Portlebay, Sriracha, and Coney Island Classics

Portlebay makes some delicious kracklecorn with unique and interesting flavours. The Orchard Wood Smoked Cheddar is flavourful where as the Chilli & Lime is sheer tasty bliss. This artisan popcorn is produced in Devon, England and if you can find a bag I highly recommend trying it. To find out more about Portlebay Popcorn click *here* 

Sriracha... doesn't need an explanation. With all the Sriracha influenced products out there why should popcorn go amiss. With a Sriracha smell and taste this will please any Sriracha enthusiast! Find out more about POP! Sriracha Popcorn by clicking *here* 

Barbeque popcorn is great however Smokin' Barbeque kettle corn with Pink Himalayan salt sounds intriguing. I thought this flavour would have a bit more of a robust smoky taste. Still, the subtle sweet savoury flavours make this popcorn very easy to munch. To find out more about the Brooklyn based Coney Island Classics click *here*

We have been enjoying ourselves... having some summertime fun! Hope everyone has a great weekend! - JD 

Haute Dogs

Hot dogs were and still are reserved for fairgrounds and baseball games However, restaurants and cafés becoming specialized in one menu item motifs seems to be the trend.   

It is an all American classic that has endured over the years to include street vendors and backyard barbeques. Whether you like a traditional hot dog wiener, a smokie, a sausage or a bratwurst; how you dress your dog says something about your personality and your environment and ultimately where you live. Haute Dogs are American classics, Modern America, South and Central America and are European, African and Asian. Hot dogs are global. This book has every hot dog possibly imaginable... including a waffle dog? 

Yes, a waffle dog for breakfast or brunch. Oooh fancy dipping that into maple syrup! Which now I have an idea for a breakfast dog... A bun, toasted, filled with a sausage, some grated cheese, salsa and scrabbled egg on top. Or ditch the salsa and add maple syrup because maple syrup is fantastic with everything!  

My favourite is the vegan or vegetarian dogs. Plenty of options to get your veg on! 

Cooking methods vary from open flame, grill or boil, flat top or pan fry, deep fry, simmer or boil, roast, roller, steam, barbeque or smoke. This cookbook has it covered and smothered in anything your taste buds can imagine. Unique and delicious for something so basic and well known is how I would sum up this cookbook. Plenty of recipes for condiments, sauces and toppings. The one that stood out was the pineapple relish. Which I have to make because this would be great on burgers too.

Pineapple Relish

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Makes about 1 cup

3/4 cup pineapple, fresh and finely chopped or from 1 can crushed

2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger

Juice of 1 lime

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients. Store in a airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

Here in E-town there is a vendor called Fat Franks which offers a variety of hot dogs. I usually opt for the jumbo vegetarian dog which is a jumbo soy veggie dog. However this time I gave the turkey jumbo dog a try because it was low in fat and sodium. I loaded it with ketchup, mustard, onions, zesty relish, if only I had pineapple relish instead, hot banana peppers and two pickles. It was delicious! 

Hope everyone had a great weekend and a good start to the week. Go get your Haute Dog on!  - JD 

   

Hibiscus Soda

I never heard of hibiscus soda until cruising the aisles at the one of the local organic grocery shops. I have drank hibiscus tea so I thought I would give this soda a try. It is quite tart, which I enjoyed immensely, refreshing and we all thought it had a cream soda like taste. It is low in sugar only 14 grams unlike other sodas and juice which can run anywhere from 25 grams up to 43 grams. Hibiscus soda is great on it's own or you could add a bit of gin for a lovely summer cocktail. 

Have a great weekend everyone! - JD

Food Photo of the Day ~ Cheesy Macaroni with Broccoli and Cauliflower

The kidlets have ate cheesy macaroni with broccoli before however adding cauliflower brought this to a whole other level for them. I wasn't quite sure how much of a warm reception the cauliflower would receive. Regardless, adding more vegetables is a plus and can make any classic that much more healthy. The only thing that would make this even more delicious is... more cheese! 

