Cordon Bleu for a Crowd

Cooking Tip of the Day

Cordon Bleu… whether you chose chicken or whether you spring for the veal…. Cordon Bleu can be a fantastic possibility for a main dish at a celebration party. The presentation can be sensational and best of all it can be prepared ahead.

Another major perk to choosing Cordon Bleu as a main dish is that you can do a couple of simple vegetables (fresh asparagus, green beans or carrots to name a few) and a potato dish or a rice (pilaf is great for this) …. maybe include a light wine sauce on the side …and you’re good to go… very simple and elegant.

You can prep them and partially cook them in a skillet (see my Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe) and cover them loosely with foil and finish them up in the oven.

I would fry then until golden brown on each side… then bake them to finish them.

Baking times will vary… and you should check doneness with a meat thermometer.

I would definitely do a couple of “dry runs” by cooking them with this method for a family meal. The dish is delicious and not expensive to make…. so the dry runs should be enjoyable. Make note of the thickness of the chicken breasts you purchase for the dry runs…. and the heat setting on your stove… so you will be able to duplicate what you did during the dry run.

You can place an order with the butcher at your supermarket... make sure you specify exactly what you want.... the size and thickness... If you are purchasing a considerable amount... ask if you could possibly get a discount... I did... and the manager gave me a percentage off. Make sure to make the arrangements well in advance... talk to the butcher and ask how much notice they would prefer.

Each stove and oven is slightly different, so unfortunately, I can’t give you an exact setting and time for cooking… only approximates that worked for me, that’s why I would recommend you do a dry run and purchase an instant read thermometer, if you don’t already have one.

Instant Mini Grilling Thermometers

Tip of the Day

I while ago I did a post on the various types of thermometers available… one I didn’t post about is an instant grilling meat thermometer. They aren’t used solely for grilling… they can be used in an oven as well… and they can remain in the food or they can be used to poke the meat and get an instant read.

I watched a short video clip that Emeril used when making a Chicken Cordon Bleu in connection with Whole Foods. He used an instant thermometer… one very much like the picture on this tip and it reminded me that I wanted to mention this as a tip.

I took the picture from the Williams Sonoma website. They have a set that is a Williams Sonoma exclusive by Taylor. A set of two poultry thermometers and two beef thermometers for $20.00 (US) … price as of today. The beef thermometers indicate rare, medium, and well-done temperatures, and the two for poultry indicate the ideal temperatures for breast and thigh meat temperatures.

I don’t get anything for “hawking” their stuff… I just wanted to list it since I did use their picture as an illustration of the type of thermometer I’m talking about… and the price … to give you an idea of how much they are. The price is definitely in the range of others like it.

These types of thermometers are an excellent tool for your kitchen and takes the guess work out of deciding if something is done or not… very much worth the investment.

Tips for Making Coffee for a Crowd

Tip of the Day

The secrets to making great coffee for a crowd are accurate measuring, brewing time, a clean pot and, of course, the coffee itself.

Whether you’re renting, borrowing or you own the coffee maker… it is important to start out clean as a whistle….

Simple Operating Tips

Use cold water and fill the coffee maker to the proper level… remember accurate measuring is as important with water as it is with the coffee itself.

Make sure you use the proper outlet… if renting be sure to ask any questions you may have before you leave the rental store. Do not feel intimidated … different makers have different instructions… so it’s always wise to ask…. remember this is your party and you want it perfect… that’s all that matters.

Ask the rental store for any operating manual they may have or instructions regarding the use of the coffee maker.

If borrowing it from a friend, neighbor or relative… be sure to ask them for the information.

Ask the owner about cleaning instructions (rental store or person you borrowed the coffee maker from).

Always remove the coffee grinds when the coffee is finished brewing.

Cleaning Tips

Always rinse the coffee maker before returning to the party rental store.

Never immerse the coffee maker in water.

