PRoMiSeS PRoMiSeS...

I've been promising for a couple of days to make a version of 'fried ice cream', minus the frying because I really think all the other stuff is bad enough :o) and I couldn't put it off any longer. Here's my quickie version of a restaurant favorite.

LOADED Fried Ice Cream on a Sopapilla wannabe

Combine about 1/2 cup of crushed frosted flakes and cinnamon sugar(to taste).

Lightly fry a flour tortilla*preferably Trader Joe's...YES, it matters!* in preheated oil and sprinkle immediately with more cinnamon sugar. (It's like a tortilla trying to be like a sopapilla, minus leavening and all that gooey honey *slurp*...not to mention a lot less oil so I guess that makes it not a sopapilla at all??? LOL! now that I've got you totally confused...my total intention! Just kidding. Or am I? LOL!!!!)

Scoop a ball of your favorite ice cream and roll in the crushed flake mixture. place this ball on your tortilla and top with whipped cream, marashino cherries, chocolate syrup, nuts or whatever you like. Wait for the sounds of silence whilst the goods are being devoured!

Enjoy :o) (the silence and the treat!)

CoMFoRT FooD LiKe MaMa uSeD To MaKe...

A very sweet friend 'eLLe' has reminded me of a dish I grew up with as a child and I never knew the 'proper name' for it. I always called it that 'chicken and rice soup' when all along it had a perfectly good name :o) Arroz Caldo...

Recipe courtesy of eLLe! Hopefully she will be blogging soon *hint hint!* and then I can point you out to her blog so she can wow you with her gastronomical knowledge ;o) In the meantime, she has prompted me to post her recipe with pictures so she could see how I fared :o) I hope she is not disappointed in my attempt. There are many recipes for this on the net. I'm already partial to hers and if you try it, you'll see why :o) Just like mom used to make! I'm not one for listing ingredients and then relisting them in the process so I will give you the recipe the way that I take it down. You can make a separate shopping list based on whatever ingredients you might still need.

Arroz Caldo 'eLLe STYLe'

In a preheated pot with heat set to medium, (I used my risotto pot from Le Creuset *LOVE IT*), add a couple of tablespoons of oil.

To the preheated pan add:

about 3" of peeled fresh ginger root, sliced thinly

about 1/2 cup of onion, chopped

and 4 cloves of garlic, chopped.

Saute onions, garlic and ginger for 2-3 min. and add chicken drummettes or chicken thighs (I used drummettes, approx. 3lbs.) and lightly brown.

Add 2 cups of Calrose rice *eLLe's recommendation :o)* and stir another minute or so. Add approximately 8 cups of water or chicken broth (I always opt for broth for the maximum flavor) and cover. Allow to simmer for about 2 hours. Be sure to keep stirring so the rice doesn't stick. To finish, a pinch of azafran for color. You can find this at most hispanic /asian grocery stores :o) http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/equivalents_substitutions.asp?index=A&tid=1950 . It's not the same as saffron, but well worth having in your pantry.

For the salt in this recipe, you can use kosher salt (my family's preference) or patis (a fish sauce). I would add approximately 2 teaspoons to start of either one, your choice. Don't be nervous about the 2 teaspoons, this recipe makes a lot! At least 9-10 cups of soup. You can half it if you like.

Depending on your preference for a thicker, heartier soup or a brothy soup, you may or may not decide to add more liquid(water or broth) as you are cooking along. Either way, I promise you will end up with something that will keep them coming back for more. All that ginger can't be bad :o) Ginger is so good for the digestive system. Today wasn't a cold day here yet the soup was very refreshing and made the whole house smell heavenly :o)

There are many variations for this, from adding a hard cooked egg, green onions or a squeeze of fresh lime juice (which I really did want to try, forgot the lime :o( ) Not to worry, I'll be making it again REALLY SOON!

This was one recipe that made me pick up the phone and call my mom and sister for a trip down memory lane and to thank my mom yet again for such a great childhood memory! Thanks to eLLe for bringing this memory back to my table to share with my family.

a SPeCiaL LuNCH DeLiVeRY

and dinner inspiration...

Today my very sweet hubby surprised me with lunch from the Cheesecake Factory Bakery Cafe from MacArthur Center. He brought me the Asian Chicken Flatbread Salad *my favorite*... just when I thought I was over my obsession of learning how to make that dough! So delicious :o)

He got the Sante Fe Chick-en(hyphenation intentional ;o) ) Flatbread Salad for himself. Apparently it was the salad 'du jour' because three other people behind him were ordering the exact same salad. I'm including photos of both salads as a tribute to his thoughtfulness :o) I *think* there might be something there! Flatbread, romaine lettuce, black beans, corn, tomatoes, jalapeños, a special blend of spices and cheese and *wait for it*...corn tortilla strips :o) Sound yummy? I think so and so did he :o) Poor MiLou, no scraps for him :o(





After such a large lunch, I was not very hungry come dinner time. I did have some heavy whipping cream left *thanks leene* from the strawberry waffle breakfast. I also had a steak in the freezer that needed to be used along with some mushrooms. Are you following me so far???

