Betty's Healthy Recipes

Focaccia for the body and grape hyacinths for the soul.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The fog's still thick and I'm craving soup. Not the thick and heavy variety. I want a soup with vibrant color to chase the chill and gray of winter's end away. Remember the tomato soup of childhood? That's what I want. Ours was always served with grilled cheese sandwiches and a tall glass of milk. My soup no longer comes from a can and I haven't had grilled cheese in years. Somewhere along the line, cheese covered breads replaced the sandwiches of my childhood lunches. One of my favorites is focaccia. It's really easy to make and is the perfect accompaniment to a lovely tomato or minestrone soup. I'm fairly specific in the ingredients I choose for mine. If my choices don't spark your fancy, substitute any toppings you'd like for yours. Here's the recipe I use.

Focaccia...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:

2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

3/4 cup warm water

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup olive oil, divided use

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 cup sliced oil-packed roasted peppers or 8 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded provolone cheese

1/4 cup (1 ounce) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1) Dissolve yeast in warm water; let stand 5 minutes. Combine flour and salt in work bowl of food processor. Stir in yeast mixture and 3 tablespoons oil. Process until ingredients form a ball. Process 1 minute more. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Knead about 2 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place dough in oiled bowl; turn once to oil dough surface. Cover with clean kitchen towel. Let rise in warm place about 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

2) Punch dough down. Let rest 5 minutes. Press dough into oiled 10-inch cake pan, deep-dish pizza pan or springform pan. Brush with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Press peppers or sun-dried tomatoes over dough dough,staying about 1 inch from edge. Sprinkle with cheeses. Cover and let rise in warm place 15 minutes.

3. While dough completes final rise, preheat oven to425 degrees F. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Cook's Note: If mixing dough by hand, combine flour and salt in large bowl. Stir in yeast mixture and 3 tablespoons oil until ball forms. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Proceed as directed.

You might also enjoy:

Whole Wheat Olive Focaccia Bread

Apple-Onion Bread with Cheddar Cheese

Muenster Cheese Bread

This post is being linked to:

Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

This recipe is linked to:

Wild Yeast - Yeast Spotting

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I was rummaging through the freezer today. Actually, it was a search with purpose. I came across a recipe I want to try for Valentine's Day and had to make sure I had enough raspberries for both a test and final run. As it happened, I had more than enough for both. I pulled out an extra pint of berries and decided to use them to make muffins for a coffee I had to attend later in the day. This recipe has never disappointed me. Unfortunately, I don't know who originally develop it. I can't claim ownership and there are variations of it all over the internet. So, I'm working on the assumption that the recipe is now in the public domain and we can use it without attribution. If I'm wrong, let me know and I'll put your name in lights. These are biscuit-type muffins and despite a 3 step procedure they are easy to make. While they're more expensive than most breakfast muffins they are worth every penny they cost. If you are not a fan of raspberries and pecans, name your poison. I often use blackberries and hazelnuts as substitutes. As with any biscuit-type batter, mix only until ingredients are moistened and combined and be sure to use only colored portions of the zest. The white pith will make the muffins so bitter that no amount of sugar can sweeten them. I like to serve these warm, but they will keep for 24 hours and can be reheated. Here's the recipe for this special morning treat.

Raspberry Streusel Muffins...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:

Muffins:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

1 cup fresh or frozen, un-thawed raspberries

Streusel Topping:

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup golden or light brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

2 tablesspoons melted butter

Glaze:

1/2 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon orange juice

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.

2) Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Make a well in center of flour mixture. Set aside.

3) Place milk, butter, egg, vanilla extract and orange zest in another bowl. Mix well.

4) Pour milk mixture into flour mixture and stir just until blended.

5) Place 1 tablespoon of batter into each muffin cup. Divide raspberries into two equal piles. Use half the berries to top batter in muffin cups. Top with remaining batter, then with remaining berries.

6) Combine pecans, sugar, flour, cinnamon, butter and orange zest in a small bowl, Mix ingredients until mixture resembles moist crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over top of muffins.

8) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Remove from pan.

9) Mix sugar and orange juice in a small bowl. Drizzle over warm muffins with a spoon. Serve warm. Yield: 12 servings.

This post is being linked to:

Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound

A still warm beignet cloaked in confectioners' sugar must be included on the long list of pleasures that is New Orleans. To have beignets, in various shapes, with mugs of steaming coffee at the Cafe du Monde, or elsewhere in the French Quarter of the city, is a near perfect way to start a day or end a night of revelry. While I can't take you there, I can show you how to enjoy this treat in your own kitchen with a quiet cup of coffee and a table and floor relatively free of sticky powdered sugar. While I've tried, I can't find a way to keep the powdered sugar off your face. Everyone will know exactly what you've been doing. For the uninitiated, a beignet is a warm, crisp piece of fried dough that is topped with a heavy layer of confectioners' sugar. Food historians believe French colonists brought beignets to New Orleans in the 18th century. Some believe the Ursaline nuns brought the recipe with them from France, others believe the Acadians, who were expelled from Nova Scotia, introduced them to the people of New Orleans. No one is sure how the donuts got their name. The Celts had a word "bigne" that meant to raise. The French called donuts "beignet". We know for sure that beignets are made with yeast and while they are allowed to slowly rise, how they got their name is not at all important to those who love them. This recipe makes about 48 donuts. The good news is that the dough keeps well for about five days when it's refrigerated. That's important on several levels. Though beignets should be thought of as a dessert and can be eaten anytime, once fried and cool they quickly lose their appeal. Day old, they become bird-fodder or the base for bread pudding. You can cut this recipe in half to produce a less gargantuan quantity. These should always be served warm. If I haven't frighted you away and you actually make these, I know you'll love them. They are addictive. Here's the recipe for your downfall.

French Quarter Beignets

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups lukewarm water

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

2 eggs, room temperature slightly beaten

1-1/4 teaspoons salt

1 cup evaporated milk

7 cups all-purpose or bread flour

1/4 cup shortening, melted and cooled to room temperature

Nonstick spray

Oil, for deep-frying

3 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1) Mix water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.

2) In another bowl, beat eggs, salt and evaporated milk together. Whisk egg mixture into yeast mixture.

3) Mix 3 cups of flour into yeast mixture. Add shortening and continue to stir while adding remaining flour. Remove dough from the bowl, place onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray. Put dough into bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Let rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours.

4) Preheat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.

5) Place confectioners' sugar in a paper or plastic bag. Set aside.

