Author Archives: Bob and Robin

Egyptian Chicken Cordon Bleu (Cordon Blue)

14 Friday May 2010

Posted by in Chicken, Egyptian Food, Things To Do

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This does not look hard to prepare and it looks extremely easy to eat. A variation on an old recipe. Enjoy!

Egyptian Chicken
Cordon Bleu
(Cordon Blue)

Source: Cooking Guide by Tmatem دليل الطبخ: Chicken Cordon Bleu (Cordon Blue)
للغة العربية أضغط Original Recipe

Ingredients:
4 boneless Chicken Breasts
3 chopped Garlic cloves
Piece of Butter, about half stick
1 Lemon juice
1 Egg
1 bunch Parsley
Salt and Pepper
2 T Flour
Bread crumbs
Frying oil

Preparation:
– Pound the boneless chicken well and season with a pinch of salt and pepper
– Mix half of the butter with garlic, lemon juice, parsley and spread over the chicken breasts
– Fold the chicken over the filling and fix with toothpicks
– Coat with flour, then dip in a beaten egg, then coat again with the bread crumb
– Mix the rest of the butter and oil and fry the chicken rolls until browned on all sides .

Felcitously and shifa = بالهنا والشفاء = Enjoy your meal = Bon appétit

Egyptian Onion Soup

14 Friday May 2010

Posted by in Egyptian Food, Onion, Soup, Things To Do

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I can’t really say that I want to be indoors today – 75 degrees F, 39% RH and winds SSW@8 mph. But I did get the grill ready to do a Wine and Pesto Marinated Steak tonight. If I had some fresh tomatoes, I would make this soup, which really looks good. I will make this before I alter it, but I will probably add some garlic to the soup – very small amount.

Egyptian Onion Soup

Source: Chef Habiba, Delicious Dishes by Tmatem

Ingredients: 4 medium-sized Onions, thinly sliced.
1 T Olive oil.
1 T All-Purpose flour.
4 c Beef broth, fat skimmed
1 Bay Leaf
Salt and pepper.
Toasted bread.

Preparation:
Saute the onions in olive oil for 4 minutes or until pale yellow.

Heat the broth then, use a ladle to skim the fat layer from the top of the broth. Add the flour and stir slightly, so as not to turn yellow. Add the broth gradually, while stirring, then season with salt, pepper, and the bay leaf, heat to boiling and simmer for 15 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls and serve with toasted bread slices.

Felcitously and shifa = بالهنا والشفاء = Enjoy your meal = Bon appétit

Something Wild

12 Wednesday May 2010

Posted by in What's For Dinner?

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Wild Game
may 2010
This month’s aphrodisiac was inspired by a recent trip to South Africa. It’s not unusual for a visitor to South Africa to get excited about the wildlife. But I doubt many visitors get the most excited about eating it.

For me, a 10-day trip through South Africa’s Cape region was highlighted by the seamlessly never-ending variety of game meats to taste. First there was springbok—essentially South Africa’s version of venison. It, along with ostrich, are the two most popular game meats in South Africa and were both on nearly every menu I encountered.

Next came impala and kudu, two animals I became familiar with on safari. (The restaurants in Yellowstone would never dream of serving bear but in South Africa, the custom seems to be see an animal by day, eat it by night.) I also tasted warthog, the ubiquitous boar that seems to be a favorite snack of lions.

But the absolute highlight of my culinary odyssey was wildebeest. Anyone who knows me well knows that I absolutely love game meats, be it rabbit or venison. But a wildebeest?! (Frankly, I wasn’t even positive that was a real creature. I actually thought it was something invented to protect the sorcerer’s castle in fairy tales.) I’ve now seen one roaming the planes of Kwandwe, a private game reserve in the Eastern Cape, so I can confirm its existence. [also known as a Gnu]

The wildebeest was as delicious as its name is fantastical. Tender and lean with a faint gamy flavor, it reminded me of the kangaroo tail I loved to eat when I lived in South Australia. It was, dare I say, orgasmic! (Of course, I had the privilege of tasting my first wildebeest prepared by one of the finest chefs in South Africa, Margot Janse of The Tasting Room in Franschhoek.)

Now why, you might be wondering, (beyond my personal penchant for nibbling exotic morsels), is wild game aphrodisiac? To start, there’s the obvious connection that eating wild game makes even the most mundane of us feel a little like we’re living on the edge—never a bad thing in the romance department.

Leaner than beef and lamb, wild game meats can increases dopamine and norepinephrine production in the brain without all the saturated fat of domestic meats. And game is also an excellent source of the protein needed for a long, lusty night of sustained energy.

Game animals generally feast on organic leaves and grasses, which means the meat comes without all those synthetic hormones that mess with our natural ones. Many wild game meats are high in nutrients needed for sexual hormone production. Bison and venison, for example, are remarkably higher in iron than most meats.

