For our 4th of July BBQ, my husband made Santa Maria Style Tri-tip. I made a side-dish that required taco sauce on the ingredient's list. I don't buy taco sauce, and I actually don't use it much for myself. I decided to scour the internet, and sure enough-- I found a recipe for Taco Bell Sauce on Recipezaar.com. Breathing a sigh of relief, I realized that I had every single spice. I even had minced onion on hand. This sauce was whipped up in no time at all. It really does taste like Taco Bell Taco sauce! Except, that there aren't any preservatives. I like that! Here's what you need:
Cumin, instant minced onion (bought mine at Costco), white vinegar, garlic powder, garlic salt, paprika, sugar, and cayenne pepper. In case you're wondering, I use the minced onion for bread baking. I especially love using it for onion hamburger rolls. So, now you need two more ingredients, and I'm sure you have them:
That's all you need...
In a saucepan, add the spices and vinegar to one can of tomato sauce. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool. Keep refrigerated for a week. Today, I made some homemade jam, and I'll bet I could make a batch of this and water can it.
The next recipe that I will post uses this ingredient. I thought I'd post this sauce separately, for those of you who do like taco sauce. If you do toss a bottle or two in your shopping cart, I hope you'll consider this recipe. I'm sure it's more cost effective, and YOU know what's in it. For a printable recipe, keep scrolling to the bottom of this post.
Santa Maria Tri-Tip-- grilled to smoky perfection with garlic, kosher salt & pepper only. My husband cooked it perfectly! (Gotta love my horse apron.)
Today was my last day of summer vacation. Tomorrow morning, I return to work-- only at a new school site, and I'll be working with adults instead of high school kids. Wow, a whole new adventure!
When I was in Middle School (long, long ago...) my mother owned a German Delicatessen. She leased her storefront space from a sweet Italian man who decided to close his ice cream shop. He kept the back part of the rental space, where he continued to make ice cream which he would wholesale. Once in a while, Cecil would let me have a taste of his freshly made ice cream. I can remember the first time I tasted his Lemon Custard Ice Cream. I loved that flavor above all else. One day, Cecil retired his ice cream making business and I could never find that flavor again. Until today, that is. Last summer, I developed my own version of an Ice Cream Custard. I've made ice cream before, but I had never made the effort to cook eggs, milk, cream and sugar to make the base for ice cream. I loved the creamy texture of Strawberry CustardIce Cream that I made. If you've never made ice cream-- or if you have made ice cream without eggs in it-- strap yourself in. I'm taking you for a ride that I hope you will enjoy. I'm going to show you my unorthodox way that I make egg custard. I take a few shortcuts and I've never had a problem. Ready?
To make the egg custard, you simply whisk 4 egg yolks, sugar and vanilla until the sugar is dissolved. Most recipes say to use a double-boiled to heat a combination of whole milk (or half and half) and heavy cream. Me? I microwave it for about 2 minutes. You just don't want the milk/cream to boil. Sloooooooooooowly add a little hot cream into the egg mixture, to temper it. Whisking constantly, add the rest of the hot cream. Once again, the recipes say to pour the egg and cream mixture into a double boiler and to cook until thick. I don't. I pour mine into a sauce pan and cook it on direct heat. The key is to stick nearby, to keep stirring the mixture on medium-low heat until the mixture thickens. It takes between 12-15 minutes; the mixture should coat the back of a spoon. I pour the mixture into a metal bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let it chill overnight. This morning, I pondered on how I could achieve a clean but very present lemon flavor. Fresh lemon juice? How much? Lemon zest? Lemon vodka? Then, it hit me!
For Christmas, I had been given a jar of homemade lemon curd. It had been water-canned, but I still kept it in my fridge. It was delicious (thanks, Stef) with just the right balance of lemon-- a little tart, a little sweet. I added the jar (8 oz) and whisked it into the chilled custard. I took a taste, and that was it! NOTE: If you live near a Trader Joe's, they sell a tasty lemon curd for a few bucks. Or, you can see how I make my own lemon curd-- which is very easy to do, by clicking here. Please tell you that you own an ice cream maker! I bought a very inexpensive Hamilton Beach Ice Cream Maker for about $15.00. It does a great job, and I always keep it in my freezer. All you need to do is turn on the machine, pour the mixture in and sit back for 15-20 minutes. You can hear the churning slow down, and the ice cream is ready!
