Savory Secrets

Superbowl Party Recipes, Part 2

2012-01-28T13:15:00.002-05:00

I forgot to mention in my last post that you can substitute chicken for the pork in the Pulled Pork Sandwiches. The crock pot cooking times will most likely be at the lower range, depending on your crock pot (4 hours on high or 6 hours on low).

I also wanted to post an honorable mention! I found this Jalepeno Popper dip on pinterest awhile ago and decided to test it out for New Years Eve. I did not make any changes to it, so I will just post a link to the blog with the original recipe: jalepeno popper dip from Tracey's Culinary Adventures. I thought it was fabulous and would make a great dip for a super bowl party. My taste tasters (husband, brother-in-law, sister, mom, and dad) did not think it was as amazing as I did, but they are also, admittedly, not huge jalepeno popper fans. If you like jalepeno poppers, give this one a try! I think you will like it.

And while I am on the subject of jalepenos... has anyone tried making Pioneer Woman's Bacon Wrapped Jalepeno Thingees ? My good friend gave me a Pioneer Woman cookbook for Christmas and that is one of the recipes in it. They look so delicious and would make a perfect Super Bowl appetizer too!

Super Bowl Party Recipes

2012-01-27T16:58:00.002-05:00

Does everyone have their Super Bowl menus set? I thought I would post a couple of recipes that would be perfect for Super Bowl parties. The first one was a Secret Chef favorite (Crock Pot Pulled Pork) and we used to provide LeBus Brioche rolls with it for making sandwiches. Oh, how I miss those rolls! I heard there is a LeBus bakery outlet in King of Prussia. I can't believe I never heard of it before! I will have to check it out one day and report back here. The other recipe is Buffalo Chicken Dip, recipe courtesy of my husband's cousin's wife, Erin. Thanks, Erin! There are a ton of versions of this recipe, but what makes hers different is that she purees the chicken (sounds gross, I know, but trust me!) Every single time I've made it, people devour it and ask for the recipe!

Slow Cooked Pulled Pork Sandwiches (makes approx. 6 sandwiches)
2 cups ketchup
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 or 2 Tbs. finely minced canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (use more or less according to taste),
OR 1-2 tsp ground Chipotle peppers*
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1.5 - 2lbs pork shoulder (or pork tenderloin, etc.)

*I was at the Penzey's store in Chestnut Hill in December and saw they sell ground chipotle peppers. I bought some to try, because honestly, the canned ones are a bit of a pain for me. We don't eat a ton of spicy foods (yes, chipotles are a little spicy for me!) so I have to mince and freeze the extra. When I made this batch of pulled pork I kind of guessed at how much ground to substitute for the canned. I used 2 tsp. and it came out perfect (just a little spicy, not too hot), and I can honestly not taste the difference between the ground or the canned! Do if you find yourself at a Penzey's store, or have a catalog, check it out!

1. Combine all ingredients (including pork) into crock pot. If the sauce does not completely cover the pork, add 1/2 cup water.

2. Cook on low for approximately 7-9 hours or high for approximately 5-6 hours, or until pork is tender and starting to fall apart. Using two forks, shred the pork into small pieces, removing any large pieces of fat. (I usually do this about an hour before the pork is done, and then stir it well, and continue cooking for another hour). Serve on your favorite rolls. I used whole wheat this time.

You can freeze this recipe before it's cooked. Combine all ingredients in freezer bag and freeze. Thaw in fridge and then empty into crock pot when ready to cook. Continue at step #2. Or, you can also freeze it after it's cooked. Just cool, place in freezer bag. Thaw in fridge and reheat on stove top or in microwave.

This recipe is super easy, but if you do not want to even take the time with the Chipotle peppers or chopping onions, I have another recipe for pulled pork that is even easier! Just season a pork tenderloin with Season All, place in crock pot. Pour bottle of barbecue sauce over the top, and a can of Coke or Pepsi and cook on low for 7-9 hours or on high for 5-6 hours. My husband loves that one and it is embarrassingly simple!

Cousin Erin's Buffalo Chicken Dip (This recipes makes a large batch of the dip. The photo actually only shows half the recipe!)
2 blocks cream cheese, softened (you can use lite, but I don't recommend fat free)
3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and pureed*
1 cup blue cheese dressing (use the good kind from the refrigerated section in the produce dept)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cups Franks hot sauce
*I put the chicken breasts in a stock pot and cover with water. I boil them until cooked through, then set them on a plate until they are cooled down enough to handle. I save the cooking water. Then I cut the chicken into chunks and run through the food processor in several batches, added the cooking water as needed. You can also just shred the chicken with two forks, but I think it comes out much better when you run it through the food processor!

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and stir to combine. Spread dip into large casserole dish and bake for approximately 35-45 minutes, until cooked through and bubbling. Serve with tortilla chips and celery sticks.
I have not tried freezing this yet. I have made it a couple days ahead though, and just waited to bake it until the day of, and that has worked out fine.

Enjoy!

