Nibbles of Tidbits, a Food Blog

This Macaroni and Cheese helped Rick Massa win $25,000 in a Food Network Ultimate Recipe Showdown Comfort Food Competition.  And it’s now on T.G.I. Friday’s Menu.  After seeing the Judges rave about it, I had to make it too, especially since it includes Bacon.

I followed the exact recipe.  It was very good, but I didn’t fall in love with it like I wanted to.  I toasted and smashed my own Breadcrumbs, which made the Cheese Crumb Topping extra tasty.  I’ll definitely use the same topping on future casseroles — It’s excellent when crispy.

Bonus INFO:  Collection of MORE Terrific Mac & Cheese Recipes

I stumbled across the step by step photo instructions on how to prepare this Pomegranate Mousse with a White Chocolate Mousse topping.  YUM!  Since I had all the ingredients on hand, I made it.  And it was as good as it looked, but I’m mostly inspired to know that I can make any flavor Mousse with Heavy Cream and Unflavored Gelatin, or use any flavor Chocolate.  Since I cannot improve upon the step by step instructions I followed on FotoCuisine, I’ve linked them below.  BTW, I left the Egg Whites out of my preparation, mostly to avoid the extra step, and all (texture & taste) turned out fine.

RECIPE:  http://fotocuisine.com/2009/02/11/pom-pomegranate-mousse-with-white-chocolate-mousse-layer/

I love this easy recipe of roughly chopped Red Potatoes and Marinated Artichoke Hearts — That’s it.  I simply combine the two in a baking dish with a little Artichoke Marinade and S & P, cover all with foil and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes at 425°.  I then remove the cover and broil all for about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice to evenly brown.

I used to chop the Artichoke Hearts, but it’s best not to, since ‘too small’ pieces often disappear during the broiling process.  The Marinated Artichoke Hearts are usually halved in the jar.  I’ll leave them as is (minus the hard/woody parts) or cut ’em in half lengthwise if they’re extra large.  Caution:  The final result is so good that it’s hard to stop eating them, so make enough or not too many, HA. 🙂

The preparation of these Orange and Chocolate Cookies was inspired by a monthly food photography contest (DMBLGIT) submission, my love of all things Orange flavored, and the lack of ingredients to make the same Cookie. 

Since I had to make them immediately, I used Brown Sugar instead of White Sugar, and Grand Marnier in place of the Orange Extract.  Aside from those substitutions, I prepared the recipe that’s linked below.  This variation worked well too, but I may add a little less salt next time.  These Orange and Chocolate Cookies tasted good, though the photos don’t measure up to those posted by the ‘What’s Cooking?’ recipe developer.

Recipe Link to What’s Cooking’s Orange and Chocolate Cookies:
http://whatscooking.us/2008/12/04/orange-and-chocolate-cookies/

January’s (DMBLGIT) Food Photography Contest:
http://picasaweb.google.com/kochtopf/DMBLGITJanuary2009#

Have you tried the Garlic Cheese Bread at Parkers’ Lighthouse yet?  If you have and love it like I do, here’s a copycat recipe.  Parkers’ Lighthouse is a Waterfront Seafood Restaurant in Long Beach, across the Harbor from The Queen Mary.  Once upon a time I worked there as a waitress while in college (CSULB).  Everyone loved their famous Garlic Cheese Bread and it appears they still do.  With a little help from a former co-worker, I provide this simple recipe that (to me) tastes like Parkers’ Garlic Cheese Bread.  It’s a unique combination that contains no Butter, but it works.  Since I no longer live in Long Beach, this recipe occasionally comes in handy for a nostalgic fix.  What’s pictured here was cooked in the toaster oven, but the Garlic Cheese Bread is terrific broiled in the oven.

Parkers’ Lighthouse Garlic Cheese Bread (Copycat) Recipe

-Bread (French or Sour Dough Roll, cut in half lengthwise)
-Mayonnaise
-Parmesan Cheese (Fresh Grated, a generous ratio to Mayo)
-Garlic Powder (A generous amount to taste)

Mix all ingredients together and spread liberally on long split rolls.  Broil in the oven until light – golden brown.  Be sure to keep an eye on the Bread.  It doesn’t take long.  I’ve burned way too many pieces in my life, HA.

