AwesomeBites

Category: Fan Favorites

  • Roasted Carrot, Orange and Ginger Soup

    Roasted Carrot, Orange and Ginger Soup

    Silver Palate Cookbook with my modifications

    Ingredients
    4 tbsp sweet butter or Ghee
    2 cups chopped onions
    12 large carrots (peeled and chopped), or small baby carrots about 2 lbs unpeeled and unchopped
    4 cups (950 ml) chicken stock
    2 tsp tarragon
    2 tsp grated ginger
    1 cup (225 ml) fresh orange juice
    salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    grated fresh orange zest to taste

    Preparation
    Melt the butter on cookie sheet, add onions and carrots and roast at 400 degree oven until tender and slightly browned lightly colored, about 25-35 minutes. I usually use two roasting pans, one for onions and one for carrots.
    Add carrots and stock and bring to a boil.
    Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 10 minutes.
    Pour the soup through a strainer and transfer the solids to the bowl of a food processor.
    Add 1 cup of the vegetable or chicken cooking stock and process until smooth.
    Return the puree to the pot and add the orange juice and additional stock, 2 to 3 cups, until the soup is the desired consistency.
    Season to taste with salt and pepper; add orange zest.
    Simmer until heated through. Serve immediately.

    Serve with Crusty Bread and Sliced Cheddar Cheese and/or Waldorf Chicken Salad

  • Bread Pudding

    Bread Pudding

    Bread pudding

    6 eggs
    1 cup sour cream
    1 tsp cardamom
    1 tsp cinnamon
    1 tsp nutmeg
    1 tsp garam masala
    1/2 tsp salt
    1/4 cup brown sugar
    15 slices bread (croissants, texas toast, raisin bread). Many recipes recommend removing crust, but I like the crusts.

    Combine eggs, cream and spices beat well. Dip bread slices and add to buttered baking dish.
    Top first layer with sprinkle of brown sugar and another layer of dipped bread and sprinkle remaining brown sugar on top. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.

    Serve with powdered sugar or maple syrup or butterscotch or carmel sauce or chocolate sauce.
    Serve with Crispy Bacon, Hot Black Coffee with Whipped Cream! Enjoy your treat!

  • Bacon Caesar Salad

    Bacon Caesar Salad

    Bacon Caesar Salad

    Oh my, simple and excellent.

    2 cups baby romaine, chopped
    1 cup mixed herb salad, prewashed
    3 scallions chopped, green and white
    6 slices of bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
    1/4 cup Girard’s Light Creamy Caesar Dressing
    Salt and Pepper to taste

    You can prepare the salad ahead of time by washing and chopping, then keep in refrigerator until ready to eat. Dress the salad right before serving, add the bacon and scallions and salt and pepper. Awesome bites!

    Variations: Add 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese for Bacon and Blue Caesar or C
    Add 1/4 cup toasted pecans
    Add 1 cup sliced strawberries for Berry Bacon Salad
    (make sure you wash the strawberries well or your salad could end up gritty)
    Add baked rotisserie chicken from your local supermarket for a quick dinner,
    serve on the side, or chop and add to the salad.

    Serve with Croque Madame

  • Mother’s Day Brunch – Croque Madame

    Mother’s Day Brunch – Croque Madame

    Mother’s Day Brunch Menu

    Croque Madame
    Bacon Caeser Salad
    Strawberries and Pineapple Slice Skewers

    Blood Orange Mimosas
    Coffee with Bailey’s Irish Cream

    Blood Orange Mimosa

    Croque Madame
    My sons both agreed this tastes like a french toast, ham and cheese, eggs benedict sandwich; which of course it is.

    Serves 10 (Leftovers are a good thing. These sandwiches are great cold!)

    Step One – Make the french toast.
    20 slices Texas Toast Bread – the thick stuff
    6 eggs beaten
    2 cups milk
    1 tsp cinnamon
    1 tsp nutmeg
    1 tsp ground cardamom
    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Using two baking sheets, melt butter on the pans.
    Soak each slice of bread and place on the warm baking sheet. When the bottoms brown, turn the bread over to brown the other sides. Remove from oven, go to step two.

    Step Two -Assemble the sandwich
    8 ounces grated 4 Mexican blend cheese
    1-1/2 pounds ham -Tear ham into pieces on top of 4 cheese blend
    Top ham with brown sugar glaze, about 1 tsp per sandwich
    8 ounces Guyere Cheese. Top with Grated cheese Guyere
    On the top slice of french toast spread
    1/2 tsp orange marmalade
    1/4 tsp brown mustard
    Place on top and put the whole sandwiches back on the baking pan and into the oven until the cheese has melted. While the cheese is melting, go to step three.

    Step Three:
    Bechemel Sauce
    1/4 cup butter melted in sauce pan
    1/4 cup flour and wisk while it cooks. This should be a white sauce, so do not brown the flour.
    Add two cups milk wisking to blend.
    Add 1 cup grated greyere cheese

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    Step Four: Fry the eggs
    As the egg are done, add each one to the top of a sandwich to keep warm until all the eggs are fried. Serve immediately topping with 1-2 tablespoons of bechemel sauce.

