Ritz Biscuits with Tuna Spread and Cherry Tomatoes

Ritz Biscuits with Tuna Spread and Cherry Tomatoes

A simple 2 steps recipe that is easy to prepare, and look great for a party, in a intimate event or just as an appetizer before the main course.

Ingredients (for 8 Ritz Biscuits)

1. 8 Ritz Biscuits
2. 4 Cherry Tomatoes (Cut into half)
3. Tuna Spread (eg. Brand Ayam)

Steps

1. Spread Tuna on Ritz biscuit, approx 1/3 tablespoon for each biscuit.
2. Top it with half tomato for each biscuit

Good as a finger food in a party or as a side or starter before the main course.

 

 

[Guest Post] Thanksgiving with Cornbread Dressing by Michelle Rebecca

 

 Try a Taste of the South This Thanksgiving With Cornbread Dressing

As Thanksgiving approaches, it’s time to start planning the perfect Turkey Day menu. You may put a lot of thought into trying new twists on favorite side dishes and desserts, but what about your stuffing? If you automatically make the same herb-bread stuffing every year, you may want to consider a classic Southern dish: cornbread dressing.

Making cornbread dressing is not so different from making bread stuffing, and cornbread, turkey and gravy make a delicious and memorable combination. This is a traditional Southern recipe that is easy to make and a delight to the taste buds. You and your guests may love it so much you’ll need to invest in used accugrade equipment to shovel it onto everyone’s plates!

Traditional Southern Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients

6 cups crumbled cornbread

3 cups soft bread crumbs

4 ounces butter

2 cups chopped onions

2 cups chopped celery

3 to 4 cups chicken or turkey broth

1 tablespoon dried sage

1 ½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 F.

In large bowl, combine cornbread and bread crumbs.

In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion and celery in butter until soft. Add to and combine with bread mixture. Add enough chicken or turkey broth to moisten. Add seasonings and beaten eggs, blending well. Spread dressing mixture in large, shallow roasting pan and bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

Although the traditional Southern way to prepare and serve dressing in outside of the bird, you can also stuff your turkey with it if you wish. In fact, the only difference between stuffing and dressing is where you put it. Putting stuffing into cavity of the turkey can give it a moister and richer flavor, although there is always the worry of possible salmonella contamination. If you stuff your turkey, just make sure the temperature in the center of the stuffing reaches 165 F.

Some Flavorful Twists

The beauty of a simple recipe like this is that it’s easy to add in other ingredients and make it your own. Try adding chopped, cooked sausage – either hot or mild – or cooked ground sausage. Other meats liked cooked ham or bacon are also delicious.

Other great add-ins include various fruits and nuts, such as chopped apples, raisins or cranberries. Try adding toasted nuts such as pecans, pine nuts or walnuts for great texture and flavor. Also, feel free to experiment with herbs like fresh parsley, cayenne or rosemary. Add what appeals to you and you’re sure to have a hit.

Michelle is a blogger and freelancer. She’s written about almost every topic under the sun, and loves constantly learning about new subjects and industries while she’s writing. In her spare time she enjoys spending time outdoors with her dogs. Follow her on Twitter and Google+.

Pork Chop with Red Wine Marinate and Onions

Pork Chop with Red Wine Marinate and Onions



Red Wine and Garlic Marinade from Masterfoods

Ingredients

1. 4 pieces of Pork Chop
2. 2 Big Onions (Cut into thin slices)
3. 1/2 bottle of Red Wine Sauce (eg. Brand Masterfood)
4. 1/2 tablespoon of Worcestershire Sauce
5. 3 tablespoon of Olive Oil

Preparation

1. Marinate Pork Chop with Red Wine Sauce overnight in a fridge.

Steps

1. Add Olive Oil into hot pan
2. Spread Onions on pan for approx 1 minutes
3. Add Pork Chop on Onions and pan fry for 2 minutes
4. Turn and pan fry for approx 2 minutes
5. Turn to medium heat. Continue to turn and pan fry until Pork Chop is cooked.

Serve while Hot!

Good to serve with a Pasta or as a Main Course with a Side in an intimate event

[Guest Post] Halloween Treats: Beef Stew With Mashed Potato Ghosts by Michelle Rebecca

Photo credit: Taste of Home

On Halloween, most people focus on buying candy, decorating their porches with carved pumpkins, turning their yards into haunted mansions, using farm equipment to create scary – but fun! – haunted hayrides, and of course dressing up their children – and even pets! – as bumblebees or little devils.

Aside from toasted pumpkin seeds and ever-present candy, food often takes a back seat during this holiday. However, you can have lots of fun creating these creepy but delicious dinner recipes. Tie an apron around your witch costume and pull out that cauldron – it’s time to bring Halloween to the kitchen!

Here’s a perfect dinner for trick-or-treat night. It’s made in the slow cooker, so you can focus on those last-minute costume touch-ups instead of fussing in the kitchen.