FYI:  The same Cheese combination and Spinach is used to make Parkers’ Oysters Rockefeller, one of my favorite appetizers there.  If you’re adventurous, give them a try too.  They’re also broiled until golden brown, then served on a bed of Rock Salt.  Enjoy!

Related Link:

http://www.selectrestaurants.com/parkerslight/index.html

WOW.  I finally made my own Gyro Meat and it turned out terrific.  I captured the flavor and consistency without a rotisserie.  I researched several Gyro Meat recipes online to arrive at this perfect combination of a few.  And the preparation is relatively easy for the authentic tasting results.  The short RECIPE goes like this — Mix all ingredients together, puree, form into loaf, bake on a rack, let rest and slice thinly — EAT with Tzatziki.  If that doesn’t tell you everything, the step by step photos and ingredients are shown below.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound of Ground Lamb
1/2 pound of Ground Beef
1/4 cup of minced Onion
1/2 teaspoon of minced Garlic
1/2 teaspoon of dried Thyme
1/2 teaspoon of dried Oregano
1/2 teaspoon of dried Rosemary
1/2 teaspoon of dried Marjoram
1/2 teaspoon of ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon of ground Black Pepper
1/4 teaspoon of Salt

Directions:

1.)  Combine and mix ALL ingredients together, then place in a food processor and puree until a paste consistency (1 – 2 Minutes).

2.)  Scoop mixture out of the food processor and into a plastic wrap lined loaf pan.  Press firmly into the pan to close all air pockets in the meat.  Tightly wrap the plastic around the meat and let chill overnight (or several hours) in the fridge.

3.)  Remove formed Gyro Meat from the loaf pan and plastic wrap and place on a rack on a foil lined cookie sheet — This allows all sides of the meat to cook and the fat to run off.  Bake in the oven at 325° for 1 Hour.

4.)  After baking, remove from the oven, cover and let rest for about 10 minutes, then thinly slice for a Gyro Sandwich or alone with Tzatziki Sauce.

The photographs note the progression from (L – R) downward.

Tzatziki Sauce Recipe:

1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
1/3 cup of grated English Cucumber
1 – 2 minced Garlic Cloves
1 teaspoon of Olive Oil
1 teaspoon of Lemon Juice (I’m heavy-handed)
1 tablespoon of fresh chopped Dill (Optional)

Mix all ingredient together and chill in the fridge for at least an hour, or overnight while the Gyro Meat mixture is doing the same.

For LEFTOVERS, when the Gyro Meat is cold and easier to slice thin, I cut a few slices, lay them on a Pita or Flat Bread, drizzle a little Olive Oil around the edges, then cook it in the toaster oven.  All you have to do is fold and eat.   It turns out great.

Or I’ll cook the sliced Gyro Meat in a skillet with/without a little Olive Oil.  It’s fun to have the meat on hand for quick lunches and dinners throughout the week.

NOTE:  This Gyro Meat Recipe makes a fair amount for two, but the ingredients can easily be doubled to serve more.

Related Links:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Traditional-Gyro-Meat/Detail.aspx

http://greekfood.about.com/od/appetizerssalads/r/tzatziki_sass.htm

http://xfleetwoodx.wordpress.com/2008/09/22/homemade-gyros-so-worth-the-effort/

I’m lucky to know a couple Fishing Charter Captains — Every now and then I get a fresh cut, cleaned piece of the catch.  This time it was Sculpin, which I’ve not tried.  I poached it in White White, Water, Fresh Dill, Garlic, a Bay Leaf and Pink Peppercorns. 

My preparation was an adaptation of the recipe linked below.  I used different poaching herbs, but finished the Fish with Kosher Salt, Olive Oil and Capers, which added the needed extra flavor to the Sculpin.  The Fish would have been a little bland otherwise, but the texture was flaky and white.  Thanks again Kat and Doug.

