Shrimp, Bacon and Spinach Salad
When I was a kid, my mom used to make a wilted salad. She would toss spinach with a hot dressing and then top the salad with hard cooked eggs and croutons. The dressing was made with some of the bacon fat, since there was always bacon in the salad, too. That was the inspiration for this salad.
I had planned to make a tossed salad with some fresh spinach, but something told me to go in another direction. Since I already had bacon and shrimp, I decided to just put them all together. With just a few extra ingredients tossed in, I ended up with a really good dinner. Sort of like those wilted salads my mom used to make.
I didn’t have a lot of time, so the fact that it was ready in about 15 minutes was nice, too. I put the pasta on to cook when I started cooking the bacon to save even more time.
Shrimp, Bacon and Spinach Salad
3-4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 shallots- or 1 small onion- chopped fine
2 cloves minced garlic
8 oz. fresh spinach
8 oz. raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
¼ c. sherry
¼ c. chopped parsley
½ t. grated ginger
½ t. red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked pasta
Cook bacon in skillet until almost cooked. Add the shallots and cook until shallots are just turning brown. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Add spinach and cook, stirring often, until spinach is wilted down. Add shrimp and continue cooking until shrimp are just barely cooked. Add sherry and seasonings and cook 2 minutes more. Toss with hot pasta and serve. Serves 2.
Note: You can add some fresh Parmesan cheese when serving, if you like.
Zesty Tomato Soup -Vegan
This is a fast and easy soup to make and full of flavor. I can tomatoes in the summer, so that is what I used. You can use store bought. If you wanted to use fresh tomatoes, you would need about 2 pounds. I just love the flavor of my home canned tomatoes so much. Next best thing to fresh.
After the soup was finished, it occurred to me that it was vegan. I hadn’t planned it that way, it was just how it worked out. I used an immersion blender to puree the soup. If you don’t have one, you can puree it in a blender. You just have to be careful when blending anything that is hot. It will splash up. To avoid getting burned, remove the center piece from the blender lid and cover with a towel before you turn it on.
I simmered the soup uncovered, because I wanted it to cook down a bit to be thick once processed. It only took about 15 minutes. You can cook it longer, if you want a thicker soup. I served it with toasted rye bread croutons, but it would be fine just as it is.
Zesty Tomato Soup
3 T. oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 sweet pepper, seeded and chopped
1 qt. canned tomatoes, or 1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes
Cayenne pepper to taste
2 T. fresh parsley or 2 t. dried
1 c. almond milk- or whatever milk you prefer
Salt and pepper to taste
In medium saucepan heat oil and cook onion until it starts to brown a little. Add the celery and pepper and cook about 5 more minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup and add remaining ingredients. Adjust seasonings. Serve as is, or with croutons. Serves 3-4.
Dukkah – A Taste of Egypt
Dukkah is an Egyptian dish that is a mix of toasted nuts and spices. It has a wonderful fragrance and crunchy texture. A lot of the flavor comes from toasting the nuts and spices before grinding them up. Toasting really brings out the flavor of both the nuts and the other ingredients.
Dukkah is traditionally served with olive oil and bread. You put some in a little bowl, and put olive oil in another little bowl. Dip your bread in the oil and then in the dukkah. I like to sprinkle it on fish or chicken before baking. Dukkah is also good tossed with cooked veggies, or sprinkled on an omelet. So simple and so tasty.
Dukkah
¾ c. each whole, blanched almonds and hazelnuts
½ c. (scant) coriander seeds
¼ c. cumin seeds
6 T. sesame seeds
In 300-degree oven toast nuts for about 20 minutes or until golden. Bake cumin and coriander seeds, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until you can smell them. Toast sesame seeds for about 5 minutes. Cool all ingredients. If you prefer, you can toast the seeds in a skillet, over medium heat. Just place the coriander and cumin seeds in a skillet and heat, stirring often, until they become fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add the sesame seeds and continue toasting until sesame seeds are golden brown, about 5 minutes longer. Be careful not to burn them. Grind sesame seeds and spices into a coarse powder. In processor, chop nuts fine and combine with spices. To serve dukkah: pour olive oil in a small bowl. Place crusty bread and dukkah on a plate. Dip bread in oil then in the dukkah. I also use dukkah sprinkled on chicken and fish. Store in fridge or freezer for extended freshness.
