Lemon Pudding Cake

Adapted from: Pillsbury Christmas 2009

Ingredients:

3 eggs: separated
½ cup milk
½ cup lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon peel
½ cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven 350 degrees:

Grease a pie plate. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks, stir in milk, lemon juice and lemon peel. Add sugar, flour and beat until smooth.

In another small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently folk yolk mixture into the beaten egg whites. Do not over-mix. Pour into greased pie plate. Place pie plate into another larger baking dish and pour a hot water bath around the pie plate, about 1 deep.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown.

This is a delightfully light and delicious dessert and so simple to make.

Enjoy and Remember Cook with Love,

Catherine

Living the Gourmet Lemon Pudding Cake Check out this recipe at KeyIngredient!

Oven Steak French Fries

Ingredients:

8-10 potatoes – cleaned with skin
1 ½ tablespoons of Living the Gourmet Signature Spice Rub
4 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven 350 degrees:

Clean and slice the potatoes and pat them dry with a paper towel. Place the potato slices in a large bowl. Add the Living the Gourmet Signature Spice Rub and the olive oil and toss well so that each potato is coated with the spices.

Place potatoes in a baking dish and place in the oven. After ½ hour loosen the potatoes carefully with a spatula and turn them over so they bake evenly. Bake for about another 20 minutes.

This recipe is really very simple and the potatoes are crispy and delicious. Everyone will love them.

Enjoy and Remember Cook with Love,

Catherine

Oven Steak French Fries Check this recipe out at KeyIngredient!

Braised Lentils with Spinach

Lenticchie Brasate

Adapted from: Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich

Ingredients:

2 cups brown lentils
1 medium onion – diced
2 medium carrots – peeled and diced
1 stalk celery – diced
2 bay leaves
½ cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ tsp ground black pepper
4 cups shredded fresh spinach – washed & drained

Pour enough cold water over the lentils, onions, carrots, celery and bay leaves in a sauce-pan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Adjust the heat so the water is at a gentle boil and cook, covered, until the lentils are tender, 20-25 minutes. Drain the lentils, discard the bay leaves, and transfer the lentils to a large skillet.

Pour in the chicken stock and olive oil and season lightly with the pepper. Bring to a boil and cook until the liquid is reduced enough to coat the lentils, about 3 minutes. Scatter the spinach over the lentils and toss just until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute.

Drizzle a little olive oil over each plate and garnish with grated Romano cheese if desired.

This is delicious side dish or a main course if served over noodles or rice.

Enjoy and Cook with Love,

Catherine

Braised Lentils with Spinach (Lenticchie Brasate) Check out this recipe at KeyIngredient!

Cranberry Upside-down Muffins

Adapted from: Pillsbury Christmas 2008

Ingredients:

¾ cup whole cranberry sauce
¼ cup brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tsps baking powder
1 cup milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 egg whites

Preheat oven 400 degrees:

Place 12 muffin cups in the cup-cake tin and place 1 tablespoon of cranberry sauce in each cup followed by 1 teaspoon of brown sugar.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder; mix well. In a small bowl, combine milk, oil, orange peel and egg whites; blend well. Add to flour mixture all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Divide batter evenly over the cranberries and brown sugar in muffin cups.

Bake about 14-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

These muffins are a perfect partner for a cup of coffee or tea.

Enjoy and Cook with Love,

Catherine

Cranberry Upside-down Muffins

Check out this recipe at KeyIngredient!

Moroccan-Style Carrots with Mustard Seeds and Orange

Adapted from: Weight Watchers’ Annual Recipes for Success 2009

Ingredients:

1 - 16 oz package carrots – cut diagonally
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
½ cup chopped onions
1 clove garlic – chopped
1 tsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tablespoons fresh cilantro - chopped
2 tablespoons orange juice

Steam carrots until they are tender.

In a frying pan over medium heat mustard seeds and cumin about 2 minutes until mustard seeds begin to pop.

Add onion and garlic, sauté about one more minute. Add carrots, brown sugar, and red pepper, sauté about another 3 minutes.

Add cilantro and orange juice, toss to combine.

This is a wonderfully flavorful way to serve your vegetables.

Enjoy and Cook with Love,

Catherine

Moroccan-Style Carrots With Mustard Seeds and Orange Check out this recipe at KeyIngredient!