    Serve along side the Bacon Caesar Salad.

  • Honey Walnut Shrimp – Craving Chinese Food!

    Honey Walnut Shrimp – Craving Chinese Food!

    You know how it is, sometimes you just get a craving for asian food! Perfect to serve over butter lettuce as a meal salad or serve with rice or chow mein for a crowd.

    Ingredients

    1 cup water
    2/3 cup white sugar
    1/2 cup walnuts
    4 egg whites
    2/3 cup mochiko (glutinous rice flour)
    1/4 cup mayonnaise
    1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
    2 tablespoons honey
    1 tablespoon canned sweetened condensed milk
    1 cup vegetable oil for frying

    Directions
    1.Stir together the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and add the walnuts. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain and place walnuts on a cookie sheet to dry.
    2.Whip egg whites in a medium bowl until foamy. Stir in the mochiko until it has a pasty consistency. Heat the oil in a heavy deep skillet over medium-high heat. Dip shrimp into the mochiko batter, and then fry in the hot oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
    3.In a medium serving bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, honey and sweetened condensed milk. Add shrimp and toss to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle the candied walnuts on top and serve.

  • Fig and Olive Tapenade

    Fig and Olive Tapenade


    I was telling someone the other day that I hadn’t found a tapenade that I loved. I happen to love olives, but tapenade from the store has been left many a month in my refrigerator. Just don’t like it. That is until I was browsing the internet and stumbled upon this Fig and Olive Tapenade. Rather than spend a bunch of time making something I wasn’t sure I would like, I made a quick sample from ingredients I had on hand. My sample consisted of fig jam, kalmata olives and a little butter on a piece of breakfast toast. I know, it doesn’t have all the spices in it yet, but I can tell by the flavor profile, I am going to like it. Now, I am about to embark on the real thing. I have visions of taking this delicious concoction to a friends house as a hostess gift, or perhaps my dish for potluck.

    Ingredients
    1 cup chopped dried figs
    1/2 cup water
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    1 teaspoon dried rosemary
    1 teaspoon dried thyme
    1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    2/3 cup chopped kalamata olives
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    salt and pepper to taste
    1/3 cup chopped toasted black walnuts
    1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
    Directions
    1.Combine figs and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, and liquid has reduced. Remove from heat, and stir in the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, thyme, and cayenne. Add olives and garlic, and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover, and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight to allow flavors to blend.
    2.Unwrap cream cheese block, and place on a serving platter. Spoon tapenade over cheese, and sprinkle with walnuts. Serve with slices of French bread or crackers.

  • Roasted Asparagus

    Roasted Asparagus

    Ingredients

    2 pounds fresh asparagus
    Good olive oil
    Kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
    Freshly ground black pepper
    Freshly grated parmesan (optional)

    Directions
    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

    Break off the tough ends of the asparagus and, if they’re thick, peel them. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, then toss to coat the asparagus completely. Spread the asparagus in a single layer and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Roast the asparagus for 25 minutes, until tender but still crisp.

  • Grilled Rack of Pork

    Grilled Rack of Pork


    Grilled Rack of Pork with Rosemary, Garlic and SageServing Size: 10 (just 8 if they’re really big eaters)

    7 pounds rack of pork (8 ribs)
    1/4 cup fresh rosemary — chopped fine
    2 tablespoons sage — rubbed (dry)
    3 cloves garlic — minced
    2 teaspoons kosher salt
    2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

    1. Several hours before you wish to cook the meat, dry it well with paper towels.
    2. In a small bowl combine the finely minced rosemary, dried sage, minced garlic and salt. Add olive oil and stir.
    3. Pour a small amount of olive oil into your hands and massage all over the rack of pork, then gently press on the herb mixture.
    4. Place roast on a dish or pan and place it in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 2-4 hours.
    5. Allow meat to warm to room temperature for about 30 minutes before proceeding.
    6. Preheat grill to high and sear all sides of the pork, fat side down first. Try not to burn any sides of the roast (the fat will drip off and may cause flare-ups). Move roast to indirect heat, fat side up, reduce grill interior temp to about 300° and allow meat to roast for 45 minutes to an hour. Use a meat thermometer inserted between the center ribs (don’t touch bone with the probe) until the meat reaches 135°.
    7. Remove meat to a cutting board and loosely tent with foil for about 15 minutes, then slice and serve.

  • Awesome Crab Cakes

    Awesome Crab Cakes

    Crab Cakes with Watermelon Salad

    A friend from Maryland invited us to a crab boil exlusively from Harbour House Crabs.  We spread newspapers out on the table and crack open the crabs with our Old Bay seasoned hands, savoring the tender white morsels from the crab. I have never had so much fun eating crab. Crabcakes offer a more refined way of eating crab,  make wonderful appetizers if you make them small, or a nice light dinner served with a salad.

    Crab Cakes

    Tips on making crabcakes: Costco has great lump crab in one pound tubs.

