4 January 2021 Tres Leches Cake

Tres Leches Cake

January 4, 2021 By

I picked up some groceries at Whole Foods a few weeks back, and while I don’t typically buy store-made dessert, I peeked a slice of Tres Leches Cake that I had to have. It was absolutely fabulous, so kudos to WF for this treat I hadn’t had in many years.

If you’re not familiar with Tres Leches Cake, it’s a vanilla/white cake popular in Mexico that is soaked in three kinds of milk (tres leches) then frosted in whipped cream. Typically, cinnamon is sprinkled over the cream, but since I don’t like cinnamon (yeah, I know), I dusted some good quality cocoa power on it for the ‘right’ look.

Cake Baking

The recipe I used came out just perfect and wasn’t too sweet, which is sometimes the case with this cake. Another issue I’ve seen with this cake over the years was that some versions use way too much milks which can cause it to collapse. This was NOT the case here.

Baked Cake

Here’s a link to the recipe by Sabrina of Dinner Then Dessert. Next time I make this fabulous dessert, I’ll add a couple more spoons of powdered sugar to the whipped cream.

Three Milks for Soaking

Regarding the 4 cups of whipped cream listed in the recipe. That’s 4 cups of whipped cream made from 2 cups of heavy whipping cream. Just thought I’d clarify.

I’m not sure why I hadn’t made Tres Leches Cake in 30+ years but that won’t happen again as it’s a great dessert. You’ll see in the photos that I used a disposable pan and it’s because I brought this to a potluck where it was well-received.

Please comment if you try this recipe!

Veronique  

Filed Under: Desserts, Mexican Tagged With: , , ,
8 December 2020 Easy Potato Latkes for Beginners

Easy Potato Latkes for Beginners

December 8, 2020 By

A couple of weeks ago, I was “challenged” by the team at Yarden Wines to make latkes that could be paired with some of their fantastic wines. If you’re not yet familiar with Yarden Wines, it encompasses Golan Heights Winery and Galil Mountain Winery, located in the Golan Heights and Galilee regions of Israel. Keep an eye out for more posts about wines from Israel.

What are latkes? According to Chabad.org Latke is Yiddish for “pancake.” On Chanukah, it is traditional to serve potato latkes fried in oil to celebrate the Chanukah miracle.

While I’ve made latkes once many years ago, I’m certainly no pro at making them so I turned to Pinterest for a good recipe and easy directions. The recipe I selected is by Sue from The View from Great Island (great blog by the way and amazing photography). Sue’s recipe, HOW TO MAKE PERFECT LATKES, was so easy to follow and featured lots of photos to help me along the way.

The results, if I may say so myself, were some of the best latkes I’ve ever eaten. Crunchy, crisp on the outside, moist and tender on the inside.

Here’s a link to the recipe and below are modifications I made:

  • Used two large Russet potatoes
  • Added a pinch of nutmeg
  • Used a ¼ cup scoop to measure out the latke ‘batter’ for each portion in my cast iron pan. I like the latkes a bit bigger and a little rounder in the middle to ensure a moist inside.
  • Replace the more typical chives with green onion.
  • Skipped the apple sauce since I’m not a fan and served the latkes with sour cream.
  • Grated the potatoes and onion by hand on a box grater. While more work, I actually like doing that step by hand.
  • Gave the lakes a nice sprinkling of salt after frying when I placed them on the paper towel.

I paired the latkes with the 2019 Gilgal Chardonnay by Yarden Wines and it was terrific match. This wine retails for around $15 a bottle and a great addition to your collection.

Don’t hesitate to try this latkes recipe, it’s super great and it’ll wow your friends and family.

Happy cooking,

Veronique

Filed Under: Appetizers, Israeli, Sides, Snacks, Starters, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,
24 November 2020 Vegan Fudge with Walnuts

Vegan Fudge with Walnuts

November 24, 2020 By

Yes, you read that recipe title correctly – VEGAN! My dear friend Sharon’s been living a vegan, unprocessed foods lifestyle for a while now and posts recipes of foods she’s reinventing as vegan that always look tasty and interesting. This past week, she posted a recipe I finally decided to try and post here as it’s perfect for the upcoming holidays – Vegan Fudge!