Chicken Breast Rolls

Ingredients:

2 lbs. boneless chicken breast – sliced thin
Breadcrumbs
½ cup Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil

Stuffing:

Fresh Basil leaves
Mozzarella cheese – sliced
Sun dried tomatoes – sliced
Fresh garlic – crushed and chopped

Quick Marinara Sauce:

4 plum tomatoes – diced
½ tsp capers plus tsp caper juice
Few fresh basil leaves – ripped
3 cloves garlic – crushed and chopped
Dash of black pepper
Dash of red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees:

Marinade chicken breast slices in balsamic vinegar for about ½ hour.

Set up the basil leaves, sliced mozzarella cheese, sliced sun dried tomatoes and crushed fresh garlic for filling the chicken slices.

Dip the marinated chicken in the breadcrumbs and then at the end of the chicken slice place a basil leaf, sun dried tomato slice, a piece of mozzarella and a little piece of garlic and roll the chicken. Hold it together with a toothpick. Place these in a baking dish and drizzle each one with olive oil.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Marinara Sauce:

In a frying pan heat the olive oil and place in the garlic, capers plus the caper juice, basil and the tomatoes. Add the spices and simmer on low while the chicken bakes.

Top the chicken rolls with the marinara sauce and garnish with fresh grating cheese.

This is a gourmet meal that is easy to achieve and will satisfy and please the soul.

Enjoy and Cook with Love,

Catherine

Living the Gourmet Chicken Breast Rolls

Check out this recipe at KeyIngredient!

Pork and Beans Chili

Ingredients:

1 cup rice - uncooked
Dash of turmeric

Ingredients for Chili:

4 medium tomatoes – chopped
1 medium Jalapeño – chopped with seeds
1 medium onion – chopped
2 stalks celery – chopped
2 carrots – chopped
3 cloves garlic - crushed & chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons Paprika
½ tsp black pepper
1 – 28 oz. can Baked Beans with bacon and brown sugar
1 cup chicken broth
Olive oil

In a medium sauce pan drizzle about 2 tablespoons olive oil and add onion, carrot, tomato, garlic, celery and jalapeño and sauté until the onion turns clear.

Add the chicken broth and continue to simmer on low for about 5 minutes. Add the spices and continue to simmer on low.

Add the Baked Beans and once again continue to simmer on low.

Prepare the rice - add a dash of turmeric to the water to give the rice a golden color.

This chili is quick and easy and has a sweet and yet spicy flavor.

Enjoy and Cook with Love,

Catherine

Pork and Beans Chili

Check out this recipe at KeyIngedient!

Lemon & Rosemary Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

3 boneless chicken breasts

Marinade:

Juice of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic – crushed & chopped
3 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
4 sprigs of fresh Rosemary
½ tsp black pepper

Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl. Place chicken breasts in this marinade and cover. Place in the refrigerator for about 1 hour or more.

Preheat the griddle and place the chicken on the griddle. Grill chicken turning only once, about 10 minutes on each side. Brush with the reserved marinade 2-3 times during grilling.

This is so easy and so good you will think you went out for dinner!

Enjoy and Cook with Love,

Catherine

Lemon & Rosemary Grilled Chicken

Check out this recipe at KeyIngredient!

Apple Fritters

Adapted from: The Taste of Italy by Frederic Lebain & Jean Paul Paireault

Ingredients:

2 apples – peeled & diced
½ cup orange juice
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/8 cups flour – sifted
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ cup ground almonds
½ cup milk
2 egg yolks
¼ cup sugar
oil for deep frying
powdered sugar for dusting

Marinade the apples in the orange juice and the balsamic vinegar for about 15 minutes.

Mix together the flour, baking powder and the ground almonds.

Whisk together the sugar and the egg yolks until almost white.

Beat together the egg mixture and the flour mixture. Stir in the milk and beat well.

Add the flour and egg mixture to the apples in their marinade. Stir gently to blend the ingredients together evenly. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes.

Heat the oil and gently add spoonfuls of apple and fritter mixture. Allow to cook through and turn golden brown, then remove with a slotted spoon.

Drain on paper towels and serve either hot or cold.

Dust with powdered sugar.

This is a unique dessert that is sure to please!

