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Kamis, 22 Mei 2014

SANDRA’S GREEK CUCUMBER TOMATO and GOAT CHEESE SALAD

A perfect salad that transports very
well to your favorite functions ~
And, its oh so delicious...

Servings: (4)
Prep: 15 Mins.
+ refrigeration time

Posted: by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Salad:

1 english cucumber, rinsed, peel scored with a fork, and cut into ½” cubes
½ red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, cut into ½” pieces
1 large tomato, cut into ½” cubes
¼ of an red onion, chopped
1 (2.25 oz. can) sliced black olives, drained (and/or pitted calamata olives)
1/4 cup, goat cheese, cubed

***Vinaigrette:

4 tablespoons, extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano

***Bread croutons:

1 slice of bread
½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley

METHOD

In a medium bowl, combine cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, onion, olives, and goat cheese.

In a small bowl, whisk vinaigrette with olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, sea salt and pepper, to taste. Combine with vegetables and let stand for 30 minutes before serving.

Meanwhile, to make the croutons, heat a medium nonstick skillet with the olive oil to medium-high heat, and sprinkle them with garlic powder, and parsley. Saute the croutons, until crispy, for about 5 minutes, and set aside.

Once the Greek Salad has been refrigerated for 30 minutes, serve equally amongst four salad plates, and top with croutons. – Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tips: I most successfully cube my goat cheese using dental floss vs a knife. Also, if you are using a regular cucumber, please peel and remove seeds before cutting it into cubes.

Senin, 07 April 2014

SANDRA’S BASMATI RICE PUDDING BRULEE

A fantastic topping for this dessert
using turbinado
(raw) sugar from Hawaii...

Servings: (6)
Prep: 15 Mins. |
Bake: 1 hr.;
plus a couple minutes to broil brulee

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Creme
2 cups cooked basmati rice, according to package directions
3 whole eggs
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch of fine-grained sea salt
3 cups whole milk
½ cup raisins

***Brulee
4 to 6 teaspoons turbinado sugar in the raw (or granulated sugar)

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Scald the milk by pouring it into a small heavy-bottom saucepan, and heating over medium heat just prior to boiling while stirring constantly, and set it aside to cool for a bit.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk the eggs, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt. Gradually add the warm milk while whisking to combine. Fold in the basmati rice and raisins. Ladle mixture into a six oven-proof ramekins (or a square 9”x9”casserole dish). Place ramekins (or casserole dish) inside a larger baking pan. Pour hot water 1-1/4” deep around casserole into larger pan (for even cooking of pudding), and bake for 60 minutes.

Carefully remove ramekins (or casserole dish) from water in pan, and place on rack to cool to room temperature.

Just before serving, preheat oven broiler.

Place ramekins (or casserole) onto a dry baking sheet. For the brulee, top each ramekin (or casserole dish) evenly with turbinado sugar (or white sugar), and broil until golden brown and slightly bubbly, this should only take about 1 to 2 minutes, watch this step carefully, or this can also be done using a small kitchen torch. Serve, and enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tip: Turbinado does not completely melt under the broiler (see photo), although white sugar will...I just like the texture, flavor, and presentation of the turbinado sugar best – Your call ;)

Senin, 24 Maret 2014

SANDRA’S CRAB and SPINACH STUFFED HALIBUT PINWHEELS

The cream cheese melts into the wine
making for a very flavorful and saucy broth
to drizzle over the pinwheels and herb rice...

Servings: (4)

Prep: 10 Mins. (Including time to prepare rice)

Bake: 12 to 15 Mins.

-- 4 toothpicks

INGREDIENTS

Filling:

1 tablespoon olive oil

8 ozs. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry, and chopped finer

½ teaspoon old bay seasoning

1 teaspoon garlic granules

1 teaspoon onion granules

4 ozs. cooked Dungeness crabmeat

6 ozs. cream cheese, at room temperature

Halibut:

2 (rather large 10 oz.) fresh skinless, boneless halibut fillets

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon cold butter cut into four pieces

1/3 cup quality white wine (or feel free to use all chicken broth)

1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Garnish:

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

4 fresh meyer lemon wedges

METHOD

--1 Recipe of prepared Basmati Rice N’ Herbs

Prepare Basmati Rice N’ Herbs recipe, ensuring rice is finished steaming by the time the halibut pinwheels are done baking.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray an 8”x”8 inch square baking dish, place atop a foil-lined baking sheet, and set aside.

Combine all the filling ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside.

Lay the halibut fillets on a work surface, and cut them in half lengthwise.

Fillet each strip starting at the thinnest point.

Fillet through the mid section to the thickest part (do not cut all the way through) to form strips of fish to fill and form pinwheels.

The strips will end up looking like this.

Place about 2 tablespoons of filling on strips and spread to ½” of each end. Roll strips up towards the thin end to encase filling.

Once filled, secure each pinwheel with a toothpick.

Place pinwheels in prepared baking dish. Drizzle wine and chicken broth over pinwheels. Dot each pinwheel with a piece of butter.

