Baconed Covered Scallops

Baconed Covered Scallops - Audio from 11/21/11
"What's Cooking With Freesia" Broadcast at 11 am on www.Kdhr.net

Fancy Finger Foods

Date: 11/14/2011

Show Title: What’s Cooking With Freesia

Freesia:  Good morning everyone! Your tuned into KDHR.net her broadcasting from CAL STATE UNIVERSITY DOMINGUEZ HILL in Carson, Ca.  Your listening to the new show, “What’s cooking with Freesia.”  The crew was nice enough to have me back and I’m glad to be here.  This show is all about Food; because I love food.  The title of today’s show is “Fancy Finger Foods.”  I thought this was the perfect topic because we’re in the midst of the holiday season, with Thanks giving right around the corner.  During this time of year, they’ll be plenty of opportunities to make food dishes for your friends and family.  There’s Thanksgiving, Kwanza, Christmas, and Hanukkah.  I can’t think of anything more enjoyable than a home cooked dish shared in the company of family and friends.  So, today we’re going to talk about m new recipe for meatballs.  There not ordinary, everyday meatballs- they’re called: Asian Pork Meatballs and boy are they good! Meatballs are a perfect appetizer to start off any party and can be incorporated into a meal by simply adding salad, pasta, or mashed potatoes.  For this recipe your going to need

o   1 lb package of ground pork

o   1 egg

o   ½ cup finely chopped canned water chestnuts

o   ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

o   2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice

o   2 tablespoons of soy sauce

o   2 teaspoons of toasted sesame oil

o   1 teaspoon sugar

o   1 tablespoon canola oil

The first thing your going to do is to Wash Your Hands. Try to use an antibacterial soap and scrub brush- this will help ensure that you keep the food mixture as sanitary as possible because you are going to be using your hands as a tool as you roll the meatballs.

Then, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  In a medium bowl, combine the pork, breadcrumbs, egg, water chestnuts, and cilantro.  Lightly knead the mixture until blended.  If you don’t eat pork, you can always substitute ground turkey.  Next, in a small bowl, stir the limejuice, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar together until it dissolves.  Then, add the limejuice mixture to the pork mixture and combine it thoroughly.  Now this is the fun part, form the meatballs into round balls by putting the meat in the center of your palm and then cover your hand with the other palm and roll in a circular motion.  I find making meatballs is a lot of fun and is especially fun for kids.  If your hands feel a little icky, you can dip them in a bowl of water and continue rolling the meatballs until you are finished.  Try not to wipe your hands with a towel once you begin rolling to avoid any type of cross contamination.  Each meatball should be about 1 inch in diameter.  In a large skillet, heat the canola oil over medium-heat.  Brown the meatballs on all sides.  Now you’re almost done.  After you brown the meatballs you’re going to transfer the meatballs to a baking dish and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 10 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.  This recipe should make about 26 meat balls. 

Now that you have the meatballs nicely finished, you can serve them on an appetizer dish and place them in a nice neat row.  To make it easy for your family and guests to pick up, they can be served with toothpicks placed in the centers.  Another serving idea is to serve the meatballs with a nice dipping sauce and garnish with wedges of lime.  Yum!

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Now for our next Fancy Finger Food Recipe: Papaya Spring Rolls with a Peanut Dipping Sauce.  This recipe is perfect for a party when your going to have a few guests over and goes well with a nice, cool, white, wine.

The need ingredients are:

o   3 tablespoons of water

o   1 tb spoon fresh lime juice

o   1 teaspoon light brown sugar

o   1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

o   1 tablespoon rice vinegar

o   1 teaspoon Asian Fish Sauce

o   1 teaspoon Asian Chili Paste

For Spring rolls- you’ll need:

o   1 package spring roll paper

o   1 bunch of fresh basil

o   1 firm ripe papaya, peeled halved lengthwise then crosswise, seeded, and cut crosswise into thin 3 inch strips

o   1 bunch fresh mint

o   ½ cucumber cut into 2 inch long sticks

o   1 bunch fresh cilantro- stemmed

To make the peanut sauce: In a small bowl- combine all the ingredients until thoroughly blended and set aside.  Then, fill a large bowl with hot water.  Soak 2 spring roll wrappers in the water until softened, for about 1 minute.  Remove the rounds from the water and lay them flat on a work surface.  Then place a basil leaf horizontally in the center of each round and near one edge.  Top with 2 horizontal stacks of 1 or 2 papaya strips.  1 mint leaf, 1 or 2 cucumber strips and cilantro leaves.

