The Gourmet Mom: July 2012

Bearnaise Sauce

Bearnaise Sauce, is one of those things that you think when you see on a menu or hear someone say it, that it is this fancy and very difficult sauce, but its not. I honestly always used the powdered gravy starters and then just added ingredients until I got the texture and taste to where I wanted it. Now that I make Bearnaise, I use it on everything. Fish, chicken, beef, on vegetables and even use to dip my bread in. Its a really great tasting sauce that is very simple to make and will always make your guests think you went out of your way.

I also am including the history in the sauce from Wikipedia. Béarnaise sauce is a sauce made of clarified butter emulsified in egg yolks and flavored with herbs. It is considered to be a 'child' of the mother Hollandaise sauce, one of the five sauces in the French haute cuisine mother sauce repertoire. The difference is only in their flavoring: Béarnaise uses shallot, chervil, peppercorn, and tarragon, while Hollandaise uses lemon juice. Its name is related to the province of Bearn, France. In appearance it is light yellow and opaque, smooth and creamy. Béarnaise is a traditional sauce for steak.

Ingredients: This makes 1 1/4 cups so double or triple as necessary

2 sticks of butter

4 shallots, finely chopped

2 tbs. of tarragon leaves or 1 tbs. of dried

4 white peppercorns, crushed

1/4 tsp. of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup of white vinegar

1/3 cup of white wine (something you like to drink)

4 large egg yolks

1 tsp. salt

Directions:

Heat the butter in a medium size sauce pan over medium heat until it melts. In separate pan, bring to boil in the vinegar and wine, the shallots, tarragon and peppercorns until reduced to about 1/4 cup. Strain into the top of a double boiler. Whisk in the egg yolks. Place the top over the bottom of the double boiler containing simmering water. Make sure that the top of the water is below the bottom of the upper part of the double boiler. Whisk constantly. As soon as you see that the yolk mixture begins to thicken slightly, remove from the double boiler and continue whisking. Turn off the heat. Add 6 ice cubes to the bottom of the double boiler to cool the hot water. Put the pan of yolks back above the hot water. Whisk in the melted butter, very slowly. If at any time the sauce looks as it it is about to separate, remove from the double boiler and whisk it to cool it down. You can add a teaspoon of cold water as well. Continue to whisk and add in salt and cayenne pepper. When the butter has blended, taste and add salt and cayenne as desired.

Seems like a lot of work, but once you get the hang of it you will be able to do it more quickly. :)

Chocolate and Raspberry Trifle

Desserts are sometimes the best part of the meal. I am having a few old friends over next weekend and its all about the dessert. I have been making and remaking a bunch of them and this is one that I will be serving. Trifles look very complicated, but they are not at all. Just takes patience to do the layering. You can do small trifles or large ones. This recipe was made in individual serving dishes. Give it a try.

Ingredients:

8 glass dessert dishes

1 pkg. of vanilla instant pudding

2 cups of milk

2 cups of fresh or frozen Raspberries

1 1/2 cups of chocolate sprinkles

Whip cream

Directions:

Empty pudding into large bowl, add milk and whisk for 2-4 minutes. Set out the dessert dishes and add a 1/4 cup of pudding mix into the dish. Now add 1 tbsp. of sprinkles, a few Raspberries. Repeat this until you get to the top; which should be 3 times. Garnish with Raspberries on top and a big dollop of whip cream.

Chorizo and Chickpeas over Couscous

I have eaten this dish all my life, but over yellow rice or spaghetti. My family is from Spain and we are big on Chorizo as you can see I cook with it a lot. Chorizo has a really great taste and just adds tiny smack of flavor to anything.

Ingredients:

2 links of Chorizo. (I usually buy from grocery store in small packages of 2. You can find this usually in the cheese section.)

1 can of chick peas

1 can of chicken broth

1 box of couscous

Directions:

Prepare couscous as indicated on box. I usually substitute broth for water, but your choice.

In medium fry pan, heat a tbs. of olive oil.

Dice up chorizo and add to fry pan. You can cook to any consistency you wish, but I like to brown it a bit.

When chorizo is cooked through, add in chickpeas. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In medium bowl combine cooked couscous and toss in chorizo and chickpea mixture.

Serve with bread and butter.

Chocolate Cloud Trifle

Ingredients:

1 large chocolate pound cake or homemade cake

1 large frozen whip topping

2 pkgs. Instant chocolate pudding

1 jar hot fudge

3 bananas

12 chocolate cookies, I use the kind with the sugar on top for this recipe

Directions:

Prepare pudding as indicated on package.

