One of the things I love about Bethany’s blog lately is the discussion of food and recipes. I love food. My husband actually makes fun of me about it and says it never fails that if you put food in front of me that I am about to eat I will have a huge smile on my face… and he’s pretty much right.

So I enjoy watching Food Network tv and learning cooking tips and trying new recipes. Sometimes I really get in the mood to cook and CREATE something, almost like an artistic endeavor. So sometimes I search www.foodnetwork.com or other websites or magazines for interesting recipes and for something new to try. A lot of the recipes take a little more work than your usual week night dinner. Some of them have been big flops. I remember I tried one homemade roasted tomato soup recipe. About 3 hours and two whole sink full of dishes later I had a bowl of soup that basically tasted like Campbell’s canned tomato soup. So disappointing after all that work! But I’ve picked out two recipes today that while they do take a little effort, are well worth it, at least in my opinion.

Chicken Tetrazzini by Giada

Ingredients

• 9 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

• 2 1/4 teaspoons salt

• 1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

• 1 pound white mushrooms, sliced

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 5 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 4 cups whole milk, room temperature

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 12 ounces linguine or spaghetti noodles

• 3/4 cup frozen peas

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

• 1 cup grated Parmesan

• 1/4 cup dried Italian-style breadcrumbs

  Click here to get the directions for the recipe.

My little tweaks/recommendations

• Like I said this does take a while to prep, so I cooked the chicken ahead of time.

• I did ½ pound of white button mushrooms and ½ pound of crimini mushrooms, just because I love the meaty smoky flavor of the crimini

• Definitely try and use the fresh thyme if you can, the fresh herbs just make all the difference

• I don’t normally buy whole milk so I just used a little less milk than the recipes called for (2% is what I used) and a little more heavy cream than was called for in the sauce and it turned out super creamy and delicious!

This second recipe is a special occasion dessert I found from the local newspaper around Christmas time. It too takes several steps but I really enjoyed it. It really lives up to its name. Obviously if you’re allergic to egg whites or don’t like meringue better skip this one.

Cherry Berry on a Cloud

For meringue

• 6 egg white, room temperature

• ½ tsp cream of tartar

• ¼ tsp salt

• 1 ¾ cup of granulated sugar

For middle layer

• 6 oz cream cheese, softened

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 2 cups heavy cream, whipped

For topping

• 1 can (16 oz) cherry pie filling

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• 2 (15 –ounce) packages of frozen strawberries in sweetened syrup, thawed

To make meringue shell, preheat oven to 275 degrees. Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until frothy. Continue beating gradually adding sugar and continuing to beat until stiff and glossy, about 10 minutes. Spread into greased 13×9 inch glass baking dish. Bake 60 minutes. Meringue should about double in size and be a golden color. When done, turn off oven but leave in oven to cool completely. (Now me being the impatient cook that I am didn’t allow it to “completely cook” and the meringue kinda collapsed and cracked in places, but even with that it was still good! Next time I’ll try to find my inner patience and allow to “cool completely” )

When shell is cool, blend cream cheese with sugar and vanilla. Fold in whipped cream. Spread this mixture over meringue shell and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

When ready to serve, mix topping ingredients and spoon over cream-cheese mixture. If you want to go the no preservative more natural type of route I would try skipping the packaged cherry pie filling and frozen sweetened strawberries and just mashing up some fresh strawberries mixed with sugar for the topping. I’m sure that would be just as delicious.

This recipe has just the right amount of creaminess with the middle cream cheese but doesn’t get to heavy because the meringue is so light and fluffy. It really is like biting into a delicious heavenly cloud!

Tips for whipping cream: If you haven’t whipped cream before I let you in on the trick that my husband had to teach me. Everything needs to be cold. The cream, the bowl you are going to use to whip it, and even the beaters. So put the bowl (glass or metal) and beaters in the freezer for about 30 minutes before you whip the cream. I always use an electric stand mixer. If you can do it my hand you get the elbow grease award!