- JD 

Leftovers #19 ~ Tea Infused Apple Compote Sauce

Leftover tea usually gets enjoyed as ice tea or on occasion as a Flappers ice tea however this time I had a few apples that had seen better days and decided to make a tea infused apple compote. Which became the delicious filling for crêpes. With only 4 ingredients it is super easy to make. 

Tea Infused Apple Compote Sauce

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Apples, peeled, cored and chopped; I used about 8 to 10 Granny Smith apples.

Leftover tea or freshly brewed tea, any flavour; I had about 1 cup and a bit of Fortnum's Smoky Earl Grey.

Cinnamon, how much depends on taste; I used about 2 teaspoons.

Sugar, dark brown or casters, it is up to you; depends on how sweet you want the compote to be. The tea I used had a very rich, smoky flavour so I wanted to add a bit of sweetness to balance the compote not to totally decimate the teas flavour.

Possibly after boiling you made need to thicken the sauce that is created by mixing a tablespoon of cornstarch with water in a separate bowl then adding it to the apple mixture; I did need to add a bit of this to thicken the sauce even though the apple to tea ratio was more, as you can see from the photo below. 

Place all ingredients in a large sauce pan and bring to a boil then turn down to medium heat and continue to simmer until apples are soft... not mushy they should still have some bite left.  

Remove from heat and if need be then stir in the corn starch mixture to thicken the sauce. 

Using a hand blender roughly chop the apple mixture however not blending too much as you do not want it the consistency of apple sauce. If you do not have a hand blender then use a stationary blender by pouring the apple mixture into the blender's jug, after it has slightly cooled, doing a few rough pulses however do not over blend.

This compote is great for crêpes, pancakes, French toast, cake fillings, served with cheese and crackers, pork, and chicken. Very versatile and easy to make. 

Sweet BBQ Sauce

After looking up a multitude of barbeque sauce recipes for inspiration; I decided to sift through the pantry and whip up a sauce with what I had on hand. It was sweet and sticky. Which was great for the drumsticks I made, pictured here, however it would be perfect for ribs or a pork tenderloin.   

 

Simple ingredients pulled right from the pantry to create this dark, sticky sauce.  

A rich amber treacle with a wonderful savoury smell. After it mellowed in the refrigerator for a few hours it became more thick and all the flavours came together. 

Sweet Barbeque Sauce

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1 cup of golden syrup or honey

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon of the following:

ground cinnamon

ground cumin

ground ginger

oregano

paprika

1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt

1 shallot, finely diced 

1 clove of garlic, crushed

freshly ground pepper, optional 

Place all the ingredients into large bowl. Stir throughly to combine. Once all ingredients are mixed together; cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

Notes: If you find 1 cup of golden syrup or honey too sweet then add less. I used 1 cup of golden syrup and found that I could have reduced that to 3/4 cup. 

Have a good weekend everyone! - JD 

Peanut Butter and Jam Sandwich Cookies

The weekend was hot, muggy and fruitful and after some much needed rest; yesterday afternoon my daughter and myself made these peanut butter teddy bear cookies. We had loads of fun and it was nice to relax inside the kitchen. 

I found this kit at the Dollarstore. It included a plastic storage bear container, a container of Kraft peanut butter, a teddy bear cookie cutter, 1 recipe card and a coupon for Kraft peanut butter.  All this for $3.00!  

Peanut Butter and Jam Sandwich Cookies

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Prep time: 15 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 27 minutes (including refrigerating)

Makes: 28 servings, 1 cookie sandwich (26g) each

#sticktogether

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup Kraft Smooth Peanut Butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup casters sugar (granulated sugar)

1 1/2 cups flour

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon Magic baking powder

1/3 cup Kraft Pure Strawberry Jam, divided

Beat butter, peanut butter and sugars in a large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy.

Add egg; mix well. Gradually beat in combined flour and baking powder.

