A Smoke And A Drink

Sunday dinners are a big deal. Sunday is when my grandma used to start cooking after church (we're Catholic; we were home by noon) and one of two things would happen: eat dinner at 3 PM or wait until 7PM when the football game came on. I preferred the later time because I got to finish up a little bit of homework, talk to my friends on the phone, or go outside and play. Occasionally, I got to leave the house and take in a movie with my church friends. We called it "Youth Group" because it technically counted as CCD because we were all together, but we certainly did NOT talk about Catechism during those outings.



Today's feast is an ode to Sunday dinners (even though today is Saturday) and to the whisperings of summer.


I went to my favorite, Sur La Table, on one of my weekly outings and picked up a stovetop smoker. It was totally on sale! I have been using my cast iron dutch oven for hot smoking and it's great because it's already black; I don't have to worry about making stainless steel shine. It's only drawback is that it's heavy, hot, and not big enough.



Enter: Stovetop smoker, stage left.
It came with four different wood chips: alder, cherry, oak, and hickory. The little minuscule containers are a great starter, but if you're serious about smoking, you'll need more. Very soon.



FYI: There are 2 types of smoking. Hot and cold.

Cold smoking involves no actual cooking. Coagulation and denaturation of proteins, enzymes, and/or cellulose does not take place. This process relies on the actual smoke to cure the food instead of heat. A salt cure is the usual suspect here: salmon, cheeses, meats. The temperature range is between 80 and 100 degrees F, and the smoking time can range anywhere from 4 hours to 4 days.

In the Southern United States, barbeque (or BBQ) is a noun. Not a verb. To use a grill, invite others over, and cook food on said appliance, is called a cookout. Barbeque is pulled, chopped, or sliced pork that has been smoked and is served with a variety of sauces. There is much debate about the best style: Kansas City, Memphis, Lexington (North Carolina), Texas are the names that arise when talking about this heated subject. I personally think Lexington BBQ is the best, but Lexington is also only a 20 minute drive away...

I believe North Carolina is the barbeque capital of the world for the simple fact that hogs are the state's #1 cash crop. It's not tobacco. It's not corn, soybeans, or even cotton.

Personally, I am not a pork fan. But I love the 'cue. I love the hot, vinegar sauce of Eastern-style. I love the tomato-based dip of Lexington-style. There's slaw involved (who is Cole anyway? Yes, I know kol or col is cabbage, ie. colcannon)

OK! Now that the culinary lesson is over, it's time to get down and dirty with the 'cue!

Not only did I make a dry rub for this bad boy, I made a BBQ sauce too.

Nikki's Rub

2 Tb toasted, ground cumin
2 Tb Hungarian paprika
2 Tb garlic powder
2 Tb onion powder
2 Tb chili powder
3 Tb kosher salt
2 Tb cayenne pepper
2 Tb chipotle flakes
2 Tb fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar

6 to 8 pound Fresh Boston Butt

Rubbed down, ready to rock! Well, it was already halfway done when I decided to get the camera out!

This smoker does not need to be preheated.

Using a mix of hickory and oak wood chips, make a small pile at the bottom of the pan. Place drip tray and rack in smoker. Place butt, fat cap side up on the rack. The fat cap will baste the meat, keeping it moist, provide flavor, and slide right off when you slice it. Cover with foil, making sure all seams are covered. I used Scotch tape to ensure a seamless entry into the world of smoking. Let the pork smoke for 4 to 5 hours on medium-low heat.

Once the pork is finished cooking, remove from the smoker and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, hand pull, chop, or slice the pork.

Sliced and ready to be chopped. I was tired after waiting 90 years for this to be done cooking (the #1 reason why I don't bake bread much) and didn't feel like pulling anything. Chopping with a cleaver seemed more apropos.


There will be drippings in the bottom of the drip tray. It's simply water, seasonings from the rub, smoke flavoring, and fat. Pour this into a container, refrigerate it, and then depouillage the mixture. To this combine:

1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup white vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, or other acid
Scant bit of white wine (no more than 1/4 cup)

in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, stirring the sauce frequently. If you like your sauces a little spicier, add more black pepper. After about 20 minutes, remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside.

OH! I made homemade buns from a recipe I got from Kat at A Good Appetite. One of the best filed-away recipes I've taken from a blog.

I apologize for my picture being so crappy. The BBQ was SOOooo good, that it warranted a craptastic photo to let you know how great this stuff really was.

What about the drink, you ask?

It just sounded good in the title of the post. :)

Spare A Spear

I usually do my bulk shopping for the week on Saturdays. I'm already cruising out to the farmer's market for fresh produce, so I might as well find everything else I need, too.

Friday I was inspired by reading Emiline at Visions of Sugar Plums' post on relaxing and she has a picture of her father's asparagus. She tells us how proud of it he is and I got this incredible urge to have some asparagus of my own.

A forest of asparagus.


I've seen it in countless magazines and on a few blogs, but the asparagus and goat cheese tart is one thing that is quintessential to Spring, I think. It seems as if everyone has abandoned Spring and is busy working on the advent of Summer, but I want to hold onto this season for another 20 days or so.



I added a few ingredients to make it special and I took it to work to unleash its goodness onto the world. There are still people who are wary of asparagus. I have to admit, I was too, until about a month or so ago. Asparagus can taste nasty. Especially if it comes from a jar. If it's not fresh, it becomes stinky, odiferous, and above all else: gross.

Please do not eat asparagus from a jar. It might kill you. And I need you here ... to read and enjoy my blog.

Pretty asparagus. At the cusp of freshness, draining.

Into the pot we go!


Au sec-y sec-y now!

Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tart

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
12-14 stalks asparagus, trimmed, blanched
1/2 white onion, medium dice
1/2 cup white wine
3 oz goat cheese (preferred cheese: Goat Lady Farm)
2 Tb grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tb Asiago cheese
3-5 pieces Hormel Ready-to-eat bacon, crumbled (optional)
1 egg
Truffle salt & cracked black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place puff pastry on a lined baking sheet or greased baking dish. Sweat onions until just past translucent. Add white wine and let reduce until au sec and onions are caramelized and sweet.

