How to make a bakery tasting cake...

Wordless Wednesday .... "Jerusalem Artichokes"

This week our "French Friday's with Dorie" will be cooking with a root vegetable that many us many not

know what it is called or be familiar with, so I thought it would make a great Wordless Wednesday Challenge. Please make your guess in the comments and the first one to response correctly gets a prize from the pantry.


What is it?........................ Jerusalem Artichoke or sometimes known as Sunchokes.

Where does it grow?......... native to eastern North America, and found from eastern Canada and Maine west to North Dakota, and south to northern Florida and Texas. Jerusalem artichokes were first cultivated by the Native Americans long before the arrival of the Europeans

How do you prepare it?... Even though there are a wide variety of ways to prepare them, the Jerusalem artichoke was titled 'best soup vegetable' in the 2002 Nice Festival for the Heritage of the French Cuisine.

What does it taste like?..... I find that they taste like a cross between a turnip and a water chestnut.

Have you ever tried it?......Yes, Many times... I love cooking with them when I can find them.


What recipe would you suggest using this mystery Ingredient?.....

Parmesan Crusted Jerusalem Artichoke

Ingredients:

2 pound Jerusalem artichoke, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Salt to taste

Preparation:

On medium, Heat the oil and butter together in a frying pan just until the butter is melted, add the Jerusalem artichoke and fry, stirring occasionally until the Jerusalem artichoke starts to brown (like fried  potatoes), about 20 minutes.
Lower the heat and add the parmesan while stirring.  Cook for one minute, remove add salt, and serve.

Oh My Darlin' Clementine...

One of my Family's favorite treat this time of year or these juicy little treats. Fabulously delicious eaten fresh, and famous enough to have a song with the same name... We give you an easy one this week! 

What is it?.........................

Clementines ( hybrid of a variety of mandarin orange)

Where does it grow?......... 

Clementines, usually grown in Morocco and Spain, have been available in Europe for many years. A market for them in the United States was created recently, when the harsh 1997 winter in Florida devastated domestic orange production, increasing prices and decreasing availability. California clementines are available from mid-November through January; this availability has them referred to in some areas as "Christmas Oranges".

How do you prepare it?....  

You peel them like you would an orange. They are very easy to peel, like a tangerine, but are almost always seedless. Clementines are, thus, also known as seedless tangerines. After you peel them you can cook with them just like you would most citrus fruits.

What does it taste like?.....  

Much the same as an orange, only sweeter and with out the hassles of seeds.

Have you ever tried it?......

Yes... We start eating them around Christmas time and then switch back to oranges around Easter.

What recipe would you suggest using this mystery Ingredient?..... 

  

Clementine Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

1 Package fresh cranberries
3 clementines (peeled and broken into segments)
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. pecans, coarsely chopped (optional)
½ tsp. ground clove
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. salt

Directions: Combine all ingredients and cook all over low to medium heat until the cranberries clementines have become soft and smashable, approximately 15 -20 minutes. Excellent served as a side or as a topping for a roasted turkey or roasted pork.

Wordless Wednesday .... "Saffron"

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to use the spices of the  Asian Kings?

What is it?.........................

Saffron 

Where does it grow?......... 

Saffron, the world's most expensive spice by weight, is native to Southwest Asia.

How do you prepare it?....

It is a spice derived from the three stigmas from the flower of the saffron crocus, together with the style (stalks connecting stigmas to their host plant) are dried and used in cooking as a seasoning and colouring agent.

What does it taste like?.....  

Its taste has also been noted as hay-like and somewhat bitter...

What recipe would you suggest using this mystery Ingredient?..... 

The most common recipe where saffron is found is Saffron Rice.

Wordless Wednesday... Mayhaw Berries

What is it?........................
MAYHAW BERRIES

Where does it grow?.........

the tart red berry that grows in the swamps and bogs of Southwest Georgia. Colquitt, in Miller County, Georgia, is the center of the Mayhaw growing area. The season is only three weeks long.  The Wild Mayhaw berries resemble a pink cranberry.their delicate flavor is fruity like apple (mayhaw is in the apple family) but with a ‘zing’ left on the tip of your tongue. 

