Spicy Shrimp and Smokey Sausage over Roasted Poblano Chile Grits

Chopper and I undertook our biggest culinary challenge yet. He wanted to create a New Orleans feast for the Alabama/LSU game and chose Susan Spicer's amazing cookbook as the source of inspiration. We spent half a day smoking sausage, reducing a fresh shrimp stock, roasting poblanos, perfecting the cream sauce, etc...


In the end, we had a dish with sooooo much flavor, it was just ridiculous. The effort paid off! The smokey poblano grits would have been great all by themselves. He also boiled up some spicy crabs and shrimp. Amy made some fantastic bloody mary's and Liz soaked up the whole experience. Roll Tide!

what not to do with grapes...

Two starving kids at the Plaza Restaurant, a plate of grapes and the lonely condiments for our pending burgerfest...wonder what happens?

Will They Eat it? Japanese Seaweed Snacks

I can always count on the Number 1 Oriental Market in Ocoee for a steady stream of exotic snacks, unusual vegetables and the best seafood selection around.


We were grabbing a few Strawberry Yin Yan and some Bulldog Sauce when these seaweed snacks caught my eye.


"Delicious with good nutrients from the sea." Sounds like a winner to me.


Called Tao Kae Noi, these savory snacks are paper-thin and airy - imagine a flattened seaweed-flavored Cheeto!


Dusted with wasabi powder, the heat was a little much for Sadie although she couldn't stop eating it! I wish I caught the faces she made with my camera.


Verdict? YES! Another sucessful Will They Eat It? Challenge!

Tuscan Cantaloupe Ice Cream

The last man standing in the land of fruit bowls is almost always the cantaloupe. Long after the pineapple, strawberries and grapes have been cherry-picked to freedom, the broken-hearted balls of soggy cantaloupe mope in a warm fruity broth, awaiting their date with disposal destiny.


Love it or leave it, the musky funk of an over-ripe cantaloupe is a flavor you will never forget. I can't say that I've ever been a huge fan so when I saw that Ben and Jerry's co-founder Jerry Greenfield named cantaloupe ice cream as one of his all time favorites, I thought it was a great opportunity to revisit this under-appreciated fruit salad filler and give it another shot. I have a theory that just about anything mixed with cream and sugar will taste fantastic. Just ask my friend roasted garlic or any one of the random Iron Chef judges.

(click the image for more amazing daily oil paintings from Justin Clayton)

Fun facts from Wikipedia: Cantaloupes were first introduced to North America by Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the New World in 1494. The Burpee Seed Company developed and introduced the now common "Netted Gem" in 1881 from varieties then growing in North America. A moldy cantaloupe in a Peoria, Illinois market in 1941 was found to contain the best and highest quality penicillin after a worldwide search.


The Tuscan cantaloupe is a relative newcomer to the American supermarket and is sweeter than the more popular reticulated cantaloupe. The lighter the green stripes, the sweeter the flesh. If only every produce had a built in ripeness meter! The melon above is ripe with a capital R!


Tuscan Cantaloupe Ice Cream
(completely stolen from Ben and Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream Book)

1 average-sized ripe cantaloupe
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup half and half
3/4 cup turbinado sugar

Halve the melon and remove the seeds and schmutz.


Use a large spoon to scoop out all the melon meat!


Place in a mixing bowl with the juice from 1 lemon hand-squeezed by Sadie Sauter.


Smash into a purée using a potato masher or your angry fists.


Drain the juice into a seperate container, cover the purée and refrigerate.


Whisk sugar into the cream a little at a time. Once the sugar granules are completely dissolved pour in the half and half along with the reserved melon broth. Refrigerate for 1/2 an hour.


Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and freeze following your ice cream maker's instructions.


After the ice cream stiffens, add the cantaloupe purée.


If additional juice had accumulated, do not pour it in because it will water down the ice cream. Continue freezing until the ice cream is ready, Freddy.


Fold into your nearest waffle cone...


...or bowl and devour!


The flavor was fresh and intense. The melon funk was tamed like I hoped - the cream mellowed the overpowering fruitastic sweetness and elevated the subtle flavor nuances to the surface.

It was truly delicious.

Fine Young Pineapple

One of the unforeseen benefits of having a kids food blog are the unique and odd culinary gifts bestowed on us. Take this punk rock pineapple from the Adams Family! Thanks Shanna and Todd!

