THE DARING COOKS’ JUNE, 2011 CHALLENGE: HEALTHY POTATO SALADS FROM AROUND THE WORLD!

Blog Check in Lines: Jami Sorrento was our June Daring Cooks hostess and she chose to challenge us to celebrate the humble spud by making a delicious and healthy potato salad. The Daring Cooks Potato Salad Challenge was sponsored by the nice people at the United States Potato Board, who awarded prizes to the top 3 most creative and healthy potato salads. A medium-size (5.3 ounce) potato has 110 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium and includes nearly half your daily value of vitamin C and has more potassium than a banana!

I'm not really a "huge" fan of potato salad, but I do enjoy a good recipe when I find one.  Right away I knew that I wanted to do something with sweet potatoes... they are so yummy!  I found this interesting recipe for a sweet potato salad using a rosemary honey vinaigrette here that had posted a Southern Living recipe.  

Although they say you should never try new recipes out on guests (Bah! I say!!) I do have a few foodie friends that are quite happy to be my Guinea pigs.  Had some friends over and was going to have brats for dinner and I though the potato salad would be a nice addition to the meal.  It is a very tasty recipe and my guests gave it two thumbs up.  Although the recipes called for 4 1/2 cups cubed sweet potato, I felt that the dressing recipe could easily have been halved as I only used about half the dressing and still felt that I could have used less.   

Sweet Potato Salad with Rosemary-Honey Vinaigrette

Southern Living 
4 1/2 cups peeled, cubed sweet potato

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

• Line a 15- x 10-inch jellyroll pan with aluminum foil. Coat foil with vegetable cooking spray.
• Toss together sweet potato and 1 tablespoon oil in pan, sprinkle with salt, if desired.
• Bake at 450° for 35 minutes or until tender... watch carefully as they can burn easily!
• Whisk together remaining 1 tablespoon oil, honey, and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Add sweet potato; toss well. Cool.

Low Sugar Rhubarb Jam

Some people consider Memorial Day Weekend to be the kick-off for summer, but for me it is when I make my first jam of the season.  My daughter had asked me to make rhubarb jam for her that was lower in sugar and didn't have strawberries.  After looking through dozens of recipes I found only one that used a lower amount of sugar... crazy.  I would have thought that there would be more than that!  Even the Sure-Jell website failed me at having a recipe!  So after doing a bit of experimenting I made nine successful half pints of rhubarb jam.... it is tangy with just a bit of sweetness to take off the harsh bite plain rhubarb can have. I was a bit paranoid making my own recipe without the use of pectin so I did include Sure-Jell and did a water bath.

Reduced Sugar Rhubarb Jam

12 cups fresh rhubarb cut into 1-inch pieces

3 cups granulated sugar

1 package Sure-Jell for less or no sugar need recipes

1 tablespoon butter (optional)

Directions:

Place rhubarb in a deep stainless steel pot (I get splattered with less hot jam using a deeper cooking pot!) and mix with the three cups of sugar.  Cover and let set overnight.

Over medium heat, cook rhubarb until tender and the mix has slightly reduced and thickened, about 15 minutes.  Add the pectin and mix thoroughly.  Cook for one more minute then remove from heat.

Immediately ladle into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids and lightly screw on the lid. Place jars on  rack in canner. Lower rack into canner making sure the jars are covered by water one to two inches above the jars..Bring water to a boil and process 15 minutes. . Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. If lids spring back, lids are not sealed  and product must be refrigerated.

Marshmallow flower cupcakes

Recently I had organized a ladies tea at our church. Each table was assigned a hostess that would decorate their own table. I knew that several young girls were coming (pre-teens) and wanted them to have their own special table.  I made them cupcakes and topped them off with marshmallow flowers then placed them inside tea cups.  I thought they turned out pretty cute and they were not that complicated to make.  I did cheat and used a cake mix for the cupcakes, but for the marshmallow flowers you will need...

1 marshmallow per flower

Colored sugar ( found that coarse sugar worked best)

M&M candies or Skittles

Take one marshmallow and cut into five pieces using a pair of dampened kitchen scissors. To get equal pieces, I found that if I cut off one slice first, then cut the marshmallow in half and cut each half into two pieces, it worked out best.  Sprinkle each piece of marshmallow with colored sugar.  Arrange on cupcakes in flower shape and place candy piece in center of each flower.

Lemon White Chocolate Cheesecake Bites

It seems like all the baking I've been doing these past few months have been for events.  Not that this has proven to be a problem... better that I get lots of people eating my goodies than just me!  Straight from the "Betty Crocker Best Cupcakes & Cakes" came the delightful little mouthfuls.  They were just perfect for the dessert table at our ladies tea!  There is just something about mini foods that I find just especially tasty.  Maybe its because I can get away with eating three (or four) of them as compared to one big piece of cheese cake.  I'm not saying it makes a whole lot of caloric sense - just that in my greedy little mind, more seems all the better!


