Saturday, July 12, 2014

Sweet Potato, Cream Cheese and Rosemary Biscuits

We spent a day at Disneyland in California. We had dinner at the Blue Bayou Restaurant.
They have a new biscuit on their menu. It's served in a basket with rolls at the beginning of the meal.
Apparently the recipe is not available for publication but here's a copycat recipe.


2 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder1/2 tsp baking soda
1 (8TBS) butter
4 oz. cream cheese
3 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 C buttermilk, plus extra for brushing
1/2 C sweet potato puree

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

In a large mixing bowl:
Flour
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Butter
Cream Cheese
Rosemary
Combine well

Using a pastry cutter or two butter knives, cut the butter and cream cheese into the remaining ingredients until the mixture resembles pebbles with some large chunks remaining.

In a small bowl:
Buttermilk
Sweet Potatoes
Mix well.
Add to flour mixture.
Mix until combined well.

Place dough on a floured surface and knead until it comes together as a soft dough
Do not over handle the dough.
Pat it out into 2 inches thick and cut into 2" biscuits with a biscuit cutter.
Place them on a parchment paper lined sheet pan , brush the tops with additional buttermilk.
Bake for 18 - 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

The Temecula Olive Oil Company, Seal Beach, California. Story, Photographs and Recipes!

I'm in Seal Beach, California and fell in love with this Olive Oil Store. I'll be posting a story about the store including history, photographs and recipes from one of their cookbooks, Cooking Techniques and Recipes with Olive Oil by Mary Platis and Laura Bashar.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

It's a family owned business in Temecula, California.
They are committed to using only California Olives of the highest quality.
They practice sustainable agriculture, growing and harvesting a wide variety of Olives, which they hand press using traditional methods to produce full, fresh flavorful 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Thom Curry runs the business that his wife, Nancy Curry co owns with Catherine Pepe.
They farm more than 120 acres and produce 10,000 gallons of high quality Olive Oil per year.
Ti's shipped all over the world along with Bath and Body products, Sea Salts, Peppercorns, Balsamic Vinegars, Olives, Mustards, Spreads Herbs, Spices and other Artisan Foods.
They also have a website where you can purchase their products.


www.temeculaoliveoil.com


My wife and I shopped in the store at Seal Beach, California. The minute we saw the outside of the store we were reminded of our favorite Olive Oil shops in Provence, France. We always bring home products from France including Olive Oil, Olive Wood accessories, Sea Salt, Mustard, Herbs and Spices. We knew that we had found our "Provence" on Main Street in Seal Beach when we spotted The Temecula Olive Oil Company store.
We were immediately greeted by a very friendly and knowledgable staff.
We bought Olive Oil, an Olive Wood Salt and Pepper box, an Olive Pick made from beautiful Olive Wood, a Cook Book and various gifts for our family.

I was given permission to photograph the store and write about it on my Blog.
We'll return again, before we leave California.










Recipes:

"Flavored Olive Oils are a wonderful way to enhance the flavor of your foods. Fruit flavored olive oils, like citrus, can be used in salad dressings, cakes, cookies and drinks.
Choose an herb flavored olive oil for more savory creations like breads, vegetables and soups. Most importantly, do not be afraid to experiment. For example, a basil or mint flared olive oil would be a terrific addition to a cocktail."



Mediterranean Vegetables in Olive Oil:

3 Red Bell Peppers
3 Yellow Bell Peppers
1/2 C Fresh Fava Beans or 1/2 C canned small White Beans
5 Garlic cloves, sliced
1 C mixed pitted Olives, drained and halved
1  (15oz.) can of artichokes in water, drained and coarsely chopped
1 (10oz.) box of white Button Mushrooms, cleaned and quartered

Marinade:
3/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 C Sherry Vinegar
1/2 tsp dried Oregano
1/2 tsp dried Basil
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground Pepper

Lightly rub Bell Peppers with olive oil.
Place on a sheet pan and roast in a 400 degree oven until blistered.
Place in a large bowl while hot and cover with plastic wrap for 15 minutes.
Peel Peppers and cut into strips.

Place Fava Beans in a small pot of boiling water and cook until tender.
Drain the water and cool. If using baby lava beans, you do not need to remove the outer skin.
If using canned white beans, rinse and drain.

Add beans , garlic, olives, artichokes and mushrooms to the peppers.

Marinade:
Whisk olive oil, vinegar, oregano, basil, salt and peppers in a small bowl.
Gently toss vegetables with marinade.

Place in a jar or deep bowl, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
Turn often to allow marinade to coat the vegetables.