Individual Meatloaves with Tangy Sauce

2012-01-24T13:37:00.003-05:00

One of the all-time favorite recipes at The Secret Chef was our Individual Meatloaves with Tangy Sauce. I decided to make them the other night, only I baked them in muffin tins instead of forming them into little loaves. They are awesome made with ground beef and pork sausage, but you can also make them with turkey. I found bulk turkey breakfast sausage at Bolton Farm Market . I always love their products, and I was inspired to make turkey meatloaves using their ground turkey and ground sausage.

I also made some mashed potatoes, using a mixture of sweet potatoes and regular white potatoes. It was the first time I mashed sweet potatoes, other than for baby food. I guess I am late on that trend! They were really delicious though! My boys are having issues with cows milk, so I added goats milk and a tiny bit of grapeseed oil instead of butter. I believe you could use any of your favorite mashed potato recipes though, and just substitute part or all of the white potatoes with sweet potatoes. One thing I learned, is that next time I will cut the sweet potatoes into smaller chunks that the white potatoes, because they took a little longer to cook and made some small lumps. Not a big deal for me though.

Individual Meatloaves with Tangy Sauce
Tangy Sauce Ingredients:
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
2 Tbs. brown sugar

Meatloaf Ingredients:
3/4 cup crushed buttery crackers (like Ritz)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion (or substitute 1 tsp. onion powder)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 pound lean ground beef (90/10) or lean ground turkey
6 oz. regular flavor ground pork breakfast sausage (you can also substitute equivalent amount of ground turkey sausage, ground beef, ground turkey, ground pork, etc.) but the sausage gives it a nice flavor
2 slices bacon (optional- I did not use them for the ones I made in the muffin tins)

To make the tangy sauce:
Mix all sauce ingredients together in bowl. Set aside (this goes on top of the meatloaves, not mixed in).

To make meatloaves:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a casserole or baking dish (or muffin tins) with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Add all meatloaf ingredients (except bacon) to a large bowl and mix together, using your hands or a large spoon.
3. Shape meatloaf mixture into 4-6 mini sized loaves (or divide the meat loaf mixture evenly in the 12 spaces of a muffin tin).
4. Top the meatloaves with the tangy sauce.
5. Cut the bacon into 4-6 pieces, depending on how many small meatloaves you made, and place a piece of bacon on top of each loaf. (I did not top the muffin tin meatloaves with bacon, because I felt the bacon would not have anywhere to drain off and it would just end up greasy).
6. Bake, uncovered, for approximately 45 minutes to an hour, until cooked through. (The muffin tin meatloaves should be done in 35-45 minutes).

You can make this dish ahead to freeze. Tightly cover meatloaves after step #5, and freeze. Thaw in the fridge and continue at step #6 to bake.

Enjoy!

Cold Weather = Pea Soup!

2012-01-15T20:45:00.002-05:00

Look who is posting again and it's only the 15th of the month! I've been making a few new things over the past two weeks. One was a shot at my own version of healthy high-protein bars. I even took beautiful pictures of all of the ingredients together, and tutorial shots as I was making them (because I love when I see that on other blogs), and I was so sure they were going to taste delicious. They contained peanut butter, banana, and oatmeal (among other ingredients); I figured they HAD to taste yummy. But they were an absolute FAIL. They were so awful my husband who eats everything could not even eat more than one tiny piece. They are still sitting in my fridge because I hate to throw them out.

Then I tried those cute scrambled egg muffins that I keep seeing online everywhere. They were really just okay and my boys would not eat them, which was the main reason why I made them in the first place. But they did look really cute!

So I decided to go back to basics and make something that I've been making ever since college...

Pea Soup! I guess you either love it or hate it, and I happen to fall into the former category. It's just something I crave when the weather gets cold. If you are feeling really decadent (which I was, but I had enough decadence over the holidays, and now I just need to cut down on that a bit!) add a little smoked Gouda cheese in at the end. I know it sounds weird, but it's SO good!

Split Pea Soup
1 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
~3 cups dried green split peas*
4 cups low sodium chicken (or vegetable) stock
6 cups water
3 potatoes, diced
1/2 # carrots, diced
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
*I don't ever soak mine, but supposedly if you soak them overnight the cooking time is less.

1. In large Dutch Oven or stock pot, over medium-high heat, saute olive oil, onion, and garlic until onion is translucent.
2. Add bay leaves, split peas, stock, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer.
3. Add potatoes, carrots, black pepper, and salt. You can adjust the amount of salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add a little cumin (which I never do because I don't like it in my pea soup, but I know lots of people do!) or a little curry powder (which I DO sometimes add). Simmer 1 1/2 - 2 hours, or until all vegetables are softened and peas have broken down. Add a little water while the soup is cooking if it is getting too thick for your taste.
4. As I said above, you can shred or cube some smoked Gouda cheese and add it at the end. Start with a handful and stir it in until it melts. Add more to taste. You can also add leftover cubed ham.

