Super Food Break Down Week!

February is National Heart Health Month and what better way to get your heart in shape then starting with what you eat.  Super-foods will help put you on and keep you on the right path to an happy heart. You probably are already eating them but you you may not know that they are natures prime ingredients.  They are nutrient dense and calorie sparse, so good for the heart AND the waistline.  They offer superior quantities of anti-oxidants and essential nutrients (nutrients the body cannot produce).

A healthy diet loaded with super-foods helps our bodies function at their best. There are hundreds of nutritious foods, but the dozen on my list not only contribute healthy nutrients and help you heal BUT are culinary easy to use.  Every food on this list boasts multiple healing effects, AND they are easy to come by. Eat my All Star picks and you'll start feeling pretty super yourself.

Kiwi
Spinach

Onions        

Cherries - Berries

Carrots

Broccoli

Lemons

Sweet Potato

Beans

 Stay tuned because tomorrow I will break down the reasons why each of my Super Foods are just so darn, well, SUPER... but until then, start adding them in whatever you can, cook, juice, eat!  Just trust me!

Turkey Tips

We are days away from Thanksgiving. Are you flustered with how to cook that big, intimidating piece of poultry?  I'm Chef Heather from The Chocolate Mousse Caterers and I'm here to answer that age old question, To Brine or not to brine.  Brining will help you cook the most succulent turkey you've ever had, and the smartest, easiest way to do it is with a dry brine.  Even if you're hosting Thanksgiving for the first time, this technique will make you look like a pro.

When you're dealing with a large piece of lean meat, it's easy to overcook.  Brining the bird in salty water, is a way to inject both flavor and moisture, but who needs that mess?   Instead, dry brine by rubbing salt and seasonings directly on the bird and let the meat rest in the refrigerator.

The advantages?  The turkey is prepped ahead of time,  There's no sloppy water, No special equipment is needed, and you get crispy skin.

For more tips on a truly scrumptious turkey, check us out online at ChocolateMousseCatering.com or call today to reserve your next event at 845-518-6533.

Leftovers

  So, it’s 8pm on Thanksgiving evening.  By now you’ve probably stuffed yourself to the gills and are semi-consciously watching football on the largest TV in the house while your family is lounging around your home.  After the turkey marathon… you deserve to relax! 

                Tomorrow, your troops will be hungry… again, and after the copious amounts of Traditional Thanksgiving fare, you are probably ready for something a little different.  Here are some unique ways to utilize your leftovers that don’t involve 2 slices of bread!

Breakfast:

Turkey (or Ham)Hash

2 Tbs Olive Oil

            1 Onion, diced

1/2 Green Pepper, diced

             2 Potatoes, diced (leftover baked potatoes work too)

1 Sweet Potato, diced (leftovers are perfect)

             1 cup Ham or Turkey, diced

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

             1/4 teaspoon dried crumbled thyme

1- Saute Onion in Olive Oil until soft.  Add the chopped bell pepper and Potatoes.  Cook until all ingredients are soft.

2-Add remaining ingredients.  Cook hash until browned, about 10 minutes.

3-ENJOY!

Sweet Potato Waffles      

            1 cup Sweet Potato Puree

2 cups Flour

             1 Tbs Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Salt

             3 Eggs

1 cup Milk

             1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar

1/4 cup Butter, melted

            Vegetable spray, for waffle iron

1-In a large bowl, combine the Flour, Baking Powder, and Salt.

2- In another bowl mix the Sweet Potatoes, Milk, Brown Sugar, Eggs and Butter.

3-Mix everything and thoroughly combine.

4-Bake batter in waffle pans or make pancakes.

5-ENJOY!

Breakfast Casserole

                2 cups Stuffing
    
                1 cup Leftover Veggies (Broccoli, Mushrooms, and Green Beans are good starters)

                1 1/2 cups Turkey and/or Ham, diced

                6 Eggs

   1 cup Milk

                1/2 cup Cheese, shredded

1-Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2-Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

3-Cover the bottom of the dish with Stuffing.   Add a layer of Vegetables, then Meat, then Cheese.

4-Combine Eggs and Milk.  Pour mixture evenly over the ingredients in the baking dish.

5-Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

6-ENJOY!

Lunch:

Potato Croquettes

              3 cups Mashed Potatoes

1/2 tsp Green Onion, thinly sliced

             2 Eggs, beaten

3 Tbs Flour

             1 cup Bread Crumbs

Olive Oil  -  enough to fill pan 1/2-inch

1-Scoop cold Mashed Potatoes.  Form into “hockey pucks”.

2-Dip into beaten egg, then roll through bread crumbs.

