Deviled Eggs

Posted on April 25, 2014 by Peg

Yes, of course we dyed eggs last Sunday for Easter. Then we ate eggs, deviled that is, for our Easter lunch celebration. I spy deviled eggs in the lower right corner of this pic from a recent gathering! Here’s what you do to make this happen at your next happy happening!

6 eggs, hard boiled
3 Tbs fat free sour cream
1 1/2 Tbs fat free mayonnaise
3/4 t Dijon mustard
1 Tbs sherry vinegar
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/8 t cayenne pepper
2 Tbs chopped fresh thyme
Mango chutney for garnish

Shell eggs, and then cut in half lengthwise.
Scoop out yolks and transfer to small bowl and mash with fork.
Mix in sour cream, mayonnaise, and mustard.
Stir in sherry vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and thyme.
Spoon yolk mixture into whites.
Sprinkle eggs with chutney, chopped parsley, or thyme.
Make at least 4 hours ahead. Cover loosely and refrigerate.

Good for 2 to 3 days only.

*You can spice up the eggs with dill, roasted red peppers, or medley of fresh herbs such as tarragon, chives, dill, or chervil.
Top the egg with a hint of what you added to the filling.

Ricotta Eggs with Basil

Posted on April 17, 2014 by Peg

Wake up and smell the chai! AND the eggs and bacon. Hooking you up with one of my favorite brunch (and Sunday Supper) recipes this Easter week. Have to admit, I’m also anticipating with much glee my new egg delivery straight from gentleman farmer/my friend Ben at Leggett Farm Organics. Booyah! It’s eggstra special! (Couldn’t help myself.)

5 eggs
8 oz fat free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded Romano cheese
2 Tbs sliced fresh basil, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup fat free Half and Half

In a bowl, whisk all ingredients together.

Fill egg poaching pan with 1” water.
Pour a bit less than 1/2 cup egg mixture into each cup.
Set over medium heat, cover and bring to boil.
Then reduce to medium low and simmer until eggs are set, about 12 minutes.

Flip eggs upside down onto plate.
Repeat to make 4 more poached eggs.

Transfer eggs to individual plates and serve immediately.

*This same mixture can be used to make scrambled eggs.
Spray skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat.
Pour in egg mixture and stir constantly, 2 to 3 minutes, until cooked thoroughly.

Serves 6.

Sweet Potato Soup

Posted on April 13, 2014 by Peg

Hey dudes and dudettes. Last Sunday brunch I was sipping champagne at Cinque Cento in Boston with sweet Gray and Liam; this Sunday found me in my own kitchen. Following church, and prior to that little golf thing in Augusta, I made this fantastic soup! It’s supposed to be rainy here in ENC Tuesday and 55ish degrees on Wednesday, so ponder this for a midweek “pick you up.” Why? Because we love soup!2 lbs sweet potatoes, halved lengthwise (appx 4 large potatoes)
1/4 cup water
1 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, onion
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t crushed red pepper
4 cups unsalted chicken stock
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, shaved

Place potatoes, cut sides down, in a 7 by 11 microwave safe baking dish.
Add 1/4 cup water.
Cover with plastic wrap.
Microwave on high 15 minutes, or until tender.
Cool slightly.
Scoop potato out of skin into bowl.

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium high heat.
Add onion and sauté 1 minute.
Stir in cumin and red pepper.
Add stock.
Bring to a boil, and simmer 3 minutes.
.
Place half of sweet potato and half of stock mixture in blender.
Remove center piece of blender lid to allow steam to escape, but cover with towel to avoid a mess.
Puree until smooth, about 20 seconds.
Pour pureed soup into large bowl.
Repeat blending procedure with remainder of potatoes and stock mixture.
Divide soup among 6 soup bowls.
Sprinkle with bacon and Parmesan.

230 calories per serving as entree.
May also serve in demitasse.
Makes 16 demitasse servings at 75 calories per serving.

Cooking Light, November, 2013.

Grilled Corn, Avocado, and Tomato Salad

Posted on April 9, 2014 by Peg

There is a spring in my step, and a gracious amount of pollen in the air, on the car, and clinging selfishly to my nose! Determined to forget the fog in my eyes (and brain!) and the sneezes, and forge on to more pleasant daily realizations. Here’s one reality…Corn, avocado, tomatoes, and Beelicious honey go together like, well someone said, bread and butter. This salad is filled with deliciousness. Don’t mind if I do! For Salad:
4 ears of fresh sweet corn
1 ripe avocado, diced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
2 Tbs fresh cilantro, chopped
Remove husks from corn and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes.
The corn should have some brown spots and be tender but not mushy.
Cut the corn off the cob then scrape the cob with the back of your knife to get the juices.
Place in bowl with avocado, tomatoes, and cilantro.

