Pinch of Salt

Pinterest Recipes or The World's Greatest Free Cookbook

sconsulting — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 19:18:00 -0400

Since joining Pinterest months ago I haven’t been able to stop. It combines the best of all my favorite things…food, home decor, fashion, holidays, and did I mention FOOD? With nearly 400 recipes pinned onto my “Food for the Soul” board, I have experienced many times over the bliss that comes with re-creating one of the yummy dishes from a pinterest board and also the drama that follows when one fails miserably…we won’t discuss that though. This is a happy place. All I will say is DIY projects can be hard and cinnamon role waffles are tiny. I think they were meant for the keebler elves. Also, pinterest recipes don’t help if you’re trying to acheive the abs on some of the fitness photos I know you all pin :)

Basically, if you haven’t yet discovered pinterest you should run to the nearest computer and set up an account. Your stomach will thank you and your significant other will thank you!

Follow me here: http://pinterest.com/rsralla/

Nigella Lawson’s Courgette Fritters (AKA Zuchinni...

sconsulting — Sat, 19 May 2012 15:22:32 -0400

Nigella Lawson’s Courgette Fritters (AKA Zuchinni Fritters)

You need to make these asap! I like to top mine with a little slice of fresh tomatoe and a squeeze of lime. If you aren’t familiar with Nigella you should remedy that right away. I have been a fan of her cookbooks for years. She cooks and EATS her food with unabashed joy and fervor. If you can’t respect that then I don’t want to be your friend ;)

She has some other gems that I will post about soon, but these are undoubtedly my favorite. A fritter you can feel good about eating!

Recipe Here:

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/courgette-fritters-211

Roasted Potatoes with Preserved Lemon and Rosemary I am a huge...

sconsulting — Sat, 19 May 2012 15:12:25 -0400

Roasted Potatoes with Preserved Lemon and Rosemary

I am a huge fan of roasted potatoes and these did not dissapoint. I detest the chore of peeling potatoes (don’t they do that in prison?) so any opportunity I have to avoid that chore I will seize. I used baby russet potatoes for this recipe and left the peel on. Just give them a good scrub and remember that God made dirt and dirt don’t hurt…

Cut the biggest potatoes in half to speed up roasting time and toss them with a little olive oil and generous amounts of fresh rosemary. Cut preserved lemone into thin slices and toss together with potatoe mixture. Sprinkle with a little crished black pepper. NO SALT! Unless you want to blow up like the pillsbury dough boy avoid adding extra salt to this one. The preserved lemon will add plenty of salt. I let the potatoes bake in the oven covered with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes and the last ten to 15 minutes uncovered to let the potatoes get nice and golden brown.

They were amazing and such a good compliment to the baked chicken that we had for dinner. I could eat them straight out of the fridge cold and I did!

Strawberry Coconut Cake I will be the first to admit that I have...

sconsulting — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 14:00:00 -0400

Strawberry Coconut Cake

I will be the first to admit that I have a problem. It’s an extreme addiction I’ve had since childhood. I love sugar. Can’t get enough of it actually. I am not currently seeking treatment, but have chosen to build up my tolerance instead. Ok, it’s not that serious, but I do love me some sugar. This cake has just the right mix of sweetness for someone like me who can handle sugar overload and people who prefer a light fruity dessert.

I made this for a dinner party last night and it was a hit. we were so busy eating it that I didn’t photograph it at its best so excuse the pics.

Original Recipe Here: http://candyjamamas.blogspot.com/2009/08/summer-strawberry-coconut-cake.html

Cheesy Corndog Muffins I saw a version of these floating around...

sconsulting — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:29:29 -0400

Cheesy Corndog Muffins

I saw a version of these floating around on pinterest, but I decided to kick them up a notch. I made the cornbread from scratch, added grated extra sharp cheddar cheese and sliced polish sausage instead of cocktail weenies. They were amazing dipped in a little mustard. These are in no way healthy. Stay away if you’re counting calories.

Cornbread Recipe:

1 cup self rising flour, 2 cups stone ground cornmeal (*stone ground is key here. It gives the cornbread an incredible texture), 1 egg, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking powder, pour milk into the mixture a little at a time to reach desired texture. I never measure this part. Just mix it in a little at a time until it reaches the texture of thick cake batter. Mix in 1 cup of grated cheese.

Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray. Pour cornbread batter into muffin tins and add 1-2 slices of sausage to each muffin. Bake for 15 minutes or so. Just until the cornbread rises and starts to brown a bit.

Chickpea Cucumber Salad This salad includes 1 can of chickpeas...

sconsulting — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:16:11 -0400

Chickpea Cucumber Salad

This salad includes 1 can of chickpeas that I chilled in the fridge, 4 sliced baby cucumbers unpeeled, 1 ball of buffalo mozarella cheese diced. I tossed everything together with a little of my favorite low-fat italian dressing. It was so good and it turned out to be very filling.

