Just a Little Aside From the Norm

We are in New Orleans tonight.  I decided I really wanted to come see NOLA and thought it would be a lot of fun so I pestered Mel to come here. This trip and the day leading up to it has been a comedy of errors.  At first we were ticked off and stressed out, but as one problem ran into another, we halfway decided we might as well laugh about it because it's all so bizarre.  We're wishing maybe we had stayed in Dallas, but we are here - for 8 more days - and we have to make the best of it, all the while wondering where the next hit will come from.

Here's a rundown of our hilarious trip so far:
Last night, we are at Mel's sisters house for Christmas dinner and Mel's mom threw a fit and left the house before we sit down to eat.  The whole family is confused as to what just happened.  After dinner and back home, Mel gets a migraine, takes every drug we have at home and goes to sleep.  We have to get up at 4:30 AM to be at the airport by 6 and there are no drivers at the airport parking lot - making us late to the airport - and there we are, screeching into the terminal at 7:15.  For some reason I still don't understand, I have decided that we needed to take the 8:30 AM flight, knowing full well the French Quarter apartment we rented will not be available until 3, thereby leaving us no option but to wander Bourbon street for 4 hours. Now, normally this wouldn't be an issue, but we have luggage and.....it's raining.  Yes, I am a stellar trip planner indeed, pat myself on the back. There's thick cloud covering and rain in Dallas and as the flight takes off, we start shaking like a mad cat in a cardboard box from the turbulence,  I happen to glance at Mel and she's just about the color of weak split pea soup and she's reaching for the barf bag.  During the 1 hour flight she fills up all the bags from our row and the lady next to me sees what's happening and starts grabbing the bags from the row behind us. We have a regular barf bag brigade going on.  Mercifully we land, alive and mostly well.  "Now" I'm thinking, "time for some fun!!". We grab a taxi and off we go to the French Quarter. Yes, we are going to have to wander the Red Light District on foot, for hours in the rain, but for the moment I'm way excited about sightseeing the famously bawdy, raucous city. Now, back in October, I found this apartment rental website and thought an apartment in the French Quarter would be tres cool to stay in, you know, it's historical, purportedly possibly haunted and has a kitchen so we don't have to eat out all the time.  Great idea huh? Yeah, no.  We arrive at 910 Rue Dauphine.  It's an old building, exactly like what you expect to see in New Orleans.  We have been instructed to go next door and see Charlie.  See Charlie is exactly what we did, way too much of Charlie in fact.  Charlie turned out to be an massively-sized older man sporting some toddler-sized shorts.  Yes indeed.  As we went inside our apartment, I am hit full in the face with the undeniable smell of 18th century house and rotting onions filling the air.  Upon investigation, I find a fridge full of rotten food and a carton of eggs that expired in October.

  On the bright side, someone did leave us a welcome note on the immaculately clean Vent a Hood:

When we called naked Charlie to mention this, he came over, blamed the maid and then was nice enough to show me where the cleaning products were kept so I could further clean the apartment we are paying $125 a night for.  I thought that was nice of him.  It was especially nice of him to point out that if we needed more supplies to finish cleaning, we could purchase them at the market on the corner.  Naked Charlie's a gem.  Man, all this housecleaning is making me thirsty.  I need some ice water....

Uhhh, no.  I'll pass on the onion flavored ice cubes for now.  We called the rental company and got nowhere with Jason, he argued with us about the state of the apartment and Charlie just told me to beat the maid and clean it myself.  I think we're stuck here with no recourse. 

So, we'll just go have ourselves a $26.50 liver-flavored Filet Mignon at the world famous Sammy's Lobster & Steaks.  That'll show 'em.

You Don't Need To Be An Astronaut For This!

I can remember when I was little and Tang was all the rage.  It was a wildly futuristic drink that astronauts drank in space and it was so exotic that everyday people were actually drinking it instead of real orange juice.  It was selected in 1962, when manned space flights began, to flavor the foul tasting water the crew had to drink.  That was when we, as Americans, were all enamored with our country and thought anyone who represented it was a hero so it was almost patriotic to consume anything the astronauts did, it was our way of showing support.  Sales for the orange beverage skyrocketed and hugely surpassed orange juice sales.  Naturally in the course of American ingenuity, people began finding new uses for Tang other than the drink.  There was everything from Chinese Chicken with Tang Glaze to Tang Icebox Pie to a holiday Spiced Tea.  The latter is by far a better use of the product!  In fact, the man who invented it also invented Pop Rocks, Cool Whip and Jello!!

My mother and other church ladies passed that Spiced Tea recipe around like the offering plate and soon not a house existed that didn't have the tea for the holidays.  Whenever my parents had a winter get together at our house, Christmas or not, there was Spiced Tea served. She's heat water up in the kettle and line up those cups on the counter, spoon the tea mix into them and pour the water.  It smelled so good, so warm and homey.  I can still see her in that patchwork Maxi dress that was so popular back then, with her big Texas hair and those funky white sandals she loved.  It's funny how a smell takes you right back isn't it?  We lived in an great big, old white house that was built in the 1870's and that house, my mother and the spiced tea just all swirl in my head to create a lovely memory for me.

I still make it as gifts for Christmas because it's super easy and inexpensive and people love it.  For gifts I make the sugared version, but for me personally, I make the sugar free version. I like it better because the flavors are much more concentrated and it is 0 calories. I'm going to give both recipes below so you can make the version you prefer, but I will add, the sugar free version is significantly more expensive, but you use a fraction of the amount. I'm also including a link to Martha Stewart's website where you can download templates for jar labels to label your jars and write instructions for preparation when you gift these: http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/web/pdfs/pdf1/0603_jamlabels.pdf
 Make it however you choose, just make it and create some memories for your family too.  Enjoy!

Spiced Tea
2 c Tang (or other orange drink mix)
1 1/2 c sugar
2 c instant tea
1/2 t cloves
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t allspice
1 pkg lemonade mix (Kool Aid is what I use)
Mix all ingredients together and store in airtight containers.  Use 2 - 3 teaspoons per 8 oz water.

Sugar Free Spiced Tea
2 tubs Crystal Light orange drink mix
1 tub Crystal Light Lemonade drink mix
2 tubs Crystal Light Tea (not the fruit flavored kind)
1/2 t cloves
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t allspice
Mix all ingredients together and store in airtight container. Use 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon per 8 ox water.

Christmas Rum Cake For All!

What's more representative of the holidays than the luxury of eggnog and rum cake?  Well, maybe fruitcake but I don't have a family recipe for that.  Rum cake is thought to have its origins in the 17th century, likely this cake was a luxury during the long ocean voyages because of the preserving properties of the rum.  It's most certainly been improved over the years and now rum cake is purely made to be enjoyed as dessert and not staple.  It's an extremely easy and versatile recipe, lending itself to many different flavors and forms, but always has the same trait...delicious, delicious rum. While you can use any rum you like depending on the flavor of cake you're going for, I really like just the basic butter bundt cake soaked in sweet rum sauce.  It's a lovely blank canvas that can be painted upon with many different toppings.