6) Roll dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 2-inch squares. Deep-fry, flipping constantly, until golden color. Drain on paper towels for a few seconds then place in bag with confectioners' sugar and toss to thickly coat. Serve warm. Continue until all beignets have been fried and coated. Yield: 48 donuts.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Despite predictions of glorious weather, we've had days this week with fog so thick you needed a machete to cut through it. Weathermen have the only job in the world where you can be consistently wrong and still be promoted. However, if you say things often enough and wait long enough, sooner or later you'll be right. Yesterday was that day. The weatherman finally nailed it. The sun rose glowing and stayed that way for the entire day. Under all that fog, the plum and pear trees and early daffodils had been waiting for the sun to signal their debut. They made their appearance yesterday, so, I can finally say with certainty that spring has come to my corner of the world. When the pear trees come fully into bloom, the valleys here will look like they've been sprayed with popcorn. That's eye candy for winter weary souls. Bob and I decided it was no day to remain indoors, so we took off early and came home late. We had breakfast and lunch on the road in quantities larger than our want, so we weren't ravenous when dinner time rolled around. I made a quick soup, some rice and this lovely simple salad that I want to share with you today. It contains protein rich edamame, green soybeans, and the beans add a lovely crunch to this quick salad. I do hope you'll give this a try. It's a perfect accompaniment to grilled anything. The salad has magnificent color and is meant to be eaten hot or warm. You'll find its color becomes less vibrant as it sits, so make this just before you plan to serve it. Here's the recipe.

Corn Salad with Edamame and Tomatoes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite based on a recipe developed by Nancie McDermott

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

2 thin slices fresh ginger

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups frozen sweet corn

1 cup frozen edamame beans

3 tablespoons water

1/2 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon dark sesame oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1) Heat a wok or a deep skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil and swirl to coat all surfaces of pan.

2) Add garlic, ginger and salt. Stir just until garlic releases its fragrance, about 30 seconds. Add corn and toss to coat with oil. Stir in edamame beans.

3) Add water and cook, tossing or stirring often, until the corn and edamame are hot and tender, about 5 minutes.

4) Add tomatoes and sugar. Toss or stir gently until they are warm and heated through. Add sesame oil and cilantro and mix well. Transfer to a plate. Serve hot or warm. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Bulgur and Walnut Salad with Pomengranate Dressing - One Perfect Bite

Warm Asian-Style Rice Salad - One

Perfect Bite

Khmer Green Papaya Salad - One Perfect Bite

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've been looking for a new dessert to serve on Valentine's Day. While searching for recipes for National Pie Day, which coincidentally is today, I found this lovely Chocolate Peppermint Pie on the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board web site. It would be perfect for Valentine's Day and I knew I had to try it. Any recipe that combines white and dark chocolate with peppermint and cream cheese gets my attention immediately. I must tell you I wasn't disappointed, but there are things I'd change the next time I make the pie. Forget the crust. It doesn't add much to the pie. Use a prepared chocolate crumb shell instead. It will add another layer of flavor and save a lot of time as well. I'd also make the pie 24 hours before I plan to serve it. If you look at my photo, you'll see that the layers "bled" together when the pie was sliced. I think that can be avoided with longer chilling. You might also want to add a touch of red food coloring as the crushed peppermint adds only a hint of color to the white chocolate layer. It's sinfully rich and very sweet, but it's a dessert meant for a special day, so, I gave myself absolution and will atone with an extra hour on the treadmill. I do hope you'll try it. The verdict of my tasters was "most excellent". Here's the recipe.

Chocolate Peppermint Pie...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of the Wisconsin Cheese Board

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 teaspoon vinegar

5 to 6 tablespoons ice water

Chocolate Peppermint Pie:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup pasteurized egg product*

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 cup white chocolate chips, melted and cooled

1/2 cup (20) peppermint candies, crushed

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled

1 9-inch baked pie crust (press-in or fancy), cooled

Optional garnish: sweetened whipped cream, crushed peppermint

Directions:

Pie Crust:

1) In a bowl, stir together flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut butter cubes into flour mixture until pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle vinegar over flour mixture, tossing with a fork. Sprinkle 5 to 6 tablespoons cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, over flour mixture, tossing with a fork each time until dough is moistened and crumbly. Gather dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

2) Preheat oven to 400oF.

3) Roll dough into a 12-inch circle. Gently fold the crust into quarters, center over 9-inch pie plate and unfold. Ease crust into the plate. Trim pastry, leaving a 1-inch overhang beyond plate edge. Fold crust edge under and crimp or flute the edge using a fork or your fingers.

4) Prick pastry with a fork. Line bottom and up sides of crust with foil and add dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes, remove foil. Bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until crust is golden. Remove to a wire rack; cool completely.

Filling:

5) In a bowl, beat butter, cream cheese and sugar together. Combine egg product and whipping cream in a separate bowl; gradually add to butter mixture while beating, scraping bowl often. Beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reserve half of mixture in a small bowl. Add cooled white chocolate to remaining half of mixture; beat well. Stir in crushed candy. Spread in baked pie crust; chill 10 minutes.

6) Return reserved butter mixture to bowl, add cooled semi-sweet chocolate; beat well. Spread over white chocolate layer. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Garnish and serve. Yield 8 servings.

*Note: Pasteurized egg products are available in the supermarket. The reason the recipe calls for this product is that the filling is not cooked, and there is a salmonella risk associated with eating raw eggs.

This post is being linked to:

Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I like to serve these shrimp as a prelude to a simple steak or roast dinner. It's not my favorite appetizer, but the jalape?o adds zip and the shrimp adds texture to what could otherwise be a boring meal. The dish also has remarkable pink color. I found the recipe, developed by Melissa Jacobson, at Food and Wine where it received rave reviews. The recipe is simple and straight forward and my only caveat is not to marinate the shrimp for more than two hours. While the shrimp have a nice sweet and spicy flavor, they become too vinegary, for my taste anyway, if allowed to chill for longer than that. This first course can be assembled in 30 minutes, but it does need a full 2 hours to marinate and chill. Here's the recipe for a quick and easy starter.

Brined Shrimp with Jalape?o and Garlic...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:

1 pound shelled and deveined large shrimp

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 jalape?o, thinly sliced crosswise

1 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons sugar

3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1) In a large pot of boiling salted water, simmer the shrimp until just white throughout, about 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to an 8-by-11-inch glass or ceramic dish. Scatter onion and jalape?o over shrimp.

2) In a small saucepan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorns and mustard seeds and bring to a simmer; stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour pickling liquid over shrimp and let cool. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 6 hours. I think 2 hours is plenty.

3) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp with onion and jalape?o to a medium bowl. Toss with olive oil and salt. Transfer equal portions to 4 individual lettuce lined salad plates. Serve cold. Yield: 4 servings.

This post is being linked to:

Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I always try to include these mushrooms with my antipasti platters. They marry well with cubes of cheese, assorted olives, roasted peppers and assorted sliced salumi. Try them and you find yourself in a true, vegan and diet friendly, nosher's paradise. The mushrooms are exceeding easy to put together and are budget friendly to boot. I also like to serve these as a salad topping or as a first course for casual company meals. Flavor is best if they are left to chill overnight. Here's the recipe for one of my easiest, and best, appetizers. I hope you'll try it.