Eggs in a Basket Whole Wheat Bread Cut into Thick...

sconsulting — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 12:11:54 -0400

Eggs in a Basket

Whole Wheat Bread Cut into Thick Slices

Eggs

Cheese of your choice (I used a blend of three cheeses)

Avocado to top

Lay the bread out on a cookie sheet. Hollow out a hole in the middle of each slice of bread for the egg to nestle in and top the whole thing with cheese. Stick them under the broiler until the eggs are done to your preference. if you don’t like runny yolks then pierce them before you broil.

After a trip to Costco this week I realized we had an...

sconsulting — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 14:49:49 -0400

After a trip to Costco this week I realized we had an overabundance of green veggies. I must have been in a green veggie mood. I whipped up this light pasta dish in my wokfor lunch today and it turned out great. So springy!

4 chicken breasts cubed

2 cups of broccoli florets

1 cup of quartered brussels sprouts

1 cup of sugar snap peas

1 box of whole wheat pasta (I used rotini)

Season with salt, pepper and fresh herbs of your choice. I have thyme growing on the back porch right now so I threw in a handful.

3 minced garlic cloves

Toss everything together with a tablespoon of margarine for some flavor and enjoy!

This recipe came from an old recipe box that was found at an...

sconsulting — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:22:29 -0400

This recipe came from an old recipe box that was found at an antique store. If you ever come across one I highly recommend that you buy it. Old recipe collections can be full of surprises. It’s like taking a peek into the past and you can learn so much about the person who painstakingly wrote out recipes on note cards and clipped favorites from the newspaper.

Digging through those treasures is serious fun! Disclaimer: If you live in the south expect lots of mayo,jello and mandarine orange slices to be used :)

This bread was to die for and barely lasted long enough to get a good pic of the finished product. Is there anything that smells better than fresh baked bread? I think not!

Post Created by Laurie Messenger

How to Peel Garlic: Lay 1 clove of garlic on a cutting...

sconsulting — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:59:00 -0400

How to Peel Garlic:

Lay 1 clove of garlic on a cutting board

Place knife on top of garlic clove with flat side down

Press down on the knife with the palm of your hand until it pops open

The peel slides right off in one piece and you’re ready to mince it!

Calabacita step by step pictorial

sconsulting — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:51:47 -0400

Calabacita step by step pictorial

Calabacita con Pollo

sconsulting — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:35:27 -0400

Credit for this recipe goes to Aurelia Paz, a very sweet and appropriately peaceful grandmotherly type who worked for my family when we lived in Del Rio, Texas. She introduced us to this delicous and colorful dish and we haven’t looked back.

Why was she peaceful, you ask? She refused to let my brothers be punished for any wrong doing on her watch. They could get away with murder and just before my mom swooped in to deliver justice…Bam! Aurelia intervened…”They are just babies”…blah blah blah. They could do no wrong and we all know that I have never done anything wrong so there…:)

Recipe:(Serves 2 very generously)

Cube 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Heat olive oil in a deep skillet

Toss in cubed chicken

Lightly season with salt and pepper

Toss in 3 minced garlic cloves

(Note: Burnt garlic tasted nasty so be careful with the heat at this point)

When the chicken has cooked thoroughly and begins to brown toss in 2 sliced zucchini squash and 2 yellow squash

*At this stage you can add fresh corn if you want to. It is a great addition.

Add 1 large can of diced tomatoes

Toss all ingredients together thoroughly

Add 2-3 bay leaves

Simmer everything on medium to low heat until the veggies are tender.

Season with Salt, Pepper and Cumin to tast at this point

Serve over rice and enjoy repeatedly!

Because I just can’t leave them alone…another pic of...

sconsulting — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:22:00 -0400

Because I just can’t leave them alone…another pic of the preserved lemons. I swear they are jucier than they were yesterday…am I losing it?

Dr. Oz Weightorade-Adapted Note: Click the first photo to show...

sconsulting — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:11:00 -0400

2 Green Tea Bags steeped in 1 gal. water

Add handful of fresh mint to hot tea

strain mint and pour tea into container

refridgerate and enjoy all week

I add truvia because I am a weenie :)

So good y'all. Seriously!

Dr. Oz Weightorade-Adapted

Note: Click the first photo to show the step-by step instructions.

I am obviously working with a lemon theme here guys. Feel free to use tangerines like Dr. Oz. I have tried it both ways and I can’t pick a favorite. If you really want to kick up the citrus flavor (like I did) add sliced lemons to the whole gallon and let them steep in the tea all week. Each glass will have more lemony flavor than the last. If you just want a smidge of lemon in each glass just squeeze in some before you enjoy a glass.

This tea will be in my fridge all summer. I can guarantee!

Preserved lemons at 2 weeks.

sconsulting — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:42:00 -0400

Preserved lemons at 2 weeks.

