Monthly Archives: July 2010

Weekend Fare: Stuffed French Toast

Posted by Alaina in Weekend Fare and tagged with , , ,

My husband and I lived in West Palm Beach, FL for a year when we were first married. Only a year but we loved it! And we had a favorite breakfast/brunch spot – John G’s. The omelets were delicious and the fresh squeezed juice always amazing but the french toast…oh the french toast! We, too often, made weekend treks down to the beach front restaurant to stand outside and wait in line for a seat in the popular restaurant. It was worth it…every time.

So today, I’m sharing my version of a stuffed french toast which reminded us very much of the Raisin Cream Cheese French Toast. This recipe received rave reviews from my loyal fan club of my three boys and husband. They loved it!

CINNAMON RAISIN STUFFED FRENCH TOAST
Print This Recipe

8 slices cinnamon raisin bread
3 eggs
1/4 c. milk or cream
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tb. butter

In a pie plate, combine eggs, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon. Beat until fully mixed.

CREAM CHEESE FILLING
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. honey
2 tsp. milk or cream
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

In a medium size bowl, combine cream cheese, honey, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Melt butter on a griddle on medium-high heat. Spread 4 slices of bread with cream cheese mixture. Top with remaining slices of bread to create four sandwiches. Dip each sandwich in the egg mixture – front and back. Place in pan and cook until browned turning once. Top with powdered sugar if desired. Serve with pure maple syrup.

Serves 2-4.

Double Giveaway!

Posted by Alaina in Giveaways

Here it is July and we didn’t have a giveaway in June! So…we will be having two giveaways today! There will be two different ways to win – the first will be our choice and the second will be random. I’ve listed the details below!

Giveaway #1:

Salads: Simple & Delicious Dishes for All Occasions

This colorful book has so many great ideas for salads! The recipes look absolutely delicious. The book offers vegetable salads and many main dish salads. It is sure to inspire you to try something new!

Giveaway #2:

Deceptively Delicious by: Jessica Seinfeld

This cookbook is geared towards helping your family eating healthier. It provides recipes that have unusual ingredients packed with nutrients. This book has been featured by various bloggers and media sources.

TO ENTER:
- Leave a comment on this post telling us your suggestion of a name for our planned Friday Feature (it will be a carnival for you, the readers and home cooks, to share your own recipes, photos, stories & more)!
- Make sure we have a way to contact you!

For additional entries (just leave us a comment telling us which ones you have done – past or present!):
- Subscribe via the link to the right or with google reader.
- Add us to your blog roll.
- Join our facebook group - The Cooks Next Door.
- Facebook about this giveaway.
- Follow us on Twitter.
- Tweet about this giveaway.
- Blog about this giveaway.

The first winner will be chosen based on their suggestion of a name for a Friday feature we plan to occasionally have which will be a carnival for everyone to link up their cooking posts! The second winner will be chosen randomly.

This giveaway will end next Tuesday, July 13. Have fun entering! We are looking forward to hearing your name suggestions!

Tomorrow,  I will do a Weekend Fare post since the giveaway is today!

Off The Shelf: July Magazines

Posted by The Cooks Next Door in Off the Shelf and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Here it is time for another edition of monthly cooking magazines! We hope you enjoy!

Cooking Light (Heather) – this is a big, beautiful summer issue but I found it sad that the only thing that really grabbed me, after several perusals, was the Greek Yogurt Parfaits. There is an attractive article on main dish salads, but they all seemed exotic except for the Southwestern Cobb Salad. I did find the melon and ketchup articles helpful but found many of the other summer recipes to be things I may never attempt (filet mignon, striped bass, shrimp salad).

I will say that the article on fruit cobblers looked amazing! Blueberry-Peach Cobbler, Plum Cobbler, and Blackberry Cobbler sound like perfect desserts for summer evenings.

If you are interested in alternative burgers you will love their Lamb Burger, Poblano Beef Burger, Salmon Burger, Turkey Burger, and Brisket Burger. There are also articles on a Sydney Beach BBQ and Food in Singapore.

My take: If you are into gourmet grilling and lots of seafood this is a great issue for you.

We tried the Greek Yogurt Parfaits with wheat berries and the result was a lovely, nutritious (and festive) breakfast.

