CHAMPAGNE TASTE

I've always thought champagne was ok, but never really sought out to get it. I always found it to be too sweet. So as a rule I never drank it unless there was a toast at a wedding or some other special occassion. It was usually sparkling wine, not champagne.

It wasn't until later in life that I discovered what good champagne really tasted like. Mmmmm. Not to sweet, smooth and lovely little tickley bubbles! Recently, I had the opportunity to be invited to a little doing where champagne was going to be served. I asked if I could bring the appetizers and my offer was accepted. So now I was faced with what do I make that is good with champagne? So I went on a an internet search for "appetizers for champagne" and got several results.

Most of the recipes I saw were too high in calories so I didn't want to make them. Braunschweiger, fois gras (whole, cooked duck or goose liver) brie, raw oysters, shrimp, sushi. Just didn't feel like making any of those.

Then I ran across a forum where someone mentioned that cocktail onions, pickles and cheese were good together with champagne. There was no recipe but it reminded me of a dish I once had called raclette http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raclette It's melty cheese with cocktail onions, gherkins and boiled potatoes. I know. It sounds really strange. But it was one of the best things I've ever eaten. I didn't even know I liked cocktail onions. I thought they would be strong and sharp, but in fact they were sweet with a very mild onion flavor. So I decided to make little these little hors de oeuvres. I call them

Raclette Hors de Oeuvres

(these can be made 1 day ahead of time)

For about 12 pieces:

1 jar of cocktail onions
4 gherkins (tiny sweet pickles) each cut into three pieces, four if they are a little larger
12 oz chunk of Parmesan cheese

Cut the Parmesan Cheese into cubes a little bigger than the pieces of pickles after they are cut up.

On cocktail picks, put one cocktail onion, one piece of pickle, and last, the cube of cheese. Keep the cheese from touching the pickle unless you are eating these right away. You wouldn't want the cheese to get mushy from the moisture of the pickle.

I made 4 pieces for each of us. That was plenty because I also made


Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
(not my photo)

12 large mushrooms
2 T olive oil

Remove the stems from the mushrooms, and rub the caps with olive oil. Place them on a baking sheet and bake on 300 degrees for about 10 minutes. Shake out the excess liquid that has accumulated in the caps.

Alternatively you can put the caps in a large skillet and let them cook on low/med heat until the liquid accumulates in the caps. Then discard that liquid. It's important to get all that liquid out of the caps before you stuff them or your finished caps will be too wet and swimming in liquid.

Prepare the filling while the caps cool.
(Makes more filling than you need for 12 caps)

1 lb crab meat
1 8 oz. low fat cream cheese, softened to room temp, or put in mic for 15 seconds
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 t salt
1/2 t black pepper (optional)
1 dash worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. Old Bay seasoning
1/2 c. unseasoned breadcrumbs

Mix all ingredients except crab together and blend well. Then add the crab and mix until blended, trying not to make total mush out of the crab.

Spoon a big dollop of filling into each mushroom cap and place on a baking sheet covered with foil or in a low sided casserole dish, lightly oiled, to prevent sticking.

If desired, add a little more grated cheddar to the top of each mushroom.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 - 10 minutes or until the cheese on top is melted and bubbly.

Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving - they will be very hot.


Serve both appetizers with your favorite champagne. If your pocketbook won't allow a bottle of Moet or Chandon, try some Proseco - a less expensive Italian sparkling white wine which is very tasty. If you don't do champagne at all, a nice white wine like a Pinot Grigio would be nice too.

A HEALTHY BUT ROBUST BREAKFAST

Brussel Sprouts. They are arguably the most hated vegetable on earth. Most people seem to hate them. I would say mostly because of the the way they tend to be prepared. And look at how they grow! Weird!!! I love them! If you like cabbage, then you will like brussel sprouts. They do have a similar flavor to cabbage, but they are somewhat sweeter. A plain old boiled or steamed brussel sprout leaves a lot to be desired. I'll eat them because I like them. But anyone who has reservations about these little green orbs will probably never like them prepared this way. If you don't like cabbage, you may as well forget about reading the rest of this blog because you probably will not like any of it. However, if you do like cabbage, or are willing to give the lowly little sprout another chance, you may just like this dish.

I saw a recipe very much like the one that follows on the food channel. I can't remember who made it, but I thought it sounded great and it was! I've made it several times since then.