Pan de Muertos (Mexican Bread of the Dead)
Halloween isn’t the only holiday this week. Many people will be celebrating Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). It is a holiday to remember and honor loved ones who have passed. It traditionally runs from October 31 to November 2.
Pan de Muertos is a traditional bread made for this holiday. This is a version of that bread that is flavored with anise (or fennel) and orange. It is glazed, after baking, with an orange sauce, then sprinkled with a little extra sugar. I like to use rock sugar, which, as the name implies, is a large sugar that looks like small rocks.
I shaped the dough into a round shape, with a knob of dough on the top. You can also mold the bread into different shapes like angels or animals.
The bread itself is so tasty. It is a rich dough with a lovely fragrance and texture.
Here is the recipe.
Pan de Muertos (Mexican Bread of the Dead)
1/4 c. each butter, milk and water
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t. active dry yeast (half a packet)
1/2 t. salt
2 t. anise seed or fennel seed
1/3 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 t. orange zest
Glaze:
1/4 c. each sugar and orange juice
1 T. orange zest
Topping:
2 T. sugar, I used rock sugar
Heat together butter, water and milk until the butter melts. Cool to warm. In a large bowl combine 1cup of the flour, yeast, salt, anise seed and 1/3 c. sugar. Beat in the milk mixture then add the eggs and orange zest and beat until well combined. Stir in 1/2 cup of flour and continue adding more flour until the dough is soft. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1- 2 hours. Punch the dough down and shape it into a large round loaf with a round knob on top. Place dough onto a baking sheet, loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until just about doubled in size. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 35 to 45 minutes. Cool on rack 5 minutes then brush with glaze. To make glaze: In a small saucepan combine the 1/4 cup sugar, orange juice and orange zest. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2 minutes. Brush over top of bread while still warm. Sprinkle glazed bread with 2 T. sugar.
Ready to bake
Eat plain, or lightly toasted with butter
Halloween Quesadillas
OK, maybe I’m taking the whole Halloween theme too far. I was making quesadillas the other day, and realized that the ingredients were black, orange and green. Thought the combination would be perfect for a Halloween party.
Quesadillas are a fun party food already, and by using black olives, orange sweet peppers, green chilies, onions and cheddar cheese, they fit in well with the color scheme for Halloween. They taste great, too, which is always the most important thing in the end.
Of course other ingredients can be used. I have used nopales and green enchilada sauce.
I pan fried these, but you can also bake them in the oven. They can be made ahead, and warmed up before serving. Serve with a nice blood- red salsa. Ok, I’ll stop now.
Halloween Quesadillas
Large flour tortillas
oil
sliced or shredded cheese
sliced black olives
chopped orange sweet peppers
chopped sweet onion
diced green chilies, fresh or canned
Mix olives with veggies and set aside. Place tortilla on work surface and spread one half with some of the veggie mixture. Top with some of the cheese and fold over. Press slightly. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Heat oil in skillet and cook quesadillas over medium heat until golden on both sides and heated through. Remove to cutting board and cut into wedges before serving. Serve on a platter with sour cream and salsa, if desired.
Note: If you would rather bake the quesadillas assemble as directed above. Place on a baking sheet and brush with a little oil. Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven until golden, about 15 minutes
Apple Bacon Fritters with Maple Glaze
I recently posted a recipe for apple fritters. I also love this variation on that recipe. The batter contains diced, fresh apples and crispy bacon. The combination is really special.
Fritters aren’t difficult to make. They really don’t take that long to make, either. I prefer to make fritters close to when I am serving them- so my guests can enjoy them warm.
They make a wonderful dessert, or a fun addition to a breakfast or brunch menu. I dipped them in the maple glaze, which also went well with the apples and bacon.
