* * * THE VJJE RECIPE WEEKLY * * * = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = http://www.e-cookbooks.net Vol. 10, No. 21 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = > > > Discover Our Huge Selection of Cooking 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: Once Upon a Pea > Wine Appreciation: Cousino Macul 2006 Estate Merlot > Food Funnies: Things You Don't Want To Hear At A Barbecue S E L E C T E D R E C I P E S : * El Pollo Loco Chicken http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/07291.htm * Spiedies http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/07292.htm * Braised Bratwurst http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/6174.htm * Potato Salad with Buttermilk Dressing http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/07294.htm * Zesty Grilled Corn http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/07295.htm * Buffalo Chicken Dip http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/07296.htm * Mushroom Antipasto Pasta Salad http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes/07297.htm * Hot Pepper Fudge http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes3/po28.htm > Healthy Eating: Low Carb: "Rice" Pudding http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes1/lc27.htm Diabetic: Fruit Muffins http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes1/diab25.htm Low Fat: Corn Dogs http://www.e-cookbooks.net/recipes1/lfcd.htm =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-= Kelley's Cooking Tips ===================== Bored with meatloaf? Try these ideas with your basic recipe for a more ethnic flare: CHINESE: Add rice, water chestnuts and sweet-and-sour sauce. Or soy sauce, green onions and ginger. FRENCH: Mix in mushrooms, red wine and pepper. Also, try white wine, Dijon mustard and parsley. GREEK: Add ground lamb and feta cheese. INDIAN: Add curry powder and crushed garbanzo beans. Or mix in cubed potatoes, yogurt and mustard seeds. MEXICAN: Add fresh cilantro and green chilies. Or add white cheese, chili powder and cumin. POLISH: Add bacon drippings, dill pickles and hard-boiled eggs. Or add horseradish and sour cream. PUERTO RICAN: Add sliced green olives, ham and raisins. Or mix in onions, garlic and chopped green bell pepper. THAI: Mix in peanuts and hot red peppers. Also, try coconut milk and grated lime zest. * * * Have a cooking question? Kelley has your answer! Mailto:Kelley@e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-= This Week's Culinary Quiz (Answer at the bottom of page) True or False: You can tell if an egg is old if it floats in a bowl of water. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-= Quote of the Week: "Mosquitoes remind us that we ar not as high up on the food chain as we think." - Tom Wilson =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+==+=-=+=-=+=-= 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: June is: National Papaya Month National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month National Iced Tea Month National Dairy Month National Seafood Month June 17 - National Apple Streudel Day June 18 - National Cherry Tart Day June 19 - National Martini Day June 20 - National Vanilla Milkshake Day June 21 - National Peaches & Cream Day June 22 - National Chocolate Eclair Day June 23 - National Pecan Sandy Day June 24 - National Creamy Pralines Day =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Once Upon a Pea By Mark Bittman The rhythms of life have changed so much that the idea of shelling peas for a weeknight meal is pretty much out of the question. A weekend leisure activity, perhaps, but for dinner on a Wednesday? Let’s get real. Which is why it is so delightful that food vendors of all types, from market stands to supermarkets, now stock fresh spring peas, out of the pod, bright and not too starchy. When I first started seeing these a couple of weeks ago, I pounced, and combined them with crab to make a fast and quite tasty salad in less time than it would have taken me to shell the peas. There are options other than peas, of course. Fava beans work equally well, but it’s even more important to find them peeled, because now you’re getting into real nuisance territory: peeling more than a few favas is going to take a lot of time. Next best is chopped snow or snap peas: the peas should be young and tender so the pods are not too stringy. Poach them just a little longer than you would peas, but no more than a minute. You can even use frozen peas (or edamame) and turn this into a year-round dish. The taste isn’t the same, but you can still produce a fine salad. All fresh-picked crab is precooked; otherwise, the meat is too liquid to remove from the shell. Fresh crab meat does not have a long shelf life, but it has the best flavor. Canned pasteurized crab, which is sometimes sold as "fresh" because it has not been frozen, keeps for months, as does frozen crab. Between the two of these I’d choose frozen, but I’m not sure I could tell the difference blindfolded. On the East Coast, fresh crab meat is usually from the wonderful blue crab; it’s expensive but not difficult to find. On the West Coast, it will almost always be from the exquisite Dungeness, which is less expensive, more widely available and, if anything, even better, in my opinion. You can also make this salad with cooked lobster or chopped cooked shrimp. Either will produce similar results - which in any case will be good, and very, very quick. Pea and Crab Salad ================== Salt and ground black pepper 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas (or use frozen) 1 medium onion, preferably white, finely chopped 1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, or a combination, minced 6 to 8 ounces fresh cooked crabmeat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or to taste Freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste 4 iceberg lettuce leaves or 16 endive leaves, washed and dried Shredded basil or chopped parsley leaves for garnish. 