Voila! They don’t look as fancy as the version I found...

sconsulting — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:09:00 -0400

Voila! They don’t look as fancy as the version I found online, but the taste more than makes up for my frosting issues :) The hubs snuck a second cupcake before dinner and then a third after we ate. Yikes!

I sense a theme in my culinary life lately…LEMONS! ...

sconsulting — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:06:00 -0400

I sense a theme in my culinary life lately…LEMONS! Thanks, in part, to my ravenous devotion to Pinterest I have been lemon crazy over the last couple of weeks. My latest project is to try preserving lemons.

This project goes against my nature. It requires patience…I tend more towards instant gratification projects. I am not the kind of gal who waits for the oven to preheat, unless absolutely necessary. I toss the pan right in and watch while it cooks.

I am currently on week 2 of the preserving process. The lemons are showing signs that they are succumbing to the salt mixture. They have started to juice and squish down into the jar. I still have at least a week to wait until I can open one of the jars. I shake them daily…ok, several times a day to distribute the salt evenly and to convince myself that I’m speeding up the process.

The pic included is ripped from pinterest. I will post my own photos soon. I chose small mason jars and only put one lemon in each.

Steps:

1. Sterilize the jars by running them through the dishwasher.

2. Wash lemons thoroughly. I used Meyer lemons. You can use your favorite variety.

3. Cut the lemons into quarters leaving the bottom attached.

4. Stuff the lemons with kosher salt.

5. Place the lemons in your jars and seal them tight.

Note: If you have any leftover lemons squeeze the juice in your jars.

6. Watch in wonder as the lemons change before your eyes!

One more week and I will show you the finished product and then proceed to post all the fun things I do with my preserved lemons. WooHoo!

Milk Chocolate Baby Ruth Balls

sconsulting — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:10:48 -0400

Milk Chocolate Baby Ruth Balls

I made these refreshing cupcakes today for the first time. The...

sconsulting — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:48:00 -0400

I made these refreshing cupcakes today for the first time. The photos just made me want to swim in them. They scream summer and that’s what I’m really craving right now. The warm days and endless sunlight. As I write this our grass is being cut. The smell is wafting through the back windows. I have always LOVED the smell of fresh cut grass. It just makes me smile and breathe a little deeper than usual. Grass + cupcakes=Summer to this girl!

Two suggestions to tweak this recipe:

1. Cut down on the butter a bit. The cupcakes were a little on the buttery side. Not that butter is a bad thing, but it was a little much in this case.

2. Add some powdered sugar to the mascarpone frosting. It was a little thin and the powdered sugar stiffened it a bit. It also added a nice bit of sweetness.

Recipe:

Adapted from Sweetopolita

Lemon-Blueberry Cake

Ingredients

2 cups plus 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups fresh blueberries

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup whole milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon pure lemon extract

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups white sugar

4 large eggs

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare muffin tin with cupcake papers. Sift dry ingredients into medium bowl. Transfer 1 tablespoon flour mixture to larger bowl. Add fresh blueberries and toss to coat them with flour. Set remaining flour mixture and blueberries aside.

Stir whole milk, sour cream, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon zest in small bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar, until pale yellow and very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, until well combined. Mix in flour mixture alternately with milk mixture, starting and ending with flour mixture. Stir until just combined. Gently fold in blueberries. Divide batter equally among cupcake cups.

Bake cakes until toothpick inserted into center of a couple cupcakes comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in pans on racks for about 10 minutes, then put onto racks until completely cool. Makes 24-26 cupcakes.

Adapted from: Not So Humble Pie

Lemon Curd
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup lemon juice
zest of one large lemon ( I used 2)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
pinch of salt
6 large egg yolks

Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and zest.

Mix together the sugar, salt and cornstarch and add it to the pan. Whisk in the egg yolks until smooth and return to heat. Cook over medium-low heat for roughly 10 minutes until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow the mixture to boil.

Once thickened, strain the mixture though a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Allow to chill in the refrigerator completely before using.

Lemon Mascarpone Frosting:

adapted from: Not So Humble Pie

Lemon Mascarpone Cream Frosting

1 pound mascarpone cheese
2/3 cup lemon curd
2 cups heavy cream
7Tb sugar

Beat the sugar and cream to soft peaks in your mixer.

Combine the mascarpone and lemon curd in a separate bowl and mix. Add the cream to the mascarpone mixture. Gently fold to combine, take your time and be gentle. If the mixture is overworked it can separate or look grainy. To fix this add several tablespoons of heavy cream and mix with the spatula until smooth again.

Assembly: After the cupcakes are finished cooling, cut a cone shape out of the middle and remove the tops and put a tablespoon or so of lemon curd in the whole. Then place the tops back on (you may have to trim the cone a bit to get it to fit).

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes

sconsulting — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:47:00 -0400

Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes:

I am making these today. Headed to the grocery store now. After photos, probably containing my husband eating them, to follow.