Honey Lime Dressing:
Juice of 1 lime
3 Tbs vegetable oil
1 Tbs honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 t sea salt
1/4 t fresh cracked pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper
Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine.

Toss salad ingredients and dressing together gently to evenly coat.
Let salad sit for 10-15 minutes to let flavors mingle.

To plate:
Place any type of lettuce leaf on plate.
Spoon salad mixture onto lettuce.
Top with a dash of Hot Shot!

Makes 4 vegetarian entrée salads, or 8 small side salads.

Brandied Mushroom Soup

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Peg

Back in the day I used to order a portobello mushroom sandwich at Mickey Mantle’s in NYC, just lazing at the bar with The Don, Su-Su, and Will. Not a fancy spot, but one of Will’s favorites as he loved MM, the Yankees, and frequented their Fantasy Camp. Guess I have always loved properly prepared mushrooms. Throw a dart…I’ll eat any of them. For this soup, start with a large pile of mushrooms; you’ll get them out of the frying pan, into the blender, and into a bowl in no time at all! Try it; you’ll like it.

1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 Tbs butter
12 oz assorted fresh cremini, porcini mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, stems removed; and chopped
1 1/2 t snipped fresh thyme
4 Tbs brandy
1 Tbs all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream
White truffle oil
1/8 t sea salt
1/4 t cracked black pepper

In large saucepan cook onions in butter over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add mushrooms and thyme.
Cook and stir 8 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
Remove saucepan from heat.
Add brandy.
Return saucepan to heat; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Stir in flour.
Cook and stir 1 minute.
Stir in broth and whipping cream.
Bring just to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
Cool mixture slightly.
Transfer mixture, half at a time to food processor.
Cover; blend until smooth.
Return soup to saucepan. Heat through.
Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with white truffle oil; top with salt and black pepper.

Serves 6 as main soup course.
Serves 16 in demitasse.

*Note: For chunkier soup, puree only half the mixture; return to pot and combine with remaining soup.

From the Files of Jeffrey Selden of MarciaSelden.com.

Frozen Cosmo!

Posted on March 24, 2014 by Peg

Coming to you from somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico! Zinging into Spring now that the roar of winter is behind us (we hope). Time to imbibe in those lightly flavored spring/summer adult beverages. This was the “house drink” last week at one of Tena’s fab and fun parties. Ask and you shall receive…she shared the recipe with me so we can all enjoy this fun cocktail. That crazy sister-in-law of mine has me on a ship somewhere in the Caribbean sipping something akin, this very second! Later mates! *Note that I use the less refined Triple Sec here as it is void of color. Typically I prefer Cointreau in a cocktail, but it’s inherent amber color alters the “pink of the drink”.

1 cup vodka
1 cup strawberry/cranberry juice (pink)
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup Triple Sec
1/4 cup simple syrup

Mix all together in pitcher.
Freeze 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
Take out and allow to thaw a bit until slushy.
Pour into glasses.
Garnish with a lime slice or a mint leaf.

Makes 6 to 8 glasses depending on your glass of choice.

*This is wonderful made by large pitchers full a couple of days prior to an event.
It is typically consumed quite fervently!

Thaw in the Straw

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Peg

Thaw in the Straw ©PEGhardee

Don’t sit under the apple tree; sit under the honeycomb, like Judy and Matt do…notice their Beelicious honey on my breakfast table! Our most recent excursion to Boston found us enjoying a delicious, low key brunch at Puritan & Company in Cambridge. How we navigated there beats the heck outa me…Gray and Marc drive the streets of that city as if it’s a one stoplight town in southern Georgia! Since it was Sunday Funday, we ordered adult beverages; Marc enjoyed what they call Thaw in the Straw. Upon returning home I called and kindly asked to speak with the bartender. I inquired about this concoction and he was friendly and forthcoming. You may be asking yourself how I even knew that I wanted to re-create it. We are a bourbon loving family; but here’s a confession. Marc stepped away from the table with Liam for a split second, and TD, Gray, and I all tasted it! Oopsie!! Thanks Marc. Here ’tis!

1 1/2 oz bourbon
3/4 oz lemon juice
3/4 oz honey
2 oz ginger beer

Mix bourbon, lemon juice, and honey together in glass.
Fill with ice.
Top up with ginger beer.
Stir.

Puritan & Company, Cambridge

Liam and Puritan's Boston Cream Donut, Yummy!