It's Brussel Sprout and Potato Hash with Poached Eggs. The brussel sprout is in the cruciferious (cabbage) family. And I don't want to turn you off with boring details, but they are also low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol a good source of Thiamin, Riboflavin, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Potassium and Manganese. Who would have thought that something that so many people hate, is so rich in vitamins and nutrients that are vital to us. To make this dish even more nutritious, potatoes provide some complex carbs and vitamin C, B6, Potassium and Manganese. This is a very hearty, low fat, low carb, high protein (the egg) breakfast that will keep anyone going until well into lunchtime -- if you'll only give it a chance. So now that you know more about this vegetable that you may not even want in your kitchen, I will go on to the recipe.

This is a meatless dish, but you can add sausage to the hash if you like. ( It's not quite as healthy). I love this dish. I make a large quantity of it, maybe 8 servings, and keep it in the refrigerator for the week. Then whenever I want, I take a big spoonful of the hash, put it into a small skillet, and break an egg on top of it in a hot skillet. Add a sprinkle of water to make some steam, and cover the pan to let the egg cook until it's just about done. I personally like the yolk a little on the soft side. Of course, you can let the egg poach until it gets as done as you like.

BRUSSEL SPROUT AND POTATO HASH WITH POACHED EGGS

4 -5 medium potatoes- diced
about 10 oz of fresh brussel sprouts (you can use frozen, thawed)
1 very large leek, or 1 medium white onion
1 T. salt
3/4 t. black pepper
3 - 4 T. Olive Oil

Dice the potatoes about the size of a grape. Either nuke them in the microwave, or boil them (like you would for mashed) until they are about half done. They are going to cook a little more later in a skillet.

While the potatoes cook, clean the brussel sprouts by cutting off the bottom and removing any outer leaves that don't look "fresh". Cut the large sprouts in quarters, and leave small ones whole. Dump them all into a bowl of water to rinse. Drain them well and put them all into a skillet over medium-low heat with the olive oil that has been heated.

Add the potatoes that have been semi cooked. Stir well and add the salt. Stir them occasionally while you prepare the leek or the onions. If you are using a leek, be sure to cut it into pieces and rinse it very well to rid it of any sand/dirt that resides between the layers, and then slice into smaller pieces. An onion need only be sliced into thin slices. I used a leek because I had some.

Now add the onion or leek and the black pepper to skillet and let all of this cook on medium low heat until it has softened and browned. Once it's nice and browned like in the picture, it's finished.

Spoon about a cup of the mixture into a small, clean skillet over medium low heat. Make an indentation in the center of the hash, and crack an egg into the center. Add a teaspoon of water, cover the skillet and let the egg steam. It's ready to eat at soon as the egg is done the way you like it. Serve with some whole wheat toast, or no bread at all.

If you make this for a crowd, leave the hash in a large skillet, make 6 - 8 indentations around the skillet and crack an egg into each indentation. Add the spoon of water to make some steam, cover and let the eggs poach. Then just spoon each egg with some hash onto your plates.

You can add a teaspoon of red pepper flakes to whole batch too when you add the onion or leak if you think you might like this really spicy.

It's almost certain that there are plenty of you who won't even like reading a recipe for brussel sprouts. After all, some people will NEVER taste a brussel sprout, under any circumstances. If that's the case, then just substitute corned beef for the brussel sprouts and you'll have some of the best corned beef hash you every had. It won't be all that healthy - corned beef has a lot of salt, and it is, after all, beef. But it will be delicious.

So here's my challenge - you HATE brussel sprouts? Try this dish. And if you can't do without some meat, add some canadian bacon (low fat), regular browned bacon, or some pre-fried italian sausage which has been crumbled and drained on paper towels to remove most of the fat. I guarantee you'll change your mind about brussell sprouts!

Here are some links to other recipes I found that deserve some consideration for the lowly sprout.

Brussel Sprouts with Bacon:
http://www.yumsugar.com/Hash-Out-Brussels-Sprouts-Bacon-2962885

Brussel Sprounts in Cream:
http://www.nosheteria.com/2008/12/its-brussels-sprouts/

And if you want to totally freak out your guests, try this one: Bacon Wrapped Sprouts
http://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/decorating/2008-november-get-inspired-00400000031081/page9.html

Here is one I love to make during the time when the sprouts are coming out of the garden.

