|
International Recipes and Food Trivia Archives Index
|
Subscribe
|
|
| << March19, 2006 - HOT CROSS BUNS |
March26, 2006 - International Recipes and Food Trivia >> |
|
********************************************************************* "He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else." -Ben Franklin ********************************************************************* WEEKLY RIDDLE...(Answer at the Bottom of this Newsletter) Hank is 33 years old today. This is three times as old as his brother Harvey was when Hank was the age that Harvey is today. How old is Harvey? ********************************************************************* INCLUDED IN THIS POSTING 1) Soft Ginger Cookies With Orange Glaze 2) Grilled Chicken with Ginger and Oranges 3) Blood Orange Sorbet 4) Orange Sauce for Duck 5) Oranges and Whisky (Scottish) 6) Pork Chops and Oranges in a White Wine Sauce 7) Saut?©ed Spinach with Oranges 8) Candied Orange Peel 9) Salad of Prawns, Blood Oranges, and Watercress with Champagne Vinaigrette 10) Weekly Trivia... 11) Hazelnut Stuffed Fish with Oranges 12) Salad of Bitter Greens & Oranges 13) Baked Plaice And Oranges 14) Orange Cake 15) Did You Know... 16) Quick Orange Bread (Caribbean) 17) Orange Spice Cookies 18) Orange-Ginger Carrots 19) Just A Funny... 20) Hot Spiced Orange Juice ********************************************************************* 1) SOFT GINGER COOKIES WITH ORANGE GLAZE COOKIES INGREDIENTS 1 cup Buttermilk 2 teaspoons baking soda 3/4 cup vegetable oil 1 cup sugar 1 cup dark molasses 2 eggs 3 3/4 cup all purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves GLAZE 2 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar 1 tablespoon butter (very soft) 1/4 cup orange juice 2 teaspoons grated orange zest 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract dash of salt DIRECTIONS In a small bowl combine buttermilk and baking soda and set aside. They will foam up. In a larger bowl combine oil, sugar, molasses and eggs and beat until well mixed (about 1 minute). Add the buttermilk mixture and blend. Sift together dry ingredients. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Let mixture stand 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Drop batter by heaping tablespoons onto oiled cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 9 minutes until the top springs back when touched with your finger. Do Not overbake. The cookies should be quite soft. While cookies are baking combine glaze ingredients. Remove cookies to wax paper lined wire rack. Frost while warm with 1/2 tsp of glaze for each cookie. Let cool completely. Transfer to trays and place in freezer to completely set if neccesary or to freeze for storage. Once frozen pack in tins in single layers seperated by wax paper. These freeze well. From Cooking In Quilt Country by Marcia Adams. ********************************************************************* 2) GRILLED CHICKEN WITH GINGER AND ORANGES INGREDIENTS 3lb chicken cut-up 1 large orange cut into about 8 slices 1/2 cup reduced-sugar orange marmalade 1/2 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons ginger, grated 2 tablespoons orange juice 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper DIRECTIONS Combine oil, ginger and garlic. Mix well. Brush over chicken pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let stand for 15 minutes at room temperature. Preheat grill. Combine marmalade, and juice. Grill chicken over a medium heat. It will take about 25-30 minutes for chicken to cook. During the last 15 minutes brush with marmalade and juice mixture, turning frequently. Grill orange slices for about 8 minutes and serve over chicken. ********************************************************************* *ORANGES* Everybody loves oranges. And what is breakfast without a fresh tall glass of orange juice? Some of the highest quality oranges are grown in North America in the sunny state of Florida. Florida oranges have a higher juice content than oranges from California. The Valencia and Navel oranges from California are considered excellent for eating. Green skin on oranges is not necessarily an indication of their being unripe. In fact, the familiar bright orange color is a result of an orange dye having been applied to the skin. Oranges in their true color are yellow and green. It would be far healthier if the consumer could grow accustomed to what would appear to be an esthetically unappetizing orange. Look for thin skin, heavy fruit, and store in the refrigerator. Juicing tips: Orange juice, fresh from the juicer, has a live taste. The powerful healing effects of fresh juice come from the dramatic increase in enzymes available to the body. Orange juice, frozen or bottled, has no enzymes, but can be added to freshly-made juice. ********************************************************************* 3) BLOOD ORANGE SORBET The juice of blood oranges makes a dramatic presentation in this dish. Its intense (some might even say ghoulish) color provides a wonderful contrast when paired with pale, thin butter cookies. INGREDIENTS 7 or 8 blood oranges Approximately 3/4 cup simple syrup (see at end of this recipe) 2 egg whites 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier DIRECTIONS Juice oranges leaving some of the pulp for texture. You??