* * * THE VJJE RECIPE WEEKLY * * * = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = http://www.e-cookbooks.net Vol. 10, No. 17 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = MEMORIAL DAY KICKS OFF THE GRILLING SEASON! =========================================== Discover our huge selection of grilling aprons! * The Ultimate Housewarming Gift! * Unique Novelty Designs - Great Conversation Starters! * Perfect For Anyone That Loves To Barbecue! http://www.coolaprons.com =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= THIS WEEK'S FEATURES AND RECIPES: > Article: The Chameleon at the Table > Wine Appreciation: Taltarni 2005 Sauvignon Blanc > Food Funnies: Signs That You Are Too Crocked to Cook S E L E C T E D R E C I P E S : * Cheesecake Factory Cajun Jambalaya Pasta http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/07011.htm * Pineapple Baby Back Ribs http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/714.htm * Grilled Coriander Rubbed Chicken Sandwich http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/07013.htm * Marinated Super Steak http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes1/05184.htm * Double Crust Bean Pie http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/786.htm * California Salad Bowl http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/9167.htm * Macaroni and Cheese with Prosciutto http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes2/05197.htm * Death by Chocolate http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes1/06038.htm > Healthy Eating: Low Carb: Burgers ala Lobster Club http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/lc23.htm Diabetic: Special Chocolate Ice Cream http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/diab21.htm Low Fat: Fruit Smoothie http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/lowfat19.htm =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-= Kelley's Cooking Tips ===================== Camping Tips: * Plan all your meals before you leave, making a list of every ingredient you'll need. This way you won't forget anything, and you'll be sure to bring the right amount of food. * Camping trips usually involve lots of physical activity, so everyone will be extra-hungry: bring plenty of snacks! * Put your food in the car or in a lidded box at night or whenever you leave the campsite in order to keep the forest animals out of your food supply. * Bring plenty of garbage bags so you can pack out every last piece of trash you brought in with you * Bring some firewood: you can't always count on being able to find enough around your campsite, especially if it's heavily visited. * * * Have a cooking question? Kelley has your answer! Mailto:Kelley@e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-= This Week's Culinary Quiz (Answer at the bottom of page) If you have a pint jar with a lid, a little salt, and this ingredient, you can make your own butter in about 5 minutes. What ingredient is it? =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-= Quote of the Week: "Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good." - Alice May Brock (of Alice's Restaurant fame) =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-= Subscribe to the VJJE Recipe Weekly - It's fun and it's free! http://www.e-cookbooks.net/sub1.htm SHARING IS NICE! Send this ezine to a friend by clicking "Forward" and filling in the "To" address, or get it from your Address Book. Show everyone you have GREAT TASTE! =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-= UPCOMING FOOD HOLIDAYS: May is: National Asparagus Month National Barbecue Month National Chocolate Custard Month National Egg Month National Hamburger Month National Salad Month National Salsa Month National Strawberry Month May 20 - National Quiche Lorraine Day May 21 - National Strawberries & Cream Day May 22 - National Vanilla Pudding Day May 23 - National Taffy Day May 24 - National Escargot Day May 25 - National Wine Day May 26 - National Blueberry Cheesecake Day May 27 - National Grape Popsicle Day =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Personalized Chef Coats! ======================== Kick it up a notch with a touch of class! Create a personalized and professional look in your kitchen. http://www.coolaprons.com/coats.htm =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= THE CHAMELEON AT THE TABLE By MARK BITTMAN Raita is salad, relish, dip and side dish in one, a terrific addition to the summer repertory. Served as a condiment in India, this cooling yogurt concoction requires no cooking and is quickly made with common ingredients. The basic recipe here is usually not eaten as is but as the foundation for other raitas. There are sweet raitas, some that are downright fiery and many that are given more texture with the addition of chopped onion, cucumber or bell pepper, and a burst of flavor from fresh herbs like mint and cilantro. There are infinite variations, and you can take them in almost any direction you like. Though dairy-based, raita has a lean feeling about it; it seems more closely allied to salsa than to a cream sauce. Whether you use whole-milk or fat-free yogurt will determine its richness. Because fat-free yogurt tends to be watery, it is best if you drain it for 10 or 15 minutes before using it: Put the yogurt in a strainer lined with cheesecloth, a coarse kitchen towel or a piece of linen. No one knows whether raita came about as a way to offset India's spicy dishes or to integrate yogurt and its valuable proteins into vegetarian meals. But what is important to us now is that raita is equally useful in meals with and without meat. The simple raitas are great with grilled meat, poultry or fish. Chickpea raita, for example, is a bean-saladlike dish that is great with fish that has been dusted with garam masala or curry powder before cooking. Banana raita, which is quite sweet, will counterbalance the spiciest stew. But when you stir cooked potatoes into a raita base, along with fresh chopped chilies, you create a "condiment" that has so much substance that it can be served with rice and dal (lentils cooked with spices) to create a meal. Nor should you employ raita in exclusively Indian ways. It is terrific as a dip for flatbread, or, when made extra thick, an alternative to potato salad or coleslaw. Basic Raita =========== 2 cups plain yogurt 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste 1 teaspoon ground cumin, or to taste 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste Salt and ground black pepper. 