Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping… WHOA!

On April 4, 2011December 13, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, RecipeLeave a comment

: Image: FoodandWine.com

Food & Wine magazine has some awesome recipes… and this is one of them. If you’re in the mood for a nice blueberry muffin with a gorgeous crumb topping give these a shot. To lighten things up I used half applesauce and half canola oil, the results were pretty darned good… but no doubt, they probably are better with the full 1/2 cup of canola oil… you can click THIS link to take you to the Food and Wine recipe so that it’s quick to print, or you can see below…

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BLUEBERRY MUFFINS WITH CRUMB TOPPING

Food & Wine Magazine

ACTIVE TIME: 20 MIN TOTAL TIME: 1 HR MAKES 18 MUFFINS

These muffins are easy to make: Simply mix the dry and wet ingredients separately, and then combine them. Since the baking powder, which lightens the muffins, is activated by moisture, get the batter into the oven immediately. For soft edges, use liners; for crisp edges, use a well-greased, unlined pan. You can easily replace the blueberries with other kinds of fresh fruit, such as raspberries or peaches (chopped into small pieces). In the off-season I used IQF (individually quick-frozen) fruit; there’s no need to thaw.

INGREDIENTS:

CRUMB TOPPING

1 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

MUFFINS

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

½ cup canola oil

¾ cup whole milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 ½ cups blueberries

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375°. Line 18 muffin cups with paper or foil liners or spray 2 muffin tins with cooking spray.

MAKE THE CRUMB TOPPING: In a medium bowl, combine the flour with the brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the melted butter, and then pinch the mixture until it forms pea-size clumps.

MAKE THE MUFFINS: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs and canola oil and beat with a handheld electric mixer at low speed until combined. Beat in the whole milk and vanilla. Add the flour mixture all at once and beat at low speed until the batter is smooth. Stir in the blueberries.

Spoon the batter into 18 of the cups, filling them about three-quarters full. Sprinkle the crumb topping on top of each one and bake for about 30 minutes or until the muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let the blueberry muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before serving.

MAKE AHEAD Once cooled, the blueberry muffins can be kept overnight in an airtight container.

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Well, give them a try, let me know what you think… weren’t they FABULOUS?? Catch you back here tomorrow…

In the meantime, if you get a break check out my daily blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com !

Hot Artichoke Cheese Dip!!

On March 31, 2011December 5, 2023 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, RecipeLeave a comment

This is a fantastic dip! It was in the September 2008 issue of Cooking Light magazine, and it’s a keeper! They serve it with toasted baguette slices, I used Hint of Salt Triscuits and it was divine! Just like the full fat version, this is tasty as can be, and make no mistake, this isn’t super light, just a bit lighter!

You used to be able to click on a link and be taken directly to this recipe, so that it’s quick to print, however, they’ve removed the link. It was on the MyRecipes.com website where they have all the Cooking Light recipes so you can check it out from here:

Hot Artichoke-Cheese Dip

Cooking Light – September 2008

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 2 1/2 tablespoons dip and 2 baguette slices)

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves (I didn’t use garlic)

1 green onion, cut into pieces

1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided (I used regular Parmesan)

1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise (I used Canola Mayo)

1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

12 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and drained (the package I bought was 10oz and it was fine)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Place garlic and onion in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano and next 4 ingredients (through pepper); process until almost smooth. Add artichoke hearts; pulse until artichoke hearts are coarsely chopped. Spoon mixture into a 3-cup gratin dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated and bubbly. Serve hot with baguette, that I have heated in the oven and sliced fairly thin.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 126, Fat: 3.4g, Protein: 5.1g, Carbohydrate: 20.8g, Fiber: 2.3g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Iron: 1.1mg, Sodium: 334mg, Calcium: 59mg

Have a great day… catch you back here tomorrow!

Check out my photo blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com

Short and sweet!