I’m a Christian, wife, medical professional, and soon to be mother from Phoenix, Arizona. I am fascinated with the physiology of our bodies, love almost all things food, and love to travel when I get the opportunity. I often find myself trying to find a balance between two very different ideas i.e. the science of western medicine and the methodologies of Eastern and naturopathic medicine, having a “family bed” vs “Ferberizing” my baby, fighting between champagne taste and a beer budget, etc. I feel like there is a ying and yang to everything and and my journey right now is about trying to find that balance… that and doing all the other everyday chores that need to be done.

Never Miss A Post – Receive free updates via RSS or Email

A Moderate Life
Girlichef
Health Food Lover
A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa
Frugality and Crunchiness with Christy
Rendering Lard

Hope you all enjoy this weeks blog hop!

Rejoicing in the journey -
Beth Stedman

Never Miss A Post – Receive free updates via RSS or Email

Enjoy the blog hop everyone! I can’t wait to read all of your wonderful recipes. I’m still trying to get through all of last weeks great contributions!

Here’s a little review of the “rules”:

1. Write a post having to do with real food.
2. In your post, add a link back to THIS PAGE (or any of my fellow blog hosts Two for Tuesday posts for this week) and add one of the badges below (if you want).






3. Add the URL for your POST (NOT your blog home page) to the list using the Linky bellow (or the Linky on Alex, Heather, or Michelle’s site).
4. Leave a comment too and let us know what you are contributing this week.
5. Hop around and enjoy all the great content gathered in one place!!

Alright, everyone Start Hopping!!

Rejoicing in the journey -
Bethany Stedman

Never Miss A Post – Receive free updates via RSS or Email

Gelato #1 (Creme de Menthe Gelato without an ice cream maker)

My dad came up with this recipe on the fly and it turned out good, but not quite right. It was a bit too sweet and had a little too much of an alcohol flavor to it. The videos feature my dad, my aunt and my cousin (I’m doing the taping) – ignore the kids in the background and the sound of the ice cream maker at the end of the last one.

Heat in a pan over medium heat

1 cup Flavored Alcohol (we used Crème de Menthe)
½ cup sugar

Just until sugar is dissolved. Then remove it from the heat and allow it to cool completely (you can place it in the fridge to cool if you want to speed up the process). If you don’t want to use alcohol in your ice cream you can replace the alcohol with water and then add whatever flavoring you want (like vanilla extract for example) later on.  If you don’t want to use alcohol or sugar you can instead puree fruit (like raspberry’s for example) and use that in place of the alcohol and sugar mixture.

Next whip

1 pint of heavy whipping cream

Until it is about the consistency of Buttermilk. When you pull a knife through the cream it should leave a trail behind it, like this:

Next slowly mix together the slightly whipped cream and the alcohol sugar mixture. Then place the mixture in an ice bath – here’s how: Get a big bowl and fill it half way with ice. Then add a little water so that the ice will move around and about a ½ cup of salt (rock salt works best). Then place the bowl that contains your gelato into the bowl that contains your ice.

Leave it in the ice bath (stirring occasionally) until it starts to thicken.

Once it has thickened quite a bit move it into an air tight container and place in the freezer for SEVERAL hours. You can stir it occasionally if you want to encourage it to freeze evenly. Or if you have an ice cream maker you can put it in an ice cream maker to make. But, for the poor man’s gelato (i.e. gelato without an ice cream maker) all you have to do is let it sit in the freezer for several hours.

After it’s frozen up a bit you can add chocolate to it. Melt the chocolate in a double broiler first and then quickly stir it into the gelato and get it back into the freezer to let it sit for several hours (over night works well).

Gelato #2 (Maple Gelato without an Ice Cream Maker)

This Gelato had a really nice flavor but the texture wasn’t right at all. I think I did too things wrong – I over whipped the cream and I didn’t add enough sugar – since I learned later that sugar helps keep the ice crystals in the ice cream small, thus creating a better texture.

1/2 cup water
3 Tablespoons unrefined cane sugar

Place water and sugar over medium heat until the sugar dissolves to create a simple syrup.

