tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39417627904691030932024-03-12T17:49:50.200-07:00Meats and SweetsChip loves to cook meats, Jen only makes sweets.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08713605807793371269noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941762790469103093.post-45891277495690963792011-08-07T10:36:00.000-07:002011-08-07T10:36:27.159-07:00Cookies to Share<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0zm0Ky_pmmQpF6iiybHIhVApPYxbNVRcbH306UdpepqPOuOGxS9y4CL-8WWFzCAun6phs9WT7jmMSLe-IYY00FPcYWLm2ax-BLuMPlgDwRYiQxQWIy-jgPcsGv24vC9Ng5f_s4cz-nE/s1600/photo%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0zm0Ky_pmmQpF6iiybHIhVApPYxbNVRcbH306UdpepqPOuOGxS9y4CL-8WWFzCAun6phs9WT7jmMSLe-IYY00FPcYWLm2ax-BLuMPlgDwRYiQxQWIy-jgPcsGv24vC9Ng5f_s4cz-nE/s400/photo%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Baking has always been a social hobby for me. Granted, most of the whisking, sifting, and stirring is done alone, but once the hard work is done and I'm left with a perfectly frosted cake or several dozen golden brown cookies cooling on the rack, it seems almost criminal not to share. For me, the last step in practically every recipe is dividing the goods into tupperware or plastic bags, and bringing with me to on visits to friends and family. This week I had a lot of people I wanted to share something sweet with, so I pulled out my favorite <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/award-winning-soft-chocolate-chip-cookies/detail.aspx">chocolate chip cookie recipe</a> from my favorite recipe site, <a href="http://allrecipes.com/">allrecipes.com</a>. My slightly altered recipe follows: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b>Ingredients:</b><br />
<ul><li>4 1/2 cups flour</li>
<li>2 tbs baking soda</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups brown sugar</li>
<li> 1/2 cup white sugar</li>
<li>1 1/2 cups butter at room temp </li>
<li>2 packages French Vanilla pudding mix (trust me on this one, it seems strange, but it boosts the cookies' flavor and gives them great texture)</li>
<li>4 eggs</li>
<li>4-5 cups of chocolate chips/nuts/chopped candy/etc. </li>
</ul>Since this recipe makes so many cookies - this batch turned out 50 fairly large ones - I decided to divide up the dough and use two different mix-ins. For the first half I stirred in a mix of chocolate and peanut butter chips - one of my all time favorite flavor combinations. For the second I added chopped up chocolate covered toffee bars. If PB and toffee aren't your thing, you can personalize this recipe by throwing in your own favorite candy and/or nuts chopped into chunks!<br />
<b>Directions:</b><br />
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1) Preheat your oven to 350°.<br />
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2) In a medium sized bowl, whisk or sift baking soda and flour together and set aside.<br />
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3) In a large bowl, cream both sugars and butter together.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinVKCbtYqe2KIu1RRFzOtqOtNyRDqidhkR7b3TsE2CG9xzHWcZYIcj5Tc5GwzW9XlUx8noBxc9WKKqFcDSspBwSYgEgb-pUSP9UC5i5jmeDRAjyy6UlAN1FJEL9zjze67-cjoNkjRWztM/s1600/photo%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinVKCbtYqe2KIu1RRFzOtqOtNyRDqidhkR7b3TsE2CG9xzHWcZYIcj5Tc5GwzW9XlUx8noBxc9WKKqFcDSspBwSYgEgb-pUSP9UC5i5jmeDRAjyy6UlAN1FJEL9zjze67-cjoNkjRWztM/s320/photo%25285%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>4) Add packages of vanilla pudding, and mix well. At this stage the batter will be on the dry side and resemble coarse crumbs.<br />
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5) Mix in eggs and vanilla.<br />
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6) Slowly mix in flour/baking soda. At this stage the dough should be very thick.<br />
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7) Add your chunks/chips/nuts/etc!<br />
