Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Rosemary and Parmesan Cheese

1 Large Sweet Potato
1 tsp Vegetable Oil
1 tsp Fresh Rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp Grated Parmesan Cheese
Sea Salt to taste

preheat the oven to 450 degrees

Peel the potato and cut it into French Fry sized strips
Place the strips in a bowl of ice water and soak for 20 minutes
Drain and pat dry with paper towels
Place them in a bowl and toss with the Oil
Add the Rosemary and Cheese and coat well

Place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer, lined with Parchment Paper sprayed
with a Vegetable Spray
Sprinkle with Sea Salt
Bake for 15 minutes
Turn them and continue baking for 5 minutes more


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Pecan Pie isn't just for Thanksgiving anymore.
Well, that's how I feel when Chocolate is added.
So, I decided to post this recipe from Paula Deen.

I have friends in France that love Pecan Pie and now they can make this incredible recipe.
If friends in France need Pecans, let me know and I can send them!

1- 9" unbaked pie shell
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

2 C Pecans, halved
3 Eggs, beaten
3 TBS Butter, melted
1/2 C Dark Corn Syrup
1 C Sugar
2 TBS Irish Whiskey
4 ounces of Sweet Chocolate, roughly chopped

Cover the bottom of the Pie Shell with the Pecans

In a medium bowl, whisk the Eggs and Butter together
Add the Corn Syrup, Sugar, Bourbon,and Chocolate
Combine well
Pour the mixture into the Pie Shell, don't stir it
Place it on a cookie sheet
Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes
Lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 25 minutes
Remove, cool completely on a wire rack

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Tex - Mex Corn Cakes

Tex - Mex Corn Cakes:

2 1/2 C Corn
3 Eggs
3/4 C Milk
3 TBS Butter, melted

3/4 C Flour
3/4 C Cornmeal
1 C Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
2 TBS Chopped Chives
1 TBS Chopped Cilantro
1 TBS Adobo Seasoning

Pulse the Corn, Eggs, Milk and Butter in a Food Processor. (Wet Ingredients)

Stir together  Flour, Cornmeal, Cheese, Chives, Cilantro and Adobo Seasoning (Dry Ingredients)

Stir Wet Ingredients and Dry Ingredients together until well combined.
Using a Medium Cookie Scoop, Spoon the Batter onto an oiled Cast Iron Griddle.

Do not flatten them.
Cook 3-4 minutes
Turn and cook 2-3 minutes.

Serve with your favorite Salsa!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!
T!

Vegetarian / Vegan Friendly Gelatin in Fruit Flavors!

I've mentioned Agar Agar in a recipe for Vegetarians which is unflavored and can be used in equal proportions to replace Gelatin, which we all know is not Vegetarian.

My issue was trying to figure out how to flavor Agar Agar to replace fruit flavored Gelatins. I have recipes and basic directions, but in my research I have discovered KoJel Dessert Jel which completely replaces fruit flavored gelatins and comes in Strawberry, Cherry, Raspberry, Lime , Lemon, and Orange. It is Vegetarian and Vegan friendly.

I'll try this in my Cranberry Mousse Recipe that I make every year for Thanksgiving.
I'll also use it in the Cranberry Mold Recipe and other Gelatin Molds that I'll post on the blog.
Now I have an alternative ingredient to post in any recipe that requires Gelatin.

I do have information on using Agar Agar as a stabilizer for Whipped Cream and also for a Meringue stabilizer.

I'll post all of that information at a later date. It's quite lengthy.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Bread Pudding

Another Best of the Best Recipes.
I've had this recipe since the early 70's.
It's the only Bread Pudding I make.

Terry's Bread Pudding:

1 Baguette, sliced
1 Quart of Milk (4C)
3 eggs, beaten
2 C Sugar
2 TBS Vanilla
3 TBS Butter
1 C Raisins

Mix Bread and Milk by hand
Add all other ingredients except the Butter
Melt the Butter in a 9X13 pan in a 350 degree pre heated oven, coating the bottom and sides well
Pour the mixture in the pan and Bake for 45 minutes

Another option is to bake the Pudding in Muffin Tins lined with paper cups.
If you bake the Pudding in Muffin Tins, make sure to break up the bread into small pieces, not slices.
Spray the paper cups with a vegetable cooking spray.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve with The Queens Sauce:
1 Pint Heavy Cream
3 Eggs
1/2C Sugar
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 C Brandy or Whiskey

In the top of a doubler boiler,  place the Cream and Eggs and whisk well
Add Sugar and Vanilla
Stir constantly for 10 minutes
Slowly add the Brandy or Whiskey and whisk until incorporated

Here's another Whiskey Sauce :

In a sauce pan, over medium low heat:
1/2 stick of butter
THe juice of 1 lemon
1 C apple cider
1/2 C brown sugar
a pinch of salt
1 C Bourbon Whiskey

Cook to reduce to 1/2
Serve on the side with Bread Pudding.



Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Margarita Pie

You can't live in Texas and not have a recipe for Margarita Pie!
I have some great recipes for Margaritas too..... later!
Ye Haw!

Crust:
1 1/4 C finely crushed Pretzels
1/2 C plus 2 TBS Butter, melted
1/4 C Sugar
Mix together in a bowl until well combined.
Press into a 9" pie pan and refrigerate until completely chilled.

Filling:
1 (14oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/3 C Lime Juice
4 TBS Tequila (don't hold back, get the good stuff)
2 TBS Triple Sec
Green Food Coloring
1 C Heavy Cream, whipped

Additional Whipped Cream and Pretzels for Garnish.



In a large mixing bowl:
Combine Milk, Lime Juice, Tequila, Triple Sec and food coloring.
Mix well, fold in Whipped Cream.

Pour into prepared crust.
Chill 2 hours or Freeze 4 hours for a firmer texture
Garnish with Whipped Cream and Crushed Pretzels

Enjoy!
Peace iin the Kitchen!

Onion Gratin

I could eat onions every day of my life.
I think I do.
I should write a poem about onions.

This is an original recipe from by Best of the Best Recipe Book, 2008

preheat the oven to 400 degrees

3 Large Vidalia Onions,peeled, cut in half and cut each half into thirds
4 Green Onions, the entire onion cut into 1" slices
Sea Salt
Pepper
8 sprigs of fresh Thyme, strip the leaves off.
1/2 C White Wine
1/2 C Sour Cream
1 C grated Gruyere Cheese
1 C grated Parmesan Cheese
3 Cloves of Garlic, sliced
Olive Oil
9X13  Glass or Cast Iron Enamel Baking Dish
Aluminum Foil

Break Onion sections apart to create Petals
Place the Onion Petals and the Green Onions in the Baking Dish
Drizzle with a good amount of Olive Oil , Salt and Pepper
Toss in the Thyme and Garlic and mix well
Add Wine and cover with a double layer of Foil wrapped tightly
Bake for 45 minutes, remove Foil and continue baking for 25 minutes. THe Onions will start to caramelize
Once they look lightly golden, stir in the Sour Cream and sprinkle with the Cheeses
Turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake 15 minutes more, or until golden brown.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!