Dessert Time

Ok here is a perfect dessert to finish any dinner. Easy yet elegant.

Chocolate Ricotta with Strawberries and Marscarpone Whip Cream

1 - Cup of chocolate sauce (homemade or store bought)
2 - Cups Ricotta Cheese
1 - pint of strawberries (cleaned and cut)
8 - Whole strawberries
1/2 - cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 - cup marscarpone cheese
3 - tbsp sugar
1 - tsp good vanilla


Mix chocolate and ricotta together and cover, place in refrigerator for an hour or until you are ready to serve dessert.

Once you are ready to serve make the whip cream by adding heavy cream, marscarpone, vanilla and sugar and whisking until soft peaks. Do not over mix. Now dish the ricotta into 8 equal portions and then top with cut strawberries and whip cream. Cut a slit in the whole strawberries and place them on the sides of the serving dishes as garnish.

Enjoy....

Lets take a trip to New Orleans

Shrimp and Andouille Sausage GUMBO

1 - Stick of butter or a cup of oil (vegetable)
1 - cup of flour
1 - bell pepper(rough chop)
1 - sweet onion (rough chop)
3 - stalks of celery (rough chop)
2 - cloves of garlic (finely minced)
6 - cups of chicken stock (or seafood stock)
1/2 - pound andouille sausage or kelbasa (cut in bite size increments)
3 - pounds large shrimp (peeled and de- veined)
2 - tbsp fresh ground black pepper
2 - tbsp sea salt
1 - tbsp Ancho chili powder
1 - teaspoon gumbo file
2 - Bay leaves

Make a roux by melting the butter or heating the oil and adding the flour. Cook the flour taste off but do not burn if you burn then start over. It should look like wet sand and small like toasted nuts. Whisk in the stock and add everything but the shrimp.

Remove the bay leaves and add shrimp 6 minutes prior to serving.
Ensure you make a large pot of rice and serve the rice on top of the gumbo.

Enjoy......

Upcoming NY Food Events for 2009

Here are some events from the elite to the down right outdoorsy type... These are from March - Aug and I will update the blog with whats new and going on through out the year. You will have the most information here your soon to be one stop source for almost everything FOOD. So lets start with this month..

March 21-22, 2009 New York Maple Weekend
Statewide, New York
Two weekends, March 21-22 and 28-29. The goal of Maple Weekend is to share the real taste of the mouth-watering maple syrup with the public while also demonstrating the various ways to make it.
http://www.mapleweekend.com/

March 25, 2009 Wine & Wishes 2009
New York, New York (no website)
One of New York’s premier wine events and a major source of fundraising for The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Metro New York. Serving signature dishes will be some of New York City's most famous and well-known restaurants and caterers. VIP Ticket gains access to “Coveted Corks” a private tasting of rare and collectible wines. FOR Tickets: 212-957-WISH

Sip, Savor, Stay.
Adirondack Festival of Food & Wine Itinerary
March 26-29, 2009

Join Master Chefs and vintners for a celebration of food and wine.
Enjoy wine tastings, culinary demonstrations, a cooking competition and more. Package price is $1395 per couple or $699 per person. Includes a 3-night stay, entry to all events and breakfast daily (taxes and gratuity are additional).
http://mirrorlakeinn.com/dining-Adirondack-Festival-Food-Wine.cfm

May 20, 2009 Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation
New York, New York
Savor the finest dishes and drinks prepared by the nation's hottest chefs and mixologists, enjoy the best wines and bid in exciting live and silent auctions. All this to catch the more than 12 million children at risk of hunger and surround them with the nutritious foods where they live, learn and play! 100% of ticket sales help ensure no kid in America grows up hungry.
http://taste.strength.org/site/PageServer?pagename=TOTN_homepage

June 13-14, 2009 Strawberry Festival
Forestville, New York
A celebration of the area’s strawberry harvest. Fresh strawberry shortcake, chocolate dipped strawberries & Festival wine. Food, wine, draft beer and Merritt’s Sangria Wine Slush. Free wine tours & tastings. Class car cruise, live music, craft vendors, dancing; live and silent auction proceeds to benefit the Ruben Brown Foundation.
http://www.merrittestatewinery.com/page/53/calendar.aspx

June 19-20, 2009 Owego Strawberry Festival
Owego, New York
The festival celebrates this popular red fruit, notable to the area's growers. Food, entertainment, contests, wine tent, and 20,000 people enjoy the day. Friday night includes entertainment, food and fireworks. Held on the closed streets of downtown Owego, NY. (Also: http://visittioga.com/ )


June 28-30, 2009 NASFT Summer Fancy Food Show
New York, New York
More than 2,100 exhibitors from around the world, presenting more than 100,000 specialty foods to discover and sample.
http://www.specialtyfood.com/do/fancyFoodShow/LocationsAndDates

August 15-16, 2009 2nd Annual America’s Grape Country Wine Festival
Dunkirk, New York
Dozens of wineries from across New York State come together for a weekend full of wine, food, educational seminars, tastings, sales by the bottle and live music. A true farmer’s market with fruit and vegetable sales, artisans and crafters and wine industry professionals.
http://www.agcwinefestival.com/index.html

September 12-13, 2009 Septemberfest
Forestville, New York
Weekend after Labor Day. Septemberfest annual grape harvest festival. Grape stomping, Chiavetta’s famous BBQ chicken. Food, wine and beverages; free wine tours and tastings. Class car cruise, live music, craft vendors, dancing, live and silent auction proceeds to benefit a non-profit charity.
http://www.merrittestatewinery.com/

If the event had a link I listed them... Look for more updates on changes to these or any new events going on this year... You need new ideas I will keep up with the latest things in the food world for you.