After pouring the ice cream into a container, this went into the freezer for a few hours. I enjoyed what was left on the spatula...
Oh my... this is good! The lemon flavor reminds of Cecil Bindel's ice cream, back in the day.
VERDICT: I'm telling you the truth... I scooped the frozen ice cream just to photograph it (before the sun went down). This freezes solid, but not rock solid. I tasted one spoonful, only. Wow, it's so creamy, and the lemon flavor is spot on. In fact, I am practicing restraint by not touching this ice cream until tomorrow, so I returned all of the ice cream (even what you see in the photo), back to the freezer. I've invited my family over for a BBQ and I'm making a special dessert that will showcase this ice cream. Just sayin'... Ice Cream Custard is the way to go. If you love lemon, this recipe is a winner. Humbly said, this is my own recipe and it hasn't failed me yet.
Now then...I know that I've been on a pie-making roll, and now it looks like I'm on an ice cream making roll (what else goes best with pie?). I just love how easy this ice cream egg custard is to make, and that you can easily adapt any kind of flavor or nummies you want to toss in. I've made two more flavors of ice cream-- and they've all been terrific; I'll be posting those very soon. Did you know that National Ice Cream Day is July 18th? I'm getting an early start!
Please scroll to the bottom of this page for printable recipes.
Strawberry-Rhubarb is a combination that I often see in Blogosphere. I have no idea why, but I haven't made this type of pie in years-- many, many years. I love to shop at "The Farm", which is located off Highway 68 in Salinas, California. Sarah is an added bonus to my frequent visits, because she goes out of her way to make sure that I get the freshest ingredients from their organic farm. On a whim, I asked Sarah if she had any rhubarb.
"How much do you need?" she asked.
"I dunno. Enough for a pie?" I answer.
Sarah disappeared for a good ten minutes. I'm fine with that, as I sit outside and enjoy the view of their fields, with the backdrop of the Salinas mountains. I hear her calling my name-- she has literally gone out into the field to pick the last of the rhubarb-- because the season is pretty much over. What a gal! I happily pay for the rhubarb and organic strawberries, at half price, since it's the end of the day. I've gotten a bargain, because these are the sweetest and best tasting strawberries in town. Light is disappearing, so I hurry home to make a pie...per my son's request. My husband, on the other hand, doesn't seem excited to eat rhubarb. I'll show him....
Earlier in the day, I had made another batch of Ina Garten's Pie crust. If you would like to see how to make this click here.
Did you know that rhubarb is related to the buckwheat family? It's a hard flavor to describe, as I take a bite. I'm undecided if I'm going to like this pie, myself.
I decide to use sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg and allspice. I use Clearjel (King Arthur Flour, online) as my thickener, but you can use tapioca or cornstarch. I add some fresh lemon juice, a few pats of butter and add the top pie crust. The "lattice" is fake, I admit. I have a Pie Lattice Cutter.
Natural light is fading, as I place this into a 375F oven, for about 50 minutes. I like to brush this with an egg wash and some coarse sugar.
I think that fruit pies should be allowed to cool for at least three hours. That way the filling can set and you won't have a mess. Alas, it was dark outside, so I didn't photograph the pie. VERDICT: "Mr. I-only-eat-berry-pie Craig" liked the flavor combo a lot. Me? I think that the blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice was just right. The pie crust is tender and flavorful. Of course, vanilla ice cream is a must. Next year, I need to buy rhubarb a little earlier in the season, though I think frozen rhubarb would work just as well. In fact, I think this would be a perfect summer pie for the 4th of July weekend.
Even if you don't make Strawberry-Rhubarb pie, the pie crust is super delicious for any kind of pie. While pie aficionados swear that one must use a pastry cutter I beg to differ. With my food processor, I get tender and flaky crusts. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
The very next morning, Craig and I left for our trip to Napa, California. My son polished off the pie, as I hastily took a few photos to share with you.
Homemade ice cream is chilling. I'm off to see what Sarah recommends as vegetable side dishes. I'm making-- what else-- another pie, for our BBQ with the family.
