17 Monday Mar 2014
Robin made these this morning. Poblano cut in half and seeds and ribs removed. Beat eggs. Spoon into chillies. Sprinkle with cheese and lightly dust with turmeric. Bake at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes or until the eggs gel. Serve with toasted Acme Bake Shop Rye. Yum!
10 Monday Mar 2014
We did!! These were awesome. Robin made these this morning and I do like blueberries. I did not know it was National Blueberry Pop-Over Day. What a surprise when Robin made these. I have the recipe that she used below. It is not hard, but it is precise. Enjoy these photos and the recipe. Cheers! But first, here is some interesting information about National Blueberry Pop-Over Day:
March 10 is National Blueberry Popover Day
Five things you should know about Blueberry Popovers
1) Native Americans once called blueberries “star berries,” because the five points of blueberry blossoms make a star shape.
2) They held blueberries in high esteem, believing that the “Great Spirit” created the berries to feed their hungry children during famine.
3) Blueberry juice had medicinal value for Native Americans as well and was used to treat persistent coughs and other illnesses.
4) American poet, Robert Frost, loved blueberries so he wrote a poem about them.
5) Blueberries are one of the only natural foods that are truly blue in color. [foodimentary.com]
These are the ones that Robin made this morning.
Here they are with confectioners’ sugar on them.
The Recipe:
Blueberry Pop-Overs
Ingredients:
1¼ c All-Purpose Flour
¼ t Salt
3 eggs, room temperature
1¼ c Milk
1 T Butter, melted
2 T Butter, cut into pieces
1 c fresh or frozen Blueberry (if using frozen do not thaw)
Confectioners’ Sugar for garnishDirections:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Grease a popover pan and heat in the oven for 2 minutes. While pan is heating combine flour, salt, eggs, milk and melted butter in a blender – mix for 1-2 minutes, or until mixture is the consistency of heavy cream.**
Remove pan from oven and place a piece of butter in each cup – return to oven until butter is melted and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Fill each cup with batter and sprinkle with blueberries.
Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 300 degrees and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
Remove from oven, dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve immediately.People are intimidated by popovers – they are sort of like the soufflé of the bread world. You want a nice, tall “rise” and a hollow, yet cooked-through, interior. The truth is, popovers couldn’t be easier to make, as long as you follow a few simple rules:
Buy a popover pan. Popover pans are different from muffin tins. The cups are taller, for one, and they are separated from one another to allow for even heat circulation. This is critical for achieving a light, airy result. Can you use a muffin tin? Sure. But you won’t get popovers. You’ll get muffins.
Pre-heat the pan. Even if your recipe doesn’t call for it, do it anyway – for about 2 minutes. A hot pan is essential for that quick rise when the batter goes into the oven.
Your recipe should instruct you to melt a little butter in each cup just before adding the batter. Do NOT skip this step. As the butter heats up it pushes steam through the batter, creating the height that is the hallmark of a perfect popover.
You can make the batter the night before and keep it in the fridge. Just be sure to bring it to room temperature prior to baking.
Serve these babies immediately! Nothing is sadder than a “deflated” popover. Time it to serve them fresh out of the oven. Trust me, it’s worth it.
28 Friday Feb 2014
Here is an awesome recipe for Robin’s Icebox Lox. It can also be found in the recipe file above. We had this for breakfast this morning. Yum!
23 Monday Dec 2013
Posted in Appetizers, Boise Foodie Meet-Up, Comfort Food, Curry, Dinner With Friends, Finger Foods, Friends, Idaho Wine, Idaho's Bounty, Indian Food, Main Dish, Party Time, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe By: Bob Young, Recipe By: Robin Young, Salads, Side Dishes, Special Events, Tapas, Turkey, What's For Dinner?, Wine and Food
And a great party it was! Great to see so many people there and to talk to them. Thanks Kat for opening your home to all of us. And the decorations, as in this tree where Robin and Tina are chatting, were marvelous. And the food that everyone shared was fabulous. And if you are in search of Heirloom seeds, here is a list of Heirloom Seed Suppliers. Enjoy the following photos and Left-Click any of them to see enlarged. And while you are at it, please rate this article above and Follow us on this blog – there is a place to do so in the sidebar. Cheers!
Kat, Rick and Tina are chatting on the couch.
Cathy
Lance, The Elevated One, and Bernadette
Krista and “Louie’s Pizza Maker”
Kitchen workers
I don’t know what to say here.
Seven-Layer Russian Salad that Robin brought. I will have the recipe posted in the Boise Foodie Blog Recipe page, listed at the very top of this page, later today. (Seven-Layer Russian Salad Recipe – PDF format)
Turkey Meatballs. Here is the recipe: Cranberry Turkey Meatballs (This is a PDF file)
Curry, Thai food, different types of rice, chicken, pasta, chocolate bacon, egg salad bruchetta and much, much more. No one went away hungry!! There are some awesome cooks in this group. I like this type of Meet-Up just as well as visiting our local restaurants. As my Supervisor at the duPont Company would say many years ago, “Atta boy!!” A job well done.