On March 30, 2011March 28, 2011 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HOMELeave a comment

: Image: BrevilleUSA.com

Ohhh is this sweet or what? I don’t have this, but it’s on my list for one day… It’s compact but apparently does well baking just about anything, which is just right for one or two people. Especially if you have a gas stove, it’s summertime and the sun is shining through the windows *sweat*, *sweat*… this may be the answer to cold salads every day for dinner!?? It got excellent reviews, I am looking forward to seeing one in person!

Are you looking for an oven that can toast, bake and keep your kitchen cool without sucking up ridiculous amounts of gas/electricity to bake a small amount? If so, you may want to check this bugger out??

If you get a chance, visit my photo blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com – catch you back here tomorrow!

Katharine Hepburn’s Brownie recipe… yep, the real deal! (Updated 10.07.21)

On March 25, 2011October 7, 2021 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe1 Comment

My mom sent me this recipe years ago… she had gotten it from the February 1992 issue of Gourmet magazine (still can’t believe that magazine isn’t still around). I didn’t eat fat, so I never made them. I filed it away in case I ever fell off the wagon. Then one day we were visiting Michigan, we arrived to a pan of piping hot brownies. Whoa… the best I ever tasted, with deep chocolate flavor, more fudgy than cakelike, I was in heaven! Then to read how simple these puppies were to make made my head spin (dramatic once again). Trust me, you won’t make these only once. You’ll NEED them, ha ha, and you’ll make them more often than you should (or perhaps I’m talking about my own problems here, hmmm). They couldn’t be easier, using only 1 pot and 1 8″ pan!

Melt together 1 stick of butter (I know… ugh, but…) and 2 squares unsweetened chocolate*, then take the saucepan off the heat. *See note regarding type of chocolate to use…

Stir in 1 cup sugar, add 2 eggs and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and beat the mixture well.

Stir in 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. (As Gourmet magazine Feb 1992 states, the original recipe added 1 cup chopped walnuts here… I prefer mine without, but that’s up to you)…

Butter an 8″ square pan (recipe says to flour as well, this time I forgot and they came out of the pan easier, so I leave that up to you… to flour or not to flour). Happy Hint: when I use a stick of butter, I put the wrapper in the freezer. When I need to butter a pan I pull the wrapper out and let it sit a minute to thaw, then use it to spread. It works perfectly every time!

NOTE: Update 10.07.21, this works great with an 11×7″ pan as shown below. It’s not pretty but I found it (thankfully) in the cupboard after the disappearance of my 8″ square pan.

Now bake these at 325 for about 40 minutes – When they smell done, they likely are (my oven doesn’t take the full 40 minutes)!

Someone got a little excited about the brownies coming out of the oven, so this is the best photo I can do at this moment, ha ha…

Note 10.07.21: I deleted a blip about substituting cocoa and butter for the unsweet baking chocolate. After trying it, I truly wasn’t happy with the substitution, too greasy. These brownies are good just like they are. Use the best chocolate for best results. I made it with Guittard Unsweet Chocolate Baking Bar, and it was a night and day difference. It was truly amazing!

Another way to take it over the top when serving, sprinkle (VERY LIGHTLY) with a good flaky sea salt like SALTVERK! Oooooo, Mmmmmm, Geeeeee! You just need a teeny bit!

Catch you back here tomorrow… I have to go walk, for about 14 hours as I calculate it! Worth every bite!

Happy St. Patty’s to ya… Hot Corned Beef-Potato Hash…

On March 17, 2011March 11, 2024 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, RecipeLeave a comment

This is a recipe I found in Cooking Light magazine years ago… it’s a keeper! Quick and easy too… if you get a chance, give it a try! It’s a nice alternative the otherwise heavy St. Patrick’s Day meal.

This recipe is fabulous! UPDATE: Cooking Light removed the link to this recipe… am going to write a new post about this because it’s truly that good. Will add a link here to access once it’s written!

I saw it… now I want it… bad!