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8) Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto your ungreased cookie sheet, about an inch and a half apart. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3UGtDP98FUZhg4rh7Xb6E58baT7FDJ_LdbQB9Z-nPLkTqxIw82l5XM4snsAoHHndZZdEnKNxgnpBbGN_wSuPyPcpII3SeHMbGXo71bbfsBWM2Zmz_1cdEobs1_BLEHXMNnFHYC_GevBg/s1600/photo-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3UGtDP98FUZhg4rh7Xb6E58baT7FDJ_LdbQB9Z-nPLkTqxIw82l5XM4snsAoHHndZZdEnKNxgnpBbGN_wSuPyPcpII3SeHMbGXo71bbfsBWM2Zmz_1cdEobs1_BLEHXMNnFHYC_GevBg/s320/photo-1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
9) Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. I made big cookies this time around, and they took about 14 to finish, so don't be worried if your cookies need a little more time.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08713605807793371269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941762790469103093.post-8120901509485073712011-07-25T19:48:00.001-07:002011-07-27T21:21:40.457-07:00Meditations on Deep Fry - Steak and Cheese Stuffed Peppers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1lCE2pACZmHXGamlSi057-l-5uMXZUJuri9vVn3qazgP0qpXAI60-1Do9Kt-bXGM9yomJtGvyY6IsyCP4pcL4JKxgu3ivdSi9-A4aQLRdUSz5Zrr70cpSs0MCSZr0z2TjXao7vAo_UM4/s1600/IMG_0102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1lCE2pACZmHXGamlSi057-l-5uMXZUJuri9vVn3qazgP0qpXAI60-1Do9Kt-bXGM9yomJtGvyY6IsyCP4pcL4JKxgu3ivdSi9-A4aQLRdUSz5Zrr70cpSs0MCSZr0z2TjXao7vAo_UM4/s320/IMG_0102.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I swear that I'm not as fat as this blog makes you think I am. Well, onto the deep frying.<br />
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This recipe was the result of a conflict between my stomach and my wallet. Old bargain steak that seemed like it wouldn't be appetizing coming off of a grill, canned flavorless green peppers, and a bag of shredded "Mexican" cheese came together in this recipe to prove that nearly anything can be battered, fried and made delicious.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
2 cans whole green peppers<br />
1 lb. Steak<br />
8 oz. Shredded cheese<br />
2 cups cornmeal <br />
1 teaspoon corn starch<br />
1/4 cup flour <br />
2 cups ale<br />
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Directions:<br />
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1. Cut defrosted uncooked steak into very small pieces<br />
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2. Toss steak with cheese and hot sauce to taste.<br />
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3. Stuff steak and cheese mixture into drained individual peppers. It's fine if peppers split open.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6qiiB3203sm4kdFHrpNCuB5-fPkHas8XEbstJsQ8Pj6sDgd4-2j3UWUBWeCqbP6t4QRlu1gi5YeUOgwmhKZeh3YSlZuGDgfYsLNJqx7MvbQn_ira8hT7rDv9Hg7VQlQ32DBBNh06geY/s1600/IMG_0077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6qiiB3203sm4kdFHrpNCuB5-fPkHas8XEbstJsQ8Pj6sDgd4-2j3UWUBWeCqbP6t4QRlu1gi5YeUOgwmhKZeh3YSlZuGDgfYsLNJqx7MvbQn_ira8hT7rDv9Hg7VQlQ32DBBNh06geY/s320/IMG_0077.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
4. Begin heating oil to 375<br />
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5. Combine flour, corn starch and 1/2 cup corn meal. Place 1 and 1/2 cups corn meal in a separate bowl.<br />
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6. Add ale to dry mixture and stir until you have a very thin batter.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nODce2CVRrmio_WjIjshSTKFrnGJuDB17KJHBe_RM8KrBi_8oqe5GOzk0t6peQehuAtdFOJlH2r7UqqvNc17bCQaGbIEMdgoOAgPh_SmW_yZ4gsWKXmxMwe18aFkBv6Zo6f1CI8anEg/s1600/IMG_0078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nODce2CVRrmio_WjIjshSTKFrnGJuDB17KJHBe_RM8KrBi_8oqe5GOzk0t6peQehuAtdFOJlH2r7UqqvNc17bCQaGbIEMdgoOAgPh_SmW_yZ4gsWKXmxMwe18aFkBv6Zo6f1CI8anEg/s320/IMG_0078.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
7. Coat stuffed peppers in batter and then coat with corn meal.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-pKt6pE072KVJaLSnZ2oA_sQqliMFnkL_OUpLW7MHY5UFBpmjxwOGWxWuF0SxQzHrUTemDrkvDy8YUQa1maCXTbf1U1Ld1WtpQNYex5r36bdwsecV4x4dDoRVX9xNqcxS5d2hEMIHj2w/s1600/IMG_0084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-pKt6pE072KVJaLSnZ2oA_sQqliMFnkL_OUpLW7MHY5UFBpmjxwOGWxWuF0SxQzHrUTemDrkvDy8YUQa1maCXTbf1U1Ld1WtpQNYex5r36bdwsecV4x4dDoRVX9xNqcxS5d2hEMIHj2w/s320/IMG_0084.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
