Foodie friends, Fried Food Fest, and Caribbean Rice Pudding... huh?
Wow I’ve been really slammed this week! Prepared some really nice recipes, and even snapped some photos that were ok too. Unfortunately, that’s where it ended. No recipe posts, hardly any blog reading or commenting time. Not that I should be complaining, however I do hate it when life holds me hostage from the things I really enjoy. [short frown]
This post is a hodgepodge of recipes from the past week, and may be my longest post ever, but first my blog award!
My foodie friend Roz over at La Bella Vita awarded me the One Lovely Blog Award.
I really enjoy her blog and highly recommend you give La Bella Vita a visit! Grazie Roz ;)
“The rules for this blog award: .Accept the award. Post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. Pass the award to 10 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.”
Don’t think I’ll make the “ten blogs” rule but here are a few of my new favorites:
1- Melissa author of Frugal Creativity has a grand blog. Melissa says, “I’m a mom who enjoys cooking, papercrafting, cardmaking, baking, and other creative endeavors. I'm also on a budget!” I always find first-rate information here.
2- Metz writes several blogs, of which Empty Streets is my favorite. I always visit on “Food Friday” to find delicious recipes and how to videos for those “visual foodies”!
3- Martha, a true Georgia foodie blogging via North Carolina, is authoring her second cookbook, Stir, Laugh, Repeat... Again. Her blog, Stir, Laugh, Repeat is a holding place for her cookbook. Martha always has a new recipe or cooking tip to keep me coming back for more.
4- Tara, who is a high school science teacher, loves cooking, and is interested in the cooking whys and hows. The author of Cooking from Scratch, she has some fabulous posts. If I didn’t read her bio, I would have thought she was a culinary professional!
Take some time to visit these blogs, you won’t be disappointed!
And now onto my hodgepodge of recipes! Using what I had on hand, we had “Fried Food Fest” one night. I know, fried food is not so healthy but being married to a native Floridian carries a fried food priority! I prepared Shrimp Egg Rolls, Clam Fritters, and Paula Deen’s fried Mac and Cheese.
Clam Fritters
Ingredients:
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 can (6-1/2 ounces) minced clams
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/3 cup diced onion
• Oil for deep-fat frying
• Tartar sauce and/or lemon wedges, optional
Directions:
In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and pepper; set aside. Drain clams, reserving 2 tablespoons juice; set clams aside. In a small bowl, beat the egg, milk and reserved clam juice; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Add the clams and onion.
In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls into oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve fritters with tartar sauce and/or lemon wedges if desired. Yield: 14-16 fritters.
Original recipe - tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Clam-Fritters
Notes: Next time I will use more than 2 tablespoons juice to increase the clam taste. I thought the needed more clam flavor. Red and DH both ate later than I and said they were good and clammy![grin]
ChineseVegetarian Egg Rolls w/ Shrimp
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups spinach leaves
1 cup carrot shredded
1 cup cabbage chopped [3 cups red]
1 cup mushrooms chopped fresh
1/2 cup scallions, spring or green onions thinly sliced
1/2 cup chestnuts chopped water
1/2 cup snow pea pods chopped
1/2 cup bamboo shoots chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 teaspoon ginger root grated
1 large egg beaten
2 tablespoons soy sauce, sodium reduced
1 tablespoon sherry dry
1 dash salt
12 each egg roll skins
1 x vegetable oil for deep-fat frying
1 x sweet and sour sauce as needed
[1 can tiny shrimp]
Directions
Preheat a large skillet or wok over high heat; add the 1 tablespoon cooking oil.
Stir fry spinach, carrot, cabbage, mushrooms, onion, water chestnuts, pea pods, bamboo shoots, garlic and gingerroot for 2-3 minutes.
In a bowl combine egg, soy sauce, sherry and salt; stir in the vegetable mixture.
Place an egg roll skin with 1 point toward you.
Spoon 1/4 cup vegetable filling diagonally across and just below center of skin.
Fold bottom point of the skin over the filling; tuck point under filling.
Fold side corners over, forming an envelope shape.
Roll up toward remaining corner, moisten point; press firmly to seal.
Repeat with remaining egg roll skins and filling.
Fry egg rolls, a few at a time, in deep hot cooking oil (365 degrees) for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
Drain on paper toweling.
Serve warm with Sweet and Sour Sauce.
Makes 12 egg rolls.