Bagel Ideas

Krystal this ones for you...


Tropical Treat:

Mix softened cream cheese with some crushed pineapple; spread on toasted bagel and top with some kiwi slices

Grapes Never Had It So Good:

Spread a toasted bagel with brie cheese or cream cheese. Top with grapes that have been cut in half.

Bagel, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato and Avocado (BBLTA):

Toasted Bagel spread mayo on the top half or both if desired. Then add the bacon, lettuce and tomato and finally the best of all the avocado.

Bacon, Egg and Cheese:

Toast the bagel add bacon, fried egg or eggs and sharp cheddar. Salt, pepper and ketchup if desired.
Lox:

Toasted bagel, spread with cream cheese and top with smoked or cured salmon.

Chives:

slice chives or scallions and mix in to the cream cheese. Toast your bagel and spread on the chive or scallion cream cheese.

Simple:

Toast the bagel and add butter with your favorite jam or jelly.
Lunch:

Lightly toast your bagel spread with mayo on half and then spicy mustard or dijon on the other half. Ham or turkey with munster cheese, lettuce and tomato topped off with salt and pepper.

Tuna:

Toast your bagel add lettuce and sliced tomato and then tuna salad.


Bagel French Toast:


Here's the final spin to the your morning or afternoon make it sweet. take 4 eggs mix with 3 tbsp of heavy cream or milk, 1 tbsp of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of nutmeg and 2 tbsp of sugar. Incorporate well and then slice the bagels in half and soak for 5 - 7 minutes. Heat a griddle or a skillet to medium to medium-high heat add butter and place the bagels cut side down. Flip once after 1 minute and wait 45 secs both sides should be browned serve as you would french toast.

To add to this you can melt butter (2 tbsp) add brown sugar (4 tbsp) and one apple sliced. Let the apples caramelize and pour on top of the bagels.

Light and fluffy scrambled eggs and Avocado

So my sister wants recipes with avocado so here try this one out for breakfast.

• 4 eggs
• 4 tbsp heavy cream
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• a dash of nutmeg
  
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
• Chopped fresh chives, for garnish

Crack the eggs into a bowl. Add the cream and whisk until the eggs look foamy and light. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter until it foams (but do not brown the butter if you do you will need to start over), then turn the heat down to low and slowly pour in the eggs. Using a heat resistant rubber spatula, slowly stir the eggs from the outside of the pan to the center. Once the eggs begin to set, stirring slowly will create large, cloud-like curds. This sounds easy but perfect scrambled eggs that are soft and custard-like with no brown color are a sign of a really good cook. This process takes about 10 minutes. Season the eggs with a few cranks of black pepper and sea salt, add your nutmeg as well. Serve with a few slices of avocado and a little chopped fresh chive.

This is a rich and creamy recipe so make it with a side of home fries or some light fluffy pancakes or maybe french toast and some fresh fruit.

If you need a recipe let me know by commenting or using the live chat to the right I will get on it right away.

Cherry Pie

One of my friends asked for a recipe for cherry pie so here you go BONGO. This is a simple and fast recipe so anyone can do it.

Crust:

• 1/2 cup butter cubed (after you cube it place back in refrigerator)
  
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons powdered sugar
  
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vinegar
• 1/4 cup ice water

For the crust: Blend cold butter, flour, powdered sugar, butter and salt. Cut flour until it resembles cornmeal. Beat egg, blend in vinegar and water, and sprinkle over flour mixture. Toss with fork or make in a food processor just dont over mix you should see specs of butter through out the dough. Chill before rolling, about 1 hour. Makes 2 (9-inch pie crusts)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Filling:

• 4 cups drained cherries, juice reserved
  
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons tapioca
• Pinch salt
• 1 1/3 cups juice (reserved from cherries)
• Tiny dab red gel food coloring (optional)

For the filling: In a large size bowl, mix together all ingredients and pour into the pie shell. Cover with top crust and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for 45 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

I have an awesome deep dish cherry pie recipe I will add later on. Let me know what you think of this one.

Since it is still COLD outside lets keep you warm inside.

So I made this because my special someone loves Lentils and I had to incorporate it in to something great tasting.....

Mildly Spicy Chicken and Lentil Soup

2 - Chicken Breasts
2 - Cups Chicken Stock
2 - cups water
1 - Cup Lintels
3 - cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 - small onion finely diced
3 - stalks celery chopped
2 - medium carrots washed and chopped
1 - bay leaf
2 - tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 - tbsp hot sauce
1 - tbsp black pepper (add more to taste)
2 - tbsp sea salt (add more to taste)
1/4 - tsp nutmeg
1 - tsp lemon pepper

In a large sauce pan add 1 tbsp of olive oil and the chicken saute for about 5 minutes do not brown. Add garlic, onions, celery and carrots saute for 5 more minutes keep an eye and stir as needed to ensure no browning. Add lentils, bay leaf, seasoning, water and chicken stock. Cover and let simmer on medium low for an hour stirring occasionally and reducing the heat as needed.

Prior to serving remove the bay leaf. Serve with toasted bread or a side of warm cornbread.