Refrigerate 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350ºF. Roll dough to 1/4 - inch thickness on floured surface. Cut into 56 cookies, using teddy bear butter. Place, 2 inches apart, on greased baking sheets.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute.

Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Spread 1/2 teaspoon jam onto each of the 28 cookies; cover with remaining cookies.

Notes: I have copied the recipe as it is stated on the recipe card. It is your choice whether or not to use the brand name products. You don't have to use Kraft brand peanut butter. You may want to use another brand or try soy nut butter or pea butter for a peanut butter substitute. I used the raspberry jam I had on hand instead of the strawberry jam suggested. If you do not have a teddy bear cookie cutter then use whatever shape you like or have because it will still be a peanut butter and jam sandwich cookie regardless of the shape. The teddy bear shape just makes them sweet. 

Hope everyone had a great weekend! I was participating in an annual art show. - JD 

The Coffee Lover's Handbook

Sounds more like a manual than a guide however if you love coffee than this would be a great book to have. Even if you are not a coffee lover or a coffee drinker there are a few recipes in this book to get one curious and loads of information to help you choose "the perfect cup of coffee." A hot cup of java provides a temperary perk to ones morning or afternoon however when temperatures rise reaching for an iced coffee brings instant refreshment. 

From it's humble utilitarian beginnings in Uganda to it's mainstream perfect roast, in-house coffeehouses, the coffee bean has played an important role throughout history. The first documented evidence of cultivating the coffee bean was by the Arabians in about 575 A.D. After time coffee became a cure for just about what ailed you and that it was first sold in European drugstores in 1615. By 1650 coffeehouses were open across Europe in such places as Venice, Paris, and London. The English coffeehouses were not as glamorous as the Turkish and French coffeehouses. Often being seen as a seditious place that catered to the literary. It is said that Alexander Pope, a famous poet and satirist, inhaled the steam from coffee to be relieved from his constant headaches. 
By the 1700's coffeehouses became a regular meeting place. It was not until the middle of the 18th century that coffeehouses were introduced to North America however by the middle of the 18th century the U.S. and England had nearly transformed all of their coffeehouses into taverns. High coffee taxes and the popularity of tea saw the diminish of the coffeehouse and it was not until the 1950's that the infamous coffeehouses made a comeback. As for today's coffeehouses they are as popular as ever still being a place to meet, relax, and enjoy a cup of coffee.   

I wanted to share a few recipes from the book in hopes that it will inspire, and refresh you. 

SOY NUT COFFEE CAKE

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Batter:

2 cups brown sugar

6 room temperature eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt, preferably sea salt

1/2 cup soy or vegetable oil

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup soy flour

3 teaspoons tartrate baking powder

1/2 cup milk

Filling and topping:

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup what germ

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Beat sugar and eggs until thick and light. Beat in vanilla and salt. Fold in oil and butter. Sift remaining dry ingredients and fold into batter alternately with the milk. 

Combine filling ingredients in a small bowl Pour half the cake batter into an oiled 10" tube pan; sprinkle with 3/4 of nut mixture. Add remaining batter and nut mixture. Bake about 75 minutes at 325ºF. Serve slightly warm.

COFFEE ICE CREAM 

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(makes 1 gallon)

Ingredients:

4 eggs

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

7 cups milk

3 cups whipping cream

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Add coffee powder to vanilla and stir until dissolved. Beat eggs until light. Add sugar slowly, beating until thick. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Freeze in 5 quart ice cream freezer. 

MORNING PUNCH COFFEE BREAKFAST

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( makes 5, 1 cup servings )

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cold coffee, fresh or instant

3 eggs

2 cups cold milk

1 cup plain yogurt or vanilla ice cream

3 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon chocolate, if desired

1 tablespoon brewer's yeast, if desired

1 teaspoon grated orange or lemon peel

dash of cinnamon, cloves or ginger to taste

Put all the ingredients in the blender and mix at full speed until frothy. Serve immediately in tall, culled glasses. If you don't have a blender, use and egg beater to mix in a big bowl or shake in a covered container. Makes a great nutritious quickie breakfast. 