I saute the sprouts in a combination of olive oil and a little butter. When they are done, sprinkle with some parmesan cheese to coat and let them cook for another minute or two. These simple sprouts are delicious!

You can cut them up into smaller pieces and add to a quiche, add extra leftover sprouts to soups or stews.

Next time, I think I'll share a recipe I saw on a Public TV Cooking Show and tried it out. Chicken and Ginger Stir Fry on Coconut Noodles.

Chicken Salad with Cucumber & Tomato Salad

Leftover Rotisserie Chicken can be used in so many ways. I rarely leave Sam's without one to nibble on when I get home. For less than $5.00, we can eat at least 3 meals. We'd already eaten off of it twice and there was enough left to make chicken salad. But I really wanted a green salad tonight. So it was a compromise. In addition to the chicken salad, I made a cucumber and tomato salad too, and piled up both salads on a bed of crispy romaine. There is no vinegar in this tomato cucumber salad, so it's different from your run of the mill salad dressed with bottled dressing.

Mostly this dish was inspired by the fact that I have a ton of cucumbers from the garden. If I don't use them up right away, I've been known to end up tossing them into the compost heap. You can only eat so many cucumbers in a week. But I've learned to make pickles too. I make a Refrigerator Bread and Butter pickle that is spicy and flavorful. No canning for me. These keep well in the refrigerator for quite a long time. I end up giving most of these away too. Two gallons of pickles is a little much for two people. I also altered a zucchini bread recipe to use cucumber instead of the zucchini. It's more of a savory bread. I left out some of the sugar, added a little more salt, and used dill to flavor the loaves.

But I digress. Here's how I made this very satisfying and refreshing salad. Very easy!


Chicken Salad with Tomatoes and Cucumbers

1 head romaine lettuce - washed, rinsed, cut up and crisped ( put in the frig for about 1 hr after cutting up and rinsing.

Chicken Salad
Rotisserie Chicken - about 2 1/2 cups cut up into chunks
1/2 C. mayonnaise ( alter to taste)
2 t. dried tarragon (about 1 T minced if using fresh )
Salt
Pepper
1/2 t Garlic powder (fresh garlic is too strong here I think)
Mix all the ingredients together and stir well. Set in the refrigerator until ready to serve.


Cucumber and Tomato Salad
2 small or 1 large English cucumber
2 large Roma tomatoes
1/2 c olive oil
2 cloves garlic - finely minced or pressed through a garlic press (more to taste)
1/2 t salt
1/2 t coarse ground black pepper
1/2 c finely grated mozzarella cheese

Cut the cucumber into chunky slices, about 1/4 inch thick.
Chop the tomatoes into chunks also.
Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Re-season to taste with more salt and pepper if necessary. Set in refrigerator until ready to use.

Assemble the salad by placing a large handful of romaine in the center of a salad bowl or plate. Top the lettuce with a scoop of chicken salad on one side, and a scoop of Tomato Cucumber Salad on the other side.

Garnish - Place several of your favorite crackers around the salad. My husband likes Saltines - I like Melba Toast or Stone Ground Whole Wheat.

IT'S MUCH TOO HOT TO COOK

Since it's much to hot too cook, I decided it was time to process all the herbs I've been drying out in the pantry where it's hot and dry. I had a large batch of oregano, a small amount of tarragon, and some thyme. When I was finished taking everything off the stems and putting the herbs into their proper jars, I went through the other herbs I already have on the shelf. My tin of Pizza Seasoning was seriously low. So I made a batch to fill the tin, with some to spare for another jar in storage.

I didn't measure anything, but I think you can see about how much I used in the picture. Besides, you should make your own seasoning with the herbs you like best and the quantities you like most. I would have put more red pepper flakes, but not everyone likes as much heat as I do. The Oregano, Basil, Chives, Red Pepper Flakes and Fennel Seeds all came our of my own herb garden. I made the mushroom powder by running some dried porcini mushrooms I get at the Asian Market through my spice grinder until they are in a relatively powdery form, but still just a little chunky. The mushroom powder give great flavor to lots of foods, too. I use it meat marinades, soups, rubs and I even add a spoonful to a pan sauce I might make with a pork tenderloin.

This mix is also great on Garlic Bread topped with a little Parmesan Cheese. You can also put several tablespoons of this dry mix into a small jar and cover it with olive oil to spread on pizza crust, or even on a piece of steak! Use your imagination!