1 pint heavy cream

Whip the cream until it is the texture of buttermilk and just slightly thickened. (I whipped mine closer to runny whipped cream which was too much)

Allow your simple syrup and your slightly whipped cream to chill in the fridge until cool. Then mix them together and add 2 Tablespoons of real Maple Syrup. Chill the mixture in an ice bath for several hours and then move to the freezer for a few hours.

Gelato #3 (Rum and Coconut Gelato with an Ice Cream maker)

I liked this one – although I could have used less rum. The taste was sort of like a pina colada. The texture still wasn’t quite right though – not creamy enough. This could have been due to the fact that I used only milk instead of cream. I think the low amount of sugar could also have contributed to the off texture.

Meat of 1 young coconut
A little water
2/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup unrefined cane sugar
2 Tablespoons of rum

In a food processor blend the meat from the coconut with a little water until you have a fairly smooth texture sort of reminiscent of applesauce. Next add the milk, sugar and rum to the food processor and process the whole thing until well blended and smooth. Place the mixture in the fridge for a bit to chill and then place it in an ice cream maker, following the directions provided for your specific machine.

Ok, so there are three Gelato recipes that are ok, but not really right. I share them thinking maybe some of you might have some suggestions for how to improve them. Or maybe you have your own favorite gelato recipe you could share with me. So, what do you think??

Rejoicing in the journey -
Beth Stedmany

This post is my contribution for Two for Tuesdays this week. Check out the link for lots of other great posts.

Never Miss A Post – Receive free updates via RSS or Email

A few weeks ago I was sitting in the front yard of a dear friend of mine, Becky, soaking up some sunshine and watching our children splash around on their slip and slide. Both of us mommas are pregnant so it didn’t take long before we needed a snack and some water. Out she comes with some fresh made Pico De Gallo Salsa and a side of corn chips. It was delicious, refreshing and enjoyed by all.
The fallowing day I invited another special friend to come over with her children to enjoy playing on our home made “water park”, a sprinkler set up under the trampoline. Super fun!

This friend, also pregnant, and I wanted something cool, sweet and tart, maybe with a little spice.
I had some Jalipanios left over from some homemade Jalipanio Poppers we made a few nights earlier, a late night craving that my wonderful husband helped satisfy with a quick run to the store. I knew we had a Mango in the fridge as well as onlion, tomato, bell pepers ect.  I started cutting, and dicing the fruit and veggies with the thought of Becky’s Salsa from the day before vividly in mind.
Here is what I came up with:

Mango Salsa
1 whole diced mango
1/2 a large white onion diced
1 large tomato chopped
2 whole Jalapenos, seeded and finely diced
1 orange, red, or yellow bell pepper chopped
(you can also mix and match the Bell Peppers to make it more colorful)
1 small handful cilantro, torn
Juice from one small Lime
1 Tbl. Rice Vinegar
1 Pinch of Sea Salt

We ate the whole batch and I found out later that Marianne went home and made her own batch…
Since then I have made it for our family, as gifts dropped off at a friends who was having a rough day and a BBQ we went to over the weekend.
I have heard that almost everyone who has had it, goes to their kitchen and makes up their own batch. Some with the mango, but others have used Peach, or Pineapple.
I hope you are able to try this tasty salsa. Enjoy it with some chips, or over some grilled fish.
Let me know how you like it and what changes you make. I love to play around with recipes and get inspiration from others.

Special thanks to Becky for a fun day and the inspiration!

I’m contributing this post to Two for Tuesdays this week and also Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays. Check out the links for lots of other great posts.

I am the wife of a phenomenal husband and my dearest friend.
I am the mother of four beautiful children, one of which is to still in Utero.
I am pregnant and LOVE it!
I live in the beautiful state of Washington.
I am the supporter of many, but close friend to a few wonderful people.
I love to be outdoors, exploring the world and playing with my children.
I am an aspiring crafty person and trying my hand at sewing, knitting and art.
I love food, eating it, cooking it, cutting it and picking it.
I enjoy reading many books, and researching online as well as learning from my educated friends and mentors.
I have delivered all three of my children at home and planning to have this next baby in the same peaceful manner.
I am an advocate for breastfeeding and peaceful parenting.
I love families and enjoy supporting them during their journey.
I am blessed to have a relationship with the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob.

