Happy Mother’s Day!  

     

photo by Griot Photography

Fresh Blackberry Sorbet

For a taste of summer, no matter what the season, make this blackberry sorbet recipe. It uses a bit less sugar than most other versions, so the flavor is one of pure, fresh-picked blackberries.

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

8 cups fresh blackberries

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon vodka

Directions:

Blend the blackberries, water, and lemon juice on high until the mixture is smooth. Transfer the berries and juice to a large saucepan and stir in the sugar. Bring the berry mixture just to a boil and immediately remove it from the heat. Allow the berries to cool at room temperature for 5 minutes, and then press them through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard the berry solids, and mix the puree with the vodka. Allow the mixture to cool and then freeze it in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Cook’s note: A tablespoon of vodka is added to the sorbet to produce an airy quality in the finished product. It can be omitted, but the sorbet will have a harder, more chunky texture as a result.

 

 

Lemon Chevre Cheesecake

 This savory cheesecake is made with fresh goat cheese and spicy ginger snap cookies. It pairs beautifully with the Fresh Blackberry Sorbet for an elegant addition to any menu!

Yields 12 servings

Ingredients:

7 ounces gingersnap cookies

2 tablespoons plus 1 tsp. finely grated fresh lemon zest (from about 3 lemons)

1/4 cup sugar

12 ounces fresh, mild goat cheese

10 ounce cream cheese

1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°.

Crumble cookies into a food processor and pulse until finely ground. In a medium bowl, toss 2 tbsp. lemon zest.

Add cookie crumbs and mix well. Butter sides of an 8-in. pan with removable rim and press cookie mixture into bottom; bake 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool in pan.

Lower temperature to 275°.

In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat goat cheese and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add remaining lemon zest, lemon juice, and the sugar, sour cream, and the vanilla; beat well.

Scrape bowl and add eggs; beat well.

Pour batter onto crust and bake about 1 hour, or until set on the sides but still quite jiggly in the center and only slightly sticky.

Turn oven off, crack oven door, and let cake cool in oven 2 hours.

Remove and let cool completely; then chill, covered, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Run a thin knife between cake and rim of pan and remove rim.

Serve with Fresh Blackberry Sorbet. 

 

 photo by Griot Photography 

 

     

 

 

Homemade Tortillas  

 

This simple recipe for tortillas that have an authentic Mexican taste!

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:
9 ounces all-purpose flour, plus 1/4 cup for kneading and rolling
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup lard, in 4 to 5 chunks
1/2 cup cool water

Directions:
Combine 9 ounces flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 2 to 3 times.

Add the lard to the flour mixture in 4 to 5 chunks and pulse 10 to 15 times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

While the processor is still running, add the water in a steady stream just until a ball of dough begins to form, approximately 30 seconds.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of flour on a clean surface.

Remove the dough from the bowl of the processor and knead until well incorporated and less sticky.

Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

Evenly divide the dough into 8 pieces and form them into round balls.

Keep all of the dough balls covered with a tea towel until ready to use.

Roll each ball into 7-inch rounds with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface or use a floured tortilla press.

Heat a cast iron skillet until very hot.
Place the tortillas, 2 to 3 at a time, into the skillet and cook until light golden, about 4 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Cover with a damp towel until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Guacamole!

Cilantro and jalapeno pepper give this guacamole a fresh and spicy kick!

Recipe by Chef Jennifer Hill Booker

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:

3 avocados – peeled, pitted, and mashed

1 lime, juiced

1 teaspoon Sea salt

1/2 cup diced red onion

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 Roma (plum) tomatoes, diced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 jalapeno pepper, minced (seeds and membrane removed)

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt.

Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic.

Stir in jalapeno pepper.

Cover with plastic wrap, pressing firmly on top of Guacamole.

Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Margarita

  

 

The perfect margarita to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!

Recipe by Chef Jennifer Hill Booker

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:

6 fluid ounces of your favorite tequila

2 fluid ounces triple sec

2 cups fresh strawberries, stems removed

4 fluid ounces frozen limeade concentrate

2 cups ice

Garnish:

½ cup powdered sugar

4 lime slices

4 strawberries, sliced half way through berry

Directions:

Fill a blender with ice and crush.

Pour in the tequila and triple sec.

Add the strawberries and limeade.

Blend for 30 seconds or until smooth.

Serve in margarita glasses with the rims dipped in powdered sugar and garnished with lime slice and strawberry.

Enjoy!

photo by ablogablelife.com

       

Giving up bread can make you fat: Gluten IS good for you

With claims that it boosts energy, reduces water retention and helps you lose weight more easily than any other regimen; you can see the appeal of a gluten-free diet.  

But experts are warning that cutting out gluten – a protein found in wheat, rye and barley – for no medical reason may cause weight gain, fatigue, headaches and a lack of nutrients.

 

Gluten is present in a wide range of foods, from bread and pasta to sauces and even beer and for the millions with celiac disease, giving it up is a medical necessity.

 Celiac disease is a serious auto-immune condition in which the immune system reacts to gluten, triggering it to attack the lining of the small intestine.

 

Celiac disease is diagnosed by taking a biopsy of the intestine or via blood tests. Sufferers must be strict in avoiding gluten.

But this is different from so-called ‘gluten intolerance’, which is linked to IBS, headaches and mood swings. The problem, say experts, is that people are self-diagnosing it.

Gluten intolerance was one of the ‘make-believe allergies’ highlighted by Portsmouth University researchers in January 2010, in a study that showed a fifth of adults wrongly believe they have a problem with certain foods.

 

‘Gluten intolerance certainly exists,’ says Tanya Thomas, a dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic association.