Brewing Time

This is a handy little piece of information to help you plan your time accordingly:

30-60 cups takes 60 minutes
90-100 cups takes 90 minutes

I was surprised myself at how long a pot for 100 cups can take… certainly you would need to start it well in advance of when you need to serve it.

Coffee Equivalents

1 pound of coffee is equal to 4.75 cups of ground coffee.

Always measure accurately when measuring your coffee… it can make a big difference.

30 cups = 2 cups of coffee
55-60 cups = 3.5 cups
90 cups = 6 cups

One final note…. The quality of your coffee matters too…. get a good quality coffee… don’t skimp.. assuming you’re making coffee for 100… you would use about 2-3 pounds (see the coffee buying guide post)… and assuming the difference in price is 3 dollars a pound between great coffee and passable coffee… do you really want to do that for a total savings of $6 or $9?…

Coffee and Tea Buying Guide for a Crowd

In keeping with my buying guides for large celebrations… I am including tips for coffee and tea. This is a guide to help you determine the amounts of coffee, tea, cream and sugar to purchase…

I hope you find this helpful.






Tea

Tea is, of course, a little easier than coffee. You need to figure on a coffee maker for hot water… and the amount of tea bags to purchase… thankfully, unused tea bags don’t generally go to waste… but it is helpful to consider purchase amounts when figuring your budget.

I tried finding a guide for purchasing tea for large parties (not tea parties) just to see how my amounts compare… and couldn’t find a good resource… so these are my suggestions.

When figuring how much tea to buy…I usually figure ½ the number of guests… unless you know that most of your guests would prefer tea over coffee…tea bags aren’t expensive… I’d rather have a few too many than not enough… the cream and sugar is figured in with the coffee purchase guide below….

Don’t forget to purchase lemon for the tea drinkers…. The easiest solution is to get bottled lemon juice… I never get the one in the green bottle… I always get fresh or frozen… either the one in the produce section that is in a plastic lemon container or the frozen Minute Maid one in the freezer section. You could also serve lemon wedges.

To heat the water for tea…you can usually rent a large coffee urn for $20-25(US) for large parties…. or use a 12-cup coffee maker for smaller parties…or if you have them…. you can also use insulated coffee urns and fill them with hot water …again, depending on the size of the party.

Don’t be afraid of asking friends or relatives to borrow a large coffee maker… many people have them… and it could save you some money.

Coffee

The following coffee serving guide is from Pillsbury’s Spring Celebrations soft cookbook, Pillsbury Classics 27, 1983.

Amounts to Purchase

Coffee - Serving Size = 1-1 ½ cups

For 25 Servings = ½ to ¾ pound
For 50 Servings = 1- 1 ½ pounds
For 100 Servings = 2-3 pounds

Coffee Cream - Serving Size = 2 teaspoons

For 25 Servings = 1 pint
For 50 Servings = 1quart
For 100 Servings = 2 quarts

Sugar Cubes - Serving Size = 1-2 cubes

For 25 Servings = ¾ pound
For 50 Servings = 1 ½ pounds
For 100 Servings = 3 pounds

Recipe: Eggplant Parmigiano

This recipe for Eggplant Parmigiano is absolutely delicious….I grew up in New York… most of my good friends were Italian… so I enjoyed the Italian foods my friends’ Moms made. Eggplant Parmigiano is high on that list. It really isn’t difficult to make.

You have to slice and bread the eggplant…. then traditionally it’s fried in olive oil. I will include the traditional instructions…. but I will also include a way of baking it with minimal oil. I found that when I fried the eggplant, the eggplant absorbed a lot of oil…. trying to be heart healthy… I came up with a way of baking it… and just spraying them with olive oil cooking spray. They tend to be drier… but it really doesn’t matter since you place them in a baking dish and smother them with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese…. the end result… is excellent… with a fraction of the fat content.

I used individual baking dishes in the picture above.

Manga!