Never Miss A Post – Receive free updates via RSS or Email

Here’s a little review of the “rules”:

1. Write a post having to do with real food.
2. In your post, add a link back to THIS PAGE (or any of my fellow blog hosts Two for Tuesday posts for this week) and add one of the badges below (if you want).






3. Add the URL for your POST (NOT your blog home page) to the list using the Linky bellow (or the Linky on Alex, Heather, or Michelle’s site).
4. Leave a comment too and let us know what you are contributing this week.
5. Hop around and enjoy all the great content gathered in one place!!

Alright, everyone Start Hopping!!

Rejoicing in the journey -
Bethany Stedman

amoderatelife bacon wrapped cheesy eggs! Morristribe: Zucchini Brownies. . . Yummo! Loving My Domestic Life – Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipes for Foraged Grape Leaves Recipes for Foraged Red Currants Teriyaki Glazed Chicken & Pineapple Turkey Primavera City Home Country Homes Dutch Oven Dinner City Homes Raspberry Spice Vinegar O. is Me – Fattoush Salad Recipe Kamut Oatmeal Cookies @ Delighting in the Days Moroccan Grilled Chicken Sandwich on a Grilled Focaccia The Raw Milk Debate Tandoori paneer(with homemade cottage cheese) The 21st Century Housewifes Healthy Leftovers Stroganoff Kahakai Kitchen-REAL Hawaiian Burger, Banana Jam & Tomato Salad Roasted Butternut Squash with Warm Cuder Vinagrette The Frugal Family Manager (Cheesy Beef & Potato Bake) Tomato Land Tallahassee FLA Homemade Coconut Milk Making Yogurt Cheese. . . and sammies!! nutty parmesan crusted fish Zucchini Brownies GRAIN FREE BROWNIES (The Healthy Home Economist) Grilled Mole Flank Steak Outlaw Farmer on Farm Fresh Eggs Getting Started with Backyard Chickens (Outlaw Farmer) Ethiopia! Cajun Jambalaya Smoky Peach Salsa (lacto-fermented) Breaded Skirt Steak sorting dried beans – a cautionary tale Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork and Pork Sugo A Recipe Roundup from Emerils Farm to Fork Cookbook Virtues of Homemade Bread Ohio Pesto and Chevre Cheese Flatbread Snacks Wardeh (Iced Teeccino) Rainbow Curry Iced Teeccino Jason @ JLHealthTulsa (GF 5* Sausage, Egg & Pepper Sandwich) Salsa with a Side of Inspiration Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes @ Gettin Healthy Cheap Sabudana Aloo Tikki – ???????? ??? ?????? (Sago and Potato Patties) Doughnut Muffins Easy homemade truffles idea. Mixed Berry Jam Lemon Ricotta Penne with Yellow Squash jam making procedure: peaches and apricots Salsa Verde Tamales (Lard Free) Caramel pudding Romano Beans and Sisterly Love Its a Granola kinda day. . . Dina at Known by Name Linguine with Raw Tomato Sauce Sprouted Chickpea Bread Seafood Salad Truffled Zucchini and Fennel Salad Top 6 iPhone Food Apps Berry muffins

This linky list is now closed.

Never Miss A Post – Receive free updates via RSS or Email

Ok, so salad is one of those things that doesn’t really feel like it needs a recipe to me and I feel a little weird posting a “recipe” for a salad. I love salad and love how easy it is to just throw things together to make a great meal. But, sometimes I know I need some inspiration in my salads. I tend to get stuck making the same salad combo’s over and over again. So, here are two different salads that where new combinations for me and I thought you all might like them as well.

Enjoy the salad inspiration!