The original recipe- recipeland.com/recipe/v/Chinese_Vegetarian_Egg_Rolls_48988
This egg roll recipe turned out really good. You see egg rolls are one of my hubby's favorites. It was a nice treat for him and one of those fried priorities for me.[big smile]
Another night I made an awesome pasta salad with the elbow macaroni I had left over from the mac and cheese. Pasta salad is a no brainer dish to prepare however; I was excited to try some of my fresh home grown lime basil in the dressing.
For the Pasta Salad Dressing, I used 1/8 cup rice vinegar, 1/8 cup red wine vinegar, 2 fresh garlic cloves, and a handful of fresh lime basil. I mixed the ingredients is a cruet and let them marinate for about an hour. I poured it over the salad, covered, and refrigerated for an hour before serving.
All week I was craving rice pudding. I had made a small amount with some leftover rice that we had in the fridge. I think that’s what stared the craving to begin with. Last night I prepared Caribbean Coconut Rice Pudding. Red, who doesn’t really like coconut, absolutely enjoyed it.
Leftover Rice Pudding
* 2 cups leftover white rice [jasmine]
* 3 cups milk (any kind)
* 1/2 cup sugar
* Small pinch salt (optional)
* 1/2 cup raisins
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
*Dash of nutmeg (optional)
Directions
1. Combine cooked rice, milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and stir in the vanilla and raisins. Cook until just about all of the milk is absorbed (20-45 minutes, depending on how absorbent your rice is). Stir in cinnamon and/or nutmeg, if using.
2. Divide rice pudding into individual serving dishes serve warm or chilled.
3. Makes 4-6 servings.
Original recipe from Nicole Weston at: www.slashfood.com/2006/09/10/rice-pudding-with-leftover-rice/
Notes: I made half this amount by decreasing the ingredients by half. All items [...] are my alterations. Also, the cooking time was about half.
The Caribbean Coconut Rice Pudding was on the package of Golden Star Jasmine rice.
1/2 cup Jasmine rice
2 cups whole milk
2 cups coconut milk
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp raisins [1/8 cup]
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Wash rice thoroughly in several changes of water, put in a deep pot. Add both milks and rice, bring to a boil.
Lower heat and cook milk, gently boiling for one hour or until rice is cooked and the milk has thickened to the consistency of pudding. Add sugar and vanilla, cook about another five minutes. Distribute the pudding into four serving dishes and garnish with raisins and coconut flakes. Chill for one hour before serving.
Notes: It did take almost an hour to cook. Remembering reading about stirring and Jasmine rice, I only stirred once when combining the rice and milks. I added raisins rather than just as a garnish.
Hope you enjoyed my hodgepodge foodie post.
Are you hungry? ♥
This post is a hodgepodge of recipes from the past week, and may be my longest post ever, but first my blog award!
My foodie friend Roz over at La Bella Vita awarded me the One Lovely Blog Award.
I really enjoy her blog and highly recommend you give La Bella Vita a visit! Grazie Roz ;)
“The rules for this blog award: .Accept the award. Post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. Pass the award to 10 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.”
Don’t think I’ll make the “ten blogs” rule but here are a few of my new favorites:
1- Melissa author of Frugal Creativity has a grand blog. Melissa says, “I’m a mom who enjoys cooking, papercrafting, cardmaking, baking, and other creative endeavors. I'm also on a budget!” I always find first-rate information here.
2- Metz writes several blogs, of which Empty Streets is my favorite. I always visit on “Food Friday” to find delicious recipes and how to videos for those “visual foodies”!
3- Martha, a true Georgia foodie blogging via North Carolina, is authoring her second cookbook, Stir, Laugh, Repeat... Again. Her blog, Stir, Laugh, Repeat is a holding place for her cookbook. Martha always has a new recipe or cooking tip to keep me coming back for more.
4- Tara, who is a high school science teacher, loves cooking, and is interested in the cooking whys and hows. The author of Cooking from Scratch, she has some fabulous posts. If I didn’t read her bio, I would have thought she was a culinary professional!
Take some time to visit these blogs, you won’t be disappointed!
And now onto my hodgepodge of recipes! Using what I had on hand, we had “Fried Food Fest” one night. I know, fried food is not so healthy but being married to a native Floridian carries a fried food priority! I prepared Shrimp Egg Rolls, Clam Fritters, and Paula Deen’s fried Mac and Cheese.
Clam Fritters
Ingredients:
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 can (6-1/2 ounces) minced clams
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/3 cup diced onion
• Oil for deep-fat frying
• Tartar sauce and/or lemon wedges, optional
Directions:
In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and pepper; set aside. Drain clams, reserving 2 tablespoons juice; set clams aside. In a small bowl, beat the egg, milk and reserved clam juice; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Add the clams and onion.