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Eggplant Parmigiano Recipe

All you need:

2 medium size eggplants, peeled and sliced 1/8 to ¼ inch thick
3 eggs or egg substitute
Dash of milk
Flour seasoned with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon garlic powder (about 1 1/2-2 cups)
2 cups Italian Bread Crumbs
½ cup olive oil (if frying)
Tomato Sauce
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese, shredded

All you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel and slice eggplant.

Prepare the seasoned flour.

Whisk the egg and milk in a medium bowl.

Pour Italian seasoned bread crumbs into a plate or wide bowl.

Dredge the slices in the flour…. Then dip them into the egg mixture and then dredge in the bread crumbs.

If frying…. Heat a large skillet with the olive oil in it over medium heat. Fry the eggplant… you will need to do this in batches…. until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.

If baking… line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with olive oil cooking spray. You will need 2 cookie sheets or bake in batches.

Lay the eggplant in a sinle layer on the cookie sheet…. Lightly spray the tops of the eggplant with olive oil.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes then flip the eggplant slices and spray the tops with olive oil….bake for another 10 minutes.

In a 9x13 baking dish or individual baking dishes… spoon some tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish(es)…..

Lay the eggplant in a single layer on the dish… overlapping slightly if needed.

Spoon some tomato sauce over the eggplant slices…

Sprinkle heavily with shredded mozzarella cheese and shredded parmesan cheese.

Make another layer following the same instructions.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Uncover and cook for an additional 15 minutes or until cheese begins to brown and the sauce is bubbling.

Eggplant Parmigiano for a Crowd

Tip of the Day

Eggplant Parmigiano is an excellent addition to a buffet or just a great dish for entertaining because it can be mostly prepared in advance.

The way I make it…. I follow the instructions (dredging in flour, dipping in egg, dredging in bread crumbs...frying or baking) .....up to the last baking…. instead of baking it with the tomato sauce and cheese in a 9x13 pan… I use a large baking pan …. a cookie sheet would work too…. I cover the bottom lightly with tomato sauce and lay each slice individually … do not overlap… then I carefully spoon some sauce on each slice… and I mound the cheese on each slice…. I then bake at 350 degrees F. until the cheese is melted and starts to brown….

You can prep this all the way up to baking it… then pop them in the oven shortly before you need them… or do the last step an hour or so before the party and keep them warm….

I then remove them to serving platters… or those large aluminum pans (the throwaway kind) if I don’t have enough platters…keeping each slice separate… maybe overlapping slightly but making it easy for guests to take how ever many slices they want.

Recipe: Eggs Benedict

 

Eggs Benedict has to be one of my favorite breakfasts…. Actually I will make it for dinner sometimes too.

This is a perfect Sunday breakfast… serve it with fresh fruit salad and some good coffee… hmmm … perfect way to spend a Sunday morning.

I previously posted a recipe for Classic Hollandaise Sauce and a Slimmed Down Version.

Want a spectacular brunch idea for a crowd?  Make these for your next brunch... so easy.. make the poached eggs in the oven... no standing over a hot stove.... click here for step by step instructions... How to Make Poached Eggs in the Oven

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Eggs Benedict Recipe

All you need:

English muffins, split and toasted
Butter or margarine
Canadian bacon slices, grilled or thin sliced deli baked ham
Poached eggs
Hollandaise Sauce

All you need to do:

For each person, you need 1 English muffin, split and toasted. Butter each half and place on a plate.

Place 1 slice of Canadian bacon on each half of muffin.

Place a poached egg on top of each slice of Canadian bacon.

Top with hollandaise sauce.

I like to garnish with a few snips of fresh chives or a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.

Breakfast Idea – Eggs Benedict

Commentary

Tomorrow is National Eggs Benedict Day! So in honor of the day…. this week’s breakfast idea is Eggs Benedict. It is a repeat… I know… I featured Eggs Benedict once before… but they’re so good… they deserve the re-run.

There are differing accounts as to the origins of Eggs Benedict. Wikipedia has an interesting article on several accounts….