On March 14, 2011March 10, 2011 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, THOUGHTSLeave a comment

SIMPLY. BRILLIANT. I saw this and now I want it…! I love to bake, and I have measuring cups and measuring spoons, but look at this… made by TOVOLO, the handles of the measuring cups are measuring spoons! Brilliant! Then… the part that I love the most that makes you think WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT?!!! is the little rubber ring that the measuring cup can sit on. I have a silicone spoon from these people and I LOVE IT. Bought it at a little kitchen shop in Mount Pleasant, SC. I use it daily and each time I reach into the drawer to pull it out I think WHAT A GREAT PURCHASE THIS WAS!

Ok, maybe I’m a bit dramatic? Humph!

Happy Monday everyone! I’ll catch you back here tomorrow…

Visit my photo blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com !

Taco Boy restaurant in Charleston is the ticket!

On March 11, 2011March 11, 2011 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, THOUGHTS1 Comment

MMMMM, I am thinking of a Taco Boy salad right now… sure sounds tasty, it’s much more than “just a salad”, it’s an experience! Really. Oooolala, with those tasty thin tortilla chips and a side of guacamole, ohmygosh! A treat that can’t be beat!

We took a break last night, sat down, and turned on the TV… what does Tivo have to offer us on this fine evening? Hmmm, Army Wives… Cool! First show of the season. Guess where part of it was filmed?? INSIDE TACO BOY! YAY! Good for them!

If you haven’t been to Taco Boy yet… RUN… don’t walk! I’ll probably see you there sipping on my half sweet half unsweet tea (It’s DESSERT!), munching on those oh so wonderful thin tortilla chips dipped in guacamole, salsa or for the heavenly treat… QUESO! Take a peek at their menu, it’s too hard to decide which tasty dish to order! Did I mention how cool the place is? They took an old run down building and transformed it into an ultra cool place to hang out with friends, or just your sweetie. Don’t take my word for it, head on down to Taco Boy. We have yet to visit the one on Folly Beach, but it just won the BEST OF CHARLESTON 2011 for best restaurant on Folly Beach! Congrats to ya man!

Where are my car keys? I’m outta here!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Check out my photo blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com

You can make Beef Bourguignonne even if your name isn’t Julia!

On March 7, 2011December 13, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe2 Comments

Beef Bourguignonne CL 030711 — Image via MyRecipes.com

While the air still has a tad of a chill left to it, this is one HOT recipe to make… great when you have a group, or great to eat for a few nights. This is a Cooking Light recipe, therefore it’s not as fatty as the original recipe. I would never have known that it was lighter. My favorite part… the mushrooms! WOW!

Beef Bourguignonne (click HERE if you want to know how to pronounce it! Click on the little symbol that looks like a speaker and you will hear someone say it) is basically beef cooked in red wine with bacon, onions and mushrooms. It’s better if it sits a day… Click HERE if you want to be taken to MyRecipes.com to the actual recipe where it’s quick and easy to print, or here it is… You may want to rent Julie and Julia for more details… This was a dish made famous (in my eyes) by Julia Childs.

Yield: 9 servings (serving size: about 1 cup beef mixture, 3/4 cup noodles, and 1 teaspoon parsley)

Beef Bourguignonne with Egg Noodles

Yield: 9 servings (serving size: about 1 cup beef mixture, 3/4 cup noodles, and 1 teaspoon parsley)

Ingredients

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 1/4 pounds beef stew meat
3 bacon slices, chopped and divided
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup sliced carrot
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
1 (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth
8 cups halved mushrooms (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 (16-ounce) package frozen pearl onions
7 cups hot cooked medium egg noodles (about 6 cups uncooked noodles)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

Combine flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add beef; seal and shake to coat.

Cook half of bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon; set aside. Add half of beef mixture to drippings in pan; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove beef from pan; cover and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining bacon and beef mixture. Remove beef from pan; cover and keep warm.

