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Ollie Cake Winning Quartet

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  Meet the Team!   Meet Ollie!   Download the Recipes!

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Maybe it’s because we seem to have ‘settled’ into the heat of summer — early ‘dog days’ (those long, lazy-hazy days I always thought were August) – but when this post from Epricurious showed up, offering recipes for lovely refreshing drinks, I was intrigued and almost instantly refreshed!

Sweet Peach Tea

If a picture paints a thousand words, then these photos fill volumes! Peruse the recipes and enjoy the creative and innovative combinations of fruits and teas and herbs: Tarragon-Spiked Lady Grey Tea; Sparkling Tamarind Tea, Strawberry-Kiwi Sangria with Rose Geranium, Sweet Peach Tea, Apio-Rey, and Watermelon-Ginger Agua Fresca.

Tarragon-Spiked Lady Grey Tea

Apio-Rey

Some have a bit too much sugar for me, but that can be adjusted. And some of the steps can be a bit involved with steeping, soaking, and straining for a clear liquid. I am lazy and don’t need the clear pristine nectar. I don’t mind the cloudiness and actually prefer the extra ‘pulp’ fiber.

The sparkling waters make them festive but ‘still’ water is acceptable; or give them  more ‘spirit’ with a splash of tequilla, rum, white Muscat, or Prosecco.

Click here for the full list of Spritzers, Virgin Versions, Punches, Iced Teas, Ades, & More.

Then re-fresh yourself during these long, lazy ‘dog-days’ of summer!

Happy 4th of July!

Celebrate ANY day with this delicious version of a banana split  - ANY time of the day from breakfast through dessert for dinner!

Slice bananas over  (or top with) a rich Greek Yogurt. Cover with sliced strawberries and blueberries. Finish it off with a sprinkle of chopped nuts (toasted or raw) or a crunchy granola. Delicious!

Make your own Angel Cake – it’s easier than you think and SO much better than any store bought or boxed mix …none of that tangy chemical taste.

Best Angel Cake from Scratch!

And the reviews? “Amazing!” “Awesome!” “Fantastic!” “WOW!”  ”This is the best ever!” And requests for ‘just one more slice” until there was no more and then the request was, “make another cake tomorrow!”

Living up to it’s name, “The BEST Angel Food Cake“, I liked this recipe for several reasons (great instructions and guidelines) but best of all — an actual measurement for the egg whites which makes a huge difference since ALL eggs vary in size and the amount of white whether it be a small, large or X-Large egg, so a recipe calling for 10-12 large eggs doesn’t produce the same cake each time. it IS the BEST Angel Cake!!

Served with fresh strawberries and lemon curd (another easy “make at home” item!), it is a winner!

It's a WINNER!

Beat the egg whites and sugar into a meringue of glossy almost stiff peaks

Fine soft texture & light brown crust

Homemade Lemon Curd

Check this out: a three-hour Wild Africa Trek – deep into the most-remote reaches of Disney’s Animal Kingdom  and you get to snack on gourmet food!  http://bit.ly/dV6TPz

And … the blog includes a recipe for the Curried Chicken Salad!

Homemade from scratch English Muffins! Really very easy…don’t know why I haven’t attempted them before! And SO DELICIOUS! –especially with Dundee Orange Marmalade…mmmmm!
Did you know that English Muffins are “pan-baked” — on a griddle instead of in an oven! SO EASY! and So delicious FRESH off the pan!

Try them yourselves: I found this recipe at SourdoughHome. You do need a sourdough starter, but that is part of the fun of ‘from scratch’ and there are directions at SourdoughHome.com for making a starter (or you can purchase one for guaranteed results!). That takes anywhere from about 3 days to a week first, so count that into your time. But then, once you have a starter, it is just an overnight process…

Sourdough English Muffins

Another recipe stolen from the net. This time, it’s Jo-Ann who provided this stunning English Muffin Recipe. The taste is awesome.

The Night Before:
(Recipe from: Bake Your Own Bread & Be Healthier-Stan & Floss Dworkin)
1 C starter
2 tablespoons honey
2 C reconstituted powdered skimmed milk (or whole milk)
4 C unbleached white flour

Mix starter, honey and milk in mixing bowl until smooth. Add 4 C flour, 2 C at a time, and mix in. There’s no need for gluten development now, so do not whip-just get all the flour thoroughly wet. Cover with clean towel and leave at room temperature in a draft free place.

The Next Morning:
1 scant teaspoon baking soda
1-2 C unbleached white flour
2 tsp sea salt
cornmeal for sprinkling.

Stir down mixture (it will have risen considerably). If it has risen too high and fallen, no problem, just stir down the rest of the way. Sprinkle a scant teaspoon baking soda and 2 teaspoons sea salt over the surface of the dough and work in.

Flour your board with 1 C flour or more (up to 2 C), until dough is medium stiff – enough to roll out. Once you have enough flour in (I go by feel-never too dry and always moist) and the dough longer sticks to your hands, give it a 5 minute kneading.

