Tag: recipe

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Tasty Corn Casserole

With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, I thought I’d share a couple of my fav dishes that I love to have on our Thanksgiving table. Ages ago my sister gave me a recipe for a corn casserole that’s incredibly easy to make, has only six basic ingredients, and is absolutely packed with flavor. I hope you’ll try to make it yourself and if you do, I’d love to hear what you think about it!

Carmen’s Corn Casserole

One 15 ounce can cream corn
One 15 ounce can kernel corn drained
One pint low fat sour cream
One stick melted butter
One package Jiffy corn muffin mix
One cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine first 5 ingredients. Grease casserole or brownie pan with butter. Pour ingredients into pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes until firm.

Sprinkle cheese over the top and melt the cheese for about another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let casserole sit for 10 minutes. (If you can wait that long! LOL) Enjoy! If you want some variations on this, add some chopped roasted jalapeno peppers for some heat or double up on the cheese by mixing some into the batter. If you like it “sweeter”, add chopped roasted red peppers to the batter.

corn casserole

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Zucchini Cheese Waffles #FoodieFriday

Admit it. We all have this gadget sitting in a cabinet somewhere and take it out once or twice a year. The waffle maker. The must-have gadget given at every bridal shower or wedding. I’m guilty of ignoring this poor kitchen appliance, but I’ve been inspired this week by two things: a recipe shared at one of my groups and the Food Network Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge. In the show I watched while on the elliptical at the gym (yes, ironic much), the contestants were challenged to make a meal without using a stove or oven. So they had fryers, etc. and of course, the waffle maker. So here goes with my version of Zucchini Waffles. Want to make a full meal? About some grilled chicken served over the zucchini waffle? Want to make it keto? Substitute almond or some other kind of flour for the regular flour.

Ingredients

    3 cups grated/spiraled Zucchini
    1 cup flour
    1 cup grated cheese (cheddar, manchego, fontina, asiago are all good choices)
    2 eggs
    1 tsp black pepper
    2 tsp salt
    1/4 tsp baking powder
    1 tsp onion powder (not onion salt)

Directions

Grate/spiralize Zucchini. If you spiralize, chop the noodles down into manageable lengths. Place in colander and sprinkle with 1 tsp salt. Toss so salt gets all over. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. This is to take some of the moisture out of the zucchini.

Place zucchini in sturdy paper towels, clean dishcloth, or cheesecloth and strain out more moisture.

In mixing bowl, add all dry ingredients and remaining 1 tsp salt and mix. Then add two beaten eggs, cheese, and finally, the zucchini. Mix well.

Pre-heat your waffle maker and spray with cooking spray. Place about a cup of the zucchini/cheese/flour mixture in the middle and cook. Your waffle maker normally has a light that goes green when it’s done.

Top with parmesan cheese, spaghetti sauce or that grilled chicken I mentioned earlier!

Good eats, my friends!

Original Zucchini Image by Bruno Glätsch from Pixabay

Original Waffle Image by Coco Zinva from Pixabay

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Hibiscus Lemonade

The first time I had anything with hibiscus was in a margarita while I was visiting Mexico. It was tasty and tart and who knew hibiscus was so good for you! Those colorful flowers are loaded with anti-oxidants and polyphenols which can help with lowering your blood pressure, losing weight, lowering bad cholesterol, and even boosting your immune system. So why not try this Hibiscus Lemonade recipe for a refreshing summer drink?

Hibiscus Lemonade

3 cups boiling water
3 hibiscus tea bags
2 cups cold water
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
sugar/honey to taste

Directions

Boil water and then add hibiscus tea bags and let the tea steep for at least 15 minutes (or even until the water is at room temperature). If you’re going to use sugar, add at this stage so it will dissolve in the warmer water.

Add cold water and lemon juice. Chill and serve. You can also add some sliced strawberries for some additional color and flavor! Change things up by using lime juice!