While onions are working, combine cheeses, bacon, egg, seasonings in a bowl. After onions are cooled, add to cheese mixture and spread on puff pastry. Arrange asparagus stalks on the pastry and spray with non-stick spray, if desired. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until dough is golden brown and cheese is set.

Along with asparagus being suspect at times, goat cheese (also called Chevre [French for goat]) is suspect, too--at times. As a kid (ha ha) my mom would put goat cheese and milk in everything for me to eat. Well, Chevre sometimes doesn't taste creamy, fresh, tangy, and wonderful. I've tasted a lot of chevre on my short time on this earth and the best I've ever eaten is from the Goat Lady Farm. It melds perfectly in every dish, every cracker. It isn't overwhelming. It's the creamiest, most consistent cheese out there.

Stir Crazy

A lot of families have a night where they only eat leftovers. There usually aren't any leftovers in my house because I make just enough for each meal and it gets gone. Quickly. This week I was fortunate enough to have a little bit of a lot of things from which to choose to make dinner.

I like the idea of cooking once at the beginning of the week and then making pieces of future meals. What I've cooked on Tuesday might not be appealing to me on Thursday. I am inspired by my surroundings and I cook according to this. For instance, Boston butt and fresh corn are on sale at my local grocer this week. Look forward to some recipes from those two in the near future...

Last night was stir-fry night.

My ingredients: chili oil, leftover snippets of vegetables, ginger salad dressing, low-sodium Kikkoman soy sauce, Franks Red Hot Sauce, and one lone egg resides in that huge carton.

My vegetables being sauteed in chili oil and 1 tsp red pepper flakes: zucchini, squash, red and green bell pepper, green onion, and garlic

Combine 2 Tbsp soy, 1 Tbsp ginger dressing (please use real ginger, if you have it), 2 Tbsp water, 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and 3 tsp of hot sauce. Whisk in 1 tsp cornstarch as a thickener for a quick sauce for the veggies. Saute a bit longer and then add the one lone egg.

My finished dish with red leaf lettuce and wasabi mayonnaise as garnishes.

I still had leftover frozen shrimp. I had to use them somewhere!

TIPS:

Using flavored oils is a great way to start your dish. When the oil is hot, add ginger and garlic and stir-fry until you smell them.

You'll need to stagger additions to the stir-fry according to how long they take to cook. Onions and and aromatics will need to cook first and longer than broccoli, peppers, or snow peas

If you're using meat, cook it first, then add it back in at the end.

Like Wanting For Chocolate

Whenever I tell people that I cook, that I’m a chef, the next sentence is:

“What is your specialty?” or

“What is your signature dish?”

I feel like a fraud and a sellout because I usually say,

"I don’t have one. Everything I make tastes good."
(OK, the last thing I made that didn’t taste good was a turnip and sweet potato gratin for Thanksgiving dinner. The turnip was older and bitter and that in turn, made the whole dish and a lot of guests bitter, too.)

I do have a signature dish or two that embody who I am as a person, a chef, and a person of the world. I like to take traditional dishes and give them a twist. For the past five years, a New South cuisine has been burgeoning from underneath restaurants’ skirts and I LOVE the idea of taking traditional Southern dishes and making them new again.

EXAMPLES:


Grilled pimiento cheese sandwiches with arugula, jalapenos, and bacon on herb focaccia
Buttermilk fried oysters with balsamic tomato gravy
Creole shrimp toast with rice grits and a shoyu-sake glaze

…the list is endless!

Well, my signature dish has to be Chili-lime chocolate cake with avocado buttercream
The dark chocolate cake topped with the pretty avocado is pleasing to the eye.

The spicyness of the chili is offset by the calming effect of the chocolate, which is further cooled down by the surprising freshness of the cool, creamy avocado. I first made this dessert during a buffet at a catering event. I like to tell people “I can make something out of whatever’s in your refrigerator” and it’s true, apparently. This recipe came straight from the sparse innards of a client’s icebox. And they couldn’t have been happier.

Yes, the combinations sound weird, but trust me, it’s good.

Please try this recipe for yourself. I'd love to hear how it turns out for you!

Chili-Lime chocolate cake

2 cups cake flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup (2 STICKS) unsalted butter
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup lime juice

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
4 Tbs chili powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt

Sift flour and sugar into large bowl.
Bring butter, cocoa, lime juice, and water to a boil in saucepan. Pour over flour mixture; mix well. Add buttermilk, baking soda, chili powder, vanilla, eggs and salt and mix well.
Pour into greased and floured 10x15-inch cake pan. Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean.
Cake may be baked in 9x13 inch cake pan for 40 to 50 minutes. or cupcake pans for 15-20 minutes.

TIPS: Use other forms or types chili powder for the heat: Dried chipotle, cayenne, chipotles in adobo sauce.

Don't have buttermilk on hand? Just add 2-3 TBsp vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk and let sit 10 minutes.

Let all ingredients come to room temperature before starting.

Avocado Buttercream

2 large avocado, ripe, pitted

2 tsp lime juice

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

16 oz confectioners' sugar

Combine all the ingredients in large mixing bowl and whisk or mix at slow speed until smooth. If stiffer icing is needed, or if the weather is very warm, add a little extra sugar.

TIPS: Firm up buttercream in refrigerator until it is just pliable enough, so it won't melt when icing cake.

After icing cake, place in refrigerator to set icing.

Add lime zest to add extra color/flavor to recipe. The pieces might be an undesireable contrast because the avocado makes the buttercream very smooth and creamy.

Tastes To Remember: Blogging Event

Sarah over at Homemade is hosting a blogging event this month and I have decided to enter. I haven't been feeling creative in the kitchen lately, but my binge on frozen food is over and I'm back to getting used to my new kitchen. There still isn't enough space to do anything, but I'm trying my best.

