Oh, you'll want s'more

Raging Raspberry Pie

Making a pie crust isn't difficult. But in the instance of the Raging Raspberry pie inspiration struck, and there was no time to wait for dough to chill. This pie kicks you in the mouth with an explosion of ginger, berry and citrus. It may not be sweet enough for you so adjust as you like.

Pie Crust Recipes or ------>

Filling:
2 cups raspberries
1 cup blackberries
1 cup turbindo sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp cloves
zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1 cup boiling H20

Bake the bottom crust in an ungreased pan for 2 to 3 minutes in a hot 400 degree oven. Let cool. Blend sugar, cornstarch, cloves and boiling H20 in a small bowl. Add the lemon zest and ginger. Fill the shell with the berries. Pour H20 mixture over filling. Add the top crust. Now decorate the show the rage within.

Brush the crust with an egg white. Bake this bitch at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.


Nomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnom...
This may be a bit zesty for you, so adjust for your tastes. I love the tartness with the spicy ginger. Obviously serve ala mode - bon appetit!

Value = 3/5

Healthy = 2/5

Tasty = 5/5

Ease =  3/5

Bavarian Creme Cupcakes

A fellow Elizabeth came over the other day to bake cupcakes. This was the first time I've ever made filled cupcakes. I'm not going to write an entire cupcake recipe so you can check one out [here.] We used vanilla, but you can also try chocolate, orange, lemon, or strawberry. After the cupcakes cool, slice them in half. Take large spoonfuls of the Bavarian creme and place in middle of the cupcake. Melt some 3/4 cup dark chocolate with 2 tbsp. cream in a double boiler. Top cupcakes while chocolate is still warm.

 Bavarian Creme

2 c. milk or 1 c. milk plus 1 c. half and half
Vanilla
6 egg yolks
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1 tbsp. unflavored gelatin
3 tbsp. cold water
Touch of vanilla

Put milk and vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Beat the egg yolks and the sugar on medium speed until the mixture whitens and forms a ribbon. Still beating, add the milk to the egg yolks. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Heat slowly, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. DO NOT ALLOW TO BOIL. When the liquid coats a spatula, remove from heat, and place the pan in a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. WHILE STILL WARM, add the gelatin that has been dissolved in the cold water. Cool in refrigerator.

Value = 2/5

Healthy = 1/5

Tasty = 5/5

Ease =  3/5

too good to be true

Scientists have been working on diet bacon for years. Finally, a breakthrough.

Quick Vegi Quiche

Sometimes the crust gets nibbled on before you can take the pic.

1 lb. fresh spinach, chopped, cooked & drained
1 medium onion

6 oz. fresh mushrooms

Garlic to taste, minced 

Butter
3/4 c. gruyere cheese (substitute Swiss, feta, mozzerella, or parmesan)
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 c. milk

Large red pepper
1 unbaked 9" pie crust

Saute onion and garlic in butter until slightly golden. Add mushrooms and spinach. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until excess moisture evaporates. Let cool slightly. The hot vegetables cause the egg mixture to cook. Combine spinach mixture with cheese, eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour into pie shell. Arrange red pepper on outer edge of quiche. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake 10 minutes more or until top puffs and center moves slightly when quiche is moved. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. This will supposedly feed 8. Or two very hungry people.

Value = 4/5

Healthy = 4/5

Tasty = 4/5
Ease = 4/5

Baked Tomatos and Shrimp with Feta

 I served this with couscous, but it would also be delicious over linguine, spaghetti squash, or the starch of your choosing.

Thanks to Ms Jenn Fleming for sending me the recipe - You can get it [here.]

Value = 3/5

Healthy = 4/5

Tasty = 4/5

Ease = 4/5

thai one on

I grew up in the mid-west where most local Asian restaurants have punny names (Side Wok, Thai Tantic). So this is my unauthentic Phad thai. Obviously the sauce is the secret - I haven't attempted my own sauce yet, so I usually buy a mix at a local Asian or World market.

12 oz med rice noodles

Phad thai sauce packet

2 tbsp. peanut oil
2 minced garlic cloves
1 lb large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1/3 cup chopped, fresh cilantro
3 sliced scallion
1/4 cup salted roasted peanuts, chopped

Cook pasta as directed. Drain.In a small bowl mix sauce. In a large skillet over med heat, add oil. Add garlic, cook until softened. Add shrimp and cayenne pepper. Cook, turning once until shrimp are opaque. Remove from skillet. Reserve.
In same skillet, cook eggs, stirring until set, 2 minutes. Stir in pasta, shrimp, and sauce until coated. Stir in sprouts, cilantro, and scallion. Transfer to serving platter.
Sprinkle with peanuts, garnish with lime. Serves 4-6.

Value = 4/5

Healthy = 4/5

Tasty = 5/5

Ease =  4/5

Killer BBQ Kalzone

Never attempt to make someone else's recipe the same way they did. Especially if the recipe is a well-established, well-loved Italian classic. My boy's Ma makes a kalzone so killer it alters the spelling of the word. Thanks to Lady Di for showing me the ropes, below is my take on the klassic.