I must warn you, they are addictive.
Apple and Bacon Fritters
2 c. flour
2 T. sugar
2 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. milk
2 eggs, beaten
2 T. melted butter
1 c. diced apples
1 c. cooked, crumbled bacon
oil for frying- I used coconut oil
Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Mix together milk with the eggs and butter. Stir in dry ingredients until just moistened and add the apples and bacon. Heat oil to 375. If using gluten free flour, heat oil to 350. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Don’t do more than 4-5 at a time. It will take about 4 minutes in total but you need to turn them to brown evenly so 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Dip in maple glaze (recipe follows) while warm. Makes about 32.
Maple Glaze
1 c. Powdered sugar
1/2 c. maple syrup
a little water if mixture gets too thick
Combine all ingredients and set aside until ready to use.
“Bat” Wings
With Halloween fast approaching I thought I’d share this recipe for bat wings. OK, not really bat wings, but you already knew that. I just add black food coloring to barbecue sauce and use it to color chicken wings. You could also use black cocoa powder to make the sauce black.
I made a batch for a Halloween party a few years ago and someone actually asked if they were real bat wings.
A word of warning- when you use black food coloring it will transfer to you. No matter how careful you are when you eat the wings, you’ll end up with purple fingers. Also, for the best effect, keep the wings intact- no trimming off of the tips. You can separate the drums before serving, if you like. Makes eating a little easier. They look pretty cool when set out on the table. Creepy- but very tasty.
Bat Wings
2-3 lbs. whole chicken wings
salt and pepper
1 c. barbecue sauce- store bought or home made
black food coloring- handle carefully- it stains
Place chicken wings in a roasting pan, season with salt and pepper and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Meanwhile in medium bowl combine sauce with food coloring. Add just a little black food coloring at a time. Too much will alter the flavor of the food. Remove wings from the oven and dip them in the bowl of sauce. Turn to coat. Place wings on a clean baking sheet and return to the oven. Bake an addition 45 minutes. You can baste them with additional sauce during the baking, if you like. Place on a serving platter and provide plenty of napkins.
A pile of “bat” wings
Homemade Popcorn Balls
I have fond memories of eating popcorn balls when I was a kid. One memory was during the summer. An amusement park near my home was famous for their popcorn balls. Every time we went there, we would end the day with popcorn balls.
The other memory was making our own, around Halloween. They seem to be a part of more than a few Halloween parties when I was younger.
I don’t make them often, but popcorn balls are always a special treat for friends and family. This recipe is pretty easy. Kids, supervised, could help make them. You just have to make sure the mix cools down enough before you let them form the popcorn into balls.
I am a bit of a purist and enjoy them plain, but you can add Halloween themed candies to the mix, to dress them up for a party. Candy corn or black and orange M&M’s would both work.
The recipe calls for corn syrup. If you don’t want to use corn syrup, my recipe for a corn syrup substitute, (sugar syrup) is listed below.
Homemade Popcorn Balls
9 c. popped popcorn
1 c. sugar
1 T. butter
1 T. vanilla
1 c. corn syrup*
Place popcorn in large bowl and set aside. Combine sugar, butter, vanilla and corn syrup in a saucepan. Heat and boil until thick, about 4 minutes. Pour over popcorn. Stir until well coated. Let cool until safe enough to handle. With buttered hands form mixture into balls. Store wrapped tightly in plastic wrap until ready to eat. Best eaten within a few days of making. Makes about 8.
*If you don’t have corn syrup- or don’t want to use it here is a way to make a substitute for it.
Sugar Syrup- corn syrup substitute
3 cups granulated sugar
1 cup Water
1/2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1/4 t. salt
Combine ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and cover the pot. Reduce to a simmer and cook covered for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook to soft-ball stage. Stir frequently.
Soft ball stage occurs at 235-245 degrees. This stage can be determined by dropping a spoonful of hot syrup into a bowl of very cold water. In the water, use your fingers to gather the cooled syrup into a ball. If it has reached soft-ball stage, the syrup easily forms a ball while in the cold water, but flattens once removed from the water.
