Delicious is an understatement

If you've spent any time reading my posts, you'll know that I am a huge fan of anything made with flour. Yeah, I'm hooked, and I think it stems back to my childhood.  You see, I had an amazingly close relationship with my dad and he taught me how to bake bread - no, not with a bread machine...are you kidding me?  Aside from that connection, rest assured that every Saturday like clock work, there's bread baking in the oven at our home. 

I said all that to talk about this scrumptious looking sandwich. I've tried making a lot of different variation of sandwiches, but this one flew off the richter scale big time, and the best part is - it's a new born creation. Full of fresh, healthy ingredients to awaken your taste buds, and provide a full 100% satisfaction guarantee.   

Al-right, don't be fixated with the picture, see the recipe below and go make yourself one; oh, and share your thoughts with me after.

Toasted vegetarian sour-dough sandwich 

What you'll need:

2 slices sour-dough bread

1 tbsp Coconut oil, or margarine or butter

1/2 avocado mashed

3 slices tomato

Old age cheddar cheese (or your preference) 

2 Tbsp cilantro finely chopped

1 thin slice of sweet onion

Putting it together:

Warm frying pan just below medium heat

Apply coconut oil or margarine or butter evenly to the outside of bread

Place the buttered side in heated pan and spread the avocado onto the bread. 

Put the remaining ingredients on top.

Top off with other slice of bread (with the buttered side facing up)

Press down with a spatula, and flip after 2-3 minutes or once the bottom is brown and the cheese begins to melt.

Complete the browning process, remove from pan, slice and devour.

Here's the thing, this sandwich doesn't need mayonnaise or meat to make it yummy. Go ahead give it a try.

To your health and enjoyment!

My cinnamon bun saga

I've a confession to make-I have a massive obsession with this breakfast/lunch/dinner/dessert any-time food named cinnamon bun.  Whoever created it is a genius in my books, however, it is not just any ole recipe that does this to me. The cinnamon bun that affects my senses and weakens my knees are the ones that is soft to the touch with multiple layers, a good portion of ooey gooey stickiness sitting at the bottom of the pan; smothered in pecans, or the top with a slight coating of cream cheese icing. 

OK, OK, I know that is enough calories to cover a days' worth of meals, snacks, alcoholic beverages and dessert, but come on, to indulge once per week is so worth the extra lap around the block...make that mmm two? Now, don't post any lecturing comments, cause I'm sure you have your own obsessive indulgence that isn't all healthy either.

My rant today is about trying various recipes to make the ideal C buns, but coming up short, short on ah, everything; from the taste to texture. I've tried four recipes so far, and my big problem is not the dough, but the syrup at the bottom somehow gets observed into the bun, and the finished product is void of any goo. Yes I know I can visit the Laughing Bean Cafe and pick up their amazing C bun, but I want to make my own. If you love to cook and bake you do not give up when a recipe gets an "F" grade, heck no, determination rises to improve and perfect until you are completely satisfied with the taste-just the way you've envisioned it.

Not one to toot my own horn, but I usually "get" a recipe after a few tries...not this one:( , and the worst part about this is, it's a big favourite of mine. I can't shake it, and please don't tell me to let it go.
If you can provide me with any tips or suggestion; especially if you've made this goodness before and it's the cat's meow, then please share, I appreciate it very much.

Tell me about a recipe that has stumped you to a F and how you came back with A grade.

To your health and enjoyment!

South American Fav. Fruit

Let me first extend best wishes to all my readers for a super prosperous 2013 and apologize for not posting weekly - I was away to my homeland in Guyana, South America and planned on posting to my blogs, but unfortunately I encountered problems accessing the net.

Guyana is full of colorful, fresh and tasty fruit, vegetables and seafood. My all time favorite fruit, which was in season and flowing in abundance during my trip - Mangoes, and on the plus side...a healthy, fruitful mango tree was producing sweet like suga, juicy mangoes right in my back yard.

Plum Mangoes Ready for Picking

Fresh picked mangoes ready for eating

Green mangoes with salt and pepper - a child hood favorite

Anytime during the night or wee hours of the morning, aside from the crowing of the roosters, I was awakened to the sound of ripe mangoes dropping from the tree unto our zinc roof. From that moment, it was a race to beat the hens and roosters from pecking at the dropped mangoes. You can always tell when the mangoes are ripening on the tree - the smell, and a slew of birds finds their breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack.

