How to Make a Latte/Cappacino

Actually, I am just going to address the milk and froth part. I have an Aeroccino Plus that I LOVE. For this kind of coffee experience I make my coffee with a French press.

I use nonfat milk and it is only necessary to fill the milk up to the lowest line. Anything else overflows. I would not get the newer one, as I have read poor reports for the Aerocino 3. After you froth your milk, use a spoon to hold back the froth, and pour the heated milk into your coffee cup that has your coffee already poured in it. If you use a syrup have that already poured in your cup as well (before adding the milk). Then spoon the froth on top.

You might look this item up to buy it and decide not to go the expense. FEAR NOT!!

I got this little gadget at Sur La Table for $15:

It is a hand held device and runs with batteries. Heat your milk and then froth it with this little gem!

Pumpkin Spice Syrup for Your Latte

Yes, Starbucks will sell you some of their syrups. Not the Pumpkin Spice. If you don't use your earned stars in one year you lose them. They kept forgetting to credit my account with a star every time I bought a latte. I have so moved on! :-)

1/2 cup of pumpkin pie filling, 1 cup of sugar, 3/4 cup of water, cinnamon and nutmeg spices. Bring to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes. (stir often) Let it cool and store it in your refidgerator. 1-2 TBS in your latte. (Don't use your nice Nespresso coffee for this, use ground beans from Whole Foods or some type. Please do not use Costco beans ever - terrible.) Use within 3 weeks. Try not to eat it straight out of the pan. It's that good.

Cheesy Eggs

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook 1/2 an onion and some chopped jalapeños in olive oil. In large bowl mix 12 eggs, a package of shredded Monterey Jack, 2/3rds of a container of cottage cheese, and a  can of green chillis. Add 1/2 cup to 2/3rds a cup of Buttermilk Baking Mix (You have some from the last egg dish.), maybe some salt, ground pepper. Add the cooked onions and jalapeños.
Pour in a large greased baking dish. Bake about 30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from the center. Best eaten right away. You can nuke it the next day, but I think it is so much better fresh!

Baked Ziti

Make a red sauce; if you look at my past posts you will find a recipe. Line the bottom of a baking dish with ricotta cheese. My dish was maybe 10x6. Don't know as I didn't measure it. Add ziti noodles that have only been cooked to al dente. On top of that put sausage. I bought a link of sweet Italian at Whole Foods and squeezed it out of the casing. I put little bits of it across the top. Top that with provolone cheese. Add some of your sauce. Bake at 350 until your noodles are done (crisp on top as well). Let it stand for a bit when you are done to let it firm up. Serve with more sauce on top.

Breakfast in October

Cook bacon in an iron skillet until it is crisp. I used almost a whole pound. Why not? Set aside when done and sauté onion and green pepper .... yes, in the bacon grease. When your veggies are translucent spoon them out and put them in a baking dish - about 9x9 inches. Crumble the bacon on top. Layer with shredded cheddar cheese. In a bowl mix together 1/2 cup of buttermilk baking mix (although next time I am trying 3/4 of a cup) and 6 eggs. Pour over your ingredients that are in your baking dish.
Bake @ 400 for about 30 minutes, or until your fork comes out clean from the center. I cooked it the night before and had a bit for dinner. It was actually better the next morning as it seemed to firm up.

Going to a Bring a Dish

Are you going to a bring a dish, but you are afraid to take a serving spoon because it will get lost? Label it by sticking one of your return mailing stickers on it. Cover it for extra protection with clear tape. 

Bacon Chicken

Everything is better with bacon, right?
Cook 4 strips of bacon until crisp. Again, use an iron skillet. Take the bacon out and set it aside. You really only need 2 or 3 pieces of the bacon, but I figured you'd want to munch on at least one. Dredge chicken pieces in flour, salt and pepper. I use cut breast pieces; no skin. When you have browned the chicken pieces, set them aside with your bacon. 
Back to the pan: sauté shallots, garlic and mushrooms. Add thyme when the veggies are done. Add cooking wine and beef stock to the pan. Return chicken to the pan and crumble the bacon in. (providing you haven't actually eaten it all)
Cook until the chicken is done. You may also want to thicken this broth before you serve it.

Thank You Chicken

Dredge cut chicken pieces (breast) in flour with salt and pepper. Brown in olive oil; you are using an iron skillet, right?? Take the chicken out and set it aside.
Saute: shallots, green and red pepper strips, mushrooms, garlic. When the vegetables start to change consistency add artichoke hearts, squeeze half a lemon in, and chicken broth. Return the chicken to the pot and simmer until the chicken is done. You will probably want to thicken the sauce before you eat it. I take some of the broth out, let it cool, and then add corn starch for my thickener.