Fresh Pickles: Old-Fashioned Barrel Cukes

Right around the time I started this blog, there were two new culinary revelations in my life: Homemade pickles and fresh buttercream frosting. Pickles and Cake was born!

I needed more guidance so a pickle recipe book was in order. I started searching on Alibris and low and behold, Chris Schlesinger had published a book called Quick Pickles. My hero! The book simplifies pickling and the recipes cover pickles from around the world.

Chris Schlesinger's The Back Eddy in Westport, MA is the perfect place to end up after a day at the beach or an afternoon of wine tasting at Westport Rivers Vineyard. The food is fantastic and every meal starts with a pickle sampler on the table. Chris is the author of my favorite cookbook Thrill of the Grill - the stories and insight jump off the page and the recipes will change the way you grill forever.


Old Fashioned Barrel Cukes

I modified the Kick-Ass Westport River Barrel Cukes recipe from Schlesinger's book. You will never find a pickle at the supermarket with this authentic flavor-packed pickle barrel flavor. The fresh horseradish made the difference. The grape/oak leaves aren't necessary but will keep the pickles crisp for a longer period of time - we ate ours so fast, we didn't even need them.

Ingredients:

4 pounds small cucumbers
5 small red chiles
1 large head of garlic, cloves peeled and minced
1 cup peeled, grated fresh horseradish
1 large Vidalia onion, peeled and sliced into small wedges
1 generous handful fresh dill fronds/heads
2 tablespoons yellow mustard seed
2 tablespoons craked coriander seed
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorn
3 crushed bay leaves
8 cups water
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup white vinegar
6 tablespoons of kosher salt
1 handful of grape or oak leaves (optional)


Combine cucumbers, chiles, garlic, horseradish, onion, dill, mustard seed, coriander seed, peppercorn, bay leaves and grape leaves in a extra-large crock or bowl.


In a seperate bowl combine water, vinegar and salt to make the brine. Stir until the salt dissolves. Pour in the brine.

I used a crock to pickle the cukes but the large bowl will work. Place the right-sized plate or saucer over the cukes and weight it down with a can or jar. The object is to completely submerge the cucumbers.


Cover with a clean cloth and keep it in the darkest corner of your kitchen counter out of the sun for 5 to 7 days. Make sure the contents are submerged at all times.


Skim off any foam that has formed on the surface of the brine and transfer to the fridge.


The pickles will be ready in about a week but taste great even on the third day. We tried one every day and it was fun to taste the change. Reach into that pickle jar and grab a good one!


We made 4 different kinds of pickles so far this summer and these were the hands down favorite. Crunchy, salty and packed with flavor - every sandwich's best friend.


Sadie loves the extra-crunchy small ones the best.

Dinosaur Chicken Nugget, Asparagus and Black Olive Pizza

I asked the girls on the way home Friday night what they wanted for dinner. Pizza was the overwhelming choice. When I asked them what they wanted on their pizza, a new Pickles and Cake feature was born.

"Dinosaur Chicken Nuggets!" Sadie blurted out.
"Olives! And Asparagus!" Lillie shouted.

I processed the request for a second and realized that enthusiasm always wins out.

"You imagine it and we will make it!"

Now where to find dinosaur chicken nuggets!


I ran out of time to make my own dough so I picked up some Flatout Wraps - nice and easy.

Popped them onto a baking sheet and laid down the sauce, nuggets, veggies and cheese.

Baked in an oven for 12 minutes at 425 degrees.


The crust was crispy and crunchy!


A quick slice and our new pizza was ready to eat. Sadie was starving and ate every bite.


The pizza was really tasty and the fun meter was pegged because they got to make their own imagined meal.


I asked Lillie what she thought of her new creation.

"Are you kidding?! This pizza is phenomulous!"

What?! Is that a combination of fabulous and phenomenal? Am I really that out of touch?

Lillie and her dinosaur friend enjoying dino chicken nugget pizza

You Say Tomato, I Say Tomato

Check out the ginormous 2 pound beefsteak tomato!

Oh, the possibilities!

Grilled Vegetable Gazpacho Recipe

It's summertime in Florida which means hot soups are off the menu. Gazpacho is a traditional chilled raw-veggie soup from Spain with a tomato base. It's like a refreshing liquid salad. I remember John Croatti occasionally making an amazing grilled vegetable gazpacho at the Berkeley Grille so I gave him a call to find out how it's done. Grilling off a few veggies adds a complexity and heartiness to the soup that is worth trying.