12 Monday Aug 2013
Don’t be afraid! They will not explode. To the left is a photo of the chicken rolled and on the grill. Not very hard to do, but it does take a little time and a little care. Look at the recipe below. A fun and very good way to prepare chicken. Almost like a Cordon Bleu, at least for the stuffing practice. But do try it. Adjust the recipe as necessary and remember that the recipe as listed is for 10. No problem in cutting it in half. One Chicken Bomb is probably plenty for one person. Serve this with a great Hendrick’s Gin, Gin and Tonic. Enjoy!
Chicken Bomb plated with Baked Corn
Makes 10 Chicken Bombs
Ingredients:
5 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
5 jalapeño peppers
20 strips of bacon
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup grated colby jack or cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup BBQ sauce (I look for low sugar — always )
Directions:
Slice chicken breasts in half width wise (Each half will make 1 Chicken Bomb). Place between two pieces of wax paper and pound to 1/4 inch thickness. *A rolling pin also does the trick. Season each with salt a pepper.
Slice jalapeños in half, length wise and remove seeds, ribs, and the end with the stem. In a small bowl, mix your softened
cream cheese with your grated Colby jack.
Fill each jalapeño half with about 1 Tbs cheese mixture. (Sometimes I use more)
Place 1 jalapeño half at the end of each pounded breast piece. Roll over and together. *It doesn’t always close the way you think it should. No worries! The bacon will pull it all together.
Wrap each breast piece with 2 slices of bacon. I do 1 at a time (obviously), and just sort of wrap tightly and tuck the
ends of the bacon under the strips. It all comes together in the cooking process. I promise you do not need toothpicks!
Preheat your grill to 350 degrees. Cook over indirect heat for 20-25 minutes; turning every 4-5 minutes. Baste chicken with BBQ sauce each time you turn it. Giving it one final basting right before it’s done. Chicken is ready when it reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, pierce chicken with a fork. If juices run clear, it’s done!
The Chicken Bomb opened up to see the jalapeno stuffing.
This is not a hot – spicy – meal. I removed the ribs and the seeds to keep the heat low. If you want more heat, leave the ribs and seeds in. And I only used 1 piece of bacon per bomb. It held up very well. Cheers!
16 Tuesday Apr 2013
Asparagus is coming into season. It is time for a delicious Asparagus Soup.And these were fresh Idaho asparagus from the New Boise Farmer’s Market. Look at this one that we had last night. It was yummy! Here is the recipe that Robin found from La Cucina Italiana Magazine. Give it a try. Left-Click the photos to see enlarged. Please cast Your Vote above. Thank-You.
4 Servings
Though this soup is easy to make, it looks simply stunning: a fried egg, sunny side up, floats atop a gorgeously green puree for a dish that practically screams spring.
1 Mini Baguette
2 1/2 Pounds Asparagus, Trimmed
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
1 Garlic Clove, Smashed and Peeled
Fine Sea Salt
2 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil plus More for Drizzling
Freshly Ground White Peppercorns
4 Large Eggs
Instructions
Cut 4 (1/3-inch-thick) slices from baguette and lightly toast. Save remaining baguette for another use.
Cut all but 8 asparagus into 1-inch lengths. In a medium saucepan bring 3 1/3 cups water, onion, garlic and pinch salt to a boil; add chopped asparagus and cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
In batches, carefully purée soup until creamy and smooth. Return soup to pot and cover to keep warm.
Cut remaining asparagus in half, lengthwise, then cut in half crosswise; place in a large skillet. Add water to come halfway up sides of pan, 1 tablespoon oil and pinch salt and pepper. Simmer until tender, about 3 minutes, then drain. In a large nonstick skillet, fry eggs in remaining tablespoon oil; sprinkle with salt. Gently warm soup, stirring, then ladle into bowls. Top with asparagus, fried eggs and toasts. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with pepper. Serve hot.
And then to go with the soup, we had these delicious Shrimp Stuffed Sweet Roasted Peppers. We first had these stuffed peppers at The Buzz at the Quarterly Dinner. These make really great appetizers. Here is Cristie’s recipe from that Quarterly Dinner as she made them. I added a little Ricotta Cheese to mine and did not caramelize the onion. I use fresh green onion with the tops.
Source: Cristi Takeda, The Buzz, Boise, ID
Ingredients:
2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz bay shrimp (salad shrimp thawed)
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 plum tomato
1/2 small onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons sherry
1/3 cup mayonnaise
12 colored small sweet peppers
olive oil cooking spray
Directions:
Cut off the tops of the peppers and clean them out (remember they are not hot peppers so don’t get too obsessed). Place them on a cookie sheet, spray with cooking spray and place in the oven at 350 until they are slightly blistered. Remove from oven and let cool until they are comfortable to touch.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion until translucent, finely chop the tomato (remember the pepper openings are small) and add to the onion long enough to bring out a little of the juices. Add the garlic.