Marinated Mushrooms...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh cremini or white button mushrooms

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar

2 cloves fresh minced garlic

1/4 cup minced red onion

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram

2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

Kosher salt, to taste

1/2 teaspoon each black peppercorns and coriander seeds

Optional garnish: 1 tablespoon drained, chopped pimento

Directions:

Clean mushrooms and remove stems. Simmer mushroom caps in salted water for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Add olive oil, vinegar, sugar, garlic, red onion, oregano, parsley, salt, peppercorns and coriander. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Marinate in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving. Garnish with pimento for color. Yield: 4 servings.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a European peasant bread that gets its color from the ingredients used to make it. Black bread can range in hue from cocoa brown to a near ebony, depending on the nationality of the cook who bakes it. Each of the countries in Central and Eastern Europe have their own version of the bread. All of these "black" breads are made with made with a base of rye flour, but because of its low gluten content the rye is mixed with higher gluten grains to produce lighter and higher loaves. True or not, many people believe black bread is extraordinarily nutritious and can sustain life on its own for long periods of time. They point to the siege of Leningrad, where rationed portions of the bread are reported to have kept the population alive for 3-1/2 years. While I believe bread is the staff of life, I think that this narrow view overlooks the fact that a huge percentage of the population died of starvation during that period. Leningrad is probably a better example of survival of the fittest than a paean to the merits of black bread. I digress. Sorry. Today's black bread comes from an old recipe developed by James Beard. It lacks the velvet grain of a German pumpernickel, but has a flavor that's hard to beat. Like many of Beard's recipes, this bread claims no country as its own. It takes the best of several breads from several countries and kneads them into a singular, flavorful loaf that's sure to please. Here's the recipe.

Black Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of James Beard

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cornmeal

3/4 cup cold water

3/4 cup boiling water

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon brown sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

1 tablespoon instant coffee

4-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water + additional water as needed to form dough

2 cups dark rye flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 cups unbleached flour + additional flour for kneading

1 egg white beaten with 2 tablespoons flour

Directions:

1) Add cornmeal to cold water and mix in a bowl. Pour mixture into saucepan containing boiling water. Stir until thick and bubbling. Add butter, salt, sugar, caraway seeds, cocoa and instant coffee. Stir well. Remove from heat.

2) Place yeast in a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup warm water; stir to dissolve. Add flours, adding more warm water as required tp produce a thick, sticky dough. Turn onto a floured board. Knead, adding more flour if required, to form a firm but elastic dough. Form into a ball and place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat dough on all side. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch dough down and knead on a lightly floured surface for 2 to 3 minutes. Divide dough into 2 portions and shape into two free-form loaves. Place on baking sheets covered with cornmeal. Allow to rise until almost doubled in bulk. Brush bread with beaten egg-white. Bake at 375 degrees F for 50 to 60 minutes, or until loaves sound hollow. Transfer to cooling racks. Yield: 2 loaves.

This recipe is linked to:

Wild Yeast - Yeast Spotting

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...One of my favorite blogs is For the Love of Cooking. It's one of those sites that never fails to please. The photos are great, the recipes delicious and the writer an absolute charmer. Recently Pam featured a recipe for Italian Goulash that took me back to a casserole that made regular appearances on our table when the children were at home. I also serve it - then and now - for game day get-togethers with good friends. It's not meant to impress and it's best to think of it as grub at its finest. This is what happens when you combine chili with mac n' cheese. The dish takes ten minutes to prepare, twenty-five minutes to cook and uses just one pan. You can alter heat and spices to taste. You can also control the amount and type of cheese you use. Here's the base recipe. I hope you'll make this one your own.

Game Day Chili-Mac Skillet...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound ground beef

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1 (14.5-oz.) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes, undrained

1 (15.25-oz.) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup elbow macaroni, uncooked

1/4 cup water

1 (4-oz.) can diced green chili peppers, drained

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 cup (4-oz.) shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

Optional garnish: chopped cilantro or parsley

Directions:

1) Heat oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add ground meat, onions and garlic salt; cook until meat is brown and onions are tender. Pour off accumulated drippings.

2) Add beans, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, macaroni, water, green chili peppers, cumin, chili powder to meat mixture. Bring contents of skillet to a boil. Reduce heat, cover pan and simmer, stirring frequently, until macaroni is tender, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle top with cheese. Cover pan and heat until cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro, if using. Yield: 6 servings.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I first sampled this lovely pastry at a vendor's stall in one of the labyrinthine streets of a hutong, or old neighborhood, in Bejing, China. I was surprised when I found them. I mistakenly believed that a lack of ovens and dairy cattle would preclude the serving of cakes and pastries as a snack or dessert. While fruit is more commonly served, griddle-cooked or steamed desserts are also available. Lard or oil substitute for the butter, cream and milk we associate with desserts in the West. These delightful mouthfuls, usually served with a sprinkling of sugar, are an example of a Chinese pastry. They are a bit like a Western donut but the exterior is slightly crustier and they are cooked in a different fashion. Anyone can make these. They require no special equipment, save for a food processor, a deep pan and a candy thermometer. Here's the good part. They take five minutes to assemble and form and can be on a plate 10 minutes later. The Chinese call these Kou Xiao Gao or "open mouth laughs" because a special technique causes them to split open as they fry. Once the dough is made and formed, oil is heated quickly to a temperature of 300 degrees F. At that point all the pastry balls are added to the oil and held below the surface to encourage them to rise and split. The oil will gradually increase in temperature until it's about 350 degrees F. The balls are first cooked at the lower temperature so the insides will heat and expand before the outer surface crusts or seals. The balls are cooked until they are a golden brown. Once drained they are sprinkled with sugar and served warm. I have also seen these coated with sesame seeds. This is a snack that's fun to make at anytime of year. I thought you might like to have some simple dishes for Chinese New Year. The kids will love this one. Here's the recipe.

Laughing Mouths (Kou Xiao Gao)...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Jacki Passmore

Ingredients:

1/2 cup superfine sugar

1 tablespoon butter

1 egg

2 to 3 tablespoons water

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Oil for deep frying

3 tablespoons confections' or superfine sugar for dusting

Directions:

1) Combine sugar, butter, egg and 2 tablespoons water in bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Slowly add flour, salt and baking powder. Pulse until a soft dough forms, adding 1 tablespoon reserved water if required.

2) Using a tablespoon measure, break off 18 piecs of dough. Wet hands and form into balls.

