This is the perfect match with the crab balls, and most seafood meals. It’ll go great on top of a crab cake sandwich, or served with any fried or grilled fish. Feel free to add a hotter chili like a poblano, or if you’re really feeling frisky, you can use a habanero.
Yield 4 servings
1 c avocado, peeled, seeded, and small diced (1/4 in.)
1 Jalapeños, chili pepper, seeded and minced
1 tbsp Cilantro, minced
1 tbsp Red onions, small diced
1 tbsp Lime Juice
½ tsp ground cumin
Combine all ingredients, and chill before serving.
Sincerely,
Saundra D. Jones, CC
Chef/Owner
Divine Cuisine Event Planning and Catering
www.divinecuisineepc.com
info@divinecuisineepc.com
"With man this is impossible, but through Christ all things are possible".
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Crab Balls
This is a party favorite among family, friends, and clients. These all crab meatballs are perfectly seasoned, and perfect for any style event. Whether you’re hosting an elegant ball, or super bowl Sunday, they’re sure to fit right in. I typically serve them with a variety of dipping sauces, including hand made Avocado relish, tartar and cocktail sauces. When preparing, you can deep-fry them in canola oil, or pan-fry them in extra virgin olive oil. If you’re going for a healthier meal, you can broil in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, being sure to rotate them ever so often, so each side is golden brown. I usually use Special crabmeat for the crab balls, because they’re small in size, but feel free to use lump, it’ll be more expensive, but delicious. Here’s a guide to the different types of crabmeat, just in case you need to know the difference. http://www.phillipsfoods.com/recipes-cooking-tips/understanding-crabmeat.aspx Enjoy your appetizer, and have a wonderful day!
Yield 16-20 balls
1 lb Crabmeat, special
1 ea Eggs
2 tbsp Bread crumbs
1 tbsp onions, minced
½ tsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp Red (or green) bell pepper, minced
1 tsp Italian Parsley, minced
1tsp Old bay seasoning
TT salt
TT black pepper
1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1. In a large mixing bowl Gently pick through the crabmeat, to rid it of any excess shells.
2. Add in reminding ingredients, and gently mix (be careful not to over mix, because you’ll break up your lumps)
3. Form the balls in 1 oz portions (about 2 in. in diameter)
4. Heat olive oil in a skillet or sauté pan, and fry crab balls, until golden brown, and drain on a paper towel.
5. Serve immediately
Sincerely,
Saundra D. Jones, CC
Chef/Owner
Divine Cuisine Event Planning and Catering
www.divinecuisineepc.com
info@divinecuisineepc.com
"With man this is impossible, but through Christ all things are possible".
Yield 16-20 balls
1 lb Crabmeat, special
1 ea Eggs
2 tbsp Bread crumbs
1 tbsp onions, minced
½ tsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp Red (or green) bell pepper, minced
1 tsp Italian Parsley, minced
1tsp Old bay seasoning
TT salt
TT black pepper
1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1. In a large mixing bowl Gently pick through the crabmeat, to rid it of any excess shells.
2. Add in reminding ingredients, and gently mix (be careful not to over mix, because you’ll break up your lumps)
3. Form the balls in 1 oz portions (about 2 in. in diameter)
4. Heat olive oil in a skillet or sauté pan, and fry crab balls, until golden brown, and drain on a paper towel.
5. Serve immediately
Sincerely,
Saundra D. Jones, CC
Chef/Owner
Divine Cuisine Event Planning and Catering
www.divinecuisineepc.com
info@divinecuisineepc.com
"With man this is impossible, but through Christ all things are possible".
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY WEDNESDAY!