I didn't used to like rum, it was much too sweet for my drinking tastes.  Kind of reminds me of Southern Comfort and that takes me back to 1979 driving down backroads in east Texas with Harold McElhannon and SoCom and it not ending well for Harold and his shirt.  Needless to say sweet alcohol was not my friend for many, many years until I went to Belize two years ago and I was reacquainted with some in the form of One Barrel rum.  It smells like rich maple-y goodness mingling with butter and vanilla and surrounded by the guarantee of a grown up beverage bonus in the background.  Many a night on a tiny island off the coast of Belize was spent lying in the hammock, listening to the ocean lapping on the beach and the sound of breezes rustling the palms, with a glass of One Barrel and Coke in my hand.  It was there under the Belizean moonlight that I began my love affair with spiced rum, but it's only been fairly recently that I started making rum cakes.  An easier, more foolproof cannot be found.  No mater what you do to it - overbake it, overmix it, bake it in funny shapes - it will be perfect.  It's like after a plain-looking model is photographed and the artist airbrushes all her flaws away and adds some extra goodies.  The rum is the airbrush and goodies for the plain model cake. 

While I was growing up, I'd get a snippet of a conversation between my father and another adult and I'd hear him gush about how he used to love to drink rum when he was young and in the Navy, especially if it came in the form of a Mai Tai.  I only saw him drink once when we were in Hawaii, but he was in heaven when that single, glorious Mai Tai was placed in his hand.  He even let me order one as we lay out by the pool.  I still remember the warm smell and flavor and the beautiful orange and pink colors in my glass.  I don't smell spiced rum in a bottle that I don't, first, go right back to my beach in Belize and, second, feel the sun and smell the suntan lotion in Hawaii, both as I sipped my drinks.  I only drink it when I'm in a tropical locale because it just doesn't taste as good in Rowlett, Texas as it does several thousand miles away.  But...I do like to make a rum cake or two.

There are as many flavors of rum cake as there are flavors in the world, i.e., butter, chocolate, coconut, mango, cinnamon, sweet potato, lemon, key lime, banana, etc...it goes on forever.  You can add some fresh fruit, caramel sauce, flavored whipped cream or a nice anglaise sauce and it's a dessert fit to be served in the world's finest restaurant.  If you want to flavor it, just add the fruit or flavor to the cake and use the same flavor rum and you've got a whole 'nother animal.  Below is my Banana"No Baking Experience Required Rum Cake" recipe.  Bake it now and by the time you're ready to have it, it will be the wicked little highlight to your Christmas dinner.

Banana Rum Cake

1 c pecans, finely chopped, toasted
1 (18 oz) package yellow cake mix
1 small package instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
1 c mashed bananas
1/2 c milk
1/2 c banana rum (or 1/4 c banana liqueur + 1/4 c dark rum)

Rum Glaze

1/2 c butter
1/4 c water
1 c sugar
1/2 c rum (or 1/4 c banana liqueur + 1/4 c dark rum)

Cake instructions:
Oven to 350.  Grease and flour bundt cake pan, sprinkle toasted on bottom of cake pan. Set aside. Mix all ingredients on medium speed in mixer for 2 minutes, pour into prepared bundt pan and bake for 1 hour, use a toothpick to check for doneness.   Remove from oven when toothpick comes out clean, cool in pan. When cake is cool invert onto plate.  Make glaze:
Glaze instructions:
In small saucepan on medium heat, melt butter.  Stir in water and sugar.  Increase heat slightly and bring mixture to a boil, let boil for 5 mins, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and add rum. Spoon glaze over cake, be sure to put drippings from glazing back on cake until all glaze is used.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate till ready to serve. 

Drizzle caramel sauce and sprinkle with toasted pecans, a dollop of sweetened whipped cream and you're set to impress....Enjoy!!

Better Than An Alimony Check for Christmas...

You know how when you're in a bad marriage/relationship and you just want it to end and you think you wasted all those months and years?  How you're certain nothing good ever came out of that time then you realize there was one little jewel that you indeed did take from that hellacious jail sentence of a relationship.  In my case, it was a recipe that came out of the misery (aka marriage) with a pseudo-minion that I treasure most out of the entire 9 years.  My ex mother-in-law was a good cook, not the home cooking kind but the kind that used mixes and easy recipes, but they were good nonetheless.  I was always surprised that she could whip up such creative and tasty things from pre-packaged ingredients.  It was like having Sandra Lee from Semi Homemade in your family.  Instead of a traditionally lavish Christmas meal she believed in a massive spread of dozens of snacky treats that all added up to our entire Christmas Eve meal.  You know, those Eve dinners are some of my fondest and best memories.  We'd all gather at my in laws house at just about dusk and the grazing orgy began.  She'd have every inch of counter space in the kitchen laden with wonderful goodies like a cheese ball, several dips and crackers, meatballs, sandwiches, salads, cheeses, pies, candy, cookies and her heavenly, comforting Wassail.  She made this salad that I simply adored, Cornbread Salad, and it was so wonderful because it was so versatile, it was just as good as a dip or spread as it was a salad.  If you got tired of it as salad, you just grabbed some Fritos and had it as a dip then just move on to crackers and use it as spread.  I could eat that and that alone for dinner - never needed anything else!  I know Paula Deen has made it on her show, but I swear, it wasn't as good as Lavon's was.  The only thing I asked from my ex in the divorce was that he get me that recipe...so much better than any monetary parting gift from him could ever have been.  Enjoy!

Lavon's Cornbread Salad

2 packages (6oz) cornbread mix, prepared according to directions
1 can creamed corn
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 bell pepper, chopped
4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup broccoli, chopped
1 cup cauliflower, chopped
Bake cornbread, let it cool then crumble.  Add bacon and all vegetables except tomatoes. Stir in mayonnaise. Stir in tomatoes right before serving.

Merry Christmas Ya'll!

An "Up & Coming" Christmas Tradition

Merry Christmas Ya'll!! 





It's my first blog of the holiday season and I want to share some of my family's favorite recipe with ya'll over the next several days before Christmas.  They'll be easy and quick - I promise - because I know how much I hate to spend long hours in the kitchen, especially during the holidays.  Really, I figure, why would I do that when I can get the same results in a fraction of the time?? 

We all have our tried and true, treasured family favorite recipes that we only use during the holidays and I have some too.  I did add a few new ones this year and I'm pretty sure they'll be family favorites for years to come.  My VERY favorite is the one I'm sharing today....I cannot express to you how crazy good this stuff is, especially if you make a batch and sip it as you decorate the tree with family. 