In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls into oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve fritters with tartar sauce and/or lemon wedges if desired. Yield: 14-16 fritters.
Original recipe - tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Clam-Fritters
Notes: Next time I will use more than 2 tablespoons juice to increase the clam taste. I thought the needed more clam flavor. Red and DH both ate later than I and said they were good and clammy![grin]
Chinese
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup carrot shredded
1 cup cabbage chopped [3 cups red]
1 cup mushrooms chopped fresh
1/2 cup scallions, spring or green onions thinly sliced
1 clove garlic minced
1 teaspoon ginger root grated
1 large egg beaten
2 tablespoons soy sauce, sodium reduced
1 tablespoon sherry dry
1 dash salt
12 each egg roll skins
1 x vegetable oil for deep-fat frying
1 x sweet and sour sauce as needed
[1 can tiny shrimp]
Directions
Preheat a large skillet or wok over high heat; add the 1 tablespoon cooking oil.
Stir fry spinach, carrot, cabbage, mushrooms, onion, water chestnuts, pea pods, bamboo shoots, garlic and gingerroot for 2-3 minutes.
In a bowl combine egg, soy sauce, sherry and salt; stir in the vegetable mixture.
Place an egg roll skin with 1 point toward you.
Spoon 1/4 cup vegetable filling diagonally across and just below center of skin.
Fold bottom point of the skin over the filling; tuck point under filling.
Fold side corners over, forming an envelope shape.
Roll up toward remaining corner, moisten point; press firmly to seal.
Repeat with remaining egg roll skins and filling.
Fry egg rolls, a few at a time, in deep hot cooking oil (365 degrees) for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.
Drain on paper toweling.
Serve warm with Sweet and Sour Sauce.
Makes 12 egg rolls.
The original recipe- recipeland.com/recipe/v/Chinese_Vegetarian_Egg_Rolls_48988
This egg roll recipe turned out really good. You see egg rolls are one of my hubby's favorites. It was a nice treat for him and one of those fried priorities for me.[big smile]
Another night I made an awesome pasta salad with the elbow macaroni I had left over from the mac and cheese. Pasta salad is a no brainer dish to prepare however; I was excited to try some of my fresh home grown lime basil in the dressing.
For the Pasta Salad Dressing, I used 1/8 cup rice vinegar, 1/8 cup red wine vinegar, 2 fresh garlic cloves, and a handful of fresh lime basil. I mixed the ingredients is a cruet and let them marinate for about an hour. I poured it over the salad, covered, and refrigerated for an hour before serving.
All week I was craving rice pudding. I had made a small amount with some leftover rice that we had in the fridge. I think that’s what stared the craving to begin with. Last night I prepared Caribbean Coconut Rice Pudding. Red, who doesn’t really like coconut, absolutely enjoyed it.
Leftover Rice Pudding
* 2 cups leftover white rice [jasmine]
* 3 cups milk (any kind)
* 1/2 cup sugar
* Small pinch salt (optional)
* 1/2 cup raisins
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
*
Directions
1. Combine cooked rice, milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and stir in the vanilla and raisins. Cook until just about all of the milk is absorbed (20-45 minutes, depending on how absorbent your rice is). Stir in cinnamon and/or nutmeg, if using.
2. Divide rice pudding into individual serving dishes serve warm or chilled.
3. Makes 4-6 servings.
Original recipe from Nicole Weston at: www.slashfood.com/2006/09/10/rice-pudding-with-leftover-rice/
Notes: I made half this amount by decreasing the ingredients by half. All items [...] are my alterations. Also, the cooking time was about half.
The Caribbean Coconut Rice Pudding was on the package of Golden Star Jasmine rice.
1/2 cup Jasmine rice
2 cups whole milk
2 cups coconut milk
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp raisins [1/8 cup]
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Wash rice thoroughly in several changes of water, put in a deep pot. Add both milks and rice, bring to a boil.
Lower heat and cook milk, gently boiling for one hour or until rice is cooked and the milk has thickened to the consistency of pudding. Add sugar and vanilla, cook about another five minutes. Distribute the pudding into four serving dishes and garnish with raisins and coconut flakes. Chill for one hour before serving.
Notes: It did take almost an hour to cook. Remembering reading about stirring and Jasmine rice, I only stirred once when combining the rice and milks. I added raisins rather than just as a garnish.
Hope you enjoyed my hodgepodge foodie post.
Are you hungry? ♥
Comments
Try adding berries to your rice pudding or mangoes since you're going Caribbean.
And the recipes, yummy! The rice pudding is a wonderful recipe, and will be really helpful to ensure that no leftover food goes to waste, love it! Thanks!
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