I decided to enter the event because I began to cook because of my childhood. I come from a matriarchal family and my grandmother was at the helm. I was by her side as she went to the grocery each day to buy foodstuffs for dinner and at the stove and she whipped up tried-and-true family dishes. Food and the kitchen has always been a huge part of my life.

Me at age four.



This recipe is an ode to my grandma, Betty Faison Miller. My grandmother passed away nearly a year ago on June 3, 2007 and I've been dealing with her death ever since.




**I won't subject you to the story unless you'd like to read it. It will be below the recipe for the event**


What is more homemade than pasta, sauce, and cheese baked in a casserole and served with a nice crisp salad, buttery garlic bread sprinkled with paprika and a glass of cold, whole milk?

I make my own marinara sauce. Prego is my #1 favorite store-bought sauce, but making it myself is infinitely better.

Marinara Sauce
4 tablespoon olive oil
8-10 garlic cloves, whole
3 medium onions, julienne
2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes in juice or 8-12 roma tomatoes diced, seeded
1 bunch basil


Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring, until onions are translucent and cooked down. Add the tomatoes (with juice if using canned). Stir to blend and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
Rip basil and add to sauce after simmering is done.
1) puree sauce in blender or food processor
2) strain or put through a food mill to create a smooth consistancy.


Baked Pasta Dish

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green or red bell pepper, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 tsp truffle salt
16 oz white button mushrooms, sliced
1 pound ground lamb
1 16 oz bag, Torino Mother-in-law's Tongue pasta, cooked and drained
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
4-5 slices Muenster cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large skillet, saute onion, pepper, mushrooms in oil until onions are transclucent and peppers are soft. Add the marinara, mushrooms, and oregano. Add ground lamb by breaking it up as you place it in the pan. Add truffle salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until lamb is no longer pink. Place the pasta in a greased baking dish. Top with sauce. Place Muenster cheese slices on top of sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° F until heated through and cheese is melted.



Mother-in-law's Tongue pasta. It's a "designer" pasta. It has ribbons of green, purple, and orange, yellow streaked throughout the pasta.

My marinara and lamb getting busy in my pan.

Ooey, gooey, crispy, melty goodness that is my baked pasta.

It was eaten very quickly. I didn't get a chance to plate it and take a pic!

*My grandma's plight*
















My grandmother, she had diverticulitis which led to lacerations in her large intestine. That led to an iliostomy and restorative care (ie nursing home) for nearly two years. Afterwards, she was able to come home and live with us. She had chronic diarrhea, but that's a great trade-off for one's life, I think.

During the next five years, I realized grandma was getting on in years, but I assumed she be around for at least another 20. I wanted to be able to make her a great-grandma. Greater than she already was. Her adult-onset diabetes led to hypertension and kidney failure. She was losing circulation in her toes and feet and she was in great pain. So much pain that she elected to have both her legs amputated to rid her of the pain. I knew deep down that it was the beginning of the end. My grandma has always been very mobile and a globetrotter. The picture above is of us in Hawaii Christmas 2006 (Mele Kalikimaka!)


The loss of her legs was like the loss of a beloved family member. She had a shunt put in her arm for subsequent dialysis a few years back and because of the operation, she had to go on it sooner than we had planned for. Being shuttled back and forth three times a week to dialysis is not fun. When you're sick, depressed, dependent on others for your care and well-being, tired, thirsty, pissed off, any, none, or all of the above as well as not willing and ready to surrender all of your faculties, dialysis is not where you want to be. She suffered from panic attacks. She was on heavy, heavy pain medication because of the amputation. Her wound on her right leg wasn't healing well so a wound care nurse had to come and dress it, and it was painful. My grandmother was the embodiment of a stoic and she only cried out when it was absolutely unbearable. I think I only saw her cry once. Ever.

When she began to exhibit signs of failing health I always thought back to my strong, independent grandma. My grandma who'd till her own garden using a Toro tiller from like...1962. My strong grandma who fixed the plumbing in our house when the pipes burst in the basement, filling it like a swimming pool. My strong grandma who would would 12 hours as a nurse during 3rd shift at a nursing home and then come home to pick up to take me to school. My strong grandma who reminded me of my dream to own my own restaurant or have my own cooking show on television when I told my family I wanted to go to culinary school. I had forgotten why I loved food so much.

She was the reason why.

And she still is.

Common Threads

On episode 8 of Top Chef (it aired two weeks ago) on Bravo, the chefs had to create a nutritious, delicious meal for a family of four. And a budget of $10. Immediately they cut to a few of the cheftestants crying about how nobody can shop for a decent amount of food for that little bit of money. I sat back on my French country sofa, took a swig of my distilled water, paused my TiVo and laughed aloud at these people.





Families make dinner on less than that every day. Hey, ten dollars is all they have for three squares for four people. Or more. I had a short but fruitful discussion with my mother by telephone about this episode:


Me: Are you watching this? Are you watching Top Chef, right now?

Mom: Yeah, I'm turning to it. [pause] They need to quit bitchin' and complainin'. [pause, clattering of remote control hitting hardwood floor] This show has been on three years now. They should know that not every competition is going to be gourmet 'n' shit.

Me: I know! I KNOW! You have to come with it! Haute and goat cuisine. For real. This is a competition. They should have come prepared with a few recipes like that in mind. Well, they have to shop at Whole Foods, too.

Mom: Wow... well, hell. Whole Foods. I don't know about all that.

Me: Well, I do. I know what I'd do. Bulk food is key. They have a huge bulk food section. I'd tear that shit up.

Mom: Go ahead mon petit chef. Tear that shit up.





I took it upon myself to do the same challenge: Take $10, 30 minutes, and shop for a nutritious, delicious meal for four.


Every episode, a product, person, or organization is featured and most of the challenges center around those things. That week it was Common Threads. CT is a non-profit organization started by Oprah's former personal chef, Art Smith. The mission of CT is to educate children on the importance of nutrition and physical well-being, and to foster an appreciation of cultural diversity through cooking. So children from lower-socioeconomic situations get to cook, learn about healthy eating habits, get culturally influenced, become better people, save the world with diversity...you know...