‘But we know that the amount of people who truly have celiac-like symptoms is a lot less than the number of people who are cutting it out of their diets. A real intolerance to gluten can be diagnosed easily with the tests for celiac disease and means someone would need to avoid every crumb of gluten in their diet to avoid feeling ill.’

 

 

 

There is a huge problem with under diagnosis of the disease with only ten to 15 per cent of those affected realize the cause of their symptoms.  

 

However, there is no evidence that gluten intolerance is on the increase, says Dr. Emma Williams of the British Nutrition Foundation.

And yet the market for gluten-free foods has grown by 29 per cent in the past five years. According to market research company Mintel, gluten-free is one of the fastest growing food categories.

Dr. WilIiams believes people are cutting out gluten because of the internet, self-testing kits available from pharmacies and celebrity fads. For some cutting out gluten is a reason to cut calories, excused by faux-medical reasoning.

Many people have jumped on the bandwagon because they’ve misinterpreted the benefits experienced by those following a gluten-free diet for medical reasons, says dietitian Tanya Thomas.

Those with genuine problems may find bloating diminishes and digestion improves when they cut out gluten.

Any initial weight loss will occur because people are cutting out a significant part of their regular diet, in this case, starchy foods.

But in the long-term, switching to a gluten-free diet, which involves replacing gluten products with those using flours made from rice, cornmeal and buckwheat, can lead to weight gain. It is not unusual to put on 15-20 pounds.

‘People assume that by cutting out gluten they are going to lose weight. It’s a myth,’ says Thomas.

Furthermore, many gluten-free products contain extra sugar and fat to make them more palatable and can be packed with more salt.

Not only will you not lose weight, you will miss out on key nutrients.

 

What Foods Contain Gluten?

 

~Anything made from wheat, rye and barley contains gluten. as well as obvious foods such as bread and cakes, this includes certain stock cubes and even beer.

~Naturally gluten-free foods include fresh meat, cheese, eggs, milk, fruit and vegetables. n a ‘

~A ‘gluten-free’ label is only allowed on foods that have less than 20 parts per million gluten and are suitable for most (but not all) celiacs as there is always a residual gluten content

~Oats contain a protein similar to gluten called avenin and most people with celiac disease can’t tolerate more than 50g a day. Beware, since most oats on the market are contaminated with wheat, rye and barley and so are unsuitable for celiacs.

~Starches, such as maize, potato and buckwheat, are often used to make ‘naturally gluten-free’ foods. However, they do not rise on baking, don’t make great bread and are also low in fiber.

   

 

Dr Williams says: ‘Wheat forms a staple part of the diet. Since wheat flour – found in a vast array of foods, from mustard to bread – is fortified, it is a vital source of calcium, iron, B vitamins and fiber.’

Eliminating a food group can lead to plummeting energy levels and hypoglycemic headaches caused by a lack of carbohydrate.

‘So many people are needlessly avoiding gluten and spending a small fortune on doing so,’ says Thomas.

‘Not only is it a waste of time and money when there’s no real problem, it can mean your attempts to lose weight and get healthier backfire.

 

 

References:

Giving up bread can make you fat: Gluten IS good for you By Peta Bee May 2010

http://www.unitconversion.org

http://www.mayoclinic.com

 

Spring is Here!

     

This free-formed tart is quick, easy, and the perfect after dinner treat!

Recipe by Chef Jennifer Hill Booker

Yields 8 servings

Ingredients:

Pastry Dough:

1¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks

3 tablespoon cold water

1 large egg, beaten + 1 tablespoon water

*refrigerated premade pie crust can be substituted

Filling:

1 cup dark brown sugar

4-5 medium Georgia grown apples, like Honey Crisp, Gala, and Granny Smith, peeled, cored and cut into ½ inch thick slices

1 cup dried peaches

2 cups water

Garnish:

2 tablespoons sugar

½ cup toasted Georgia pecans, chopped

¼ cup powdered sugar

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375*F.

In a food processor with the blade attachment, pulse together the flour, salt, and sugar.

Add the butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.

Add the cold water, one tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the mixture comes together into a loose ball.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a disc.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. This pie dough can also be made up to two days ahead and refrigerated.

In a large bowl, combine the apples and brown sugar; set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the dried peaches and water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until peaches are plump and tender.

Remove from heat, cool slightly, and drain; reserving ¼ cup of the liquid.

Add the cooked peaches to the apple mixture along with the reserved liquid.

Mix until well combined.

Remove tart dough from refrigerator and allow to temper for 10 minutes.

Remove plastic wrap and roll out on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, into a 12inch round.

Brush excess flour from dough and parchment paper and transfer to a baking sheet.

Spoon apple mixture into the center of the tart round and fold dough edges up around the fruit mixture. You should have a 6 inch circle of fruit showing at the top of the tart.

Brush dough with the beaten egg mixture, sprinkle with sugar, and Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the fruit mixture is bubbling and crust is golden brown.

Garnish with a dusting of powdered sugar and chopped pecans.

Enjoy!

 

     

 

 

 

 

        

The Wine Drinking Habits of Men vs., Women

Surprisingly, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot rank number one and two respectively for both men and women. But the stats change for third place where women score White Zin just ahead of Chardonnay, their number four varietal. Men prefer Pinot Noir (in third place), and then Chardonnay ranks fourth as their number one white choice. Red Zin is number five for men but comes in seventh for women after Pinot Grigio. The least popular white among both was Chenin Blanc, and the lowest-ranking red was Grenache.

The study asked both genders to rank 22 different wine-drinking occasions. Sixteen of these came in sync for both men and women.