Remove from heat. Cool and store at room temperature. It will keep well for a month or two.
Halloween Sushi
When I make sushi, I often use brown or black sticky (sweet) rice. I actually prefer the texture over the white rice. It occurred to me that the black sticky rice might make fun sushi for Halloween. I find black sweet rice at my local Asian grocery store. That is also where I get nori, rolling mats and wasabi.
To add a pop of color, I finely shredded carrots and added them to the sushi roll, too. The black rice actually cooks to a dark purple color. The color combination is fun for Halloween.
You’ll need a rolling mat, but beyond that, not a lot of special equipment is needed. I served my sushi with wasabi. You could serve with pickled ginger, too. Here is the recipe and directions.
“Spooky” Sushi
To make the rice:
4 c. black sweet rice, uncooked
4 c. water, or a little more
1 recipe Sushi Su, recipe follows
finely shredded carrots
In strainer, rinse the rice repeatedly with cold water until the water runs clear. Place rice in microwave safe container with the 4 cups of cold water. Cover container with a lid and place in microwave. I use a large Pyrex casserole dish that has a lid. Cook 20 minutes. Check for doneness and add a little more water, if needed. Cook another 10-15 minutes. Don’t stir the rice. Black rice takes longer to cook than white sushi rice. You want it to be cooked, but not mushy. Cooking times vary by microwave. Remove from the microwave once cooked and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Place rice in a large, cool bowl and pour on the Sushi Su, tossing in. Fan rice while tossing to give it a shiny look. Makes enough for 8 rolls.
Sushi Su:
1/2 cup rice vinegar
4 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
msg, optional
Combine all and set aside until ready to use. You can also buy a dry powder of Sushi Su and you can use that instead. It is a 2.65 oz. packet.
Assembling Sushi
Place a sheet of nori ( dried seaweed sheets) on mat and spread about 1 cup of the rice over the nori, leaving about 1-2 inches empty on the far side. Place fillings in a strip a little off center away from the side with no rice. Start rolling up the mat using it to press the sushi roll and keeping the fillings in the nori. Once rolled, press the mat once more to seal and make the fillings stick together. Wetting the edge of the nori with a little water can also make the sushi stick better. Slice each piece using a sharp knife dipped in water.
Wrapping the sushi takes practice. Don’t be discouraged if the first few are a little less that perfect, Still, with a little practice it gets pretty easy. Just be careful not to overfill the rolls as it makes the job harder.
Flaming Ghost Cake
I have posted this recipe before, but thought it might be a good time to post it again. This one is fun for Halloween. You start with a baked 9×13-inch cake. Frost it with chocolate frosting and then use white frosting to draw a ghost on the cake.
You can make all sorts of images- cats, bats, pumpkins. When ready to serve the cake, the eyes are set on fire. Fun effect. Kids and grown-ups both will get a kick out of it.
Just be sure to have proper adult supervision for the kids. The picture doesn’t do it justice. Very cool blue flames. Don’t forget to turn down the lights!
Flaming Ghost Cake
1 prepared 9×13- inch cake, any flavor
2 c. chocolate frosting, I prefer homemade
1 c. vanilla frosting, I prefer homemade
3 oz. semi sweet chocolate, optional
2 empty eggshell halves, washed well and dried
2 sugar cubes
Lemon extract
Frost cake with chocolate frosting, then spread vanilla frosting in the shape of a ghost. Melt chocolate in a small plastic bag. When chocolate is melted snip off the corner of the bag and use to outline ghost. Place eggshell halves in cake, round side down where the ghost’s eyes would be. Soak sugar cubes in lemon extract and place in eggshells. When ready to serve light sugar cubes and turn off the lights. Serve 12-16.
Variations: You can use the flaming eyes effect on cat shapes, pumpkins or even bats. Practice drawing the shape on paper before frosting the cake. If you bake a larger round cake the whole thing can be the pumpkin. Just frost it with orange tinted frosting.