It was 1980, I was pregnant with my first son, Jeremy, and in the waiting room at my OB/GYN's office in Longview, Tx and read an article about 18th century holiday food and drinks and this one looked good so I tried it.  It's got a crazy name and it's kind of like eggnog except it doesn't have eggs (the thought of raw eggs makes me gag) and it's way easier to make.  When I first made it we were at my parents house for Christmas morning and when my daddy got a taste of that he was hooked.  He asked for it every year up until he died and I still make it because my youngest son, Josh, loves it more than life itself.  I make 4 batches every season for him.  I submitted it to Allrecipes and they posted it on their site http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Up-and-Coming/ there are some funny reviews on there about it, so read them.  Here ya'll go.......!



Up and Coming
1 quart heavy cream

1 cup apple cider

1 cup milk

1 cup superfine sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon freshly grated nutmeg (use a microplane)

Mix all ingredients, whisking well to dissolve sugar.  Chill well, whisk again before serving.

This mixes well with rum, brandy or whatever, but I like it best "virginized".  Yes, I know that's crazy cause I surely love me a cocktail! 

Enjoy and get to decorating!

I like bacon! I love pork! Run little piggy I've got a fork!

Today's blog is a tribute to the Pig.  I love pork. Love it, love it, love it.  If the world came to an end and all the chickens, cows, ducks, deer, fish, etc. were vaporized, I'd be okay with that, just spare the pigs.  I could eat pork all day, every day....I'm telling you I love pork.  It's versatile, healthy and modestly inexpensive compared to beef and fish.  I recently made a pork tenderloin from a recipe I came across and tweaked it, as usual, to suit my tastes.  I believe it being respectful of an animal if I'm cooking it.  I love meat but I don't relish the thought of an animal dying, so when I cook with an animal product, I believe in treating that animal with appreciation and respect.  That means I don't waste one usable ounce of that animal.  Pork tenderloin is a great cut to use because after everyone has had their fill of it as a roast, it can be chunked up to make at least 3 other meals from the same roast - that makes it really affordable and convenient.  I like to serve the tenderloin with Sweet Potato Grits and Ponzu Sauteed Haricot Vert Beans.  It's good stuff.

Today's recipe is for Jalapeno Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin.  This makes a great holiday meal or just a family dinner.  I buy a nice, big tenderloin (8+ pounds) and trim it myself by cutting away most of the fat and removing as much of the silver skin as I can.  Silver skin is the silvery-looking, fibrous covering on the meat.  It's actually muscle fascia that connects with the tendons and ligaments to keep muscle in place in the animal and when it's in an uncooked state, it's not a big deal, but as it's cooked, it contracts up and becomes like rubber bands.  Not good when it's tenderness you're going for. 

So here we go......Jalapeno Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

We're going to do this in 4 steps.
First step:  Make a brine for the pork.  For an 8 lb tenderloin to 3 qts water, add 1/3 c salt, 1/2 c sugar.  Bring to boil to dissolve sugar and salt, remove from heat.  I sometimes add a few handfuls of ice to cool it or if you're not in a hurry, just let it cool to room temp. 
Second step:  Trim the tenderloin as explained above.  Now butterfly the pork.  This can be done 2 ways: Cut it in half lengthwise and pound flat or cut in a spiral manner, lengthwise as well, to open the entire roast, then pound enough to make it uniform in thickness.  (I prefer the latter because it's less work and the results are nicer, but if your knife skills aren't the best, do it the first way.) Place the pork in a lidded container just long enough and deep enough to allow for the brine to cover it.  Pour the brine over the pork and cover tightly, refrigerate for 24-48 hours.  Procure some twine now because you'll need to truss the roast before cooking, here's a video on how to truss:  http://youtu.be/uLg0NiiFMj4 .
Third step:  Making stuffing:  You can make your own or you can use a mix like Stove Top or Pepperidge Farms - it doesn't matter (I use Stove Top).
              1 pkg stuffing mix or homemade stuffing, prepared per instructions
              1/2 onion, minced
              1 stalk celery, minced
              1 clove garlic, minced
              2 medium to large jalapenos, minced
              1/2 c red bell pepper, minced
              1/2 t black pepper
              2 T bacon fat, optional
              1 t cumin powder
              Bacon for wrapping the roast
Prepare stuffing per package directions, mix in all ingredients to prepared mix, set aside. Have some kitchen twine handy now, cut two 3 ft pieces and set aside.   Remove pork from brine and discard liquid. Rinse pork well in fresh water until all brine is gone.  Pat dry with towel.  Open roast flat and spread with stuffing to 1/2 " from edges.  Starting on one end of the roast, roll it up lengthwise, warp the bacon slices crosswise on the roast and rest the rolled roast on the cut side so it doesn't unroll while you're working with it and start trussing the roast.  Preheat the oven to 425.  Heat a skillet with 2 T oil and brown the roast on all sides till golden.  Place in roasting pan or other oven safe dish along with all the pan drippings and bake at 425 for 10 mins.  Reduce heat to 350 and bake for 10-15 min per pound or when meat thermometer reads 145 degrees in center.    Baste occasionally with drippings while in oven.  When roast is done, allow to rest for 15 minutes before removing string or cutting.  While resting meat, make pan gravy by pouring drippings back into skillet and heating, add 1 T cornstarch or flour to drippings and stir over med-high heat till thickened, adding water or chicken broth to thin if needed.  Salt and pepper to taste.  

Leftover Pork Tenderloin ideas:

Pork Hash and Potatoes with Eggs
Pork Carnitas
Chili
BBQ Sliders
Stew

Enjoy!

      

Restaurant Review: Fearing's

It has been a LONG time since I posted a new blog.  I just haven't been inspired, and to write with enthusiasm I have to feel a spark.  It's been a hot, dry summer and I think my writing well has been dry too.

I'm going to take the blog in a slightly different direction in the next few entries and do some restaurant reviews.  I find food and customer service sorely lacking in the last few years so I'm thinking, why not blog about it?  I do the occasional Yelp and TripAdvisor review, but I want to be a little wordier and do it my way, so here goes.  Dallas is a magnificent city for serious foodies and I've been trying to get out and go dine in some of the hot spots in the city and then blog about them.  I have been to quite a few over the last several months, but I was never inspired/impressed enough to write about them until now.

 I was uber- inspired last night when we went to dinner at Fearing's, Chef Dean Fearing's namesake restaurant in Dallas at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel on McKinney Avenue.  My dining partner was Mel.  I love going to wine tastings and dinners with her because she has a brilliant palate.  [When I say it's brilliant, I am not saying that flippantly. I mean it, she can pick out the most buried spice and tell you what it is.  Her palate and knowledge in wine pairings would rival the best sommaliers around the world, so she's the best partner to eat gorgeous food and drink wonderful wines with.  Makes me oh-so covetous]  But, back to dinner.  We had reservations at 7:15 pm and when we arrived at 7 pm, we were greeted very warmly and  taken back to our table.  The hallway leading to the dining room is pretty interesting.  The sides of the hallway are line in loose, billowy drapes.  It gives the restaurant an ethereal and seductive feel, not what I was expecting from Chef Fearing, but it definitely set the mood for the evening in a most wonderful way.  We were seated in a rustic yet sophisticated dining room near the open kitchen so we could watch the staff and feel the energy.  Our server, Caesar, took our order for drinks (Mel had a Cosmo, I had a margarita) and served them promptly.  They weren't anything special, just your typical versions, the Cosmo was nice and the margarita was good, if a little heavy on the sweet & sour, but not bad.  We didn't see a tasting menu listed so we asked and Caesar was excited to say Yes! they did indeed have one and it had wine pairings as well.  (Our server was also our personal sommalier and he made some stunning choices, Bravo Caesar!!)
 Done...so that's what we had.  The tasting menu consisted of Chef's choice of:
2 Starters each
2 First Courses each
1 Main Course each
1 Dessert each
Each different plate had it's own wine pairing (sometimes more than one) so that was 7 different glasses of wine throughout the dinner. 