Related Links:

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

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=1327

http://www.cookingforengineers.com/recipe/92/Poached-Fish

http://www.goldenstateimages.com/GSI_search.php?srch=Marine%20Fish%20Sculpin&op=cat

Grilled Bacon Wrapped Asparagus on the BBQ – Just wrap bundles of Asparagus with strips of Bacon.  I usually wrap one slice of Bacon around 3-4 Asparagus.  I’ll add a well placed toothpick to each bundle, so not to worry about the Bacon unraveling on the grill — That’s a bad thing.  Bacon Wrapped Asparagus is an easy tasty appetizer or side dish.  Everyone loves them.

Related Links:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=380

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=377

I like fresh Cranberry Sauce all year long.  It’s easy to make and a great side dish to have on hand.  It goes well with Pork, Chicken, Ice Cream, Sandwiches, and much more.  Why ever eat Cranberry Sauce out of a can when all you need to do is boil Cranberries in a mixture of half Sugar and Water for about 10 minutes?!  One Bag of Cranberries calls for 1 Cup of Sugar & 1 Cup of Water.  I also like to add Orange Zest and Juice.  It really makes a tasty Cranberry Sauce.

This fabulously easy recipe is shown step-by-step in the links below.  It’s been made by several food bloggers/writers/cooks.  When I came across it, I had to make it too.  The preparation is simple — Just boil Red Potatoes until soft and smash them down onto an Oiled baking sheet.  Drizzle the smashed Potatoes with melted Butter, minced Garlic and S&P, then bake in the oven at 450° for 25 minutes without turning.  Voila!  They’re done and taste great.  If you need more information than that, check out The Pioneer Woman and For The Love Of Cooking.

Related Links:

http://www.foodbuzz.com/recipes/460615-crash-hot-potatoes

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/06/crash-hot-potatoes/

http://fortheloveofcooking-recipes.blogspot.com/2008/08/crash-hot-potatoes.html

After my Christmas Party this year I ended up with leftovers from two generous Vegetable Platters.  I love having washed pre-cut vegetables on hand.  They’re a great snack, but you can only eat so many Celery and Carrot sticks with Ranch Dip.  Since I had so many, I tried a few recipes.  Before that I did eat the Red, Yellow and (most) Green Peppers, and there were no Cucumbers after the party — I made a few dishes with the remaining Cherry Tomatoes, Celery, Carrots, Broccoli, Bell Peppers and Sugar Snap Peas.

White Bean & Celery Soup – This may not look like much, but it’s good.  The recipe (linked below) is a combination of Celery, Onion, Garlic, Cannellini Beans, Vegetable Stock and S & P.  I substituted Chicken Stock and added some fresh squeezed Lemon Juice at the end, plus Scallions on top.  It hit the spot after that.  http://www.opensourcefood.com/people/netwalker/recipes/white-bean-and-celery-soup

Creamy Vegetable Soup – I roasted Broccoli, Carrots, Bell Peppers and Sugar Snap Peas in the oven.  After all were a little charred, I removed the vegetables from the oven and added hot Chicken Stock.  I mixed some Milk with a little Cornstarch and poured it in, then brought all to a quick boil, simmered a bit and served this Soup within a short time.  It was easy and flavorful.

 Baked Cherry Tomatoes – I stumbled across this recipe (linked below) which seemed easy and a little different.  I had all ingredients, Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic, Chives, Lemon Juice, Olive Oil and S & P.  I followed the recipe exactly, but next time I might add less Lemon Juice, or add the Peel/Rind instead.  I’ve found that the Rind imparts a Lemon flavor without making a dish too tart.  Or Lemon Juice added at the end is sometimes best.  http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/egg0896/cherryto.html

Roasted Carrots – I roasted Carrots in the oven with a little Olive Oil and Salt.  I ate several, then mashed the rest and incorporated them into an easy Carrot Souffle recipe.  It didn’t turn out like I hoped, mostly because I didn’t have all ingredients.  I tried to improvise, but the final was too dense, not fluffy and light how I want.