Slice pound cake in thin slices.

In large baggie smash cookies into small bits..

Layer cake in bottom of trifle dish or any type of deep glass dish. Next cover with layer of pudding, whipped cream topping, hot fudge and then cookies and continue until bowl is completely filled with whipped topped as last layer.

Chill for 1 hour and serve.

Lisa's Fruit Dip

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice. Cover and chill in the

refrigerator at least 3 hours before serving. Serve in the middle of fresh cut fruit and enjoy!

Eggplant Parmigiana

Ingredients:

First let’s make the sauce.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 medium yellow onions, peeled, halved, and cut into thin slices

5 cloves garlic, peeled and grated

1 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

3 (28-ounce) cans of whole plum tomatoes

The Eggplant:

2 medium eggplants, washed and cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds , I remove skin.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Freshly ground black pepper

5 large eggs

3 tablespoons whole milk

4 cups Italian-style breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 cup of fresh basil if you can or 2 teaspoons of dried

1 1/2 pounds mozzarella cheese, cut into thin slices

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1 pound provolone cheese, grated

Directions:

To start the tomato sauce, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and season with salt and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions become translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sugar and the canned tomatoes. Use the back of your spoon to break up some of the whole tomatoes and cook 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring from time to time. Set aside to cool.

I recommend that you peel and slice eggplant and arrange on cookie sheet. Sprinkle both sides with salt to draw out the bitterness and the excess water. After an hour, rinse under cold water and pat dry.

Heat oil in large frying pan or skillet. Put the flour in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, beat together the eggs and milk and season with salt and pepper. In a third bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the oregano and fresh thyme leaves and season with salt and pepper. Dip each eggplant slice in the flour and shake off any excess. Then, dip in the egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Make sure to coat both sides of each slice of eggplant. One by one start cooking eggplant until golden brown on both sides. Remove from oil and place on paper towel to soak up excess oil.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To assemble: In a 9 by 13-inch baking dish, spoon about 1/4 of the tomato sauce on the bottom. Top with a layer of the fried eggplant; the eggplant slices can overlap slightly. Top with about 1/3 of the mozzarella slices. Sprinkle with about 1/4 of the Parmesan and provolone cheeses. Top with a layer of torn basil leaves. Spoon sauce and repeat the layering 2 more times to make 3 layers. End with the remaining mozzarella. Carefully press the layers down firmly into the dish after assembled. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Buffet Surprise

I have been serving this to company for almost 50 years. People request it when I invite them to dinner, which is fine for me because I can also make it days ahead and refrigerate it or make it way ahead and freeze it for 3 to 4 months. The flavor just gets better! This is from one of my 26 cookbooks Simply Irresistible: Easy, Elegant, Fearless, Fussless Cooking by Sheilah Kaufman you can also visit me at www.cookbookconstructioncrew.com

Ingredients:

3 - 4 lb boneless chuck roast
3 cans (28 oz each) sauerkraut, drained
l lb box dark brown sugar
28 oz can tomatoes with liquid
l peeled whole onion
l cut up apple

Directions:

I call this a DUMP RECIPE!
In a large (at least 5 1/2 to 6 quart) pot place the meat.
Dump the drained sauerkraut on top of the meat.
On top of place the box of sugar.
Dump the can of tomatoes and liquid over the sugar.
Place the whole onion and apple pieces around the meat.
Place on the stove, cover, and cook on LOW heat for about 4 to 5 hours, or until meat falls apart into
small pieces and apple, onion, and tomatoes “dissolve”.

Serves 8 to 10

Reader Submitted Recipe

Sheilah Kaufman

Cooking with Sheilah

Creamy Garlic Pasta

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
3 cups chicken stock
½ lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
¾ cup heavy cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

In a pot, bring the olive oil to medium-low heat. Add the garlic and stir, allowing it to cook for 1-2 minutes. Mix in the butter until melted. Add the salt, pepper and chicken stock. Raise the heat to high and let it come to a boil.

