Creamy Butter Pie for my Mom (and dedicated to Jennie's love, Mike)

I have never met Jennifer Perillo other than on twitter! And yet, I was touched by her personal story of the sudden loss of her husband, Mike and her display of courage in the midst of pain. I learned of her and her loss when the twitter community started tweeting about her. It was touching to see the overwhelming show of love for Jennie and Mike on twitter and facebook.

While, it is obvious from Jennie's posts that she loved Mikey dearly, in her grief, she also shared an inspirational lesson about love with readers and friends! In Mike's memory and in celebration of those I love, I made this Creamy Butter Pie (peanuts substituted with other nuts and fruits due to allergies).

This pie is dedicated to my mom, who loves all things sweet! XOXOXO

Recipe (courtesy of Jennifer Perillo, modified for ingredients) Serves 4-6

Ingredients
3 ounces graham crackers
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 ounces finely chopped chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cashew Nuts, dried fruits for garnishing
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 ounces cream cheese
4 ounce of canned sweetened condensed milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Method
Add the cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs.  Combine melted butter and cookie crumbs in a small bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well.  Press mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a 6-inch round pan.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave.  Pour over bottom of cookie crust and spread to the edges using an off-set spatula.  Place pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Pour the heavy cream into a bowl and beat using a stand mixer or hand mixer until stiff peaks form.  Transfer to a small bowl and store in refrigerator until ready to use.  Place the cream cheese. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Increase speed to medium and beat until all the ingredients are combined and filling is smooth.

Pour the filling into the prepared pan.  Drizzle the melted chocolate on top. Garnish with dried fruit and nuts and refrigerate overnight before serving.

Hon Sushi: Japanese and Korean Cuisine on Route 1



Fire Viking Roll

Hon Sushi serves Japanese and Korean cuisine in Lawrenceville, NJ. Owners John and and Kim Lim wanted to offer traditional Japanese and South Korean food but with a modern twist. I recently did a tasting of their menu with several of my foodie friends. I was particularly amazed at the variety in the menu and was informed by the manager that they had specialized chefs for each type of cuisine.



Seaweed Salad

If you are looking to have a start off with something refreshing, try the Seaweed salad.









Shrimp Tempura

On the other hand, if you are craving something fried, try their Shrimp Tempura. I was impressed with their version which was not greasy and reminded me of the Tempura I had tried in Ropongi Hills in Tokyo.







Tuna Tar Tar

My favorite of the evening was the Tuna Tar Tar with a side of avocado salad. There is heavy use of avocado in Hon's food but given that I love avocado, I didn't mind that. Rather, it lent a good textural offset and modern touch in the dishes that I tried.



 

Kalbi Stew

For the main course, I would recommend the Kalbi Stew, especially if you are looking for something hearty. The beef fell off the bones with large chunks of potato, carrots, and shitake mushrooms in a a thick garlic stock. If you are looking to impress your guests over a celebratory dinner, order the Fire Viking Roll where the chef uses vodka to flambé shrimp tempura topped with avocado. The flame not only creates a dramatic visual presentation but also imparts a smoky flavor which is offset by the subtle smooth texture of the avocado and the crispiness of the shrimp tempura. 


Spicy Mexican Roll

If you would rather go for a roll for your main course, try the Spicy Mexican Roll with spicy yellow tail with guacamole sauce. A friend ordered the Shrek Roll and if the name didn't give it away already, this roll had avocado, shrimp tempura and cream cheese roll rolled in a light green soy paper.





Hon has several gluten-free options and vegetarian options on the menu.

Hon's location within Mercer Mall is convenient especially for office-goers. It may not appear at first glance to be a family-style restaurant, but I found it appropriate for a nice night out in town. Check out their full menu at http://www.honsushi.com/ or visit the restaurant at 3349-68 Brunswick Avenue in Lawrenceville, NJ 08648.  Phone:609-269-5800.