Grilled Vegetable Gazpacho

3 ripe tomatoes, cut in half
1 bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 6 pieces
1 zucchini, cut into 1/3" strips (see photo)
1/2 onion
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tbsp fresh cilantro
2 average sized cucumbers, peeled, halved and seeded
3 cups V8 or tomato juice
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp course salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil


The first step is to brush the veggies on both sides with olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and place on a hot grill.


Grill for about 3 minutes on each side. You want the zucchini to still be a little firm in the middle. Drop veggies into an ice bath (large bowl filled with ice and water) for a few minutes to stop the cooking process. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel. Remove the skin from tomatoes and peppers.


Pulse tomatoes, onion, garlic and herbs in the food processor (the blender would work too) until finely minced but not pureed. 12 pulses should do it.


Finely dice peppers, cucumbers and zucchini by hand. Pour puree into large mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients. If it is too chunky, add a little extra tomato juice. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours - overnight if you can. The grilled veggie flavor was perfect 24 hours later.


Serve up with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a little more cracked pepper.


Sadie quietly ate her whole cup of soup.


Lillie loved the gazpacho as well! Another winner!

Turtle Burger

Every once in a while, I find something food related on the web worth sharing. Silly turtle burger...

Will They Eat It? Japanese Crab Snacks

Talk about a hardcore snack - these crunchy little whole crabs are coated with a savory soy glaze and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. As soon as I saw this unique snack from Japan, it jumped to the top of the "Will They Eat It?" list.


Yes, this is really a snack! Sadie was ready to go and could hardly wait for me to set up the shot.


Hmmmm? Crunchy crab snack? I am so ready!


Love this shot! Bye Mr. Crabs!


Lillie was a little more skeptical but said she loved them. She put on a good show. Check the video at the end for her Oscar-caliber performance.


Check out the video! Sadie crunching the crab is so funny and Lillie's hesitant praise is dead on. I ate one and could barely get it down. The intense and concentrated seafood flavor was over the top.

Best Guacamole Ever

Best Guacamole Ever

3 ripe Haas avocados
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 small jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 small tomato, seeded and 1/4 inch cubed
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp salt
ground pepper to taste (1/4 tsp recommended)


Cut avocados in half and use your blade to twist and pop out the pit.


Slice a crisscross (Jump Jump!) pattern down into the halved avocados without piercing the skin.


Flip inside out and drop the two softest avocados into a mixing bowl. Save the firmest avocado for last.


Use a fork to mash the first two avocados.


Add the remaining ingredients...


Mix well with your fork and then gently fold in the last avocado for some more solid density and texture.


Serve! Here is a video of me serving the girls guacamole in the musical sombrero. The reaction is priceless.

This easy fresh-flavored dip is perfect for chips or fajitas.

First Tomato

I planted three different tomato varieties in April and the first tomato is finally ripe enough to eat! Hallelujah! Lillie picked it all by herself. Looks like the motherload will hit in about two weeks with another 12 or so ripening around then. These beefsteak tomatoes are so dense and full of flavor - nothing like the bland mediocre tomatoes in the grocery store. I'm already daydreaming about what I can create with them...more tomato goodness to come.

Ladybug Lost in the Baby Greens

Look who I found hiding in the tub of baby greens. I've had this in the fridge for about a week - poor guy. I brought him outside and put him with the tomato plants.

Mr. Pickle

Mr. Pickle (3487)
Originally uploaded by acb

I found this dancing pickle while surfing for some Pickles and Cake logo inspiration. An anthropomorphic slice of cake and a smiling pickle to drive home the kid angle seems to be what the blog is missing. I envision an old time concession stand feel from movie theaters past - dancing candy and soda pop singing "Let's Go Out To the Movies!"

Lillie Loves Corn

corn power!

Finally tall enough for Soarin' and Test Track, Lillie was itching to go back to Epcot without Sadie to hit up some new rides. The two of us arrived during their Garden and Flower Festival on a late afternoon.


The weather was perfect and she loved both rides. They had some great playgrounds set up to wear her out.


We took a corn break in the park and then headed home as the sun was setting. Perfect afternoon with my little buddy.