™ll need a total of 11/2 cups juice and pulp combined. In a mixing bowl, combine juice and pulp with 1/2 cup of simple syrup. Add more syrup in 2-ounce increments until you have the sweetness you desire. Remember, when frozen the sorbet will lose some of its sweetness. Whip the egg whites in a clean bowl until foamy but with no peaks showing. Swish into the juice mixture with a wire whip. Pour into an ice cream maker such as a Donvier or other hand crank model that requires no electricity or salt. Follow directions. Just before the sorbet totally solidifies, add the Grand Marnier. (Alcohol raises the freezing temperature so you shouldn??™t put it in until the mixture is almost frozen.) Serve immediately or put into the freezer until you??™re ready to serve. Allow to soften slightly before serving. If you don??™t have an ice cream maker, put the juice mixture into a shallow pan and freeze. When ready to serve, put in a food processor to puree until smooth and serve immediately. Serves 4. SIMPLE SYRUP Combine 1 cup water and 2 cups sugar in saucepan and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Boil 30-45 seconds until syrup is clear, stirring to make sure sugar is dissolved. Cool and store in the refrigerator. Makes 2 cups. ********************************************************************* 4) ORANGE SAUCE FOR DUCK INGREDIENTS juice of 1 orange juice of 1 lemon granted rind of 1 orange grated rind of 1 lemon 1-3 cups corn syrup or sugar 1 tablespoon grated horseradish 2 tablespoons currant jelly DIRECTIONS Strain orange and lemon juice, add the grated orange and lemon rinds, sugar, fresh horseradish, finely grated and currant jelly. Beat thoroughly. Bring to boiling point and serve. ********************************************************************* 5) ORANGES AND WHISKY (Scottish) Here is a delicious way to add some additional flavour to oranges to make a great dessert. INGREDIENTS 4 oranges 2 tablespoons demerara (brown) sugar 3 tablespoons whisky 3 tablespoons water Whipped cream DIRECTIONS Peel and thinly slice 3 of the oranges, removing all pips and pith. Put the juice from the remaining orange with the sugar, whisky and water in a pan. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for two minutes. Add the orange slices and raise the heat for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Arrange the fruit in a dish and pour any remaining juices from the pan over them. Chill and serve with whipped cream. ********************************************************************* 6) PORK CHOPS AND ORANGES IN A WHITE WINE SAUCE INGREDIENTS 2 thick-cut pork chops white wine salt and pepper to taste olive oil 2 large oranges 1/2 cup flour 1 to 2 sprigs rosemary DIRECTIONS Peel one orange and separate into wedges with no membrane. Juice other orange. Salt and pepper pork chops. Put some olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Dredge the chops in flour and shake off excess. Put in pan and sear pork chop on both sides. You do not have to cook it all the way through at this point. Pour white wine into pan until the wine is half-way up the chops (do not cover the chops in wine). Pour in the orange juice and throw in the orange wedges. Put rosemary, whole, into the pan. Cover and reduce heat to simmer until cooked. Cooking time varies depending on the thickness of the cut, but it will probably take about 15 minutes or so. You can cut the meat near the bone to see if it is done. Serves 2. ********************************************************************* 7) SAUTEED SPINACH WITH ORANGES This is a quick and easy way to prepare spinach, and it offers a nice change from plain steamed spinach. INGREDIENTS 1 small navel orange 2 teaspoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 12 ounces of fresh baby spinach, rinsed 2 tablespoons sliced almonds Salt and freshly ground pepper DIRECTIONS Peel the orange, removing the white pith with a knife. Cut between the thin membranes to release the segments and cut the segments in half crosswise. Heat the oil in a non-reactive saucepan with a lid. Add the garlic and cook over moderately high heat, about 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the spinach and toss to coat with the oil and garlic. Cover and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, drain off any liquid and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir in the orange segments and garnish with sliced almonds. Serves 4. ********************************************************************* 8) CANDIED ORANGE PEEL INGREDIENTS Peels from three large oranges, grapefruits or lemons* 1 teaspoon salt 3 cups sugar water DIRECTIONS Cut the peel on each fruit into quarters. Pull the peel off in these quarter sections. Slice peel into 1/4 inch-wide strips. In a saucepan, add salt and cover with cold water. Boil 15 minutes, pour off water and add fresh water. Boil 20 minutes. Change water again and boil another 20 minutes. Drain and cover with 2 1/2 cups sugar and 1 cup water. Simmer, stirring constantly, until all the syrup has boiled away. Do not let the peels scorch. Spread on wax paper. Roll peels in remaining sugar. Let dry. Store in an airtight container. These keep one week or they can be frozen. *If non-organic fruit is used, wash peels thoroughly before peeling. ********************************************************************* 9) SALAD OF PRAWNS, BLOOD ORANGES AND WATERCRESS WITH CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS 1 lb. Large prawns (or large shrimp), shelled and deveined 1 teaspoon Pink peppercorns, crushed Salt, seasalt