Pairing Cheeses with HerbNZest Condiments: an interview with Rudie Smit, Cheese Connoisseur and Owner of Olsson’s Fine Foods, now in Palmer’s Square in Princeton

In April, 2011, Rudie Smit and his wife Jennifer moved their gourmet cheese store, Olsson’s Fine Foods from its location at the Trenton Farmer’s Market to its current location at Palmer’s Square in Princeton, NJ. The square in Princeton town center with its historic and quant charm is aptly suited for Olsson's which strives to aspire to the standards of premium cheese stores in Manhattan. I met Rudie in the summer of 2010 when I moved back to Princeton and was looking for local and fresh ingredients at the farmer’s market. I was so impressed with Rudie's knowledge of cheeses and collection thereof, that ever since I have kept coming back to taste and learn more.

Rudie is Dutch, and this shows in his love for and knowledge of cheeses. In fact, Rudie’s passion for educating his customers about cheeses evident from the manner in which he strikes up conversations about the origin, flavor profile, and suggested pairings as he offers a taste (tasting before a purchase is mandatory and very much in line with Rudie’s philosophy of sharing his knowledge). The Palmer Square store will carry over 200 assortments of cheeses, as well as gourmet olives, meats, and condiments.

It was not a surprise therefore that I turned to Rudie’s expertise when I was trying to write about suggested cheese pairings for HerbNZest condiments (launching in July 2011). Rudie graciously agreed to offer his suggestions.

For HerbNZest Basil Peach Raisin Spread Rudie suggested The Delice de Bourgogne which is an aged French cow's milk cheese from the Burgundy region of France. Given its rich and creamy texture and pungent flavor, it pairs well with HerbNZest Basil Peach Raisin Spread which is sweet and tangy with a fresh basil undertone.

For HerbNZest Chive Tomato Mustard Spread, Rudie recommended The Zamorano which is a aged hard sheep's milk cheese made in the province of Zamora, Spain. Due to its rich texture and piquant and nutty flavor, it pairs well with the tangy and savory HerbNZest Chive Tomato Mustard Spread with its heat finish.

Tre Piani hosts The 2011 Central NJ Slow Food Winter Farmers Market featuring local food delights

On Saturday, February 6th, 2011 Tre Piani restaurant in Forrestal Village hosted the Central New Jersey Slow Food Winter Farmers Market from 11am to 3pm. Jim weaver, the owner and executive chef at Tre Piani is also the founder of the Central New Jersey Chapter of the “Slow Food” International Movement in 1999.

The Slow Food Movement started in Italy in 1986, based on the belief that "industrialization of food was standardizing taste and leading to the annihilation of thousands of food varieties and flavors. With the preservation of taste at the forefront, the Slow Food movement seeks to support and protect small growers and artisanal producers, support and protect the physical environment, and promote biodiversity". According to Jim, "Slow Food is basically the opposite of fast food, a return to local traditions and flavors, a return to the table, and a return to the know how of where food comes from".

Slow Food events such as this Winter Farmers market is committed to showcasing small farms, and  locally produced, unique food and production methods. So, I decided to hold the February meetup for my foodie group, New Jersey Foodies at Tre Piani. The format of the meetup was quite open, with most of us meeting in front of Tre Piani and walking around the market meeting the local producers and sampling and buying their food. One of the Vendors, Randy of "Randy's Gourmet" is in fact a member of our foodie group so it was great seeing our friends both as providers and supporters of the local Slow Food movement. All in all, a great start to the weekend, meeting friends and stocking up the pantry with local goodies.

Vendors at this market included the following:

Cherry Grove Farm
North Slope Farm
Beech Tree Farm
Village Bakery
Lillipies
Valley Shepherd Creamery
Davidson's Exotic Mushrooms
Randy’s Gourmet
Grab 'Em Snacks
Pure Indian Foods Organic Ghee
Tassot Apiaries
Hopewell Valley Vineyards
Bobolink Dairy Farm

John Henry Goldman and the Straight Jazz Quartet entertained the local market participants and shoppers.