Chipotle Pulled Pork Enchiladas

Old pal Brandi Marsh Panzarino asked me to share some Mexican-themed recipes for an upcoming fiesta. I decided to update the classic enchilada with a smokey pulled pork filling - I used the Chicken Enchilada recipe from America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook as a guide and let the rest fall into place.

Knowing I was serving this to a 2 and 4 year old, I pulled back on the Chipotle and used Ancho chili powder to make the dish less spicy. Ancho chilies are smokey and sweet without all the heat of a traditional chili powder. The Ancho chili powder can be hard to find, so you can substitute chipotle or traditional chili powder if you crave the spicy fire.


There are a few steps to this recipe but they are all relatively simple and will be worth it in the end. Just ask my little oven-mitted helper.


The first step is to slow cook the pork. I use a crockpot to get just the right pulled pork consistency without a smoker, etc. It will take about 8 to 10 hours so make the pulled pork the day before if you can.


Ancho Pulled Pork

3 - 4 lb Boston Butt pork roast
1 sweet onion
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Ancho or regular chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika (add two canned chipotles instead for a little more spice)
1 tsp cumin
2 cups white wine (or a can of beer)
1 cup bbq sauce
1 cup v8 or tomato juice (remainder of can will be used for enchilada sauce)
2 packets Goya sazon


Thinly slice the onion and place on the bottom of your crockpot. Add all dry ingredients over onions.


Place pork into crockpot and then add wine and tomato juice. Pour bbq sauce over pork. Turn on High for 2 hours to jump start the cooking process.

Set on Low and cook for an additional 6 to 8 hours. Carefully rotate pork top side down with tongs 3 or 4 times during the cooking process. When done, the pork will be falling off the bone.


Remove roast from crockpot onto a cookie sheet or large plate. Careful now! That pork is hot and at the same time, is falling apart. Let it cool and then use a fork or even your hands to pull the pork into small shreds and pieces. Discard any fat and the bone - the pork should be as lean as possible. Depending on the fat content, in the end you might have more pork than you need for the recipe. If you have enough, you can make a double batch or freeze the remaining pork and save for quesadillas, etc.


Strain cooked onions from the crockpot and set aside for the enchilada sauce.


The next two sauce recipes are quickies.


Chipotle Enchilada Sauce

1 15 or 16 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
1/2 cup v8 or tomato juice
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp Ancho chili powder (use traditional chili powder for more of a kick)
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup reserved onions from pulled pork (just onions, not liquid)
1 tbsp adobo sauce (from canned chipotles)
1 whole chipotle (add 2 or 3 if you like a little more spice)


Most enchilada sauces start with softening some onions in a saute pan. Since I already had some seriously flavorful onions, I figured I'd take a different approach. This no-cook enchilada sauce knocked my socks off and is the star of the dish. If smoked paprika is difficult to find, used an additional chipotle or adobo sauce to add more smokiness.


Throw all ingredients into blender and puree for 1 minute. Set aside sauce in bowl, rinse blender and reuse for the cilantro sour cream.


Cilantro Sour Cream

1 tbsp fresh cilantro
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp fresh lime juice
pinch of salt
cracked pepper to taste


Combine ingredients and blend for 30 seconds. Place into ziptop bag and refrigerate until needed.


Chipotle Pulled Pork Enchiladas

3 cups shredded pulled pork
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese mix
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 cups enchilada sauce
1 cup black beans, drained
12 to 14 6" soft corn tortillas
1 whole tomato, chopped (for garnish)

Heat oven to 400 degrees and adjust rack to the middle position.

Combine pulled pork, 1 cup enchilada sauce, 2 cups of cheese and black beans in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Stack tortillas on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high until warm and pliable - maybe 60 seconds. Don't skip this step or your tortillas will tear. I know from experience. Boo!


Coat 9 x 13 inch baking dish with vegetable oil spray. Place 1/3 cup of pulled pork mixture down center of each tortilla and then gently roll tortilla tightly around filling. Place into baking dish 5 or 6 down each side - pack those suckers in there. If you don't have room for the last few enchiladas, stack a few in the middle.


Lightly spray tops of enchiladas with vegetable oil spray.


Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas to coat thoroughly. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheddar down the center of enchiladas.


Cover with foil and bake until enchiladas are heated all the way through - about 20 minutes.