GREEK YOGURT PARFAITS
(Cooking Light, July 2010)
Print this recipe

1 cup uncooked grano (or wheat berries, brown rice or barley)
12 cups water, divided
1/4 cup orange blossom honey (I used local honey)
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
4 cups plain 2% Greek-style yogurt (I strained 6 cups plain yogurt through cheesecloth for an hour or so to thicken it)
2 cups fresh berries (such as blackberries, blueberries, or sliced strawberries)

Soak grano in 6 cups water overnight. Drain. Place in a medium saucepan with remaining 6 cups water over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until grano is just tender. Drain well. Stir in honey and salt.

Spoon 1/4 cup yogurt into each of 8 parfait glasses. Top yogurt with 3 Tbsp. grano and 2 Tbsp. berries. Repeat layers with the remaining ingredients.

Serves 8.

Everyday Food (Heather) — This issue is a devoted to summer fun and food and I found it very inspiring. You will find an article on wax beans, recipes for potato salad, picnic sides, beautiful summer drinks, summer roll how-to’s, main dish salads, grilled pizzas (my new fascination), an amazing array of burgers, dinners on the grill (complete with desserts), uses for tomatoes and cucumbers, and cool fruit desserts.

I’ll be keeping this issue close by for future summer inspiration.

At first glance I thought the Antipasti Sandwich was too complicated for my budget, but when I realized I could create a cheap date for my husband and I by making this, I didn’t have to think twice. It was so delicious! Of course a big part of making a good sandwich is finding good bread and I just happened to luck out on that one. So, if you try this sandwich, be sure to look for a loaf that will do the recipe justice.

ANTIPASTI SANDWICH
(Everyday Food, July/August 2010)
Print this recipe

coarse salt and pepper
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 red bell pepper
1 loaf crusty bread (about 1 pound), sliced in half lengthwise
1 can (15.5 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (or garbanzo)
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound mortadella, prosciutto, or thinly sliced deli ham
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1 cup marinated artichoke hearts, drained and quartered or sliced
1/2 cup shaved Parmesan (1 ounce)
1/2 cup pepperoncini, drained and halved if large

Sprinkle a double layer of paper towels with salt and place zucchini on top. Sprinkle with salt and roll up like a newspaper. Let sit 10 minutes to draw out excess liquid.

Over a low gas flame or under the broiler, roast bell pepper until skin is charred, 10 minutes, turning frequently. Place in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let sit 10 minutes. Rub bell pepper with a paper towel to remove skin, then core, discard seeds, and slice fresh into strips.

Pull out about 2 cups bread from inside loaf halves. In a food processor, combine beans, garlic, lemon juice, and oil and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Completely cover inside of both bread halves with an even layer of bean puree.

Arrange zucchini on bottom half of bread. Top with meat, parsley, roasted pepper, artichokes, Parmesan, and pepperoncini. Sandwich with top half of bread and wrap tightly in plastic. Place on a baking sheet in refrigerator. Place another baking sheet on top and weight with several heavy cans. Let sit at least 3 hours (or up to overnight). To serve, unwrap and cut into wedges with a serrated knife.

Serves 6 to 8. (My sandwich served almost 3)

Bon Appetit (Alaina) – What a wonderful issue filled with delicious looking photos and recipes. There were many dishes that are perfect for summer entertaining and grilling – there is a whole grilling section! There are a few versatile sauce recipes which looked so good. There is also a fantastic drink and dessert sections – the dishes look absolutely wonderful.

After perusing the issue and looking at the lovely pictures, I decided to make the grilled corn. It was excellent except for the fact that the corn I purchased was rather disappointing. I have yet to enjoy a truly excellent ear of corn this summer and to be fair, it’s a bit early for it. But the butter on this was simple to make and the flavor was delightful!

GRILLED CORN with HONEY-ANCHO CHILE BUTTER
(Bon Appetit, July 2010)
Print This Recipe

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
8 ears of corn, husked

Ingredient Tip: Ancho chile powder is available in the spice section of many supermarkets and at Latin markets.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in small skillet over medium-low heat. Add chile powder and cumin; stir 10 seconds. Transfer to medium bowl; stir in honey and cool.

Add oregano, coarse salt, granulated garlic, onion powder, and 6 tablespoons butter to butter mixture. Mix until smooth. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill corn until charred in spots, turning often, about 13 minutes. Transfer corn to platter. Serve with honey-ancho butter.