1. Whisk yogurt until creamy. If it remains thick and stiff, thin it with a teaspoon or more of water and continue whisking. 2. Stir in sugar, cumin, red pepper, salt, black pepper and any of the combinations listed at: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/raita.htm =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= THE E-COOKBOOKS LIBRARY - ALL YOU NEED TO COOK IT RIGHT! ======================================================== Discover our very special collection of over 100 cookbooks filled with world class recipes ... http://www.e-cookbooks.net/elibrary/ =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= This Week's Wine Selection ========================== Taltarni 2005 Sauvignon Blanc Price: $14 The 2005 vintage is bursting with a mix of fresh fruit salad aromas of passionfruit, lychee and grapefruit and hints of green pea and lime. Scrumptious powerful palate, with zesty lime sorbet, passionfruit and honeydew melon flavours. Well-balanced, terrific intensity with a lingering tantalizing finish. Serve With: Grilled Salmon Fillets with Horseradish Sauce ============================================= Sauce: 3/4 cup sour cream 1/4 cup mayonnaise 3 tablespoons prepared white horseradish 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon soy sauce Salmon: Nonstick vegetable oil spray 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon prepared white horseradish 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 small garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 6 (1 inch thick) salmon fillets (each about 6 ounces) Mix all sauce ingredients in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill. Spray grill rack generously with nonstick spray. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Whisk oil, horseradish, soy sauce, garlic, salt, and pepper in another small bowl. Brush oil mixture over both sides of salmon fillets. Grill salmon just until opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer salmon to plates. Serve with sauce. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= FOOD FUNNIES: Signs That You Are Too Crocked to Cook ==================================================== 9. After applying the turkey's booties, you can't resist adding the little bow tie to match. 8. Gefilte fish actually starts to look appetizing. 7. You check the boiling pot of water for temperature. With your bare hand. For the third time. 6. You've lost track of whether you put the right amount of liquor in your rum cakes, and frankly, you really could care less. 5. You exhale near a stove burner, generate a two-foot-long blue flame and the house burns down. 4. You call your friend in amazement to tell him that bread can become toast, but it can never go back. 3. Instead of actually cooking, you stand in the kitchen for four hours laughing at the dill weed. 2. The blender appears to be spinning, but the stuff inside isn't getting any smaller. ... and the #1 Sign You Are Too Crocked to Cook ... 1. The whisk is tangled in the dog's hair, your meatloaf just winked at you and you've lost the ability to discern the difference between ketchup and blood. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Cheesecake Factory Cajun Jambalaya Pasta ======================================== 4 ounces butter 2 teaspoons Cajun spice mix 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in small pieces 1 pound fresh linguini pasta 1/2 cup clam juice 2 ounces green bell peppers, cut into thin strips 2 ounces red bell peppers, cut into thin strips 2 ounces yellow bell peppers, cut into thin strips 4 ounces red onions, cut into thin strips 1/2 pound fresh medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed 1/2 cup diced tomatoes Place the butter into a saute pan. Allow the butter to melt slightly. Add the seasoning into the pan and stir together with the melted butter. Add the chicken into the pan and continue to cook until the chicken is about half done. While the chicken is cooking, carefully place the pasta into boiling water and cook until al dente. Pour the clam juice into the pan. Add the peppers and onions. Cook for another minute, making sure the vegetables are heated through and the chicken is almost done. Add the shrimp into the pan. Toss the ingredients together and continue to cook until the shrimp are almost done. Add the tomatoes into then pan. Continue to cook mixture until both the shrimp and chicken are thoroughly cooked through. Place some pasta into each bowl. Spoon equal portions of the jambalaya mixture into each bowl over the pasta. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Pineapple Baby Back Ribs ======================== 3 cups pineapple juice 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons mustard powder 1/3 cup ketchup 1/3 cup red wine vinegar 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 2 teaspoons ground ginger 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 (2 pound) slab baby back pork ribs 1 (12 ounce) bottle barbecue sauce In a large glass bowl or dish, stir together the pineapple juice, brown sugar, mustard powder, ketchup, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and soy sauce. Mix in the cloves, ginger, garlic and cayenne pepper. Cut ribs into serving size pieces and place into the marinade. Cover and refrigerate, turning occasionally, for 8 hours or overnight. Preheat oven the oven to 275F. Place ribs into a 9x13 inch baking dish, and cover with marinade. Cook for 1 1/2 hours, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat. Cook ribs on the grill for about 15 to 20 minutes, basting with barbecue sauce, and turning frequently. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Grilled Coriander Rubbed Chicken Sandwich ========================================= Four 6-ounce boneless chicken breasts 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons of ground coriander Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste Combine and mix olive oil, coriander, salt and pepper together in medium size bowl. Rub chicken breasts with the oil, coriander, salt and pepper mixture. Over medium fire, grill chicken breasts for six minutes on each side. When chicken breasts are finished, place them on Kaiser rolls. Add Chipotle Lime Mayonnaise to sandwich. Chipotle Lime Mayonnaise: 1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 Chipotle peppers, minced 1 teaspoon garlic, minced 2 tablespoons of lime juice (or juice from one lime) 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste Combine and mix ingredients for Chipolte Lime Mayonnaise in medium size bowl. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Marinated Super Steak ===================== 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup Italian salad dressing 1/4 cup barbeque sauce 4 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 (10 oz.) beef sirloin steak In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients except steak. Place steak in the mixture. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 12 hours, or overnight. Turn the steak once during marination. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium to high heat and lightly oil grate. Cook steak on the prepared grill 5 to 7 minutes per side, or to desired doneness. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Double Crust Bean Pie ===================== 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1 small green bell pepper, chopped 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained 1/3 cup salsa 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper 3/4 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 (9 inch) unbaked 9 inch pie crusts 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese Preheat oven to 325F. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and green pepper until tender. Sir in beans, salsa, red bell pepper, chili powder, cayenne and black pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Spoon half of the mixture into one of the pie crusts and cover with half of the cheese. Repeat with remaining beans and cheese. Top with remaining crust. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= California Salad Bowl ===================== 1 avocado, peeled and pitted 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 1/4 cup olive oil 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 head romaine lettuce - rinsed, dried and torn into bite sized pieces 3 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded 2 tomatoes, diced 2 green onions, chopped 1/4 (2.25 ounce) can pitted green olives 1 cup coarsely crushed corn chips In a blender or food processor, mix avocado, lemon juice, mayonnaise, hot pepper sauce, olive oil, garlic, and salt. Process until smooth. In a large bowl, toss together romaine lettuce, Cheddar cheese, tomatoes, green onions, green olives, and corn chips. Toss with the avocado dressing mixture just before serving. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Macaroni and Cheese with Prosciutto =================================== 8 ounces small elbow macaroni (2 cups) 1 1/2 cups (packed) grated Gruyère cheese (about 6 ounces) 1 cup whipping cream 1 cup whole milk 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg Position rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 400F. Butter 11x7-inch glass baking dish. Cook macaroni in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain well. Whisk 1/2 cup Gruyère, cream, milk, prosciutto, Parmesan and nutmeg in large bowl to blend. Add macaroni and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup Gruyère over. Bake until cheese melts and macaroni and cheese sets, about 20 minutes. Serve warm. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Death by Chocolate ================== 1 (18.25 ounce) package German chocolate cake mix 1 (3.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix 1 2/3 cups milk 3/4 cup strong brewed coffee 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed 6 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered toffee bars, frozen and crushed In a 9x13 in pan, bake cake according to package directions. Cool and crumble. Make pudding, according to package directions, with milk. In a large trifle or other glass serving bowl, place half of the crumbled cake. Pour half of the coffee over the cake, and spread half of the pudding over that. Top with half of the whipped topping, sprinkled with half the crumbled candy bars. Repeat layers in the same order. Refrigerate until serving. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= This Week's Culinary Quiz Answer: 1 cup whipping cream Pour a half-pint of room temperature whipping cream into a glass jar. Tighten lid and shake until whey separates out and butter forms. Press/squeeze/drain out whey with wooden spoon in glass or galvanized ceramic bowl, under COLD running water. When whey is gone, squeeze out any moisture with spoon; salt if you'd like. Line container with plastic wrap- a 1/2 c. dry measure works well, as does a 4-oz. yogurt carton. Smush butter in, chill, remove and unmold. Easy to make your own, and it only takes a minute! =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Until Next Week, John Havel, Editor http://www.e-cookbooks.net "The Food and Cooking Network" VJJE Publishing Co. 9121 Riverside Road Clay, NY 13041 1-877-210-9600 =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Receive The Leading Recipe Ezine On The Internet! http://www.e-cookbooks.net/sub1.htm Our privacy policy can be reviewed at: http://www.e-cookbooks.net/privacy.htm To cancel your subscription: mailto:Remove@e-cookbooks.net?subject=Remove =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=