Drain the onion/tomato mixture place into a bowl, add the sherry, and shrimp stir well. Stir in mayonnaise (If the mixture looks runny hand squeeze so that it is not too ‘drippy’. Fill a ziploc-style bag, cut the corner off and fill the prepared peppers
Refrigerate until just before serving. I had a lot of shrimp salad left over and used it on beds of green for salad the next day.
02 Tuesday Apr 2013
Tags
Here is a lemon cookie that Robin came up with and it is delicious! Lemony and sweet with the powdered sugar on it. Yum!
Robin’s Lemon Cookies
1 Egg, beaten
1 – 8oz Original Regular Cool Whip
1 box Lemon Cake mix
Powdered Sugar
Beat the egg in a bowl. Fold in the cool whip. Fold in the cake mix. Roll 1 tablespoon (I think she used 2 tbl) of the dough mix in powdered sugar. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 degree F oven until edges are brown, about 10 – 20 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cool. Yummy!!
27 Sunday Jan 2013
Here is the recipe for Robin’s Quiche Lorraine. It is super! Enjoy!
I hadn’t made this tart crust before, but was very impressed by how easy it came together and how crisp it remained as a shell without requiring a par-baking. I will definitely use it again.
[1 3/4 cups diced leeks, white and light green only – from about 2 large leeks, although I think you can get away with one super-big leek]
3/4 cup diced onion – I used 1/2 chopped red onion
2 1/2 teaspoons olive oil (I needed a tad more)Crust:
1 1/4 cups AP flour
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Salt
6 tablespoons butter, diced
1 egg
2T cold waterCustard:
3 eggs
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream or 1 C half & half
1/2 cup sour cream
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch pepperFilling:
1 1/2 cups diced ham (1/4 -inch dice; I used about 1/2 pound) I used thick cut Falls Brand bacon – crisped and drained
3/4 cup [1/2 lb grated Gruyere] Swiss cheeseDirections:
1. Heat a large sauté pan over low heat. Sauté the leeks and onions in the olive oil 30 to 40 minutes until caramelized, occasionally stirring. Remove from heat and cool.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch and one-fourth teaspoon salt. Cut the butter in with a pastry blender, fork or two knives until it is in very tiny bits. Add one egg (a fork works great for this) and mix it until a dough forms. I made crust Dough in the Cuisinart food processor.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a 12-inch circle. Place the dough in an 8- 9-inch deep tart pan – press to remove any air bubbles. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. While the quiche shell chills, mix the heavy cream and sour cream in a medium bowl. Whisk in the remaining three eggs. Add a pinch each nutmeg, salt and pepper and combine to form a batter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
5. Remove the quiche shell from the refrigerator and spread the leek and onion mixture evenly over the base. Sprinkle the ham or bacon and then the cheese over the onions. Pour in the batter and place the quiche in the oven.
6. Bake until puffed and golden, about 25 to 30 minutes (a deeper pan, such as the one I used, will require up to 30 min. extra baking time). Remove from the oven and cool slightly on a rack until egg sets up. Serve warm or at room temperature.
29 Saturday Dec 2012
It’s snowing outside. Started this afternoon. And Robin said she wanted to make Sausage and Cabbage in the crockpot. This was scrumptious!! We used 1/2 head of red cabbage large chopped, 6 Falls Brand Smoked Sausages, 1 cup of a good white wine like a chardonnay or pinot gris, 1 onion large chopped, 3/4 cup of a flavorful sauerkraut (we used what we made), 1 can of whole beets and 1 T Fennel seeds. Place all in the crockpot, except for the beets, and cook for 4 hours on high. At 3 1/2 hours, add the drained beets. Serve with a 2009 Bedrock Winery Cabernet Sauvignon and you have an awesome. Dinner. Cheers!
19 Monday Nov 2012
Robin found and made this awesome Pineapple Upside Down Cake, after she “tweaked” it a little bit. The original recipe says that the run is “optional”. Yea! right! She also added pecans in between the pineapple rings. I remember growing up (that assumes that the goal was net), my Aunt Peggy making this cake. Robin’s is just as good if not better! This was an awesome finish to a good BBQ Ribs dinner. Enjoy!
Source (Adapted): Robin Young
Ingredients:
¼ c Butter
¾ c Light Brown Sugar
2 T Pineapple Juice
3 T Dark Rum
½ small fresh Pineapple, peeled, cored, and sliced
½ c Butter
1½ c All-Purpose Flour
⅛ t ground Cardamom
½ t Salt
2 t Baking Powder
½ c White Sugar
1 egg
½ c cold Milk
Directions:
Boise Foodie Guild 