The first starter was Tuna Two Ways: Tuna Tempura and Tuna Sashimi.  The Tempura version was well-seasoned with a light and crispy batter while the inside of the Tempura was completely uncooked, served on a bed of pickled vegetables and some mint pesto along side.  The mint was a surprise and it worked perfectly, not at all expected.  The Sashimi, while not my favorite way to enjoy a protein, was light, firm and fresh and tasted very nice.  Not too much seasoning that it masked the fish, but enough to make me want to eat it.   The Tuna was served with 2 wines:  Frank Family Chardonnay and Far Nienta Chardonnay.  Both were nice, crisp whites that paired nicely with the fish.

The second starter was touted by Caesar to be one of their most popular dishes:  Barbeque Shrimp Tacos.  Now, I was expecting a run-of-the-mill taco here.  That is not at all what was presented to us and it was so delicious I forgot to take a picture before I gobbled it up.  A small tortilla (much like what a street taco comes in) stuffed with succulent, perfectly cooked fat little shrimp and folded like a little burrito on a cumin cream sauce and topped with a sauce that I can only say was wonderful.  I'm not certain of what it consisted of because no one was telling, but it tasted like corn and tamales and cumin and just pure goodness.  It was so so so good.  Soft and creamy and juicy and corn-y.  Just a perfect balance of savory and sweet and spicy and sweet, just so good.  This was served with a Friuli Pinot Grigio that was the pure essence of flowers.  It was flowery like a riesling, but was dry and very refreshing.  Perfect with the spices in the Shrimp Taco.

The 1st Main Course (and my hands-down favorite) was:  Apricot Barbecue Glazed Lockhart Texas Quail with baby wedge salad and Cider Braised Pork Belly.  People, I cannot express to you in words how sexual this dish was.  Eat it only with someone you love or want to love because it's a potent dish, quite the aphrodisiac.  The tiny little quail on was on this mild cream sauce and the quail had been lightly breaded and fried and topped with a sauce that was like liquid bacon. So wildly amazing.  There were so many flavors there, bacon, quail, cumin, corn, chilesMeomi Pinot Noir.  It was full-bodied and quite peppery and stood up well to the big flavors of the quail and pork.

Second Main Course was my least favorite of the menu:  Nantucket Lightship Sea Scallops with Shredded Short ribs.  I admit, I'm not huge on scallops and it's simply because I don't care for the texture.  It's too mushy for me as a rule, but this scallop had a really nice, firm texture that I was not put off by at all.  I was enjoying the taste until I got a bite or two with sand.  Yes, I know they will have sand, but that was enough to ruin the dish for me.  I really turned me off, so I left most of it on the plate. Just a tiny hiccup in an otherwise wonderful plate.  The shredded Short rib was quite nice and a good offset to the rich scallop.  Paired with Ramey Chardonnay from Russian River Valley, California.  I thought the wine was nice, but a bit nondescript.

Our next course was a red meat, Maple-Black Peppercorn Soaked Buffalo Tenderloin on Jalapeno Grits with Sauteed Greens and a Butternut Squash Taquito, or as Caesar called it, the Piece De Resistance!  I have never had buffalo and wouldn't have ordered it on my own, but it was the chef's selection for us.  It was delicious.  Very tender and juicy with a perfect sear on the outside and a near medium rare on the inside.  It was very rare in the center and just a little too rare for me, but I ate the edges and loved it.  The grits were nice, not spicy, but had a creamy, cheesy grit texture and strong stone-ground grit flavor.  Very nice accompaniment to the buffalo.  There was a little mustard sauce to the side and sauteed greens on top.  Also on the side was a Butternut Squash Taquito.  This was my least favorite element on the plate, the corn tortilla was really good and crunchy but the filling was not great for me.  It was just what you'd think with squash, mushy, soft and sweet.  Again, it was a texture thing.  I didn't like the filling at all texture-wise, but the flavor was good.  Just an okay side to the buffalo.  This was paired with Trefethen Cabernet - man was that a nice Cab.  That was a stand up and say hello to you Cab.  Very smoky and meaty flavors as well as some slight fruit-forward notes at the finish.  I'd drink that wine again.

Our dessert course was:  Caramelized Apple Short-Stack.  This was a tasty dessert.  Pecan Pie Ice Cream on lightly sweetened whipped cream, topped with caramelized apple slices and a shortbread cookie.  A deconstructed Apple Pie a la Mode, if you will.  The ice cream was yummy with flavors so subtle that it made you pay attention like someone whispering during the sermon.  The apple slices were razor thin and perfectly delicious.  Like little glace apple jewels.  So intensely caramel-flavored that they almost weren't apples at all, but pieces of melting caramel candy. Ummmm.  Just dreamy.  The shortbread "crust" was nutty and delicate yet had the perfect bite texture.  Topped with ground nuts and oats, I could eat a whole plate of those shortbread cookies.  This was paired with Tekkai Bavarian Ice Wine.  Alone, the wine was cloyingly sweet, but when paired with a bite of the dessert, it was magic.  Smooth and sweet with a lingering flavor. 

Rating 1-10:
Atmosphere 10
Service: 10
Price: $$$$
Snootiness: 0
Food: 9
Ambiance: 8
Reservations needed:  Yes

So... that's my Fearing's review.  This is one of my top 3 favorite restaurants now.  I'll be reviewing a restaurant about once a month from now on so be looking for it!  Go to Fearing's and enjoy a perfect evening with a loved one and be sure and have Caesar for your server and let him choose your wines!!

 Good eating Ya'll!

New Summer Salad....

I'm trying to live a healthier lifestyle by exercising more and eating better.  I've started riding my bicycle to the grocery store and to do local errands instead of driving, partly because it's good exercise but mainly because I refuse to pay $4 a gallon for gas when I can use the surplus fuel I store in my thighs and posterior (Ha Ha, kinda).  It makes me feel somewhat superior to others who are sitting at the red light or waiting in long lines of traffic or the harried masses looking for a remotely close parking spot to the store.  I like chaining my bike up, taking my shopping bags in hand (I DO use reusuable ones!) and striding in the door like the Green Champion I think I am.  Maybe I feel like I'm getting one over on the government for the high gas prices (I haven't bought gas in 3 weeks!!) or maybe it's the primordial hunter/gatherer thing, but whatever it is, I am loving it. 