3) Heat oil in a wok or deep-sided frying pan over high heat until it reaches 300 degrees F. Reduce heat to medium-high and add balls all at one time. Use a pancake turner to push dough under oil. This will cause them to rise and split. Cook balls until they are a golden brown, about 2-1/2 to 3 minutes. Transfer with a skimmer to paper toweling to drain. Sprinkle with sugar and serve. These are best served warm. Yield 18 pieces.

This recipe is being linked to:

Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

One of the wonders of Texas cooking is beer bread. Texans eat it with barbecue and chili and other meals where cornbread might appropriately be served. It has a distinctive flavor and a gnarled appearance that's formed by dropping spoonfuls of a simple beer batter into copious quantities of melted butter prior to baking. The butter bubbles up through the bread as it cooks and forms craters of dough that many think resemble monkey bread. While I slice the bread for guests, I must admit that we pull off chunks of it when there is just family at the table. While I'm presenting a bare bones version of the recipe, finely grated cheese, chives or chili peppers can be added. Don't stint on the quality or flavor of the beer you use in this recipe. It is, after all, beer bread. Stout is too strong for my taste, but I love to use Draught Guinness or a dark beer when I make it. This is ridiculously easy to make and I think you'll enjoy it as a sometime replacement for corn bread. If you have leftovers toast or warm them to serve. Here's the recipe.

Texas-Style Gnarled Beer Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons sugar

1 (12-oz.) bottle good beer or ale

1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously coat a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

2) Whisk flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in beer. Stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Do not over mix. The dough will be thick, heavy and very sticky. Pour half of melted butter into a loaf pan. Spoon clumps of dough into pan. Pour remaining half of butter on top of dough.

3) Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until golden brown. Top of loaf will be gnarled. Remove from pan and serve hot. Yield: 1 loaf or 10 servings.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I try to keep a supply of red lentils in the pantry. They're perfect for making a really quick soup that's hearty and filling but not heavy. Red lentils cook in about 30 minutes and there is a sweetness about them that can't be found in the green or black varieties. The real trick to this particular soup is the quality and flavor of the vegetable stock use to make it. A good commercial variety is fine, but taste carefully for salt. Lentils can be very bland and the minimal spicing used in this recipe demands a well-salted broth. This soup is very nearly a puree. If you prefer more texture, measure an additional cup of lentils and cook them separately in rapidly boiling water until they are just tender. To insure they don't over cook plunge them into cold water. Add them to the soup and heat through just before serving. While the lentils are a saffron red in their raw state they turn a most unattractive shade of mustard as they cook down. I use sweet paprika to make my soup more visually appealing. Not necessary, but nice. I suspect pimenton could also be used but that would produce a deeper and more smokey flavor. This soup is best eaten the day it is made. Like pea soup, it will thicken and will need to be thinned with additional stock or water if it sits. This recipe can be halved for small families or doubled if you are feeding a crowd. Here's the recipe.

Vegan Red Lentil Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

3 cloves crushed garlic

1 pound red lentils

8 cups vegetable stock

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Optional garnish: 1/2 cup vegan yogurt

Directions:

1) Heat oil in a heavy bottomed soup pot. When it shimmers, add onions and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cumin, coriander, allspice, paprika and garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

2) Add lentil to pot and stir well to coat with spices. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into soup bowl. Garnish with yogurt if using. Yield: 6-8 servings.

You might also enjoy:

Vegan and Red Lentil Flan

Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup

Celery Soup

Portobello Parm before and after baking.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is an old competition recipe. I give it new life each January as part of a regime to mend holiday excesses and restrict fat and caloric intake, at least until we're back in shape. I love the bold flavors of meat or vegetable Parmesan, but the amount of oil used in standard preparations meant we couldn't have it often, if at all. The whole purpose of this recipe was to come up with a variation that would require no frying and, if possible, use no meat or poultry. I had, for several years, grilled portobello mushrooms and was really happy with their meaty taste and texture. I settled on them for my recipe because eggplant simply didn't work when cooked this way. This version is really simple to make and if you are looking for a healthier alternative to standard "parm" recipes you might want to give this a try. You won't be sorry. Smaller families can halve the recipe and still enjoy its wonderful flavor. Here's the recipe.

Baked Portobello Parmesan...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs

1 cup (3-oz.) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided use

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/4 cup fresh minced parsley, divided use

2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided use

3/4 cup egg substitute

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon marjoram leaves

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon oregano leaves

4 large (5 to 6-inches wide) stemmed potobello mushrooms, brushed clean

1-1/2 cups (6-oz.) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1 cup commercially prepared "light" tomato sauce

Cooking spray

Directions:

1) Position a baking rack in upper third of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 17-1/2 x 11-3/4 baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a 16-1/2 x 11-1/2-inch wire cooling rack inside the baking sheet. Mist rack with cooking spray. Set aside.

2) Combine bread crumbs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons parsley, paprika and 1 teaspoon salt in a shallow pan. Mix well. Set aside.

3) In a separate bowl, combine egg substitute, remaining 1 teaspoon salt. pepper, marjoram, garlic powder and oregano. Mix well.

4) Dip both sides of mushrooms into egg mixture. Dredge in crumb mixture until both sides are completely coated. Transfer, stem side down, to prepared wire rack. Spray tops with cooking spray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender. Remove pan form oven.

5) Reset oven thermostat to 450 degrees F. Meanwhile, carefully turn mushrooms stem side up. Cover each mushroom with 2 tablespoons of remaining Parmesan cheese, 1/4 of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup tomato sauce. Spray tops lightly. Return to oven and bake until cheese melts and mushrooms are warmed through, about 10 minutes. Use a wide spatula to transfer mushrooms to a serving platter. Sprinkle with reserved 1 tablespoon parsley. Yield: 4 servings.

This recipe is being linked to:

Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

This is one of our favorite fireplace and football snacks. There are exactly 4 ingredients in this recipe. It really doesn't get any easier than this. BUT. I'm currently experimenting with dried garbanzo beans that are soaked in water for 24 hours before proceeding with the recipe. Please stay tuned! I'm sure, that given enough time, I can complicate this recipe for you. Till then, here's the bare bones version using canned garbanzo beans.

Roasted Garbanzo Beans with Cajun Spice

Ingredients:

2 cups canned garbanzo beans, rinsed, drained and patted dry

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon commercially prepared Cajun Spice

1/2 teaspoon golden brown sugar

Coarse salt to taste

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a no-stick baking sheet with no-stick spray and set aside.

2) Toss garbanzo beans with Cajun Spice and brown sugar in a small bowl. Mix well.

