Soupherb Gourmet

Luscious Lime Angel Cake

2005-06-10T12:40:00.000-04:00

This is a great summer recipe that will feed 15! ? A creamy lime topping tuns angel food cake into this light, low sugar, refreshing summer dessert.

1 3oz pkg sugar free lime gelatin
1 c boiling water
1 prepared angel food cake, cut into 1" squares
80z reduced fat cream cheese
1/2 c. sugar
2t lemon juice
1 1/2 t grated lemon peel
1 8oz (reduced fat) carton cool whip

In a bowl, dissolve gelatin in water. Refridgerate until mixture thickens, about 30 minutes. Place cake cubes in sprayed 9 x 13" dish, and set aside.

In small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add lemon juice and peel. Add geletain mixture ; beat until combined. Fold in 1 1/2 cups cool whip. Spread over cake covdring completely and refridgerate for at least 2 hours. Cut into squares and serve with additional whipped topping. (Serves 15)

Recipe Thursdays!

2005-05-31T12:56:00.000-04:00

Every Thursday, I will be publishing a new recipe for you to try. If you have any requests, please make a comment and let me know what you are looking for. Bon Appetite!

Summer Salads

2005-05-31T12:50:00.000-04:00

When planning a summer get together, a cold salad is a staple of every picnic! When thinking salad, do you always think lettuce? Well it's time to extend your realm of salad savy and try something new. Here are a few of my fav summer salads just to get you thinking.......

Cous cous with broccoli, cherry tomatoes and black olives
Spinach salad with strawberries pecans and a poppy seed dressing
Wild rice salad with peas and carrots with a balsamic vinaigrette
Apple cabbage slaw (with or without raisins)
Greek tomato salad with feta and olives
Caramelized almond and orange salad with a honey ginger vinaigrette

Salads with fruit and nuts are all the rage and are such a deliciuos combo! Be daring and try a combination of your own!

Pairing Wine with Food

2005-05-01T06:54:00.000-04:00

White with fish; red with meat, the old rule of pairing wine with food. "Take a walk on the wild side" and drink what you like with the food you like! (Have you ever heard anything so crazy?) Obviously, there are certain wines that bring out the flavors of specific foods more than others, but the best rule is drink what you like. I have listed a few basic blendings for you to experiment with. Happy Wine Tasting!

Light reds like Chianti and (Red) Zinfandel go best with Italian or spicy dishes.

Medium to dry whites such as Pinot Grigio, Voignier and Chardonnay tend to bring out the flavors in chicken, poultry and cream sauces

Your Dark and heartyreds such as Shiraz, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon are most complimentary to steaks rich filet mignon and hearty prime rib.

Etiquette

2005-04-30T18:33:00.000-04:00

It is impossible to have perfect etiquette at all times, and to be truthful, who would want to? Social situations require a certain degree of etiquette, but when you are at home on the sofa in your sweats, eating a bowl of ice cream, who really cares if you lick the back of the spoon to get the very last drop of Cherry Garcia? It's Ben and Jerry's for God's sake, let's get real! Martha Stewart has used the 5 second rule when no one was looking, I am sure of it! I have listed some social situations with multiple choice answers...test out your graces and see where you might need to improve!

1. You are out for an elegant dinner and see 2 forks to the left of your plate and one fork above, which one do you start with?
a. the one above, since it is furthest away
b. the one on the far left, because you start on the outside and work your way in
c. The one on the inside because it is almost touching your food already

2. When using a soup spoon, you should always:
a. scoop towards you, so you can get in in your mouth fast
b. scoop away from you and eat off the side of the spoon
c. it doesn't matter, either way would be correct

3. When sitting down to the dinner table where the is a cloth napkin, you should always:
a. Tuck it in your shirt right away, so you don't spill anything on your clean clothes
b. Smell it real good to make sure it is clean
c. Open it and lay it across your lap

4. When going out for dinner, is it rude to send back your entree if it is not to your liking?

Answers:
1. b
2. b
3. c
4. Not at all, based on the following rules:

You have not eaten most of it and then decided you don't like it

You just don't like the taste of and should have ordered something else

You are rude and make a scene

If it is not cooked properly, or it cooked with items the menu did not state, then as long as you are polite and sincere, there should be no problem with exchanging your meal for something more suitable.

Cooking For Dummies, The Basics

2005-04-27T18:20:00.000-04:00

Sautee, flambe what's the difference? Reduce my demi, season the pan, and sweat my onions? Are these all for real? Actually, yes, these "techniques" are all real and can be done with ease (with just a little practice). I have listed some basic techniques and their definitions for you to read and try. Some of them you may already be doing and don't even know it! Once you catch on to a specific technique, with a little repetition, you will have it mastered in no time, so get cooking!

Sautee - to cook over med heat with butter or oil until soft
Sweat - to cook over low heat slowly in butter without browning
Carmelize - to cook over medium heat with sugar until browning occurs
Fold - to gently turn over your mixture without mixing or stirring to briskly
Baste - to spoonliquid over meat as it is cooking to prevent dryness
Braise - slow cooking of pre-browned (in oil or butter)meat or vegetables
Dredge - to put food in cornmeal, flour or breadcrumbs before frying

Homemade Vs Storebought Pie Crust

2005-04-26T19:30:00.000-04:00

Homemade piecrust is the winner hands down. There is nothing that can compare to a tender, flaky piecrust made from scratch. When in a pinch, a boxed (or refridgerated) piecrust will certainly due. (I find that Pilsbury works and tastes much better than store brands) One easy way to always have homemade piecrust is to use the following recipe for 8 piecrusts. Divide your dough into 8 equal sized balls and freeze. When you want to make a pie, just take out your ball of dough, defrost and roll. (For a two crust pie yoiu would need 2 balls of dough) Just as easy as a store bought and even better tasting!

Dough for 8 pie crusts:

6 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3 cups cold butter
6 tsp sugar
6 small eggs, slightly beaten
4 1/4 Tbs ice cold water

Cut cold butter into flour, salt and sugar. stir in water . Mix well. If using a food processor (which make this job much easier) be sure to pulse mixture so you dont mix it too much, otherwise your piecrusts will be hard and not tender and flaky like we like. Shape into 8 equal sized balls and freeze until ready to use.

You Can Grill What?

2005-04-26T18:42:00.000-04:00

Whole turkeys and chicken, pizza, fresh fruit and spaghetti? Ok, maybe not spaghetti, but until you haven't lived until you have tasted grilled pineapple and nectarine kebob with a cinnamon and brown sugar glaze. How about a whole chicken roasted to perfection with fresh lemon slices, thyme and garlic, what an aroma! My personal fav is whole mozzarella wrapped in romaine with garlic pieces, fresh tomato and a few sprigs of basil. It's like a low carb pizza on the grill! Each week of the grilling season I will be featuring a fun new recipe, so try them out! You will find it fun and easy to grill all kinds of foods you might not have thought of! Think OUTSIDE the stove. (You and your WEBER will become the best of friends!)