Photo Credit: Diane Biancamano

The recipe was created by amazing vegan chef/recipe creator/food blogger Dianne Wenz. Dianne and I ran in some of the same circles both being New Jersey food bloggers, before I relocated to Charlotte. Her popular food blog, Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen, is filled with fantastic recipes and tips for adopting and living a vegan lifestyle.

Two things attracted me to this recipe: 1) the fudge looks creamy and velvety 2) the recipe calls for homemade dairy-free condensed milk – WHAT!!?? If find all this intriguing and fantastic.

Photo Credit: Sharon Lewis

Here’s Dianne’s recipe for Vegan HOMEMADE VEGAN FUDGE (WITH DAIRY-FREE CONDENSED MILK). The recipe calls for walnuts, which I think are a must in fudge, but please skip if you don’t like them or if there are food allergies in your homes.

I cannot wait to make this for the holidays and hope you give it a try too!

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Chocolate, Desserts, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,
20 November 2020 Cheesy Bacon Chicken Bake

Cheesy Bacon Chicken Bake

November 20, 2020 By

While baked chicken recipes can be boring and sometimes even bland, this easy weeknight Cheesy Bacon Chicken Bake recipe is just the opposite.

It came to me as we were trying to empty our freezer and fridge before our move out of state. We had some chicken breasts in the freezer, that I thawed, and a block of cream cheese and some pre-cooked bacon to use up, so the Cheesy Bacon Chicken Bake was born.

This low carb recipe comes together in mere minutes and is perfect for weeknights or an easy weekend dinner. You could add things like cubed ham instead of bacon or add cooked spinach or cooked mushrooms and it would be delicious. The shredded cheese you use can also be changed to Swiss or Colby or Jack, or whatever you have on hand.

The chicken can be served with rice or a side salad for those living the keto life.

Ingredients:

  • 4 boneless, skinless breasts halves, sliced in half horizontally (you’ll have 8 pieces)
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise (I used Duke’s)
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
  • ½ tsp. each salt, pepper and garlic powder
  • 8 slices cooked bacon, chopped into bite size pieces
  • Chopped scallions, optional

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a rectangular baking dish (I used an 11’x7” Pyrex) place the chicken breasts in an even layer (a bit of overlap is fine).
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the mayo, cream cheese, 1 cup shredded Cheddar, the spices and chopped bacon.
  4. Top the chicken with the cheese/bacon mixture then top that with the rest of the Cheddar.
  5. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees and the cheese has melted and is lightly golden.
  6. Garnish with the scallions, if using.

Serves 4.

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Chicken, Entrees Tagged With: , , ,
13 November 2020 Mediterranean Spinach and Feta Quiche

Mediterranean Spinach and Feta Quiche

November 13, 2020 By

I recently hosted a Greek-themed dinner party when I overbought a ton of ingredients (surprise surprise). With a buttery pie crust in the freezer, lots of sautéed spinach, Feta cheese, eggs and red onions on hand, I decided on a Mediterranean quiche!

Quiches are so versatile as they’re a great way to use up leftovers. This version is a vegetarian quiche but adding cooked bacon, leftover roast chicken or diced ham would also be great.

I think the crust is the most important part of a good quiche and I provide the EASY way to make a fail proof crust below where you put all the ingredients in the food processor and let it do the work – try it!

You’ll see that I added some Mozzarella for that cheesy stringy pull but replacing with all Feta would also work well.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pie crust, homemade or store-bought
  • 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
  • ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ½ tsp. each salt, freshly cracked pepper and oregano
  • Big pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 2 cups cooked spinach, squeezed dry
  • 1 cup crumbled Feta cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Add the pie crust to a 9″ pie plate and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  3. In a medium sauté pan over medium high heat, add the oil and sliced onion. Cook stirring frequently until the onions have softened, about 4 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream and the spices for 60 seconds.
  5. Top the pie crust with the sautéed onion, then the spinach, then the Feta and then the Mozzarella. Place the pie plate on a baking sheet in case of spills. Carefully pour the egg mixture over the cheeses and place the quiche in the oven to bake for 40-45 minutes. The quiche is done when the center is no longer giggly. If the surface of the quiche browns quicker than the allotted time, cover loosely with foil.
  6. Allow to cool 15 minutes before serving. The quiche is great at room temperature.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Filed Under: American, Cheese, Eggs, Entrees, French, Greek, Starters, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,
5 November 2020 Greek Lamb Sausages (Keftedes)

Greek Lamb Sausages (Keftedes)

November 5, 2020 By

I love Greek food and while I’m not of Greek decent, I do pretty well fixing Greek food at home. I just love the idea of a share platter of mezes, little bites, that my guests can share before dinner.