In conclusion, you can stick to your chicken and beef if you like. But I will tell you that everyone I met in South Africa seemed awfully happy—and they weren’t eating chicken!

created by Life of Reilly – Aphrodesiac of the Month – newsletter

Egyptian Rice Stuffed Tomatoes

11 Tuesday May 2010

Posted by in Egyptian Food, Party Time, Photos, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Recipes, Things To Do

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The other day, I came across this recipe for Egyptian Stuffed Tomatoes. I have no idea why I am so hung up on this recipe, except it is different and Robin can not eat Stuffed Peppers. This recipe comes from an Egyptian FB page and for me, therein lies a problem. Translation! Here is the link to the Original Recipe, Delicious Dishes by Tmatem, Chef Sweetheart. There looks like some really interesting and good recipes on that page, it’s a matter of translation. With that in mind, here is the recipe as well as I can translate it … my Arabic is poor at best!

I do have a question though. What is and/or how is Almfire smooth made? Maybe some of our readers can help. Cheers!
12 May 2010 Update: As you can see from the listed source of this recipe, it has taken several people to help me translate this recipe from the Arabic to English. I sincerely appreciate the help and the correct translation and thank all of these people. I do believe that these people are from the Cairo, Egypt area.

Egyptian Rice Stuffed Tomatoes

Source: Delicious Dishes by Tmatem, Chef Sweetheart; Chef Habiba, Rahma Elbatran, http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=126164197396327

The Tomatoes
Ingredients:
1 kilo (2¼ lbs)Tomato (6 tomatoes)
½ the amount of Padding (stuffing) raw
½ c Tomato Juice
½ c Vegetable broth or boiling water

Directions: Tomatoes
– Wash tomatoes, Slice the tops off the tomatoes, keep them
scoop out insides of each tomato
– Sprinkle the cored tomatoes with salt and pepper and place upside down to drain.
– stuff each tomato with the filling mix till the half of it. Replace the tops
– Place in a baking dish and pour the light broth and the tomato sauce over them
– Bake in high heat oven until the rice is cooked then serve

Padding (Stuffing) Raw
Chef sweetheart ♥ ♥ ♥, Chef Habiba

Ingredients:
½ kg (1¼ lbs) of minced Meat (Ground beef or something similar)
1 lg Onion, finely chopped
3 T Butter or Safflower oil
2 c Rice
Salt and pepper to taste
Seasoning of your choice
1 bunch Parsley, chopped
1 bunch Dill, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, peeled and chopped (Garlic Almfire)
1 t fresh Mint, chopped
2 Tomato

Directions: Stuffing
– To prepare the filling mix, wash the rice then drain, combine the tomatoes, parsley, dill, and half the onion
– saute beef and onions for 5 minutes, or until beef is browned. Season with salt and pepper, add it to the rice mix.
– Add the oil or the margarine and stir the mixture well
– This mixture can be used as a stuffing for any type of stuffed vegetables’ MaHshi”

Felcitously & shifa = بالهنا والشفاء = Enjoy your meal = Bon appétit

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So there you have it. Any hints? Suggestions? If you make it or if you have made this dish, let us know how you liked it. Cheers!

Rudy’s – Food Trivia

10 Monday May 2010

Posted by in Anthropology of Food, Food, Rudy's Twin Falls, Thought For The Day, Trivia

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I just love these little quips of trivia. Some of them are so unique. Enjoy!

This Week in the History of Food & Drink

May 10, 1850: Sir Thomas Johnston Lipton, grocer and tea merchant, was born.
May 11: National Mocha Torte Day
May 12, 1777: According to the International Dairy Foods Association, the first ice cream advertisement appeared in the New York Gazette on this date.
May 13, 1993: The Red Hot Chili Peppers play on the Simpsons TV show.
May 14, 1853: Gail Borden applied for a patent for condensed milk.
May 15, 1989: Hershey’s reduces the size of the Hershey bar to 1.55 ounces. The price remains 40 cents.
May 16: St. Honoratus’ Day. Patron saint of bakers, pastry chefs, confectioners, flour merchants.

Mother’s Day Breakfast

09 Sunday May 2010

Posted by in Party Time, Things To Do

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Thank-You Marnie and Mac for taking Mom out to breakfast for Mother’s Day at La Café de Paris. And what a treat!! Robin, Mac and I had the Lobster Benedict, which was awesome! Marnie had the French Toast.

Lapin à la Crème de Moutarde (Rabbit With Mustard Cream Sauce)

09 Sunday May 2010

Posted by in Main Dish, Photos By: Bob Young, Rabbit, Things To Do, What's For Dinner?

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You really can not have a good dinner without fresh bread. How about a baguette made from wheat and oat flour?

After braising and then baking for 1 1/2 hours, we end up with a delightful rabbit dinner!