Food Network Magazine (Alaina) – Well, I already gave you a coleslaw recipe yesterday from this inspiring issue. The pull-out was for different kabobs and they have great ideas! I’m looking forward to using a couple of the kabob recipes for a family dinner later this month. The magazine features many summer drinks, great grilling and cook-out recipes, a variety of side dishes, and a delightful collection of desserts.

 One section was especially intriguing – 30 ideas for serving hotdogs. And so, the recipe I chose came from there. I was so surprised at how truly wonderful this recipe came out – the tomato and basil with the hotdogs provided an excellent flavor combination. And I’m excited to try some the other great ideas! [On a side note, I purchase hotdogs at Costco that are nitrite/nitrate-free, msg free, and are all beef hotdogs. They are very good, fairly affordable, and I feel okay about serving them to my family! ]

BRUSCHETTA HOTDOGS
(Food Network Magazine July/August 2010)
Print This Recipe

Toss 2 diced tomatoes with 1 chopped garlic clove, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, some torn basil and salt. Serve grilled hot dogs on toasted Italian buns; top with the tomato mixture and drizzle with olive oil.

My Kitchen View

Posted by Alaina in Kitchen View and tagged with , , , ,

We have just finished celebrating the fourth of July! My family and I have enjoyed a carnival with heavy, indulgent fair food (cotton candy, lemon shake-up, fried potatoes, and corn dipped in way-to-much-butter – shared between the five of us), a symphony that we brought our own picnic to (bbq pork sandwiches, pasta salad, fruit skewers, jello stars, chips & cookies),  a baby shower for a friend, a parade, a graduation open house, an evening of games and fireworks with neighbors, and finally a bbq with some family and a few friends at our house yesterday! It’s been a very full and very delightful few days. As I write this, the kids are settled into bed and probably won’t know what hit them when our normal schedule goes back into effect. :) But this is what makes summer so delightful and fun.

It was so much fun to host the bbq. We’ve had enough going on that I’ve really missed entertaining lately. Our menu consisted of:

- Black Bean, Avacado Salsa & Tortilla chips (as an appetizer)
- Brats & Hotdogs (with an assortment of toppings)
- Baked Beans
- Savoy, Lime & Cilantro Coleslaw (recipe below)
- Bowtie Pasta Salad
- Blueberry Mixed Green Salad
- Salt & Vinegar Chips (a personal favorite)
- Watermelon
- Brownies
- Lemon Bars
- Rice Krispie Treats
- Blueberry Cobbler
- and finally…Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice cream

Everyone pitched in and the food was wonderful! Really, just delicious. I love sharing food - I think it’s alot of what cooking is all about for me…creating tasty food and enjoying it with others. (Happy Sigh!)

Anyway, I’m giving you a preview of our post for tomorrow! I made two recipe from the July issue of Food Network Magazine and decided to share one of them today. This slaw was so good! I decided I absolutely had to try it when I noticed that an almost identical recipe appeared in the July issue of Bon Apetit. So interesting that they feature the same slaw and now I know why – it’s different and unique, very pretty, and completely delicious!

SAVOY, LIME & CILANTRO COLESLAW
(Food Network Magazine, July 2010)
Print This Recipe
 
1 head Savoy cabbage (I used napa)
4 scallions
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, torn
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 limes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Shave the cabbage with a sharp knife or mandoline so you have thin ribbons. Cut the scallions long and on the bias so you have pieces similar in shape to the cabbage. Toss the cabbage, scallions and cilantro in a large salad bowl.

Make the dressing by combining the sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar and the zest of the limes in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and finish with the juice of the limes. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to combine.

Hope you had a wonderful weekend! 

Market Fresh: Sweet Corn

Posted by Heather in Market Fresh and tagged with , , , , , , ,

Ah, corn. Doesn’t it make you think of summer?!! My parents always thought it was the sweet corn on Long Island that was the best. No matter where we got it, it certainly seemed better when bought from a stand by the side of a hot, dusty road.

My favorite corn memories are from my teenage years when an older friend would invite me to lunch with him and his wife. His first question always was, “How many ears can you eat today?” I think my record was five. We always ate the corn with plenty of salt, pepper and butter (which this friend mixed together on the side of his plate first) and accompanied by a huge cantaloupe, a plate of sliced tomatoes, and another plate of sliced cucumbers soaked in vinegar. It couldn’t have been more simple, nor more delicious.