Today's scriptures are about Jesus taking on our sin. It's written: All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:18-21 NIV) What do these verses of scripture mean to you? Take a few moments and think about your relationship with God, and where you "stand" in your Christian walk. If you were asked the question "are you saved", what would your honest answer be? From today forward, if you know that you've prayed and asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, then you are saved, no questions asked. Some people think that if they're not living a certain lifestyle, or have accomplished a certain Spiritual maturity, then God doesn't look at them the same, as He would a more "mature" Christian. If you're one of those people, then I implore you to drop all of your fears of “a lost of Salvation”, or the shame of your past sins. It's written in God's Word that He made Jesus to be sin for us, that we may become righteousness, Hallelujah! All we need to do is confess our sins and repent, and we're forgiven. It's written: As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12) Jesus is the Son of God, our Savoir, as well as God in the Flesh, and much, much more. Through His death on the cross, He's completely reconciled our relationship with God. Any separation we have because of sin, has been taken care of, and to never be worried about again. Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matt. 19:26). This is a very popular verse of scripture, but its validity is often misunderstood. We miss our blessings when we think that anything in this life is in our control. We can't worry our transgressions away, nor can we wish them away, they’re only taken away by Christ Himself. God said, "In Christ we are new creatures", so without Him, we're bound to our own personal "wilderness". The most common lie the devil tells us is that we need to "get our life right” to truly walk with God. He’ll make us think that we have to change our ways, go to church, stop using foul language, abusing alcohol and drugs, or fornicating, etc, before we can have a true relationship with God. All of those things are lies, because we cannot truly change anything in our life without God. Jesus said come just you are, and “in Me you are a new creature". We often fail, or backslide in our own attempts to "clean up our lives", because we're missing one very important factor, and that's our Helper, the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Once you invite Him in your life, you're righteous in God's eyes. You must then, with Him, make the necessary steps to change your life. If you sin, not matter how much, or how severe, you have to come to Him with a remorseful heart, and confess. The Holy Spirit will convict you to a point where sin won't come as easy. These are gradual steps, and the speed of your Spiritual growth strictly depends on your ability to put God first every day. Sin, and sin alone, separated us from God, and Jesus has taken care of that, so why then have you alienated your Heavenly Father? As of today, you don't have to do that anymore. I'm not down playing sin by any means, because it's a very serious thing, that could cause very serious repercussions in our life, but I am letting you know that Jesus have already forgiven you. If you don't know Him as Lord and Savior, please go to Him right now in prayer, confess that you're a sinner, ask for forgiveness, repent, and most importantly ask Him to come into your heart as Lord and Savior. As always, I'm here anytime you need someone to pray with. My favorite verse today is: God, ... hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Heb 1:1-3)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455224&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter.asp?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943547
I love you!
Today's scriptures are about Jesus taking on our sin. It's written: All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:18-21 NIV) What do these verses of scripture mean to you? Take a few moments and think about your relationship with God, and where you "stand" in your Christian walk. If you were asked the question "are you saved", what would your honest answer be? From today forward, if you know that you've prayed and asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, then you are saved, no questions asked. Some people think that if they're not living a certain lifestyle, or have accomplished a certain Spiritual maturity, then God doesn't look at them the same, as He would a more "mature" Christian. If you're one of those people, then I implore you to drop all of your fears of “a lost of Salvation”, or the shame of your past sins. It's written in God's Word that He made Jesus to be sin for us, that we may become righteousness, Hallelujah! All we need to do is confess our sins and repent, and we're forgiven. It's written: As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12) Jesus is the Son of God, our Savoir, as well as God in the Flesh, and much, much more. Through His death on the cross, He's completely reconciled our relationship with God. Any separation we have because of sin, has been taken care of, and to never be worried about again. Jesus said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matt. 19:26). This is a very popular verse of scripture, but its validity is often misunderstood. We miss our blessings when we think that anything in this life is in our control. We can't worry our transgressions away, nor can we wish them away, they’re only taken away by Christ Himself. God said, "In Christ we are new creatures", so without Him, we're bound to our own personal "wilderness". The most common lie the devil tells us is that we need to "get our life right” to truly walk with God. He’ll make us think that we have to change our ways, go to church, stop using foul language, abusing alcohol and drugs, or fornicating, etc, before we can have a true relationship with God. All of those things are lies, because we cannot truly change anything in our life without God. Jesus said come just you are, and “in Me you are a new creature". We often fail, or backslide in our own attempts to "clean up our lives", because we're missing one very important factor, and that's our Helper, the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Once you invite Him in your life, you're righteous in God's eyes. You must then, with Him, make the necessary steps to change your life. If you sin, not matter how much, or how severe, you have to come to Him with a remorseful heart, and confess. The Holy Spirit will convict you to a point where sin won't come as easy. These are gradual steps, and the speed of your Spiritual growth strictly depends on your ability to put God first every day. Sin, and sin alone, separated us from God, and Jesus has taken care of that, so why then have you alienated your Heavenly Father? As of today, you don't have to do that anymore. I'm not down playing sin by any means, because it's a very serious thing, that could cause very serious repercussions in our life, but I am letting you know that Jesus have already forgiven you. If you don't know Him as Lord and Savior, please go to Him right now in prayer, confess that you're a sinner, ask for forgiveness, repent, and most importantly ask Him to come into your heart as Lord and Savior. As always, I'm here anytime you need someone to pray with. My favorite verse today is: God, ... hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Heb 1:1-3)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455224&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter.asp?