3-Fry each croquette in shallow oil until browned on both sides.

Southwestern Turkey Soup

                1 1/2 cups Shredded Cooked Turkey

                4 cups Vegetable or Chicken Broth

                3 large Tomatoes, diced  

   1 Green Chile Pepper, diced

                1 Onion, chopped

                2 cloves Garlic, crushed

                1/2 cup Corn

                1 Tbs Lime Juice

   1/2 tsp Ground Cumin

                Salt and Pepper to taste

                1 Avocado - peeled, pitted and diced

                1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

1-In a large pot over medium heat, combine Turkey, Broth, Tomatoes, Green Chile, Onion, Garlic, and Lime Juice.  Season with Cumin, Salt, and Pepper.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes.

2-Add Avocado and simmer 10 minutes, until slightly thickened.  Spoon into serving bowls, and top with shredded Cheese

3-ENJOY!

Dinner:
Shephards Pie

1 Tbs Olive Oil

             2 cloves Garlic, minced

             1 Carrot, diced

1 small Onion, chopped

             8 oz shredded Turkey

1/2 tsp Thyme, chopped

             1 cup Chicken Broth  

1/2 cup leftover Veggies

              2 cups Mashed Potatoes

              1/2 cup Tomato Sauce

1-Preheat the oven to 425degrees F.

2-Saute the Garlic, Carrots, and Onions.  Cook until tender.  Add the Turkey, Thyme, Tomato Sauce, and Broth.  Simmer for 5 minutes.   Add Vegetables.  Place in the bottom of a 9 x 13” pan.

3-Swirl the mashed potatoes over the filling.   Broil in oven until the potatoes are lightly browned.

Dessert:

Cranberry Pastries

8 oz Cream Cheese, softened

             2 Egg Yolks

             1/2 cup Confectioners’ Sugar

1 package Puff Pastry, thawed

             3/4 cup leftover Cranberry Sauce

1-Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2-In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, egg yolks, and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, and Cranberry Sauce until smooth.

3-Roll out 1 puff pastry sheet into a 10-inch square.  Cut into four 5-inch squares.  

4-Place 3 Tbl Cream Cheese mixture in center of each square.  Dampen edges of each square with water and fold over to form a triangle. Press edges together with a fork to seal.

5-Transfer turnovers to a parchment-lined baking pan.

6-Bake turnovers until puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer turnovers to a wire rack to cool, about 10 minutes.

7-ENJOY!

Beverages

Jive Turkey

1 1/2 oz Wild Turkey

             3/4 oz fresh squeezed orange juice, strained

3/4 oz canned jellied cranberry sauce

             3 dashes of Angostura bitters

1-Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker, shake vigorously with ice at least 20 seconds, and fine strain into a Collins glass filled with ice.

Happy Feasting!

Pie... the Second Piece

Now that the perfect crust is ready, let's talk filling...  There are many types of pie, fruit, custard, and savory...

In this segment, I am going to focus on fruit pies.  Fruit comes in all shapes, sizes, flavors.  Because of this cooking times and quantity of fruit needed in a pie varies. 

When assembling a pie, apples should fill the crust to an inch above the edge, cherries, blueberries, and similar fruit are filled to just below the rim of the pie pan. The fruit will expand when it gets hot and tends to run out of the edges if overfilled.

Here are guidelines for the quantity of fruit needed for a 9" pie:

Apple: 8 small, 5 large = 6 to 8 cups

Apricot: 10-12 medium = 5-6 cups

Blackberry: 6 (1/2 pint) baskets = 6 cups

Blueberry: 3 pint baskets = 6 cups

Cherry: 1 pound = 6 cups

Peach: 10 -12 small or 6-7 large = 5-6 cups

Pumpkin: 1/2 pound =1 cup

Raspberry: 6 (1/2 pint) baskets = 6 cups

Rhubarb: 6 medium stalks / 5-6 cups

Strawberry: 4 pint baskets = 6 cups

Sweet Potato: 1/2 pound =1 cup

Now that the fruit is picked out, you need a thickener.  Here are some choices:

Cornstarch                                                                                                                                          
is a good thickener to use with fruit to make a filling because it does not have any flavor and creates a smooth texture. It also does not thin when reheating a slice of pie.  Cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour, but doesn’t work well if the filling is high in acidity.

Tapioca

 is often used because it can hold more fruit juices than other thickeners without becoming rigid.  It is not recommended for a lattice top pie or other open fruit pie, as it hardens when exposed to the hot air of the oven. However, it can be used with a two-crust pie.  Tapioca has no flavor and  cooks quickly. If you use tapioca, let the filling mixture stand for at least 15 minutes before you spoon it into the crust to bake. This will allow for more efficient thickening. When you prepare a pie filling, mix the thickener first with sugar and any spices to prevent lumps and uneven thickening, then add the fruit. Granules are gritty if under cooked but are clear and soft when fully cooked.