8. When oil reaches 375 degrees, add stuffed peppers and fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Cut one open to check if steak is cooked through and enjoy.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5P8FgdLOgvN9_1MixjZjNiiSO4WFjqhmxQoEQJK9UH2jx6j74p2tJTNp8pSvKy9I2g_nVnY06I3tql1WgqkWRERPsdgeJRCws2IFvL17eesOdfhc_71GX0FxRLUvZbKVBNwEOgUrwtBY/s1600/IMG_0110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5P8FgdLOgvN9_1MixjZjNiiSO4WFjqhmxQoEQJK9UH2jx6j74p2tJTNp8pSvKy9I2g_nVnY06I3tql1WgqkWRERPsdgeJRCws2IFvL17eesOdfhc_71GX0FxRLUvZbKVBNwEOgUrwtBY/s320/IMG_0110.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941762790469103093.post-61174531044736320342011-07-11T20:58:00.000-07:002011-07-11T20:58:31.542-07:00Fresh Berry Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6Sb03CG3e0NjTNXoITAZBOfw6FvVeFOAhLMqcFvRWTdEHy_jQLLP872w5i7oparDDhQtHHvcyjv69QSujybxhegTuCysPL_iiSHtGsatzitfA11Nhrn2DhP5shSixHpBHTMxeZrZe_U/s1600/IMG_0117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs6Sb03CG3e0NjTNXoITAZBOfw6FvVeFOAhLMqcFvRWTdEHy_jQLLP872w5i7oparDDhQtHHvcyjv69QSujybxhegTuCysPL_iiSHtGsatzitfA11Nhrn2DhP5shSixHpBHTMxeZrZe_U/s320/IMG_0117.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Fresh berries are one of the best parts of summer. During their peak season I wind up eating them practically every day, throwing a handful into my cereal, making smoothies, or simply eating them plain. Last weekend I came home from the supermarket with a ton of fresh blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, and decided to put them to very good use in a mixed berry pie! Berry pies are great treats for this time of year. Not only do they showcase the flavor of the berries when they are at their best, but they are remarkably simple to prepare, requiring only a few common ingredients. <br />
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For my pie I chose to mix blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries in equal amounts, but you can easily change the recipe to suit your taste. Just keep the volume of the berries the same, and you can mix and match them as you please!<br />
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<b>Fresh Berry Pie</b><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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4.5 cups fresh berries, washed and drained <br />
1 cup white sugar<br />
1/4 cup uncooked tapioca (Don't have tapioca? You can substitute an equal amount of corn starch, just take care to mix very thoroughly.)<br />
1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or other complementary flavor, such as ginger or cinnamon)<br />
1/2 tablespoon butter <br />
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Dough for a double crust in a 9in pie pan, either from <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Basic-Flaky-Pie-Crust-101858">scratch</a> or a <a href="http://www.pillsbury.com/products/pie/refrigerated-pie-crust/">pre-made crust</a>.<br />
1 egg yolk<br />
1 tsp cold water<br />
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Directions:<br />
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1) In a medium sized bowl, gently mix berries, tapioca, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Set aside, and let rest at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes. <br />