I was hungry for something light and flavorful the other day so I picked up some cabbage and asian pears at Albertson's, pedaled back home and rummaged around in my pantry and fridge and came up with a recipe for a really healthy, really delicious salad that is good enough to serve alone or as a side.
The cabbage gives it some good fiber and the edamame gives it protein so it's basically complete enough on it's own, but if you add some tofu or chicken or maybe some grilled shrimp, you'd be set.

Asian Edamame Pear Salad

 Salad:

½ head green cabbage, finely shredded
½ C red bell pepper, finely shredded
¼ C scallions, cut finely on the diagonal
3 broccoli stalks, finely shredded
2/3 C cooked edamame
½ C Asian pear, thinly sliced
 C raisins
¼ C slivered almonds or peanuts
1 small can La Choy chow mein noodles
1 T chopped cilantro (optional)

Dressing:

1/3 C La Choy Ginger-Garlic Dressing

1 T creamy peanut butter

1/3  C white sugar
1/3 C rice wine vinegar

 Whisk to combine all dressing ingredients and set aside.  Combine all salad ingredients except chow mein noodles, pour dressing on salad and toss well, add noodles and lightly toss.   Serve immediately.  Serves 4.

Enjoy!!

Just Didn't Know I Had It So Good!

Have any of you ever been foraging for wild food?  I don't mean going out in a field and picking vegetables a farmer planted out there in nice neat rows nor am I referring to Farmer's Markets.  I'm talking about going out in an open field or along a highway or even in your backyard and gathering food where it grows in the wild.  Just getting out in nature and walking in the fresh air and sunshine for an hour or two is so relaxing and therapeutic to your spirit and if you can pick your free supper while you're there..that's a huge bonus!

There are many, many plants growing locally that can supplement your meals and be added nutrition as well as saving you money on your food costs.  It's fun and safe to do this if you follow a couple of guidelines:   1) Gather only plants you are 100% certain are edible,  2)  Gather in areas that are wild and therefore less likely to be exposed to chemicals.

My grandmother taught me alot about wild food and how to identify edible plants as I was growing up and I want to share one plant in particular with you and how to serve it.  This one is a southern staple, Poke Salit or Poke Salad, however you choose to say it, it's some good stuff.  It tastes like peppery spinach but the cooking technique is different, you have to parboil it once (twice if the leaves are bigger than 5" long).  It grows almost anywhere there's alot of sun, especially along fence rows.  There's even a song about it - click on the link to listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCSsVvlj6YA&feature=email
Now, back to Poke.  First you need to know what it looks like.  The leaves are smooth and oval, growing on sturdy stalks and the flowers are tiny and white and grow in clusters.  The leaves can be picked any time during the growing season as long as you pick the young ones.  When the inedible fruit forms it's blueberry-shaped in the same cluster form.  I repeat, the fruit is inedible, Some say it's poisonous, but I have seen no proof of that, I just know it's extremely bitter and will ruin your clothes if you get the juice on you.  Here's a photo of a Poke plant:

The smaller leaves are what you want to pick because they take less time to prep for consumption.  The best leaf size is between 2" & 5":

You'll need to pick alot , Poke is like spinach, it cooks down to a fraction of what you started with.  To have enough cooked Poke to serve 4-6 you'll need to pick a big grocery bag full of the leaves.  When you get home with your Poke, put a large kettle of water on to boil while you wash and inspect the leaves for grass and such, pick all the non-Poke out and when the water starts boiling add all the poke to the kettle and boil for 1 minute, drain water and refill with clean, cold tap water to rinse leaves well.  This parboiling step makes sure there's no bitterness.  Drain leaves and you're ready to cook them.  I use a smaller Dutch Oven for the next part: 

Poke Salad with Bacon

3 Slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled, reserve fat

Parboiled Poke leaves

Salt to taste

Put Poke in Dutch Oven and add enough water to cover the poke leaves 1/3 way up, add bacon fat and salt to taste.  Cook 5-7 mins or until leaves are tender (think spinach here).  Top with crumbled bacon and serve with cornbread and green onions.

***Just a note, very young poke leaves (less than 2") are a good diuretic, so unless you are looking for that bonus effect, stick with the larger leaves.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
If you aren't sure which plants are edible, get a book such as:
*Nature's Garden: A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting, and Preparing Edible Wild Plants by Samuel Thayer
*The Wild Table: Seasonal Foraged Food and Recipes by Connie Green and Sarah Scott

...Or check out these websites (hey, it's free!):
http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/tracer-bullets/edibleplantstb.html
http://www.foragingtexas.com/
http://wildfoodplants.com

Happy Free Foraging...more to come!

 

Samuel Thayer (Author)

› Visit Amazon's Samuel Thayer Page

Find all the books, read about the author, and more.

See search results for this author

Are you an author? Learn about Author Central

What's Wrong With a Little Coconut Lust....

I wanted to get this recipe in to ya'll before Easter hits so you can be sure and get all your supplies in time and not have to fuss around with it.  Today's blog features a yumm-oh coconut cake that you won't want to miss.  It's based on my grandmother's recipe that I tweaked a little and personally, I think it's better than the original.

I have never celebrated Easter in the traditional way, there just wasn't much emphasis on the spiritual aspect of it as I was growing up.  Consequently, I tend to associate Easter with hiding eggs and candy and I'm okay with that.  I can remember dyeing eggs the day before with Meme in the kitchen and the little droppers of food coloring and the smell of vinegar as we dipped them.  She'd drop a few different colors into the cup and to me it was magic.  You had this cup of dark liquid and you dunk a snow white egg in it and minutes later ther's a robin-blue egg or a rosy pink one coming out.  I especially loved it when we had 2 or 3 eggs left to dye and she'd mix some of the liquids together and create a totally different color like lavender or a pale UT color. 

The next day we'd hide them and lose some and then eat what we managed to find.  Do you remember when it was perfectly normal to eat a egg you'd been playing with for 4 hours in 90 degree heat?  Heaven help us, we'd never do that now!

Those were good times with her.  I always knew there'd be egg hunts and I always knew she'd make a 9x13 Cream of Coconut Cake with green coconut grass with jelly bean eggs and a white plastic rabbit on top.  She used that same rabbit on top for as long as I could remember.  I don't know where it came from but it was always sitting on top of the cake. 

She and mama would cook "dinner" (aka lunch) and we probably had the same thing every time but all I remember is the Rice a Roni, rolls and coconut cake.  It was always a 9x13 cake when she made it because of the way it's constructed and the recipe, but I make it as a layer cake because there's nothing in the world more spectacular than a tall, snowy white, fluffy coconut cake.  It's an ethereal sight, no doubt.  Next time I go visit mama I'm going to beg that crystal cake stand from her cause a perfect coconut cake deserves nothing less!  Get your printer all warmed up so you can print this recipe out......enjoy!