And here is the dinner plated: Lapin à la Crème de Moutarde, Steamed Baby Carrots and Red Potatoes

Along with a small tasting of a delightful Oregon Single Malt Scotch Whiskey, we had an Idaho 2008 Snake River Chardonnay and a California 1978 Chalone Pino Blanc

And then to top all of this off a wonderful Black Current Fool, whipped cream, yogurt and mashed black currents. Thanks go to Gary and Sue Payne and Mairi Hand for setting this dinner up, hosting it and coming up with the original idea. The dinner was awesome! Cheers!

Alley Garden – Raised Bed Preparation

09 Sunday May 2010

Posted by in Alley Gardens, Photos By: Bob Young, Things To Do

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Planning for a raised bed. Find the location that you want: Water availability, amount of sun, does not impede the city’s alley access.

Lay out your basic design. At this point, you can change the design as you wish. Choose the material that you will be using to contain the raised bed. I like stone, but wood planks and/or railroad ties can also be used. Also choose how you will water the area.

A couple hours later, you have a raised bed. This one is 8 feet wide by about 3 feet deep. Enjoy your garden. Cheers!

National BBQ Month

06 Thursday May 2010

Posted by in Cooking Programs, Food, Food Trivia, Grillin' and Chillin', Things To Do

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Is it really May? We had snow (in the mountains) last night! From Sizzle on the Grill, we learn …

May is National BBQ Month
Do you need a reason to throw a party?


If you actually need an excuse to invite friends over for a backyard cook-out – here’s a list of official “Observances” for you to peruse. Psst…my favorite is on May 11th.

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If you need an excuse this month to invite folks over to enjoy a meal you prepared on the grill or smoker – pick a holiday, any holiday. I’ve highlighted a couple special dates that we’ll be celebrating at my place – ya shure you betcha!

Officially Recognized Reasons to Party in the Backyard in May:

Free Comic Book Day – May 1
National Home Brew Day – May 1
Stepmother’s Day – May 1
National Play Your Ukulele Day – May 2
Weird Laughter Day – May 2
Lumpy Rug Day – May 3
Respect for Chickens Day – May 4
Star Wars Day – May 4
Cinco de Mayo – May 5
Great American Grump Out Day – May 5
No Diet Day – May 6
No Pants Day – May 7
No Socks Day – May 8
Stay Up All Night Day – May 8
Mother’s Day – May 9
Tear The Tags Off Mattress Day – May 9
Windmill Day – May 10
Eat What You Want – May 11
National Nutty Fudge Day – May 12
Frog Jumping Day – May 13
National Chicken Dance Day – May 14
Armed Forces Day – May 15 (USA)
Straw Hat Day – May 15
Nylon Stocking Day – May 15
National Sea Monkey Day – May 16
Norwegian Constitution Day “Syttende Mai” – May 17
Pack Rat Day – May 17
No Dirty Dishes Day – May 18
Weights And Measures Day – May 20
National Wig Out Day – May 22
Neighbor Day – May 23
Cookie Monsters Birthday – May 24
National Tap Dance Day – May 25
Cellophane Tape Day – May 27
Hug Your Cat Day – May 30
Paranormal Day – May 30
Memorial Day – May 30 (USA Traditional)
World No Tobacco Day – May 31
Memorial Day – May 31 (USA Observed)
Victoria Day – May 31 (Canada)

Find a reason to throw a backyard cook-out!

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And if you Are really into the BBQ Scene, here’s your opportunity!

Memphis in May
The world comes to Memphis May 13 – 15
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Naturally, Char-Broil is gonna be there!
The 2010 Char-Broil® INFRARED Grilling Tour rolls into Memphis, TN to celebrate Memphis in May’s World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest on May 13-15.

The entire Memphis in May event week is dedicated to outdoor cooking competition. So we thought we’d have one of our own – for fun – and feature some local celebrities. Here’s what we came up with – and I suspect it will be quite a show.

Big Personalities. Sizzling Competition.
Beginning at 1:30 p.m. CST on Thursday, May 13th, Char-Broil will host the first official Infrared Cooking Contest. I’ll be there (all week long) and I’m bringing 3 guest chefs to join in the fun, make some friends and spread the word about Char-Broil infrared grills.

Get the details and links to follow us on Facebook, Twitter & YouTube

The 2010 Char-Broil® INFRARED Grilling Tour rolls into Memphis, TN to celebrate Memphis in May’s World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest on May 13-15.

Hundreds of teams are ready to compete nose-to-tail at Tom Lee Park in downtown Memphis for more than $100,000 in prizes and supreme bragging rights. Teams adorn their areas with elaborate decoration, trophies attesting to their boasting rights and, as one can imagine, clever and creative team names.

Grilling is the main theme and this year Char-Broil is the official grill sponsor. The entire Infrared Grilling team will be there with the Char-Broil trailer and dozens of infrared grills, as well as grilling samples of Bubba Burgers, Johnsonville Sausages and fresh Dole fruit like pineabble and bananas – hey, you ever tasted a grilled banana? be sure to stop by and do that as well as test your skills to win prizes.