FDA: Avoid Pistachios

Food safety officials say consumers should avoid all food containing pistachios.

Story Link: http://www.yahoo.com/s/1051345

Key Lime Cupcakes

Tropical Triffle

Ingredients:

· 1 Angel food cake loaf
· 2 cups mango, cubed
· 2 cups strawberries, sliced
· 4 kiwi, sliced thinly
· 1 large box vanilla pudding, follow directions on box
· ½ tsp. rum extract
· 1 tsp. coconut extract
· 1 cup coconut, toasted
· 1 tub whipped topping

Directions:

Slice angel food cake loaf in to 8 slices and spray with a margarine spray. Place slices on a Panini grill and grill until lightly toasted. Half, then quarter each grilled slice of angel food cake, set aside. Follow directions on the pudding box for the pudding recipe, adding extracts, and ½ cup of toasted coconut.

To assemble the triffle, layer toasted angel food cubes, half of pudding mixture, ¼ cup of toasted coconut, two of the kiwi sliced, 1 cup of the mango, 1 cup of the strawberries, and three-quarters of the tub of the whipped topping. Start over with the remaining ingredients, layering until completed.

Roasted Sweet Potato Medallions

Ingredients:

· 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled
· ¼ cup brown sugar
· 1 tsp. coarsely ground salt
· 1 tsp. cracked black pepper
· Margarine spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray, set aside. Slice sweet potatoes into ½ inch medallions on a slight bias. Place on sprayed sheet, spray with margarine, sprinkle brown sugar, salt and pepper evenly over sweet potatoes. Bake for 45 minutes.

Buttered Irish Potatoes and Leeks

Ingredients:

· 2 cans sliced potatoes
· 1 leek, sliced ¼-inch
· 3 tbsp. light butter
· 1 tbsp. chives
· Coarsely ground salt
· Cracked black pepper

Directions:

Rinse canned potatoes and strain. In a medium sized saucepan, melt butter and sauté leeks for 3 minutes. Add potatoes, chives, salt, and pepper. Stir with a wooden spoon to coat the potatoes entirely. Heat through and serve warm.

Reuben

St. Patrick's Day Chicago 2008

Irish Toast, Proverb, and Blessings

Irish Toast:

May you live as long as you want
And never want as long as you live!

Irish Blessings:

May God grant you always
A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
A sheltering angel
So nothing can harm you


May the lilt of Irish laughter
Lighten every load.
May the mist of Irish magic
Shorten every road.
May you taste the sweetest pleasures
That fortune ere bestowed,
And may all your friends remember
All the favors you are owed

May there always be work for your hands to do.
May your purse always hold a coin or two.
May the sun always shine on your windowpane.
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Hills as green as emeralds
Cover the countryside;
Lakes as blue as sapphires
Are Ireland’s special pride.
And rivers that shine like silver
Make Ireland look so fair,
But the friendliness of her people
Is the richest treasure there.

May good luck be with you
Wherever you go,
And your blessings out number
The shamrocks that grow.

May good luck be your friend
In whatever you do,
And may trouble be always
A stranger to you.


Irish Proverb:

If you are lucky enough to be Irish,
You are lucky enough.

Roasted Potatoes Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

· 4 Yukon Gold Potatoes, cut in half
· 1 yellow onion, cut in quarters
· 2 tbsp. olive oil
· 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
· 1 tsp. coarsely ground salt
· 1 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
· 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
· 1 tsp. thyme

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl combine all ingredients, toss to coat potatoes and onions. Place ingredients on a foil covered cookie sheet and bake for 45 minutes.

Tequila Lime Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

· 2 oz. Tequila
· ¼ cup lime juice
· 2 tbsp. olive oil
· 2 tbsp. chives, chopped
· 2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
· ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
· 1 tsp. coarsely ground salt
· 1 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
· 5 lbs. chicken leg quarters, separated

Directions:

Mix all of the ingredients together except the chicken in a large bowl. Place the leg quarters in the bowl and cover each piece with the tequila mixture. Allow chicken to sit in tequila mixture and marinade for 30 minutes covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated.

Heat grill and place chicken fat side down on hot grill surface and close lid. Grill for 10-12 minutes on each side. Check often not allowing to burn. Remove from grill and serve.