 

Cream of Coconut Cake

1 pkg extra moist white cake mix
3 egg whites
1/2 C oil
1/2 C sour cream
6 oz can crushed pineapple, drained and juice reserved
1/2 C coconut, finely processed
1/2 t coconut extract
Whipped cream frosting (below)
Coconut for coating cake
Coconut grass, Jelly beans, marshmallow bunnies, chicks, etc..

Grease and flour (2) 8" round pans, preheat oven to 350.  In mixing bowl, combine cake mix, egg whites, oil, sour cream, pineapple juice, extract and water,  mix 1 minute on low then 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer.  By hand, stir in pineapple and coconut.  Bake at 350 till pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Be careful not to overbake.  While cooling cake make green coconut grass.   When cool, frost with Whipped Cream Frosting, cover with coconut and decorate.


Green Coconut Grass

1/2 C coconut
1-2 drops green food coloring

Place coconut in a small plastic bowl, add food coloring, put on a tight fitting lid and shake till all the coconut is evenly green.  Add more green until it's the color you like. Keep sealed till ready to use.

Whipped Cream Frosting

3 C heavy whipping cream, chilled well
1 1/2 C confectioners sugar
1 t vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat on high speed till med-stiff peaked.  Spread bottom cake layer with frosting and a little coconut, top with second layer and frost the entire cake with remaining frosting.  Coat with coconut.  Refrigerate until ready to decorate.

Use the green coconut grass to make a nest for jelly bean eggs and place a Peeps chick or rabbit next to nest.  Be sure and keep this cake refrigerated or the frosting will be too soft.  Easy and cute!

A summer of fun!!!

It's certainly fun for me, I hope all ya'll like it too.  I have a fully packed summer coming starting with this weekend.  I won a trip for a weekend getaway to The Four Seasons in Las Colinas for Friday-Sunday from the Dallas Observer and it's valued at $450.00.

Not too shabby huh?  It's for 2, but I'm going alone because I really need a break.  The Four Seasons is known for its luxurious rooms and world-class spa and I'm certainly going to take full advantage of all of it and ESPECIALLY the Room Service!!!!  I love room service, love it, love it, love it.  I love having a bottle of champagne in my room waiting on me upon my arrival and drinking it in beautiful glasses and watching TV - all alone.  I adore filling out my breakfast menu and hanging it on the door then the next morning like magic.....*poof*....my breakfast is at my door.  Hopefully by a pretty fella with good teeth, ahhhhh.  Anyway, I like to order all the stuff I won't make for myself at home like:
1/2 broiled grapefruit
2 pots of coffee
Bowl of steel cut oatmeal with dried cranberries and brown sugar
Orange Juice (to go with the leftover champagne)
Sabayon sauce for the oatmeal
That's what I love for breakfast.  I had Sabayon sauce on oatmeal at The Mansion years ago and it has been my favorite elegant breakfast ever since. 

Then later in the month I'm headed back to Caye Caulker to pay taxes on my new property. I'm looking forward to lying on the beach, drinking Belizean rum and blogging. 

I want ya'll to experience my paradise in Belize and I'll do my best to represent it for you.  I want to describe it so succinctly that you can feel the ocean breeze and smell the lobster on the grill, right along with me.  There's not much about native Belizean cooking that is high tech or haute cuisine, but it's somewhat difficult to master in its simplicity.  The fact that there are very few ingredients is the most difficult thing to wrap your head around.  Take, for instance, their potato salad - it's a ridiculously simple combination of boiled russet potatoes, english peas, hard boiled eggs and salad cream.  It's so good it makes your eyes water.  The recipe came from a good friend of mine who lives in Belize City - Olympia, Albert's mom. I tweaked it a little but it's still true to her and I think she would approve.  Give it a try, you'll like it better than any other you've had.

Olympia's Potato Salad
(makes 6 servings)
3 large russets, peeled, cubed
3 large eggs
2/3 C frozen english peas
1 medium onion, diced smallish
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 - 1 C Heinz Salad Cream (international stores have it or use coleslaw dressing and a little mustard mixed)
Put potatoes on to cook in boiling, salted water.  When water comes to a boil, drop in whole, shell-on eggs and let them hard boil in the potato water.  When potatoes are fork-tender, remove eggs to ice water bath and set aside.  Add frozen peas to the still-boiling potato water and cook for 2 minutes.  Drain potatoes and peas well and set aside.  Peel and chop eggs, add to potatoes.  To that, add rest ingredients and toss to coat, seasoning as desired with salt & pepper.  Chill slightly and serve.

Enjoy!!

Caramel Pie Anyone???

I haven't posted anything in a while, I have to be inspired or have an event that triggers my creative juices to be able to write...or at least be able to write something somewhat interesting.  I was lying in bed last night and I was thinking about my grandmother, Meme, and there's always things that I see, smell and feel in my memory that I associate with her.  It's most often triggered by food.  She was a really good cook and she loved to cook for family and friends.  On some Sunday and Wednesday nights after church we'd have a potluck supper at the church annex and, while all the ladies were excellent cooks, I would wait to have Meme's dessert.  I had smelled it cooking and licked the bowl the day before and walked past it for an entire day, just waiting for the supper so I could eat it.  She was known for her desserts, especially her Caramel Pie.  I didn't usually get a piece at the supper because it would be gone before I got any but she always saved me a bowl of the extra filling.  That was almost as good. 
Many people confuse Caramel Pie with Butterscotch Pie.  They are identical except for one ingredient: white sugar vs. brown sugar.  Butterscotch calls for brown sugar which gives it that slightly bitter, burnt flavor from the molasses which can be a good thing in small doses.  The Caramel version uses white sugar and therefore has a much milder flavor and none of the bitterness of the Butterscotch which means it's smooth and creamy and the taste never gets to be too much.  That's why it's my favorite.
I can still see her standing at the stove with her long gray hair coiled into a bun, secured with bobby pins, stirring the sugar and butter until it was deep golden brown, the smell of caramelized sugar so thick in the air you could taste it on your tongue.  It was magical to watch her pour the milk mixture into the caramelized sugar and stir until there was only soft, caramel pudding.  It smelled heavenly, like sugar and milk. She'd pour it into the crust and start on the meringue.  Now, she NEVER used a mixer for her meringue, it was always in a metal bowl and always by hand.  I could be all the way in the back of the house and I'd hear the unmistakable metallic whisking noise and know there was meringue being made. She'd spoon that soft egg white cloud onto the caramel filling, brown it in the oven and we had pie!! 
It's exactly as she gave it to me,  I hope you make this and enjoy it as much as I always have. 