3) Place beans in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Sprinkle with coarse salt to taste. Allow to cool before serving. Yield: 2 cups.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love to see old things made new again. Over the holidays we were served a long retired beef and cheese dip that I'm very fond of. While I love its taste, I even more enamored of the ease with which it can be prepared. I especially like this recipe because the ingredients can be reduced by half to produce a quantity that's perfect for smaller gatherings. I shouldn't admit this, but I 'm a fan of dips. I 'm fond of those made with ingredients that make those more sophisticated than me shudder. I dip freely into mixtures made with dehydrated mixes, so it should come as no surprise that I occasionally serve one made with dried beef. There are many versions of this on the net. This version is my refinement of the recipe to suit the tastes of my family. I always serve this warm from the oven with thinly sliced French bread or an assortment of good crackers. It's perfect football fodder.

Warm Beef and Cheese Dip with Pecans...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:

2 (8-oz.) packages of cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup grated onion and juice

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 (2-1/2-oz.) jars dried beef, finely minced

1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Directions:

1) Combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, onion and juice and garlic in a small bowl. Mix until smooth and light. Fold in minced beef. Transfer to a bake and serve dish. Top with toasted pecans.

2) Preheat oven to 300 degree F. Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes. Serve with good bread and crackers. Yield: 2-1/2 cups.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There are folks who won't admit to birthdays, but like, nonetheless, to be remembered on their special day. I have such a friend. She has eclectic tastes and loves coconut, so I decided to make an uncommon and homely pudding to mark the importance of the day to those of us who love her. This is not the coconut pudding that is so popular across Asia. It's made from cornstarch rather than gelatin and beaten egg white. It does, however, use coconut milk for most of its flavor. I supplement that with a variable amount of coconut extract and use flaked coconut for garnish. This is really easy to do and the six ingredients required to make it can be found in any major grocery store. It can be assembled in about 15 minutes, though it requires 4 to 6 hours to set. Here's the recipe.

Coconut Cloud Pudding...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cups whole milk, divided use

1-1/2 cups coconut milk

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 to 1 teaspoon coconut extract

Optional garnish: shredded coconut

Directions:

1) Whisk cornstarch and salt together in a medium bowl. Slowly add 1/2 cup milk and stir until smooth.

2) Add reserved 1 cup milk, coconut milk and sugar to a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Slowly stir in cornstarch mixture and stir constantly until mixture is very thick, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add coconut extract to taste and stir for another minute. Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes longer.

3) Spoon custard into 6 3/4-cup containers. Refrigerate until chilled and set, about 4 to 6 hours. Garnish, if desired, with shredded coconut. Yield: 6 servings.

Cook's Note: If you enjoy a really light pudding, let the pudding cook to room temperature and fold in 2 cups of whipped cream or non-dairy topping. Then refrigerate to chill.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Old-Fashioned Lemon Pudding

Double Chocolate Pudding

Pumpkin Panna Cotta

This post is being linked to:

Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Every generation develops recipes that catch the fancy of young women when they first begin to cook. Toll House cookies have been around for decades and they're as popular today as they were when I was 18. Other recipes have shorter life spans. Even the good ones can fall to the wayside because of sea changes in the way we live or what we think to be important. There was a time when tea breads enjoyed the same popularity as cookies, and young women strove to master their making. We have, however, become a nation of multi-taskers and afternoon tea, for most anyway, has become a quaint remembrance of a ritual now past. While recipes for quick breads abound, tea breads are becoming less common. I want to pass mine on to my daughters, and, so, I record it here. The one I finally settled on is at least 2 decades old and it was developed in the test kitchen that serves Land O' Lakes Creamery. The combination of lemon and poppyseed is one of those lovely marriages that sometimes occurs in the food world. I love this recipe because it keeps the poppyseeds under control. An awful lot of recipes overdo their use and the finished bread or cake ends up looking like it has a disease. Not so here. This is a lemon bread that happens to use poppyseeds in the batter. The use of a glaze is optional with this bread. I prefer to brush the warm bread with limoncello, but I've included instructions for a glaze should you want to use one. Here's the recipe for a mild and altogether lovely lemon tea bread. I hope you enjoy it.

Lemon Poppyseed Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons poppy seed

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup lemon yogurt

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup milk

Optional glaze: 2 tablespoons limoncello or 3 tablespoons granulated sugar mixed with 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1) Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom only of 8x4-inch loaf pan. Set aside.

2) Combine flour, poppy seed, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.

3) Combine sugar and butter in bowl of a stand mixer. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add yogurt, eggs, lemon peel and vanilla; mix well. Reduce speed to low. Alternately add flour mixture and milk, beating well after each addition, just until moistened.

4) Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove pan to a cooling rack. If desired, brush top of loaf with limoncello or lemon glaze. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely before serving. Bread ages well and benefits from overnight storage. Yield: 1 loaf or 12 servings.

This recipe is being linked to:

Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

Ingredients:

1 (28-ounce) bottle white table wine, or 4 cups white grape juice

4 cups cranberry juice

8 whole cloves

1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled

2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks

1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar



Directions:

1) Combine wine, cranberry juice, cloves, ginger and cinnamon in a large bowl. Refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

2) Pour into a large stockpot and heat until almost simmering. Glogg should be 150 to 170 degrees F for serving. Ladle into small, warmed cups and serve. Yield: 10 servings.

This recipe is being linked to:

Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There are many customs and traditions associated with Chinese New Year. One of the most pervasive has led to an exercise that takes place days before the celebration actually begins. It is believed the Kitchen God returns to heaven a week before the New Year to report on a family's behavior during the year that is ending. An unfavorable report means that the family will have bad luck in the year to come. In order to prevent that from happening the tradition of making sticky cake took hold. The belief that the Kitchen God could not issue a bad report if his mouth was full became pervasive. While a bit softer, the cake has the same chewy properties as taffy. It is, in a word, sticky. It's usually made with glutinous rice flour, a candy called peen tong and dried fruit. The traditional cake is always steamed and, if it's made with peen tong, it is always a rich caramel in color. However, as you move across China, you'll find there are regional differences in how the cake is made. If granulated sugar is used in place of peen tong, the cake will have a creamy hue. The cake is not easy to make, but it can be bought for next to pennies. Ergo, most sticky rice cakes, including mine, are purchased rather than made. A link to more information about the Kitchen God and a classical recipe for the steamed cake be found here. I'm including a much easier version of the recipe for you to try, should you wish to do so. I want to wish all of you who are celebrating, an auspicious New Year that will be rich in family, friends and food.

Baked Sticky Cake (Nian Gao)...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Frances Kai-Hwa Wang

Ingredients:

16 oz. Mochiko sweet rice flour

One stick of butter or 3/4 cup of vegetable oil

3 eggs

2-1/2 cups milk

1 to 1-3/4 cup sugar--depending on if you like it sweeter

1 tablespoon baking soda

One can of red azuki beans

Directions:

Mix everything but the beans with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes. Beat for 2 more minutes at high speed. Sprinkle Mochiko flour over a 9"x 13" baking dish that has been oiled or sprayed with Pam. Spread half of the batter on the bottom of the baking pan. Spread the red azuki beans (you can mix some batter into the beans if they are too thick to spread). Spread the other half of the batter over the red azuki beans. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a chopstick (this is Chinese New Year, Cake after all) if it comes out clean, it is done. This is best served warm.

