30 Jun 2022 Leave a comment
in Uncategorized Tags: fried, fried food, okra, southern, southern fried, vegetables, veggie, veggies
One of the things I miss about being gluten-free is the fried veggies of my southern upbringing.
Cry no more. Chick pea batter is a really great alternative.
It’s great for okra, onion rings, spinach and even peach fritters. I didn’t love it for mushrooms but whatev
Here’s the recipe.
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014062-chickpea-batter-fried-vegetables
When I use it on spinach I add curry seasoning to the batter. Amazing.
15 Feb 2021 Leave a comment
What you will need:
Snow. LOL
Cream: half n half, milk, sweetened condensed milk, or heavy cream…. can combine if desired
Vanilla extract
Fruit if desired
In this recipe, because my Uncle Joe said, don’t forget the “Eagle Brand”, we used snow, sweetened condensed milk, a touch of half n half, vanilla extract and mashed ripe banana! OMGoodness!
Y’all, just add a little this and that to taste… —you need less than you think per bowl.
Next I am going to try making it with coconut milk and maple syrup.
My sister warned I should get bananas to add. She’s the trained pastry chef of the family so I got some! YUM!
09 May 2018 1 Comment
in Being Brave Tags: brownies, cookies, flower dessert, lemon cookies, scratch brownies
Don’t you love reasons to get creative? What’s better is when your vision comes pretty close to what you envisioned!
One of my daughters teachers has brownies listed as her favorite dessert. She also listed sunflowers as her favorite flower.
There is a brownie recipe that I discovered (and loved) several years ago. I loved the idea of “scratch” brownies and there was a great recipe on the back of Swans Down Cake Flour Box. I cut it off and use it all of the time. I omit the Mint extract and add extra vanilla. Holla!
So of course this time, I poured it in a round cake pan to make the center of the flower.
Then I researched a lemon cookie recipe that “seemed” good… and it is/was once I remembered to add the sugar. (oh dear…)
Lemon cookie recipe: https://www.modernhoney.com/lemon-sugar-cookies/
I haphazardly shaped the cookies into petal shapes and instead of crystal sugar I made a lemon cream glaze to make it more vibrant for the petals. For the lemon glaze I used powdered sugar and half and half. I mixed it well and then added lemon juice and yellow food coloring gel.
It was so fun and I think it looks adorable. After a careful quality assurance (lol) of the cookie taste and texture, I wanted to post this so I could recreate and find it later.
Yum and FUN!
06 Dec 2016 1 Comment
My wingding version that I loved.
Ingredients:
2 stalks celery
1 large onion
2 TBS butter
1 whole chicken
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 can of Rotel tomatoes with cilantro and lime
1 can of Rotel tomatoes with green chiles
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp of cumin
1/2 Mexican oregano
Corn tortillas sliced into thin strips and fried in canola oil
shredded Monterey jack cheese
Chopped cilantro
Sliced avocado
Directions:
Saute 1 cup chopped celery and 1 large onion in 2 TBS of butter until soft.
Add a whole Chicken and fill with water to cover chicken. Boil 1 hour.
Remove chicken and let cool before removing meat from bones. Strain broth and return broth to pot. Add all 3 cans of tomatoes and the can of black beans. Add chili powder, cumin and Mexican oregano. Add chicken back to soup and boil 45 min.
Serve soup topped with fried corn tortilla strips, cilantro, Monterey jack cheese and sliced avocado
02 Sep 2016 1 Comment
My mother-in-law and Texas native replaces parsley in many recipes with cilantro. This to me seems very Texas like so, with inspiration from her I made a Texas version of tabbouleh — with quinoa ❤️
Cook 1 cup of quinoa. Once it cools mix in:
A cup of cherry tomatoes sliced (or more)
1 whole cucumber diced
A bunch of cilantro chopped
1 mashed and minced garlic bulb
Juice of a half lime
1/4 cup olive oil mixed in
Salt to taste.
Mix and eat with or without sliced avocado. Drizzle more olive oil on top and more lime juice if needed. (for intensity and moisture)
(This is fast metabolism diet friendly)
Yee haw!
24 Nov 2014 2 Comments
in Entertaining to say the least Tags: Margarita, Margarita Recipes
This year, at our annual Give Party with The Gypsy Wagon, that benefits The Rise School of Dallas, we decided to serve up some Pomegranate Margaritas as our specialty cocktail for the event. One of the shoppers asked me what my secret was, and I told her that even though it should remain a secret that I would share. ha!
So here are the secrets to make these delicious, now coined by Carley of The Gypsy Wagon, Pomaritas.