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943547
I love you!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Daily Devotional Day & Night
HAPPY MONDAY!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying the beginning of another workweek. I'm doing well, after have a nice relaxing weekend with family. I actually was a little too relaxed, but it was worth it. My Grandmother is still in the hospital, and will be transferring to an extended care facility tomorrow, which is more than any of us expected, so please continue to keep her in your prayers. Our family is coming together through these wearisome times, and I'm trying hard to understand that “it's not my will but God's will be done”. I saw her tonight, and it gave me some peace, because she’s still in good Spirits. I know that Jesus heals by Faith, so I'll continue to keep that in the forefront of my mind. On a lighter note, I was given some information from the alumni liaison at Washington Jesuit Academy last week regarding federal grants for college, for Washington, DC residents. They’re helping DCPS graduates attend any college or university in and out of state, and it's a really good program. If you know of anyone who could use the information, please let them know to visit https://hefs.seo.dc.gov/appforms/seo_logon.aspx to apply. I know how hard it is to pay for college, and loans are no joke, so if your child could get up to $10,000 per year for 5 years, and a stipend for living expenses, that’ll be a blessing. Take some time to look into the DC TAG program. God has blessed our boys (my brother and nephew), to have attended WJA for middle school, and this school follows them all the way through High School and college, giving them the tools needed to become successful and productive men. If you have a son entering into middle school soon, and live in the DC area, I recommend you look into it. This school is surely a blessing to my family. Have a wonderful day, and be blessed family!
Today's scriptures are about honoring the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Let's take a moment to think about how life would be without Jesus. The Old Testament holds pertinent information about life before Jesus, and the many challenges mankind faced to be close to God. At that time, God mostly had connections with only certain people, such as prophets and High Priests. In order to be forgiven for sins people had to offer sacrifices of clean and healthy animals, on the altar of the temple. I don't know about you, but I couldn't imagine having to do that, especially considering the reality of sin, and how often we fall short. I couldn’t imagine not being able to pray and ask for anything, in the Name of Jesus, and it be given to me. Jesus gives us so much freedom, and we never have to depend on anyone else for our Salvation, forgiveness, or relationship with God. Everyone who accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior has been chosen. Without Jesus we have no “direct” connection to God. It’s written: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6) Reading through the New Testament, we find several miracles and blessings Jesus performed. He makes it known through His actions that He and the Father are one, yet He leaves it up to us to make the final assumption, and to believe in Him with our whole heart. We must confess that He is Lord with our mouth, and have Faith in that. There was a time when Jesus was traveling with His disciples and He asked them “who do people say that I am?” They told Him what other’s thought, and He asked them, “Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matt. 16:16) Jesus is in fact the only “begotten Son” of the living God, yet we are also “children of God”, and joint heirs to His Kingdom. It’s because of Jesus’ life that we get to truly know the love of God. We’ve learned to fear and reverence Him in the Old Testament, but when Christ was born we were truly taught to Love Him with all of our heart, and we see, first hand, His love for us, and that couldn’t have been possible without Jesus. He prayed for us constantly (John 17), and still intercedes for us whenever we call on His Name. Jesus plays a vital role in our life, and through Him we’re granted the Holy Spirit, and through His Spirit we can heal, and are healed. We must be sure to praise Jesus for all that He has done, and is doing in our life because without Him we are nothing. Do you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior? Do you know how much He loves you? Jesus was hung on the cross, bled, and died for your sins and mine, for one reason only, because He loves you. His love will overcome anything wrong you’ve done in life, and could bring you out of the darkness. His love conquers all things and makes us who we are. If you’re reading this today, know that He loves you, and He took the time to tell you, through me. If you don’t know Him then you’re lost, and He’s waiting for you to come to Him. God has given us Jesus for one purpose, and that’s to mend our brokenness, by eliminating the ultimate penalty of sin, through the blood of the perfect Lamb, who is none other than Jesus Christ. I urge you to pray and ask Jesus to come into your life as Lord and Savior, and confess and repent for your sins. Don’t forget to thank Him, and give Praise to the one that makes it all possible! My favorite verse today is: To us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. (1 Corinthians 8:6)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455208&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter.asp?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943547
I love you!