One of my favorite Greek mezes is Greek meatballs/sausages, keftedes in Greek. Some folks make them round like a meatball, I prefer to make them a little oblong in shape for more grilling surface – the shape is up to you!

There are many variations, some of the meatballs get coated in flour and fried, some get baked but my top way of making keftedes is to grill them. I like the charred outside and the moist, juicy inside when made this way.

These Greek sausages can be made with a combination of lamb and beef, but I like the all-lamb version. These keftedes are great served with tzatziki sauce, a cucumber/yogurt sauce and pita bread.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • ½ of a medium onion chopped or grated (I like a chunkier texture)
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
  • Zest of a lemon
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • ½ tsp. each salt and fresh ground pepper
  • Tzatziki sauce (optional but essential)

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients (except Tzatziki sauce) until just combined – overmixing will cause the meatballs/sausages to be dense. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to make it easier to form the meat into your preferred shape.
  2. Form about a tablespoon of the meat into balls or sausages. I like to NOT use breadcrumbs when possible to keep the sausages light and fluffy, but if your mixture is too loose, add 2 teaspoons of breadcrumbs. Refrigerate for 30 – 60 minutes.
  3. Oil your grill and preheat on medium-high heat.
  4. Cook the sausages directly on the grill, about 4 minutes on each side.
  5. Serve hot or warm with Tzatziki sauce, if using.

Makes 15-20 sausages.

Filed Under: Appetizers, Greek, Lamb, Snacks, Starters Tagged With: , ,

No Stick Grilled Sockeye Salmon

September 30, 2020 By

At my home, we love to grill. This undoubtedly comes from living in South Florida for 20+ years before relocating to NJ. There, we grilled several times a week and we’ve continued that now that we live in the northeast.

One thing I love to grill is fish. No mess in the kitchen, no fishy smell for several days – easy peasy! I know what typically intimidates folks about grilling fish is that it can stick and be a huge disaster. It really doesn’t have to be that way.

First, there are many products on the market you can place your fish on when grilling. Everything from a cedar plank to a silicone mat to a rectangular grill pan.

Second, pick the ‘right’ fish. As a starting point, salmon is a great fish to grill as you can place on the grates skin side down which help protects the flesh from sticking.

Third, put the fish on the medium-hot grill, close the lid and leave it alone! The fish needs time to form an outer ‘crust’ which will make it way easier to flip or remove from the grill, but in order for that to happen, you need to leave it alone to cook for a bit!

Finally, one of my favorite tricks to ensure fish won’t still to the grill is to place the fish on lemon slices. The lemon helps protect the fish from the direct grates and also flavors it as it cooks. A winning recipe in my book!

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ – 2 pounds of sockeye salmon (I use a whole side)
  • Juice of one lemon
  • Olive oil for coating
  • Pinch of salt and black pepper
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 8-10 slices of lemon
  • 2 lemons, halved (optional)

Directions:

  1. Light a grill to medium-high heat. Allow the grill to get up to temperature with the lid closed.
  2. Place the salmon skin side down on a work surface or platter. Pour the lemon juice and the oil then add the salt, pepper and zest and massage that mixture all over the flesh of the fish.
  3. Open the lid of the grill and place the lemon slices, two side by side, horizontally on the grill grates (see pic for a visual). Place the salmon skin side down onto the lemon slices. Close the grill lid and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the flesh is firm but not dry. If using, place the four lemon halves, flesh side down, on the grill for the last 5 minutes of the fish cooking time.
  4. Remove the fish from the grill, peel off the skin (this will be very easy after grilling) and serve with a squeeze of the grilled lemons.