Add chopped onion, sliced carrot, and minced garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in red wine and broth, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add bacon, beef, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, mushrooms, tomato paste, chopped thyme, bay leaves, and pearl onions; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Uncover and cook 1 hour or until beef is tender. Discard bay leaves. Serve beef mixture over noodles; sprinkle with parsley.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 447, Fat: 14.6g (sat 5.1g,mono 6.1g,poly 1.5g), Protein: 32.7g, Carbohydrate: 45.7g, Fiber: 3.9g, Cholesterol: 117mg, Iron: 6mg, Sodium: 677mg, Calcium: 47mg

Recipe and Image: via MyRecipes.com (Becky Luigart-Stayner; Melanie J. Clarke and Celine Chenoweth)

Bake away the craving – Oatmeal Cookie Recipe!

On March 2, 2011December 8, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe, THOUGHTSLeave a comment

QuakerOatmealCookies030211 — Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies

A craving for something sweet. Ugh. You know how it is when something pops into your head, like a nice warm oatmeal cookie fresh out of the oven. The wonderful smell of cinnamon permeating the room… ohhhh and a nice cold glass of milk to go along with it… Ahhh, let me get ahold of myself! That’s what happened to me the other day. OATMEAL. COOKIES. This thought popped into my head and would not escape. Finally I gave in. I’ll take some to a neighbor, saving myself from eating too many! So off I went. Armed with a NEW oatmeal cookie recipe, I started measuring… then all of a sudden something didn’t seem right with the recipe… Hmmm, let me check online and see if there were any comments on this recipe… duh. Something I always do BEFORE I try a recipe, not while I’m almost done measuring all the ingredients! TRAGIC COMMENTS. Eek, how can I save these cookies now that I have most of the ingredients comingled? I popped the lid off the Quaker Oat cannister and TADA staring back at me is the Vanishing Oatmeal Cookie recipe everyone knows and loves. I tried to adjust to get the ingredients measured to the new recipe and without hesitation popped those babies in the oven. Worst case? The baked cookies don’t taste good… Silver lining? Yep, the dough is awesome! Ha… Thankfully they turned out. I ate too many (it was lunch) and now I’m done with them for a while… Next time I may substitute cranberries for the raisins and add walnuts. If these cookies are sounding good to you, you can get them via the Quaker website OR off the lid on your cannister of oatmeal. Otherwise, here it is! Happy day! Catch you back here tomorrow…

Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (QuakerOats.com)

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
1 cup raisins

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Yield: 4 DOZEN

Remember to visit my photo blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com – thanks for stopping by!

Everyday Chocolate Cake…

On February 25, 2011December 19, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, RecipeLeave a comment

Happy Friday everyone! I have to tell you about this amazing chocolate cake recipe that I found on the Smitten Kitchen blog. If you’ve never heard of The Smitten Kitchen, ohmygosh, check it out, seriously. Excellent recipes, hilarious writing, AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHY and just a good time overall! You may consume a bit more butter than you should, but hey, it’s a treat! I wish I could make this cake every day!

I have made this cake a few times, Deb Perelman has this recipe down to using only one bowl… easy clean up… YAY! The fresh whipped cream and raspberries that I rolled around in sugar were a nice addition… It’s the weekend, INDULGE!

Check out the Smitten Kitchen blog if you get a chance!

Here is the recipe as shown on the Smitten Kitchen blog, I didn’t change a thing:

Everyday Chocolate Cake from the Smitten Kitchen blog…
Adapted from Magnolia Bakery At Home

1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (6 7/8 ounces) firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (4 ounces) granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (6 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (2 5/8 ounces) Dutch cocoa powder (see Smittenkitchen.com for a natural cocoa adjustment)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter and lightly flour a 9×5×3-inch loaf pan, or spray it with a butter-flour spray. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat well, then the buttermilk and vanilla. Don’t worry if the batter looks a little uneven. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt together right into your wet ingredients. Stir together with a spoon until well-blended but do not over mix. Scrape down the batter in the bowl, making sure the ingredients are well blended.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in pan on a rack for about 10 to 15 minutes, at which point you can cool it the rest of the way out of the pan. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries, if you’re feeling fancy