Keep scrolling to find a printable recipe, from my kitchen to yours!
Oh, hi!Has it really been one week, since I last posted? I'm on my last day of a two-week vacation and I've literally taken a vacation from cooking at home-- if you don't count breakfast and maybe a lunch or two. Craig and I decided to enjoy the sights of California within a 150 mile radius, for our vacation week together. We've been having a blast! We spent two nights at my BFF's home in the California Bay Area-- just a little over an hour scenice drive to Napa. Last Sunday, the four of us took off for a day trip. I had a personal agenda, and my friends graciously agreed to take us. I really wanted to return to the Culinary Institute at Greystone, in St. Helena. This property is so beautiful, and rich in history. It was once the Christian Brothers Monastery and winery. The views of the local vineyards are spectacular.
The CIA is truly a food lover's dream destination. One of these days, I'm going to splurge and spend a few hundred dollars for a hands on one-day class. In the meantime, the CIA at Greystone offers a cooking demo in their lovely classroom, at a bargain price.
For $15.00, you can attend a one hour demo; for an additional $10.00 you can take a guided tour through Greystone. The tour includes visiting the kitchens were aspiring chefs spend two years studying the culinary arts. I bought tickets for myself and my Best Friend (of 34 years and counting...) While waiting for the class to begin, I took a few shots of the Culinary Institute. My camera flash decided to break, so I was working with natural lighting, shooting through glass and trying to be quick. Hence, the photography isn't stellar, but I hope to share with you a taste of my fun day:
There was a remodel since I last visited, and it's very impressive. The Toy Culinary Store has every culinary tool that you can imagine. Craig is standing at their new "Flavor Bar". Here you can pay $10.00 to watch a video on "How to Calibrate Your Palate". Basically, you are given some spices and herbs and you watch a video that shows you how different spices, salt or citrus can enhance or change the flavor of food. As Pat and I were walking to class, I took a shot of Craig and Cliff, taking the class. The bottom right shot is the amphitheater, where lectures are given to chefs. This is my dream kitchen island! Also new is the "Chocolate Section" classroom...
You can pay $10.00 for a video class on chocolate tasting. Our class was ready to start, so all I could do was to photograph these beautiful confections. The bottom right photo is the Viking Class, where you can come and take a hands on class. Ready to take this class, folks?
The control panel in the CIA classroom... I was shooting through glass, no flash and the room lights weren't turned on yet. Every seat has a great view, but you can also watch the demo on the monitors. What's for lunch? Toasted Barley Salad with Fresh Herbs, Heirloom Tomatoes & Zucchini. I'll be honest, here. I wasn't chomping at the bit over this recipe, at first. It sounded.... well, unexciting. My friend said she wasn't crazy about barley and I wasn't sure that I was. Truthfully, I've only used barley in soup. But, I had come this far, and there was no turning back. Five minutes before class time, the classroom door opened. Naturally, Pat and I were front row and center. We're ready!
The mis en place is ready for the demo...
Chef used heirloom tomatoes in all kinds of pretty colors. He diverted from the recipe a bit, by using purple basil, rather than cilantro. I love cilantro and basil-- and I forget to buy purple basil. According to the chef, green basil is "so last year". I learned a few tips and once we got a taste of the salad, we both liked it. It only whet my appetite to make my own big bowl. I am officially converted to loving barley in a salad! There are lots of health benefits to eating barley, too! Barley helps to lower cholesterol and it helps to um... well, let's just say that the fiber works great. 'Nuff said. I made this salad, when I got home so here is my own "Foodiewife" Demo:
Our own container tomatoes aren't ready yet. Summer temperatures have had a very slow start on the Central Coast of California. Fortunately, our local farm stand had beautiful red heirloom tomatoes for $3.95 a pound. I had hoped for more color, but it's all red for today. What a lucky score for me-- there was freshly picked purple basil! Better yet, I got to take all I wanted for $1.00!
I hope you can find pine nuts. I had no idea that, other than Christmas, they are challenging to find. Trader Joe's just got a shipment of these in--they were out for a couple of weeks. They're a little pricey at $7.99 for an 8 oz. bag (NOTE TO SELF: Stock up when Costco gets them again and keep them in the freezer.) You want to take the extra step of toasting each of these. To toast the barley, heat a dry skillet to medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly toasted-- about 5 minutes. Set the toasted barley aside.