Then fold the bottom portion of the rice paper over about 2/3 of the filling.  Then lift the portion of the wrapper nearest to you up over the ingredients. Tightly roll the wrapper.  The ingredients will be visible at one end making an “open” fresh spring roll.

Place the spring rolls on a platter or individual plate and serve with peanut dipping sauce.  Makes about 24 spring rolls.

The last time I made this recipe, I was working as an office assistant at a Dr.’s office and it happened to be the Dr.’s Birthday.  Needless to say, I was a hit at the office that day.

Well that bring us to the end of this segment of Fancy Finger Foods.  If you missed any part of this broadcast and need the ingredients to the recipes you can visit my cooking blog: www.cookingwithFreesia.blogspot.com  or you can visit my facebook page at Freesia Royal.

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RED BEANS and RICE for CROCK POT

Since I began working full time, my time for cooking has been challenged and cut short during the week.  To ensure my family has something to eat, I decided to utilize the crock pot.  Here is my recipe for red beans and rice. You have to begin soaking the red beans the night before, so this meal takes some planning.

Ingredients:

1 lb dried kidney beans
1 ham hock
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 bouillon cube
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp chili powder
2 bay leaves
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tbs butter
2 tbs salt
1 tsp hot sauce
2 tbs corn starch
3 smoked sausages

Directions:
Soak the beans over night in a large bowl, making sure all the beans are coved with water. In morning drain beans and rinse in a colander.

In crock pot, place beans, ham hock, black pepper, chicken bouillon cube, chopped garlic, bay leaves, chili powder.

Cover with hot water- about 1 1/2 inch above beans. Cover crock pot with lid.

Saute onions and bell pepper until soft and brown. Add these to beans and stir.

Cook on low for about 6-8 hours

Once cooked, remove bay leaves, add butter and stir, add two tsp corn starch to thicken. Add salt to taste.

Slice smoked sausage and cook in a skillet until brown and juicy.

Serve beans and sausage on top of white rice.

Sprinkle with hot sauce. Enjoy.

Sweet Little Donuts

Over the weekend I went down to Old Town Pasadena and found myself in Le Sur Table- a store that can be called a cooking enthusiasts second heaven.  There was everything you could ever want or need for your kitchen.  Pots, pans, cutting boards, molds, spoons, forks, knives...........everything!!! I went a little crazy and bought everything I needed for my kitchen and somethings I didn't need.  Its been on my "to get" list for a while to get a new cutting board that I can use especially for my fruits and vegtables.  To help prevent cross contamination between your meat and produce, you should use seperate cutting boards.  Then I went spoon crazy.  I had to get the classic wooden spoons that reminded me of when my mom used to cook and give me a taste in her big wooden spoon. I then bought special pans to make mini donuts and an icecream/ yogurt machine.  By the time I was done shopping I had two very large bags to walk back to my car that was parked about 4 blocks away in a parking garage.  Yes, my hands were full.  When I finally got home I showed everything I bought to my daughter and we immediately started cooking the donuts.  It was quality time with he and she loves donuts- so she was happy.  Here is the recipe for you to have some fun with your kids at home.

• 1 1/2 cups cake flour- sifted
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 tablespoon butter- melted

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray mini donut pwn with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt.  Add buttermilk, egg, and butter and stir until just combined.  Fill each donlut cup approximately 1/2 full.  Bake 4-6 minutes or until the top of the doughnuts spring back when touched.  Let cool in pan for 4-5 minutes before removing.  Finish the donuts with glaze or sprinkles.  Makes 24 mini-donuts.

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Hello Everyone- Blog Invite

Hello everyone.  Please feel free to contact me about how these recipes turned out for you. I hope you and your loved ones enjoy the recipes.

XOXO,

Freesia