How do you prepare it?...
MOST PEOPLE MAKE JELLY WITH THEM: In May the red berries are gathered by hand or scooped out of the water in fishnets. The berries are boiled, then squeezed, to get clear coral colored juice that is made into “the best jelly in the world

What does it taste like?..... 

SIMILAR TO A SMALL TART CRAB APPLE

Have you ever tried it?......
NO! NOT YET... :)


What recipe would you suggest using this mystery Ingredient?.....

The Mayhaw Jelly recipe dates from the Civil War era arid has been a traditional Southern treat. Wild Mayhaw jelly is great with toast, bagels, and hot buttered biscuits. This jelly also makes a great condiment served with roasted chicken, turkey, wild game, and as an alternative to mint jelly when served with lamb.

Ingredients

4 c mayhaw juice

1 box pectin

5 c sugar

Directions

1. TO PREPARE JUICE: Sort and wash fully ripe Mayhaw berries (about one gallon). Crush fruit and add some water (about one cup, cover and bring to a boil on high.) Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool. Extract juice by straining through a juicer wrapped with cheese cloth. Set aside.

2. TO MAKE JELLY: Measure 4 cups of juice in a large, heavy sauce pan. Bring to a boil, add pectin and stir well. Bring back to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Add sugar and continue stirring. Heat again to a full rolling boil, boil hard for one minute.

3. Remove from heat; skim off foam quickly. Pour jelly immediately into hot, sterile canning 1/2 pint jars to 1/4 th inch from top. Seal with hot lids and process 5 minutes in a boiling water bath. Makes 6 (1/2 pint) jars.

Wordless Wednesday's - RED FLANNEL HASH

Hint: All you Irish already should know what this is!

What is it?.........................

That's right! Red Flannel Hash 

• 2 cups cold cooked, meat     
• 2 1/2 cups potatoes (cooked)   
• 3/4 cup turnip (cooked)
• 3/4 cup cooked carrots     
• 1 cup cooked cabbage        
• 1 cup cooked beets 1/2 cup raw onions warmed in 2 tbs butter
• 1/4 tsp pepper,
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 teaspoons garlic vinegar

1. Dice vegetables and combine all ingredients in a black oven frying pan;
2. pour over all the 1/4 cup of water.
3. Cover and let cook slowly
4. Stir occasionally until thoroughly heated and flavors are blended.
5. Serve hot

Where does it grow?......... 

Does not grow... but is usually made from left-overs, yes I posted that correctly, from leftovers of Irish potatoes, cooked meats, mixed vegetables and a little salt and pepper.

How do you prepare it?....  

It is usually served with poached eggs and rye toast...

What does it taste like?.....  

Very Tasty.... if you like that sort of stuff.  Me, I have never quite acquired a liking for it. Maybe I am just not Irish enough... :)

Have you ever tried it?......

Yes... Many times two or three days after a great St. Patty's day party

What recipe would you suggest using this mystery Ingredient?.....

Because we like to use Corned Beef in ours, here is another really good recipe you can try.

1/2 lb. cooked corned beef, finely chopped
1 lb. cold boiled potatoes, finely chopped

1/2 cup cooked carrots chopped

1/4 cup green bell pepper chopped

1/2 cup sweet onion chopped

2 cloves garlic diced
3 drops Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup water
4 tbsp. butter
sea salt, to taste
cracked black pepper, to taste

Melt the butter in the water, add the other ingredients, and cook until thoroughly heated through, then put into a baking pan and place in the oven until brown on top.Serve with a white sauce or two poached eggs, if preferred.

Wordless Wednesday .... Burdock Root!

I love learning about new foods and to see what creative things people do with them, so we thought it would be fun to play a little game called "Wordless Wednesday's". Where we post a picture of a new ingredient that we have came acrossed during the past week. The challenge to everyone will be.... The first person to comment and tell us the correct name of the ingredient and answer the following questions below will win a "Pantry Prize"! (I will post the winner and answers by 10:00 pm)

(Here is your first photo...  Hint: It was one of the ingredients that was featured on "Chopped" )

What is it?.........................

Burdock Root

Where does it grow?......... 

North America (except in the deep south)

How do you prepare it?....  

Scrub with a scrub brush, do not peel. Slice and then boil like Artichokes

What does it taste like?.....  

Tastes a like like Artichokes

Have you ever tried it?......