Remove foil and continue to bake until cheddar browns up, about 10 minutes.

Plate one or two enchiladas at a time. Cut corner of ziptop bag and drizzle each enchilada with cilantro lime sour cream. Garnish with fresh tomato and a little cilantro. Enjoy!

Hurry up and take the picture already, so I can eat!

Lillie's big bite!

Leftovers are portioned and go right into tupperware containers. Anything we arent going to eat in 48 hours goes into the freezer.

Cheeeeeese!

Sadie's First Cake - Devils Food with Peanut Butter Cup Buttercream Frosting

It takes me way too long to get a finished recipe up on picklesandcake so I'm changing my approach. I'll post each food adventure twice - first with a few pictures and a brief description and then once again with a complete recipe and more detail.


Sadie and I made our first cake together and we had a blast. The buttercream frosting came out great - I melted 4 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups into the dark chocolate.

Fresh-Sauced Gemelli with Artichoke, Feta and Grilled Chicken

I'm a relatively new convert to the fresh sauce revolution and I still can't believe how easy it is to make. Fresh ingredients never cooked that come together from the heat of the pasta. Fresh flavor at its best. I've tried different variations several times including one of my first Pickles and Cake recipe postings. This time around, I was inspired by a batch of beautiful yellow tomatoes and a craving for artichokes. Some grilled chicken on top infused with some complimentary flavors will push this dish over the edge.


The first step is to marinate the chicken. I marinated about a pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts with the following:

Mediterranean Marinade

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp grape seed or canola oil
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp season salt (I used the Tuscan Chicken grinder below)
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp turbinado sugar
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup white wine
1 Tbsp fresh basil, thyme and parsley - rough chopped


Combine all ingredients in ziplock bag and marinate in the fridge for 3-4 hours.

Grill off the chicken on high heat and let it rest. Slice thin just before plating.

(why didn't I take any photos of the chicken on the grill?!)

Fresh "No-Cook" Tomato Sauce with Artichoke Hearts and Feta

2 Tbsp spring onion
2 Cups deseeded, chopped tomato
1/2 Cup artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 Tbsp fresh basil, thyme and parsley
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Chopped Feta

The girls will eat anything I make, as long as I involve them in the cooking experience.


The first step is to pick some fresh herbs. Lillie is a pro at carefully plucking off the basil leaves.


I set Lillie up to deseed the tomatoes. Its important to pull all the seeds and the jelly stuff out of the locule chambers.


She does a great job - this is what they look like once they are cleaned out and cleaned up...


While she was deseeding the golden beauties, I opened a can of baby artichoke hearts.


Then I rolled up an herb ball for easy cutting.


A quick chop to all and we are one step closer.


I chop chop the tomatoes and and throw everything in a bowl.


A quick stir and the sauce is ready to go. Well, ready to sit anyway. It needs to sit on the counter for a few hours for all the flavors to meld.


Boil your favorite stubby pasta and transfer to individual bowls just as the pasta is al dente. I generally use a multigrain penne but I'm a sucker for Barilla's gemelli and could care less about the extra carbs with a fresh, healthy meal like this. Gemelli is dense and perfect for this type of sauce.


Toss pasta with the sauce. Once the sauce hits the hot pasta the herbs wilt and the garlic mellows. Top with sliced chicken and some feta. Done!

Sadie was starving and finished this entire bowl!


Lillie wolfed down the whole bowl too.


It was a perfect night outside so we set up a little table by the pool.


This was probably one of the best dishes I've made in a while. The smokiness of the grilled chicken and the full savory flavor of the fresh sauce - the accent of the feta and texture of the gemelli. Every taste bud was smiling and the kids loved it all.

Will They Eat It? Sardines!

A few months ago Lillie and I were watching a documentary where dolphins circle a school of sardines and churn them into a giant "bait ball" that attracts birds, sharks and just about anybody else in the area that has a hankering for some sardines...like my children. I actually found the moment of the show that sparked her interest...



Lillie: (rubbing belly and smiling) Mmmmm! I love sardines!
Me: (laughing out loud) You do? Have you ever tried a sardine?
Lillie: Mmm hmm! I love sardines...
Me: Really?
Lillie: Yes!
Me: If I bought some sardines, would you eat them?
Lillie: Yes!!!!


Time for another "Will She Eat it?" Challenge!