Flour board again and lightly roll dough to about 1/2-inch thick. Take a 3 inch round cutter ( a bit larger diameter, different shapes, OK) and cut as many rounds as you can-rolling the left over dough out and cutting more until the dough is all used up. Try to keep them very uniform in thickness and diameter.

As you cut each round, place on cornmealed wax paper-don’t allow raw muffins to touch–they will stick. When all rounds are cut, sprinkle corn meal over tops of muffins.

Allow to rise in warm place, covered, for about an hour or until risen again.

Now Comes The FUN Part!
Preheat a griddle (I used a non stick T-Fal 12 inch griddle pan) with a TINY bit of butter, until butter sizzles. Use a low flame or heat setting so the inside of the muffin bakes and outside does not burn. Pan bake one side for about 4 minutes and turn. Squish down a bit with spatula and pan bake other side for about 4 minutes. Turn only once so be sure the one side is cooked before turning. While you can skip the butter if you have a non-stick skillet, they won’t taste as good without it!

HAVE FUN AND ENJOY!

Booze Pie: 1975 – Blog – food52.

I just have to share this great blog with you! It is written with some history and humor. ( “crust filled with a wobbly, creamy mousse and enough alcohol to raise the hair on your neck and then make your neck wobbly too”) AND it includes the recipe!

Be sure to read the comments…it gets better and better! “My mind is boggled by the possibilities”; “Lethal and delicious-sounding!”

I especially appreciate Amanda’s response: “and it’s at the end of the meal so everyone can go home and fall asleep!”

A great addition to a Thanksgiving Feast…or any time during the holiday season! Let me know how you fare if you try it out!

Pumpkin Power!

Enjoy Great Food and Fun Times with Pumpkins this time of year!

In celebration of Halloween (all Hallows Eve) about 99% of pumpkins sold domestically are used as jack-o-lanterns. Hundreds of years ago, before Pumpkins were used, Turnips were carved and lit with hot embers and used as ‘lanterns’ as well as to ward off evil spirits.

But, Pumpkins have more power than warding off evil spirits.

They are Delicious AND Nutrituous!

Pumpkins are of the Cucurbita family and are actually winter squash and range in size from less than 1 pound to over 1,000 pounds. They are typically 90% water.

Pumpkins are rich in Vitamin A which is a great antioxidant and in potassium which is important for blood-pressure regulation. They are also high in fiber which is great for cleaning your intestines and helping things move along.

Their seeds, due to their high Zinc content, may help with prostate challenges and could help avoid prostate cancer in men. Pumpkin seeds will also help you keep your skin supple and your hair strong and shiny.

Roasted Pumpkin is easy and delicious as a side dish or main dish. I also like to add cubed pumpkin to any vegetable dish and casserole.

Serve it cold with salad greens (especially good with arugula), goat cheese and dried cranberries.

Here is a recipe for a delicious, low-calorie and super nutritious Pumpkin Smoothie! (from Katarina of Dublin, Ireland)

1 banana, frozen
1 cup almond milk
1 cup pumpkin, grated
a handful of pre-soaked almonds (optional)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp nutmeg
nectar, stevia or raw honey to taste.

What are some of your favorite ways to use Pumpkin in addition to traditional Pumpkin Pie?

Enjoy your Pumpkins all season!

And today – However you use your Pumpkin, have a Happy Halloween!

Just a quiet weekend at home with no fancy foods but delicious simple fare. Still enjoying those garlicky roasted tomatoes…so satisfying (and the house smells wonderful, like a quaint Italian restaurant);  and so many ways to enjoy them: a base for a flatbread pizza,  an omelette filling with mushrooms and spinach, a topping for a grilled portabella mushroom…ummmm yummy stuff!

This weekend I paired them with roasted rosemary seasoned potatoes –as simple as the tomatoes to prepare: toss potato slices (or chunks – I quartered small red potatoes, skins on) with extra virgin olive oil (it only takes a drizzle) and chopped fresh rosemary (fresh is key), a sprinkle of sea salt and a grind of fresh pepper; spread in a single layer, skin side down, on a baking sheet and roast at 400’ for about 40 minutes. Test with a fork for doneness.

Prepare as little or as much as you want. They are delicious alone or as another great flatbread topping or omelette filling – they’re even good cold! I added chunks of zucchini prepared the same way after 30 minutes into roasting.

The options are endless. How do you like to use them?

Mozzarella and Roasted Cherry Tomato Salad – Blog – food52.

Doesn’t this just look scrumptious? This is an interesting ‘tweak’ to the traditional (and one of my favorites ) Caprese Salad.

Read some of the comments following the recipe for other intriguing variations such as using mozzarella ‘balls’ or adding a drop of balsamic or sherry vinegar.

Anyway you choose, it is sure to be delicious!