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2) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400° and prepare your pie crust according to recipe/package directions. Place the bottom crust in an ungreased 9in pie pan, trimming any excess dough around the edge. Roll out your top crust so that it is about one inch larger around then the rim of your pie pan, and cut an X into the center, about three inches in length.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDJW4Ox0hvO-ld_mo4APp8i7d4d7xDwU0CRCixsAeFOWIIQ2Ro6cR2cEz1x6EnPqAzI6WOSff8f2l3829lilSPBalVpGCVFSOvl3KRSwntDIaWN8VEpnGIMLW6DC-ZD2OhfyxwTgqTxU/s1600/IMG_0141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDJW4Ox0hvO-ld_mo4APp8i7d4d7xDwU0CRCixsAeFOWIIQ2Ro6cR2cEz1x6EnPqAzI6WOSff8f2l3829lilSPBalVpGCVFSOvl3KRSwntDIaWN8VEpnGIMLW6DC-ZD2OhfyxwTgqTxU/s320/IMG_0141.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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3) Pour filling into the prepared pan and dot with butter. Cover with top crust, carefully peeling back the cut sections in the middle to make a square hole, allowing steam to escape during baking as well as making a neat looking window to show off the filling. Seal the edges by tucking in the extra dough around the side, and press the dough down all along the rim with a fork.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLR-rzU86OFKTNi-dgN02mCBintUSbMeVDDZGniTrFq_CYr2PhMgAYxcUsrMaCObZxDDForNxQysG4CBcpIS3tgKMJMGY1PLkJSC6xro6tDzmbevc8hPBnpda64b2Ay5BufnfRwLdaASU/s1600/IMG_0144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLR-rzU86OFKTNi-dgN02mCBintUSbMeVDDZGniTrFq_CYr2PhMgAYxcUsrMaCObZxDDForNxQysG4CBcpIS3tgKMJMGY1PLkJSC6xro6tDzmbevc8hPBnpda64b2Ay5BufnfRwLdaASU/s320/IMG_0144.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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4) Make an egg wash by whisking one egg yolk with a teaspoon of water until slightly frothy. Lightly coat the top crust with a very thin layer of the mixture. The wash will make the crust a nice, shiny golden-brown after baking!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFk4-Krynj9WbklNHyNfb6k-MEtP7j-PkdUE09YyNF_wDGGtwmm1yXi_fuLmoAT22viChiiBwxhZrTynlS1v3QqfkwGCGOAjImqrqihowbHusg9tMFDbVb5hRHO687yyBVm08RiYxE5aE/s1600/IMG_0149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFk4-Krynj9WbklNHyNfb6k-MEtP7j-PkdUE09YyNF_wDGGtwmm1yXi_fuLmoAT22viChiiBwxhZrTynlS1v3QqfkwGCGOAjImqrqihowbHusg9tMFDbVb5hRHO687yyBVm08RiYxE5aE/s320/IMG_0149.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
6) Cover the rim of the pie with tinfoil to prevent the edges from burning. Bake for 35 minutes, then remove the foil from the rim and continue baking another 10-20 minutes, until crust is golden brown all over. Remove from the oven and let cool. For a warm, gooey pie allow to cool for around half an hour then serve. If you prefer your pie to have a thicker, set filling chill in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight before serving. Enjoy!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08713605807793371269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941762790469103093.post-74351018154493787232011-06-28T15:02:00.000-07:002011-06-28T15:02:19.031-07:00PopplersTo kick off the new season of Futurama (or is it the second half of last season?) I wanted to create a dish that was not only a reference to the show, but also something that reflects the bizarre fantasy of American consumerism gone intergalactic that is Futurama. This, of course means that the dish needed to be corn based and deep fried. I have seen many recipes online for Popplers, but none of them seem to contain any seafood. Myself and "Fishy" Joseph Gilman disapprove of this trend. In answer to this obvious and tragic problem, I have concocted a simple and delicious recipe. Pop a Poppler in your mouth when you come to Fishy Joe's. Or, if you don't have a time machine to take you to the 3000's, just make them at home with this recipe. (Ride the walrus)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh358kmH1sG5zU6ubH0trk08ogrhN9iUxm30EKzuQXAi49hdSKZc8nW-iQA31RTtjPtGfqk-vRFuZq-fHpAHhPG7dA1BXJOBMMlai2tIG1sixgWZZR5o18RiCotNv5PUf32YpdM325kDok/s1600/IMG_0551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh358kmH1sG5zU6ubH0trk08ogrhN9iUxm30EKzuQXAi49hdSKZc8nW-iQA31RTtjPtGfqk-vRFuZq-fHpAHhPG7dA1BXJOBMMlai2tIG1sixgWZZR5o18RiCotNv5PUf32YpdM325kDok/s320/IMG_0551.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
Ingredients:<br />
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1 lb. Frozen Seafood (squid, scallop, shrimp)<br />
1/4 Frozen Chicken Breast Meat<br />
12 0nces of Lager<br />
1 package "Jiffy" Cornbread Mix<br />