Serves 2-4 depending on your side dishes.

Filed Under: American, Entrees, Fish Tagged With: , , ,

Quick Vegetarian Mediterranean Pasta

September 24, 2020 By

I love recipes that help me clean out the fridge. Last week, I made myself an awesome Greek salad for lunch and had some of the condiments left over and a portion of cooked penne so decided to make a Mediterranean-style pasta with them.

This pasta recipe comes together very quickly so it’s perfect for a fast weekday/weeknight meal AND it’s also great for #MeatlessMonday since it’s vegetarian dish.

Ingredients:

  • ¼ cup good quality olive oil
  • Pinch of salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes
  • 20 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ½ cup chopped cooked artichoke hearts
  • ¼ cup chopped black olives
  • 1-2 cups cooked pasta, warmed up with a ¼ cup of water in the microwave
  • ½ cup cubed good quality Feta cheese (I use Dodoni brand)
  • Handful of basil leaves, optional but tasty

Directions:

  1. In a medium saucepan, warm the oil over medium heat.
  2. Add the spices and cook 30 seconds.
  3. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until blistered and softened, about 2 minutes.
  4. Add the artichoke hearts and the black olives and cook stirring frequently for a minute.
  5. Add the cooked pasta and any water from the microwave heating plus the Feta. Toss and cook for 2 minutes until the pasta is well coated and the cheese begins to soften.
  6. Serve with the basil leaves, if using.

Makes one generous portion.  

Filed Under: Cheese, Entrees, Greek, Pasta, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,
21 September 2020 Easy Miso Cod en Papillote

Easy Miso Cod en Papillote

September 21, 2020 By

It feels wrong to even call this a recipe, but, if I don’t document it, I’ll forget how tasty it is and that I should make it more often! It’s even keto-friendly!

This is a very simple process and prefect for a weeknight meal of cod cooked in an aluminum foil packet on the grill. No oven to turn on, no messes to clean up!

I had wild caught cod on hand but this would be delicious with many non oily fish like mahi mahi, bass, sole, halibut or haddock. I had miso paste in the fridge so I used some of that along with lemon juice and olive oil, but some ginger dressing or even some Italian dressing would work great also.

Ingredients:

Two 4-6 ounce cod filets

2 Tbsp. each miso paste, olive oil and lemon juice

4 slices of lemon, seeds removed

20-30 raw baby asparagus spears

Salt and pepper

Uncooked Fish Packet

Directions:

Turn your gas grill to medium flame (or turn the oven on to 375 degrees).

Cut two large pieces of aluminum foil and lay them on a work surface. Lightly coat each foil piece with cooking spray.

Place a cod filet and 10-15 asparagus spears in the center of each of the foil pieces. Spoon the miso paste over the fish then drizzle the fish and asparagus with olive oil then lemon juice. Season with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Place two slices of lemon over each fish filet then wrap the foil tightly over the fish and asparagus to create an air tight packet.

Place the foil packets on the grill, close the grill lid and cook for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the packets from the grill using a large spatula and equally carefully unwrap the foil packets.

Dish can be served right in the foil packets or transferred to a plate for a low carb meal. We served ours with basmati rice.

Makes two servings.

Filed Under: American, Entrees, Fish, French Tagged With: , , , ,

White Lady Cocktail Recipe

September 15, 2020 By

One of my very favorite drinks is undeniably the White Lady. Love the tartness of the lemony drink and the thick foamy head from the egg white. If you’ve not had a drink made with egg whites, do it, now, it’s incredible.

The main trick to this drink is to dry shake the drink, meaning, to shake the drink ingredients in a cocktail shaker with NO ice to create the white foamy head.

Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ ounces Gin (I used Aviation American Gin)
  • ¾ ounce Triple Sec
  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ½ ounce simple syrup
  • ½ an egg white
  • 3 or 4 drops of bitters (optional)

Directions:

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add all the ingredients except the bitters. Shake vigorously for about 15 seconds then strain into a second shaker (without the ice) and ‘dry shake’ for about 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass (I use a coupe). If using, add a few drops of bitters to the surface of the foamy top.

Makes one cocktail.

Filed Under: Cocktails Tagged With: , , ,
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