Our local Whole Foods in North Carolina.

Working under pressure works well for a lot of people. I'm hit or miss. No rhyme. No reason. I usually take my time, I plan. I calculate. Time gets away from me. I always run over my allotted time during my cooking classes. I say dinner will be ready in 20..I really mean 40. I go to the grocery for an apple and come out with a block of cheese, a cutting board and new cherry pitter. And no apple.

When I walked into the store, I went straight for the protein. Let me get the meat, the most expensive part of the meal. I drifted over to the fish counter and hoped for something. There was nothing. I can make a stew with bits of fish, using one piece of fish. Too risky. I moved on to the meat counter.

On the show, nearly everyone chose chicken. Chicken is by far the cheapest meat. Pork comes in at a close second, but I am not a fan. I found a package of 4 chicken thighs for $3. I saw one for $2.74 but I was afraid it was more skin and bones than meat, so I chose the former.

After finding the thighs, I still had no idea what I'd do. Then I asked for four pieces of bacon (maybe I'd bard each piece?) and at $1.38 I asked to put two pieces back and made out for 55 cents. Then I thought about sides. The bulk foods section was crawling with people and I wanted to keep to my 30 minute limit so I looked at rice, beans, whole grains, pasta, and I found whole wheat couscous. I love couscous studded or jeweled with fruit and they didn't have any raisins or cranberries free standing, so I took time out to pick raisins and cranberries out of the California Trail Mix with the unwieldy scoop attached to the bin.

I wheeled around to the canned food aisle and thought about stuffing the thighs with a tapenade and then adding to it to make it my own. Maybe I'll sail over to the olive bar and do the same? Olives, garlic, peppers, onions... all doing backstrokes in tasty oils over there. I could make a quick vinaigrette! I digress. And hindsight is 20/20. That is what I should have done.

Then I got this bright idea: chicken cordon bleu, sauteed haricot verts, and couscous. Wait! I'd need a dessert! I'll figure something out...

So allllll the way to the other side of the store, I get 2 pieces of Virginia ham and I look for cheese. All of the cheese is pre-cut and wrapped with a price. I ask the charcuterie guy if he'd cut a piece in half for me. I found a nice piece of Leerdammer (it's like really expensive Swiss cheese) that wouldn't melt into oblivion in the oven or frying pan. He cut it lengthwise and it came out to be $2. Almost as expensive as the chicken! Yikes! I head over to the otherrrr side of the store, take a scant handful of green beans, and think hard about dessert. I could get some eggs and do a souffle. I could get some flour and make a pancake. I could... be seasonal and get some fruit. I grab ONE apple and ONE pear and head for the checkout with less than 4 minutes to go.

I told the checkout girl, briefly, what I was trying to do.

"This cannot go over $10."

Making sure I had a crisp (well, slightly used) 10-dollar bill in my wallet.

She looked confused when I mentioned Top Chef. And even more confused when I mentioned a 30-minute time limit, like Rachael Ray. And then I realized she was not from North Carolina. Or from the United States, for that matter. I took pity upon her only because I'm sure I was crazy-looking, demanding that she participate in my extra-curricular activity with fervor.

I couldn't buy the apple. I had to take away 1/2 of the green beans and I took the stem off the Bartlett pear...

If I didn't show it to you, you wouldn't have believed me. My total, including tax was $10 even. I didn't want to scare my cashier any more than I already had by doing a dance, jig, or other quick movements. I couldn't express my joy by pumping my fist into the air hard enough.


I hate taking pictures of half-eaten food, but this was important, so I thought I'd show my plate. I almost forgot to document my challenge on film. I think I did a great job!

Pears poached in white wine.

Now, on Top Chef, they have a pantry available to them during most challenges. I don't remember if they were able to use any items from it this challenge around, but I assumed so. My kitchen is MY pantry, so everything was up for grabs. I didn't go overboard and use any of the flavored oils, seven types of rice, finishing salts, tri-colored pasta, or alderwood chips I have.

Chicken Cordon Bleu
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup FiberOne cereal
1/4 tsp salt, pepper, dried oregano, garlic powder, thyme, marjoram, basil each
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 slices Leerdammer cheese
2 slices Virginia ham, cut in half
nonstick spray


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a baking dish or sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine all dry ingredients in food processor and combine until crumbs are fine. Put on plate for dredging.
Pound chicken thighs to 1/4 inch thickness.
Sprinkle each piece of chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Place 1 ham slice and 1 cheese slice on top of each thigh. Roll up each piece, and secure with a toothpick. Spray each piece on all sides with nonstick spray. Roll each thigh in the crumb mixture. Spray each piece again and repeat. Place all pieces on baking pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove toothpicks and serve.

I had to debone the thighs myself. It's always cheaper to buy a whole fryer chicken and cut it up yourself and the same goes for pieces of chicken too. I did NOT have any toothpicks in the house (I know...what kind of hostess am I?) so I rolled up each piece as tightly as possible and placed each piece opening-side down in my skillet and seared them before placing the pan in the oven. It made the bottoms crusty and yummy. And the Leerdammer did it's job and didn't melt out like crazy.

Sauteed Green Beans
1/2 lb green beans, snapped
3 cups vegetable stock
1/2 tb butter
2 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp No-Salt seasoning

Simmer green beans in a large saucepan for 3-4 minutes until crisp-tender. Remove from heat, drain, then plunge beans into ice-cold water to stop the cooking process and retain color. Drain.
Heat skillet with butter.
Add garlic and seasoning. Gently sauté for one minute. Add blanched green beans and sauté for three minutes. Serve.

Fruit-Jeweled Couscous
1/2 cup raisins/cranberries
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups vegetable stock or broth
2 cups couscous
In a saucepan combine raisins, stock, and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Stir in couscous, cover and remove from heat. Allow to sit for 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff couscous with a fork. Serve warm at room temperature.