Best when made the night before serving.



Baby Beets and Brussels Sprouts Salad:

3 Baby Beets, washed, trimmed and peeled
1 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 Large Brussels Sprouts, thinly sliced or shredded.
2 TBS Feta Cheese, crumbles
1/2 tsp fresh Dill

Vinaigrette:
1/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 C Red Wine Vinegar
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper
Reserved Beet Juice from steaming


Place Beets in a small heatproof shallow bowl.

Fill a Wok or a Pot large enough to hold a Bamboo steamer with 2" of water.
Place the steamer into the Wok.
Place the shallow bowl holding the Beets into the steamer and cover.
The shallow bowl will collect the juice "sweating " from the Beets. You will use this juice for the vinaigrette.

Bring water to a bowl and steam until Beets are fork tender, 35 to 45 minutes.
Carefully remove the basket from the steam and allow Beets to cool at room temperature, about 1 hour. Chill until ready to serve.

Strain Beet Juice and blend with other vinaigrette ingredients.
Divide sliced Brussels Sprouts on two serving plates.
Slice Beets in half and divide among the two plates.
Top with Feta and Fresh Dill and serve with Vinaigrette.


Olive Oil Sugar Cookies:

2 1/2 C All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
3/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 C Sugar
1 Egg
1 TBS Milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a Baking Sheet with Parchment Paper or a Silicone Baking Mat.

In a small bowl, whisk together Flour, Baking Powder and Salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together Olive Oil, Sugar, Egg and Milk until combined.

In batches, Whisk dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
Knead dough by hand for 5 minutes, until smooth and form a ball.
Divide the dough in half, cover one half with a tea towel.
Flatten the other half into a disc and roll out between two sheets of parchment paper to 1/4 " thick.

Cut cookies with a 2" circle cookie cutter or other shape.
Using a thin off-set spatula, transfer cookies not a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 7 minutes until golden in color. Do not brown or the cookies will be too hard.

Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes.
Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Repeat with remaining dough.


Triple - Herb infused Olive Oil:

In a sterilized bottle, add one Rosemary Sprig, two Oregano Sprigs and two Thyme Sprigs.
Heat 2 C of Olive Oil to a simmer for 10 minutes.
Bring the Oil back to room temperature and pour into the bottle.
Refrigerate immediately and use within 2 - 3 days.



Homemade Olive Oil Mayonnaise:

1 Large Egg Yolk at room temperature
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tsp fresh Lemon Juice
1 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
1/4 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper

Place Egg Yolk in a medium bowl Using a whisk, bet until light and fluffy.
Whisk in Mustard and Lemon Juice.

Slowly whisk in 1/4 C Olive Oil until thickened.
Do not rush as you continue adding the remaining Oil, drop by drop, until the mayonnaise completely thickens.

Season with Salt and Pepper.
Cover and chill.
Refrigerate up to 5 days.

Variations:

Herbal:
Add 2 TBS  freshly chopped Chives, Parsley, Tarragon or Oregano.

Horseradish:
Add 2 TBS Spicy Horseradish just before serving.

Garlic:
Add 1 crushed Garlic Clove with the Egg Yolk.

Note:
Because of a slight risk of bacterial poisoning, the USDA advises against the consumption of raw eggs by pregnant women, young children and anyone having a weakened immune system or other comprimised health issues.
Pasteurized fresh eggs are commercially available and safe to use.


I chose only a few recipes to post from this amazing cookbook.
If you love to use Olive Oil in cooking, I highly recommend "Cooking Techniques and Recipes with Olive Oil."

If you're ever in California, I highly recommend seeking out one of their stores.
Visit the website and try some of their incredible products.


www.temeculaoliveoil.com


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!
















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Monday, July 7, 2014

Texas Margarita !

I have my favorite recipe for a basic Margarita, I think it's posted on the blog. Here's what we like to to drink in Texas........ We love Margaritas and we love Jalapeños so we drink Jalapeño Margaritas!
We have a favorite restaurant where we learned to love Jalapeño Margaritas and we always ask them to add more peppers. I think they call them Fire and Ice. If not, it's an appropriate name for them.
This recipe makes 1 Margarita.


1 1/2 oz. Tequila, your choice.
1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1 Large Jalapeño Pepper
1/2 oz. Grand Marnier
A Splash of Agave Nectar
Fresh Jalapeño slices for garnish.

Begin by muddling the Jalapeño in a Cocktail Shaker.
Add remaining ingredients and fill with Ice.
Shake well.
Strain over ice in a Margarita Glass.
Garnish with Fresh Jalapeño Slices.