To toast the pine nuts, place them on a baking sheet (parchment paper is helpful) and roast at 350F for about five minutes. Watch them carefully, so they don't burn! Set aside.
Bring chicken stock to a boil and cook the barley, covered, for about 15 minutes. Stir every so often. If the chicken stock evaporates before the barley is cooked, at a Tablespoon of water or so. Cook until al dente (slight crunch) and set aside, covered for 5 minutes. Allow to cool at room temperature.
Fortunately, I have quite a bit of curly parsley in our herb garden. I was glad to hear the CIA chef say that curly parsley is for more than just a garnish. I do think it's a bit sweeter than Italian parsley. Use what you prefer. You'll want to cut the zucchini, lengthwise, and scrape the seeds with a spoon. The CIA chef sauteed the zucchini in a little olive oil, seasoned with kosher salt & pepper-- so that's what I did. It only took 3-4 minutes to reach a light golden brown. You can skip this step, if you want. Set the zucchini aside to cool.
I thank my husband's gardening skills for our two container lemon trees. The Meyer lemon tree is loaded with lots of little green tasty fruit to come. I picked a Eureka lemon, fresh from the garden. You'll want the lemon juice and the zest. I didn't photograph the chopped red onion-- I think you know how to do that, by now! Okay, let's assemble this dish:
To make a "chiffonade" of basil, simple stack a pile of leaves. Roll and then slice. In a large bowl, add all of the veggies, herbs, lemon zest and half the lemon juice, and some extra-virgin olive oil (about 2 Tbsp.) Taste! Add some kosher salt. Taste again. I recommended adding the seasonings a little at a time. Trust your own taste buds, okay? I added more lemon juice. The lemon juice should have a brightness to it, but shouldn't overwhelm the entire salad. Once you are happy with the flavor, add the barley and then the pine nuts. Gently combine and give one final taste. I needed just a pinch more of kosher salt.
Hello, Summer! This would look even prettier if I had some yellow or orange heirloom tomatoes!
If you can find purple basil (or grow it, yourself) it's delicious! I'm going to make a purple pesto with the leftover basil and pine nuts-- just like the CIA Chef suggested!
VERDICT: The recipe tasted just like the small sample we received at the Culinary Institute. I loved the crunch of the toasted pine nuts and barley. Who doesn't love sun-ripened tomatoes? I loved the perfect balance of lemon with just a very light coating of olive oil. I ate three bowls of this salad, without one single ounce of guilt. This would make a pretty side dish at a barbecue or any kind of potluck. I agree, as the chef said, that this salad should be served and eaten within an hour of making this. Otherwise, I think the barley and pine nuts would begin to lose that crunch-- which is what I loved about the texture of this salad.
This is health eating with lots of flavor, folks! I feel good about submitting this salad to Deb at Kahakai Kitchen's Souper Sundays. Every Sunday, Deb posts a round up of soups, salads and sandwiches. Most of Deb's own recipes are healthy and flavorful. I'm glad to share something that isn't over-the-top caloric comfort food. As always the recipe is at the bottom of this post. A few last photos from the CIA tour:
Walking fairly fast, with no flash and scattered natural lighting, I took a few snapshots of the Culinary Institute of America's training kitchen. It's huge! How about that stockpot?!
Wouldn't I love to play in the baking area-- which is equally huge! However, it's really hot in there. I was wilting...the outside temps were 99degrees. The kitchen doesn't have air-conditioning, which makes sense. I noticed that the kitchen are was very clean and organized. Thanks for joining me on a tour of the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, CA. Someday, I dream of being sponsored to participate in some kind of culinary adventure. I'd be there, no matter what! I love this place!
Today is our last official day of vacation. We're headed off on another road trip and will return some time this evening. I have lots of recipes to blog, but I need to make the time. I'll be back. Soon. I promise!
for about $15.00. It does a great job, and I always keep it in my freezer. All you need to do is turn on the machine, pour the mixture in and sit back for 15-20 minutes. You can hear the churning slow down, and the ice cream is ready!
I beg to differ. With my food processor, I get tender and flaky crusts. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