Hope everyone is having a great week. It has been a hot and very busy one for myself and it looks like the weekend will be too. Enjoy! -JD 

Breakfast Burrito

This morning my son wanted to make us breakfast and he decided on the breakfast burrito. Which consisted of scrambled eggs, bacon, refried beans, salsa, green onion and shredded cheddar cheese. He did everything himself except cook the bacon and the side of hash brown patties, myself and his stepdad prepared those. I was on hand as his kitchen assistant and only cleared the unwanted items away. The burritos were very tasty and filling! 

Hats off to the Sunday chef... the elusive kitchen cape crusader is pictured here. Prepping and assembling and much sighing because I was taking his photo. 

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! - JD  

Food Photo of the Day ~ Caramel Almond Ice Cream

We are sweltering in the heat today therefore we are enjoying the homemade ice cream that my son helped me make. He placed caramel sauce between layers of ice cream that had thin slices of almonds and almond flavouring before it went in the freezer to set. Very delicious and very refreshing on such a hot day.

Have a good weekend everyone and stay cool! - JD

1 Sauce, 100 Recipes

There is an adage "As long as you have your two cents you will never be poor" this cookbook made me think of that saying in this way.. as long as you have tomato sauce you will never be hungry. That could very well be this cookbook's premise. One basic sauce recipe equals 100 dishes. A basic tomato sauce can work well with just about anything... meat, fish, tofu, vegetables, and eggs. It spans cooking from many countries around the globe such as Europe, the Middle East, Mexico and India. It is the base for stews and saucy baked layer dishes. One of the main ingredients for pizza and pasta and may be served as a hot or cold dip. There are plenty of recipes in this book to make you favour tomatoes, whether it be fresh or canned. I  bookmarked about 40 recipes that I can see us enjoying. 

Some helpful tomato facts I have learnt:

-Plum tomatoes are perfect for cooking. They are dense, have less watery flesh than plump round tomatoes.

-Tomato paste intensifies the flavour of tomatoes. If you don't have tomato paste omit the sugar (from which ever recipe) and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of ketchup instead.

- Unripe tomatoes are better for making chutneys not sauces.

-Basil is the perfect herb for tomato sauces. 

- Garlic, celery, yellow onion and olive oil will all add depth and flavour to tomato sauce. 

- Canned tomatoes are excellent for making tomato sauce. Also they are readily available all year round. 

A good tomato sauce is quick and easy to make, I agree. What you do add to it, will give it that sweet rich of flavour. Here are two delicious recipes from the cookbook. 

Basic Tomato Sauce (makes about 2 1/2 cups)

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2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive or other vegetable oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

400 grams/ 14 oz canned tomatoes or 500 g/ 1 lbs 2 oz plum tomatoes, peeled, cored, and chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

brown sugar, to taste

1 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs and/or 1 - 2 teaspoons dried herbs, and/or 1 - 2 bay leaves

scant 1/2 cup water

salt and pepper

Met the butter with the oil in  pan. Add the onion, garlic, and celery and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar to taste, herbs, and water and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 - 20 minutes, until thickened.

Green Beans Spanish Style

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2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

2 lb 4 oz / 1 kg green beans, cut into 1 inch/2.5-cm lengths

1 lb 12 oz / 800g canned chopped tomatoes

2 tablespoon tomato paste

brown sugar to taste

1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives, plus extra for garnish

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon chopped pine nuts

1 tablespoon lemon juice

salt and pepper

Melt the butter with the oil in a large pan. Add the shallots, garlic, and celery and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the beans and cook, stirring occasionally, for and additional 4 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar to taste, chives, bay leaf, pine nuts, and lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the beans are tender and the sauce has thickened.

Remove and discard the bay leaf. Transfer the mixture to a warmed serving dish, garnish with chives, and serve immediately. 

I hope fellow Canadians had a fun Canada Day. And most are not too upset over England's loss in the Women's World Cup. The weekend is almost here!  - JD