Meme's Caramel Pie
3/4 C sugar                           4 heaping T flour
1/3 stick oleo                        2 1/2 C milk
4 egg yolks                           1 T vanilla
1 egg white                           1 (10 inch) pie crust, cooked
3/4 C sugar
Beat yolks and white, 3/4 C sugar, stir in flour and milk, set aside.  Brown 3/4 C sugar and oleo in skillet, watching closely. Pour in milk mixture and stir until caramelized sugar is dissolved and mixture is thickened.  Add vanilla pour in crust. Top with meringue.

Meringue
3 egg whites
2 T sugar
1 t vanilla
1/2 t cream of tartar
In bowl, beat egg whites till frothy. Add rest ingredients and beat till stiff peaks form. Top pie with meringue, sealing edges well, brown in 300 degree oven till brown.

California dreaming...

It never fails, about this time of year I start jonesing for California and I begin my meticulous trip itenerary novel.  I'll spend weeks perfecting that thing.  I'm not OCD about it, but I just want it perfect.  I want to do things I've never done there and not miss anything I've planned.  I plan it out by the hour and try not to deviate from my schedule too much but occasionally things come up that are too great to drive past.  I've been to California several times and have never had a trip I didn't adore. Last year, I took my son and we did the trip from LA to Yosemite via interminable hours in Death Valley.  We went by Scotty's Castle out in the big middle of it and saw massive craters and some freaky stuff you can only find in the desert.  He loves California as much as I do, ever since I took him in 2009 and drove the PCH and then last year in the desert.
    My first was my honeymoon with ex-hubby Gary in 2000.  We had originally planned to go to Vegas and stay at the Bellagio, but we rented a car and drove to San Diego just planning to stay a couple of days to check it out.  We ended up staying at the Town & Country hotel for the next few days.  If you have never been to San Diego - go, it's beautiful and the hotel was awesome too.  We walked down to the Geen Flash restaurant and had dinner and it was perfect. The next morning he brought me coffee on the balcony and we sat there wrapped in a comforter, steaming coffe in white mugs, looking at the ocean.  That was a perfect moment in my memories.   
   Another time we went to LA (not Louisiana and not Lower Arkansas Marc!) and he got us tickets to the Dr Phil Show and we were actually on TV! Even better on that trip was when I discovered The Alley in downtown LA.  People, I'm here to tell you, if you love shopping and you LOVE purses and jewelry...that's paradise for you.  I have bought some killer purses there - they may have been knockoffs but they were uber cute! I got a Gucci backpack purse for $10 and I carried that thing till it fell apart and had tons of compliments on it.  I also got a Louis Vuitton bag for $35 and I came home with it and ended up selling it for $75!  Ladies, make a girls' weekend out of it and go there.  It's off of Orange street in the fashion district of downtown LA and I'm not kidding, it's like 5 miles of shopping.  So incredible.
   Traveling with Gary was always an adventure.  Yet another time, we flew into Vegas (it's usually cheaper than flying into LAX) and rented a red Goldwing motorcycle and rode to LA on it.  Nice huh?  No.  He hd 6 mos motorcycle experience and it was July and we had to cross Death Valley on the route to LA.  It was freakin' 125 degrees out there and I thought I was going to have a heatstroke.  We stopped in a little town off the interstate and had lunch and he ordered a Veggie Sandwich.  I don't know if it was that delicious or if we were just worn out, but that was a good sandwich.  After I opened my cake shop, we served lunch and occasionally I'd put that sandwich on the menu and called it "Gary's Veggie Sandwich" alongside a cup of my signature Poblano Corn Chowder.  Yeah, it was good. 
   I avoided giving my recipes (at least complete ones) when I was operating the shop, but since I sold it, I'm giving freely!  Today I'm giving ya'll the Veggie Sandwich and the Poblano Corn Chowder.  While the Veggie Sandwich doesn't really count as a recipe - it's more of an instructional format - it's still good fodder.  It counts in with that low calorie theme from last post too.  Enjoy it!

Gary's Veggie Sandwich
Fresh White Bread (trust me, it's the best)
Mayo, fat free is ok
Havarti or Monterrey Jack cheese slices
Leaf Lettuce  
Tomato sliced thinly
Avocado slices
Radish or Alfalfa sprouts
Spread mayo on bread - both sides -and assemble sandwich using ingredients. Serve with olives and pickles.

Poblano Corn Chowder
1 large poblano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 md onion, chopped
1/2 t black pepper
2T butter
2T bacon fat
2T flour
2 C milk, heated
2 C low sodium chicken broth, heated
15 oz can cream corn
1 C fresh, frozen or canned whole kernel corn
Salt to taste
Heat butter and bacon fat, add chopped pepper and onion, saute till tender. Add black pepper to mixture and saute a few seconds.  Add flour and cook and stir for 2 mins.  Whisk in milk, stir till thickened.  Add broth and combine well, bring to simmer, add cream corn and whole kernel corn, salt to taste.  Simmer on very low heat for 10 mins.  Top with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkling of grated cheddar, some thinly sliced green onions and even a little crumbled bacon if you like.  Amazing.

The Weight of The Matter...

Ya'll know I'm a southern girl.  Unless you live under a rock, you know some famous southern chefs/cooks and I'll bet almost everyone knows Paula Deen.  Have you ever seen Paula cook diet? Why in the world would she? Low calorie, low fat, light, sugar free, fat free....those are fightin' words for a southerner.  Almost as bad as saying we lost the civil war, which, if you're a good southerner, you know ain't true..the damn Yankee's made that up.  We adore butter, cream, ranch dressing, lard, sugar, liquor and bacon grease. Especially bacon grease.  I'd eat a car bumper if I could dip it in ranch dressing and drizzle it with bacon grease.  Pinto beans are a waste of time if you don't put bacon grease in them.  Why in the name of all things holy would you even bother making cabbage if you don't put bacon grease in it???  So, now you get the picture? I love it.  Apparently I love it too much as of late because a couple friends of mine think I'm fat.  One of them told me "...you are a little hippy" - and she didn't mean the free-loving-tye-dyed-headband-wearing variety, she meant my rear end was bigger than the rest of me.  Then, 3 days later, the other friend told me my "ass was big".  Yes, that was so nice of them.  I spent a full day fussing about it with myself and decided I can either stay mad or I can address the weight issue and deal with that.  I'm all about compromise so I decided to do both.  I'll stay mad WHILE am doing something about it. I'm not staying mad because that gives me fuel to achieve my 25 lb weight loss goal, I'm staying mad because I want to, so there.  I already run 5 miles a week and walk a couple days in between so it's not like I am a couch potato, but maybe I can add another activity to help with the calorie burn.  I talked to a friend of mine this morning about a bicycle and he gave me some pointers about shopping at a pawn shop and I took his advice and went out and bought myself a bike.  It's a Schwinn Breeze (circa 1968) and it's beautiful.  I'm 48, it's 44 and I figure we can huff and puff around together like 2 old ladies.  She'll haul my hippy ass around and I bet she won't complain at all.  In the meantime, I'm re-inventing some old favorite dishes of mine to see if I can help her out by losing weight along the way.  I tested one of my stand by recipes, Smothered Steak and Gravy, and it was just as good as the original and had 1/3 the calories.  I make it with ground beef, not cubed steak because it's better. I made some light mashed potatoes as well and I'll share that next blog.  Enjoy this, but don't get too used to it, I have to have my fat or I act ugly.