I do not like Israeli couscous (because of its size. No other reason. Oh, and it reminds me of Kix or Body Buddies)


Poached Pears
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 firm Bartlett, Anjou or Bosc pear, sliced, unpeeled, seeded

Heat wine and water until the liquid begins to simmer. Lower the heat to maintain a very slow simmer. When the liquid simmers carefully lower them into the poaching liquid. Let them simmer gently for about 10 to 15 minutes, then begin testing them with a fork or skewer. The pear should be tender but not mushy. Cooking times will vary from 15 to 30 minutes or more, depending on ripeness, quantity, and variety of pear. Remove them and let them cool. Reduce poaching liquid until barely au sec. Pour reduction over plated pears. Use piece of Leerdammer for garnish.

In my picture there is a strawberry on the plate. I know. I really wanted it to look good for the camera ;) But it is sitting on top of a piece of Leerdammer.

I have never been able to understand why people have cheese for dessert. It's not refreshing, it's not light, and it doesn't aid in digestion. If you are reading this and you know, please...enlighten me.

Books & Cooks: Paula Deen

As a Southern belle, I am inclined to fatten up and feed my family copious amounts of food whilst mixing pitchers of mint juleps, iced tea, and the occasional vat of Kool-Aid. As the wife of an African nationalist, I am expected to execute flawlessly, the traditional dishes of Senegal, West Africa whilst making cup after of the national drink, besop (BEE-sop). As a cooking instructor, I am expected to be clean, organized, knowledgeable, and above all: professional, in my dealings with food.

Of all of these different hats I put on, none of these comes close to physician, dietitian, or aerobics instructor. In the words of Paula Deen, "I'm your cook, not your cardiologist..."

BUT ...because of that bold statement, I have a job. I love spending hours "in the test kitchen" tweaking, sampling, dissecting, disseminating recipes to make them healthier and ever more flavorful. I believe my BestHealth guests enjoy reaping the benefits of my labor. Labor of love, that is!

I took four of Paula's recipes and turned them into low-fat, low-calorie marvels that still have plenty of flavor, color, and taste of the original recipes. I've learned that if there is a lower/reduced fat (calorie, cholesterol, salt, gluten, allergen) version of something, go ahead and use it! No one has perished from eating too healthily.


I think.

Paula's Original Recipe
Tomato Grits & Shrimp Florentine
2 cups water
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoons salt
1 cup quick cooking grits
1 stick butter, plus 1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup green onions, diced
6-ounce garlic cheese roll
2 1/2 cups Cheddar, shredded
10-ounce can diced tomatoes and green chiles
2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons butter
1 clove minced garlic
12 shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 to 2 lemons juiced
White wine, for deglazing
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Grand Padana
2 cups fresh spinach, packed down
1 dash ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper

Fat adds flavor and when you cut the fat, flavor has to be added in other ways that won't raise your blood pressure, cholesterol, or waist line (or bottom line, if you're anything like me). I added squash because a little veg never hurt anyone. Antioxidants and vitamins made us feel good.

Nikki's Tomato Grits with Shrimp Florentine
Tomato Grits
2 cups Kitchen Basic fat free/low sodium vegetable stock
3/4 cup non-fat milk
1 cup quick cooking grits¼ tsp salt
non-stick cooking spray
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup green onions, sliced
1 1/4 cups reduced fat cheddar, shredded
4 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 jalapeños, sliced/1 poblano pepper, diced
½ cup Better N Eggs egg substitute

Shrimp Florentine
1 tsp Smart Beat
1 clove minced garlic
12 shrimp, peeled and deveined, chopped
1 tablespoon No-Salt Seasoning
1 to 2 lemons, juiced
½ cup dry white wine, for deglazing
6 oz nonfat, fat free plain yogurt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 cups fresh spinach, packed down
1 medium squash, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
3 dashes ground nutmeg
¼ tsp saltcracked black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the tomato grits, in a saucepan, bring the water and milk to a boil. Add the salt. Slowly add the grits and return to a boil; stir for 1 full minute. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally until the grits are thick and creamy.

Remove from the heat and set aside. Spray sauté pan with nonstick spray and saute the onions, garlic, jalapeños for one minute. Add 1 cup of the cheddar and the onion mixture to the grits, and stir until cheese is melted. Add the tomatoes and mix well; stir in the Better N Eggs.

Pour the grits into a 8x11x2-inch casserole lightly sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake the casserole for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the casserole for the last 5 minutes of cooking time.

On medium heat, add Smart Beat to sauté pan and let it melt. Add minced garlic and shrimp, No-Salt seasoning and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until shrimp are no longer opaque. Deglaze pan with lemon and wine. Add yogurt, cheese, spinach, and nutmeg. Reduce, season, to taste, with salt and pepper and pour over grits.


Paula Deen's Original Recipe
It's Not Your Mamma's Banana Pudding Recipe
2 bags cookies (recommended: Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies)
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
2 cups milk
1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

I cut a considerable amount of sugar and calories out of this recipe. My mother doesn't eat bananas, doesn't like the taste, doesn't even want to look at them, so this recipe is DEFINITELY not hers. But I'm sure she'd like it sans bananas.

It's Not MY Mamma's Banana Pudding
6 bags Nabisco 100-calorie pack LornaDoone cookies, crushed
6 to 8 bananas, sliced
3 cups nonfat milk
1 (4-ounce) box Jell-O instant sugar free/fat free vanilla pudding
1 (8-ounce) package fat free cream cheese, softened
1 (12-ounce) container fat free frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 tablespoons Chocolate Pillsbury Reduced Sugar Frosting, melted

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 3 bags of cookies and layer bananas on top. In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer or whisk. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and the whipped topping. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Drizzle chocolate frosting across top of pudding before serving.

Paula's Original Recipe
Paula’s Coleslaw
5 cups shredded cabbage
1/2 cups almonds, toasted
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup chopped green onions, white and green parts
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon honey mustard
1 tablespoon honey
salt and pepper

I am desperately allergic to ALL nuts. Tree, ground, and I stay away from granola and sesame because the nutty flavors remind me an allergy attack. I found a great substitute in soy nuts. Roasted, unsalted soy nuts. They come with skins and without. There is also a soy nut butter that kicks peanuts in the...pants. As far as mayonnaise is concerned, there are plenty of other options that are still mayonnaise, but I chose silken tofu because it's different, new, and adds protein whereas mayo just adds cholesterol.