Bitter Summer Salad

This salad was our lunch a few days ago and we both really liked it. It was one of those meals where I was just trying to use up what I had left in the fridge before our trip, but it came together so well that I thought I’d share it with you all today.

• Arugula
• Radishes
• Tomato
• Cooked (cold) quinoa
• Cooked (cold) millet
• Tahini Dressing (or any other dressing of your choosing)

Mix all ingredients (as much as you want of each) to make a lovely fresh, bitter tasting salad.

Green Summer Salad

I made this salad for a BBQ on 4th of July. It was so refreshing to have some fresh raw veggies after being out in the sun at the beach all morning. I loved this and thought you might too.

• Roman Lettuce
• Green Apple
• Avocado
• Cucumber
• Celery
• Sunflower seeds
• Cilantro

Mix all ingredients (as much as you want of each) and top with a light dressing of your choice. I made a little dressing with olive oil and lime juice and it was perfect. Enjoy this fresh green combination on a hot summer day.

Rejoicing in the journey -
Beth Stedman

This post is my entry for this weeks Two for Tuesdays blog hop. Check out the link for tons of other great recipes and food related posts.

Never Miss A Post – Receive free updates via RSS or Email

Here’s a little review of the “rules”:

1. Write a post having to do with real food.
2. In your post, add a link back to THIS PAGE (or any of my fellow blog hosts Two for Tuesday posts for this week) and add one of the badges below (if you want).

<a href=”http://bethstedman.com/2010/06/14/two-for-tuesday-blog-hop/” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://bethstedman.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/twofortuesdays.jpg” border=”0″ alt=”BethStedman.com Two for Tuesdays”></a>


<a href=”http://bethstedman.com/” mce_href=”http://bethstedman.com/” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj214/girlichef/misc%20blog%20badges/24TbadgeBethStedman.jpg” mce_src=”http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj214/girlichef/misc%20blog%20badges/24TbadgeBethStedman.jpg” border=”0″ alt=”24TbadgeBethStedman”></a>

3. Add the URL for your POST (NOT your blog home page) to the list using the Linky bellow (or the Linky on Alex, Heather, or Michelle’s site).
4. Leave a comment too and let us know what you are contributing this week.
5. Hop around and enjoy all the great content gathered in one place!!

Alright, everyone Start Hopping!!

Rejoicing in the journey -
Bethany Stedman

Zucchini, Potato, Chorizo Tacos & Garden Update @ girlichef Sweet Potato Bean Burritos Asian Coleslaw Chicken and Cheese Burritos Twice Baked Potatoes Feel the Bees Sting – Habanero Honey My Iron Skillet Love Affair @ frugalcrunchychristy Quick Jalapeno Pickles with Coriander Seeds Baked buns Pineapple Cooler–Made from Pineapple Rind! at Kahakai Kitchen butter milk & butter Roasted Salsa Old-Fashioned Poundcake A Moderate Life Roasted Corn in Chiminea Beth Stedman (Salad Inspiration) JOIN US IN PHILLY FOR THE WAP CONFERENCE!-Kelly the Kitchen Kop Raspberry Ice Cream Sauce Real Food on a Budget Hot Fudge Ice Cream Sauce ~SUMMER PEACHES IN A VANILLA, THYME, and BRANDY SYRUP!!!~ Kale and Bacon Quiche Blue GF Cornbread! Crystallized Ginger, Ginger Tea & Ginger-Honey Lollipops French Onion Tart – Gluten and Dairy Free Court-Bouillon Mahi Mahi Panzanella Salad Vegetable Vindaloo Buttermilk n Fruit Popsicles @ girlichef Spain in Iowa – Wholesome banana split sweetened with raw honey. 2 Fresh Tomato Sauce Recipes for You! Yummy! Re-invented leftovers and Italian potato salad! Best Basic Quinoa – Ignore Package Directions Bottarga Pasta Healthy Sloppy Joes And A Review By Ashley carrot and paneer parathas Black Bean & Edamame Salad with Miso-Tahini Dressing Wasabi Goat Cheese Stuffed Miso-Salmon Southwestern Garden Succotash - from heartland Renaissance Pasta with ham, peas, and cream Diary of an Outlaw Farmer: Rabbit in Mustard Wine Cream Sauce Roasted Vegetables Spicy Stuffed Peppers and Tour of Lexingtons Farmers Market Tropical Dessert Pizza @ A Few Short Cuts Pan Roasted Greens & Shrooms – Ally @ Sweet & Savory Brown Sugar Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Crunchy Fried Fish with Remoulade and Creamy Cole Slaw Coupons for Real Food? @ Big Dreams for a Simple Life Indian Curried Barley Vegetable Lentil Savoury Cake Julie @ Persnickety Palate (pea gnocchi and fried carrots) Another (Goat) Kid and Sourdough Biscuits Pam – Salmon Roasted in butter Jason @ JLHealthTulsa (GF 5* Fillet of Sole Almondine) White Corn Soup with Poblano Cream Sauce Brisling Sardines with Bittermelon in Tangy Tomato Curry Luscious Lemons for a Cool Drink and a Chicken Salad! The Missing Spinach Balsamic Roasted Red Potatoes Classic Hollandaise Sauce Get your soft pretzels here Blueberry Jelly – Dina at Known By Name Simple Shallot Vinaigrette Zucchini Fritters and Eggplant Couscous Salad with Cumin-Cinnamon Dressing Wheat Berry Salad A soup from our garden Thrifting Sheets for Sewing Play Clothes Mexican Kidney Beans Rice & Red cabbage, kidney beans and Tomato salad