1-2 cups Yellow Corn Meal<br />
salt<br />
black Pepper<br />
dried lemon peel, or lemon zest<br />
cayenne pepper<br />
onion powder<br />
Vegetable oil, or other frying medium in sufficient quantity to submerge popplers<br />
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(This recipe yields a gigantic amount of popplers. For pitiful human appetites halve the recipe) <br />
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<br />
Directions:<br />
<br />
Defrost the seafood and chicken together in a bag in the refrigerator or under cold running water with the lager and a 1/4 tsp of lemon powder or zest, as well as a 1/4 tsp of black pepper.<br />
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Drain defrosted meats and add to food processor and pulse till mixed. <br />
<br />
Add 1/4 tsp salt and black pepper, as well as 1/2 onion powder and cayenne pepper and the entire package of corn bread mix to the food processor and pulse till mixed.<br />
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Spoon out bite size pieces of the mixture and coat them with cornmeal before adding them to the pre-heated fryer. Popplers will fry quickly (1-3 mins depending on size at 375 degrees) and will puff up during the frying so make sure to leave ample room in the fryer.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6aIoZ_IPocgn5iC857ud165jbTZpOKln-3uvyNrGakfiTQI46_SFxLHS2rZpdyuQW3FRLPxJKf1RHP0AkLgGKcNklv-NvxQthFF8cs0BMwshC0CETj5cs33ObHrAAwMnBATbvNRoNgM/s1600/IMG_0548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6aIoZ_IPocgn5iC857ud165jbTZpOKln-3uvyNrGakfiTQI46_SFxLHS2rZpdyuQW3FRLPxJKf1RHP0AkLgGKcNklv-NvxQthFF8cs0BMwshC0CETj5cs33ObHrAAwMnBATbvNRoNgM/s320/IMG_0548.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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Allow excess oil to drain off of popplers on paper towels before serving. During this phase the popplers should deflate back to roughly their original size. At this point your popplers will be ready to serve. <br />
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If you don't have access to a food processor, then chopping the protein finely and mixing it with the dry ingredients in a bowl is acceptable. This will make the final product more resemble a fitter than a poppler but should be just as delicious.<br />
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In the absence of a fryer, a pot filled with a enough oil to cover the popplers will also work.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08713605807793371269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3941762790469103093.post-84532143852015324532011-06-28T14:57:00.000-07:002011-06-28T14:57:59.965-07:00Space Honey CustardTo celebrate the season premiere of one of our favorite shows - Futurama - Chip and I decided to make a show themed feast! I knew that I had to make something with honey; <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sting_%28Futurama%29">The Sting</a> is one of my favorite episodes and it heavily features the (not-so) ordinary honey the Planet Express crew gathers from deadly, deadly space bees. From Bender's buzzing buttocks to Leela's slow descent into madness, this episode demonstrates the wonderful weirdness that is Futurama - part ridiculous absurdity and part sweetness.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvPfpNsWFp3uAyav73zlQS3vAjV2hwBVQHQ9sPcWk8yKIRlsf4t25CK2Ab5AU_Odftw010WNHHa3PIL0SOsnWbluFlSHzY8noiHgUn_z0o90Z3kW9nWa_cKsJjX87rGqYznzr-fqoEhk/s1600/IMG_0558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMvPfpNsWFp3uAyav73zlQS3vAjV2hwBVQHQ9sPcWk8yKIRlsf4t25CK2Ab5AU_Odftw010WNHHa3PIL0SOsnWbluFlSHzY8noiHgUn_z0o90Z3kW9nWa_cKsJjX87rGqYznzr-fqoEhk/s320/IMG_0558.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I decided that we needed a dessert we could eat by the spoonful; something to mimic eating honey straight from the jar, just like they do in the show. Since the day was so hot, I settled on making a creamy, cool custard with some Earl Grey shortbread cookies on the side. To make the custard I slightly modified a basic <a href="http://bakingbites.com/2006/01/cooking-school-baked-custard/">baked custard</a> recipe from the excellent blog <a href="http://bakingbites.com/">Baking Bites</a>; I'll post my version below. For the cookies I followed Martha Stewart's <a href="http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/recipe/earl-grey-tea-cookies">recipe</a> to the letter.