This recipe for Mexican-Style Corn on the Cob is bursting with summer flavor. It is super easy and looks beautiful.

MEXICAN-STYLE CORN ON THE COB
(William-Sonoma Comfort Food)
Print this recipe

1/2 cup butter at room temperature
2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
zest of 1 lime
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

6 ears fresh corn

pure ancho chile powder or other chile powder for serving (optional)

kosher salt

Using a rubber spatula, in a small bowl, mash together the butter, cilantro, lime zest and juice. (Note: I could not get the lime juice to incorporate into the butter so would leave it out next time.) Cover butter and let stand while you prepare the corn. (The butter can be prepared, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

Remove the husks and silk from the ears of corn. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the corn and cook until the kernels are tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a serving platter.

Serve the corn piping hot, with the cilantro-lime butter, chile powder, and salt on the side for diners to add as they like.

Serve 6.

Creamed corn is absolutely delicious made from fresh corn. A friend made some for us after the birth of one of our children and I couldn’t believe she had gone through the trouble of making it from fresh corn. But, after tasting it, I also couldn’t believe how good the corn was and decided any effort was worth the results.

This dish would be better made with fresh corn that has very tiny kernels. The corn I used had large, salt and pepper-type, kernels and I felt it was just a bit tougher than it should have been.

CREAMED CORN WITH CHIPOTLE CHILES
(adapted from Williams-Sonoma New Flavors for Vegetables)
Print this recipe

6 ears fresh sweet corn
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup finely diced white onion
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced plus 1 tsp. adobo sauce (optional)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. sugar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream

Remove the husks and silk from the corn. Using a large, sharp knife, carefully cut the ear in half crosswise. One at a time, stand the halves, flat end down, on a cutting board and cut the kernels from the cob. Transfer the kernels to a bowl. Using the dull edge of a knife, carefully scrape the wet pulp from the corn cobs into the bowl.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent, 5-6 minutes. Add the chipotle chiles, adobo sauce, corn kernels with pulp, oregano, and sugar. Pour in 1/2 cup water and add a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the corn is tender but still has a bit of crunch, 10 minutes. Uncover and cook until the water evaporates, 2-3 minutes.

Add the cream to the pan, raise the heat to medium-low, and cook until the liquid is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Transfer the corn to a warmed serving bowl and serve right away.

Serves 4.

Weekend Fare: 4th of July!

Posted by Alaina in Holidays, Weekend Fare and tagged with , , , , , , ,

The 4th of July just seems to be the essence of summer. Cooking out, eating fresh foods, enjoying ice cream, and dining outdoors are just a few of the wonderful parts of this season! Today I’m sharing three recipes that will be great for your weekend bbq: baby back ribs, baked beans, and a summer cocktail.

A friend of ours makes the most amazing ribs ever. He told me the secret to them is slowly baking them first. I don’t make them often but I always follow his advice!


BBQ BABY BACK RIBS
Print This Recipe

1 rack of baby back pork ribs
salt & pepper
olive oil
bbq sauce of choice (homemade or bottled – I used a fabulous local honey bbq sauce)

Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees. Drizzle olive oil on ribs and season with salt and pepper. Bake pork in a disposable aluminum pan or a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil for 1 1/2 – 2 hours until tender.

Prepare grill. Liberally brush the ribs with bbq sauce and put on the grill. Brush with bbq sauce every 5-6 minutes. Cook ribs for 30-45 minutes until charred and very tender. Enjoy!


Side note – the company (Local Folks Foods) makes amazing bbq sauce and ketchup with local, fresh ingredients! We love them!

 

These are vegetarian baked beans but they would be quite awesome with bacon, too.

BAKED BEANS
Print This Recipe

2 cans cannelini (white) beans
1/2 c. red onion, diced
1/2 c. bbq sauce
1/4 c. ketchup
2 Tb. prepared mustard
1/4 c. maple syrup
1 Tb. lemon juice
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes until sauce is thickened.


SUMMER COCKTAIL
Print This Recipe

coarse salt
1/4 c. vodka
1/4 c. fresh squeezed key lime juice
1/4 c. fruit juice or nectar (I used strawberry nectar)
key lime carbonated water
ice

Dip rim of a tall glass in vodka and then coarse salt. Fill glass with ice. Pour in vodka, lime juice, and fruit juice. Add carbonated water to top of glass. Stir if desired. Makes 1 cocktail.