Note: words in quotes have been taken from http://www.slowfoodcentralnj.org/About_Slow_Food.html

The Peacock Inn at Princeton: a gastronomical delight!

We have been meaning to try The historic Peacock Inn in Princeton for some time now. In its heyday, this inn was patronized by dignitaries such as Albert Einstein and F. Scott Fitzgerald. More recently, its restaurant was voted "The Restaurant of the Year" by the Star-Ledger newspaper.

Once we were in this 18th century recently renovated Colonial mansion, our car was parked by the valet service,our coats were checked and we were escorted to our velvet-lined seats in the dining area. Almost immediately, we were handed the wine list and menu.

I ordered the Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Brioche French Toast, Red Wine Poached Pears, and Candied Pistachios for my appetizer. The Foie Gras comes from the cage-free raised Moulard ducks in a 200 acre HVFG farm  in Ferndale, New York. The Foie Gras sat atop the brioche toast, its smooth, creamy, melt-in-the-mouth, rich flavors complimented by the sweet spongy texture of the French brioche toast. The wine poached pears lent a sweet yet tangy fruit garnish with the candied pistachio to finish off this journey of textures.

For my main course, I ordered the Ricotta Gnocchi with Asparagus and Tomato Confit in Portobello-Parmesan Butter. I was surprised by the lightness of this dish despite its rich appearance and sound. The tomato confit lent the bright color and slight acidic flavor atop a fresh soft ricotta gnocchi while the asparagus added the needed crunch against the smooth buttery base. All in all, this was a great choice from the point of view of color, flavor and taste and especially welcome after my rich Foie Gras experience.

Our friend, Jon selected the wines for the night, the 2008 Sancerre from Chateau de Sancerre and a Petite Sirah.

Executive Chef Manuel Perez has managed to deliver a New American Cuisine within a classic and elegant setting. For further details on location, history and menu, please visit http://www.peacockinn.com/

Food-critic Teresa Politano shares Celebrity chef stories at Wharton New Jersey event

On Monday, January 24th, Teresa Politano spoke at the monthly Wharton New Jersey Women's meeting. She is an adjunct professor of journalism at Rutgers University, an award-winning journalist, former news executive, and a restaurant critic for Inside Jersey magazine and The Star-Ledger.

Over a light catered dinner around a conference table at the Hilton in Edison, Teresa talked about her inspiration for authoring her book, "Celebrity Chefs of New Jersey". While sitting at a waterfront restaurant overlooking the Manhattan skyline, Teresa had an epiphany: She was enjoying an exquisite dinner,sitting exactly where she should: across the river from Manhattan. She thought to herself that many great chefs such as 4 times James Beard awardee, Craig Shelton have their roots in New Jersey but are often overshadowed in terms of recognition by celebrity chefs from New York. Had New Jersey been further away, it would have held its own. Being a restaurant critic with intimate knowledge of the greatest culinary masters within the state, Teresa decided to feature the great chefs of New Jersey through her book.

Then, she read from her book, the inspiring story about Donna Tuscana line of Tuscan chocolates and its visionary and master chocolatier, Diane Pinder, who has hand crafted artisan chocolates using a combination of unique and exotic flavors such as sea salt and olive oil with Belgian chocolate. In the book, Teresa has managed to capture not only the cooking styles of chefs but also their backgrounds that have influenced and carved their respective personas. For instance, in case of Diane, her training as a critical care nurse positioned her to work well in her partnership with the legendary Craig Shelton to craft unique confectioneries. Teresa brought in 12 varieties of Diane's Tuscan chocolates, each one unique in its flavor.

Since I run a meetup group of fellow foodies called New Jersey Foodies, I was particularly interested in Teresa's thoughts on a few restaurants that had been on my list to visit and taste-test. They featured on Teresa's list of star players as well including Elements in Princeton, 90 acres in Peapack and Dennis Foy in Lawrenceville, NJ. I am looking forward to trying all these places in the near future as well as the other restaurants by celebrity chefs of New Jersey.

