AUGUST 2019 NEWSLETTER

AUGUST 2019 NEWSLETTER

Check out the recipes that follow...

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

Quiet Times...

Grateful for the Quiet Times, the silence of the morning.
The hustle and bustle of life awaits us each morning,
Thankfully, there is the quiet time before the day begins. 

Coffee...quietness...relaxing before greeting the world.
Time spent in the quietness of the morning...

Ever Grateful for the Quiet Times! 

Grateful for the Quiet Times, the silence of the morning.

Time to gather my thoughts and plans for the day...
Contemplate what lies ahead this day...prepare for obstacles.

A prayer, a thought of Inspiration from His Word...

The birds chirping & singing to greet the day. 

Ever Grateful for the Quiet Times. 

Grateful for the Quiet Times, the silence of the morning...
Preparing myself for the day as it unfolds.
Time alone, savoring my coffee, enjoying the quietness...
Relaxing, before I greet the world... x
Anticipating what lies ahead as the day unfolds...
Ever Grateful for the Quiet Times! 

Grateful for the Quiet Times, the silence of the morning.

The Lord whispers, “Be Still, & know that I am God.”

A prayer for Guidance to lead me through the day...

To be an Instrument of His Love to others that fill my day. 

Savoring the morning, listening to His Word as He speaks. 

Ever Grateful for the Quiet Times! 

Paula/2009

FOOD FOR NOURISHMENT:

Let’s start with dessert! 

 Blueberry Mascarpone Pie 

I used Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts the first time I tried it. 

Filling: 8 oz, mascarpone, 

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk, 

1/2 cup sugar, 

whisk together, fold in 

1 pint fresh blueberries. 

Pour into crust. 

Top with2nd crust, flute edges. 

Mix 1 tsp. water with remaining egg white. Brush over crust & sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar. 

Bake at 375 for 35 minutes until golden. 

Recipe was originally for mini baked tarts using the mascarpone & jam so I just played it by ear for a pie. Delicious! 

Serve with a dollop of Sweetened Whipped Cream or vanilla Ice Cream. 

Cream Cheese Pastry

From Wicked Good Kitchen 

Ingredients

• 2½ cups (312 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks/226 grams) chilled unsalted butter, such as Land O Lakes®
• 1 (8-ounce/226-gram) package chilled cream cheese, such as Philadelphia®
• 1 tablespoon (12.5 grams) granulated cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract, 
• ½ teaspoon (2.4 grams) fine-grain sea salt

Directions

1. Prepare the Pastry: Measure flour and set aside. Using an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, lightly cream together butter and cream cheese. Beat in sugar, vanilla and salt; mix until well combined. Add flour in two batches beating just until incorporated. Scrape dough onto sheet of plastic wrap using rubber spatula and pat into large disk.
2. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. Thaw a few minutes to become pliable before rolling and using in recipes. Roll out dough on lightly floured work surface with a lightly floured rolling pin.

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Momma’s Gumbo

Alberta George Richardson

Here is a  favorite from my Momma. My children and grandchildren enjoy having various seafoods at Christmas, a tradition we started years ago.

Here's a basic recipe that my momma used for years, you can tweak a bit, adding or deleting various seafoods to suit your family's tastes.

Momma's Gumbo...let me tell ya', my kids used to say. "Ooooh, that stinks!!! when gumbo was cooking, but they love it now!

1 dozen crabs, cleaned broken in half plus cracked crab legs
1-2 lb. shrimp, heads removed, deveined and prepared for easy shell
1 lb. crawfish tails or 1 lb. shucked oysters if preferred

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil/butter combination
2 large onions, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups water, fish stock, or chicken stock
2 Tbsp. Cajun/Creole seasoning
bit of cayenne
salt and pepper to taste
1 or 2 bay leaves
2 cups fresh sliced okra

1 Tbsp. Gumbo file'
1/4 cup fresh snipped parsley
Hot Cooked Rice

Chopped green onions 

In large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat oil and flour until smooth. Cook over medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes until deep golden brown color but not burnt. Add the trinity (onions, bell pepper and celery) and garlic. Cook for about 15 minutes. Stir in water or broth of choice. Add Cajun seasoning, okra and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Add crab and cook 10 minutes; add shrimp and crawfish. Cook until shrimp are pink and firm to the touch. Remove bay leaves, add 1 Tbsp. Gumbo file' and parsley, serve over rice, sprinkled with chopped green onions & with plenty of napkins and bottle of Crystal Louisiana Hot Sauce!
Wondamous! I GARRONTEE!!!!