On an average, we gathered anywhere from 28-58 mangoes a day in the month of December,   a quick wash and bite on the bottom, peeling away the skin to reveal firm, rich, juicy inviting flesh which was devoured right to the large seed, then unto the next one.

Mangoes can be eaten green or ripe, and used in a variety of cuisines from different cultures.
Green mangoes are used to make a pickle that's called chutney, or sour that's used to accompany savory dishes.  
Ripe mangoes are used to make jam, it's also dried and preserved for a longer shelf life for world wide distribution, and can be dried and grind into a powdered form to flavor drinks like protein powders, milk shakes, or process into syrup for alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

If you're now interested in trying this fruit, here are a few things to check before checking out:

1. Make sure the mango is firm all over - avoid the ones soft to the touch
2. Smell the fruit at the head, you should be able to smell that distinctive "mango smell":) - even exported fruit still has its original smell.
3. There are different types of mangoes as is the color - if you're looking for a "ripe" mango avoid the ones that are all green.

Two different ways to peel  mango:

1. Use a sharp knife and start from the head and peel as you would an orange then slice off the flesh.
2. Slice the mango from the bottom side as close to the flesh, then repeat the other side. Cut cubes in the flesh and push up the skin to expose the flesh and remove from skin.

Enjoy and to your health.

Delicious Chick Peas

Chick peas also known as garbanzo beans is part of the legume family and is well known and popular in most countries around the world.  It is high in fiber, protein, quite filling and know to reduce cravings for sweets after consumption.

 I was first introduced to this food as "Channa".  Channa, is a South American dish that is simple to make, and delicious  The peas are soaked over-night to swell and soften, before being placed into the pressure cooker to complete the tenderizing process.

It's common in countries like South America, and the Caribbean to buy all types of legumes dry.  First, because it's cheaper and you get more on the dollar, than buying it in a can.  The good thing is - it has turned out to be healthier for you too - bonus.

Today, chick peas isn't only found in popular dishes like Hummus, Falafel and Punjabi Chole dishes introduced by different cultures like Greek, Middle East, and India - it can be found in hundreds of recipes of all cultures.

Recently, I had a craving for chick pea, but not my traditional "channa" recipe - I will share that in another post; this dish was inspired by what was in my kitchen.  I've named it "Chicken chick pea stew" 

Dish prepped for Baking

Dish after Baking

 If you'd like a copy of this recipe, drop me a line.  Thanks for reading and...

to your health

4 Easy steps to Baking amazing Bread

I've made mentioned of my mom's favorite bread recipe in a earlier post.  Today I'm going step by step with pics to give you not only the visual, but to show you how super easy it is, and you don't need a bread machine to do it.

Fresh Yummy Whole Wheat/whit Bread

Salt, brown sugar, whole wheat and white flour, warm water,  yeast and  margarine

In a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients together, add margarine and mix in thoroughly by hand, add enough water to make a soft dough

Cover and place in a warm place (on top of the stove with light on works)  for 90-120 min

Dough fully risen and ready to be formed into loaves

Loaves placed into oiled pans; cover and let rise for 30 min then bake for 45-55 min

You gotta try this recipe, you can find it on a earlier post - try it and please share your experience with me.

To your health and enjoyment!

Glam up your Protein

Seasoning your meat in the Caribbean and South America is a normal every day occurrence, with specific steps in place, it's given care and attention. A bathing is the first takes step in the process prior to the seasoning stage. 

 I recall the steps my parents took when preparing the meat for cooking; be it chicken or fish. The meat would be washed, yes washed with fresh squeezed lemons, or lime and if those weren't readily available, white vinegar would be used along with a dash of salt.  The meat would then be covered and left to sit for about one hour.

During that time the prep for the rub is put together; either wet or dry; depending on the type of dish being cooked.

After that time expired, the meat would be rinsed to remove the juice and salt, and then patted dry with a paper towel. The wet or dry seasoning (and I am not talking about salt and pepper here) is then massaged by hand into the meat and it's covered again for another 2 hours, and in some cases overnight before being cooked. 