A big bold nice and not expensive wine…

On February 23, 2011February 22, 2011 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HOME, THOUGHTSLeave a comment

: mcmanisfamilyvineyards.com

We were in Rockland, Maine at a neat little wine shop (future post). We asked for a nice Syrah that wasn’t too pricey and they suggested McManis Petite Syrah. Whew… it quickly became a favorite… very tasty, not in the under $10 category which is nice for everyday, well, the one glass a day, you know, for medicinal reasons… wish it was more than one glass though, hee hee… Fast forward to a few weekends ago, we went to Total Wine hoping to find this a tad cheaper, they don’t carry the Petite Syrah, but they did have Syrah… well, I’ll try it! And… YIPEE, it’s great, and it’s in the under $10 category. You could tell me it is an expensive bottle of wine and I would never know the difference. So if you like bold wines (at least in my book it’s bold) give this one a shot!

From the McManis Family Vineyard website:

2008 Syrah
“Do not overlook this incredibly reliable and tasty Syrah as a great choice for everyday drinking. It is ripe and open, about mid-size in depth and full enough on the palate to let you know that you have a wine of reasonable substance in your mouth, and it will comfortably hold its own with burgers and other savory picnic fare when a wine that will go down in a gulp is in order.” 86 Points Good Value
Connoisseurs Guide to California Wine March 2010

Remember to visit my photo blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com ! Until tomorrow…

Baked Potato Soup with all the trimmings!

On February 18, 2011January 12, 2025 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe, soup, Soup, THOUGHTSLeave a comment

potato soup in a pretty bowl, topped with shredded sharp cheddar, bacon and green onions — Image: http://www.MyRecipes.com

Sometimes when you’re chilly there is nothing like a nice hot bowl of soup to get your innards warmed up. Other than vacuuming, there really isn’t anything that is going to warm you up from the inside out!

This tasty soup is from Cooking Light, and although it uses lower fat ingredients, if no one told you there were lower fat ingredients, I promise you, you would never know. NEVER. KNOW. That’s part of what makes this such a good recipe. It’s a fairly quick soup to make after the potatoes are baked. Mmmm, this is looking too good right now!!

So, if you were sitting there thinking… Ugh, I’m in a rut and need to try something new but want it to be pretty healthy, hey, this is for you!

I use Cracker Barrel 2% Extra Sharp cheese, it’s great, and it’s my “go to” cheese for recipes. It’s in every grocery store in Charleston, but I know other areas don’t carry it (Algonac, MI, darnit!). Serving size is 1 1/2 cups and let me tell ya… you will be full! Especially after adding a sprinkle of shredded extra sharp cheese, some green onions and some crispy bacon… oh la la… I edited the recipe to show less flour, otherwise it was too thick for us.

BAKED POTATO SOUP

Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided (or 1 small bunch, whites cut off)
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
Cracked black pepper (optional)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.
Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.
Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons onions, and about 1 tablespoon bacon. Garnish with cracked pepper, if desired.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Bowen’s Island Restaurant – Charleston, SC

On February 17, 2011February 17, 2011 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, THOUGHTS4 Comments

bowensislandrest 021711 — Image: BowensIslandRestaurant.com

For those of you who have eaten at Bowen’s Island Restaurant, you know… You know how utterly awesome the view is… it takes your breath away. Seriously. TAKES. IT. AWAY. The fried shrimp is oh so tasty and I absolutely just cannot wait to have some! Visitors soon (yay!) and we will be making our way to the place that great photos are made from… and it sure doesn’t hurt that the food is tasty too!

Good grief, I just did something I shouldn’t have. I looked at the menu! Their prices aren’t bad at all, and now I’m really wanting some of their fried shrimp… check out the menu… you’ll be running at the speed of light, jumping in your car, hearing a big peel out noise, wondering where it came from before you even realize you’re in your car, headed right where all the real seafood lovers go… and that aint Red Lobster… hee hee…

Read the restaurant review “Shucking and sucking” it’s more of a story, ha ha – Bowen’s Island is known for their oysters!