preferred White pepper, fresh ground 2 Blood oranges, segmented with skin and membranes removed 3 bunches Watercress, thick stems removed 1/4 lb. Reggiano Parmesan, buy in small block and shave (potato peeler works well) DRESSING 3 to 4 Shallots, skins removed 1/4 cup Champagne vinegar 3 tablespoons Blood orange juice, fresh squeezed 2 tablespoons Thyme, fresh, chopped fine 1/4 teaspoon Seasalt 1/4 teaspoon Granulated sugar 1/8 teaspoon Fresh ground white pepper 1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil DIRECTIONS For the dressing. Place whole shallots in ovenproof container. Sprinkle with a touch of olive oil, salt and white pepper. Place in 350 degree oven for 30 - 40 minutes until soft and golden. Remove, allow to cool, and chop very fine. Whisk together in a mixing bowl, shallots, Champagne vinegar, blood orange juice, thyme, salt, sugar, and white pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil and set aside. Season prawns with pink peppercorns, salt, and white pepper. Heat about 2 t. of olive oil in a saute pan and add prawns. Saute until just cooked and remove from heat and allow to cool. In a bowl place watercress, 3/4 of the prawns, 3/4 of the blood orange segments, 3/4 of the Parmesan, and enough dressing to coat. Toss until watercress is coated with dressing. Divide among 6 plates and garnish with the remaining prawns, blood orange segments, and Parmesan. Drizzle a little dressing around edge for that final touch. Serves 6. ********************************************************************* 10) WEEKLY TRIVIA... In the late 1970s, Coca-Cola Co. boycotted the NBC late-night comedy show Saturday NightLive" for several years. The giant soda company was retaliating against a frequent character of comedian John Belushi's, a Greek restaurant owner, who repeatedly said to customers, "No Coke ??” Pepsi," thus saying the rival company's name dozens of times throughout each skit. ********************************************************************* 11) Hazelnut Stuffed Fish with Oranges INGREDIENTS 4 x 170g (6oz) skinned witch or sole fillets, fresh or defrosted 30g (1oz) butter half a small onion, finely chopped 30g (1oz) ground hazelnuts 30g (1oz) white breadcrumbs 1 x 15ml spoon (1 tablespoon) parsley, chopped rind and juice of a lemon salt and black pepper 1 x 300g can mandarin oranges, drained DIRECTIONS Pre-heat the oven to 180?°C/350?°F, Gas Mark 4. Melt the butter in a small pan, add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Stir in the hazelnuts, breadcrumbs, parsley, rind and juice of half the lemon. Season. Lay the fish on a board, skinned side uppermost and place a spoonful of the stuffing onto each fillet about 2.5cm (1 inch) away from the tail. Wrap the tail end over the stuffing and roll up each fillet. Place in a baking dish. Top with mandarin orange segments and bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Serve with new potatoes and baby vegetables. Microwave Power 800 Watt. Place the stuffed fish in a suitable dish, top with the mandarin orange segments, cover and cook on HIGH for 3-4 minutes. Serves 4. ********************************************************************* 12) SALAD OF BITTER GREENS AND ORANGES INGREDIENTS 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons minced shallot 2 1/4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 5-ounce bags baby greens or 12 cups torn mixed greens (such as arugula, sorrel, watercress, radicchio, and endive) 4 green onions, thinly sliced 1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill 3 oranges, peeled, halved, cut crosswise into half-circles DIRECTIONS Combine lemon juice, shallot, thyme, and orange peel in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature and whisk to combine before using.) Combine greens, green onions, radishes, and dill in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Add oranges; toss again and serve. Serves 8 servings. ********************************************************************* 13) BAKED PLAICE AND ORANGES INGREDIENTS 50g (2oz) butter 900g (2lb) plaice fillets grated rind and juice of 1 lemon salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 oranges, peeled and sliced watercress sprigs to garnish cayenne DIRECTIONS Lightly butter an ovenproof dish and place the plaice fillets on the bottom. Dot the fillets with the remaining butter and add the grated rind and juice of the lemon, making sure the surface of the fish is well coated. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with cayenne. Add the sliced oranges and bake in a moderately hot oven 200?°c/400?°f for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with the juices left from baking and garnish with sprigs of watercress. Serves 4-6. ********************************************************************* 14) ORANGE CAKE INGREDIENTS 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1-1/2 cups sugar 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 cups buttermilk 1/2 cup softened margarine 3 eggs 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1 cup golden raisins, cut up 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts 1 Tablespoon grated orange peel Ingredients - Frosting: 1/3 cup softened margarine 3 cups powdered sugar 3 to 4 Tablespoons orange juice or orange liqueur 2 teaspoons grated orange peel DIRECTIONS Combine cake ingredients and bake 45 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees. Beat