It was good to meet Wharton alumni living in New Jersey. Both my alumni as well as Teresa sampled condiments from my yet to be launched line, HerbNZest and gave positive reviews.

NJ 101.5 Radio host Dennis Malloy wears his Chef hat at Mrs G T.V. & Appliances game day cookout

When Hilary of Hilary Morris Public Relations, LLC  posted that Dennis Malloy, radio host from NJ 101.5 FM was doing a game day cooking show on January 22nd, 1-4pm at Mrs G TV & Appliances in Lawrenceville, NJ, I immediately registered for the event. I was even more excited to learn that I was picked to be VIP Foodie which meant that I would be one of 15 bloggers who got to witness Dennis' cooking from the front row and taste his cooking.

This event was interesting to me for several reasons: First, Dennis is a self-made chef and therefore easy to relate to. Second, he is an entertainer and storyteller. Third, this event showcased 3 family-owned and operated businesses that have differentiated themselves from mainstream businesses through quality, community outreach and customer service: Miele with over 110 years of innovation and history, Pennington Quality Market with over 50 years in business and Mrs Gs with over 75 years in business. As businesswoman myself and owner of a start-up food business, this particularly struck a chord with me. The event was sponsored by Miele and Pennington Quality Market and hosted by Mrs G T.V. & Appliances at their showroom on Route 1 in Lawrenceville, NJ.

With Food Network's John Sowienski as his sous chef, Dennis cooked many game day delights like stromboli, potato volcano, cheese steak roll-ups, and quesadillas (some of his recipes have been covered in this Examiner article). Throughout the demonstration, Dennis interacted with the crowd, sharing tips, anecdotes relating to his Italian and Sicilian heritage, food and travel, highlighting his radio personality. One of his questions for the crowd was "who is your favorite star chef?". The crowd and Dennis' consensus was "Bobby Flay". Given that Dennis frequents Philadelphia, I remarked that Bobby Flay had opened "Bobby's Burger Palace" in Philadelphia which Dennis agreed to check out.

Some tips shared by Dennis (and John) were:

1) Use regular olive oil for cooking not extra virgin olive oil

2) Use sea salt rather than table salt : sea salt retains all the sea mineral and freshly ground sea salt tastes better and is more potent than regular salt
3) Use pesto over chicken cutlet: Dennis grows his own basil for the fresh taste and flavor. He uses the commonly found Genovese basil variety usually.
4) Use parchment paper to store pizza dough or to cover and pound your chicken cutlet. You could use wax paper as well but not in the oven. Parchment paper is cheap and clean-up is easy.


For his cooking, Dennis used Miele appliances:
1) For baking: Miele's master chef line of convection oven with touch pad,  LCD display, context sensitive control panel and chef settings. Miele representatives demonstrated that if you identify the type of food you are cooking and the oven will automatically select the proper operating mode for perfect results every time.
2) For cooking: Miele induction stove top with touch pad controls, safety lock, and memory features. This technology uses a non-contact method of heating using magnetic fields to transfer energy directly to cookware so that the induction element stays cool, while the target object heats up rapidly for extremely efficient cooking so that the stove top can be used as extra counter space as soon as a cookware is removed.

Mike Rothwell of PQM and Debbie Schaeffer of Mrs G take a moment to talk about their family-owned businesses' support for the community

Mike Rothwell, VP and General Manager from Pennington Quality Market and Debbie Schaeffer, President & CEO of Mrs G TV & Appliances shared their philosophy and history as family-owned and operated businesses. Debbie talked about how Mrs G succeeded through generations by not only applying savvy business practices such as being part of a national co-op with $14 billion in purchasing power to offer low prices ton customers and offering exceptional customer service but also partnering with local businesses such as PQM to support their local community and each other. This event was another testament to the community outreach by 3 businesses: Miele, Mrs G, and PQM to bring foodies and Dennis' fans together to share laughter and fun over some good game day food! Audience was treated to food from PQM and some lucky audience members went home with raffle prizes: broadway tickets to Phantom of the Opera and a Miele vaccum.