In one account, a retired Wall Street stockbroker named Lemuel Benedict claimed to the New Yorker in 1942 that he had invented Eggs Benedict one morning hoping to cure his hangover… he had been at the famous Waldorf Astoria in New York and ordered “buttered toast, poached eggs, crisp bacon and a hooker of hollandaise”. The maitre d’ was so impressed with the dish he put it on the breakfast and luncheon menus but substituted ham for the bacon and English muffin for the toast.

In another account, Craig Claiborne wrote an article in September of 1967 for The New York Times Magazine about a letter he had received from Edward P. Montgomery, an American living in France, claiming that the dish was created by Commodore E. C. Benedict, a banker and yachtsman. He claimed he had been given the recipe by his mother who had received it from her brother, who was a friend of the Commodore.
Wikipedia cites two more accounts of those claiming to have originated this dish… click the link if you want to read more…

And who knows… maybe they all did… how many times do you honestly think up a variation of something only to find it somewhere in a magazine or cookbook a few months later…. it happens all the time…. I like to say… Great Minds Think Alike …. GMTA for all you chat savvy people.

In any case…. Eggs Benedict is delicious and easy to make… I will re-post the recipe for your convenience… I hope you enjoy it!

Meats, Cheeses (Cold Cuts) and Condiment Buying Guide for a Crowd

If your planning on serving cold cuts for a party, it is helpful to have an idea how much to order. Many delis and deli counters at supermarkets offer information on how much to order for various size parties.

They're very helpful…. however keep in mind that much depends on how much other food you plan to serve. Those guides don’t usually take into account any other foods that might be served because they would have no way of knowing what you have planned.

This guide gives you an approximate amount of meat and cheese that would normally be consumed in a serving.

The buying guide I have figures 1 ½ buns per person… while I doubt many will eat half a bun… some guests may eat two… so I do agree with the total amounts they figure on.

I hope you find this information helpful.

Ham, Turkey, Cold Cuts (½ oz. slices) - Serving Size = 2-3 oz. or 4-6 slices (on 1 ½ buns)

For 25 servings = 3-5 lbs. (that’s a total of all varieties of meat.. for example; 2 lbs. Ham, 2 lbs. Turkey and 1 lb. Salami)
For 50 Servings = 7-9 lbs.
For 100 Servings = 14-18 lbs.

Cheese (½ oz. slices) - Serving Size = 1-1 ½ oz. or 2-3 slices

For 25 servings = 1 ½ lb.-2 ½ lbs.
For 50 Servings = 3-5 lbs.
For 100 Servings = 6-10 lbs.

Buns - Serving Size = 1 ½ buns

For 25 Servings = 3 dozen
For 50 Servings = 6 dozen
For 100 Servings = 12 dozen

Condiments – Serving Size varies depending on the condiment

Mayonnaise - Serving Size = 1-2 teaspoons

For 25 Servings = ½ to 1 cup
For 50 Servings = 1-2 cups
For 100 Servings = 2-4 cups

Mustard – Serving Size = 1 teaspoon

For 25 Servings = ½ cup
For 50 Servings = 1 cup
For 100 Servings = 2 Cups

Olives (small or medium) – Serving Size = 1 teaspoon

For 25 Servings = ½ cup
For 50 Servings = 1 cup
For 100 Servings = 2 cups

Pickles (medium spear) – Serving Size = 1

For 25 Servings = 1 quart
For 50 Servings = 2 quarts
For 100 Servings = 4 quarts

Source: Classic Pillsbury Cookbooks No. 147 May 1993 - All New Party Cook Book

Photo:  Publix Supermarkets

Fruit and Vegetable Buying Guide for a Crowd

Tip of the Day


So just how much does that pineapple yield in servings?

Ever want to serve fruits or vegetables for a party and stood in the produce section of the supermarket scratching your head trying to visualize just how much fruit salad all those fruits in your cart are going to make? Been there done that…. honestly… we love fruit so I make up the fruit salad… and eat off the leftovers for a week…. but realistically … it is better to plan… cheaper too.