It wasn't too hot to enjoy one of my frozen banana treats though. This one happened by accident. I had some very overly ripe bananas on the counter and didn't want them to spoil before I could get them into the freezer, so I just laid them on the shelf in the refrigerator. I had also, just that morning cut some cilantro from the garden and put the unused stems into a small jar of water into the refrigerator. Cilantro keeps amazingly long if you store it this way. Anyway, the next time I opened the refrigerator I could smell both the bananas and the cilantro. It smelled so good together I thought I would experiment. Here's what I made.

FROZEN BANANAS TREATS WITH CILANTRO NUTS AND CHOCOLATE
2 overly ripe bananas
3 T minced cilantro
1/2 c chopped toasted pecans
1/2 c. melted chocolate chips

Mas the bananas in a bowl. Add the minced cilantro. Chop the nuts into a slightly chunky dice and add. Mix it all together and spread the mixture in an 8 x 8 pan. Put the mix into the freezer. When it is slightly frozen, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave and spread on top of the bananas. Back into the freezer until the chocolate is slightly set.

Now take the dish out of the freezer, and with a knife score the chocolate into 2 inch squares. If you wait until it's frozen solid, it'll just crack when you try and cut it. Now back into the freezer until mixture is well frozen. Cut through the scoring marks.

I wrapped each piece in a small piece of foil (like a Klondike Bar) and put them back into the freezer in a zip lock to grab one at a time whenever I like. You don't have to do that though - you can just set them into a zip lock bag. Squeeze most of the air out of the bag before you seal.

These little treats are surprisingly good and very different! As an added bonus, they are VERY low in calories! There is just a little chocolate on them. Maybe each piece has a total of 10 chocolate chips on it. I love them! And I like lots of cilantro and nuts in them. Give them a try!

CARBONARA

Harris Teeter - usually a little too pricey for me, I go now and then to check out the produce they have on the quick sale rack, and some of the specialty items you don't see anywhere else around here. This time they had some green beans for 75 cents, regularly almost $3.00. So I bought two bags of them.

I wasn't sure what I would do with them when I bought them but when I got home and looked at what else I had in the pantry and freezer, peas, ricotta cheese, bacon bits, parmesan cheese, eggs, and Orecchietti pasta, it became Carbonara with Green Beans and Peas.

To me there's not much that's more comforting than a pasta dish. When I think comfort food, I usually think pasta. Even if I want soup, I want pasta in my soup. As a kid it was ChiliMac. You know, the elbow macaroni with ground beef and tomato sauce. Mmmmm. I could eat a ton of it then. We used to make it at Girl Scout Camp in a huge kettle and you could have all you wanted. After I got older, it was plain old spaghetti with meat sauce and mushrooms. Back then it could have been out of a can and I would have loved it. As a matter of fact I use to eat Chef Boyardee Raviolo right out of the can. But most of the time I browned some ground beef and poured a jar of Ragu with Mushrooms into the beef and spooned it over some spaghetti noodles topped with a little Parmesan. Now that I'm a little older still, and about the same time that I started learning more about cooking, I came to favor dishes like Angel Hair Pasta with a really fresh marinara, topped with freshly grated Parmesan and fresh basil.

Today the pasta dishes are anything concocted with whatever I have and often include a variety of herbs and/or spices. In March I posted the Vegetable Spaghetti I love so much in "Something Out of Nothing". Often times I will make a Pasta Primavera with chunky vegetables like zucchini, yellow squash and tomatoes or mushrooms, with tomato sauce or a garlic and olive oil sauce with salt a cracked pepper. I've been making my own tomato sauce too since we are growing our own tomatoes so the jarred sauces are kept on the shelf only for those times when I want to make something and I don't have time to defrost.

The Harris Teeter green beans somehow inspired me to make a Carbonara. I was hungry when I was shopping (very dangerous) so I started craving all kinds of things I shouldn't eat. But pasta was on my mind. It was delicious and pretty easy to make. The only "difficult" step might be the "carbonara" part where you add egg yolk to the sauce. You have to be quick and careful not to scramble the egg or it just won't have the flavor Carbonara is supposed to have.

Bacon is fairly integral to an authentic Carbonara, but you can certainly leave it out if you are not a fan of bacon. Authentic Carbonara would use strips of bacon cut up into pieces and use all the fat leftover to make the sauce. (Too fatty for me.) Adding a drop of some liquid smoke would work too. Liquid smoke is a fantastic ingredient, but wow, is it strong. More than one drop and you have ruind the dish. I never pour it from the bottle into my dish. I always pour a drop into the cap first so I'm sure I only get a tiny little bit.

