search bar
small Title
small Title
 |
 |
|
| Memo
No. 2020 August 27th, 2007 |
FROM THE COOKBOOK SHELF
If you can't fathom the thought of heating up the kitchen and making the air conditioner work overtime, then you need to read Simply Summer, Gourmet Meals Made Deliciously Easy with Tips for Elegant Living. Written by former chef and Renaissance Gourmet Angela Turner, the author employs toaster ovens, microwaves, blenders and other small kitchen appliances that use up to 75 percent less energy preparing simple recipes made with easily available ingredients. Simply Summer also offers readers tips on how to prepare gourmet dishes with unfussy recipes, easy enough for the novice cook and enjoyable enough for the more serious amateur. Recipes are simple enough for everyday but impressive enough to serve when entertaining.
Fancy Tuna Melt with Fine Herb Mayonnaise and Swiss Cheese is comfort food with a gourmet twist.
FANCY TUNA MELT WITH HERB MAYONNAISE
AND SWISS CHEESE
- 2 slices bread
- 1 can tuna
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped chives
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 slices Swiss cheese
Line a toaster oven tray with a piece of aluminum foil. Preheat the toaster oven to 350F. Lay out the slices of bread on the work surface. Drain the canned tuna in a medium-sized mixing bowl then add the lemon juice, mayonnaise, tarragon, chives, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined. Evenly distribute between the two slices of bread and top each with a slice of Swiss cheese. Heat in the toaster oven until the cheese melts. Recipe makes 2 servings.
Simply Summer is available for order only online at angelaatunner.com for $21.99/softback.
The second book on the cookbook shelf this week is Fan Fare, A Playbook of Great Recipes for Tailgating or Watching the Game at Home by Debbie Moose and published by Harvard Common Press, September 2007; $14.95/hardback.
I work at our church's funeral dinners and often take a salad. Recently I made Sheri's Chinese Salad from Fan Fare. As the book suggested, I prepared the three components ahead of time and tossed the salad just before serving. You'll want to do the same if you're taking it to a football game. It should be noted that I didn't need all of the dressing (maybe my head of napa cabbage should have been larger) but the leftover dressing is flavorful enough to use on any leafy greens. Also, I used 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes instead of "1 or 2 teaspoons, to your taste."
SHERI'S CHINESE SALAD
- 1 head napa cabbage
- 6 green onions
- 1 15-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained
|
- 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 3-ounce packages Oriental-flavor ramen noodles
- 1/3 cup shelled sunflower seeds
- 1/3 cup sesame seeds
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
Asian Dressing
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 packages of the seasoning mix from the ramen noodles
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 1 to 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, to your taste (I used 1/2 teaspoon)
- Dash of sesame oil
Chop cabbage and green onions and put them in a large serving bowl. Stir in mandarin oranges. Cover and refrigerate. In large skillet over medium heat, heat the vegetable oil. Lightly pound the ramen noodles to break them up (set aside the seasoning packets), then add them to the skillet along with sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and almonds. Cook, stirring until mixture is lightly browned. Watch carefully as the seeds and almonds brown quickly. Cover and refrigerate if not preparing salad immediately. To make Asian Dressing, combine the vegetable oil, sugar, vinegar, seasoning mix, soy sauce, ginger, red pepper flakes and sesame oil. Cover and refrigerate if not serving immediately. When ready to serve, add the noodle mixture and the dressing to the cabbage mixture and toss to combine thoroughly. Serve immediately. Recipe makes 8 to 10 servings.
Source: Fan Fare, A Playbook or Great Recipes for Tailgating or Watching the Game at Home.
BUSH'S BAKED BEANS VERSUS VAN CAMP'S
If I owned a bean company I would certainly try to make a product as good as Bush's Baked Beans so it's not surprising that Van Camp has introduced one. It's no secret that I prefer Bush beans in any recipe calling for beans, whatever kind they may be. But in an effort to determine which baked bean is best, I heated 1/3 cup Bush's and 1/3 cup VanCamp's in the microwave. When I opened the cans it was obvious that Van Camp's baked beans are thicker and darker. Each has about the same size piece of bacon floating on top. Bush's baked beans tasted slightly saltier. Checking the label, Bush's product has 550 milligrams of salt or 23 percent sodium while VanCamp's has 510 milligrams or 21 percent sodium. Total calories per serving of Bush's Baked Beans are 140 with 10 percent coming from fat. VanCamp's version has 160 calories with 10 percent coming from fat. I should have done a blind test, not knowing which bean was which, but after tasting both, I'd still use Bush's Baked Beans. There was something about VanCamp's sauce that had a different feel in my mouth. I could be too partial when it comes to Bush's beans but one thing I'm sure of: Duke didn't give away the Bush family secret to VanCamp's! |
| |
view archive |
|
| |
|
|
