Published by mel on December 22, 2008 in entree and recipe.
Maine’s got its big, meaty lobsters. The kind of lobsters so full of meat, that it’s best eaten with a bib and a bowl of melted butter. The kind of lobster that’s a meal unto itself. Here in Florida, we’ve got much smaller lobsters hanging out in the warm water. The Spiny (or Florida or Caribbean) lobster doesn’t have the big ol’ claws the Maine lobster has, and most of its meat is found in the tail.
It’s not really the kind of lobster you steam and eat with butter. Florida lobster tails can be grilled (delicious), sauteed or made into a delicious pasta sauce. Lobster at my parents house usually finds its way into a chunky, garlicky, tomato-y Cuban sauce — Enchilado. Enchilado can be made with lobster or shrimp, or a combination of both. Its rich and flavorful sauce is easy to make and impressively good. It’s also the best-ever sauce for sopping up with bread.
We usually serve it over white rice, but would also be good with pasta. Either way, it’s an especially tasty way to kick off the Holiday week. Nothing says celebration more than lobster!
Continue reading ‘Enchilado de Langosta y Camarones (Lobster Creole)’
Published by mel on December 17, 2008 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
If you make your own lunch, this is the recipe for you. Especially if you often have leftover wild rice or grains, or if you’ve discovered a really good shortcut like I have. I found that Kashi makes a Whole Grain Pilaf, that’s already cooked. Just open the bag and eat! Very handy for emergency lunches, and very tasty in this particular salad.
Dried figs, green onions and pecans give it great flavor, texture and color. A light lemony vinaigrette brightens it up and makes for a very happy lunch.
I know I haven’t been posting as much as usual, but the Holidays are hectic and I’m trying to get everything wrapped up before big winter Michigan trip next week. Hope to be back to my regularly proficient posting soon!
Continue reading ‘Easy Winter Grain Salad’
Published by mel on December 15, 2008 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
Is there anything better than a big pot of bubbly soup on a Sunday afternoon? Yesterday, I made some classic Spanish Comfort Food — Caldo Gallego. The name translates to Galician Stew, and the soup originates from the Northern Spanish region of Galicia, which also happens to be where my great-grandparents were born and raised.
This traditional white bean soup comes in many versions. With chorizo and without, with turnips and without, with bacon and without. My version uses slab bacon and a lot of smoked ham hock to create a smoky, salty ham stock. Add cannelini beans, potatoes, onions and lots of collard greens for soup full of flavor, texture and healthful goodness. Sop everything up with a fresh baguette and you’ve got comfort food at its best.
Make sure to make a whole bunch because it tastes even better the next day. You can also freeze individual portions for easy portable lunches or emergency week night meals.
Continue reading ‘Spanish Comfort Food: Caldo Gallego’
Published by mel on December 10, 2008 in recipe and sides & bites.
My tree is trimmed. My lights are hung. There’s no snow outside, but it’s definitely time for Christmas treats. Chocolate-covered pretzels are one of my favorite snacks, no matter the time of year. I love the salty sweet combination, the rich chocolatey flavor and the texture of the pretzels when they crunch in your mouth. They’re the perfect sweet treat for someone who’s not really a sweet tooth.
To make them a little more festive, I also sprinkled them with crushed candy canes and sparkly clear sprinkles. The result is a cross between peppermint bark and chocolate-covered pretzels. Absolutely delicious. This recipe, along with a couple of others that I’ll post soon, are going to become pretty little Christmas presents. There’s no better way to spread holiday cheer than with a chocolate peppermint treat.
Continue reading ‘Dark Chocolate Candy Cane Pretzels’
Published by mel on December 8, 2008 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
I spent a lot of time this weekend working on a top-secret Christmas present project. The only thing I can say at the moment is that it involves looking through old recipes, something I rarely do. Re-reading old posts and old recipes, I remembered some favorites I’d long forgotten. This apple fennel panzanella is one of them. Panzanella is usually a late summer dish and a great way to use fresh garden tomatoes. Instead of the more traditional tomatoes and cucumbers, I use apples and fennel which are much more season-appropriate. The red and green also make a for a festive Holiday presentation.
Continue reading ‘Apple & Fennel Panzanella’
Published by mel on December 5, 2008 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
Whew! It’s been such a hectic few days, I’m so relieved that I decided to keep the menu simple this week! Today’s recipe is another tasty 5-ingredient meal. Some might call this an easy recipe, others may call it lazy, but either way, its flavors are bold and delicious. You’d never guess it was so easy to make.
The secret here is the perfect baked potato. This method works better with russet potatoes, but still makes a tasty baked sweet one. Basically, the potato needs to go directly on the rack in a hot oven. If you cover it in foil, the potato steams, not bakes. While still tasty, you don’t get that crisp, baked skin that’s so very delicious.
Once you’ve got the perfect baked potato, the filling is easy. To cut some of the sweetness from the potato, I added some smoked sausage (kielbasa would be great here), salty cotija cheese (like feta), cilantro and a big squeeze of lime. An easy meal for a lazy weeknight.
Continue reading ‘Sweet Potatoes w/Sausage, Cheese, Cilantro & Lime’
Published by mel on December 2, 2008 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
Is it possible to make a delicious, flavorful soup with only 6 ingredients? I think so. And I think this might be my new favorite soup. I know I say that in almost every post, but this one’s just so good! And so easy. 6 ingredients, one pot and 30 minutes. Besides, it’s covered in melty, broiled cheese. Who can resist that on a cool day? No one!
I’ve actually been avoiding the kitchen since Thanksgiving — those 48 hours of cooking and standing and cleaning kind of took it out of me. So, instead of my usual weekend in the kitchen, I spent my time off putting up our Christmas tree, riding my bike in the Everglades (down a bike trail lined with real, live Gators!), and reading on the couch. It was fabulous!
So, I’m trying to keep it simple this week. Nothing fancy, or roasted, or braised. I’ll save that for the weekend. This soup is deceptively simple, but tastes amazing. It’s like a French Onion Soup with its bread and onions and melted cheese, but the toasted chickpeas add a meatier, heartier flavor.
This simple soup is really scrumptious and just perfect for a lazy dinner and a cold nigt.
Continue reading ‘Chickpea & Bread Soup’
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