Smothered Steak and Gravy

1 pound extra lean ground beef or turkey
1/2 C fresh bread crumbs
1 egg
1/2 C finely minced onion (or to your taste)
1/2 t salt
1 t black pepper
1 can fat free cream of mushroom condensed soup
Whisk together condensed soup with 2 cans water, set aside.  Combine beef or turkey, bread crumbs, egg, onion, salt and pepper. Shape into 6 equal sized patties.  Spray large non stick skillet with cooking spray and lightly brown patties on medium high heat on each side, then pour soup over patties. Turn heat down to medium low and simmer 30 mins. Makes 6 servings.  Per Serving:   Calories: 161, Fat:  6 gm

It's all about the Passion...

I am truly inspired by very few foods. Most are pretty common and, while they are wonderful, they don't get me going.  Take onions for example, they are delicious and essential but not awe-inspiring.  Come to think of it, maybe they are cause I have a recipe for a creamy onion soup that is pretty great.  But, back to inspiring...I never know what I'm going to write about until something inspires me.  I woke up yesterday with Passion Fruit on my mind.  I don't know why, maybe it's this early-spring-feeling weather that made me think about it.  All I know is I woke up with the luscious, seductive fragrance of it in my mind.  If you've never tasted Passion Fruit (experienced it is more appropriate) you are sorely lacking in the pleasure arena.  It's a fruit unlike any other you will ever know, an intoxicating melange of aromas, so perfume-y and sweet it's no mystery how it got it's name. 
If you're saying "I don't even know what a Passion Fruit is!" let me put on my professor cap and have Passion Fruit 101 right now: Passion fruit are native to South America but are also grown in California and can be grown in much more northern regions too.  The fruit is egg-shaped with a smaller hollow cavity inside that contains seeds.  The entire fruit is edible once you peel it.  There are basically two types: yellow and purple.  They are similar in structure and flavor (tart..really tart) but the purple is more fragrant and has more juice.  Generally, you would peel the fruit and juice the entire thing or just juice the pulp and save the seeds for garnish.  The seeds are a pretty addition, but the most intense flavors are in the seeds, so just save a few and juice the rest.  You can't find them at Albertsons and most certainly not at Walmart, but Sprouts or Central Market (an absolute mecca for a foodie) will most assuredly have them.  You can buy Passion fruit nectar, but don't, just find the fruit and process it yourself.  I like to make Passion Fruit Curd and use it to flavor cakes, icebox pies, parfaits or ice creams.  It smells exactly like it tastes.  It smells like a combination of grapefruit, strawberry, mango, banana...basically every fruit you can think of rolled into one.  It smells like the most beautiful beach in the world on a sunny day in an adirondack chair with condensating, icy drinks in tall glasses served by tan, smiling, muscular pool boys in tight T shirts and smiles...ooh, am I digressing.  If I could dab it behind my ears I would.
I have 4 recipes I want to share.  Ya'll know if you follow me, I am a pastrychef and occasionally I'll share my secret recipes and you're getting 3 today plus a bitchin' little cocktail recipe.  Who wouldn't love some Passion Fruit Cupcakes and a Passion Fruit Cocktail.  Sugar AND alcohol?  Count me in?!                                                                                   White Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Passion Fruit Curd & Passion Fruit Buttercream
1 white cake mix, any brand
1 sm pkg white chocolate pudding mix
1/2 C sour cream                                                                                       
4 eggs
1/2 C oil
1/2 C milk
Mix all ingredients on medium mixer speed for 2 minutes. Scoop into muffin pans lined with baking cups and bake at 350 for 12-18 mins or till toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely.  Using a piping bag or squeeze bottle, insert tip of bag/bottle into top of cupcake and squeeze approximately 1 teaspoon of Passion Fruit Curd (recipe below) into each cupcake. Frost with Passion Fruit Buttercream (also below), garnish with a few of the reserved seeds.
Passion Fruit Curd
1 C Passion Fruit puree/juice, unsweetened
1 C sugar
3 eggs
2 T cornstarch
1/2 C unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" pcs
In a large microwave safe bowl, combine all ingredients and cook on high power for 2 minutes, stir. Continue cooking stirring after each minute, until mixture is thickened, about 4 minutes.  Cool completely.  This cans beautifully, by the way or refrigerate till needed.  Keeps 1 month in fridge.
Passion Fruit Buttercream
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 C shortening
2 T Passion Fruit Curd
4 C confectioners sugar
1/2 +/- milk
Cream butter and shortening till fluffy, add Passion Fruit curd and mix well.  Scrape sides of bowl and add 1 C of the sugar.  Continue adding sugar and milk alternately, with mixer on low speed until all is added, then beat on medium speed till fluffy, 3 mins.  Makes enough to frost 1 dozen cupcakes or a small cake.

Passion Fruit Cocktail (makes 1-4, depends on who's drinking)
1 C Passion Fruit juice, sweetened
2 C dry champagne
2 oz Triple Sec or 4 oz orange flavored vodka
Mix all ingredients over ice in a pitcher and serve. Garnish with a lemon peel or raspberry.

A Tribute To All The Loves In My Life...

I usually give ya'll a nice recipe in my ramblings, but today I just want to pay tribute to all the loves in my life.  The people I surround myself with nowadays are the people who, more than ever in my life, mean the most to me.  They are the ones who love me for me.  Even when I don't think I'm lovable, they love me.
We all start out in life, if we're lucky, loving and being loved.  Our parents loved us and sacrificed for us and we (eventually) loved them for all they did for us.  We then go on to form relationships with others and if you're like me, you leave a string of love-casualties in your wake.  You don't mean to, but you inevitably break hearts and leave a trail of pain in the stream of your life's legacy.  I always accepted that I am pitifully deficient in forming relationships and even worse at maintaining them.  I have finally decided at 48 that maybe it wasn't all me and that I can forgive myself for some of my past and learn to enjoy the present.  I have two absolutely wonderful sons, Jeremy and Josh, who love me unconditionally as I do them. They are intelligent, funny and have good hearts - maybe I'm not so bad after all.   My mother, Helen, who has to have thought in all my life that I was FUBAR (look it up) with all the stuff I have done.  My father and grandmother have been long passed away, but they both colored my life in equally important ways.  My grandmother taught me so many things in the kitchen, in the garden and in every other area of my life with her gentle, caring ways.  I have a few close friends that I treasure and love with all I have - they know who they are - and there's my partner.  You have to know that God puts people in your life when you need them most.  If you don't know that, you just need to step back and look around you.  I have dated alot, loved alot and done some things I am hated for, haven't we all?  Love all the people in your life and make sure they know it...every day.
Happy Valentine's Day Ya'll!!!!!