Mint Truffles

Ingredients:

· 1 pkg. (10 ounces) mint chocolate chips
· 1/3 cup whipping cream
· ¼ cup butter or margarine
· 1 container (3 ½ ounces) chocolate sprinkles

Directions:

Line baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside. Melt chips with whipping cream and butter in heavy, medium saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Pour into pie pan. Refrigerate until mixture is fudgy, but soft, about 2 hours.

Shape about 1 tablespoonful mixture into 1 ¼ -inch ball. To shape, roll mixture between palms. Repeat procedure with remaining mixture. Place mint balls on waxed paper. Place sprinkles in shallow bowl; roll mint balls in sprinkles. Place truffles in petit four or candy cups.

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:

· 4 cups all-purpose flour
· ¼ cup sugar
· 1 tbsp. baking powder
· 1 tsp. baking soda
· 1 tsp. salt
· 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
· 1 cup raisins or currants
· 1 egg
· 1 ¾ cups buttermilk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease large baking sheet. Set aside. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in raisins or currants. Beat egg in medium blow using fork. Add buttermilk. Beat until well combined. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture. Sit r until mixture forms soft dough that clings together and can be shaped into a ball.

Turn dough out onto well-floured surface. Knead dough gently 10 to 12 times. Place dough on prepared baking sheet. Pat dough into 7-inch round. Score top of dough with tip of sharp knife, making an X about 4 inches long and ¼ inch deep.

Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately remove from baking sheet; cool on wire rack. Bread is best eaten the day it is made.

Irish Recipes

Have an Irish recipe to share? Post it now. Thank you.

Tonight's Menu

On the menu tonight: Tequila Lime BBQ Chicken, Roasted Vinaigrette Potatoes and Onions, and Vanilla Wafer Banana Triffle

Homemade Tortilla Chips with Merquen Mandarin Salsa

GourmetCountry offers a revamp on an old recipe of homemade tortilla chips with merquen mandarin salsa. Will have to try this recipe out this weekend.

Story Link:
http://www.gourmetcountry.com/article_info.php?articles_id=91

Dreaming of Fresh Tomatoes? Heirlooms Have A Big Consumer Following

Black tomatoes top favorites among heirloom varieties

Story Link:
http://www.saveourfood.org/Learn/CurrentNews/Pages/BlackTomatoes.aspx

Anti-Pasto Stuffed Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen bread loaf (white or wheat)
• 1 pkg. pepperoni
• 1 bell pepper
• 1 onion
• 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small can black olives
• 1 small jar green olives
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:

Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray, place frozen bread loaf on sheet and spray with non-stick spray and let thaw and rise. In the meantime, core and seed bell pepper, peel and quarter onion and place on a seperate cookie sheet. Brush 2 teaspoons of olive oil over top of both vegetables and broil in oven until bell pepper is slightly burnt. Remove from oven and place bell pepper in a sealed baggie and allow to sweat for 30 minutes.

Remove bell pepper from baggie and remove skin and discard. Slice skinned bell pepper into strips and set aside with quartered onion. In a large bowl place bell pepper, onion, olives, pepperoni, basil, and oregano and stir until well mixed and allow to marinade until bread loaves are thawed and raised.

When bread loaves are thawed and raised, roll out with a rolling pin to stretch to all corners and sides of cookie sheet. In the center, layer all the meat, olives, and vegetables. Start to roll the dough like you would a burrito, by folding the short ends over the filling first then by tucking the lengthwise section of the dough and folding over until the filling is completely covered.

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Brush the filled dough with olive oil and dust with garlic salt/powder (optional). Cut three slits down the middle of the bread loaf. Allow the anti-pasto loaf to raise for 30 minutes in a warm place. Bake for 20-25 minutes till golden brown. Slice and serve will still warm.

Anti-Pasto Stuffed Bread

Anti-Pasto Stuffed Bread is on the menu for tonight. I will post the recipe and pictures later this evening.

Pairing Wine and Cheese

I have always been interested in wine pairings and have picked up a few books on the subject. While surfing this morning, I found this on the Fine Living Network website and wanted to share it with all of you.

Story Link:
http://www.fineliving.com/fine/wine_steward/article/0,1663,FINE_2636_2737843,00.html

Making Desserts More Elegant

There was a mini-commercial/show on this morning, and it demonstrated how to dress desserts for a more elegant look. I saved it on my DVR, but wanted to share the website with the rest of you.

Story Link:
http://www.fineliving.com/fine/entertaining/article/0,2498,FINE_22197_2163596,00.html