It was good to see 2 members from my local foodie meetup group, New Jersey Foodies front and center in the VIP Foodie section (Robin Birkel and Bonnie Schultz). I look forward to many more such events that bring together local community members and businesses; and what better way to congregate than over food!

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus topped with HerbNZest Tomato Spread and garlic Bread

Yum...Yum is all I can say for this quick n easy recipe.

Ingredients: for hummus
1 small can of chick peas (cooked)
2 tablespoons of tahini
1 red Pepper
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup water
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp dry chives
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Ingredients: for garlic bread
2 slices of whole wheat bread
1 clove of garlic
8-10 italian capers
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
black pepper and salt: use shaker to sprinkle on top

Method: for hummus
Baste the red pepper in olive oil and roast in the oven at 450F for 15 minutes until skin starts peeling off. Peel off the skin in cold water. In a food processor, add chick peas, tahini, garlic, water, roasted pepper and blend.Slowly add the olive oil, paprika, salt, and lemon juice and blend again. Serve in a bowl, top with more oil, and chives. Add a dollop of HerbNZest tomato spread on top to finish off.

Method: for garlic bread
Rub the garlic clove over the bread (for more garlic flavor, you can chop up the garlic and add it on top of the bread. Drizzle with live oil, sprinkle salt and pepper, add capers and toast in oven for 1-2 minutes until light brown. Serve over the hummus.

Enjoy!

Crispened Tofu Salad

This recipe is healthy, a good blend of crispy and spongy, and full of color, taste and freshness.....in essence, my mantra for a good meal!

Ingredients for the salad:
1 packmedium firm Tofu: slice into 1/2 inch by 3 inch pieces
Plum Tomato 1 medium (could substitute with tomatoes of your choice) diced
Cucumber 1 small diced
Carrots diced
Lettuce 6-10 leaves chopped
Dry ginger powder 1tsp
Dry onion powder 1tsp
Sesame seeds 1 tsp
Salt pinch
Cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp
Orange zest 1/4 tsp
Vegetable Oil

Ingredients for the dressing:
Mayonese 3 tbsp
Extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp
Water 2 tbsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice 1 tsp
Black pepper 1/4 tsp


Preparation Method (for salad)
Season tofu using all the spices and oil and bake in oven for 15 minutes at 300 degrees. Then turn up to heat to broil for last 5 minutes to crispen the top. Remove and place on a bed of chopped lettuce and vegetables.

Preparation Method (for dressing)
In a food processor, add all ingredients (other than olive oil) and blend slowly while adding olive oil slowly.

Pour the dressing over the salad slowly and you're ready with this wonderfully delicious heart healthy meal.

Cod with Thyme and Cranberries

This is the first time I have blended a savory taste with cranberries. I have to say, the results were fantastic: mild yet flavorful, tart, savory and herbaceous....just right! The preparation is simple and fast and the colors are wonderful for your holiday table.

Ingredients:

Cod fillets (thawed or fresh): 4 pieces

Fresh Thyme leaves

Fresh Cranberries (as desired)

Olive Oil 2tbsp

Kosher salt to taste

Orange peel

Cooking Method (Prep and cook time: total 8-10 minutes)

Heat oil in a shallow pan on low heat. Salt fish fillets and shallow fry for 2 minutes covered on one side and turn over, add thyme leaves and orange peel (adds the citrus essence) to shallow-fry for another 2 minutes covered. Add the cranberries and cover again for 30 seconds. And you're done! Take out the orange peel (it was simply added for flavoring), serve with thyme and cranberries on top. Enjoy!

Jamón ibérico Tasting (finest flavor of Spain right here in Princeton!)

I had the pleasure of tasting Iberico ham for the first time over this Thanksgiving weekend, courtesy of my guests in town for the weekend, my foodie cousin and her foodie hubby. We indulged in a tasting of Iberico ham (picture courtesy of my brother-in-law), followed by Manchego cheese (also from Spain, courtesy of my hubby Ravi) topped with Peach Spread and Rye crackers topped with Tomato Spread, both of which products I am developing under my condiment line, HerbNZest LLC.