No, We have not yet!

What recipe would you suggest using this mystery Ingredient?.....

Most often it is suggested that it be boiled and eaten like cooked carrots or artichokes. I think I would prepare it just like I would  mashed potatoes and enjoy it with a little butter or gravy.

As a side note: Traditionally, burdock has been used as a remedy for measles, arthritis, tonsillitis, viruses like colds, throat pain, and as a diuretic. Historically, the seeds of the burdock plants were compressed to make a mixture that was effective in cleansing the bloodstream, easing pain from arthritis, and treating gout, rheumatism, ulcers, acne, eczema, and psoriasis.

Wordless Wednesdays... Apple Pear

What is it?........   

Pyrus pyrifolia or better known as "Asian Pear"
 

Where does it grow?......... 

They are native to China, Japan, and Korea, but are grown here and in New Zealand.

How do you prepare it?....

They are commonly served raw and peeled. The fruits are generally not baked in pies or made into jams because they have a high water content and a crisp, grainy texture, very different from the buttery European varieties.

What does it taste like?..... 

The ones that we tasted didn't have much flavor.

Have you ever tried it?......

Yes

What recipe would you suggest using this mystery Ingredient?.....

besides eating them raw, I added them to our Fall Medley. (See the recipe on Saturday, 10-8-11)

Wordless Wednesday.... Rhubarb

What is it?........................ Rhubarb

Where does it grow?......... All over the United States

How do you prepare it?... There are several ways, but it is mostly used in desserts.

What does it taste like?..... Tart and tangy

Have you ever tried it?...... Yes


What recipe would you suggest using this mystery Ingredient?.....

Rubarb Cherry Crisp

INGREDIENTS:

FILLING: 1 1/2 cups white sugar 4 tablespoons cornstarch 1 cup cold water 1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling 1/2 cup grated coconut 4 cups chopped fresh rhubarb 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

CRUST: 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup rolled oats 1 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup margarine, butter or coconut oil 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the rhubarb, cornstarch and sugar. Stir in the water. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly. Stir in the cherry pie filling, coconut and vanilla extract. Set aside
2.	Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3.	In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar and salt. Cut in butter until the mixture is evenly crumbly. Press 2 cups of this mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish. (Needs to be a glass baking dish, not metal) Spread the rhubarb mixture over the crust. Stir the chopped nuts into the remaining crumb mixture, and sprinkle over the top of the fruit.
4.	Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is crisp and golden. Serve warm topped with ice cream or whipped topping.

Wordless Wednesday .... "Grits!"

 We have a Winner!!!   Jeanette (Forest Ranger) said... Grits? "Gross!"
( lol....She says....
I don't grow it!
I don't prepare it!
Tastes nasty!
I've tried it, but don't like it!
I don't eat it!!!)

TODAY IS "WORLD GRITS DAY"...  a small town in South Carolina called "St. George" started and hosts the World's largest Grits Festival every year on April 14th. Just in case anyone is interested in a little history lesson.... check out the WORLD'S GRITS FESTIVAL


 What is it?........................
Grits! (White Corn Meal)

Where does it grow?.........
Grits is a food of native to America in origin that is commonly grown in the Southern States. It mainly consists of coarsely ground corn.

How do you prepare it?...
Grits can be served hot or cold and as a base for a multitude of dishes from breakfast to dessert, depending on the additives. Additives can include salt and butter, meats (especially shrimp on the east or Gulf Coast), cheese. It is also common for people to have sugar on their grits. Grits can also be fried like polenta.

What does it taste like?.....  

A lot like cream of wheat or really soft corn bread

Have you ever tried it?......
Yes... We use to eat it often during the winter as hot cereal. But since we have moved to the South we eat it a lot prepared many different ways.

What recipe would you suggest using this mystery Ingredient?.....
Cooking it like oatmeal or cream of wheat and serving with milk (cream), sugar, cinnamon and dried cranberries.

Wordless Wednesday .... "Tilapia"

 

What is it?.........................
Tilapia

Where does it grow?......... 

North America & Africa (warm fresh water)

How do you prepare it?....
Anyway you like it... Grilled, Baked or Fried

 

What does it taste like?.....  

It is a very mild white fish with not very many bones.