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Corn Chowder - From the Tulsa World
Toni Beam 
Makes 4 to 6 servings

4 cups milk (I used half and half as Toni suggested) 
7 ears corn,I used 8 
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 whole cloves
1 1/2 cups finely diced potatoes (about 1 large potato or 2 small)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Crumbled Bacon & chopped chives for garnish. 

1. In a large saucepan, bring the milk to a low simmer.

2. Meanwhile, cut the corn kernels from the cobs. To do this, stand each ear on its wide end. Use a serrated knife and saw down the length of the ear. Set kernels aside.

3. When the milk is warm, add the corn cobs and simmer 10 minutes.

4. While the cobs simmer, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the onion & 3 whole cloves, potatoes and thyme and saute about 8 minutes, or until potatoes are just tender. Add the garlic and saute another minute.

5. Remove the cobs from the milk ( I scraped all the milk & pulp from the cobs & added back to the pot) and discard appropriately, Bird Dogs will dig them up from the garden spot and chaw on em like a mistreated cur under a porch. Transfer the potato and onion mixture into the milk. Try to fish the cloves out. Add the corn kernels and simmer 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.    . Garnish with crumbled bacon. (I also added chopped chives to garnish) 

I usually use a quart of 1/2 & 1/2 and then bump it up a little more with milk (I added maybe 1/2 cup) if needed.

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Margarita Shrimp with Pecan “Dirty” Rice

Publix Aprons 

Cooking Instructions

 Pecan “Dirty” Rice

Ingredients

1 (8.8-oz) packet precooked red beans and rice
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup french-fried onions
1 tablespoon green pepper sauce

Steps

1. Microwave rice following package instructions. Meanwhile, chop cilantro.
2. Place rice in serving bowl; stir in remaining ingredients. Cover until ready to serve.

 Margarita Shrimp

Ingredients

32 peeled/deveined shrimp (about 1 lb)
1 (10-oz) can frozen margarita mix
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped
8 (6-inch) wooden skewers
1 tablespoon green pepper sauce
1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons canned cream of coconut
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
Cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Prep

• Thaw shrimp, if needed. Preheat grill (or grill pan). 
• Set margarita mix out to thaw. Chop cilantro (1/2 cup).

Steps

1. Place 4 shrimp on work surface; lay hand flat on shrimp and push pointed end of skewer through tails, then heads, so shrimp will lie flat (repeat with remaining shrimp and skewers). Arrange skewers in single layer in shallow dish (wash hands). Whisk margarita mix and cilantro until blended; reserve 1/2 cup for later use. Pour remaining marinade over shrimp, turning to coat both sides; let stand 10 minutes to marinate.
2. Stir pepper sauce into reserved marinade mixture; set aside. Whisk yogurt, cream of coconut, and red pepper until blended; set aside. 
3. Remove shrimp from marinade (discard marinade) and coat with spray. Place shrimp on grill; grill 1–2 minutes on each side and just until shrimp turn pink and opaque. Brush shrimp with reserved marinade mixture during last minute of cook time. 
4. Place yogurt sauce on plate; top with shrimp and sprinkle with salt. Serve.

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Braised Country Style Ribs with White Beans & Herbs

Emeril Lagasse 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pounds country-style pork ribs, I used 2 lbs.
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cups diced onions
• 1 cup diced green bell pepper
• 1 cup diced celery
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 pound dried Navy Beans, I used 3/4 lb. Great Northern 
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon Emeril's Original Essence
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• Steamed white rice, for serving
• Garnish with chopped scallions. 
• I adjusted S&P as I used less amount of ribs. Also no Essence, so I added 2 tsp. Zatarain’s Creole seasoning & 1 tsp. Smoked paprika. 

DIRECTIONS

• Lay the ribs on a full sheet pan and season with the salt and pepper on both sides. Set a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, about 1 minute, add the ribs, in batches, to the pan and sear until golden brown in color, about 5 minutes. Turn the ribs over and sear the second side as well. When the ribs are caramelized on both sides, set on a sheet pan and repeat the process with the remaining ribs. 
• Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the celery and peppers are lightly caramelized, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and stir with a wooden spoon to combine with the vegetables and oil to make a roux. Cook the roux, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add the beans and stock to the pan and stir to combine with the roux. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add the diced tomatoes, the seared ribs, sage, thyme and bay leaves to the pan. Simmer the ribs for 2 hours, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking. 
• After 1 1/2 hours, check the ribs to see if they and the beans are both tender. Season with the Essence and continue to cook for an additional 30 minutes. When the ribs are done, add the chopped parsley to the pan and serve hot over steamed rice.