I savoured the way the fat melted in my mouth releasing the nutty, mildly sweet, and exquisite flavors of Jamon Iberico. The first "jamones ibéricos" were released for sale in the United States in December 2007. It is in fact quite rare to find a purveyor that will carry this ham.  Luckily, for us we found it at Bon Appetit specialty stores, right here in Princeton, priced at $96/ pound.

Jamón ibérico, Iberico ham, also called pata negra, is a type of cured ham produced mostly in Spain and is at least 75% black iberico pig. It is the diet of acorn, herbs and grasses,the environment of Spanish counrtyside oak pastures, the genetic make-up and the traditional 2-4 year curing process of the iberico pig that lends to its unique taste. A good source of information about Iberico and the distinction between regular Iberico and Iberico Bellota may be found at http://www.jamon.com/iberico.html.

Try it sometime (sparingly of course) and Enjoy!

Baked Butternut Squash Topped with Gruyere

This was my contribution to the Family Thanksgiving dinner at my cousin's house this year. And even though this is the second squash recipe on my blog, this selection is well deserved for Thanksgiving due to its rich flavors that beckon the holiday spirit.

Ingredients:

2 large butternut squash, diced into cubes

1 5x1 inch slab of gruyere

1 tbsp fennel seeds

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

1 slab butter molten or 1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup cream (heavy or light) depending on preference

1 tbsp chopped chives for garnish

1 tsp lemon juice

Orange zest (optional) for garnish

 1tbsp toasted pine Nuts (optional) for garnish

Cooking Method:

Baste the baking tray with oil or butter. Season the squash with fennel seeds, salt and pepper. Line the squash cubes in rows and pour cream and molten butter in between. Cover tray with aluminium foil and bake in oven at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Then uncover the foil, top with lemon juice and line with Gruyere shavings and broil on top rack for 10 minutes to crisp the top. Then add toasted pine nuts, chives, orange zest and heat right before serving. Enjoy!

Easy Twist on Tamago Nori Sushi Roll for Eggiterians

I love sushi and given my hubby is eggiterian, I love this twist on Tamago Sushi Roll. Its quick and easy to prepare and aesthetically  pleasing. And its healthy coz I didn't use tempura vegetables but rather fresh veggies and no sugar in my Tamago, just a plain egg omelette. Enjoy!

 

 
Ingredients: for 3 rolls
Sticky rice: 1 cup boiled
Egg beaters 2 tbsp
Baby carrots juliened 1/4 cup
Celery juliened 1/4 cup
Shitake chopped and sauteed lightly in oil
Cucumber juliened 1/4 cup
Sesame seeds, lightly toasted
Nori sheets 3
Vegetable Oil
Salt
Ginger, Wasabi, Soy sauce
 
Method:
In a small pan, heat 1 tsp oil to make an omelette using the egg beater. Lay the nori sheet on top of the rolling mat. Line the mushroom, veggies and egg slices starting at the end of the sheet close to you. Then lay a thin sheet of rice on the nori sheet leaving an inch on the far end. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the rice. Start rolling the mat away from you, careful not to roll it into the nori sheet, pressing the mat down to tighten the roll each time. You can dip your fingers in water, so as to prevent rice from sticking to your fingers. Slice the roll into 3/4 inch slices and plate. Serve with soy sauce, wasabi and ginger.

Ginger-Cinnamon Squash Soup

Fall is my favorite season of the year. Back in the days, when I worked in Manhattan, I recall loving my walk from the Lexington Avenue E-line to my office on Park Avenue, in my Fall boots and poncho (Fall is also my favorite clothing season!) with the crisp Fall air hitting my cheeks. Now, with the Manhattan life behind me, I still love the Fall season and the change it signifies, beckoning a new year with its beautiful colors: the vibrant oranges, reds and yellows.