You might also enjoy:

Long Life Noodles for Chinese New Year

Open Mouths Laughing for Chinese New Year

Pearl Balls - Louis Chinese Porcupines

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We're not hosting a Super Bowl party this year, but I've been asked to bring dessert to the one we're attending. The food being served is hearty, so I want to keep dessert as simple as possible with disappointing anyone. I've decided to do his and her cakes. Earlier this year I made Key Lime and White Chocolate Cake Squares. They proved to be one of my most popular recipes and I plan to make them for the gals this weekend. I decided to do gingerbread and lemon sauce for their husbands. I settled on an adaption of John Thorne's Moosehead Lake Gingerbread, a Maine hunting camp recipe that uses black pepper, dry mustard, and bacon grease. This is gingerbread with attitude. It's moist and fragrant and has rich color thanks to copious quantities of molasses, coffee and dark spices. You'll be glad to hear that bacon grease, while authentic and part of the original recipe, isn't used in this version. Back in the day, few guides had butter but they did have drippings and used them to cook and bake. The spices, mustard and black pepper were used to mask the flavor of the fat. I serve the gingerbread with lemon sauce because I love the pairing of those flavors. I suspect the lemon sauce never saw the light of day in the camps. The cake and the sauce are easy to do. I know that those of you who like strong flavors will love this. Here's the recipe.

Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by John Thorne and Maida Heatter

Ingredients:

Gingerbread

3-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoons salt

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2-1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 teaspoon dry mustard

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

3/4 cup butter, room temperature

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

3 eggs

1-1/2 cups dark molasses

2 tablespoons instant coffee

1-1/2 cups boiling water

Lemon Sauce

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1-1/3 cups water

2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1) To make gingerbread: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 13-inch pan. Dust with fine dry breadcrumbs. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, mustard and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk to mix and lighten. Beat butter with brown sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer for 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add molasses and beat until smooth. Dissolve instant coffee in boiling water. With mixer on low speed, alternately add dry ingredients in three additions and coffee, which should be hot, in two additions. Begin and end with flour mixture. Beat only until smooth. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in center of oven for about 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Invert cake onto another rack and remove pan. Invert again. Serve warm with lemon sauce. Yield: 16 servings.

2) To make lemon sauce: Whisk sugar and cornstarch in a 2-quart sauce pan. Add lemon juice, zest, water and butter. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Serve warm. Yield: 2-1/2 cups.

Cook's Note: If you want your lemon sauce to be a vibrant yellow, add 1 or 2 egg yolks to the sauce after it has thickened. A drop of yellow food coloring can also be used.

This recipe is being linked to:

Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Ethnic cooking presents some challenges for smaller families. Most recipes appear to be scaled to feed armies rather than the two or three people who typically break bread at the table. Chili, a food, I love, is one of them. Several years ago I came across a recipe for Chocolate Chili Con Carne developed by Michael Chiarello for the Food Network. It sounded delicious, but it made way to much food for two of us eat and still enjoy. I've altered the recipe to make fewer servings and changed the spicing slightly. This is a nice chili, but there are certain elements of the recipe that shouldn't be changed. Masa harina, Mexican corn flour, is used to thicken the chili and if you're looking for an authentic Mexican flavor it is a must. A small quantity of Manteca, lard, is also used. Don't worry too much about the type of beer to use in the recipe. I've settled on a non-alcoholic amber ale that adds flavor without bitterness to the chili. The finished sauce, which contains chocolate, is a bit like a mole. This has been well-received whenever I serve it, though I suspect the play of flavors might be too much for kids. If you're looking for a new chili, or just want to experiment, you might like to give this a try before game day. Here's the recipe.

Chocolate and Black Bean Chili...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Michael Chiarello

Ingredients:

1-1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut in 1/2-inch dice

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided use

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided use

2 tablespoons chili powder, divided use

Masa harina (Mexican corn flour)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lard (Manteca)

2 cups minced red onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, stems removed, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoons dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1(12-ounce) bottle beer (I like to use a non-alcoholic amber ale)

1 (14.5-oz.) Mexican-style stewed tomatoes

1 cup chicken stock

1 to 2 (12-ounce) cans black beans, drained

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, cut into large chunks

Toppings: sour cream, chopped onion, grated cheese

Directions:

1) Place diced chuck in a large bowl. Add salt, pepper, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cumin and 1 tablespoon chili powder. Mix well. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons masa harina and toss again to coat. The masa harina will thicken sauce as chili cooks and give it a unique Mexican flavor.

2) Heat a cast iron, or other heavy bottomed, Dutch oven on stove over medium heat. Add olive oil and, when it shimmers, add meat in one layer and brown it on all sides. Add lard to pan. Remove browned meat to paper toweling. Add the onions and garlic to pan and saute for 5 minutes over medium heat until they start to caramelize and get soft. Add jalapenos and allow to cook for 2 more minutes until soft. Add tomato paste and sugar. Add remaining teaspoon of cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, oregano and 1 heaping tablespoons of chili powder. Add beer. Stir to incorporate everything. Add stewed tomatoes, and stir. Return meat to pan. Add chicken stock. Simmer for 1-1/2 hours until meat is tender. Strain liquid from black beans, add beans to Dutch oven and bring up to simmer. Add chocolate and stir until it melts. Serve immediately with toppings of choice or refrigerate for 2 to 3 days. Chili may also be frozen. Yield: 5 servings.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I made a new rice dish to serve with miso chicken tonight. I decided to grill despite the rain, so, if you happened down our stretch of highway this evening, I would be the fool you saw manning the grill beneath that huge red golf umbrella. Miso chicken is delicious, but I'm always puzzled by what to serve with it. Summer is no problem. I make a Japanese potato salad that's a perfect compliment to the chicken. Winter is more problematic. Plain, unflavored rice simply will not do and my winter palate refuses to embrace mayonnaise based salads. So, I decided to combine hot rice with mirin wine and broccoli slaw and see what happened. In Japan, sweet rice would be used to make a dish like this. Despite its name, this rice isn't sweet and it doesn't contain gluten. It is, instead, a very sticky, short-grain rice that's used to make sushi or sweet rice desserts. As you can see, I used basmati rice to make mine. It works well, but would be difficult to eat with chopsticks because the grains do not clump. I made enough rice to feed four, but the ingredients here can easily be doubled. I used mirin, a rice wine, because I think it's less sweet than sake and is more to our taste. The rice must be hot when the mirin and vegetables are folded into it. This is a really, really easy to make and it's quite good. Here's the recipe.