The buying guide I have says to allow ½ cup bite sized pieces of fruit per serving. I tend to agree… depending on what else you are serving… if you’re serving tea sandwiches and fruit salad… and no other salads… I would allow for more per person. Take out your ½ cup dry measure and visualize the contents on a plate… if that’s what you envision your guests eating.. then you’re on target.

Okay… so now all you have to do is multiply the number of guests by the serving size… and see what you’re shooting for as a total. Now the fun part… figuring out just how much that pineapple will yield ….

Here are some approximate amounts that yield from different fruits:

18 lb. watermelon = 16 cups
4 lb. pineapple = 5 cups
3 lb. honeydew or cantaloupe = 4 cups
1 pint of strawberries, blueberries or raspberries = 2 cups
1 lb. green grapes = 2 cups
3 oz. kiwi = ½ cup

Depending on the number of guests you have… in order to get the variety of fruit in a fruit salad without having way too much… it may be more economical to buy some pre-cut fruit in smaller quantities … it’s something to consider.


With vegetables… planning is a little trickier….a lot will depend on just what other items you are serving….and what the vegetable is being used for…. as a side to a meal or as a crudite for a dip….

Let’s assume the vegetable is a crudite for a dip…. The guide says to allow 4-6 pieces per serving…. I think that may be on the low side… but again it depends what else you will have for hors d’oeuvres… you will need to use your judgment.

Here are some approximate amounts that yield from different vegetables:

2 lb. broccoli or cauliflower = 32 (1 ¼ inch) florets
1 lb. carrots = 65 sticks
1 ¾ lb. celery = 100 sticks
1 pint cherry tomatoes = 25 tomatoes
1 ½ cucumbers = 50 slices
1 lb. zucchini (2 medium) = 50 slices

Remember these are approximate… and obviously depend on how thick you slice the vegetables… and again… depending on the size of the party… it may be more economical to buy some things pre-sliced. I, personally, prefer buying the small Belgium carrots in the bag… they dip easy and it’s one thing less I have to do.

I hope this helps you with your party planning.

Source: Classic Pillsbury Cookbooks No. 147 May 1993 - All New Party Cook Book

Buying Guides for a Crowd

I love to throw a party…. I love it all… the planning… the prep… the cooking… the serving… the party! It’s taken a long time to learn just how much to make for a crowd…. I never want to run out of something… not that it’s a bad thing really… it just means everyone really liked what I served…. but it’s just me…. I want to have enough for everyone…. and I still to this day… make too much…. I have gotten better over the years…. I really don’t want to waste food, time and money… and I definitely don’t want to be eating leftovers for a week.

I came across a food purchasing guide years ago from Pillsbury… some things I disagreed with (so obviously I left those out) but some things I found especially helpful… with the spring celebration season just beginning …. I thought I would share them with you.

I will publish a number of buying guides for my Tips of the Day in the coming days….

I hope you find them helpful.







Here are some links to great posts that may help you plan your party:

Fruit and Vegetable Buying Guide for a Crowd

Meats, Cheeses (Cold Cuts) and Condiment Buying Guide for a Crowd

Coffee and Tea Buying Guide for a Crowd

Recipe: Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

I’ve made this recipe for crab stuffed mushrooms for years…. My son and I love mushrooms… and stuffed mushrooms are on top of the list. Over the years we have tried stuffing them with just about everything… well… maybe not everything… but close to it. We would fool around with ingredients and tweak them each time we made them.

This recipe is the result of tweaking…. it’s similar to many other stuffed mushroom recipes I have.

TIPS

I used imitation crab because crab is so expensive… one thing I do need to make you aware of though, is that I find the imitation crab meat to have a less intense flavor than real crab meat…. so if you want a heavy crab flavor… I would use 3 cups rather than two cups of chopped imitation crab meat. or use real crab meat. I would leave all the other ingredients the same… after mixing it you think it’s too dry… add more chicken broth … a tablespoon at a time until you have a lightly moist stuffing… not too wet… just a little moist.