Cafeteria Carrot Souffle – Here’s the wannabe Souffle photo and recipe (linked below).  I mickey-moused this one, but you might want to give it a try.  It has potential.  After making all the above, I’m down to a small bag of Cherry Tomatoes, Carrots and Broccoli.  Any suggestions?  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cafeteria-Carrot-Souffle/Detail.aspx

Thanks to my cherished friends (and sis) for delivering the wonderful Appetizers and Desserts to my 14th Annual Christmas Party.  It was a blast like always.  Michelle’s Pesto Loaf (above) was voted Best Appetizer.  Congratulations!  The recipe is linked below.

And every party needs a Fresh Vegetable Platter — Ours was over the top good with Yellow and Red Bell Peppers, Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumbers and more.  And continuing on down (L-R), this year we enjoyed Artichoke Dip and Chicken & Lemongrass Spring Rolls.

Chicken Tamales with Colorado Chili Sauce, Salami, Brie and Smoked Cheese with Crackers, and Fresh Homemade Salsa and Tortilla Chips.  The Salsa deserves an honorable mention for its restaurant quality flavor.  I’ve got to get the recipe.

Egg Rolls, Pesto Loaf, and Cream Cheese with Blueberry Preserves and Crackers.  Then moving on to the bakery quality Desserts prepared by Loretta — She took the prize for that category with her Lemon Bars, Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Icing, Magic Cookie Bars, and Chocolate Dipped Oreos and Graham Crackers as the Cake presents.

We had more than pictured here, but some photos didn’t quite make the quality cut.  I do appreciate ALL the food!  We mostly enjoyed Champagne, Chardonnay, Juice and Bottled Water, but many options were available.

This year I have a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree — It’s cute, don’t you think?  Here we are in a rare people picture on Nibbles of Tidbits.  I didn’t get my friend’s approval for the posted photo so it could come down if someone doesn’t like the way they look.  You know how some girls can be – HA. 🙂

Related Link:

Winning Appetizer Recipe (Pesto Loaf) – pesto-dip-appetizer

The recipe is real, but the story behind it isn’t.  You must have heard the story about the lady who paid $250 for the Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe from Neiman Marcus?!  When I heard about it, the amount was $2,500 — You know how stories get exaggerated.  Either way, Snopes reports it to be false.  The full interesting story is linked here.

http://www.snopes.com/business/consumer/cookie.asp

Aside from that, an old friend recently reminded me how “freaking good” they are.  I used to make the recipe a lot and do think they’re possibly the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies in the world — The blended Oatmeal and grated Chocolate certainly contribute to it.  I usually add Walnuts, Pecans or Macadamia Nuts.  The recipe is linked above and below on an album page I created over ten years ago.  It’s not fancy but includes four bonus recipes if interested.

Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Today a friend gave me some fresh caught Rockfish, which I don’t think I’ve ever tried.  I asked how she prepares it and she told me that her husband kinda poaches/simmers it in Butter, Pickle Juice and Lemon.  How easy!  And she said it’s always awesome.  

With that combination I had to do the same, and I’m so excited to know about this quick and tasty recipe.  I cooked the Rockfish for less than 10 minutes.  It just flaked apart and the broth was delicious.  I added a little Parsley at the end.  Thanks Kat and Doug.

Related Links:

What is Rockfish? – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockfish

I love Bubbie’s Pickles – http://www.bubbies.com/

It might not sound good to some, but these Vinegar Potatoes for lack of a creative title, end up sweet, soft and crunchy — You can’t stop eating them, or at least I can’t.  I finally write the easy prep steps here.  Three large Red Potatoes were used in the picture, although a few were consumed pre photo op.

VINEGAR POTATOES RECIPE:

Red Potatoes
Apple Cider Vinegar
Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper

(1)  Peel and roughly cube Red Potatoes.

(2)  Boil cubed Potatoes until soft (Don’t overcook).  Drain and salt.