Liam enjoying Puritan’s famous Boston Cream Donut, Yummy!

Vegetable Orzo Chicken Soup

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Peg

Altho it feels like spring today here in ENC, I just betcha we have another cool spell headed our way. So, let’s make some soup! Last weekend the don and I were in Boston for a fun visit with Gray, Marc, and Liam. During nap-time for the wee one, I spied flour, too the cookbook by Chef/Owner Joanne Chang of Bostons’ flour bakery+cafe. It is filled with savory offerings, this being one of my instant favs. Drool worthy! Get ready Joanne…I’m coming to visit and drift through my Saturday morning at your South End location on Marathon weekend. Swoon.

Breast meat of 2 roasted chickens
2 48oz cartons low fat, low sodium chicken broth (12 cups)
3 Tbs olive oil
1 sweet onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 celery stalks, sliced
1/2 fennel bulb, chopped (leafy top removed)
3/4 cup orzo
1 zucchini, quartered
1 t kosher salt
1 t fresh ground black pepper
1/2 t paprika
1/4 t cayenne pepper
2 Tbs finely chopped fresh thyme
2 t finely chopped fresh sage
2 t finely chopped fresh rosemary
4 green onions, white and green parts, sliced
4 cups baby spinach leaves

Shred chickens breasts, and set aside.
Heat olive oil over medium high heat in large stock pot.
Add onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and fennel.
Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring often, for 6 minutes.
Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Add orzo, and reduce heat to low.
Simmer 12 minutes, until orzo is almost tender.
Add zucchini, salt, pepper, paprika.
Simmer 2 minutes.
Add chicken, thyme, sage, rosemary, green onions, and spinach.
Cook 2 minutes, until chicken is heated through, and spinach is wilted.

Soup may be stored in airtight container in refrigerator for 3 days, or in freezer for 1 month.

*Author’s note: I really love this without the chicken. So that’s the cook’s choice!

Adapted from flour, too by Joanne Chang.

Coffee Rubbed Filet

Posted on March 4, 2014 by Peg

This post is in honor of my father. Ten years ago today, WSC, Jr. left this earth for a loftier place…a decade has passed! There are not adequate words to describe this gentleman; so no attempt is made here. I will only mention that he was an avid sportsman, loved his morning coffee, adored his beef, and could cook a mean steak. Therefore, I give you this with a smile in my heart…a coffee rubbed filet/tenderloin. Cheers Dad, aka Bill, PaPa!2 2” filets
2 Tbs ground coffee
2 Tbs ground cumin
1/4 t kosher salt
2 t cracked black pepper
2 Tbs olive oil

1 hour prior to cooking filets, cover both sides with coffee, cumin, salt, and pepper.

Preheat oven to 450° with a rack in the center.

Heat oil in oven proof skillet over medium high heat.
When oil is hot, place filets in skillet.
Sear on one side only for 4 minutes.
Turn them over and place skillet in the oven.
Roast 7 minutes for medium rare.

Remove from oven carefully and allow beef to rest 5 minutes prior to serving.

*If you prefer to cook a whole beef tenderloin, know that these ingredients are enough for a 2 lb tenderloin, which is difficult to find. Adjust as needed for your tenderloin weight.

In this case:
Preheat oven to 375°.
Rub filet on both sides with coffee, cumin, salt and pepper.
Place filet in roasting pan and tent loosely with foil.
Roast filet for 10 to 12 minutes per pound.
There is no need to turn filet over.

Allow filet to stand for 10 minutes prior to slicing.

: Dad and Me, immediately prior to my wedding ceremony…1975. I was 20 (38 years and counting with td) HA! #70’sfashion #ruffledtuxshirt #weddinghat #YOUTHFULNESS

Jalapeño Cornbread

Posted on February 28, 2014 by Peg

Get back in the real world! Try this weekend warmer and you are sure to please yourself and anyone else fortunate enough to share in the goodness. Mmmm mmmm Good!1 cup yellow cornmeal
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
2 large eggs
3 Tbs nonfat sour cream
8 3/4 oz can cream style corn
12 slices of jalapeno peppers, drained and chopped
1 1/2 t vegetable oil
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400°.
Heat an 8” empty oven proof skillet in oven for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, sour cream, corn, jalapeno peppers and oil.
Add to dry ingredients, stirring until moistened.

Remove skillet from oven, and coat with cooking spray.
Pour batter into hot skillet.
Return to oven and bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Allow to cool 30 minutes.
Invert on to your hand or a plate.
Place right side up on serving plate.
Cut into wedges.

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