Cover baking dish and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, just until halibut flakes easily with a fork (please do not overcook or halibut will become dry).

To serve, fluff rice and place equally among 4 serving dishes, top each serving with a stuffed halibut pinwheel (be sure to remove toothpicks), and drizzle saucy broth over them. Garnish with parsley and a wedge of lemon. ~ Enjoy!

Minggu, 23 Maret 2014

SANDRA’S FESTIVE PB J THUMBPRINT COOKIES

A very festive and happy day

was spent creating and baking

these lovely cookies...

Yields: Appx. 3 Doz.

Prep: 25 Mins.

Bake: 10 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

½ cup creamy peanut butter

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

-- Your favorite jam or jelly

(I used Sandra’s Homemade Strawberry-Rhubarb-Banana Jam dyed red and green using food coloring)

--Granulated sugar, for dusting bottom of potato masher (or fork) to flatten cookies

-- Red and green sugar crystals

METHOD

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.

Using a hand mixer, beat together sugars, peanut butter, butter, egg, and vanilla extract in medium bowl.

Place flour, baking soda and powder, and salt in a sieve, then sift over wet ingredients in bowl.

Using a spoon, stir in dry ingredients, just until blended. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Shape dough into 1-¼” balls. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.

Flatten using a potato masher (or fork) dipped in sugar.

Make an indent in center of cookies using the end of rounded utensil (or your thumb).

Sprinkle half of the cookies with red sugar crystals, and the other half with green.

Bake 10 minutes, just until light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet.

Move cookies to cool completely on wire rack.

Once fully cooled, fill center thumbprint of cookies with jam or jelly.

Enjoy!

Kamis, 27 Februari 2014

SANDRA’S PASTA with SHRIMP and BROCCOLI RABE INFUSED with LEMON GRASS

This recipe was inspired from spices
I purchased from a local merchant called
"Red Onion Organic Spice and Tea Company"
here in Juneau, Alaska...

Servings (6)
Prep/Cook: 30 Mins. | Steep: 2-4 hrs.
--(i.e., infused lemon grass broth)

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons organic dried lemon grass, re-hydrated (for infused broth)
1/2 cup hot water
½ lb. uncooked angel hair pasta
4 tablespoons light olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ onion, finely chopped
1 lb. broccoli rabe, trimmed, and cut into 2” pieces

Red Onion Organic Spice
& Tea Company - Juneau, Alaska

1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup white wine
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pats, at room temp.
2 tablespoons organic dried parsley
1 lb. shrimp/prawns, peeled and deveined

--warm crusty bread slices for sopping up sauce

METHOD

Make the infused dried lemon grass by immersing it into 1/2-cup hot water; letting it steep for 2 to 4 hours. Pour through a strainer, and just reserve liquid broth; set aside. Toss lemon grass pieces.

Cook angel hair pasta according to package directions, about 7 minutes.

Ready to plate

Meanwhile, heat large skillet over medium-high heat, and saute garlic, and onion in light olive oil for 1 minute. Add the prepared broccoli rabe, sea salt, ground pepper, red pepper flakes, and 1/2-cup lemon grass broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add wine, and butter, and prepared shrimp, and parsley; let simmer; uncovered for 2 minutes (turning shrimp after 1 minute). Remove skillet from heat.

Drain angel hair pasta (reserving 1 cup of hot pasta-water, about 2 ladles); add pasta to the skillet. Add reserved pasta-water to moisten the angel hair pasta. Toss with tongs to combine, and pour the entire contents onto a serving platter, and place the warm crust bread slices along side – Enjoy!

Senin, 27 Januari 2014

SANDRA’S WILD ALASKA PICKLED SOCKEYE SALMON Jarred

Although labor intensive, you’ll be reaping rewards many times over
each and every time you open a jar and partake
of your pickled sockeye deliciousness…

Yields: (Appx. 3 Doz., 36, Pint Jars)

Curing: 24 Hrs.

Prep: 6 to 8 Hrs.

Equipment and Supplies:

- 3 cases (36) wide-mouth Mason pint jars, with lids and rims, sterilized – Important!

~~~~[I sterilize the jars using the hot setting in my dishwasher, and boil the lids and rims in water using a medium, covered, pot for 10 minutes]

- 16 qt. cooler (cleaned using hot

water, soap and Clorox)- Important!

2 large stainless steel pots with lids

1 medium stainless steel pot with lid

-Wide-mouth funnel (optional), saves clean-up time

-Kitchen towels

-Plastic wrap

-Paper towels

-Butter knife

-Ladle

-Disposable gloves (or very clean hands you’ll be washing often)

Curing:

10 Wild Alaska Sockeye Salmon

2 (4 lb.) boxes Canning and Pickling Salt (do not substitute)

1 cup dark brown sugar

Clean and fillet in half 10 sockeye (20 fillet halves). Lay two fillets lengthwise and side-by-side in bottom of cooler skin-side down, and sprinkle top flesh side of each fillet with several handfuls of pickling salt; repeat process until 2 fillets remain. Place last 2 fillets skin-side up, then evenly pour remaining pickling over all fish. Ensure fish is completely covered with salt (use more pickling salt if needed to do so). Lastly, add 2 generous handfuls of dark brown sugar sprinkled evenly over top of salt. Close lid and let cure for 24 hours for 1" thick salmon - add an additional day of curing if thicker per inch of fillets are used, while occasionally (using clean hands) to ensure fillets are not sticking to each other. (Note: Do not be alarmed, as the salt/sugar will form its own liquid and end up covering and curing all fillets.)

Once curing has taken place for 24 hours, rinse fillets in cold water.

Rinse and clean the cooler, and set aside.

Remove the skin from each fillet, and cut out the strip of bones on the diagonal. (Note: My husband starts filleting the widest end of the fillet, then while holding the meaty part down with one hand he literally ‘pulls’ the skin off down to the tail section - It’s ingenious, quick, and the flesh of the fish remains intact more so than by filleting it all the way down using a knife!)

Fill the clean cooler half full with very cold water. Cut the fish into 1” chunks, and add to cooler to began the 1-hour rinsing process; changing cold water mid-way through. Be sure to stir the fish from time to time while doing so.

Glazing (Air drying):

Place long rows of plastic wrap on counter top, with long lengths of paper towel (to prevent salt from ruining the counter surface). Drain fish chunks from water using clean hands, and place in a large bowl. Spread evenly in one layer atop paper towels on counter. Let air dry for 1 hour (you’ll see a soft skin-type glaze form, which enhances flavor and firmness quality of the final product).

Brine (2 batches):

(Note: I prepare pots of brine about 6 hours beforehand to ensure they have sufficient time to cool so theyre ready when I began the jarring process)

[Pot 1:]

8 cups water

4 cups white distilled vinegar

½ cup *organic pickling spice

1-½ cups white granulated sugar

½ cup dark brown sugar

[Pot 2:]

8 cups water

4 cups white distilled vinegar

½ cup *organic pickling spice

1-½ cups white granulated sugar

½ cup dark brown sugar

*(Note: Ive found organic pickling spice tends to be much more flavorful than typical store-bought versions, so you might consider increasing the amount per pot of brine to 3/4 or 1 cup)

Add all brine ingredients to both pots; stir to combine. Bring brine in each pot to a boil, cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool completely with lid on – Important! [Note: To speed up the cooling process; once the brine has cooled somewhat, carefully place entire pot(s) in sink(s) filled with cold water, just so cold water is about a quarter the way up from outside of pot bottom(s).]

Make 2 batches...

Jarring:

- Prepared fish chunks

- Prepared brine

4 large white onions, quartered and sliced into 1/8” strips

-(I keep slices covered with a damp paper towel to alleviate watery eyes)

4 large lemons, quartered, deseeded and sliced into 1/8” thick rectangles

*See Tip below for Jalapeno Pickled Salmon option

Set up an assembly line by placing all jars, mouth side up, on clean kitchen towels, including lids and rims on separate towels close by. Place

prepared onion and lemons in separate bowls close by as well; plus the brine and a ladle, and butter knife.

Begin filling jars by first placing the wide-mouth funnel over the top rim. Place a layer of fish chunks on bottom, onions, one slice of lemon; repeat until ½ full. Stir brine to distribute spices, and pour 1 ladle into jar. Continue layering ingredients as before, ending with a layer of onions and a slice of lemon to completely cover fish. Stir brine, then fill jar with ladle to within ¼” of the top of rim. Remove funnel, and run butter knife around inside edge of jar to release air bubbles. Wipe outer rim with a damp paper towel, and tightly secure jar with lid and rim. Repeat process until all jars are filled.

Label lids using a permanent marker: Pickled Sockeye, date jarred, and 6 months

out as an expiration date. Important! – Place tightly secured jars initially ‘upside down’ to cure for 7 days (to allow the spices to be evenly distributed) before eating, and then turn ‘right-side-up’ until expiration date. The pickled sockeye will keep up to 6 months from jarring date. ~ Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Tips:

For “Jalapeno Pickled Salmon,” simply place 3 to 4 jarred pickled jalapeno slices in bottom of jars before filling with remaining above-listed ingredients.

IMPORTANT: Do not use the water-bath method to seal the jars, as the curing/cooking process is undergone when pickling. You simply store product in refrigerator up to the expiration date, not in pantry.

Jumat, 24 Januari 2014

SANDRA’S REFRESHING TOMATO CUCUMBER and BASIL SALAD

A vibrant and delicious salad
you can prepare in minutes
that is so very refreshing and satisfying...

Servings: (4)

Prep: 15 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

1 cucumber peeled, and sliced

1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

¼ red onion, julienned

1 tablespoon fresh torn basil

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

In a medium glass bowl, toss together grape tomatoes, cucumber, onion, basil, apple cider vinegar, and olive oil. Add kosher salt and pepper, to taste.

Let salad stand 15 minutes for flavors meld prior to serving.