Green Curry Chicken

Blend in the food processor: cilantro, red onion, mint, garlic, 1/2 cup of white cooking wine, ginger, 2 tsps cumin, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp turmeric, salt and pepper. Cook onion or shallots with olive oil in an iron skillet. Brown the chicken in the same skillet. Add the mixture from the food processor to the skillet. Add more cooking wine if it starts to dry out as you will now be simmering it until the chicken is done. When the chicken is done add about 1/4 cup of plain yogurt.
If you don't want to use cooking with use more chicken broth.

Beef Vindaloo

Cook onion and garlic in olive oil. Then add: grated ginger, 1 tsp cumin, 1 and 1/2 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp turmeric, chili powder, black pepper, green chili peppers, salt and a cup of broth. Cook until the beef is tender. Maybe about 45 minutes to an hour. Serve with white rice to offset the heat of this dish.

Lemon Rice Indian Style

Got your glass of wine? Got your music going?

Have you watched Today's Special?
Cook one cup of rice. I always put a bit of olive oil in the rice I am cooking.
In a small skittle add olive oil and spices. I do this to make a paste. Be careful not to overdo the spices, this will make your rice taste somewhat grainy. Plus, these spices carry a big punch. 
Spices to add: red chili powder or achar masala (how much depends on how much heat you want to your rice), curry (1/8th to 1/4 tsp - I'm still playing with this amount myself - just don't overdo), a pinch of turmeric, maybe a titch of garam masala.
Add this to the rice with the juice of 1/2 to a full lemon.
You can also add peanuts or roasted and salted pumpkin seeds. I just happened to have those left over from the last dish!

Prepare For Indian Cooking

Indian cooking can be difficult simply because we don't have the spices on hand. My first suggestion to you is to watch the movie Today's Special. This will get you in the creative mood of Indian cooking. The next thing to do is to supply your closet with the spices. Go to an Indian market or Whole Foods. Buy:
turmeric powder, garam masala,red chili powder, achar masala, cumin seeds, coriander powder, and curry powder. This will get you started and possibly be all you will need to get on with it.

Pasta Salad With Pumpkin Seeds

I found a recipe I wanted to try and lost it. I remembered it had pumpkin seeds, so I used those and made up the rest.
I'm not one on measurements because it all depends on how much you are making and what you want. That being said ...
Boil the noodles for your pasta salad. What type of noodle is up to you. After you have cooked them let them cool off. I poured some extra virgin olive oil over mine so they wouldn't stick together. Then I added the following ingredients:
roasted and salted pumpkin seeds (I threw in about 2 handfuls to start with.)
green pepper
red onion
roasted corn (from the grill - cut off of the cob after you have roasted them)
peppers (I picked from the garden and I'm not sure what kind they were exactly because I lost the tags. Does it matter anyway? I used 2 different kinds.)
fresh basil
fresh oregeno
sea salt
Italian salad dressing
(Consider more pumpkin seeds!)
You can serve this cold or heated. Feta cheese in it would be good also.

The Garden

I do not have a raised bed garden, but everything is in pots. So even if you do not have a yard you can still garden! My garden has: thyme, sweet basil, Thai basil, lemon basil, oregano, green peppers, banana peppers, black peppers, egg plant, and some other sort of pepper ... I'm not sure as I lost the label for that pot! I highly suggest you try growing at least your own herbs for cooking. I use the basil for salads as well as Italian cooking. If you use your herbs for a red sauce, you will need to use more than you think is necessary.

If you want to start small I would suggest the sweet basil and use it in your salads.

Tomato Basil Soup

This is a little different with the veggies, but it turned out nice. Thinly slice half an onion, 2 stalks of celery, lots of garlic. Sauté in olive oil. When the veggies start to turn translucent add fresh basil, oregano, salt and pepper. I cut off the thick stems of the basil, stacked the leaves, rolled them like a cigar, and then sliced it into thin strips. Maybe 5 more minutes.

In a pot hand crush a large can of Marzano tomatoes and then add your ingredients from the sauté pan. Add 1 cup of broth; I used chicken. Simmer for a few hours. When you believe it is ready add your cream. Now get this; I used fat free Land O’ Lakes half and half! I think I used a cup of this.

The husband had been roasting vegetables earlier so I also threw in the discarded stems of his asparagus. This was just to add to the stock, I took them out later.