Once it is at a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook for as long as the box’s directions indicate. Reduce the stove to medium heat and mix in the parmesan until completely melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream and parsley. Serve immediately

Reader Submitted Recipe

Barb

Caribbean Pork Stew

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder; cut -into 1 inch cubes

1 tb shortening

1 1/2 c water

1 c orange juice

1 tb vinegar

1 clove garlic; minced

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 ts salt

2 medium-size onions; cut in -wedges

2 medium-size red potatoes; -cut into 1 inch cubes

2 medium-size sweet potatoes; -cut into 1 inch cubes

2 medium-size carrots; cut -into 3/4 inch chunks

1 7-ounce can whole kernel -corn

2 tb flour

Directions:

Brown pork cubes on all sides in hot shortening in Dutch oven over moderate heat, stirring as needed. Pour off drippings. Add 1 cup water, orange juice, vinegar, garlic, bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover tightly and cook over low heat about 45 minutes or until meat is almost tender. Add vegetables and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook about 30 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender. Combine remaining 1/2 cut water and flour; stir until free of lumps. Add to stew and cook until broth is thickened.

Muffuletta Pizza

Ingredients:

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1/3 cup chopped pimento-stuffed green olives

1/4 cup chopped pepperoni

1/4 cup chopped cocktail onions

1 clove garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. dry Italian salad dressing mix

3 oz. thin-sliced deli ham/salami, diced

8 oz. shredded provolone cheese

2 12" uncooked dough crusts extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Mix first 7 ingredients for marinated olive salad and chill overnight.

Combine olive salad, ham, and cheese. Top one dough crust with 1/2 of

mixture. Drizzle with oil. Bake in preheated 500° F oven for

8-10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 2-3 minutes before

cutting into wedges and serving. Repeat with other dough crust.

Remoulade Sauce

Ingredients:

1½ cups of mayonnaise

4 tbs. of Dijon mustard

4 tbs. of ketchup

2 tbs. of creamy horseradish

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Greek Omelet

At my last Dr's visit I was told that my "good cholesterol" was bad. Whats up with that? If anything my bad should be bad. So now I am on a mission to lose ten pounds as the my physician said this would help and by eating heart healthy foods. The first on the list was red wine. Omg, if any of you know me, that's a big fat no. I hate the taste, but for one week I poured a tiny glass and pinched my nose as I drank it. It was like watching a 5 year old eat lima beans or something. Almonds were another thing on the list and at plenty of those, but they have so many calories. Its been a struggle, but the numbers are decreasing. Oh and Salmon is another good food, but every time I buy it the taste to me is very fishy. I am more of a white fish person. I love eggs, but and like to each them every week, I have been working with the egg substitute products and happen to think they taste really good especially when you add lots of stuff to them. I made this recipe for one person, so change accordingly.

Ingredients:

1 cup of egg substitute

6 cherry tomatoes, clean and sliced in half

1/2 cup feta cheese

1 small red onion sliced

1/2 tsp. of oregano

1 tsp. parsley flakes

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

1/4 tsp. red wine vinegar

Directions:

Heat up small fry pan and coat with spray oil. In a bowl add in all ingredients except the tomatoes, mix and pour into fry pan. With any omelet, you must not play with it. Let it start to cook and after about 2 minutes or so start pulling down the edges and let the wet liquid in. You can do this procedure 2 or 3 times or just leave it alone to cook on low heat. Once the eggs are firm top with the tomatoes and and let heat for about 1 minute. Remove fry pan from heat. Place pan over dish and begin to slide out omelet. Once half the omelet is out, flip the rest on top of itself so it looks like a a half of a circle. I usually top with some more feta, that's because I love it and maybe some onions and a bit more pepper. Remember to add or remove ingredients as you wish as cooking is about creating. Make it your own.

Escarole

Escarole has been proven to be brain booster as per The Journal of Nutrition.

A quick recipe would be to saute a bunch escarole with some onions, chick peas, orange craisins and combine with bow tie pasta.

You can also make a quick soup. Add a bunch/handful of escarole to 2 cups of chicken broth. You can add with some left over chicken slices or just have plain. Squeeze some lemon in the soup.

Spinach Salad

I have been trying to grow spinach in my yard, but my Cane Corso, Lola likes to eat it, so I had to buy a 12 oz. bag for this recipe. Spinach is a very good source of iron and has many nutrients that are very good for you. Spinach does have a bitter taste sometimes, other than a usual lettuce. As I have said many times, I will eat anything that has a delicious topping, dressing or chocolate sauce. I really enjoyed this spinach salad recipe.