Nikki's Coleslaw
5 cups shredded cabbage
½ cup roasted, unsalted soy nuts
1 ½ cups dried cranberries
½ cup diced celery
¼ cup chopped green onions (white/green)
½ cup chopped green bell pepper

Dressing:
1 cup silken tofu, blended to a smooth consistency
¼ tsp cayenne
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp yellow mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Combine cabbage, soy nuts, cranberries, celery, green onions, and green pepper in a large bowl with a snap-on lid. Combine all dressing ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve. When ready, pour dressing over slaw and stir well.

While tasting the slaw during class, I added extra cayenne (because I like it spicy) and I added apple cider vinegar because it married all of the flavors together.

Shorty Swing My Way

I decided to stop feeling sorry for myself and get back in my new-to-me kitchen and cook like I always do. I can't let the frozen food section of the grocery stop me from culinary excellence. Am I yawning? Is it frustration? I don't know either.

Sunday, I decided to make braised short ribs with potato gnocci (also spelled gnocchi, pronounced NO-key or NYO-key). I put my heart and soul into this one pot. This pot held all of my frustrations, loves, and joys about cooking. I was focused and determined to make a damn good meal. I really miss making excellent food and just because I don't have the kitchen I had before doesn't mean I can't produce great meals. I'm a professional, dammit! And I intend to act like one!

This recipe is a take on Carbonnade a la Flamande, Belgian beer-braised beef. Gnocci takes the place of traditional spaetzle, an egg noodle pasta. Gnocci are essentially dumplings, a familiar vessel in the South, when made this European way. They are placed in the pot 30 minutes before service and cooked to perfection in the simmering boil of meaty goodness.

Braised short ribs Serves 4

3-4 lbs short ribs

1 Tbsp vegetable oil (you may or may not use all of this)

3 onions, chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

16 oz bag baby carrots

Bouquet garni (bay leaves, thyme, sage leaves, peppercorns, marjoram, parsley stems, rosemary sprigs)
1 12 oz bottle beer (I used Yuengling, a dark stout is preferable)

3 cups vegetable or beef stock (broth is fine here, too)

1 Tbsp brown sugar (granulated is fine)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. F.

Rinse off ribs and dry with a paper towel. Season and rub ribs liberally with salt and pepper. Set roasting pan over two burners on medium-high heat. Add a scant amount of vegetable oil to a roasting pan. . Brown each rib on each side until a nice, dark crust forms. Set ribs aside. Drain excess fat drippings from pan. Add onions, celery, carrots, bouquet garni, brown sugar. Cook until onions are translucent. Add beer and stock/broth to deglaze the pan. Use rubber spatula to bring up the fond from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a rolling boil and let beer suds subside. Add ribs and remove from heat. Cover pan with its lid or foil. Place in oven and reduce heat to 250 degrees F. Continue to cook ribs in the oven until the meat is tender and falling off the bones, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours. At the 1 1/2 or 2 hour mark, slip your gnocci into your braise and let them cook until they've doubled in size.

NOTES:

Make sure your meat is dry before attempted to sear because your meat won't crust if it's wet.

Usually a bouquet garni is a sachet of herbs or a bunch of herbs tied into a piece of celery or leek. I use the term here to mean all of the herbs associated with the classical term should be thrown into the pot. If you want to make a sachet and take it out at a certain time during cooking, that's OK. I put everything directly into the pot and only took out the bay leaves just before serving.













Before.


















After.



















Pot-au-feu of bouquet garni, mirepoix, and DA BEER(s)!




I missed class the day in Asian/European Cuisine that we made gnocci (and osso bucco day...and roesti potato day and waterzooi day...) So I have been at a loss for how to achieve perfect gnocci (other than going to the frozen foods section). There are many recipes out there for gnocci. I've always had Julia Child in my library, so I turned to her for inspiration. Lo, and behold: making it is easy! Just make choux (pronounced SHOE) pastry, add potato, and GO TO TOWN!



I make choux pastry a lot. It's really simple and in a few minutes you can have profiteroles for your guests. Everyone will think you are a kitchen whiz! Just by having a bit of choux in your freezer, you might save lives. You'll be like...the Red Cross or the Red Crescent or something...







Pate a choux/Choux Pastry Yield 2 cups (adapted from Mastering The Art of French Cooking, Julia Child)
1 cup water
6 TB (3/4 stick) butter
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
pinch of nutmeg
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs


Bring water to boil with butter, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and pour in flour all at once. Beat vigorously with a wooden spatula or spoon to blend thoroughly. Then beat over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the panada leaves the sides of the pot and begins to film the bottom of the pan.

At this point, you can continue in the pot with the wooden spoon or use a hand-held mixer for the remainder of the recipe.














Remove pot from the heat and make a well in the center of the paste. Break an egg into the center of the well and beat it until it has absorbed. Continue with the other eggs until all is well blended and smooth. At this point, the pastry can be cooled and rubbed with butter on the surface and refrigerated for a few days or frozen for later use; piped or spooned into puffs or quenelles to be baked immediately and frozen OR frozen and baked at a later time. Fresh choux is best and any time you preserve it for later, your puffs won't be as high. But the choux is always perfect for gnocci! (picture on left: my beaten up choux after 2 eggs)














Potato Gnocci Makes 12 (3x 1/2 inch each) (adapted from Mastering The Art of French Cooking, Julia Child)



2 cups cooked potato or instant potato
1 cup warm choux pastry (pate a choux)
1/3 cup grated Swiss/Parmesan mix (optional)
12-in skillet of simmering stock/broth/water






Dry out potatoes by stirring them in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over moderate heat for a minute or until they film the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat.

