Smoked Salmon Maki
by Patty
Smoked salmon, , julienned cucumbers and avocado are rolled with sushi rice in nori (seaweed paper). Serve with lite soy, red pickled ginger and wasabi. Yummy!

Oshi-Sushi with Ebi (Shrimp) and Spicy Maguro (Spicy Tuna)
by Patty
These pressed sushis (not rolled) simply came about because I didn't have any Nori in my pantry. Both were made with sushi rice (seasoned with mirin), layered with sliced avocados and minced cucumber. The shrimps were simply boiled, while the raw tuna was seasoned with mayonnaise and togarashi (japanese hot pepper). Serve with Wasabi paste, Beni Shoga (red pickled ginger) and light soy. Great with hot green tea.

Empanadas Colombia
by Patty

If you love Colombian empanadas you have to try this. I stumbled upon this recipe at Nika's Culinaria, a blogista here at Blogger. Her recipe and instructions inspired me to make this dish I've been longing to have. There are a few steps involve to make them, but I gotta tell you, it was worth all the effort. Any filling leftover can be frozen for later use.

Mini Sausages in Puff Pastry
by Patty

These make a great afternoon snacks for kids (and adults)! Mini smoked sausages are wrapped in puffed pastry that are cut into triangles then baked. Honey mustard or spicy mustard can be used for dipping. They also taste great just the way they are.

Mesquite Chicken Salad
by Patty

Cut chicken breasts into flat pieces, season with any dry mesquite seasoning and dip into beaten eggs. In a plate, pour some panko crumbs (Japanese bread crumbs). Coat the chicken with the panko and pan fry until done. Plate over your favorite salad greens. Best with ranch or honey mustard dressing.

la pâtisserie à la noix de coco

by Patty

These petit cuties are puff pastry filled with a coconut filling (coconut flakes, white lily flour, sugar, egg yolks) then drizzled with chocolate ganache made with Valrhona chocolate. I didn't go through the trouble of making puff pastry. The store bought kind will work just fine for this purpose.

Smothered Pork Chops

by Patty

I used pork tenderloin chops for this dish as it takes no time to prepare it. I referred to a recipe on food network by Tyler Florence, tweaked it some and made it my own by changing some of the seasonings. I added more herbs and used onions instead of onion powder. The cooking time remains the same. The pork chops are moist and flavorful!

A Traditional Thanksgiving Meal

by Patty

I had a blast preparing our Thanksgiving meal today. We bought smoked Turkey breast and it was fabulous. It was moist, tender with a hint of hickory flavor. The bread stuffing (primarily made from melba toast) was loaded with celery, carrots, onions and seasonings that included rubbed dalmatian sage. The mashed potatoes were made with red potatoes, tons of butter and milk, then topped with turkey gravy. The yams with marshmallows were to die for. The whole spread was a hit! My daughter chipped in by helping me with the homemade cornbread. Now, I'm ready for a nap!

Hersheys Chocolate Cake

by Patty

I made this delicious cake using the recipe found in the back of Hersheys Cocoa Powder. It's so good and well worth the effort. The cake is so moist, it doesn't need any frosting. A glass of ice cold milk makes a perfect accompaniment!

Herbes de Provence Roasted Chicken with Chelo Safeed
by Patty

Cut up carrots, parsnips, onions, garlic, celery, lemon and place in a bowl. Add Herbes de Provence, butter, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, salt & gresh ground pepper. Stuff this mixture into a whole roaster chicken. Rub the outside of the chicken with more olive oil, herbes de provence and salt & pepper. Bake at 350 for 2 hours. I usually don't bother tying up the chicken as I cut them up on the board before serving. Chelo Safeed is Persian style of preparing basmati rice. Potatoes, salt and olive oil are cooked along with the rice. The rich buttery sauce is prepared using the drippings from the roasting pan.

Where I buy stuff:
by Patty

http://www.surfasonline.com
This site is great for restaurant quality kitchen items and ingredients. They also carry Nielsen-Massey extracts.

http://www.bakedeco.com
Awesome line of baking supplies/ingredients.

Homemade Mozzarella Cheese

by Patty

I guarantee you will absolutely have so much fun making cheese right in your own kitchen. My daughter enjoyed stretching the mozzarella! She made the one shaped like a ball. I made the one in the background (not as pretty as hers!).

I started by going online and bought a cheese making kit. Just follow the instructions, it's very quick (only 30 mins.) and easy. Tip: It is very important to use a stainless steel pot.

The mozzarella tasted so good. Nothing like fresh cheese!! I hope you try to make some!

Three Cheese Garlic Bread

by Patty

I used a basic pizza dough I found in one of my recipe books, The Joy of Cooking, to make this bread. After preparing and rising the dough, use a rolling pin to make the dough into a rectangular shape. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with garlic powder and bake at 425 for 10 minutes. Take out of oven, sprinkle with parmesan, romano and asiago cheeses and add a little more garlic powder. Bake for another 8 - 10 minutes.

Szechuan Green Bean Stir Fry

by Patty

Another easy, quick and delicious dish. Saute ground pork in a wok. Add chopped garlic, ginger and sugar. Add a little bit of chicken stock and simmer for a few minutes. Add green beans.

In a small bowl, mix chinese cooking wine, oyster sauce, light soy and cornstarch. Pour mixture over pork. Use chili sauce according to taste. Add cubed tofu and green onions if desired.

Fresh Mint
by Patty

Just a quick tip. I always keep a bunch of fresh mint near the kitchen sink. After I wash my hands, I rub them all over the leaves. They have a wonderful smell. Fortunately, we have an over abundance of these mints in our garden. They keep for a long time in a jar with water.

Grapes from our garden
by Patty

We have tons of these grapes in our vines in the backyard. I think I'm gonna need to learn how to make wine vinegar!

Grilled Pork Chop with Grilled Polenta and Brussel Sprouts with Caramelized Shallots
by Kristine

The pork chop is seasoned with rosemary, salt and pepper then grill to taste. The polenta is prepared by laying out the cooked polenta on a baking sheet. Roll and allow to cool in the fridge. Cut in rounds, then grill or sear.

Radish, wine grapes, haricot verts, edamame and snow peas

by Patty

Just wanted to share some of our harvests from our vegetable garden.

Grilled Coconut Chicken with Curry Sauce
by Patty

I marinated (overnight) a whole roaster cut in half in some coconut milk, curry, garlic, lemon grass and salt & pepper.
Grill the chicken and some onions smeared with coconut oil over hot coals. The sauce is prepared with yellow curry paste, coconut milk, shallots, peppers and potatoes. Great with basmati rice.

6 Layer and 5 Cheese Lasagna
by Patty

Ground sirloin and ground pork are used to make the sauce for this Lasagna. Simmer the meats with your favorite bottled sauce or you can make your own. My favorite is Classico's Tomato and Basil. For the cheese layer, combine ricotta, parmesan, asiago, romano and fresh mozarella with one egg, and salt & pepper. Chopped baby spinach is added on top of the cheese layer. I used Barilla No-Boil lasagna as it makes the preparation of this dish so much easier. It bakes to perfection without boiling the pasta.