Have you ever tried it?......
Yes... We eat it about once a week, because Tilapia is low fat, low saturated fat, low calorie, low carbohydrate, low levels of mercury and a low sodium protein source. It is also an excellent source of Phosphorus, Niacin, Selenium, Vitamin B12 and Potassium.

What recipe would you suggest using this mystery Ingredient?.....
We love it in a fish sandwich for Lunch. We lightly bread a Tilapia Fillet fry it for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until white and flaky. Cut Fillet in half and place both halves in a caramelized hamburger bun add a thin slice of cheese, some tarter sauce and a little bit of shredded Lettuce. Enjoy!!!!

Wordless Wednesday .... "Asparagus: It's Springy Easy"

If you are new to the pantry... "Wordless Wednesday" is where we will post a picture of a food item and the first person who posts in the comments what it is and what you would cook with it, will win a prize from the Pantry... This is a bit of fun to help us all expand our food Knowledge.... Everyone is invited to play!

Jeanette (Forest Ranger) Is our Winner for Today.....you can find her winning comments below.

What is it?.........................

"It's Asparagus"

Where does it grow?......... 

"on my parents farm it grew in the fence rows. LOL! It grew wherever the wind blew it."

How do you prepare it?.... 

"I like to steam it or fry it."

 

What does it taste like?.....  

"It tastes like asparagus. Duh! Yummy!

Have you ever tried it?......

"I eat it quite often, actually."

What recipe would you suggest using this mystery Ingredient?.....
"I love to include it in fried rice."



NOTES FROM THE PANTRY:

This Spring Veggie Is a Seasonal Delight rich in vitamins A and C, as well as potassium and zinc. One cup (6 to 8 spears) provides 67% of the nutrients you need for your heart and preventing birth defects.

Calorie count: One medium-sized asparagus spear (5 to 7 inches long) is around 4 calories, making a one-cup serving equal to just 24-33 calories.

Buying and storage tips: You can find  asparagus at local farmers' markets, grocery stores, even roadside stands—it will be younger, fresher, sweeter, and more tender than the imported stuff. When you buy, look for straight spears with crisp, tightly-closed tips. Thickness, surprisingly, is not an indication of tenderness. Thin spears may be tough, and some varieties of thick asparagus are surprisingly sweet and tender.

At home, keep refrigerated: Either upright in a container with about an inch of water or wrapped in a damp cloth or paper towel. Asparagus will keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge but for best flavor, use it as soon as possible.

Wordless Wednesday .... "Dragon Fruit"

We love the "daily special" FoodBuzz Challenges and often we are challenged to cook with some very unusual items. One of the items that really intrigued us was this...

What is it?.........................

Dragon Fruit

Where does it grow?......... 

It is a beautiful fruit grown in Southeast Asia, Mexico, Central and South America, and Israel. 

How do you prepare it?....  

It is actually the fruit of a type of cactus, so you place the dragon fruit over a cutting board or other clean surface, cut the fruit straight down the middle with a sharp knife. It will cut quite easily. 

Cut through to the other side, so that you can separate the fruit into 2 sections. Inside the flesh may be white or red - both will have tiny black edible seeds, just like kiwi fruit, take a tablespoon and scoop out the inside meat of the fruit. Making sure all of the pink skin has been removed. Do not eat any of the pink skin... it is not eatable. You can eat the fruit just plain in slices or cubes, you can add it to summer salads or you could try it our way... See recipe below.

What does it taste like?.....  

It fruit tastes wonderful! - sweet and crunchy, with a flavor that's like a cross between kiwi and pear.

What recipe would you suggest using this mystery Ingredient?..... 

Dragon Fruit Sorbet

Ingredients:
2 dragon fruits (also known as pitaya or pitahaya)
3/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon agave nectar or simple syrup 

Directions:
Cut the dragon fruit in half. Scoop out the flesh. Reserve the halves for serving, if desired. Freeze the halves until you are ready to fill them (to help them maintain their shape). Meanwhile, place the pulp in the blender along with the water, lime juice and agave nectar. Pulse until smooth. Pour into an ice cream maker and churn until frozen. Spoon into halves and serve. If you are not ready to eat, spoon the sorbet into the halves, wrap each half tightly in plastic wrap then freeze until serving.