I read a recipe that called for parmesan cheese, so I put that in. However, next time I’ll just add it to the bowl as a garnish. It really didn’t melt well. I also thickened mine. I added corn starch to some water and then thickened the soup: I like my soups thick. On my second day I actually ate this over some spaghetti noodles. Enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower Broccoli With a Lemon Mustard Sauce

In a large mixing bowl mix: cauliflower and broccoli heads with salt, pepper, lots of garlic, and olive oil. Place the mixture on a large cookie sheet and roast the vegetables for about 25 minutes at 450 degrees. While that is cooking melt somewhere between 1/2 and 2/3rds of a stick of butter, the juice of 2 lemons, and 4 TBS of whole grain mustard ... and more garlic ... why not? When the vegetables are done put them back in the mixing bowl and pour the butter sauce over them. Transfer to a baking dish for serving. Do this 2 hours before you plan to eat as this needs to sit at room temperature for 2 hours. When you reheat to serve, do not use the microwave! Heat in the oven for about 10 minutes.
I also used some stuff I bought at Costco that is actually used for garlic bread. I used this before roasting; I mixed it in with the vegetables before roasting them. You don't have to use this stuff, but if you see it at Costco buy it; I use it for lots of things. I'll post a picture of it next week so you will know what to buy.

Butternut Squash With Cranberries and Spinach

Bake your squash for 50 minutes @ 350 degrees. I cut it in half length wise and then bake it with some water in the bottom of the pan. You can bake it cut side up or down. While your squash is baking, heat extra virgin olive oil in a pan. Add spinach, garlic, sliced onions (I use a mandolin) and cranberries. It only takes about 5 minutes and this is done. When your squash is done cut it into cubes. Remember to take the shell off. Toss together in the skillet. Add about a TBS of butter and melt. Add sea salt. I happen to love sea salt and think I just may use it for everything. You could also add some brown sugar, but I didn't this time.

Chicken Enchiladas

I used 2 chicken breasts. Cut them in strips and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. When the chicken is done, dice it or shred it.

While the chicken is baking prepare the sauce. Use a food processor or a blender: 6 tomatias, ½ an onion, 4 cloves of garlic, a pepper or two (jalapeno or Serrano), sprinkle in some cumin. Fresh cilantro would have been good, too. Blend until it is liquid. This will be your verde (green) sauce. After it is blended, cook this on the stove with 1 cup of chicken broth mixed with about 4 TBS of corn starch. Cook until it is thickened. Set aside.

In a skillet heat vegetable oil to soften the corn tortillas. I used 10 and wrecked one so I had 9 enchiladas. When the oil is heated put one tortilla in the oil at a time. Cover both sides with oil, then take it out, and place on a paper towel to blot the oil. Do not leave the tortilla in the oil too long or you will have stiff tortillas; like a tostada shell. Also, do not leave it on the paper towel too long as it can stick to the paper towel. When you have all of your tortillas ready, roll them with the chicken in the middle - like a cigar. 

This is what it should look like before you put it in the oven:

Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. This is just to warm them through and it makes the edges of the tortillas crispy. Do not bake them with the sauce; you will lose the crispy part of the tortillas. When they are done, put the amount you want on your plate and pour the sauce over them. You can also add a white cheese, but I forgot about that and I guess I saved some calories.

Acorn Squash

I had never eaten an acorn squash let alone cooked one! I was curious about them, so I gave it a try. Cut the squash in half and place it meat side up in a baking dish. Bake at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes. While it is baking, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. I used 4 cloves of garlic and half an onion sliced on a mandolin. I pretty much slice all of my onions on a mandolin; I just like the thinness. I will say however, for this dish it seemed a bit stringy. When the squash is done, scoop the meat out and add it to the onion and garlic. Salt and pepper to taste. I used large sea salt. One recipe I looked at called for nutmeg. I didn’t have any nutmeg so I used cinnamon. How much cinnamon, I cannot tell you. The plan was to shake some into the pan but things went slightly awry. A large amount of cinnamon came pouring out! I mixed everything together pretty much like mashed potato. The cinnamon was a bit more than I will use the next time, but the dish was quite good.

Garlic Dip

Definitely for garlic lovers! I was at a Mediterranean restaurant and had this wonderful garlic dip! I came home and researched recipes on line. I combined a few and came up with this.

Slice half an onion thin (I use a mandolin.), 4-6 garlic cloves; sauté in olive oil. Then blend them in the Cuisinart with some mayonnaise (maybe 3 TBs), and juice from one lime or lemon. Now this is strange: boil a potato until it is almost done. I added half a potato to this mix. I was reluctant to try the whole potato. Too much potato and your have mashed potatoes, not dip! Add 2 healthy TBs of low fat sour cream. The dip is divine. I used it as a dip for chips and then later put it as a side for my rice.