This linky list is now closed.

Never Miss A Post – Receive free updates via RSS or Email

Thanks to my other beautiful co-hosts Two for Tuesdays is up and running today despite my lack of participation. We actually have two new hosts this week joining in the fun. So, check out any of the following sites for todays Two for Tuesday blog hop! And don’t forget to come back next week to join in the fun right here!

A Moderate Life
girlichef
Rendering Lard
Frugality and Crunchiness with Christy
Health Food Lover

Rendering Lard, and Frugality and Crunchiness with Christy are the two new host additions, so be sure to go say hello to these great new bloggers. I’m so excited to have them joining us. Enjoy this weeks blog hop! I’ll be back next week!

Rejoicing in the journey -
Beth Stedman

Never Miss A Post – Receive free updates via RSS or Email

Whenever we come to Hawaii there is one meal that my dad ALWAYS makes – Fish Burgers with Wasabi Mayo. So, today I thought I’d share this special family recipe with you all.

Fish Burgers

• Firm White Fish – he has used a variety of different kinds before, Mahi Mahi, Ono or Swordfish are common choices
• Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Blackened Red Fish Magic Seasoning Blend – you can also make your own using Thyme, a variety of dried and ground chili peppers, paprika and salt.
• Toasted Sesame Seed Oil

Coat the fish in Sesame seed oil and then cover with a generous coating of the seasoning mix. Cook the fish however you want. We usually grill it, but you can also cook it in a pan on the stove top, or in the oven under the broiler. Just be sure that you don’t over cook the fish. Overcooked fish will have a more distinct fishy taste and a less appealing texture.

Wasabi Mayo

• Wasabi
• Mayonnaise – if you make your own that’s all the better, but we often just buy a “real” mayo from the store

Use enough wasabi to fit your tastes (we really like it around here so my dad always uses quite a lot of it). Mix it together with the mayo and it’s ready to serve.

We usually serve these “burgers” on buns with grilled onions, lettuce and tomato.

I hope you enjoy these as much as my family does! If you want to try some other yummy fish “burger” recipes check out this great post from My Year on the Grill that was shared during last weeks Two for Tuesdays carnival.

Rejoicing in the journey -
Beth Stedman

This post is my contribution for Two for Tuesdays blog hop this week. Click on the link to explore lots of other great recipes and food posts.

Never Miss A Post – Receive free updates via RSS or Email