A long long time ago... (back you sci fi fans!) I tried a recipe from one of those recipe cards (Great American Recipes) you get in the mail. (They were actually my first cookbook, collectively) LOL. I found a recipe for CReaMY MuSHRooM STeaKS and have repeated it several times since, always with great results. Now I realize that some of you DON'T. DO. FUNGUS! Please bear with me :o) and believe me, it pains me more that you DON'T eat 'shrooms :o)

The sauce is very delicious and MAKE the steak. I love this with a creamy buttered noodle. Tonight I used Farafalle. You can prepare the steaks any way you like then you can simmer them in the sauce briefly just before serving. The recipe calls for sirloin steaks and a bit of butter to pan fry them. Be sure to allow the steaks to come to room temperature before cooking.

For the sauce:

1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced or quartered
1 T butter
2 T chopped onion
2 T flour
1 1/2 c. half and half or mix whipping cream with whole milk, equal portions of each
1 t soy sauce
1 t grated onion
salt and pepper to taste.

First, saute mushrooms in the tablespoon of butter until they are lightly brown. Second, add onions and saute until translucent and sprinkle with flour stirring to blend well. Add half and half, stirring a little here and there and simmer until it thickens slightly. Third, add soy sauce, grated onions and s&p to taste.

You have options at this point. You can grill the steaks, pan fry them or broil (watch carefully) and then very briefly introduce them into the lightly simmering sauce. Do not boil them in the sauce. You can use excess sauce over your noodles too, if you so chose.

We divided this plate three ways and everyone was satisfied :o) Once you make this, maybe you'll get a little twinkle in YOUR eye when you see steak, mushrooms and cream :o)

SuNDaY WaFFLeS WiTH STRaWBeRRieS N CReaM

and my Cuisinart Smart Stick with mini prep :o)

This morning I made waffles with my Waring Pro waffle iron. I love this waffler because the pockets are deep and it makes a beautifully crisp waffle with a soft chewy interior. I would highly recommend this waffle maker :o) I have had mine for well over two years and it's such a treat to make my own waffles and so much more cost effective than going out for waffles for breakfast. I purchased my waffler at Bed Bath & Beyond with the 20% off coupon and it was worth every single penny! I definitely recommend shopping at these type stores for your small appliances, with the coupon the price is usually the best around! The coupons also don't expire (even though the show an expiration date) and are able to be used beyond expiration.

In addition to my waffler (which we couldn't have waffles without), I love my Cuisinart Smart Stick with the mini prep. I'm including a photo of this kitchen tool that shows what was included with mine. I use this for whipping my heavy cream. It does a wonderful job of whipping cream in a much shorter time. You must watch it though so that the cream doesn't begin to separate and make butter(not that that's a bad thing, mind you.) This tool is not only great for making whipped cream but also for chopping small amounts of things in the mini prep, like nuts or a little onion. I love this smart stick for pureeing my soups while they are cooking. I usually use this and submerse it into the soup mixture and puree to the desired consistency. I tend to leave some chunks for texture but it works great for butternut squash soup, cream of broccoli or potato soup. There are many stick blenders but I love the versatility of this one. I have had mine for several years and would feel lost without it. I wouldn't want to have to try to manage pouring hot liquids into my blender to do the same job, not to mention my Le Creuset pots that I generally use are quite heavy (but cook beautifully). Just a recommendation. I love to cook and anyone that has seen my kitchen knows it is a passion of mine.


I'm including a photograph of our strawberry waffles with whipped cream. I lightly sweeten the whipped cream after I have already started to whip it with the frothing attachment (the little white one in the picture) with confectioner's sugar. I also macerated the strawberries with a little bit of sugar sprinkled on the layers as I was slicing them the night before. I dusted the waffles before serving with some confectioner's sugar flavored with a hint of vanilla powder.


One other tip worth mentioning, I used butter instead of oil in my KRUSTEAZ mix (that's right :o) even I like to take a break now and then) and I also use a dash of mexican vanilla for additional flavor. If you buy mexican vanilla, make sure there is no coumarin in it. They don't have regulations like we do in the United States and it is a known toxin, can cause liver damage and is a carcinogen. Best rule of thumb, if it says 'coumarin free' feel free to enjoy and use in all of your baking needs :o)