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ErlhNzSw-G2PanImlRz6W6AYAEGBjuOOk5rw0LxL0wJyGSQ8hDDVXJixwNyzs2iwi5xr14apaz_Wu8NWI0S0gvBPkoAG7POc4oKkfcjIIVKPm3xAWqhd-LF2IOnvaSj-yqudGml6lKQ/s1600/IMG_0561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ErlhNzSw-G2PanImlRz6W6AYAEGBjuOOk5rw0LxL0wJyGSQ8hDDVXJixwNyzs2iwi5xr14apaz_Wu8NWI0S0gvBPkoAG7POc4oKkfcjIIVKPm3xAWqhd-LF2IOnvaSj-yqudGml6lKQ/s320/IMG_0561.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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The custard was out of this world, and a perfect light ending to a heavy fried meal. The honey flavor shone through without the cloying sweetness that honey based desserts sometimes have, and the vanilla bean just made everything that much better. As for the cookies - I'd call them a mixed success. The flavor of the tea and the orange peels added complexity to an otherwise simple dish, but their texture left something to be desired because I didn't grind the leaves down to a fine enough powder. Live and learn - next time (and oh, will there be a next time!) I think they'll rock.<br />
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<br />
<a name='more'></a><b>Space Honey Custard</b><br />
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3 C Whole Milk<br />
4 Eggs<br />
1/2 C Honey (my substitution - Baking Bites calls for 1/2 C sugar)<br />
1/2 Vanilla Bean, split lengthwise<br />
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<br />
While baking, your custard will need to sit in a water bath to prevent scorching, and you should set this up before you start working with your ingredients. I used an 8x8 Pyrex baking dish for this recipe, but you could also use ramekins if you prefer single servings.<br />
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1) Grease your ramekins or baking dish, set aside. Place your water bath into the cool oven, and preheat to 325°.<br />
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2) Heat the milk and the vanilla bean in a medium sized saucepan over med-low heat. I scraped the seeds out of the pod and added them to the milk before I dropped in the split bean, because I love the speckled look the tiny seeds provide and I think scraping the seeds out helps intensify the flavor.<br />
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3) While the milk heats, whisk the eggs together in a medium sized bowl until they are well combined. Pour in the honey and whisk again until the mix is fully combined.<br />
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4) When the milk is very hot, right before it boils, take it off of the heat and begin adding it to your egg mix very, very slowly making sure to stir the entire time. Adding too much hot milk at once will cook the eggs, so patience is key here.<br />
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5) Once all the milk has been added and mixed into the eggs and honey, pour everything into your prepared baking dish through a strainer, to catch any lumpy eggs and the vanilla bean.<br />
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6) Pop the Pyrex into the hot water bath, and bake at 325° for at least 40 minutes. My custard took more like 55 minutes to be done, so your time may vary. Start checking at 40 minutes, and if your knife doesn't come out clean put it back in for five minutes and check again.<br />
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7) Once your custard is done, let it cool in the water bath for around fifteen minutes. If you can't resist the delicious aromas, you can eat the custard warm, but I prefer to hide it in the fridge for a couple of hours and eat it when it is nice and cool.Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08713605807793371269noreply@blogger.com1