Beat the choux (and cheese, if using) into the potatoes, correct seasoning with salt and pepper.

Take the mixture by spoonfuls and roll it with the palms of your hands on a lightly floured board to form cylinders and 2 1/2 inches long and 1 inch in diameter.

Slip the gnocci into the simmering liquid and poach, uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes. If it boils, the gnocci may disintegrate. When they have swelled to almost double, and roll over easily in the water, they are done. Drain on a rack or towel.





The key is DRY potatoes. Using the instant potatoes saved me a lot of time and heartache. I used just enough water to reconstitute the flakes to eliminate the ricing step. And the boiling step. Oh, and the peeling step, too. :)
















Pretty, creamy, dry potatoes.









One cylinder of gnocci dough before cutting. I used lots of flour on my hands to ensure it wouldn't be sticky.










The end result. I wish this picture looked as appetizing as it really was. This was a test plate to make sure everything was falling off the bone and packed full of flavor.


It was.

Deep Fried Remorse aka Ravioli

I feel like such a lush these days. I'm doing more drinking than cooking. I haven't blogged in years, it seems. I quit my old job. I'm delving into a new one. I've moved into smaller, less accommodating digs, so my new kitchen is a piss-poor imitation of my old one.


My diet is piss-poor too. I've been eating out every meal, sipping on mimosas and gimlets, pretending I can put it all on an expense account. Instead of happily skipping to the farmers' market every week to play with the produce and fondle the meats, I've been schlepping to Whole Foods and Harris Teeter to peruse foodstuffs in poor lighting hoping for a sale. I've also been cruising the frozen food section. I'm now addicted to Seapak shrimp (oh and it's BOGO this week) and frozen ravioli. Did I forget to mention the frozen pizzas, microwaveable french fries, and BOGO Edy's ice cream? What is WRONG with me!?



I always test my recipes for my cooking class before I unleash my food unto the world. This month's class is Paula Deen. If you are not familiar, Paula Deen is a food maven from Savannah, Georgia. She owns a few restaurants including Lady and Sons which always has a line wrapped around the block. Paula has never met a pig, stick of butter, cheese log, container of cream, or pot of grease that she did not like. Changing her recipes into something healthy, palatable, and within some semblance of her original creation has been quite the challenge.

I will post Friday the recipes from the class.

Until then, a good recipe but nowhere near proper health standards.

Paula Deen's Fried Ravioli
9-ounce package frozen 4-cheese ravioli
2 cups ground pecans
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Oil

Cook ravioli for 2 minutes. Place cooked ravioli on paper towels to drain; set aside.
Combine pecans and cheese in a shallow dish. Whisk together milk, eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl. Dip ravioli in egg mixture then dredge in pecan mixture. Pour oil to a depth of 1/2-inch in a skillet or Dutch oven; heat to 360 degrees F. Fry ravioli, in batches, 2 minutes on each side, or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Serve with Marinara Cream Sauce.

Nikki's Fried Ravioli
9-ounce package frozen cheese ravioli
3/4 cup FiberOne cereal

1/2 tsp Lawry's Seasoning salt

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp marjoram

3/4 cup grated Parmesan

3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Oil

Let ravioli thaw out completely. Dry using paper towels; set aside. In a small bowl combine cheese with half of all the seasonings; set aside. Combine FiberOne, salt, pepper, marjoram, basil, oregano, garlic powder in food processor or mini chopper. Place crumbs in a 1-gallon plastic bag with ravioli. Shake until all pieces are evenly coated. Pour oil to a depth of 1/2-inch in a skillet or Dutch oven; heat to 360 degrees F. Fry ravioli, in batches, 2 minutes on each side, or until golden. Sprinkle cheese mixture over ravioli. Serve.

I'm allergic to nuts which makes a lot of people sad because everything in the South is covered with a pecan, peanut, or slivered almond, and I can't taste their prize winning cake from the county fair. The ravioli don't need milk or eggs for the coating to stay on. If you want additional crunchiness, then go ahead and use an egg product. Double dipping will make your ravioli crisp up real nice.

I'm a spicy girl ;), so I like to use a lot of seasonings and spice in everything that I cook. I encourage you to do the same. Spice aids in digestion.

This Is Why I'm Hot

I dine out quite frequently: 70% to cure my hunger, 20% to be entertained, 10% to be used as a social remedy to my loneliness. Friends are few and far between when it comes to wanting to dine with me because I am so critical. Why? Well, I seem to get the short end of the skewer when it comes to food quality and service.

When I’m paying for a service, I expect the service to fall in line with the atmosphere. If I'm in a casual dining establishment, I expect perfunctory, yet casual service. If I'm in a bar, I expect no service. It's all part of the game, you see.

I understand that waitstaff works for tips, but that is over and beyond what the place is already paying them. A tip or gratuity should only be offered up for excellence over and beyond the call of duty. Just because you set my plate before me does not entitle you to a percentage of my bill.

Don’t be afraid that someone will use your corn chowder bowl as a spittoon.

Tell John from Illinois (because you know it's on his name tag) that your steak is overcooked.

Tell Julie from Texas that your soup is cold.

You didn't order an goat cheese and tomato omelet. You wanted a goat cheese and sun-dried tomato omelet. Get it right, bitches. For real.

The dish was not what you were expecting? Tell them how you want it. I used to work in the service industry: back of the house and front of the house. I have always said: If I received 1/10th of the level of service I received, I wouldn’t be such a critical diner in the 1st place.

True Story:

I went to a deli last week with my mom and we were having a great time. We were al fresco on the patio, the breeze was blowing, the sun was shining. Our sandwich bread had the perfect crumb, our chips were fresh and crisp out of their bags, our tea was tooth-rottingly sweet. Our laughter and lilting voices carried throughout the atrium. Nothng could go wrong...