Arrowroot                                                                                                                                              
is not a desirable choice because it thickens before the boiling point of fruit fillings in the pies.  It imparts no flavor of its own but provides a high gloss, and just 1 tablespoon will firm up each cup of liquid. It’s fine for high- and low-acid fruit mixtures, but it creates a gloppy mess if mixed with any dairy product.

Potato Starch                                                                                                                                        
this gluten-free starch's main advantage over other starch thickeners is that it's a permitted ingredient for Passover, unlike cornstarch and other grain-based foods. Liquids thickened with potato starch should never be boiled.

Once the fruit and thickener are chosen, all that is left is flavoring with lemon juice, sugar, and spices.  Bake and Enjoy!

Some additional helpful tips:

 

-Bake on a cookie sheet covered in aluminum foil to catch any juices that may run over the edge.

-Rotate the pie 180 degrees midway through baking. This helps the pie to cook evenly and balances the surface browning.

-When cutting, wet the knife with hot water to make a clean cut that won’t tear the filling.

“Cut my pie into four pieces, I don’t think I could eat eight.”
― Yogi Berra

And the Countdown Continues

   Thanksgiving is just around the corner... 10 days away to be exact.  This week I'd  like to share some of my families favorite tasty and healthful side dishes with you. 

Sweet Potato and Brie Gratin
  After growing up with years of smushed sweet potato casseroles, my husband wouldn't get within 2 feet of a sweet potato.  I, however, love the orangy goodness... so here's our compromise.  Firm, starchy, and cheesy for Geoff and sweet and creamy for me.  A delicious deal if I've ever found one.

Ingredients                                                                       
3 Tbl Coconut Butter (solid)
4 lbs Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into thin rounds
8oz Brie, cut in strip                                                                                                                                  

1/2 c Heavy Whipping Cream

1 Tbl Honey
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Cayenne
1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2- Shingle 1 layer of sweet potatoes.
3- Layer with 1/3 of the brie.
4- Layer another row of sweet potatoes and 1/3 coconut butter flakes.
5- Repeat layers of sweet potato, brie, sweet potato, coconut butter,etc.
6- In a small bowl, combine cream, honey, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Pour over potatoes.
7- Cover dish with foil and bake 35 minutes.
8- Remove foil and continue baking until sweet potatoes are tender and top is browned, 20 to 25 minutes.
9- Enjoy!

Savory Mushroom and Goat Cheese Bread Pudding
   This tasty dish is a great alternative to traditional stuffing.  You get the yummy goodness of soft bread and the amazing addition of crispy edges... mmmmmm.  

3 Tbs Olive Oil
9 oz Wild Mushrooms
2 Portobello Mushrooms

3 tsp Garlic,chopped

1 Tbl Fresh Sage, chopped
3 large Egg Whites
2 large Eggs
1 c Whipping Cream
2 c Milk
6 oz Goat Cheese
3/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
6 c 1-inch cubes day-old Challah Bread

1- Preheat oven to 350°F.
2- Lightly butter 8 x 8 x 2-inch glass baking dish.
3- Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add all mushrooms, garlic, and sage and sauté until mushrooms are tender and brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Season mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
4- Whisk eggs, cream, milk, salt and pepper in large bowl to blend. Add bread cubes; toss to coat. Let stand 15 minutes. Stir in mushroom mixture and  goat cheese. Transfer to prepared dish.
5- Bake until pudding is brown and puffed, and set in center, about 1 hour.
6- Serve warm.

Warm Succotash Salad
   This is a beautiful and colorful vegetable dish.  It can't taste bad when it looks that good!

3 c  Corn, roasted

1 lb Green Beans, 1" pieces 

2 c Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1 c Lima Beans, (I prefer frozen)
1 cup Orange Bell Pepper, diced
1 Yellow Squash, cut into 1/2 moons
1 Green Squash, cut into 1/2 moons

1/4 c Parsley

1-  Roast corn and place into a large bowl.
2- Saute Squash until browned.
3-  Cook the green beans in salted boiling water for about 3 minutes. Drain and run under cold water until cooled.
4- Combine all ingredients, season and enjoy.
  I hope you enjoy these tasty dishes.  And remember, if you need any help this Thanksgiving, contact us at 845-518-6533 or chefgirlhg@aol.com       http://www.chocolatemoussecatering.com/news.html