Ingredients:

·         2 pounds beef stew meat, cubed

·         I pound halved mushrooms

·         2 cups baby carrots

·         2 medium onions, chopped

·         1/2 cups beef broth

·         3 tablespoons tomato paste

·         1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

·         2 minced garlic cloves

·         ½ teaspoon ground cloves

·         ¼ teaspoon pepper

·         8 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

·         2/3 cup sour cream

·         6 tablespoons cubed butter

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         1 cup frozen peas

·         2 tablespoons flour

Cooking Instructions:

1.     Brown beef in pan, and then combine first 10 ingredients in slow-cooker. Cook on low for about 9 hours or until ingredients are tender.

2.     About 30 minutes before serving, place potatoes in large saucepan, cover with water and bring to boil. Simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Drain potatoes, then add sour cream, butter and half of the salt. Mash until smooth.

3.     In bowl, whisk together flour, water and remaining salt until smooth. Stir into stew. Set aside peas for the ghosts’ eyes; add remaining peas to slow cooker. Cook on high for 5 minutes or until thickened.

4.     Divide stew into bowls. Place mashed potatoes into re-sealable plastic bag and cut 2-inch hole in one corner. Pipe ghost shapes onto stew and garnish with pea eyes.

Enjoy!

Michelle is a blogger and freelancer. She’s written about almost every topic under the sun, and loves constantly learning about new subjects and industries while she’s writing. In her spare time she enjoys spending time outdoors with her dogs. Follow her on Twitter and Google+.

[Guest Post] Halloween Dinner: Eyeball Subs by Michelle Rebecca

Photo credit: Taste of Home

 

Ever try eating dinner while it’s staring back at you? Kids will love this!

 

Ingredients:

·         12 small sub buns

·         1 egg

·         ¼ cup milk

·         1 tablespoon chopped onion

·         1 teaspoon salt

·         ¼ teaspoon pepper

·         1 ½ pounds ground beef

·         2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

·         2 medium green peppers, sliced

·         1 medium onion, sliced

·         1 jar marinara sauce

·         Sliced, pimento-stuffed olives

 

Cooking Instructions:

1.     Hollow out bun bottoms and place 1 ¼ cups of crumbled bread in large bowl. Add egg, milk, chopped onion, salt and pepper, and ground beef. Mix well and shape into 1 ½-inch meatballs. Cook in skillet with 1 tablespoon oil until no longer pink, about 20 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

 

2.     Add remaining oil to skillet, along with peppers and onion, and sauté until tender. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

3.     Add marinara sauce to skillet, bring to boil and stir for one minute. Add meatballs, peppers and onions; cover and simmer for 20 minutes

4.     Heat buns in 325 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Spoon sauce and two meatballs into each roll; garnish meatballs with sliced-olive eyes.

 

That’s just one of the fun Halloween treats you can make for your family this October! There are plenty fun, festive recipes out there you can try! You may even have so much fun cooking your spooky treats that you’ll start looking for refrigerated trucks for sale in order to open your own Halloween food truck.

 

Bone appétit!

Michelle is a blogger and freelancer. She’s written about almost every topic under the sun, and loves constantly learning about new subjects and industries while she’s writing. In her spare time she enjoys spending time outdoors with her dogs. Follow her on Twitter and Google+.

Grilled Tomato and Onion in Bacon Rolls

Grilled Tomato and Onion in Bacon Rolls

This is a simple recipe that is easy to prepare and taste delicious too.  It looks great for a party, in a intimate event or just as an appetizer before the main course.

Ingredients

1. 1 Medium/ Big Tomatoes (Cut into 5 parts)
2. Italian Herbs (eg. Brand Masterfoods)
3. Salts
4. Coarse Black Pepper
5. 1/3 Yellow Onion (Cut into 5 parts)
6. 5 Bacons

Preparation

1. Place Tomato into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle Salt and Italian Herbs onto Tomatoes for approx 15 minutes.

On the baking tray

Steps

1. Spread Bacon on hot pan without oil. Flip after approx 1 minutes, before the side turn brown. Remove it from the pan.
2. Wrap Bacon around Tomato and Onion and secure it using a Satay Stick
3. Place them into Preheat Oven, Grilled Function for approx 15 minutes
4. At 7 minutes, turn the bacon and grill for another 7 minutes.

Serve while hot!

Good as a finger food in a party or as a side or starter before the main course.

[Guest Post] On Making Chicken Liver Pate by Qiana Di Bari

chicken liver, whipped

Chicken liver. Don't get grossed out. I don't mess with innards too much either, but I do enjoy a good chicken liver pate every now and then. And I only eat them out. So, this week, when I went through my ritual of boiling a whole chicken, and inspired by my girl Tamar Adler and her Everlasting Meal , I set the livers aside. 

chicken liver, raw

Gross at first glance, I know. But things got better very quickly: I seasoned them with salt and pepper and seared them in a dab of butter and removed them from the pan. 

chicken liver, pan seared

Then I diced a small shallot and threw it in to the same pan with red wine, to deglaze it and pick up all those little pieces of goodness left behind.  

chicken liver, smothered in red wine and shallot marinade

I whipped it all together in the blender with a few springs of thyme and a spoonful of water for just a few seconds and let it set in the fridge for about thirty minutes, for the final product that you saw at the top of this post. Good enough to eat by the spoonful or spread on a rip of bread, this home made pate is a little bit of decadence in the middle of the daily grind.