This isn't the healthiest dish I've ever made. Pasta, bacon bits, egg. Three or four times a year though shouldn't be too sinful. There isn't really a way to make a Carbonara into a healthier dish though because it's the egg and the bacon that make it carbonara. The liquid smoke could substitute the bacon, and I supposed one could use a little bit of "Eggbeaters" to substitute for the yolks. So, go ahead, try the substitutions. I just don't think it would taste like a real Carbonara should taste.

Here's how to make my version of easy
CARBONARA WITH GREEN BEANS AND PEAS

1/2 lb Orecchietti (or some other chunky pasta)
1 c fresh or frozen peas
1 lb cleaned and cut green beans
1 T. Olive oil
2 eggs
1 c. ricotta cheese
1 T. cracked or 1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
2 - 3 T. real bacon bits
1/2 - 3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
pasta water
More Parmesan for garnish

Put up a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. While the pasta is being cooked, in a large skillet, saute the cleaned and cut green beans until they are almost done. Leave them just a little crispy. If you are using fresh peas cook them with the green beans so they will cook through. If you are using frozen, add the peas to the cooked green beans and let them warm through.

Now beat the egg together with the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses. Stir in the bacon bits. Set aside for a moment.

When the pasta is cooked to your liking, reserve a cup of the cooking water before you drain the it. Drain the pasta, and immediately add the very hot pasta to the skillet with the beans and peas. Leave the heat on very low. Add the ricotta and egg mixture immediately stirring quickly to coat everything and to keep the eggs from scrambling. Add the cracked pepper and stir in well. The heat of the hot pasta will cook the eggs sufficiently.

Serve in pasta bowls topped with a little more grated or shaved Parmesan. It's a complete meal. No bread required because you have pasta, no salad required because you have beans and peas. Although, a small green salad would be lovely with this meal. Hope you'll enjoy this one!

Next time, it's Sweet Potato Soup with Fennel. Creamy and delicious, it's elegant enough to serve company, or just sip from a cup and savor it. If you don't like sweet potatoes, give this one a chance. The fennel I added gave the soup a beautifully savory flavor. You'll love it.

MY FAVORITE FOODS

Today is my birthday, so I thought I would just rant about the foods I simply love, love love, even though I may not eat some of them anymore, or only just rarely. They are not in order of preference, just whatever comes to mind next. You know, stuff like Kentucky Fried Chicken. I'd love to eat a piece right now - I like the thigh parts. Is there anything that tastes better? It's crispy and juicy and just spicy enough. It doesn't even taste greasy while you eat it, although we all know it's so high in fat you could go a week without another ounce of fat in your diet after eating one piece! And this kind of fatty food just kills my tummy! So KFC is completely OUT of my diet. To satisfy that craving when I get it, once in a while I'll make some breaded chicken tenders at home. They aren't nearly as greasy. They are delicious though and fill that KFC gap in my life.

Fast food items have a very small space in my list of favorite foods. One other is Taco Bell. A Chicken Gordita with Southwest Chipotle Sauce is high on my list as is their Mexican Pizza. But, alas, I don't eat those anymore either. It's probably been ten years since I've had one. And if I get to craving a cheeseburger, Dairy Queen's Classic Cheeseburger (cheese only) is the one I go for.

(none of the photos in this blog post are mine)

My Mom's Hungarian Chicken Paprikash with Dumplings. (Paprikas Csirke es Nokedli) Well, mine too since I learned to make it from Mom.This is one of my all time favorite foods and it's a real crowd pleaser. It's not even that bad for you! I skim the fat off the pot before I finish it. The dumplings are part you could do without because of the white flour, but it's just not the same without them. I sometimes will make them with a chunky kind of pasta like Orichette, or Campanelli, if I don't feel like making the dumplings. They are Hungarian Nokedli - made from flour, water and eggs. Easy, but it takes a little intuition when mixing them to know when the dough is the right consistency. The secret to a good dumpling is to the let the dough rest for at least 10 minutes after you mix it. This lets the flour "bloom" in the liquids and makes for a much more tender dumpling. This picture looks the closest to my own dish when it's done. There are a million recipes on the net for both the chicken and the dumplings. Here's mine for Chicken Paprikash.