Lemon White Chocolate Cheesecake Bites
Crust:
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled.
Filling:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 cup white vanilla baking chips
1 teaspoon vegetable oil


Directions:
Heat oven to 300 degrees F.  Place mini paper baking cups in each of 18 mini muffin cups; spray paper cups with cooking spray.  In medium bowl, mix crust ingredients until crumbs are moistened.  Spoon and lightly press 1 teaspoon mixture in bottom of each cup.

Add chips then add more mixture

In Large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.  On low, beat in egg until smooth.  Add lemon peel and lemon juice; beat until smooth.  Spoon about 1 teaspoon cream cheese mixture into each paper cup.  Place 5 to 6 of the white baking chips on top of each (using 1/4 cup total).  Divide remaining cream cheese mixture evenly among cups (about 2 heaping teaspoons each).  Bake 25 to 30 minutes or just until filling looks set.  Cool on racks 30 minutes.  Refrigerate 1 hour.

after baking

 In Small microwavable bowl, microwave remaining 1/4 cup white baking chips and the oil uncovered on high 30 to 40 seconds until mixture can be stirred smooth.  Drizzle over cheesecakes.  Store covered in refrigerator.

Have the Cake Challenge: No Fail Pound Cake

What does this box of cake mix have to do with pound cake???? Well, let me tell you :-)  I recently was asked to make a wedding cake for a friend.  She didn't want anything too heavy and really was interested in me using cake mix.  Thankfully she just wanted a butter cream frosting and not fondant as I have found cake mixes do not hold up to well under fondant!  But I digress... I found a recipe using cake mix and adding just a few more ingredients to extend the mix size and give it a slightly firmer texture.  It came out phenomenal!  So when this month's Have the Cake Challenge was pound cake and I came across this recipe for No Fail Pound cake, I just had to give it a try!

This was a big hit!  I mean, this was a massive huge hit for my family. I did make a few minor adjustments (no surprise there!) but I will be sure to give the exact recipe with my adaptations in italic. It is not as dry as many pound cakes are and less heavy.  

No Fail Pound Cake

by  Patsy with adjustments by me (in italic)

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract     I used 2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste instead of the extracts
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract     omitted
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix      I used Betty Crocker  Super  Moist Butter Recipe, Yellow
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and lemon extract (or in my case the vanilla bean). Beat in water and sour cream. Beat in the cake mix and flour. Pour batter into prepared pan

Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean( mine took just under an hour). Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely

 

been busy....

May has been a crazy month... I did a bridal shower for a young lady who ha been attending our church for several years.  Her colors were plum, silver and ivory... yeah, try finding bridal shower decorations in THOSE colors!!!  Thank goodness for my cricut machine as I made decorations for her using that.  Cupcakes with a super vanilla frosting and topped with a blackberry.


I also made their wedding cake.  Though not necessarily what I would have wanted the bride and her family were very pleased and that's all that truly matters!


 Then we went on vacation where we spent four days in Los Angeles.
While visiting the Kodak theater we tried out the new "Soul Daddy's" Restaurant.  This was the restaurant that won from the television show "America's Next Great Restaurant."  Yeah... not so much.  If this was the best that they had from all the contestants than the other food must have really tanked!  I also tried the Wolfgang Puck Bistro at Universal Studios.  I was unimpressed and was saddened by that.  Hubby and I agree that my meatloaf and tomato soup are much better than what we had there.  Overall though, the trip was fantastic!

THE DARING COOKS’ MAY 2011 CHALLENGE: GUMBO

We were challenged to make Gumbo for this months' challenge.  Never having made gumbo before I was excited to make a recipe.  I used Emeril Lagasse's recipe off of the food network website.  I'll admit, I wanted this recipe only because it did not include okra!  Slimey, nasty tasting stuff!!!  The process of getting my roux to darken took well over an hour.  Shouldn't have surprised me since my electric stove is a bit of a brat!  The wait was well worth it though as it was yummy!

Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo with White Rice

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse

1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 pound smoked sausage, such as andouille or kielbasa, cut crosswise 1/2-inch thick pieces

4 pounds chicken thighs, skin removed

1 tablespoon Essence or Creole seasoning,

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped bell peppers

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

3 bay leaves

9 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

1 tablespoon file powder

White Rice, recipe follows

Hot sauce

In a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven or large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook until well browned, about 8 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

Season the chicken with the Essence and add in batches to the fat remaining in the pan. Cook over medium-high heat until well browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, let cool, and then refrigerate until ready to use.

Combine the remaining 1/2 cup oil and the flour in the same Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, stirring slowly and constantly for 20 to 25 minutes, to make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate.

Add the onions, celery, and bell peppers and cook, stirring, until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the reserved sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves, stir, and cook for 2 minutes. Stirring, slowly add the chicken stock, and cook, stirring, until well combined. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

Add the reserved chicken to the pot and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, skimming off any fat that rises to the surface.

Remove the pot from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken thighs from the gumbo and place on a cutting board to cool slightly. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Pull the chicken meat from the bones andshred, discarding the bones and skin. Return the meat to the gumbo and stir in the green onions, parsley, and file powder.

Spoon rice into the bottom of deep bowls or large cups and ladle the gumbo on top. Serve, passing hot sauce on the side.