In the typical  North American Caucasian, European and Chinese  homes, meat is not prepared in that fashion. The meat is washed with water; salt and black pepper added and maybe a dash of other dried herbs, then cooked according to the recipes' instruction.

Having tried both ways of preparing meats; hands down I prefer the method of allowing the meat to marinate in the seasoning for a period of time prior to cooking.  This process tends to make the meat more flavourful, and if you don't think this is the case; do your own experiment and then let me know.

So, let's talk a bit about Seasoning; dry, fresh or wet?  It all depends on your preference, what's handy and how much time you have to get the herbs ready.

Dry Herbs:
You can buy them at the grocery store in bulk or pre-packed, and mix a few together and store in a air tight jar for your chicken, then do a similar one for your fish etc.
The down side to using those herbs - you don't know the actual shelf life and how long they've been packaged, thus you don't know the strength of what you're getting.

Fresh Herbs:
It's the way to go in my opinion, but depending on what you're looking for, it could be tough to find as fresh herbs are seasonal, and if you do find them it could be costly. However, you can't beat the flavour of using fresh herbs against dry.

Wet Herbs:
Yeah, there is such a thing as wet herbs; well now there is-LOL!  It's what I grew up seeing my parents do, and continues to.  It's simple, easy, a time saver and way better than using dry herbs.
Buy loads of a variety of fresh herbs - basil, cilantro, green onions, spanish celery, hot scotch bonnet peppers (maybe not for some), thyme etc, 
Wash  thoroughly, add them to a blender, drizzle a bit of water, olive oil and salt and blend to a paste like consistency. Store in glass jars and keep in the fridge for 3-6 months.

Now you have fresh herbs with a bit of salt and olive oil to preserve it, and you're spared the extra work of chopping fresh herbs every time you want to season your meats. It is a great way to get as fresh as you can to using fresh herbs still full of flavour and a time saver.

TIP:
Experiment to find which herbs work best on different meats, and make separate jars of the mixture and label them; chicken rub, fish rub, pork rub etc. 

Al-right, to your health and enjoyment. 

Kitchen Time is Play Time

Kids of all ages get stoked to visit Disney Land; I experience that same kind of exhilarated rush when I enter my kitchen. I am over the moon passionate about cooking as I am about writing and sharing on this wonderful art that continues to grow and expand in so many different ways. 

Today,  I want to touch on the subject of "Did you know" and periodically you'll find posts dedicated to "Did you know"; you can call it an expansion of "Tips" on a more in depth scale.

So, let's get to today's 

Did you Know:

 Experimenting in the kitchen can be very educational and creative, rewarding and lucrative empowering and fun.

Educational and Creative- the Kitchen, where you feel like and are the Queen or King of your domain, you can educate yourself.  You have the opportunity to strengthen your craft, and besides the hundreds of cooking shows on TV you have enough resources at your fingertips to sharpen your skill.
From mixing different liquids to create your own sauces, and dry spices and herbs to create your own signature rub. To substituting one ingredient for another, you keep what works and vibrates a resounding yes to your palate, and write off the ones that makes the muscles in your face twitch.

Rewarding and Lucrative - there's something to be said when you create or take an old recipe and make it your own. When you take ingredients on a whim and turn it into a crowd pleaser. When you run out of store bought BBQ sauce, and you make your own, or pancake, waffle and crepe syrup, and you decide - I am going to whip something together, and it becomes so amazingly delicious it has the potential to become a product sold in grocery stores. 

Empowering and Fun - it is in those moments that you realized that you are a chef; no you didn't attend culinary school though that has it's advantage, but you have a gift, you derive great joy from working with ingredients to make dishes for your family and friends to enjoy. There's a sense of excitement that comes when you watch what's in your mind unfolds and becomes something beautiful on a plate that awakens the sense of sight, smell and taste.
And, on an off day when the idea doesn't fully come together, you don't walk away in defeat; rather it's another important lesson learned for the next time. A little more, a little less, a pinch of this, a splash of that, let it simmer longer, you'll get it right.

Tip:
Stir the pot of your mind  and make a dry rub or sauce from the ingredients available in your  kitchen, and use it in your next meal. You will be inspired, and another creative side to your your love for cooking will emerge.

To your enjoyment and health!