Check out my photo blog at http://almostdailypic.wordpress.com ! Until tomorrow…

Cookies for Valentine’s Day, a work of art!

On February 14, 2011February 12, 2019 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe, THOUGHTS1 Comment

Aren’t these the most beautiful Valentine’s Day cookies you’ve ever seen? I admit, I haven’t seen many cookies for this holiday, well, not if you exclude the mass produced variety at the grocery store… These take a little bit of time, but ooooh, the result is A WORK OF ART! I last posted this recipe on my PHOTO BLOG (click for link) for Christmas cookies, but here it is again, I hope you give them a try! This time I made the dough on Friday, got busy on Saturday, then set them out on the counter for a little while on Sunday before rolling and cutting into heart shapes and baking. The decorating part looks like the most time consuming, but if you don’t get too uptight about it (me) and can just swirl it on (Fred, my husband) then it looks beautiful and is done in a snap! Wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day!

VALENTINE’S DAY BUTTER COOKIES

Sift 2 3/4 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

In mixer bowl add 3/4 cup soft butter, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Beat until fluffy and light. Slowly beat in flour mixture. CHILL ONE HOUR.

Flour your work surface and roll out dough. Use cookie cutters to cut into desired shapes.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

YIELD: 4 dozen (IF you don’t eat the dough… good luck to ya!)

FROSTING

Mix 1/4 cup butter, 4 cups (1 box) confectioner’s sugar, 1/4 cup scalded cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Blend until smooth. Scoop into separate bowls and add food coloring (hint: Valentine cookies are good just red, light pink and white). Scoop colored frosting into Ziplock bag (I use freezer) and snip a little off the corner. Squeeze onto cookie to decorate! If you need the frosting thinned a bit more, I have great luck just using light cream, add a little at a time until it will easily come out of the bag to decorate.

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie… oh my!

On February 11, 2011December 12, 2013 By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe, THOUGHTSLeave a comment

This is a Cooking Light recipe, and it’s TO. DIE. FOR. I’m not kidding you! My husband says “It’s so good it’ll make your tongue beat your brains out!” or something like that. I have to admit, I haven’t heard that saying before, the images that flash before my eyes give me the willies, BUT, it’s a GOOD thing… means it’s soooo gooood!

Oh yeah, the BLACK BOTTOM BANANA CREAM PIE (click on that for direct link to My Recipes where it’s easily printed) is delish! It’s not difficult, bake a pie crust, melt some chocolate, make the banana cream custard filling, slap the sliced bananas on top of the chocolate, smear on the custard, then they top with “whipped topping” EEEEK, which just doesn’t happen to be in my vocabulary. Instead mine isn’t pretty until served, I make whipped cream or if in a time pinch use the canned REAL whipped cream, then using a microplane shred a little chocolate on top and whoooaaaa! Have you got yourself a masterpiece! But don’t take my word for it. Really. Ohhhh, please tell me I didn’t toss those overripe bananas!

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

Ingredients:

1 (9-inch) Pastry Crust
3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
Dash of salt
1 1/3 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon stick margarine or butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ounces block-style fat-free cream cheese, softened
2 cups sliced ripe banana (about 2 large bananas)
1 1/2 cups frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
Chocolate curls (optional)

Preparation

Prepare and bake Pastry Crust in a 9-inch pie plate. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoons sugar, cocoa, and dash of salt in a small, heavy saucepan; gradually add 1/3 cup milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook 2 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in chocolate; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Spread chocolate mixture into bottom of prepared crust.

Combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, eggs, 1 cup milk, and margarine in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook 30 seconds or until thick. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Beat cream cheese until light (about 30 seconds). Add 1/4 cup hot custard to cream cheese, and beat just until blended. Stir in remaining custard.

Arrange banana slices on top of chocolate layer; spoon custard over bananas. Press plastic wrap onto surface of custard; chill 4 hours. Remove plastic wrap. Spread whipped topping evenly over custard. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired. Chill until ready to serve.