I was at Terhune Orchards on Saturday picking up some squash to make one of my favorite recipes for Fall: Ginger-cinnamon squash soup, mellow yet spicy at the same time bringing the perfect combination of sweet and savory warmth to your Fall lunch or supper.

Ingredients:
1 small-medium squash (about 3 pounds) should make 2.5 cups of pulp
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cinnamon powdered
1/2 large onion sliced
1 tbsp ginger root grated
1 tbsp sour cream (optional)
1 tbsp almonds sliced and dry toasted in oven
1 tsp brown sugar
2 cups of water
salt to taste
sprinkle of black pepper

Cooking Method:
Pre-heat oven to broil setting. Half the squash and remove seeds from cavity, baste oil on the surface and broil in oven for 40-45 minutes. Scoop out pulp using a spoon and puree in a food processor. In a saucepan, heat  1 tbsp oil, add onion and ginger and saute until light brown. Add the squash pulp, salt and cinnamon and boil until desired consistency is achieved (About 1/2 cup water should have boiled off). Add sugar and toasted almonds, black pepper and stir. Add sour cream on top (I did not add sour cream to the version in the picture to keep it light). Serve hot!

Mushroom and Cheese Stuffed Sweet Peppers

By now, you have probably guessed that I like to play around with flavors, colors and textures. This next recipe achieves all three in a clean manner. After you're done, you should be able to savor each bit comprising an outer layer of sweet and juicy green pepper followed by gooey cheese mixed in with crunchy mushrooms spiced with delicious herbs. What an explosion of flavors in your mouth!

For the recipe you will need,
4-6 medium sized sweet peppers, hollowed out from top
4 tbsp cottage cheese (could substitute with 3 tbsp minced meat and 1 tbsp cheese in which case you will need to increase oven grilling time to 1 hour instead of 45 minutes)
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 small onion finely chopped
1/2 cup portobella mushrooms chopped
1/2  tsp dried basil (or if using fresh chopped basil, use 1 tbsp)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
Parmesan for garnish (optional)
non-stick spray

Method: Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. First, to prepare the stuffing, in a shallow pan, saute the onions, garlic in 1 tbsp olive oil. Add thyme, basil, paprika, and mushrooms and finally cottage cheese and salt and stir for a minute before removing from heat. Stuff the peppers, baste the outside of the pepper with olive oil. Cover oven tray with aluminium foil. Spray the tray with a non-stick spray and place the peppers on their side and grill for 30 minutes. Turn to other side and grill for another 15 minutes. Poke with a fork to make sure the pepper is cooked.

Serve hot!

Minted Red Beans

This vegetarian side is my favorite, because of its simple bold flavors, vibrant colors and refreshing taste.

Ingredients:
1 cup red beans (soaked overnight, then pressure cooked or boiled until soft) or you could use 1 can of canned pre-cooked red beans
1 large Roma tomato (or 2 small), diced into inch cubes
1/2 large onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp ginger root grated
1 tsp paprika
6-8 medium sized fresh mint leaves (whole or chopped)
1/5 tsp turmeric or curry powder (optional)
salt to taste
11/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
Avocado and fresh mint to garnish

Cooking Method:
In a medium shallow pan, add oil in low heat, add onion, garlic, ginger and saute until light brown. Add the tomato, turmeric (if you like) and paprika and saute for a minute. Then add beans and water and turn to medium heat and allow water to boil off. Add mint and salt, switch off burner and cover. Open and stir lightly, garnish with avocado slices and mint. Serve while warm!

