

5 cups chicken broth

1 cup celery fine chopped

1 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 cups mushrooms; sliced or diced

1 small bag of frozen carrots

1 small onion finely chopped

3 tbsp. butter

2 cups of cooked chicken

1 tbsp. of parsley

Directions:

Run cold water over the wild rice in a strainer for about 1 minute, lifting the rice to rinse it thoroughly.
In a large saucepan, mix the wild rice, carrots, celery, broth and pepper.
Bring to a boil; reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook the mushrooms and shallots in butter until tender, but not brown.
Add the mushroom mixture, chicken and parsley to the soup. Heat through.

Recipe By The Gourmet Mom

Lisa Montalva

Asparagus Soup

Ingredients:

4 lb. asparagus, remove stems and chop into 1 or 2 inch pieces

1 med onion- dice into large

4 tsp. butter

2 quarts chicken broth

1 pt. heavy cream

Pinch of sugar

Directions:

Sauté onions and butter in small stock-pot until translucent, add asparagus and continue to sweat 2-3 minutes. Add heated stock just until it covers the asparagus. Season the broth with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Simmer until tender, keeping asparagus green in color and be careful not to overcook. Transfer contents to a blender or processor. Puree until smooth, add heavy cream while blending. Serve immediately with some crusty bread.

Recipe By The Gourmet Mom

Lisa Montalva

Crockpot Sweet & Sour Chicken

Ingredients:

1 carrot, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 Onion, diced

4 chicken breast, no skin and bone

8 ounces pineapple chunks in juice

1/3 cup Dark brown sugar

1/3 cup Red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Soy sauce

1 teaspoon Chicken bouillon, instant g

1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder

2 tablespoons ginger root, minced

1 teaspoon cilantro, dried

Fresh cilantro

Rice or noodles, hot cooked

Directions:

Put vegetables.in bottom of crockpot. Place chicken on top of vegetables. Combine all other ingredients except rice in a small bowl. Pour over chicken. Cover crockpot and turn to low and cook for 8-10 hours. Before serving make rice. Serve over rice or noodles.

Recipe By The Gourmet Mom

Lisa Montalva

Crockpot Pork Chops

Ingredients:

6 Thick pork chops with or without bone

1 Medium acorn squash

1 Medium Zucchini

3/4 teaspoon Salt

2 tablespoons Margarine, melted

3/4 cup Brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet

1 tablespoon Orange juice

1/2 teaspoon Orange peel, grated

Directions:

Trim excess fat from pork chops. Cut each squash and zucchini into cubes; remove seeds if you wish. Arrange 3 chops on bottom of crockpot. Place all squash slices on top; then another layer of three remaining chops. Combine salt, butter, sugar, bouquet sauce, orange juice and orange peel. Spoon over chops. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or until done. Serve one or two slices of squash with each pork chop.