I bought my imitation crab meat at the seafood counter in the supermarket… they sell it loose… I asked for a large handful… which ended up .40 of a pound…. It worked out to only 99 cents (US)… after chopping in the mini chopper it was about 2 cups… you do not have to measure exactly for the crab meat.

This should make enough to stuff 15-20 stuffing mushrooms, depending on size. The large stuffing mushrooms also tend to be expensive… I bought a package of regular size mushrooms… the package looked like it had mostly medium sized mushrooms… and they really work fine… they bake just as well… and are bite sized after baking.

I used shredded parmesan cheese… you can get small containers of it in the gourmet cheese section in the supermarket… I love to cook with it… it’s also great on pasta dishes. If you don’t have it you can use grated parmesan as a substitute.

I used my mini chopper to chop the imitation crab… a few pulses got it just right.

You will have extra Stove Top Stuffing mix…. I save it in a Zip loc bag…

I hope you enjoy these!







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Crab Stuffed Mushroom Recipe

All you need:

About 15- 20 stuffing mushrooms or about double that amount of regular size mushrooms
2 cups Stove Top Stuffing Savory Herb flavor
2 cups imitation crab or crab meat, chopped
½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
¼ cup onion, finely chopped
¼ cup chicken broth
1 stick butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic powder

All you have to do:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Line 2 9x13 pans with non-stick foil.

Clean and remove the stems of the mushrooms.

In a large bowl combine all ingredients… mix well.

Stuff each mushroom… pressing the stuffing into the mushroom.

Place on foil lined pan.

Spray the mushrooms lightly with butter flavored cooking spray.

Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Save Leftover Unused Dry Bread Stuffing

Cooking Tip of the Day

I have a number of recipes that use dry bread stuffing… Stove Top… or the bagged variety… or sometimes I want to make homemade stuffing… there is just two of us… and making a whole bag is a waste… we’d be eating it for a week.. So my solution is to make only a portion of the stuffing mix.

Sometimes a recipe, such as stuffed mushrooms only uses 1 or 2 cups of it… leaving some unused.

I keep the leftover unused dry stuffing in a zip loc for use at another time or I put it in my mini chopper and make seasoned bread crumbs. It’s great in meat loaf or as breading on oven baked chicken or pork chops.

I especially like these seasoned bread crumbs because they’re seasoned but not Italian seasoned… I don’t always want seasoned bread crumbs to be Italian seasonings… otherwise everything starts to taste the same.

Happy Easter from Us to You !

Recipe: Ambrosia

This recipe for Ambrosia is terrific… I adapted it slightly from Alton Brown of the Food Network. I wanted to try and make it for Easter this year…

I must tell you, I wasn’t fond of the Ambrosias I’ve tasted previously. Most used Cool Whip…. Now mind you, I’m not one to look down my nose on Cool Whip… I actually use it in a lot of recipes… but for some reason I didn’t care for it on these fruits…. So I was pleasantly surprised when I made this… at the wonderful taste. The sweetness of the whipped cream with the tanginess of the sour cream are just perfect.

I listed the pecans as optional… I have seen recipes that don’t use nuts… and some that do… besides not everyone likes nuts…. I, on the other hand, love pecans… but to appease some people I made it for… I left them out and it was delicious.

His recipe calls for homemade mini marshmallows… Here is the link to his mini marshmallow recipe if you want to make them. I think I will try the marshmallow recipe another time… for the Ambrosia I wanted it done quickly, so I used store bought.

I used mandarin oranges instead of clementines… we like mandarin oranges.

I also added a sliced banana too... I thought it went well with it.

It’s very easy … very quick to prepare… a last minute addition that would be perfect or even an after Easter add-on to the inevitable leftovers…. I like to do that too…. make something special to add to leftovers… makes them more interesting.

I hope you try this… it’s a great way to get kids to eat their fruits!

Enjoy!