CHICKEN PAPRIKASH
1 large white onion - diced
1 - 2 cloves garlic - minced
1 whole chicken cut into pieces - skin on (to be removed later)
If the breast are whole, cut them in half so they are about the same size as the thighs.
1 T salt
Pepper to taste
4 - 5 T. sweet paprika (don't use the smoked paprika - it's too strong for this dish
Water or chicken stock or both - enough to cover the chicken
4 T flour
1/2 c water
1/2 c sour cream

Salt and pepper all the chicken pieces amply. In a large pot (dutch oven type) over medium high heat, brown all the chicken very well. It doesn't have to be cooked through, just brown. When it's just about brown enough, add in the diced onion and garlic and let them cook until they are a little softened careful not to burn the garlic.

Push the chicken aside in the pan, and add the paprika. Then immediately stir the chicken around to coat. Immediately add your liquid, enough to cover the chicken by about an inch. Turn the heat down to simmer, and let the chicken cook until it's almost, but not quite fall off the bone, about 45 minutes or so. When it's done, take all the chicken out to a platter. Let it cool for a few minutes so you can remove the skins. Also, now would be the time to de-fat the pot. If you let the pot sit for about 20 minutes, all the fat will rise to the top. Use paper towels, or a spoon or whatever method you use to skim the fat. You could also make this the night before and put it in the refrigerator so you can take the fat off before re-heating and finishing the dish. (I can't remember if Mom did all this skin removing and de-fatting, but I do.)

After you have removed the excess fat, in a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the 4 T of flour and water until smooth. Pour this mixture into the hot pot and stir well. Let the pot come back to a boil for just a second as this slurry will not reach it's full thickening potential unless it comes to a boil. Turn the heat down to simmer and add the sour cream. No more boiling here - it might break or curdle the sour cream. If it does break, the dish is not ruined. It's still completely edible - it's just a little unattractive.

Serve over any kind of dumplings or noodles you like. Make some Nokedli if you feel adventurous! This link will take you to a recipe that is almost exactly the way my Mom and I make the dumplings. We don't use a machine to make ours though. Mom cuts pieces off of a board, I use the tip of a teaspoon to cut pieces out of a bowl. I like my dumplings fairly large, about the size of a large grape after they cook (they swell quite a bit so don't cut your pieces too large if you do it by hand). But you can make them any size you like.

How to make Nokedli (Hungarian dumplings)
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.reliefnurses.com.au/archive/images/nokedli.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.reliefnurses.com.au/archive/feast.html&usg=__tCGZtUIWXHbqeZbI1OVaCRBKQZw=&h=265&w=300&sz=24&hl=en&start=6&sig2=pB2g4NhKD-njI-jqPdPMmA&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=vMrNDEj1tqqOmM:&tbnh=102&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3DNokedli%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DG%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26channel%3Ds%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=TzP5S8CaEoOkNerUjIwF

Or just buy a package of potato gnocchi, use wide egg noodles, or use rice, or mashed potatoes.

Like any recipe, can be altered to your taste. Less Paprika (I wouldn't do that though). If you don't have a fresh onion in the house, throw a handful of dried onion flakes into the liquid. Leave out the sour cream. Add a big handful of fresh chopped parsley at the end. If you have wheat allergies, use rice flour to thicken the soup - it's works just the same. Add less or more garlic. The only cooking technique that has to be exact is baking, so go ahead and experiment. Next time I make this, I might try to add some shrimp. Mmmmm. Can't wait to try that one!

I've even taken this dish to another level and thinned it down with more chicken stock, a little more seasoning, taken all the meat off the bones carefully, and made it into a soup, adding lots of curly noodles and fresh parsley. When I served it at one of my Soup Nights, it turned out to be one of the favorites of the season. I actually stole this idea from a small restaurant in downtown Cleveland that was right across the street from where I worked. The Hanna Deli on 14th Street. The owners, Kathy and Fred, used to serve Chicken Paprikash Soup once in a while. It sold out before the lunch hour was over every time they featured it. So when I started my Soup Nights, I made sure it was on my list of soups.

Huge Lobster Tails with tons of butter and a baked potato. I've learned that it's really hard to find a giant lobster tail anywhere in a restaurant.You'll pay $30 - $40 and you get a tail that, in my opinion, is never big enough. So as a result it's something I rarely eat anymore because it's so expensive. Hmmmm, maybe I'll get my husband to take me out for lobster for my birthday!