frosting ingredients together, using enough orange juice make the frosting spreadable. ********************************************************************* 15) DID YOU KNOW... Benjamin Franklin's autobiography was the best-seller of the year in America in 1794. It was published in England the year before, three years after Franklin's death. ********************************************************************* 16) QUICK ORANGE BREAD (Caribbean) INGREDIENTS 2 cups all-purpose flour 4 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1/2 cup orange juice 3 tablespoons melted shortening or vegetable oil 1/2 cup chopped candied orange peel 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 350??F. Grease a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Beat the eggs well and add the orange juice, shortening, orange peel, and orange zest. Combine the egg mixture with the dry ingredients, mixing only enough to dampen all the flour. Pour into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for approximately 10 minutes on a wire rack, and then remove from pan. Continue to cool on a wire rack. Serves 10 to 12. ********************************************************************* 17) ORANGE SPICE COOKIES INGREDIENTS 5oz pork rinds, finely ground (2 cups ground) 1/2 cup granular Splenda 1/2 cup brown Sugar Twin 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 4 tablespoons cinnamon 1 1/2 teaspoons dried ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger root 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup sour cream 3 eggs DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 350?°F. Combine the pork rinds, Splenda, Sugar Twin, baking powder, soda, cinnamon ginger and nutmeg with a whisk until blended. In a separate bowl, beat the fresh ginger, orange zest, vanilla, sour cream and eggs together. Stir into the pork rind mixture until well blended. Drop rounded tablespoons onto parchment lined baking sheets, 2-inches apart. Flatten with the bottom of an oiled glass. Bake for 12 minutes. Transfer the cookies to cooling racks to cool. Makes about 40 cookies. ********************************************************************* 18) ORANGE-GINGER CARROTS INGREDIENTS 8 medium carrots 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ginger 1/4 cup orange juice 1 tablespoon butter DIRECTIONS Peel carrots, slice cutting them at a slight angle, about 1 inch thick. Bring about 1 inch of lightly salted water to a boil in a two quart saucepan. Add carrots and cook, covered for 10-15 minutes, then drain. ********************************************************************* 19) JUST A FUNNY...Equal Opportunity Employer A local business was looking for office help. They put a sign in the window, stating the following: "Help wanted. Must be able to type, must be good with a computer and must be bilingual. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer". A short time afterwards, a dog trotted up to the window, saw the sign and went inside. He looked at the receptionist and wagged his tail, then walked over to the sign, looked at it and whined. Getting the idea, the receptionist got the office manager. The office manager looked at the dog and was surprised, to say the least. However, the dog looked determined, so he lead him into the office. Inside, the dog jumped up on the chair and stared at the manager. The manager said, "I can't hire you. The sign says you have to be able to type." The dog jumped down, went to the typewriter and proceeded to type out a perfect letter. He took out the page and trotted over to the manager and gave it to him, then jumped back on the chair. The manager was stunned, but then told the dog, "The sign says you have to be good with a computer." The dog jumped down again and went to the computer. The dog proceeded to enter and execute a perfect program that worked flawlessly the first time. By this time the manager was totally dumbfounded! He looked at the dog and said, "I realize that you are a very intelligent dog and have some interesting abilities. However, I still can't give you the job." The dog jumped down and went to a copy of the sign and put his paw on the sentences that told about being an Equal Opportunity Employer. The manager said, "Yes, but the sign also says that you have to be bilingual." The dog looked at the manager calmly and said, "Meow!" ********************************************************************* 20) HOT SPICED ORANGE JUICE INGREDIENTS 1 can orange juice concentrate 1/4 teaspoon allspice 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1 teaspoon vanilla DIRECTIONS Pour all ingredients into 5 cups of water. Bring to a slow boil. Serve hot. ********************************************************************* Answer to the Riddle at the top oif this Newsletter is (Scroll down a little for the Answer.) Hank is 33 years old today. This is three times as old as his brother Harvey was when Hank was the age that Harvey is today. How old is Harvey? 22! ********************************************************************* |
|
| << March19, 2006 - HOT CROSS BUNS |
March26, 2006 - International Recipes and Food Trivia >> |
|
International Recipes and Food Trivia Archives Index
|
Subscribe
|
|
|
Archives powered by Zinester's Mailing List Service
Details on International Recipes and Food Trivia |
Browse for more newsletters at Zinester's Ezine Directory
Managed by Zinester's Mailing List Management |