Enjoy and Cook with Love,

Catherine


Living the Gourmet Apple Fritters Check out this recipe at KeyIngredient!

Happy 101 Blog Award!

Thank you so much to my friend Roz over at La Bella Vita! for giving Living the Gourmet the Happy 101 Blog Award!

There are four rules for this award:

1. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
2. List who gave the award to you and use a link to her blog (or hyperlink).
3. List 10 things that make you happy.
4. Pass the award on to other bloggers and visit their blog to let them know!

Ten things that make me happy:

1) Fresh Food Farm Stands

2) Dogs

3) Gary Cooper

4) Early Mornings

5) Rainy Days

6) Salty air

7) Seagulls

8) Laurel & Hardy

9) Frank Sinatra & Harry Neilson

10) Long Walks with my poodle

A few of my favorite blogs that I would like to give this award to:

1) Reeni at Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice

2) Gigi at A Babble Blog for Everyday Women

3) Mausi at 7th Kitchen~ Everyday Food Blog

4) Dave at My Year on the Grill

5) Joanne at Eats Well with Others

6) Donna at My Tasty Treasures

7) Chef Aimee at A Twist of Spaghetti

8) Angie at Angie’s Recipes

9) The Diva on a Diet at Beach Eats

10) Stacie at Super Mommy to the Rescue

11) Alwayswinner786 at Tips for Delicious and Healthy Cooking

I love all of your blogs! Thank you again Roz!

Rice Balls

Adapted from: The Taste of Italy by Frederic Lebain & Jean Paul Paireault

Ingredients:

1 cup rice - cooked
½ cup ground beef – cooked
3 slices mozzarella cheese – cubed
½ cup grated Romano cheese
2 eggs – beaten
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Breadcrumbs
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
Oil for frying

Mix together the rice and meat. Stir in the parsley, grated cheese and the mozzarella.

Season with the black pepper and garlic powder.

Bind together using one of the beaten eggs.

With slightly moist fingers, shape this mixture into small meatballs.

Dip the rice balls in the remaining egg and then roll them in the breadcrumbs.

Set the balls aside to rest for about 20 minutes.

Heat the oil and then lower in the rice balls. Remove when golden and crisp. Drain quickly on paper towels and serve as soon as possible.

These are a really big hit whenever I serve them. I hope you all enjoy them as much!

Enjoy and Cook with Love,

Catherine

Rice Balls

Check out this recipe at KeyIngredient!

Zucchini Fritters

Adapted from: The New Book of Middle Eastern Food by Claudia Roden

Ingredients:

1 pound zucchini, grated
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
Oil
3 eggs
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pepper
A few sprigs of parsley – chopped
A dash of dried oregano
7 ounces feta cheese, mashed

Grate the zucchini. Fry the onion in 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat, till soft and lightly colored. Add the grated zucchini and sauté, stirring until soft.

In a bowl, beat the eggs with the flour until well blended. Add pepper and the herbs and mix well. Fold in the feta cheese and the cooked onions and zucchini.

Film the bottom of a medium sized frying pan with oil and fry by the half-ladle or 2 tablespoons, turning over once, until both sides are brown. You can do a few at a time.

Drain on paper towels and serve hot or cold.

Your praises will be sung with these delightful little treasurers!

Enjoy and Cook with love,
Catherine


Living the Gourmet Zucchini Fritters

Oven Fried Onion Rings

Adapted from: Eating Well Magazine

Ingredients:

2 medium yellow onions
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
3 eggs
1 ½ cups breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon paprika
Olive oil for drizzling

Preheat oven 400 degrees:

Cut off both ends of each onion and peel. Slice into ½ inch thick slices: separate into rings.

Place the rings in a medium bowl: cover with cold water.

Combine flour and backing powder in a shallow dish. Lightly beat eggs in another shallow dish. Combine breadcrumbs and seasoning in a third shallow dish. Working with one ring at a time, remove from the water, letting any excess drip off. Coat in flour shaking off excess. Dip in egg and let any excess drip off. Then coat in breadcrumb mixture, shaking off any excess.

Place on the baking sheets.

Drizzle the onion rings with olive oil.

Bake for about 15 minutes until golden in color.

This is a great way to have your onion rings and eat them too!

Enjoy and Cook with Love,

Catherine

Check out this recipe at KeyIngredient!