Disfrute!
Paz en la cocina!



Sunday, July 6, 2014

Hippy in the Kitchen Poem!




Food is what I talk about most. I guess I have to as a Food Blogging host.
I like corn and squash and desserts galore. I can always find a topic and talk about more.
I'm passionate about the things that I cook. You can check out my blog and take a look.
Search a food category or a spice you prefer ,
A vegetable, a fruit or a casserole you can stir.
Read a recipe and print it,
and make it with care.
Return to the blog to find something to share. 
Always remember if you can't make a decision,
You can always rely on A Hippy in the kitchen!
And don't forget the motto I'm pitchin',
You will find happiness when you Enjoy! 
Peace in the Kitchen!

Thursday, July 3, 2014

All American Apple Pie for the 4th of July!



For all of my friends around the world. We all have our favorite recipe for Apple Pie. It's such an iconic dessert in America.
Here's one example of a recipe for Apple Pie.


1/3 C Brown Sugar
1/3 C Granulates Sugar
1 TBS Flour
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1/3 tsp Cinnamon
7 1/2 C Peeled, Cored and Sliced Apples, your choice.
1 C Raisins
1 recipe for a 9" double Pie Crust
1 Egg, beaten and additional Granulated Sugar to Glaze the Crust just before baking.



Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Spray the Pi Pan with  cooking spray or heaving grease with butter.

In a large mixing bowl:
Brown Sugar
Granulated Sugar
Lemon Juice
Cinnamon
Mix well.
Add Apples and Raisins
Stir well to coat the fruit.

Spoon into the crust, blade the second crust on top and trim or crimp the edges.
Brush the top with a bit of beaten Egg and sprinkle with Granulated Sugar.

Bake 35 - 40 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and cool on a rack for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



On Vacation

I just wanted to let everyone know that I am on vacation until the end of July. I may be blogging from one of my destinations, but not as much as I usually do.
I'll be back home at the end of the month, so....... expect some great recipes and posts then!
Thank you all for your continued support and making this a fun part of my life.

And, as always:
Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Vintage Jello Salads in America . A flashback of vintage pictures and 2 recipes that I had as a child !


I wanted to share some of these vintage pictures of the unusual Jello Salads that we ate in the 1950' and 1960's.
I included two recipes that I remembered as a child.
Americans loved Jello!

























My mother made this.

My mother made this one.

My mother made these.



My mother made this one.





I ate a lot of this salad as a child.


This would have been a typical table presentation at Christmas in the 1950' and 60's

This is a vintage recipe, a family recipe and a Mennonite/Amish recipe.
My mother made this when I was a child...... and continued to make it as my sister and I grew older.
I remember it during the holidays, any holiday.... Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter. It's definitely a Mennonite Funeral recipe too!

1 (3oz.) package of lime jello
1 C boiling water
2 C miniature marshmallows
pinch of salt
1 (9oz.) can of crushed pineapple
2 C cottage cheese
1 C whipping cream, whopped
1/2 C chopped pecans

The directions aren't clear as to what to make it in. I remember my mother making it in a bundt pan , some type of mold or a clear glass bowl... you pick!

Dissolve jello in boiling water
Add marshmallows, let them melt
Stir in salt and pineapple
Chill until slightly thickened
Fold in cottage cheese , whipped cream and nuts.
Pour it into your favorite bowl or bundt pan
Chill in the refrigerator until set.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



This was always served at our Christmas Dinner when I was a child, and that was ages ago!

2 - 16 ounce cans of pitted Dark Sweet Cherries, drain and reserve the juice.
2- 3 ounce package Cherry Jello
1 envelope of unflavored Gelatin
2 C Boiling Water
1/3 C Sugar
1/2 C Port Wine
1/4 C Lemon Juice
1 - 8 ounce package of Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 C Toasted and Chopped Pecans.

Stir together the Jello and the Gelatin and 2 C Boiling Water until dissolved.
Stir in 1 C of the reserved juice from the cherries,sugar,wine and lemon juice.
Stir in Cherries.

Pour 1/2 of the Gelatin mixture into a lightly greased 10 C ring mold or Bundt Pan.
Chill for 2 hours or until set.


Stir together remaining Gelatin mixture, Cream Cheese and Pecans and blend well.

Pour this mixture over the slightly set Gelatin mixture in the mold.
Chill 6 hours or until firm.
Release from the mold onto a serving plate.

Garnish with Whipped Cream and Fresh Cranberries.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!