I pray all is well with everyone, and you're enjoying the beginning of another workweek. I'm doing well, after have a nice relaxing weekend with family. I actually was a little too relaxed, but it was worth it. My Grandmother is still in the hospital, and will be transferring to an extended care facility tomorrow, which is more than any of us expected, so please continue to keep her in your prayers. Our family is coming together through these wearisome times, and I'm trying hard to understand that “it's not my will but God's will be done”. I saw her tonight, and it gave me some peace, because she’s still in good Spirits. I know that Jesus heals by Faith, so I'll continue to keep that in the forefront of my mind. On a lighter note, I was given some information from the alumni liaison at Washington Jesuit Academy last week regarding federal grants for college, for Washington, DC residents. They’re helping DCPS graduates attend any college or university in and out of state, and it's a really good program. If you know of anyone who could use the information, please let them know to visit https://hefs.seo.dc.gov/appforms/seo_logon.aspx to apply. I know how hard it is to pay for college, and loans are no joke, so if your child could get up to $10,000 per year for 5 years, and a stipend for living expenses, that’ll be a blessing. Take some time to look into the DC TAG program. God has blessed our boys (my brother and nephew), to have attended WJA for middle school, and this school follows them all the way through High School and college, giving them the tools needed to become successful and productive men. If you have a son entering into middle school soon, and live in the DC area, I recommend you look into it. This school is surely a blessing to my family. Have a wonderful day, and be blessed family!
Today's scriptures are about honoring the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Let's take a moment to think about how life would be without Jesus. The Old Testament holds pertinent information about life before Jesus, and the many challenges mankind faced to be close to God. At that time, God mostly had connections with only certain people, such as prophets and High Priests. In order to be forgiven for sins people had to offer sacrifices of clean and healthy animals, on the altar of the temple. I don't know about you, but I couldn't imagine having to do that, especially considering the reality of sin, and how often we fall short. I couldn’t imagine not being able to pray and ask for anything, in the Name of Jesus, and it be given to me. Jesus gives us so much freedom, and we never have to depend on anyone else for our Salvation, forgiveness, or relationship with God. Everyone who accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior has been chosen. Without Jesus we have no “direct” connection to God. It’s written: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6) Reading through the New Testament, we find several miracles and blessings Jesus performed. He makes it known through His actions that He and the Father are one, yet He leaves it up to us to make the final assumption, and to believe in Him with our whole heart. We must confess that He is Lord with our mouth, and have Faith in that. There was a time when Jesus was traveling with His disciples and He asked them “who do people say that I am?” They told Him what other’s thought, and He asked them, “Who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matt. 16:16) Jesus is in fact the only “begotten Son” of the living God, yet we are also “children of God”, and joint heirs to His Kingdom. It’s because of Jesus’ life that we get to truly know the love of God. We’ve learned to fear and reverence Him in the Old Testament, but when Christ was born we were truly taught to Love Him with all of our heart, and we see, first hand, His love for us, and that couldn’t have been possible without Jesus. He prayed for us constantly (John 17), and still intercedes for us whenever we call on His Name. Jesus plays a vital role in our life, and through Him we’re granted the Holy Spirit, and through His Spirit we can heal, and are healed. We must be sure to praise Jesus for all that He has done, and is doing in our life because without Him we are nothing. Do you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior? Do you know how much He loves you? Jesus was hung on the cross, bled, and died for your sins and mine, for one reason only, because He loves you. His love will overcome anything wrong you’ve done in life, and could bring you out of the darkness. His love conquers all things and makes us who we are. If you’re reading this today, know that He loves you, and He took the time to tell you, through me. If you don’t know Him then you’re lost, and He’s waiting for you to come to Him. God has given us Jesus for one purpose, and that’s to mend our brokenness, by eliminating the ultimate penalty of sin, through the blood of the perfect Lamb, who is none other than Jesus Christ. I urge you to pray and ask Jesus to come into your life as Lord and Savior, and confess and repent for your sins. Don’t forget to thank Him, and give Praise to the one that makes it all possible! My favorite verse today is: To us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. (1 Corinthians 8:6)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455208&dtype=Scripture
http://www.intouch.org/site/pp.aspx?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943197
http://www.intouch.org/site/apps/nl/newsletter.asp?c=cnKBIPNuEoG&b=4943547
I love you!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Chicken Chasseur
This is one of my favorite dishes I learned to prepare in culinary school. Chasseur is a classic French sauce that works well with braising. This was on of the dishes we could get as for our black box exam. Each “mother sauce”, has a bunch of “small sauces” that they are used to create. In most fine dinning restaurants, the Chef will always have the five mother sauces, Béchamel, Tomato, Velouté, Espagnole (brown sauce), and Hollandaise. Béchamel and Tomato are the most prevalent. The sauce used in this recipe is Demi-glace, which is made from brown sauce and stock, reduced. What I do, because I don’t have brown sauce on hand all the time, is make a roux (like making gravy with butter & flour) and once it’s browned, pour my chicken stock in. I’ll usually season really well, but don’t make it too thick, add some tomato puree, and season it very well, and you have your mock Demi-glace. I’ll post the real recipe for brown sauce later. This dish is absolutely delicious, impressive to your guest, but very inexpensive to make. I usually us leg quarters. ENJOY!