Warm Asian-Style Rice Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:

2 cups hot cooked rice

6 tablespoons mirin cooking wine

1-1/2 cups broccoli or cabbage slaw

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Fold mirin and broccoli slaw into hot rice. Mix well. Cover pot and let sit for 15 minutes, or until mirin is absorbed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss. Transfer to rice bowls. Yield: 4 servings.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love to serve these shrimp to friends at informal gatherings. This dish is one I wish I could claim as my own. I can't. I found the recipe, developed by Peggy Towbridge, at About.com Home Cooking and it's been a favorite of mine ever since. Don't be put off by the ingredient list. Chances are you have everything needed to make these shrimp in your refrigerator or pantry. I've made two slight changes to the original recipe. I think balsamic vinegar muddies the glorious color of this dish, so I've opted to use white wine or white balsamic vinegar instead. I've also added small amounts of red and yellow bell pepper to provide more eye candy in the final presentation. While I've served these shrimp as a first course for an informal dinner, I am more likely to set out bowls of them to entertain a large number of people for cocktails or an open house. When I serve these as finger food, I remove all trace of shell from the shrimp. I know that runs contrary to conventional wisdom, but I hate to see folks trying to balance drinks and plates of discarded shells or toothpicks. Shrimp, once a luxury item, is relatively inexpensive these days. So, you'll be happy to know the recipe can be doubled or tripled for those occasions when you're feeling particularly generous or are feeding the immediate world. I let the shrimp marinate for 24 hours before serving them. Discard uneaten, unrefrigerated shrimp at the end of the evening. The brine used to pickle the shrimp is not strong enough to kill organisms that might developed after the shrimp has been sitting unrefrigerated for several hours. Here's the recipe for a terrific party appetizer.

Spiced and Pickled Shrimp...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper

1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

Juice of 1 lemon, rinds reserved

2 pounds large or jumbo raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup white balsamic or white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh dill weed, finely chopped OR 2 teaspoons dried

2 cloves garlic, pressed

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or hot sauce to taste

1 small sweet onion, finely sliced

1 small red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced

1 small yellow pepper, cored and thinly sliced

1 small green bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced



Directions:

1) Combine garlic powder, onion powder, lemon pepper, paprika, and celery seed until mixed.

2) Sprinkle lemon juice over the shrimp, top with the spice mixture, and toss to coat.

3) Place sliced reserved lemon rinds in about 1 inch of water. Cover with a steamer basket. Place spiced shrimp in the basket, cover pot, and gently steam until shrimp is just barely done and opaque, about 2 minutes. Do not overcook or the shrimp will become rubbery. Remove from heat, uncover, and place shrimp in a large bowl of ice to stop cooking.

4) For the marinade, place olive oil, cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, dill weed, garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper flakes or hot sauce in a large heavy bag with a zip top. Squish to thoroughly combine.

5) Add drained shrimp, sweet onion, and bell pepper to the marinade in bag. Seal with air in bag and toss to coat. Open bag, squeeze out air, and re-seal. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve cold. Yield: 12 to 16 appetizer servings.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Why torpedo rolls? I've been searching for a recipe that would produce a roll similar to the one that is used to make a banh mi, or Vietnamese sandwich. In the course of that search I stumbled on this recipe. While this wouldn't work as the base for a banh mi, I can happily report it does make a wonderful Italian-style submarine sandwich. The roll lacks the crackly crust associated its French or Italian counterparts, but it has a lovely soft interior that makes for a wonderful sandwich. These rolls are easy to do if you have a stand mixer with a dough hook. The machine really does all the work and no kneading is required. The dough is soft and very sticky and you may need to flour your hands to form the rolls. Resist the temptation to add too much flour to the dough as you mix it. I stop adding flour when the dough leaves the sides of the bowl and climbs the dough hook. You can select the shape you want to make. I've chosen torpedo rolls which are coincidentally named for their resemblance to torpedoes. I've also used the recipe to make sandwich rolls. To be truthful the recipe can also be used to make wonderful dinner rolls. For under $4 you can have 16 sandwich or torpedo rolls or 3 dozen dinner rolls that taste a bit like challah. My biggest problem is having the rolls ready when I want to use them. I usually make a double batch and freeze them for future use. I've cut back - way back - on the amount of sugar used in the original recipe. I know you'll love these if you give them a try. Here's the recipe.

Torpedo Rolls...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 cup lukewarm water

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 large egg

1/3 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar (I use 1/3 cup)

1-1/2 cups water

6-1/2 cups all-purpose or bread flour

1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt

Pinch of ground cinnamon

Extra-virgin olive oil to brush on warm rolls

Directions:

1) In the large bowl of a stand mixer, sprinkle yeast over 1 cup of warm water. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until foamy. Add vegetable oil, egg, sugar and remaining 1-1/2 cups water and mix, using dough hook, until well combined. Add flour a cup at a time. Mix on medium-low speed until dough holds together, about 5 minutes. If it does not come together add water a tablespoon at a time until it does. Let dough rest in mixing bowl for 20 minutes to relax. Add salt and cinnamon and mix dough for 1 minute on low speed. Transfer to an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in volume, about 90 minutes.

2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets or cookie pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

3) Punch dough down. If it's sticky, flour your hands. If making dinner rolls, pinch off and roll golf ball-size pieces of dough. If making sandwich or torpedo rolls, pinch off tennis ball-sized pieces or dough and shape them as you choose. Place rolls on prepared pans, leaving 2-inches of space between them. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let sit for about 20 minutes, or until rolls feel like soft marshmallows. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until rolls are golden brown. Remove from oven and brush very lightly with olive oil. Rolls may be served hot or at room temperature. Yield: 16 torpedo or 32 dinner rolls.

This recipe is being linked to:

Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

This recipe is linked to:

Wild Yeast - Yeast Spotting

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Some folks called them Chinese donut sticks, but these long strips of fried dough are far more like bread sticks than donuts or crullers. You tiao, or oil-fried ghosts, are usually served with a traditional Chinese breakfast of rice congee or salted soy milk. Both are bland and are an acquired taste for the Western palate. The salty bread sticks help add a recognizable dimension of flavor to an Eastern breakfast. The strips are made so they can be torn, lengthwise, into two long pieces after deep frying. Chinese folklore tells us that two dough strips, one male, one female, were layered and joined in the center, as an act of protest against the official Qin Hui and his wife who plotted to kill, or dishonor, a revered general named Yue Fei. It's believed that their traitorous behavior was punished by boiling in oil. I leave the fate of their remains to your imagination. Keeping in mind the fact that most Chinese homes have no ovens, I think you can see how these salty sticks became popular. I'm featuring them here as a curiosity for most, but as an exploration for those with more adventuresome palates. They are really simple to do and are worthy of a one-shot. I do ask you to keep in mind the fact that these are nothing more than exotic bread sticks. Please don't slay the messenger. Here's the recipe.