Herbaceous and Nutty Couscous (Minted Red Bean side in next post)

This delightful and colorful vegetarian affair is refreshing, light and healthy. It is inspired by Mediterranean origins but I have thrown in more vegetables, herbs and nuts to add texture, color and flavor. I typically make a side of red beans to as an accompaniment (I will share that recipe in my next post). I was very happy with the end result. Give it a try!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups couscous
1/2 large onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1/3 cup each of peas and carrots diced into 1/2 inch cubes (fresh or frozen, optional)
1/2 cup sun dried tomato
1/3 cup pecans or walnuts
1 tsp chives fresh chopped or dry ground
1 tsp parsley fresh chopped or dry ground
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 cup chicken stock or water
Salt to taste
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

Cooking Method:
In a shallow pan on low heat, lightly saute the nuts in olive oil and remove. Then saute the onions and garlic until they turn yellow. Add chives and chopped parsley and saute for a minute.  Add the sun dried tomato, carrots,peas, pecans, couscous and water. Bring to a boil, add salt and turmeric and let the water boil off. Couscous and veggies should have cooked. Fluff with a fork before serving. Enjoy!

Rice Crepe with Cheese Filling

Inspired by the Indian Dosa crepe, this recipe is simple and a good divergence from the typical Sunday breakfast. You could substitute rice with wheat flour. The cheese could be replaced with a fruit chutney or sauce,egg or syrup.

Ingredients: serves 2 people

Rice flour 1cup

Cream of wheat 1 tbsp

Vegetable Oil or spray

Cheddar Cheese 1/2 cup grated

Salt: optional

Water 1.5 cups

Cooking Method:

Add water to the cream of wheat and rice flour. Let it sit for half hour. Heat a 8 inch non-stick pan on medium heat, spray oil and spread a tbsp of batter and spread in circular motion while applying light pressure. Lower the flame,and cover for 30 seconds to a minute. Turn over and add some grated cheese. The cheese should melt and the crepe should be crispy and come off the pan easily using a non-stick spatula.

Enjoy!

A tour of the Trenton Farmers Market

So, I met this lady that was producing a show for Princeton T.V. She would interview kids from the Princeton YMCA to get their thoughts on healthy snacks that could be picked up at the local Trenton Farmers market. She asked if my 5-year old, Ved who happened to be a Y camper would like to be part of that production. I agreed because...Hey, I believe in healthy snack and if a T.V. program was going to get Ved excited about substituting cookies for fruit, I'm all for it!



I escorted a shy Ved to the Trenton Farmers market but once he was there and was assigned to his lady friend Y buddy, Mel, he settled down happily into his role.

While Ved was busy doing his shoot, I took some fantastic pictures at the Trenton market. Oooh the fresh Jersey tomatoes, peaches, peppers, eggplant, and the popular local meat store. As I walked around, I talked with farmers about their produce and learned about the great blueberry and peaches this season. I also was excited to share how I am using their golden peaches, roma tomatoes and purple eggplant for the line of condiments that I am developing.

Summer Lunch: Chicken Curry with Peach Ice Tea

When I think of a summer lunch, I am looking for bold flavors with a summery drink to cool things down. Plus, I like to use vegetables grown right in Jersey like local peaches and tomatoes. So, after having the weekend shopping, I decided I wanted to make some soul-satisfying spicy flavors using basic ingredients and some peach ice tea to go with it.

Ingredients: For the Chicken Curry

4 chicken thighs (keeping the bones adds flavor) or breast

2 medium sized tomatoes

1 cup low fat yogurt

1 large onion

1 inch cube ginger

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

salt to taste

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

cilantro to garnish and flavor

Cooking Method:

Grind 1/2 onion, ginger, garlic and tomato in food processor and add the cumin, yogurt and chicken with it in a glass storage bowl and marinade for 3-6 hours in the fridge. When ready to cook, heat oil in a shallow pan and chop 1/2 of the remaining onion  and sautey until light brown, add the marinaded chicken and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, then add cinnamon and simmer until chicken is cooked.  Add chopped cilantro  for flavoring. You could also add some whole or chopped cilantro as a garnish at the end.

Ingredients: For the Peach Ice tea

2 medium sized peaches

your favorite black tea bags

sugar to taste

Cooking Method:

Remove seed from peaches, chop to 1/4 and bring to boil. Simply pour the peach water into a glass jar and soak your tea bags for 5 minutes. Add sugar to taste and chill before serving