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Recipe:  Ambrosia

All you need:

½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
4 ounces sour cream
3 cups of mini marshmallows
1 cup clementine orange sections (about 6 clementines)or Mandarin oranges * See TIPS
1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
1 banana, sliced
1 cup grated coconut (I used sweetened coconut)
1 cup toasted, chopped pecans (optional)
½ cup drained maraschino cherries

All you need to do:

Place the cream and the sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whip until stiff peaks are formed.

Add the sour cream and whisk to combine.

Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Transfer to a glass serving bowl, cover and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.

Serves 6.

Making Leftovers Interesting

Cooking Tip of the Day

Let’s face it we know ahead of time that there will inevitably be leftovers. If you plan on serving them for another meal, you may want to consider adding a new addition to the meal… a special dish that will “dress up” the leftover.

In the case of Easter ham, why don’t you consider making Ambrosia… a fruit salad with mini marshmallows and a sweet and tangy whipped cream over them… kids will love it and it goes so well with ham and it’s a great way to get everyone to eat their fruits!

I posted an Ambrosia recipe today that I adadpted slightly from Alton Brown of the Food Network that is just wonderful..

Recipe: Corn Fritters

This recipe for corn fritters is one from my Mother. She would make corn fritters periodically when I was growing up. We loved them…. I still do. My brother and I would love to pick off the crunchy pieces that stick out on some… it would drive her nuts…. LOL… but then again.. kids will be kids.

It wasn’t until I was in the south had I ever heard of putting honey on corn fritters… and I do love honey…. So now I’m a definite convert… I drizzle honey on my corn fritters… but however you eat them… they are sure to please.

Corn fritters go well with ham… so I decided now would be a good time to post the recipe… just in time for Easter.

TIPS

My Mother uses canned corn… and I prefer to use frozen corn thawed… either one works well.

I don’t have a fancy fryer… I use a large heavy pot… and melt Crisco shortening.. I put it over medium high heat… Use a candy/frying thermometer to eliminate the guess work... I fry mine at 350-370 degrees. 

I use a cookie scoop to drop them in.. (it looks like a little ice cream scoop).

Use a smaller one to make party snacks.. they just pop in your mouth... over and over and over...

The dropfuls sink and slowly rise to the top and brown. You will need to roll them over to brown all sides evenly.

They take about 5-8 minutes to complete cooking. Drain on paper towels and then put in the next batch. Don’t over-crowd the pot.. they need room to cook and you need room to turn them over so the other side browns.

They are quite easy to make.... and so good.. no wonder they're a Southern favorite!









Recipe:  Corn Fritter Recipe

All you need:

2 cups of flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
¼ cup melted butter
1 can whole kernel corn, drained or 1 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed or fresh
Powdered sugar or syrup or honey

All you need to do:

Prepare your pot by melting the shortening or oil (I usually melt it over a low heat while I prepare the batter)... turn the heat up as you're finishing the batter.  When the temperature of the oil is 350 degrees F... you can start dropping them in the hot oil.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk and butter.

Add the flour mixture, folding in until it has been completely incorporated.

Add the corn, mix thoroughly.

Drop by spoonfuls (about 1 ½ tablespoons) into hot vegetable oil and deep fry for about 5-8 minutes or until golden brown on both sides.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar or serve with syrup or honey.

Serve warm.

Recipe: Peach Gelato

This recipe for Peach Gelato is one I adapted from My First Kitchen…. She had an awesome picture of a Raspberry Gelato that intrigued me… she kept saying how easy it was…. I was actually looking to make something with peaches…. again a recipe for Easter … and she did say you could try it with other fruits… well even if she hadn’t said that… you know me… I would have anyway.

So try I did… and I was more than satisfied with the results…. although I used far more fruit than she did to get a peachy flavor…. she was correct… it was very easy and delicious… and I will be making more gelato soon…. probably tomorrow…. since what I made has disappeared from the freezer and will be appearing very shortly on my hips… but whatever…. It was good.