    1) The best crabcakes are mostly crab, so I recommend not using too much bread. You only need enough to help hold everything together. In terms of a ratio, if I had 1 1/2 cups of crabmeat, for example, I would use about 1 1/2 cups of freshly made bread crumbs. I do not use dry breadcrumbs that come in a cardboard container at the grocery store, which are much too finely ground and dusty for this use.
    2) Many people add worcheshire sauce, and I do not because it has anchovies in it and makes your crab taste fishy.
    3) Use regular mayonnaise, not the squeezable stuff because it is too thin.
    4) Mix the mayonnaise and other seasonings together first, so you can taste it and adjust the seasonings before you add the mayonnaise dressing to the crab and breadcrumbs.
    5) Use a light hand when mixing the cakes together. You don’t want to break up the crab too much.
    6) You can use a mix of shrimp with your crab cakes and even white fish. All are good.
    7) You can mix up your crab cakes and shape them, keep covered in the refrigerator until party time and then fry them.
    8) You can serve these with tartar, shrimp cocktail, or remoulade sauce, but I like them with just a squirt of lemon or lime juice and I love them with a ceasar salad.

    Makes about 24 crabcakes

    2 16 oz. cans of jumbo lump crabmeat (you can replace part of the crab with cooked shrimp or cooked white fish)
    1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs made from good bread, crust removed. (use a food processor to make crumbs; you may need a little more or a little less)
    3 small scallions, finely chopped (the white and the green tops)
    1/4 cup Fresh cilantro or parsley chopped
    2 T Old Bay Seasoning
    Salt and pepper
    3/4 cup mayonnaise (if you use the squeezable mayo, reduce to 1/2 cup)
    3 eggs
    2 tsp. dijon mustard
    Squeeze of fresh lime or lemon juice
    Optional: Splash of tabasco or you can use finely diced jalapenos (no seeds)
    Salt and pepper

    In a bowl, mix all the seasonings and mayonnaise. Then add crab being careful not to break it up. Lastly add breadcrumbs until the crab will let you shape it into 1/4 cup balls, form small patties and roll into any remaining breadcrumbs. Place on a non-stick sheet pan and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for one hour to set. You can make this up to 24 hours in advance.

    Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add a thin film of olive oil into the pan. Add crabcakes to the pan, being careful not to break them. Turn down heat to medium and cook 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. If you’re cooking in batches, put the finished crabcakes in a 200 degree oven so they stay warm.
    Serve on top of herb salad with a lime vinegarette.

    Crab Cakes and Shrimp – Awesome Bites!
  • Sugar Cinnamon Black Walnut Muffin Donuts

    Sugar Cinnamon Black Walnut Muffin Donuts

    I was watching food network the other night and this was one of the “most favorite things to eat”. This recipe is by Kathleen Stewart of the Downtown Bakery & Creamery in Healdsburg, CA. The recipe appeared in Fine Cooking Magazine, January 2001.

    These sugar doughnut muffins are baked and then dipped in butter and sugar coated. They must sell these by the millions.
    This makes a large batch of muffins, but the recipe may be cut in half very easily.

    12 ounces (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature
    1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
    4 large eggs
    6 cups all-purpose flour
    1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    1 3/4 teaspoons salt
    1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    (not in the original recipe, but I like it.)
    1 teaspoon cardamom (optional)
    1 cup finely chopped black walnuts (optional)
    1 2/3 cups milk
    1/4 cup buttermilk*

    Sugar/Cinnamon Topping (see recipe below)

    * If you find yourself short of buttermilk for your recipe, you can make your own by adding 1 teaspoon of vinegar to 1/4 cup of whole milk.

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place rack in middle of the oven. Generously grease and flour muffin tins. NOTE: Also grease the surface between the muffin cups to prevent the muffin tops from sticking to the pan.

    Using your mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar together until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated into the batter; set aside.

    In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg; set aside. In another bowl, combine the milk and buttermilk; set aside..

    Alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture to the egg batter, starting and ending with flour mixture. Mix until all ingredients are fully combined and batter is smooth. Don’t over mix.

    Scoop enough batter into each muffin tin so that the batter is even with the rim of the cup. For regular-size muffin tins, about 1/2 cup – for mini-size muffin tins, about 1 heaping tablespoon.

    Regular-size Muffin Tins: Bake 30 to 35 minutes until the muffins are firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool just enough to be able to handle.

    Mini-size Muffin Tins: Bake 12 to 15 minutes until the muffins are firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool just enough to be able to handle.

    When muffins from cool enough to handle, carefully remove them from the muffin tins, dip them into the melted butter (or brush them all over), and then roll them in the Sugar/Cinnamon mixture.

    Make-Ahead Directions: Fully bake and cool these muffins without adding the toppings. Store them in a plastic freezer bag in the freezer for up to 1 month. To serve, thaw muffins to room temperature before applying the toppings.

    Makes 24 medium-size muffins or 52 mini-muffins.

    Sugar/Cinnamon Topping:
    1 cup unsalted butter (more if needed)
    2 cups granulated sugar
    2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

    In a small bowl, stir together sugar and cinnamon.

    Variation:

    Powdered (confectioner’s) Sugar – Omit dunking the muffins in melted butter. Instead roll them in 1 cup sifted powdered sugar.