Sprouting Carrots with Black Tips and Lumpy Onion Powder

Just 2 of the amazing ingredients I am using up in this recipe.
Poached Chicken Breast and Chicken Broth
From Martha Stewart

With this method of cooking, you get tender and moist chicken as well as a tasty broth, which you can use in a variety of dishes. Like Hawaiian Haystack.

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 to 5 pounds (about 6) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
• 1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 2 carrots, quartered crosswise
• 2 celery, quartered crosswise
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 3 garlic cloves
• 6 sprigs parsley
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a 5-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cover with water by 2 inches.
   
2. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cover. Cook chicken until no longer pink in center and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat (avoiding bone) registers 160 degrees, about 15 minutes.
   
3. Transfer chicken to a rimmed baking sheet; arrange in a single layer, and let cool. With a slotted spoon, remove and discard vegetables. Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a damp paper towel. If broth is more than 8 cups (2 quarts), return to pan; reduce over medium-high heat until you have just 8 cups. Once cooled, refrigerate for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
   
4. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard skin and bones. Shred with forks or chop chicken, as desired. Makes 8 cups (2 pounds) poached chicken and 8 cups broth.
   

Ripe Yogurt

Oct 2010:
Ooooo, I'm going to buy some yogurt and use it to make my own. Didn't do it. Still have it.

Nov 2010:
Ooooo, I'm going to buy some yogurt and use it to make my own. Didn't do it. Still have it.

Dec 2010:
Ooooo, I'm going to buy some yogurt and use it to make my own. Didn't do it. Still have it.

Is there a pattern here? Lucky for me the last one I bought I mistakenly picked up vanilla flavored.

Yogurt Parfait
Makes 1

3/4 c. vanilla flavored yogurt, divided
2/3 c. frozen strawberries in sugar, thawed
1 T. blueberries
2 T. granola

Spoon 1/2 cup of yogurt into a parfait or other glass. Top with strawberries. Next add blueberries. Spoon the rest of the yogurt on top of the fruit. Sprinkle with granola.

You can use fresh strawberries. Wash, remove tops and slice. Sprinkle with desired amount of sugar and let sit until juice is made.

Amounts for a McDonald's size yogurt parfait:

In a 6 oz cup layer:

1/4 c. vanilla yogurt (bottom)
1/3 c. frozen strawberries in sugar, thawed
5 blueberries
2 T. vanilla yogurt
1 T Nature Valley granola (top)

Happy Easter

Get this here.

Perfect Poached Eggs

Poached Eggs
From Bon Appetit

Fill a 1-cup microwaveable bowl or cup with 1/2 cup water. I tried different bowls and cups and a cereal bowl worked the best for my microwave. Gently crack an egg into the water, making sure it's completely submerged. Add more water if necessary. Cover with a saucer. Microwave on high for about 1 minute, or until the white is set but the yolk is still runny or to desired doneness. The time will depend upon your microwave. Remember it will still cook if you leave it in the hot water. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the egg to a plate.

Stuffed Salmon Becomes Cake

We had stuffed salmon over a week ago and there was one lonely salmon left. Nobody around here had the nerve to try it and see if it was any good. Tarnation to the rescue. All I did was mash the salmon and seafood stuffing all together, form patties and fry it in butter. Listed below I found two recipe for salmon cakes that I want to try.

Curried Salmon Cakes
From Sunset
Serves 4

• 2 large eggs
• 2 pouches (about 7 oz. each) boned, skinned pink salmon, or 1 can (about 15 oz.) red or pink salmon, drained, skin removed
• 1/2 cup finely chopped apple
• 1/4 cup fine dried bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1. Beat eggs with a fork. Add salmon and break up. Stir in apple, bread crumbs, onions, mayonnaise, curry powder, paprika, and pepper. Shape into four cakes (3/4 in. thick); place on a piece of plastic wrap.
• 2. Set a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add oil, then salmon cakes. Cook until well browned on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn cakes over and cook until browned on the other side, 3 to 5 minutes longer.
• 3. Serve cakes with aioli.

Calories per serving: 463
Lemon-Curry Aioli
Makes 1/2 cup

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• salt

In a bowl, mix mayonnaise, curry powder, grated lemon peel, lemon juice, paprika, and salt to taste.

Grandma's Famous Salmon Cakes (easy)
From allrecipes.com
Serves 4

• 1 (14.75 ounce) can salmon, drained and flaked
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1. Pick through the salmon and remove any bones. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and add the diced onion, salmon and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
2. Shape into 2 ounce patties; about 7 or 8 patties. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Fry each patty for 5 minutes on each side or until crispy and golden brown.

Calories per serving: 307

Leftover Peelings

"You are not going to get me to eat that" was the battle cry as he passed by the leftover slimy asparagus peelings. Bwahahaha. On another note, what kind of magical creature do you see in the scoop of creme fraiche?

Asparagus Soup
Adapted from Wolfgang Puck

2 cups chicken broth

1 lb. fresh asparagus

1 clove garlic minced

4 - 6 green onions chopped

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. flour

1/2 cup cream (more if desired)

1/2 cup milk (more if desired)

Salt to taste

Break asparagus at end to remove tough part of stem. Chop into 1 inch pieces. Melt butter in saucepan and saute onions and garlic, stir in flour and chicken broth and lemon juice. Add asparagus pieces and simmer for 20 - 25 minutes until asparagus is tender. Place mixture, except for asparagus tips in a blender or food processor and puree. Return to saucepan and add cream and salt and pepper to taste. Heat thoroughly. Serve in bowls and garnish with asparagus tips.

The Skinny: Use light chicken broth and substitute an equal measure of light half and half or evaporated milk for the cream.

Asparagus Peelings

Am I suppose to peel asparagus? Does peeling it make it more tender? I have no idea but I thought I'd give it a try. The only thing I ended up with was a pile of asparagus peelings and there was no way I was going to throw them out. I couldn't decide what recipe to use them in: soup, sauce, souffle or pizza? The exploding "fresh" mozzarella cheese cast the deciding vote.

Shaved Asparagus Pizza
From The Tasty Kitchen
For a step-by-step go here

• 1 whole batch of pizza dough - enough for one 12-16 Inch Pizza
• Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling the dough
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1 bunch asparagus, place in a glass of water until ready to use
• 5-¼ ounces, weight Boursin cheese (or similar herb and garlic spreadable cheese)
• Fresh cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 F.
If not already shaped, stretch your pizza dough into a large circle 12-16 inches in diameter and place on your pizza pan or stone. Drizzle dough with a thin stream of olive oil.
Slice fresh mozzarella as thinly as possible and arrange in a single layer over dough.
When you’re ready to prep the stalks, bend each one until it breaks. Discard the bottom part that breaks off.
Then take a vegetable peeler and peel off the outer-most edges and leaves. Discard those. Then keep peeling until you have nothing left but the tip.
Use the entire bunch, as you might only get 3 or 4 good ribbons from each spear. Pile asparagus shavings on top of the mozzarella. The asparagus WILL cook down so you want to use more than you think is necessary.
Top asparagus with several cranks of black pepper and dot generously with Boursin cheese. (about 1/4-1/2 a package per pizza or more if desired)
Bake on pizza stone or baking sheet for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let cool for 2-3 minutes before slicing and serving.