Ingredients:

1 12 oz. of cleaned spinach

1 1/2 cups of cubed goat cheese

1 cup of balsamic vinegar

1 pint of cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup of olive oil

1 tsp. of salt

1 tsp. of pepper

Directions:

You can do this 2 ways. Plate up 4 individual plates or in 1 large bowl. I did the 1 large bowl. So, in a small sauce pan, add the balsamic vinegar and while constantly whisking, heat until it thickens up to a pancake syrup consistency. Remove from heat and let cool completely and pour into bowl. Add in the olive oil. I dont usually add in slowly, but thats up to you. Pour in the olive oil and whisk figorously. Add the goat cheese and tomatoes to the spinach and pour over the balsamic dressing. Sprinkle in the salt and pepper and give a good toss. You can serve this with some bread if you like, but not necessary. I did however, serve with medium size rolls from the store bakery so that we could soak up the extra balsamic vinegar. Really a great variation from the regular salad.

If you want you can add in walnuts too.

Mushroom Bechamel Sauce over Pasta

Bechamel sauce is seems scary, but its really just a white cheese sauce and takes minutes to make. During the summer months, we all want to make lighter meals and even quicker ones as we are spending most of our times outside and not thinking about dinner, well at least I am. I use this sauce when I am making a vegetable sauce and rarely use this one with meat. I grew a few mushrooms in my garden and was craving my carbs, so whipped this up.

Ingredients:

1 lb. of pasta, your choice

1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese

6 whole mushrooms

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. flour

1 1/4 cups of milk

salt and pepper

Paprika

1/4 cup of chopped chives or green onions

Directions:
Bring water to boil and cook pastat. Clean and chop up mushrooms. Melt the butter in medium saucepan. Stir in the flour, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don't let it brown about 2 minutes. Warm your milk in a separate pot and then add the hot milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring it to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste, lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add in the mushrooms and cheddar cheddar cheese, let simmer for 10 minutes. Add in pinch of salt, pepper and paprika. Drain pasta well and add into Bechamel sauce, toss well and plate. Top with chives.

Easy Crostini Spread

My first cookbook was all about Appetizers because I think that its a very easy and inexpensive way to eat and to entertain. I love to keep appetizers easy and simple and work with things that are in my refrigerator. Dips and spreads are high on my list of what I make whether its spur of the moment entertaining or something that has been planned out. I think you will love this spread.

Ingredients:

1 cup of chopped Scallions
1/3 cup of Mayonnaise
1 8 oz. bar of Cream cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions:

In medium bowl, combine all ingredients and refrigerate for up to 1 hour. I bought these vegetable rolls, toasted them and topped them with the spread. It was a big hit and so very easy.

Chicken Divan

Ingredients:

8 chicken cutlets, thinly sliced

1 cup of seasoned bread crumbs

1 egg

½ cup of water

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

2 cups of mayonnaise

1 tsp. of curry powder

1 large bag of frozen broccoli florets

1 8 oz. bag of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Beat egg in bowl with water. Place bread crumbs in plate. Heat oil in large fry pan.

Dip cutlets in egg mixture and into bread crumbs and then into oil. Heat until golden brown. Empty broccoli into large baking dish. When cutlets have cooked, place on paper towel to remove excess oil and place on top of broccoli florets. In large bowl combine, cream of chicken soup, mayonnaise and curry powder. Spread mixture over top of cutlets and top with the cheddar cheese. Bake for 30-45 minutes on 350 degrees or until bubbling.

Penne Ala Vodka

Ingredients:
1 can crushed tomatoes

2 tsp butter

1/3 cup vodka

½ tsp red pepper flakes (for more heat 1 tsp)

½ tsp salt

½ cup heavy cream

1 lb of pasta

Directions:

In sauce pan, heat butter and red pepper flakes. Be careful not to burn, just heat and coat. Add in crushed tomatoes, salt, vodka, salt and heavy cream. Heat on low for 25 minutes.

For best results, cook pasta, drain and pour pasta in the sauce and toss.

Garlic Mayonaise Chicken Cutlet Sandwich

I always thought to get the best sandwiches I had to go to my deli, but after awhile, I started making them on my own. I love getting chicken cutlet sandwiches at the deli, besides liverwurst, it is my all time favorite. Sure frying the chicken cutlet takes time, but you can always make a few and freeze them. I topped this one off with some garlic mayo and wowee, its off the charts yummy and quite easy.

Ingredients:

1 fried chicken cutlet

1 roll

1 cup of mayonnaise

1/2 tsp. of garlic paste or 1 garlic clove minced

1 cup of shredded lettuce

Directions:

Make your chicken cutlet, the usual way, dip in egg and then bread crumbs and fry in heated oil. Always start off frying anything into hot oil. Remove, drain and cool. In small bowl, combine garlic and mayonnaise. Give it a taste and add a dash of salt and pepper as you like. Slice open roll and spread a nice layer of the garlic mayo on both sides of the roll. Top with chicken cutlet and lettuce and that's it your own delicious deli sandwich. I love to serve fries with this sandwich.