Yields: 10 servings (½ chicken each)
5 Chickens
1 c flour
TT Salt
TT Pepper
2 fl oz Oil (4 tbsp)
Sauce:
2 oz Shallots or onions, finely chopped
8 oz Mushrooms, sliced
8 fl oz White wine (1 c)
1½ pt Demi-glace (see above for clarification)
8 oz Tomatoes, peeled seeded, and small-diced (concassé) OR 4 oz canned diced tomatoes
TT Salt
TT Pepper
2 tbsp fresh Parsley, chopped
1. Cut the chickens into 8 pieces (or buy already cut up), season flour with salt & pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan. Coat chicken in flour and brown well on all sides.
3. Remove the chickens from the pan. Cover and keep them hot.
4. Add the shallots and mushrooms to the pan and sauté lightly without browning.
5. Add the white wine and reduce by ¾ over high heat .
6. Add the demi-glace and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Place the chickens in the sauce. Cover and simmer slowly on the stove or the oven at 325°F/165°C, about 20-30 minutes, until done.
8. When the chicken is done, remove it form the pan and reduce the sauce slightly over high heat. Add the chopped parsley and check the seasonings.
9. Serve ½ chicken, and cover with about 3 oz of sauce.
Sincerely,
Saundra D. Jones, CC
Chef/Owner
Divine Cuisine Event Planning and Catering
www.divinecuisineepc.com
info@divinecuisineepc.com
"With man this is impossible, but through Christ all things are possible".
Yields: 10 servings (½ chicken each)
5 Chickens
1 c flour
TT Salt
TT Pepper
2 fl oz Oil (4 tbsp)
Sauce:
2 oz Shallots or onions, finely chopped
8 oz Mushrooms, sliced
8 fl oz White wine (1 c)
1½ pt Demi-glace (see above for clarification)
8 oz Tomatoes, peeled seeded, and small-diced (concassé) OR 4 oz canned diced tomatoes
TT Salt
TT Pepper
2 tbsp fresh Parsley, chopped
1. Cut the chickens into 8 pieces (or buy already cut up), season flour with salt & pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan. Coat chicken in flour and brown well on all sides.
3. Remove the chickens from the pan. Cover and keep them hot.
4. Add the shallots and mushrooms to the pan and sauté lightly without browning.
5. Add the white wine and reduce by ¾ over high heat .
6. Add the demi-glace and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Place the chickens in the sauce. Cover and simmer slowly on the stove or the oven at 325°F/165°C, about 20-30 minutes, until done.
8. When the chicken is done, remove it form the pan and reduce the sauce slightly over high heat. Add the chopped parsley and check the seasonings.
9. Serve ½ chicken, and cover with about 3 oz of sauce.
Sincerely,
Saundra D. Jones, CC
Chef/Owner
Divine Cuisine Event Planning and Catering
www.divinecuisineepc.com
info@divinecuisineepc.com
"With man this is impossible, but through Christ all things are possible".