Whenever I want lobster these days, if I feel like spending the money, I'll get tails from Sam's Club. They sell frozen tails that are pretty big for a fairly decent price. Two big tails for about $30. All you have to do is thaw and broil. Lobster is one of those foods that you need to be careful not to overcook. It'll get tough on you. No recipe needed. Just split them in half lengthwise and broil until the meat is just done. Depending on the size 5 - 10 minutes.

I've given up on whole lobsters too. The shells poke you, and are just too much trouble to tear apart. Have you ever tried to open a Spiny Lobster? It'll put at least a dozen holes in your hands unless you wear Kevlar gloves. And frankly, it's a little disgusting too (to me). Some people don't mind. I don't like my food looking at me. Tearing them apart is not only extremely messy, but I don't like to see what's inside, it's not appetizing to me. This picture shows the best way to serve lobster as far as I am concerned. Cooked to perfection; lightly browned and juicy and easy access. No digging around trying to pull out those tasty morsels. Just lift it out with a fork, dip in that golden melted butter and eat. Mmmmmm!

Hot Fudge Sundae with Wet Walnuts - Oh my gawd!!! Ice cream with nuts is the best! But when it's in the form of a Hot Fudge Sundae with Wet Walnuts, there isn't anything that can top it! Wet walnuts are walnuts that have been mixed up into a syrupy sauce made with maple syrup and some other flavors. They don't stay crunchy, but they still have a bite to them, sort of chewy/crunchy. There is a place here in Ocean City called Dumser's. You can get a small Hot Fudge Sundae with Wet Walnuts that is to die for! I had one for lunch about 2 years ago. I haven't had one since. But it was by far the best sundae I ever ate. And it wasn't cheap! It was $4.50 for a once scoop sundae! Maybe this summer I'll indulge in another one.

You can even make your own wet walnuts. Pretty easy. There are any number of recipes out there on the net. I have never made them since I would just eat them with a spoon in one sitting. Here is one that is simple and even suggests some adaptations to the recipe. http://www.mamalisa.com/blog/wet-walnuts-recipe/


Coconut Cake. Heavenly! I love coconut, I love cake, I love frosting. This cake has it all! Chocolate cake is yummy, yellow cake is yummy, I even like carrot cake, and spice cake which are both yummy. But Coconut Cake is right there at the top of the cake list. I haven't had for years. Maybe two or three years ago I had a piece at a fund raiser I attended. There were three or four huge logs of coconut cake for the slicing. I had two pieces! It was absolutely delectable! Creamy moist cake with butter cream coconut frosting that wasn't too sweet, and covered with fresh grated coconut. I don't have a recipe to share - I've never made one. I don't make whole cakes at home because I would just get a fork and eat right off the cake dish. So for me and my husband, no baking of cakes in my kitchen anymore. I'll still bake a cake and decorate one for someone else though. I save my cake tasting for events where cake is served and I am lucky enough to have been invited!

Believe it or not, I can't think of another thing to add to this list. Most everything else I love, I eat. With the exception of the Chicken Paprikash, the others are on the "Forbidden Foods" list. But never say never! Once in a while, I still indulge in a piece of coconut cake or a hot fudge sundae.

It was fun to write this blog! Ranting about the foods you love, even if you know you won't be indulging any time soon was fun to do.

What foods would make it to your favorites list?

SHAVED FENNEL AND ORANGE SALAD

Last week, I posted a healthy, low fat, low calorie, high fiber dish for a Reader Request . Sounds boring, I know. But it was really yummy. As a matter of fact, later that same week, I made eight individual packets of the Tilapia With Vegetables in Olive Oil and Tarragon Sauce. I put one large or two small fillets in the packet with the veggies and seasonings and I ate if for lunch every day! It was that good. I have three left, so I froze them for another time.

For this week, I have another reader request who asked for good ways to use Fennel. Fennel is as beautiful growing as it is delicious. It has a light anise flavor and gets very sweet when cooked, sort of like a Vidalia onion, except not oniony. The tops can be eaten too and make a beautiful garnish. I grew some last year and before I could pick it all, it went to seed. So I let the seeds mature on the plant and harvested them. I keep them in a little jar and use them in spice mixes that I make myself, and I've used them in soups and marinades too. They would be wonderful ground up a little and used in home made bread, rolls, scones or cookies. Hmm, that gives me some ideas!