Shrimp with Chili Garlic Sauce

If you love hot and spicy shrimp, this is a great combination, that of course, is quick and easy. Its a great starter for any meal or you can serve over rice, pasta or salad as a main dish. Which ever one you choose, remember its a spicy one, so have plenty of water.

Ingredients:

1 lb. of frozen, cleaned and de-veined shrimp (you can use fresh as well, this is just a short cut I like)

1 6 oz. jar of Chili Garlic Sauce (found in asian food isle at supermarket)

1/3 cup of vegetable oil

Directions:

In large fry pan add in oil and chili garlic sauce. Once you get it to a bubble, lower the heat and add in the shrimp. If you have used the cooked kind, it will take about 2-3 minutes to heat. Its that easy! I served mine as an appetizer before dinner. A hit for sure.

Shrimp & Goat Cheese Salad

If you are looking for something that's light in the belly and a bit fancy, shrimp is a good way to go. I usually buy frozen, cleaned shrimp in the frozen section of my supermarket when it is on sale and save it for when I am ready to use it. We have been having a heat wave in New York and really didn't want to turn on my oven or my BBQ, so I looked around and fish is a good way to go; especially, shrimp that is already cooked. So I thawed 20 shrimps for my daughter and I and this is what I ended up with.

Ingredients:

20 Jumbo cooked shrimp

1 cup of goat cheese crumbles

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/4 cup of rice vinegar

1 packet of good seasons garlic and herb dressing

3 tbs. of water

Directions:

In a bowl I combined the olive oil, rice vinegar, garlic and herb dressing packet and water. I gave it a whisking and poured it over my shrimp and let sit for 20 minutes covered in the refrigerator. When you are ready to eat, serve on a plate and top with goat cheese. I served garlic bread, as my daughter likes it with every meal she has. So easy and pretty inexpensive if you buy on sale.

Ravioli Vegetable Salad

Cold pasta salads consume the summer time and why not, they are delicious, quick and very filling. I love anything stuffed, so whats better than pasta filled with cheese? Maybe it filled with chocolate, that gives me something to think about if I want to start making my own pasta. Anyway, this dish was inspired by a meal that I have eaten in Little Italy, New York City. They had different vegetables and it was hot, but I knew that eating it cold was a hit as well, as that is what I did the next morning. I found the history of the Ravioli on Wikipedia and thought I would share with you.

The earliest mention of ravioli appears in the writings of Francesco di Marco, a merchant of Venice in the 14th century. In Venice, the mid-14th century manuscript Libro per cuoco offers ravioli of green herbs blanched and minced, mixed with beaten egg and fresh cheese, simmered in broth, a recipe that would be familiar today save for its medieval powdering of "sweet and strong spices". In Tuscany, some of the earliest mentions of the dish come from the personal letters of Francesco di Marco Datini, a merchant of Prato in the 14th century. In Rome, ravioli were already well-known when Bartolomeo Scappi served them with boiled chicken to the papl conclave of 1549. Ravioli were already known in 14th century England, appearing in the Anglo-Norman Vellum manuscript Forme of Cury under the name of rauioles. Sicilian ravioli and Malta's ravjul may thus be older than North Italian ones. Maltese ravjul are stuffed with rikotta, the locally produced sheep's-milk ricotta, or with gbejna, the traditional fresh sheep's-milk cheese.

Ingredients:

1 lb. of large cheese ravioli

8 stalks of asparagus, cut in 4's or 5's

1 small yellow pepper

1 small red pepper

1 small yellow onion

1 cup of walnuts

2 cups of parsley

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 garlic cloves

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook ravioli until they begin to float. Remove from pot of water. toss with a tablespoon of olive oil so they don't stick and let cool completely.

In blender, add in walnuts, parsley, olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic. Give it a few pulses until it is liquified. Pour into medium sauce pan and bring to simmer. Slice up peppers and asparagus and let cook on low for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes. Place ravioli is large bowl and pour sauce over them.

Your options are you can serve the sauce and the ravioli hot or warm, the sauce warm and ravioli room temperature or the ravioli and sauce room temperature. NEVER serve the sauce cold as the oil will harden up and be gooey.

Enjoy. I did serve this for lunch with a salad and some nice warm bread. Delicious.