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Catalan Stuffed Bell Peppers
I absolutely love stuffed peppers, and I found this delicious recipe that I will try. The only changes I may make is the pine nuts, I’m not too fond of them or water chestnuts. To toast the pine nuts, put them in a hot dry pan, and shake around until you smell the aroma, and they get a little brown, be careful not to burn them. Also be light with your large pinch of cinnamon, because it could get overwhelming. This is a very good side dish that is elegant, yet simple. I would pair it with something grilled, or spicy. With bell peppers it could be very festive, because they come in so many different colors, and you could really stuff any type of peppers. If you want to add a different flavor and a little heat try a pablano pepper, or for small hors d’ oeuvres try jalapeno, and sub the cinnamon and raisins for some queso and black beans and/or corn. Have a wonderful day!
Yields 8 servings
10 oz baby spinach leaves, rinsed
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
¼ tsp ground turmeric
large pinch of ground cinnamon
large pinch of cayenne pepper, TT (to taste)
4 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
4 tbsp raisins
10 oz basmati rice, rinsed until the water runs clear and soaked in water to cover for at least 30 minutes
TT Salt
TT Pepper
4 large bell peppers, assorted colors, halved
1. Put the spinach in a large pan with just the water clinging to the leaves, cover, and cook over medium heat until it has wilted. Drain well, and when cool enough to handle squeeze out all of the water. Chop Finely and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic, turmeric, cinnamon and cayenne pepper and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in pine nuts, raisins, and drained rice. Add the chopped spinach and stir together then season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
4. Cut each pepper in half lengthwise, and then carefully remove the cores and seeds. Take care not to cut away the stem ends. You should have a deep container for stuffing. Divide the rice stuffing equally among the pepper halves, and then arrange them in 1 or 2 large roasting pans that support them tightly.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes-1hour and serve immediately.
Sincerely,
Saundra D. Jones, CC
Chef/Owner
Divine Cuisine Event Planning and Catering
www.divinecuisineepc.com
info@divinecuisineepc.com
"With man this is impossible, but through Christ all things are possible".
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Banana and Apple Cake
I have a bit of a sweet tooth, and I don’t think I bake enough, so here’s one I might try tonight. This comes from a book called, “ Healthy Eating: American Family Favorites”. I don’t know about you, but my family never made cakes like this, but that’s about to change. This is healthy too, so that’s even more reason to make if for yourself, and the children. Banana’s is my all time favorite fruit, I eat one every single day, so needless to say, I love all banana dishes. The recipe calls for “polyunsaturated margarine”, I’m not sure if there’s a difference in types of margarines sold at the grocery store, but I’ll find out. I’ll let you know how this one comes out.
Yields: 8 servings
Vegetable Oil Spray
1/3 c polyunsaturated margarine
1 c sugar
2 egg whites
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 ½ c all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ c skim milk
Sifted powder sugar for garnish
1. Preheat oven to moderate 350ºF. Spray an 8-inch Bundt or tube pan with vegetable oil.
2. In a medium bowl heat margarine and sugar with electric beaters until well mixed. Add egg whites, beating thoroughly. Fold in banana and apple. Set aside
3. Combine flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center.
4. Add banana mixture and skim milk alternately to dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
5. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Smooth surface. Bake 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cake stand 10 minutes in the pan before turning onto wire rack to cool. Serve cake plain or with a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Sincerely,
Saundra D. Jones, CC
Chef/Owner
Divine Cuisine Event Planning and Catering
http://www.divinecuisineepc.com/
info@divinecuisineepc.com
"With man this is impossible, but through Christ all things are possible".
Yields: 8 servings
Vegetable Oil Spray
1/3 c polyunsaturated margarine
1 c sugar
2 egg whites
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
2 ½ c all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ c skim milk
Sifted powder sugar for garnish
1. Preheat oven to moderate 350ºF. Spray an 8-inch Bundt or tube pan with vegetable oil.
2. In a medium bowl heat margarine and sugar with electric beaters until well mixed. Add egg whites, beating thoroughly. Fold in banana and apple. Set aside
3. Combine flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the center.
4. Add banana mixture and skim milk alternately to dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
5. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Smooth surface. Bake 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cake stand 10 minutes in the pan before turning onto wire rack to cool. Serve cake plain or with a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Sincerely,
Saundra D. Jones, CC
Chef/Owner
Divine Cuisine Event Planning and Catering
http://www.divinecuisineepc.com/
info@divinecuisineepc.com
"With man this is impossible, but through Christ all things are possible".
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