Bio

Qiana Di Bari is a music business manager turned mom, wife and restaurateur. You can follow the tastes and travels of her modern, multi-culti family at http://www.lafamigliadibari.comor @qiqs.

[Guest Post] A Bag of Lentils and a Bunch of Beets by Qiana Di Bari

You can make this happen with a bag of lentils and a bunch of beets. 

Who wants to go outside in ten degree weather to find lunch? Or order bad Chinese? Instead, open your pantry, pull out some lentils. Soak them while you saute diced onion, garlic, carrots and red pepper in olive oil. Add the lentils and chicken stock to your pot. Season. Simmer. Done. 

While your soup is coming together, pull a bunch of beets out of the fridge. Break them down and slice them in to medallions. But don't throw away the greens. Clean and chop these too. Throw it all in to a saute pan with olive oil and shaved garlic. Season. Stir. Done. 

If you have a brick of cheese to throw on the table for good measure, do it. We had some robiola and drizzled it with olive oil. 

Warm some frozen bread. Pour some red wine. And have a hearty, healthy lunch that will beat anything you will find outside in the cold. 

Bio

Qiana Di Bari is a music business manager turned mom, wife and restaurateur. You can follow the tastes and travels of her modern, multi-culti family at http://www.lafamigliadibari.comor @qiqs.

[Guest Post] Buttermilk Biscuits and Strawberry Jam by Qiana Di Bari

We had some strawberries in the fridge that were losing their luster, in perfect condition for a simple jam. Jam needs a medium and there is nothing better than buttermilk biscuits. Bingo! Breakfast. 

My simple versions of both are loosely based on Epicurious recipes. Perfect for a spring weekend, thirty minutes is all you'll need. 

Buttermilk Biscuits 

yield: Makes 6 biscuits

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon milk or cream for brushing biscuits

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a bowl. (I got a little help from Jada and Michele here.) 

Blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. 

Add buttermilk and stir with a fork until a dough just forms (dough will be moist).

Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead gently 6 times. Pat out dough on a floured surface with floured hands, reflouring surface if necessary.  

I went old school and used a simple tea cup to cut my biscuits. 

 

Transfer as many as you can make with your dough to a greased baking sheet, arranging them 2 inches apart, and brush tops with milk or cream. 

Bake until pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool to room temperature.

 

On to the strawberry jam. You can make this while the biscuits are baking. It takes about the same time. 

Strawberry Jam 

yield: Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients: 

• 1 pound fresh (or frozen, thawed) hulled, quartered strawberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, coarsely grated
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Combine 1 cup hulled, quartered strawberries and 1/2 cup sugar in a large heavy skillet. 

Stir in 1 peeled, coarsely grated large Granny Smith apple. 

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring and breaking up strawberries, until sugar dissolves. 

Simmer until jam is thickened, 10-15 minutes. 

Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. 

Transfer to a bowl or jar; let cool. 

Bio

Qiana Di Bari is a music business manager turned mom, wife and restaurateur. You can follow the tastes and travels of her modern, multi-culti family at http://www.lafamigliadibari.comor @qiqs.

Grilled Quail Egg Wrapped in Bacon

Grilled Quail Egg Wrapped in Bacon

This is a recipe that I will never think of until I dine in Ichiban (A Japanese Restaurant in Singapore).

That day was my secondary school friend's birthday and we went to Ichiban for dinner. One of my friends ordered this and I am surprised of the combination; Quail Egg and Bacon? After giving it a try, I decided that I will make this one day.

I love bacon as the flavoured taste of bacon minimise the need to add in more seasoning to the ingredients.

This dish look exquisite but yet, it is so simple to cook.

It will definitely look great for a party, in a intimate event or just as an appetizer before the main course.

Ingredients

1. 6 Quail Eggs
2. 6 Bacon (Cut into 3/4 or enough to roll the quail egg)

Preparation

1. Boil Quail Eggs for approx 10 minutes
2. Deshell Quail Eggs

Steps

1. Spread Bacon on hot pan without oil. Flip after approx 1 minutes, before the side turn brown. Remove it from the pan.
2. Wrap Bacon around Quail Egg and secure it using a Satay Stick
3. Place them into Preheat Oven, Grilled Function for approx 15 minutes

Serve while hot!

Good as a finger food in a party or as a side or starter before the main course.

Tips and Comments:

• Pan-fry bacon before grilled to "force" out the bacon's taste and the bacon texture will be crispier than direct grilling.
• Do not add Oil on hot pan when pan-frying bacon as bacon contained fats strip