(3)  Add soft salted Potatoes to a frying pan with a little Oil (Olive/Canola combo or other) and fry until golden brown.

(4)  After browned add enough Vinegar to reach each Potato in the pan then quickly evaporate, approximately 1/8 – 1/4 cup.  Cook another 5-10 minutes, adjust S & P then serve.

This would make a great Thanksgiving side dish, especially since it can be made a day or two ahead.  It’s successfully reheated in the oven the next day.  I’m telling you they’re Tast-TEE. 🙂

Related Link: http://www.history.com/minisites/thanksgiving/

Here’s another installment of Kids in the Kitchen.  It’s Maple Pork Chops with Apples made by Chef Lexi.  She’s 9 and pretty much prepared the entire dish with little assistance from her Mom.  They said it tasted okay, but they did make a couple substitutions due to lack of ingredients.  Perhaps if the recipe is made as written it would taste better.  It certainly looks good.

The recipe is from one of the best Kid’s Cookbooks, Family Fun Cooking With Kids.  I’ve previously posted about it and will continue to do so, since it has so many great recipes.  Lexi plans to cook many of them.  It’s a great learning experience and she has so much fun with it.  Information about the Cookbook is found in the related link.  Great job Lexi!

Related Link:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?cat=754

The recipe and Shrimp preparation is linked below.  Unlike the Shrimp, the Chicken is covered with foil while baking, then removed to another pan to broil until browned (approx. 5 minutes) before serving. 

Here I used wings, thighs and legs, since the breasts were used for another recipe.  The Shrimp is only cooked for 20 minutes uncovered, but the Chicken was cooked at a lower temperature, 375° for 55 minutes.  Both recipes made tender, tasty meat.

I just love the flavors in this recipe — They seem to make a fabulous dish out of any meat.  Next time I’ll try it on Beef.  Keep an eye out for that report.

Related Link:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=1146

Like the recipe says, this Spicy Baked Shrimp recipe is yummmmmmy!  If I had more Shrimp, I’d make it again right NOW!  I halved the recipe for what’s pictured here — I need more Shrimp asap.     

I just mixed ALL the ingredients together, added the Shrimp and baked the combination in the oven for 20 minutes.  The preparation couldn’t be easier — Love that.

I served the Shrimp with warm crusty Sourdough Rolls that tasted so good dipped in the Sauce.  I’m glad I discovered this delicious recipe.  It’s officially a new, rustic and fun staple in my food repertoire.  You gotta try it too.

Related Link:

http://www.recipezaar.com/32745

I’ve been making this basic recipe for years.  I just switch it up between an all in, or some out combination of chopped Red and/or Green Cabbage, grated or chopped Carrots, finely chopped Celery or Celery Seed, chopped Parsley and finely sliced Green Onions.

I then add all to the above — Mayonnaise, White Wine Vinegar, Sugar, Salt, and freshly ground Pepper to taste.  This is one of my favorite snacks to have on hand.  It’s hard to rival that perfect combination of ingredients. 

The Coleslaw above is made with Red Cabbage and Carrots, and the one below is made with Red Cabbage, finely grated Celery and Green Onions.  The measurements of the remaining ingredients vary on the volume of vegetables.  I’ll usually add a little at a time to dial in that perfect taste and coverage.  I tend to have a lighter hand on the Mayo and heavier hand on the Vinegar, without overdoing it.

P.S.  I confess that I also happen to like Kentucky Fried Chicken’s Coleslaw and Chic-Fil-A’s Coleslaw, although neither taste like mine, nor each other.  Coleslaw has endless variations and it’s a better snack than many.

Post-Post Coleslaw:  This one was made with shredded Green Cabbage, grated Carrots, chopped Parsley and finely sliced Green Onions, plus the standard mix-in, as detailed above.