And so I picked up some sardines, but not just any sardines..."Mediterranean-style" sardines with olive oil, garlic, red pepper and black olive....


And suddenly even I was interested in trying these sardines. I remember eating them on crackers as a snack growing up ALL THE TIME until one day I took a bite, but not all the way through. I pulled back and saw a tiny little skeleton on my cracker! Last sardine in 25 years!


So now it is the moment of truth! Will they eat it? They are both so excited and ready to go even after seeing the contents of the tin...


Lillie eats her sardine in two bites and gives it a big thumbs up.


Sadie has thrown her picky ways behind her and was all in!


She was actually the first to ask for seconds!


I tried them myself and they were actually pretty delicious. I chewed it quick. My first thought was, "this would be great whipped into a Caesar dressing."

Scanwiches

Simply, a website dedicated to scanned sandwiches...mmmm...sandwiches!


Banh Mi So 1: #1 House Special - grilled pork, vietnamese salami, sliced pork roll, pickled carrots, cilantro, and cucumber on a baguette


Parisi Bakery: Pastrami, Provolone, Lettuce, Tomato, Hot peppers, On a hero

I love it!

Lillie and Sadie love Mussels!

Lillie teaches us how to properly use a mussel shell to pull out the next mussel.

6 Degrees of Bacon

lillie and her bacon band-aid

On the drive home, I always bring up the meals they ate that day and inquire about what they would like to eat for dinner. Tonight we had leftover chicken noodle soup and a waffle cone with homemade strawberry honey icecream.

Me "What do you want for dinner tonight?"

Lillie: "I want bacon for dinner!"

Me: "Really? I had a spinach salad with bacon on it for lunch today."

Lillie: "Mmmm. I love bacon!"

Me: "Lillie, did you know that bacon comes from pigs."

Lillie: "No Daddy, mud comes from pigs!"

sadie is always game for an impromptu photo

Is it Spring Yet?

Lillie and I were in the backyard this past weekend and she freaked out when she saw the scarecrow lying face down on the ground.

Lillie: "Oh No! What's wrong with scarecrow?!"

Me: "He was tired and is taking a nap."

Lillie: "Actually, he fell down. Can we plant some seeds in the garden?"

Me: "Its too cold. In a few months we will fill the whole garden with seeds again."

Lillie: "Tomorrow we can plant baby carrots?"

Me: "We have to wait until Spring?"

Lillie: "Like Tigger's tail?"

Me: "Yes, just like Tigger's tail."

Rainbow Tomatoes

Check out these beauties from the Winter Park Farmers Market. I picked up a few purple ones and they were the best middle of winter tomatoes I've ever had.

Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

Every Christmas season, the Grand Floridian gives out roasted chestnuts at their main entrance. The toasty aroma can be picked up from a quarter mile and this time we decided to stop and sample these hard to find holiday delicacies.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chestnuts


The girls were ready to try something new so I handed them each a roasted chestnut. Each "pod" is cross-shaped split to help in the roasting process.


Sadie worked furiously to get her chestnut open.


Lillie dug her nails in and popped out the seed inside.


Not afraid to ham it up, Lillie decided to perch her chestnut on her face for a memorable photo.


It was quickly devoured. I tasted one too. They taste like a cross between earwax and a cashew. The texture is similar to a cross between earwax and a cashew.


Sadie ate the chestnut before any fun photos could be taken.


I spoke too soon...

Smokey Pumpkin Seeds

The only thing better than a triple mushroom, bbq pumpkin burger is a batch of delicious smokey pumpkin seeds.

Split open a fresh pumpkin very carefully!


Pull all the seeds out of the pumpkin and rinse in a colander. Massage with your fingers to eliminate most of the pumpkin fiber. Rinse one last time...


Transfer to a bowl and shake on your favorite savory season blends. This batch was flavor-blasted with a combo of smoked paprika, Penzeys bbq 3000 and Penzeys smokey seasoned salt. Maybe a 1/4 cup for a large pumpkins worth of seeds.


Spread over a foil-lined cookie sheet.


Bake at 350 for 15 minutes until they are nice and crunchy. Use a spatula to remove and let cool.


Eat them shell and all!


Lillie can't stop snacking!

Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs

I acquired a spaghetti squash a few weeks ago and the girls were immediately fascinated. Spaghetti inside a squash? Could it be true?
Each night I pick them up, I ask them what they want for dinner and ever since the words "spaghetti squash" pinged onto their radar, Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs was the clear winner.


Finding a delicious low-fat meatball probably should have been a priority before creating this meal...In the end, my "fly by the seat of my pants" culinary approach worked to my advantage and once again reminded me that intuition and creativity beat out a recipe every time....at least for me.


I went to my recipe bible, America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook - BAD NEWS! The meatball page was missing! What the hell?! These 3-ring binder pages of this 848-page book are so thin and the most popular get torn occasionally. I'm pretty sure the meatball page also includes the fresh sauce section....crap.

Now what do I do? I pulled Mario Batali's Molto Italiano off the shelf - he has got to have a rock-solid meatball recipe in there somewhere. I modified his Neapolitan Meatball recipe to suite my needs. I love a cheesy meatball and the low-fat ground chicken I'm using is very lean, so the first thing I changed was to double the amount of shredded Pecorino Romano cheese.


Double Cheese Chicken Meatballs

3 cups day-old bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound ground chicken/turkey
3 eggs, beaten
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups Pecorino Romano, grated
¼ cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
½ cup saltine crackers, crushed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoon Penzeys smoked seasoned salt (any seasoned salt will work)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

In a shallow bowl, soak the bread cubes in enough water to cover. Remove the bread cubes and squeeze by hand to wring excess moisture.

In a large bowl, combine everything and mix by hand to incorporate bread into meat. It will be a little soupy so chill (covered) in the fridge for a few hours. I let mine sit overnight.

With wet hands, form the mixture into 12 to 15 meatballs, each of a size of a golf ball. Place on foil-lined baking sheet. Roast in the center of the oven on 375 for 35 minutes.

Steamed Spaghetti Squash

Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Wrap in one layer of saran wrap and cook in microwave for 7 minutes. Let sit to cool in microwave for 10 minutes. Remove with caution because it will still be really, really, really hot. Really. Remove wrap and use fork to pull out the string-like layers of squash.

Plate the squash, top with your favorite marinara (I used my 5-minute creamy marinara - recipe to follow in a few days). Top with some sliced meatballs and dust with some microplaned Pecorino Romano.


Sadie was the first to give it a try. The meatballs were so flavorful and moist! I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious they turned out.


Lillie was skeptical of the spaghetti squash at first but loved the meatballs from the start. They were so full of flavor.


Another fun dinner with dad!

Big bite! Even Daddy has got to eat!


Sadie cleaned the plate. Finger lickin' good.

Will She Eat It? Black Cat Licorice Soda

Jones Soda pushes the soda envelope (is there such a thing?) every holiday season. Their turkey and gravy soda for Thanksgiving is just going to far. They actually had the nerve to bottle a brussel sprout soda last year! This Halloween, I had to pick up a 6-pack of their Black Cat Licorice Soda to try. The question is, will Lillie like it?

Was their any doubt? Next up: Sardines!

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

I don't want anyone thinking I'm reinventing the wheel or doing anything fancy, but when I tell people we made Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream last night, their eyes light up and their taste buds shudder. A source of creative ice cream inspiration will always be Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and Dessert Book - if you have an ice cream maker (you have a homemade ice cream maker, don't you!?) then this is your bible.


They have a pumpkin ice cream recipe, but mixing canned pumpkin into a sweet cream base just doesn't cut it. I need bite-sized pieces of pumpkin pie in my pumpkin pie ice cream. Here is how to make that dream come true.


The first step is to buy a pumpkin pie. Freeze for 30 minutes and then cut it in half.


Remove the dense edge of the crust and slice into bite-sized pieces. Place into freezer.


I used Ben and Jerry's Sweet Cream Base #2 as a starter. Here is the recipe:

2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup sugar


I added 2 teaspoons of pumpkin spice and probably another 1/2 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg. Mmmmmm, nutmeg.


After chilling the pumpkin spice sweet cream base for 1/2 an hour in the freezer, it was time to drop the base into the ice cream maker.


Within 10 minutes, the mixture is starting to freeze and has doubled in size due to the air being whipped into the mixture.


Once the base has thickened, drop in the "half pie" and mix for another 30 seconds on high.


Transfer into a freezer-safe container and deep-chill for at least 1 hour.


When ready, scoop out, top off with some whipped cream and serve.