Chinese Donuts Sticks - You Tiao or Oil-Fried Ghosts

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups self-rising flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

6 to 8 tablespoons lukewarm water

Vegetable oil for deep frying

Directions:

1) Combine flour, baking powder,salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Make a well in center of mixture and add 6 tablespoons of water, stirring to mix with a spoon until a soft dough forms. If necessary, add additional water, a tablespoon at a time, to form dough. Knead lightly in bowl until soft dough forms, about 30 seconds. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes to relax gluten in flour.

2) Lightly flour a work surface. Turn dough onto surface and knead for about 30 seconds. Roll dough into a strip that is 16 x 4-inches in size. Cut crosswise into 20 3/4-inch strips. Pair and stack strips. Press each pair down the center with a chopstick to seal. Lightly stretch dough, working from center to ends, until each strip is about 10-inches long. Cover lightly with plastic wrap.

3) Using a high sided saute pan or a wok, pour in oil to a depth of 2-1/2 inches. Set over high heat and bring oil to a temperature of 350 degrees F. Place three to four strips of dough into pan and fry, turning often, until they turn golden brown, about 1 to 1-1/2 minutes. Remove from pan and drain on layers of paper toweling. Continue procedure until all dough strips are cooked. Serve at room temperature. Yield: 10 donut strips.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Over the years, I've tried at least a dozen recipes for Mexican cornbread. Some were great, others were just passable. Before going any further, I must disclose that Bob and I have an allegiance to a very simple Yankee cornbread. It's equally important that you know we are quite open-minded and willing to give almost anything a try. I found this version of Mexican cornbread while looking through a three decade old version of "The New York Times Bread and Soup Book Cookbook". It sounded good enough to try, and, if you like a spicy and moist cornbread, I think you'll find this recipe to be best of show. I liked it a lot. It's very much like the Romanian Mamaliga that I posted here last year. My preference is still for Yankee cornbread but this is very good and perfect to serve with chile or a Mexican bean soup. Here's the recipe.

Mexican Skillet Cornbread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Yvonne Young Tarr

Ingredients:

2-1/4 cups yellow cornmeal

2 teaspoons salt

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon chile powder

3 eggs

3/4 cups vegetable oil

2 cups sour cream

1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

2 cups canned creamed corn

2-1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Set aside.

2) Place cornmeal, salt, baking powder and chile powder in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.

3) Beat eggs in a separate large bowl. Add oil and sour cream and beat until combined.

4) Add cornmeal mixture to eggs and stir until combined. Add peppers and creamed corn. Mix well.

5) Pour half of cornbread batter into the prepared skillet. Sprinkle with half the grated cheese. Cover layer with remaining batter and top with remainder of grated cheese.

6) Bake for 45 minutes. Serve warm. Yield: 12 to 16 servings.

This chicken is one of my secret weapons. I make it once or twice a year, usually in the winter, to lift spirits and mellow the steely gray of the Oregon winter sky. The chicken is really easy to do and you can find all the ingredients you need to make it in any large grocery store. Chicken wings cooked in this fashion would be perfect for game day. While I grilled these, they can also be baked in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or so. Mirin is, for the most part, a cooking wine, though it can be served as a drink for ceremonial purposes during new year celebrations. Its composition is 40 to 50 % sugar, so basting marinades made with it must be watched, lest they burn. It is very similar in taste to sake, though it has a lower alcohol content. Interestingly enough, it can be made at home. Miso is a condiment of fermented soy bean paste that can be used to add a unique flavor to marinades and basting sauces. Used in conjunction with mirin, it can help overcome really strong flavors. It, too, can be made at home. Maybe I'll put them on my bucket list. Maybe. Here's the recipe I use for wings or thighs. I actually prefer thighs, but I must admit that wings make better party food.

Miso Chicken

Ingredients:

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 cup mirin or 1/2 cup mirin + 1/2 cup sake

1/2 cup light miso

4 scallions, thinly sliced

2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

2 teaspoon minced garlic

8 (about 2-lbs.) boneless chicken thighs or 20-24 (about 3-lbs) chicken wings

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

1) Combine soy sauce, mirin, miso, onions, ginger and garlic in a small bowl. Divide marinade into 2 parts. Pour half into in a one-gallon zip-lock bag. Shake to mix well. Add chicken pieces and coat well. Refrigerate for about 3 hours, shaking bag several times. Refrigerate reserved marinade.

2) Preheat grill to very hot or oven to 400 degrees F.

3) Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels.

4) If grilling, cook for 5 minutes, turn and continue grilling until brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Brush chicken pieces with reserved marinade.

5) If baking, arrange chicken pieces in a single layer on a large rack set over a baking pan. Cook for 30 minutes. Brush with reserved marinade.

6) Transfer chicken to a serving platter and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Curiosity and experimentation led me to the version of the recipe you see today. I'm the child of died in the wool Yankees, so it should come as no surprise to hear that I was nearly 40 before spoonbread crossed my lips. Sad to say, it was not love at first bite. Spoonbread, for those unfamiliar with it, is a bit like a pudding or souffle made with cornmeal. While I liked the texture, I thought it was very bland and didn't bother with it for another 20 years. I revisited it because I was looking for new ways to serve baked eggs and thought spoonbread might work if the ingredients could be revved up. That can sometime be dangerous, especially if you're working on recipes for breakfast or brunch. I think I finally have the right balance for this one. It's perfect for a holiday brunch or breakfast in bed. I've added andouille sausage and red pepper flakes so this is definitely spoonbread with an attitude. If you'd like to try something different for a change, I recommend this. I've scaled the recipe for two but it can be doubled if need be. One caution, don't overcook these. You want the egg set but not hard cooked and the center of the spoonbread should be pudding moist. Here's the recipe.

Smothered Eggs in Spoonbread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Jesse Ziff Cool

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/2 cup coarse cornmeal

4 eggs, divided use

1/4 cup butter, divided use

1/2 cup milk

4 ounces Andouille, cut in 1/2-inch dice

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease two (2-cup) ramekins with 1 tablespoon butter. Set aside.

2) Combine water, salt, sugar and cornmeal in a medium saucepan. Gradually bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until cornmeal thickens. Add 3 tablespoons butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

3) Separate two eggs. Add yolks to milk. Stir into cornmeal mixture. Fold in sausage and onions and let cool for 15 minutes. Add baking powder, thyme and pepper flakes. Mix well.

4) Meanwhile beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold whites, one third at a time into cornmeal mixture.

5) Spoon half of batter into ramekins. Crack an egg in center of each one. Spread remaining batter over eggs but do not cover them completely. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until egg white is firm and yolk cooked. Serve hot. Yield: 2 servings.