As it happens I love fennel so I've used it a time or two. I have found that it's a vegetable that not a lot of people have tried. It's gaining in popularity and there are a multitude of ways to use it in hot or cold dishes. I'll post a few different ideas for using it but with the warmer weather coming, I'm going to feature a cold dish. Shaved Fennel and Orange Salad. I couldn't find the recipe I used to use. My recipe box is still in the attic - a place I do not venture. So I looked up several on the Internet. None of them appealed separately, so I used what I thought were the best of each of them. Here's is what I came up with. Although the salad itself is fairly unique because so many people don't know about fennel, it's not a unique recipe. There are dozens of fennel salad recipes. Try looking for some others on the Internet. Don't let the seemingly lengthy directions put you off. It's really easy to make. Cut up a few ingredients, mix a dressing, and you are done.

SHAVED FENNEL AND ORANGE SALAD

1 med. to large fennel bulb
3 small - medium navel oranges, or buy a jar of orange sections
1/4 c. dried cranberries
1/4 c. chopped pecans

For the dressing:
1/3 c. olive oil
1 med shallot or 1/2 of a small red onion, minced finely (or 1 t. dried onion flakes)
juice from one orange (plus extra)
1 T orange zest
1 small lemon, juiced (I didn't have fresh so I used store bought, but fresh would be best)
2 T. Dijon mustard
2 T. finely minced fennel top greens
1 t. salt
1 t. ground black pepper

For the oranges: if you are using fresh navel oranges, peel two of them with a knife and cut the sections from the pulp. This is called "supreming". Here is a link on how to do that. http://freshcatering.blogspot.com/2007/04/how-to-supreme-segment-orange.html

(You could also use a jar of orange sections that you can get at the grocery, but again, fresh would be best). Or, instead of cutting out the sections, slice off the peel with a knife so all the white is gone, and just slice them across the sections into 1/4 in slices. Put the orange pieces in a bowl. As they sit there, some juice will accumulate in the bottom of the bowl - pour this into a measuring cup to use for the dressing. Take the third orange and use a zester to get about a tablespoon of zest from it. Now cut it in half and just squeeze all the juice from it into the measuring cup for the dressing.

Chop off the long green stems of the fennel. If you have one, use a mandolin to shave the fennel bulb. If you don't have one, use a good sharp knife to cut it into the thinnest slices you can. Place the shaved fennel into a large bowl.

For the Dressing:
Dice the shallot (or red onion or a little dried onion flake if you don't have an onion) and add it to the measuring cup with the orange juice. Add all the other dressing ingredients and use a fork of a small whisk to mix vigorously until it thickens up. Taste it and re-season with salt or pepper if needed.

Pour the dressing over the fennel, oranges and dried cranberries. Mix well and let sit for about 10 minutes. Stir well. Serve with pecans sprinkled on top as a side dish, or as a lite lunch with some crusty bread and butter. This is a refreshing and unique salad you are sure to enjoy!

In the picture above I served it with Chive and Fontina Risotto Cakes. They were soooo good! Creamy and cheesy on the inside and crispy on the outside. They were wonderful with this Fennel Salad. I'd love to make these and have my girlfriends over for a lunch on the patio with a nice glass of chilly white wine - or two. Here is the link for that recipe from Ina Garten on the Food Network: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chive-risotto-cakes-recipe/index.html

One of my favorite ways to use fennel in a warm dish is to slice the fennel and saute in some olive oil. Then I add just a little salt and pepper and use it as a topping on a grilled steak. Luscious!

It's also delicious added to rice. Just slice a whole bulb like you would an onion and saute in olive oil until soft with a little bit of salt and pepper. Then add it to a pot of almost finished rice and let it cook with the rice until the rice is done. Serve it as a side with any meat or fish, or dice up your meat or fish and add it to the rice as a one dish meal.

It can be sliced like an onion from top to bottom, brushed with live oil and grilled as a side for chicken, beef or pork or fish.

Here is a link to a recipe for a wonderfully lite fennel soup: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fennel-Soup/Detail.aspx

Here is another fennel and orange salad that has arugula and a honey-lemon dressing.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Arugula-Fennel-and-Orange-Salad-2/Detail.aspx

Here's one for Fennel and Fig Scones! I will want to try these!!!
http://inpraiseofleftovers.com/2010/01/31/fig-and-fennel-scones/