1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and salt it. Poach peas in water until bright green, about 30 seconds, and remove with a slotted spoon; drain and cool for a few minutes. If you would like a milder flavor, poach onions for 15 seconds, and remove with a slotted spoon; drain and cool for a few minutes. 2. In a bowl, combine peas, onion, bell pepper, crab, olive oil, lemon juice and some salt and pepper; taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. To serve, spoon into lettuce cups or on top of endive leaves; garnish and serve. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= 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 ========================== Cousino Macul 2006 Estate Merlot Price: $12 This Merlot is delicious and rivals any in its category. It displays a deep purple color with sweet chocolate mocha and raspberry flavors. Full bodied (but not heavy), generous ripeness and depth. It has a rich long finish and a well rounded structure. A great wine that should last over a decade. Serve With: Grilled Steak ============= 4 (8-ounce) beef top sirloin or New York steaks 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/2-1 ounce Montreal steak seasoning 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 tablespoon shallots, minced 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced 2 teaspoons parsley, minced Stir together the butter, minced shallots, garlic and parsley. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and scrape onto a piece of parchment or wax pepper. Roll into a small cylinder and chill in refrigerator or freezer. Put the oil and steak spice in a shallow pan, and dip the steaks well on both sides to coat with seasonings. Prepare an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate. When fire is hot, grill steaks over high heat to desired doneness, turning once or twice as needed. Remove to a platter and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. In the meantime, unwrap the chilled butter and slice into rounds. Lay 1-2 rounds on each warm steak and serve immediately. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= 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 =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= FOOD FUNNIES: Things You Don't Want To Hear At A Barbecue ========================================================= 9. "Beef is great, but squirrel's so much cheaper." 8. "Take a photo of me lighting this cigar with an M-80." 7. "To give it a little 'kick,' I put charcoal starter in the punch." 6. I'd like to tell you why scientology is so important to me." 5. "Hey look, it's Earnest Borgnine--oh, sorry lady." 4. "All right, detainees, line up over here for your gitmo-style powdered baked beans." 3. "I'm afraid the only fireworks tonight are between me and your wife." 2. "My hot dog has a knuckle." ... and the #1 Thing You Don't Want To Hear At A Barbecue ... 1. "I don't think that's mayonnaise in the cole slaw." =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= El Pollo Loco Chicken ===================== 1/4 cup corn oil 1/4 cup melted butter 1/4 cup onion, minced 2 tablespoons garlic, finely minced 2-3 drops yellow food coloring 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon dried oregano 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 4 tablespoons fresh orange juice 1 chicken, 2-1/2 to 3 pounds, halved Combine oil, butter, onion, garlic, food coloring, cumin, lemon and orange juices in a large shallow pan. Add chicken halves, turning to coat well. Cover and marinate several hours, or overnight. Remove chicken from marinade, then cook over medium coals on barbecue grill, or in a broiler 4 inches under source of heat, until browned on both sides and meat is done, turning and basting frequently, about 25 minutes. Cut chicken halves into pieces. Serve with beans and rice, corn or flour tortillas, and fresh salsa. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Spiedies ======== 1 cup oil 3/4 cup wine vinegar 1/8 cup Sugar 1 onion, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme 1 1/2 teaspoons marjoram 1 1/2 teaspoons basil 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano 2 pounds beef, pork, or chicken - cut in 1" chunks Mix all ingredients except meat in a large covered bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of sauce and refrigerate until needed. Place cubed meat in remaining sauce for at least 24 hours, shaking or turning over occasionally. Place on skewers and barbecue over charcoal or gas grill until done. Serve on folded pieces of sandwich sized Italian bread and place meat in the center. Spoon reserved sauce over meat. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Braised Bratwurst ================= 5 bratwurst sausages 1 cup chopped onions 1 cup chopped apples 1 cup chopped carrots 1/2 cabbage, sliced into 5 wedges 1 tablespoon caraway seeds 1 bottle dark beer, or 1 cup Riesling wine salt and pepper Start with 2 cups of water and simmer the sausages in a skillet, this leaches out some of the fat and keeps the sausage from getting too brown. When the water evaporates brown the sausages on both sides. Add onions and cook until the onions are clear and lightly browned. Add apples and cook until soft. Add carrots and cabbage, caraway and the beer or wine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until the cabbage is tender. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Potato Salad with Buttermilk Dressing ===================================== 3/4 cup mayonnaise 1/3 cup buttermilk 3 tablespoons coarse-grained mustard 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons Sherry wine vinegar 2 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1 1/2x1/2x1/2-inch sticks 1 pound carrots, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch rounds 1/2 pound celery, cut into 1/4-inch slices 1 bunch arugula 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl until blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set dressing aside. Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 5 minutes. Using 4- to 5-inch-diameter strainer, transfer potatoes to colander; rinse under cold water to cool. Drain. Transfer to large bowl. Return water in pot to boil. Cook carrots in] same pot of boiling water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add celery and cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Rinse carrots and celery under cold water to cool. Drain well. Mix into potatoes. Add enough dressing to vegetables to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange arugula around edge of platter; mound potato salad in center. Sprinkle with chives. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Zesty Grilled Corn ================== 1/3 cup butter 2 tablespoons prepared mustard 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish 6 ears sweet corn, husked Preheat grill for medium heat. In a small saucepan, melt butter or margarine. Stir in mustard, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon pepper seasoning. Place each ear of corn on a 13x12 inch piece of HEAVY DUTY aluminum foil. Drizzle with butter mixture. Wrap loosely, leaving space for the expansion of steam, and seal. Grill over medium coals for 15 to 20 minutes, or until corn is tender. Small ears will take less time, and larger ears may take more. Carefully unwrap foil, and serve. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Buffalo Chicken Dip =================== 12 oz. cooked chicken, shredded 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened 1 cup ranch dressing 3/4 cup Frank's Hot Sauce 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Frito Scoops Mix together chicken and hot sauce. Let set for 30 minutes. Meanwhile beat cream cheese and ranch dressing. Fold in shredded chicken. Spread mixture into pie plate sprayed with Pam. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes. Add cheddar to top and bake an additional 10-15 minutes. Serve hot with Frito Scoops. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Mushroom Antipasto Pasta Salad ============================== 4 cups pasta, cold, cooked 2 cups white mushrooms, sliced 1 cup roasted red peppers, chopped 1 cup salami, cut into bite-size pieces 1 cup provolone cheese, cut into bite-size pieces 1 jar (6 ounces) marinated artichoke hearts, (with liquid) 1/4 cup Italian dressing salt and pepper, to taste 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil To the pasta, add the mushrooms, peppers, salami, cheese, and artichoke hearts with liquid. Mix in Italian dressing; season with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Top with chopped basil. Allow flavors to blend for at least 30 minutes before serving. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+= http://www.e-cookbooks.net =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= Hot Pepper Fudge ================ 2 cups sugar 2 tablespoons honey 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken in pieces Pinch of salt 3/4 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper or other chile pepper 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, in pieces 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, honey, chocolate, salt, and milk. Place over medium-high heat, stir constantly, and heat until the chocolate melts, about 3 minutes. Cover with a lid and heat until the mixture comes to a full boil, about 1 more minute. Uncover and cook until the mixture becomes shiny and thick, about 4 minutes, stirring often. When the fudge is ready, it will register 236F to 240F on a candy thermometer. (Or a small amount of fudge dropped into a glass of cold water will form a soft, solid wad on the bottom of the glass.) Remove from the heat and stir in the chipotle pepper and cinnamon. Place the butter on the fudge and set aside to cool. When the fudge has become tepid, about 20 minutes, add the vanilla and stir until the fudge starts to firm. While still pourable, scrape into a loaf pan and even the top. Set aside until the fudge is firm. Cut into 36 squares. =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= This Week's Culinary Quiz Answer: True The membrane around an egg, just inside the shell, is made up of two layers, and at the rounded end these separate to form a little bubble which is filled with air. As the shell is porous, it "breathes" and more air is collected in this little sac. As the bubble gets bigger, the egg gets lighter, and its ability to float increases; eventually it will float on the top of water. If in doubt about the age of your egg, try it - it works! =+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-=+=-= 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 =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=