 

4 slices bacon
1/2 small red onion

2 garlic cloves

2 medium chicken breasts

3/4 c BBQ sauce of your choice (ellebeezy recommends Stubbs)

1 lb pizza dough (Trader Joe's, or Whole Foods)

1 1/4 c shredded mozzerella cheese

1/4 c parmesan cheese

1 egg white

Italian herb blend

Sesame seeds

Cook bacon until crispy. Break into little pieces. And if you love bacon as much as I do you're gonna wanna cook the chicken in the bacon grease. Once chicken no longer has any pink, remove from heat and shred. Chop onion and garlic.Add to chicken and bacon. Stir in BBQ sauce. Set mixture aside. 

Divide dough in half. Roll out each half so that dough is about 1/2-1/4 inch thick. Place 1/2 of BBQ mixture in the center of dough. Repeat. Sprinkle cheese over BBQ. Fold up the edges of the dough forming a tube (Calzone is Italian for trouser or stocking. Keep this in mind while forming dough tube). 

Place your two well formed dough trousers in a lightly greased pan. Brush the tops of calzone with the egg white. Sprinkle with Italian herbs and sesame seeds.

Cook calzones in 425 degree oven for 30-40 minutes.Pull out and let stand for 5-10 minutes before enjoying. Makes 3 to 4 servings. It's best to have extra BBQ on hand.

Value = 2/5

Healthy = 3/5

Tasty = 5/5

Ease =  3/5

miss me?

So I haven't updated in awhile. Been busy with moving and living but I have lots of yumz for you all coming in 2010!  In the meantime, I have been munching the hell out of alphabet pasta.

Rummin' out cocktail ideas?

Urrrrh. Maybe I'll change the title of this post later. In the meantime, gray skies will clear when you mix up a batch of these sweet adult beverages. I believe the correct pronunciation is moe-JEE-toe. As usual with cocktails I dilute the mixture with soda water to cut calories. I also froze some fresh mint leaves in the ice tray, crushing them first to release the aroma.

3 oz. Bacardi or other light Rum
2 oz. Lime juice
2 oz. Soda Water
6 Mint Leaves
1 Teaspoon Sugar
Splash of Pineapple juice
Crush mint leaves in bottom of cocktail shaker. Add sugar and rum and juice. Shake with ice. Add soda water. If ya wanna be fancy garnish with pineapple.

Value = 2/5

Tasty = 5/5

Ease =  3/5

When the moon hits your eye, Like a BBQ pizza pie

For my friend and pizza partner Slim Chances, that's amore. Without fail, if the two of us concoct one a BBQ chix pizza, he is begging to have another one the next day. It's like the first time you try crack. I don't have to tell you kiddies, that's a bfd.

*Shoutout to pal-y Polley for his brilliant additions of feta and bacon.

1 (14 oz pkg) Boboli pizza pre-baked crust
1/2 bottle BBQ sauce [ellebeezy recommends Stubbs TANGY]
1 c. feta cheese
1 (9 oz) fully cooked, carved chicken breast

4 pieces bacon, crumpled
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced

1 yellow pepper
1/2 cup shredded mozzerella cheese

Fresh cilantro leaves.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place crust on baking sheet. Spread with 1/4 bottle BBQ sauce. Sprinkle with feta cheese. Mix chicken with remaining sauce. Top crust with chicken, onion,bacon,  mozzerella, and yellow peppers.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cheese has melted.
Garnish with cilantro.

Value = 3/5

Healthy = 2/5

Tasty = 5/5

Ease =  3/5

Baked Eggplant Parm

Finicky eaters do not like vegetables. Especially weird looking or tasting ones. I wanted a healthier, palatable version of eggplant parm and I choose to cook this one with the sauce on the side versus layered. The finished casserole had nice texture and wasn't soggy, so I think serving the sauce on the side was pretty genius.

1 eggplant

Diced canned tomatoes in water

2 eggs

1 cup breadcrumbs (ellebeezy uses Italian flavored Panko)
EVOO

Low fat mozzarella cheese
Garlic to taste

Salt and pepper

For easy cleanup, line baking pan with foil and wipe with olive oil. Saute garlic, in oil, adding salt and pepper to taste.Add tomatoes and set aside. Beat eggs in a small bowl. Slice eggplant into 1/4 inch slices, or as thinly as possible. Dip eggplant in egg mixture, then coat sides with breadcrumbs.
Place first layer of eggplant into baking dish. Top with sliced mozzarella cheese. Continue layering eggplant and mozzarella until you have 2 or 3 layers.
Bake in a 350°F oven for 30-40min or until cooked through. Serve with tomatoes. Top with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Value = 5/5

Healthy = 4/5

Tasty = 4/5
Ease = 4/5

Once the temperature hits 90, I stay out of the kitchen. I got the idea for this fresh azn salad from the Trader Joe's demo.

 

 

Asian Peanut Slaw

1 package tri-blen coleslaw mix (red, green cabbage and carrots julienned)
1 small red onion diced
1 red bell pepper julienned
1/2 cucumber julienned
Asian peanut dressing (Trader Joe's cheap and delicious, but here is a recipe)
1 package honey roasted peanuts
1 package spicy peanuts
Blend all vegetables in a large bowl. Toss with peanut dressing. Top with peanuts. This salad will keep for a few days. I recommend an adult beverage to wash it down.