Note: Don’t skimp on the pomegranate liquor. I already tried the cheap stuff for you and you will want to pass on it… unless you think cough syrup is delicious. If you are going to skimp, you can on the tequila. A good, inexpensive, one is Sauza.
Ingredients:
Pom (pomegranate juice)
PAMA (pomegranate liquor)
Tequila (any brand but I love Sauza)
Triple sec
Margarita mix ( Central Market makes the best fresh squeezed when you can’t squeeze your own)
Shake together:
1 1/4 oz margarita mix
1 oz tequila
1/2 oz PAMA
1/2 oz POM
1/4 triple sec
Shake and serve over ice with a sugar (for Claire) or salt rim. Enjoy!
01 May 2014 1 Comment
in Trickery Tags: Breakfast, Pancakes
Pan-A-Cakes
My daughter used to call them Pan-A-Cakes so now I do too. This recipe is from Better Homes New Cook Book. The tricks I learned along the way are not.
I cup flour
1 cup milk
1 egg
2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbs sugar
1 tsp salt
2 Tbs vegetable oil
Mix it together —BUT wait— No too much.
Trick 1: Leave it LUMPY. Really. I learned this one on a Food Network show.
Trick 2: Now let it sit for 15 minutes before you spoon any out on your skillet. Thank you Bobby Flay.
Trick 3: Your skillet should be medium high so you can cook the thick and fluffy cakes slowly.
Enjoy—Especially you Aunt Ilse!
22 Jan 2014 1 Comment
Red Red Veg Chili
1st.
Soak dried red kidney beans overnight and them cook with salt and water for 2 hours the next day.
2nd.
Cook red quinoa in vegetable stock (1 cup of quinoa 2 cups of veg stock)
3rd.
Saute carrots, onions and green peppers in canola oil. Add chili powder and cumin during the saute. Stir with a fun guitar shape spoon. Get one at http://the-gypsy-wagon.com
Then add 2 jars crushed san marzano tomatoes ( in glass jars from whole foods)
Add about a table spoon of chipotle’s in adobo sauce
Add a little more veg stock (1/2 cup or so)
4th
Put in the cooked quinoa and cooked red kidney beans and simmered some more.
Option: add jalapenos and cilantro as a topping
I also think it might be nice with some red pepper to balance the sweet of the carrots. (next time)
Serve with a fun guitar shaped spoon!
11 Jun 2012 1 Comment
What to do with all of those home grown maters…..
Best of summer!
Ingredients:
2 tomatoes chopped (remove seeds if you are my sister…her recipe)
2 chopped garlic cloves
1/8 extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
12 (or way more) basil leaves
Mix all–spread on bread!
1/2 loaf of french crusty bread toasted with olive oil and rubbed with a clove of garlic
02 Feb 2012 1 Comment
When I lived in Astoria Queens for a short stint, there was this chinese restaurant that had the most amazing shrimp lomein. I would order it every time I went. When I was at a Spec’s store in Temple TX the other day where I pick up my Udon noodles of all things, I noticed that they had Lomein noodles! Ha, I thought—there is my next quest!
This recipe is a work in process but I had to borrow from a few to make my own. I will try to improve upon this but I have to say, if I made it like this every time, I would still crave it. I just want to get more creative with the veggies for next few iterations.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. of shrimp cut up into pieces, peeled of course..
1 teaspoon of cornstarch
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger (or more…I don’t believe in “too” much ginger)
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup stock homemade or store bought
1 red bell pepper
3 garlic cloves chopped/minced
1 cup or more sugar snap peas
6.4 oz (approximately or more )lomein noodles
6 tablespoons of canola or peanut oil
Scallions
Directions:
Marinate prepared shrimp in cornstarch and rice wine vinegar for 15 minutes
Meanwhile, mix oyster sauce, soy sauce, chicken stock, and sesame oil in a bowl. Let stand. (or sit if that is more comfortable : 0 )
Boil the lomein noodles but remove just before being all the way done…al dente style.
Saute ginger in canola or peanut oil and let the kitchen get all gingery! Then add shrimp until they turn pink. Remove.
Add a little more oil and saute red bell pepper and garlic. Once it starts to soften, add sugar snap peas and enjoy the beautiful colors as they swirl with your wooden spoon.
Add the lomein noodles in with the vegetables and pour in the soy/oyster/stock/oil mixture. Let noodles absorb the liquid.
Add the shrimp and ginger back to the pan and stir in.
Cut some green onions/scallions with some scissors over the dish before serving.
Serve immediately!
Yummers baby!
Texas Chowgirl 