Related Links:

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

http://www.seasonalchef.com/recipe0406a.htm

http://www.chick-fil-a.com/#home

http://www.scribd.com/doc/124752/American-Chain-Restaurant-Recipe-Book

http://www.kfc.com/

The recipe is from my Niece’s Cookbook, Family Fun Cooking with Kids.  And as declared, it is a simple Bread, especially if you’re not the one getting your hands dirty.  I supervised the preparation of this Turtle Bread and looking back the process wasn’t too bad.

BUT there was a time in the middle that hands were stuck to the Dough and Flour was flying.  There are no pictures of that in the book, nor here, since they’re not pretty.  But Oil up your hands real good BEFORE starting to knead the Dough.

This post is another feature of Kids in the Kitchen with Bailee and Alexis.  It was FUN to watch the Bread rise and shape it into a Turtle.  Its eyes are Raisins that expanded to look like Olives. 

The aroma of Bread baking in the oven and the opportunity to eat your own homemade Bread are special experiences.  We want to do it again.  For the recipe enlarge the picture below, or obtain this creative Cookbook and start cooking with your kids – They have fun doing the dirty work, HA.  It’s a win-win.

Related Link and Cookbook Information:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=990

We saw this recipe in a cookbook I recent bought for my Niece’s Birthday  — We thought it was so clever and cute that we made it during a sleepover at a family cabin in Lake Arrowhead.  That’s us on the cake from left to right, my sister Ami, Niece Lexi, Mom, Me and Niece Bailee.    

We look a bit like zombies, but it was fun to make.  Our heads are Nilla Wafers, the pillows are Marshmallows, and the bodies are Twinkies.  We used Jawbreakers for the eyes, sweet and sour Candy Rope for the bed skirt and trim, and made a Milk Chocolate Cake instead of a Vanilla one.

Here’s a picture of the book cover and recipe.  The original looks more polished — It was harder to make than we expected.  It’s tricky frosting over the Twinkies, we added toothpicks to hold them in place.  The softer the Frosting and bed trim Candy, the better.  It was a cool experience together.

Our Cake was posted on Culinarty by Lore as one of (10) Original Food Photos.  Take a look at it there and check out her other picks.  They are all pretty amazing.  Thanks Lore.

http://culinarty.sapiensworks.com/articles/lores-choice-10-original-food-photos-5/

Related Links:

http://www.cookingwithkids.com/

http://www.kids-cooking-activities.com/

http://www.amazon.com/FamilyFun-Cooking-Kids-Deanna-Cook/dp/1423100867

I had some leftover Ground Pork from a Soup recipe I made for a contest.  The link to that recipe and contest results is below, and with the remaining Pork I made Sausage Patties.  To prepare the same, simply add a fair amount of each ingredient (relative to the amount of Pork on hand):

Fennel Seeds
Kosher Salt
Granulated Sugar
Cayenne Pepper
Garlic Powder
Ground Basil
Ground Oregano
Dried Rosemary
Ground Paprika
Ground Coriander
Red Wine

Mix all ingredients into the Pork, then form into patties.  Brown the Sausage Patties in a skillet, then finish cooking them in the oven at 450° for another 15 minutes. 

I made a quick Pasta Sauce with Crushed Tomatoes, 4 pressed Garlic Cloves, Olive Oil, a Sprig of Rosemary and Salt.  I then served the Sausage Patties over Penne Pasta and Sauce.  The Sausage had a good flavor, but made me yearn for the lightness of a great Meatball.  I learned that I’d rather put the effort into that, but had to try this.

Related Links:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=866

http://www.leeners.com/sausagerecipes.html

Best Meatball Recipe: http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=3198

For this Breakfast Sandwich I used a small French Roll, shaved Deli Ham, an Egg and a slice of American Cheese.  I cooked the Bread and Egg in a little Butter — The step by step process is pictured below. 

It’s as easy as one, two, three, four and hardly takes any time.  Breakfast Sandwiches can be made with what’s on hand, a Muffin, Toast, Bacon, Sausage, Cheddar, or whatever.  This is what I had and it’s a good combination — A top of the morning meal.

Related Links:

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

http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/cat/1678/

http://www.everylastrecipe.com/rdir-id-3606.asp