Fettuccine Carbonara

Ingredients:

1/2 pound bacon, cut into small pieces

4 eggs

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 lb. fettuccine pasta

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup chopped parsley

White or black pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels. In medium bowl beat together eggs and cream just until blended. Stir in cheese and set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and return to pan. Toss with butter until it is melted. Add bacon and cheese mixture and toss gently until mixed.

Lemon Ice Box Cake

Ingredients:

Lemon cake mix add according to directions
1 c. hot water
1 sm. pkg. instant lemon pudding
1 pkg. Dream Whip
1 c. cold milk

Directions:

Make lemon cake according to directions and let cool.

Mix 1 small package instant lemon pudding with 1 package Dream Whip and 1 cup of cold milk. Mix with mixer until thick. Spread this over cake like icing. Chill and serve.

Negroni Cocktail

I went to Wikipedia and their terms of use and they said we could use their information. Double check if you wish. :))))

After searching for information regarding Negroni, I found this on Wikipedia I think, learning about things is great and what a tidbit of information to share with your family and friends as you are serving Negroni's. While the drink's origins are unknown, the most widely reported account is that it was invented in Florence, Italy in 1919, at Caffè Casoni, ex Caffè Giacosa, now called Caffè Cavalli. Count Camillo Negroni invented it by asking the bartender, Fosco Scarselli, to strengthen his favorite cocktail, the Americano, by adding gin rather than the normal soda water. The bartender also added an orange garnish rather than the typical lemon garnish of the Americano to signify that it was a different drink. After the success of the cocktail, the Negroni Family founded Negroni Distillerie in Treviso, Italy, and produced a ready-made version of the drink, sold as Antico Negroni 1919. One of the earliest reports of the drink came from Orson Welles in correspondence with the Coshocton Tribune while working in Rome on Cagliostro in 1947, where he described a new drink called the Negroni, "The bitters are excellent for your liver, the gin is bad for you. They balance each other." According to the Corsican newspaper Nice Matin Corse of 1980, Pascal Olivier Count de Negroni is among those whom it is believed invented the drink.

Ingredients for 1 cocktail:

1 shot of Gin

1 shot of Vermouth

1 shot of Campari

1 slice of orange peel

1 slice of orange

ice cubes

Directions:

In shaker add all ingredients and pour into glass with ice. Add in the orange peel and orange slice.

Farmers Chopped Salad‏

This recipe was inspired by a restaurant that I frequent when I go to Vermont. The restaurant is called Firestones and it is in Quechee, Vermont. I didn’t ask how they make it, but these are definitely the ingredients. If you are ever in Vermont, go to this place. They give you the best corn bread for the table as well. Oh I just love to eat!

Ingredients:

1 cup of chicken, cubed. You can grill it, bake it, etc. (I usually save some chicken from a previous dinner)

½ cup pastini

3 slices of bacon

½ cup gorgonzola cheese

4 grape tomatoes sliced in half

Lettuce of your choice. I usually use mixed greens.

Directions:

First I bring water to boil and cook the pastini. Cool and set aside. Place 3 strips of bacon on microwave dish and place on high for 3-5 minutes. Make sure it is well done, but not burnt so you can crumble. Chop lettuce into small pieces, clean and place in bowl. Add in chicken, crumbled bacon, tomatoes, pastini and gorgonzola cheese. Toss well. Below is the vinaigrette recipe.

Mustard Vinaigrette:

Ingredients:

1 glove of garlic, smashed

2 tbs. of balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

5 tbs.. Olive oil

pinch of parsley, thyme, salt and pepper

In small bowl blend the vinegar, garlic, mustard and mix well. Slowly add the olive oil while whisking. Add the parsley and thyme, salt and pepper, taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Pour over salad and toss well to make sure that you cover all of the salad with the dressing. This is so delicious.

Happy 4th of July!

Wishing you and your family a Happy 4th of July!

The Gourmet Mom

Lisa Montalva

BBQ Sauce Burgers

When it's bbq weather what do we try and do? Come up with new ideas for the grill. I love burgers. I love them all year round and this one just adds the outside topping inside. There are just 2 ingredients, cant get any easier than that.

Ingredients:

1 lb. of chop meat (I use 80/20)

1 cup of bottle BBQ sauce (any flavor)

Directions:

Preheat the grill, so when you put the burgers on its ready. In a bowl combine the chop meat and the BBQ sauce. Make 4 individual burgers and place on grill. I am a well done burger girl. I know everyone says yuck, but I don't like to see blood or red. That's just me. There is no need for anything else on the burgers because the BBQ sauce is so tasty. Enjoy and happy grilling.