I decided to indulge in dessert, a chocolate spoon cake with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. When it arrived, the scoop clearly had ice crystals formed on the top and sides of it. I went inside to get a new scoop. I wasn’t going to wait an additional five minutes for a waitstaff to come find me to ask if my food was OK. When my cake returned to the table, it same the same sorry-assed freezer-burned scoop on top only this time it was melted. I lifted up the scoop in disgust and found the center to be nothing but ice crystals. I told the young man who brought out the cake to get me a new piece of cake, new ice cream, and if it wasn’t correct the third time I’d want my money back. I knew it wasn't his fault. He didn't make the cake. He was the guy who rang us up at the register. My qualm was not with him. It was with the faceless character in the back who thought it was funny to make a mess of my dessert.

Of course, a manager showed up this time. I explained to her my disdain and she said she’d make the cake herself. Managers lubing up in the elbow grease seems to make everyone happy. Even me. She brought back my cake and I took this opportunity to use the Ace Card. Not Race Card. Ace Card. I promptly gave her my business card with the prominent words: writer/chef on top, complete with my website and email. Essentially (I'm paraphrasing here) I let her know that I dine out frequently and this particular establishment was one of my favorites, I'd be back again, but to watch it next time. Who knows if she took me seriously? All I know is: don’t take no for an answer. Would you pay full price for a brand-new dress that clearly has a huge rip in it? And then when you told someone about it they put a piece of tape on it and told you where to go and how to get there? No, you wouldn’t.

Food service should be held to the same standards.

Crappy-assed omelet. The cook should have stayed home.

It tasted just like it looks. And it was cold.

Books & Cooks: Rachael Ray

I chose Rachael Ray at BestHealth for the month of April because the whole of the land seems to be obsessed with this woman. She's got multiple TV shows, is being endorsed by a slew of celebrities and home cooks alike; Her personality radiates through the screen during every 30 Minute Meal and Rachael Ray Show. She's grabbed a star and held onto it. She's worked her way up the ranks and is just a normal person just like you and me. To be honest, I admire her greatly because of this.




She just uses too much EVOO.






This last class turned out to be a hit.



Anything with gravy makes people happy. Having biscuits with which to sop up the goodness swirled on your plate just makes people want to dance. I'm dancing right now. No biscuit in sight. Coffee also makes people happy. Good, high quality coffee.






Quick Tiramisu Serves 8

1 Sara Lee Free & Light pound cake, cut into 8 slices**
½ cup espresso or strong coffee
1 cup fat free cottage cheese
4 oz fat free/sugar free white chocolate pudding
1/4 cup cocoa powder
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 oz coffee liqueur (optional)

1. Lay pound cake slices in a dish.
2. Paint the slices with coffee combined with the coffee liqueur, if using, with a pastry brush.
3. In a bowl, beat pudding and cheese together 2 or 3 minutes.
4. Spoon pudding mixture on top of cake slices. Sprinkle with cocoa powder combined with cinnamon. Serve




**I could not find this pound cake in any retailer (and Sara Lee has a distributor directly in my city so this MUST be a problem nationwide) so I came up with my own fat-free pound cake recipe. I'm not Sara or Sandra Lee, but Nikki did a pretty good job with this one:





Fat-free Pound Cake




2 1/2 c unbleached flour



1 cup fat-free sour cream



4 egg whites, whipped to soft peaks



1 tsp vanilla



1 cup Splenda for Baking



1/4 tsp baking powder



1/8 tsp baking soda




Preheat oven at 325 degrees F. Prepare a loaf pan with cooking spray and flour; set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine sour cream, egg whites, and vanilla. In another mixing bowl, combine flour, Splenda, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients just until moistened. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour or until cake tests done.





Don't use all Splenda because your cake will not hold shape and will become a soggy mess upon cooling outside of the oven. The sugar in the baking blend (or in your own blend) is needed to help the cake maintain its shape.




Using 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup regular Splenda is also acceptable.




Powdered egg whites are another economical, safe, acceptable substitution that I fully endorse. The container will direct you to how many teaspoons equal the number of egg whites you need to use.





Beef Tenderloin with Gravy and Biscuits Serves 4
(Serving= 3 oz meat, 1/4 cup gravy, 1 biscuit)

2 6 oz. beef tenderloins, sliced very thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp smoked salt
1 Tb dried thyme
1 Tb dried parsley
1 ¼ cup fat free/low sodium beef stock
2 Tb flour
2Tb oil
¼ cup fat free plain yogurt

1.On a small plate mix garlic, pepper, thyme, parsley, and salt.
2.Coat each tenderloin slice with spice mixture.
3.Spray 9-inch skillet with non-stick spray and cook tenderloin 1 minute on each side.
4.Remove steaks to serving platter and tent with foil to keep warm.
5.Add 2 TB of oil to pan. Add 2 tablespoons flour to drippings and cook 2 minutes.
6.Whisk in broth.
7. Whisk yogurt into gravy. When gravy bubbles, remove from heat. Serve steaks and warm biscuits with gravy on top.



Drop Biscuits (Makes 5 biscuits)
1 cup Bisquick Heart Smart Pancake and Baking mix
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Butter-flavor cooking spray, if desired

1. Heat oven to 450°F.
2. In small bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk, and garlic powder to make a soft dough. Drop dough by 5 spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake about 8 minutes or until golden brown. Spray warm biscuits with cooking spray before removing from cookie sheet. Serve warm






The following recipe wasn't included during my class, due to time constraints, but I wanted to include it here because It really did taste like pizza and I cooked my mushrooms and let them cool before adding them to the salad. It was a favorite in my house.




Supreme Pizza Pasta Salad Serves 8

2 plum tomatoes, diced
20 basil leaves, chiffonade
½ medium red onion, sliced
8 white mushrooms, sliced
34 slices turkey pepperoni, sliced into strips
8 oz reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 lb pasta, broken into bits, cooked and rinsed
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
1 Tb tomato paste
1/3 cup Kraft fat free Italian dressing

Combine all ingredients, chill, serve.







Chiffonade literally means "made of rags" and typically it is when leafy green vegetables like lettuce, basil, and collard or callaloo greens are rolled up and cut into strips.








Combining the tomato paste with the dressing helps distribute and incorporate it better into the salad.