This would be a perfect finish to a brunch or lunch. The breakfast idea yesterday was mini fritattas…. muffins… fruit salad… sorbet or gelato…. This gelato would be perfect!

So I hope you consider making this …. according to the original recipe it says it will last 2 weeks in the freezer…. I defy you to try and prove this…. (that would mean you would have to actually stop eating it to leave it in the freezer for two weeks….go ahead I dare you)

Enjoy!



Peach Gelato Recipe

All you need:

About 20 ounces of frozen peaches
1/3 cup sugar
½ cup heavy cream

All you have to do:

Blend all the ingredients together in a food processer or blender until it’s completely smooth.

TIPS:

Mine ended up too soft …. So I poured it into a container and put it in the freezer to harden for about 3 hours.

The gelato was quite hard the next day and I had to put it in the micro for a about a minute to soften….

For a nice presentation I used a rounded ice cream scoop and took the back of a spoon and pressed it into the rounded part of the ice cream scoop to shape.

Recipe: Mini Ham Mushroom Tomato Cheese and Chive Frittatas

This recipe for mini ham mushroom tomato cheese and chive frittatas is so easy and delicious…. you will be making these all the time. Using a mini tart tin makes the frittata truly an individual serving…

While they make a great presentation for a brunch or special breakfast…. I like to make them and put them in an airtight container in the fridge for quick weekday breakfasts…. I used to do that when my son was in high school… all I had to do was pop them in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes until hot… and breakfast was made!

Even though tins say they are non-stick… unless you are absolutely certain they are and items won’t stick… I would spray them lightly with butter flavored cooking oil to be sure. Mine stuck a bit…. so next time I will spray them first.

You can make these for any amount of servings…

The mini fritattas that I made had 2-3 slices of fresh mushrooms… 1-2 thin slices of plum tomato…some julienned deli ham… some shredded cheddar cheese and eggs with a little milk in each. I also snipped some fresh chives over the top before popping them in the oven. You can even use egg substitute... I do sometimes... perfect for the guest you has to watch the cholesterol.




I love to use chives… the light onion flavor adds so much and isn’t overpowering.

I use plum (Roma) tomatoes since they don’t have as much juice as other tomatoes… they’re perfect for these.



Mini Ham Mushroom Tomato Cheese and Chive Frittata Recipe

All you need:

Fresh mushrooms, sliced
Plum (Roma) tomatoes, sliced thin
Finely shredded cheddar cheese
Deli sliced ham, thinly sliced
Fresh chives
Eggs or egg substitute
Milk

All you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a cookie sheet with foil and place the tart tins on the cookie sheet.

Lightly spray the tins with butter flavored cooking oil spray.

Place 2-3 slices mushrooms in each tin.

Place 1-2 slices tomato in each tin.

Place julienned ham over the mushrooms and tomato in each tin.

Sprinkle each tin with about 1 tablespoon finely shredded cheddar cheese.

In a large measuring cup or bowl, scramble eggs or egg substitute with milk…. (about 6 eggs and ¼ cup milk) for six tart tins… enough to cover tin contents and come up to just shy of the rim.

Pour egg mixture into each tart tin… fill up to just shy of the rim.

Take a bunch of fresh chives and snip with a scissor over each tart…. If the snipped chives clump…take a fork and gently separate them in the frittata mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove from tins and place on serving plates or platter.

Another Breakfast or Brunch Idea - Mini Fritattas

Commentary

Mini fritattas are so easy and such a perfect addition to a brunch or lunch that I had to be sure to include it before Easter.

You can make any amount… for a small crowd or a big one… they can be made in advance and reheated… or you can just pop them in the oven when your guests arrive and 20 minutes later…breakfast is ready!

You can make them with a variety of ingredients… who says they all have to be the same?

I like using mini tart tins because it really does make a decent “individual” serving…. a perfect go-together for fruit salad and muffins…. I like to include a “sweet” as well…. maybe include a scoop of sorbet with the fruit… or maybe finish with a fruity gelato.

Possibilities are limitless…

Yummmm!