Hibiscus Lemonade

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#WineWednesday – Sweet and Refreshing Sangria

I love the summer for a number of reasons, but when heat and humidity get to me, I settle back in a comfy chair in the shade with a good book and an icy cold glass of sangria. Yum! I just love the fruitiness and sweetness of it. I could definitely see some of my peeps from ONE SUMMER NIGHT or WHAT HAPPENS IN SUMMER indulging in a glass as well! LOL!

Caridad’s Sweet and Refreshing Sangria

Ingredients

    1 bottle red wine (a Malbec, Rioja, Cabernet, Tempranillo, or Pinot Noir will do.)
    1/2 bottle Chilled Sparkling Apple Cider (or if you want to be decadent Prosecco or Champagne)
    2 oranges
    1 cup frozen strawberries
    1/2 cup grapes

Directions

  • Peel oranges. Cut into eighths and then cut the eighths in half. Cut grapes in half. Cut frozen strawberries in half.
  • Place fruit into a pitcher and add wine. Let fruit and wine macerate for at least 10 minutes in the refridgerator. If you can wait longer, the flavors will be better.
  • Add chilled sparkling cider to fruit and wine mixture.
  • Remove some fruit from this mix and place in individual glasses. Pour wine/cider mixture into the glass and serve.

What I like about this mix is that you get the extra fruitiness and sweetness with the addition of the cider and don’t have to add sugar to get that.

Some recipes call for lemon in the mix and also don’t ask you to peel the citrus, but I find that the lemon and the peels make the mix too acidic. For a change of pace, cube some apples and toss them in or go even more tropical with some pineapple and changing to a white wine.

For a slightly more alcoholic version, add some orange-flavored liqueurs like Drambuie, Aperol, or Cointreau.

You can find more sangria recipes at:

Delish: http://bit.ly/2UcahKe
Food and Wine: http://bit.ly/2Uc3fFo
Southern Living: http://bit.ly/2U9XVCD
Food Network: http://bit.ly/2UaPV4h
Better Homes & Gardens: http://bit.ly/2U5VBfP

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Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup Comfort Food #TuesdayTip

My all time fav comfort food on a cold day is a hot grilled cheese sandwich with a bowl of tomato soup. Don’t know what it is about that combo, but it just says home on a snowy day for me. Apropos since we are supposedly getting snow today here in NY/NJ. There are so many variations on grilled cheese, but I normally like to keep simple and today I’m offering up my recipe for it. As for the soup, likewise, keep it simple. I’m so not a fan of all the latest heavy basil tomato soups. Give me rich and creamy and all tomato!

Grilled Cheese a la Caridad

Ingredients

    2 slices country white bread
    3 or 4 slices medium cheddar or slicing cheddar
    Mayonnaise

Directions

    Heat a cast iron pan until it’s grilling hot. If you don’t have cast iron, non-stick is okay, but there’s something about the cast iron that just produces a better caramelization on the bread. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the slice of bread. Yes, I thought it was gross also when I first heard it, but after I tried it I discovered that it really worked! Lay that bread mayo side down on the pan. Add the cheese. Spread the second piece of bread with the mayo and lay it mayo side up on the cheese. Press down gently on the sandwich and listen for that searing sound on the hot pan. Cook for about four to five minutes and check to see if the bread is golden brown. If so, flip and cook on the other side until golden brown. Serve with some tasty tomato soup!

    You may be wondering why not sharp cheddar? It’s too dry and crumbly and won’t melt well. Keep in mind that the more moisture in a cheese, the better it melts.

Want to play around with your cheeses? These are some other good melting cheeses:

    Fontina
    Gruyere
    Asiago
    Gouda
    Provolone
    Mozzarella (not the fresh kind)
    Camembert
    Velveeta (yes, I still love Velveeta)
    American Cheese

Want to know more about the science of melting cheese? Check out https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/08/the-science-of-melting-cheese.html. You can also visit https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/50-grilled-cheese for more grilled cheese recipes.

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Caldo Gallego aka Galician White Bean Soup #TuesdayTip

There is nothing more satisfying on a cold winter day than a nice bowl of hearty soup. One of my favorite soups is Caldo Gallego which is a dish from my grandparents’ native Galicia in Spain. Caldo Gallego is a mix of chorizo, ham, beans and greens in a tasty broth. Paired with a nice crusty loaf of bread and some wine and it’s a perfect winter meal. I hope you’ll try out my version which has some additions to the traditional recipe, mostly because I just love carrots! Also, I find turnips too strong in flavor and because of this and to cut carbs, I omit them. They are in the traditional recipe.

Ingredients

    32 oz Chicken Bone Broth
    1 Ham Hock
    1 lb. Ham steak cut into large chunks
    2 chorizo sausages cut into slices
    2 large carrots in large chunks
    1 large onion chopped
    3 medium potatoes in large chunks
    1 lb bag white navy beans (or 2 16 oz cans cannellini beans rinsed)
    4 cups chopped turnip greens/collard greens/Kale
    2 bay leaves

Directions

    Saute the onion in olive oil until soft.
    Add sliced chorizo and chopped ham and cook for another 5 minutes or so.
    Add ham hock, bone broth and bay leaves.
    Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a low boil. Cooking at too high a boil will make the broth even cloudier. FYI you can start this with just water or chicken/vegetable broth. I’ve started using bone broth as it contains more protein.
    Simmer for 45 minutes. If you’re using hard unsoaked navy beans, add them now and cook for another 45 minutes before adding the carrots. If you’re using soaked beans, add them when you add the carrots. Cook for 15 minutes and check the beans. If they are almost soft, add the potatoes. If not, cook for another 15 minutes or so, checking the beans to see if they are soft. Once soft, add the potatoes.
    Remove the ham hock and take the meat off the bone. Add the meat back to the pot. Once the potatoes are almost fork tender, add the canned beans and also the chopped greens. Cook until greens are just soft.
    Serve with warm bread, butter and wine!

Hope you enjoyed today’s Tuesday Tip!

Cuban Caldo Gallego – Galician White Bean Soup.
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Green Bean Casseroles #TuesdayTip

This is in honor of Dorcas Reilly, the inventor of the classic Green Bean Casserole, who just recently passed away at the age of 92. Ms. Reilly was a kitchen supervisor at Campbell Soup (right here in Camden, NJ by the way). I don’t know about you, but a Green Bean Casserole is a staple at our Thanksgiving table. Today I’m sharing my variation for this classic dish as well as some links to other variations!

Caridad’s Green Bean Casserole

    Ingredients:

      1 medium onion chopped
      2 cloves garlic minced
      4 tablespoons butter
      4 cups cooked green beans (frozen or fresh work best)
      1 can Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup
      1/2 cup milk (or for an even creamier taste substitute half and half)
      1 to 2 cups French’s Cheddar Cheese Fried Onions
      1 cup parmesan cheese grated
      1 cup grated cheddar cheese

    Directions:

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • If using fresh green beans, wash and cut into 2 inch pieces.
    • Steam/Microwave green beans until just tender. Set aside to cool in a large mixing bowl.
    • Saute onion and garlic in the butter over low heat until they are caramelized.
    • Add 1/2 cup milk/half & half and scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan (this is much easier to do if you are using a non-stick pan.)
    • Add mushroom soup mix and stir until creamy.
    • Add onion/mushroom soup mixture to the green beans and toss. Then add 3/4 cups of both the parmesan and cheddar cheeses and toss. Also add about 1/2 cup of the French’s Fried Onions and toss.
    • Lightly grease 2 quart casserole dish. Place green bean mixture into casserole and top with the remaining French’s Fried Onions, parmesan and cheddar cheeses.
    • Bake in 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.

For another variation, fry up some chopped red peppers and add to the mixture! Or try out these other recipes:

    https://www.campbells.com/kitchen/recipes/classic-green-bean-casserole/
    https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/green-bean-casserole/f466928f-a799-4cdc-89ba-1e0bbedf878b
    https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/green-bean-casserole-47102
    https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/best-ever-green-bean-casserole-recipe-1950575
    https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/thanksgiving-ideas/g803/green-beans/

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