This soup freezes well so I usually cool half and freeze it in a large Ziplock bag. It will be thick when you reheat it (which I like) but if it is too thick, you can add a little water or stock to it as you reheat it.

Enjoy!

Kale Chips

2012-01-04T16:23:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you enjoyed your holidays. We had a nice Christmas and New Years with the boys. They got a play kitchen from Grandma and Grandpa. So far, though, there is about zero pretend cooking going on. They use it as a jungle gym instead. Sigh. Maybe someday they will want to cook like their mamma! And maybe by then I will be able to have kitchen chairs again (I had to move them out because the boys push them to climb to the counters, stove, etc.)

One of my New Years resolutions this year is to post more often in my blog, so hopefully you will be seeing more of me in 2012! My other main resolution is to be more organized. I feel like I am super organized in some areas, but very unorganized in others. Mainly, I want to de-clutter and organize my house! So if you have any tips or good blogs on that, toss them my way!

I did not make a specific resolution on dieting or eating, because realistically I would never keep it! But after eating so many rich, delicious foods over the holidays, I do feel like I just need some simple, healthy foods for awhile. I keep hearing about Kale Chips so I decided to give them a try this week. I am absolutely a potato chip girl, and not a huge kale fan, so I was a little skeptical of Kale Chips. I used this recipe with very little changes. They came out good (not potato chip good, but still pretty good)! They remind me of my brussel sprout recipe I posted here last March . And my husband and I both agreed it made the kale taste more edible than any other recipe I have tried.

Kale Chips
1 bunch kale
Olive Oil Spray (or olive oil in a Misto type sprayer)
Seasonings of your choice. I used a Ranchers Steak Rub seasoning from my sister's Wildtree Store but you can use any seasonings you wish, i.e. sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, etc.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Rinse and dry kale (I used a salad spinner, but you can also blot it dry). Cut the leafy parts from the stems, discarding tough stems, and tear leaves into bite-sized peices.

3. Arrange kale in single layer on baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle with seasonings. Toss lightly, and spray again with cooking spray and sprinkle with seasonings.
4. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until crisp (I think it actually took 17 minutes in my oven). Lightly toss a few times while baking. Enjoy!

They look a little greasy in the photo above, but I promise they were not! I served them with baked chicken tenders, using a healthy chicken nuggets recipe I adapted from www.skinnytaste.com. The only changes I made to the recipe, were that I used chicken tenders instead of cutting them into nuggets, and I did not have seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs, so I used regular seasoned bread crumbs and substituted half wheat germ. They were not as good as my favorite Secret Chef breaded chicken, however, they have a fraction of the olive oil and parmesan cheese that my recipe has, so these fit the bill and were also pretty tasty!

Eggnog French Toast

2011-12-21T20:39:00.001-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, the boys and I went out to bunch with some friends and we ordered Eggnog French toast. It was delicious, and I decided I needed to try to replicate it at home. I found this recipe online at allrecipes.com and it seemed pretty close. I only modified it slightly. It would make a perfect Christmas Morning breakfast! My boys gobbled it up.

Eggnog French Toast
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups Eggnog
2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice (I used this brand, but you can use whatever your favorite is)
Firm white bread (such as Challah or French)*

*I used a particularly yummy loaf of bread from Tabora Farm. It was a large, rounded loaf and I used 1 1/2 batches of the batter mixture to make the entire loaf. One batch of batter will probably need at least half a loaf of bread, depending on the size of the bread and how much batter it soaks up. You can also substitute whole grain bread, it will just be a little denser. Since the eggnog has about a zillion calories anyway, I figured this would just be a splurge!

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, eggnog, and pumpkin pie spice. Pour batter into a shallow dish and thoroughly coat each slice of bread.

2. Cook french toast on a lightly greased electric skillet (set to 300 degrees) or in a skillet on the stove over medium heat, until golden brown, flipping once.

Enjoy!

2011-12-15T22:22:00.000-05:00

Easy Apple Cake

I am so behind this year with Christmas shopping and baking! I am usually someone who shops and wraps everything way in advance. This year.... another story. I am still not done. But I am really enjoying my boys' reactions to the Christmas lights and decorations and our Christmas tree. They've only broken one ornmament so far, so I think we're doing pretty well!
I made that yummy Apple Cake again last night (the one I mentioned in my last post) and was able to get some pictures of it. I realized after looking at the pictures, that apple cake just does not photograph very well. Trust me, it tastes better than it looks!

Easy Apple Cake
1 cup Grape Seed Oil*
2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup walnuts, chopped (or pecans or other nuts of your choice)
3 cups fresh apples, chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

*I've been really into grape seed oil lately for baking. I think it helps keeps baked goods moist. But you can substitute 1-1/2 cups canola or vegetable oil (the math is correct-- you need less oil if you are using grape seed oil).

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Mix oil and sugar thoroughly with electric mixer. One at a time, add eggs and mix well.
3. Add nuts and apples.
4. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Then add the flour mixture to the oil mixture, and fold in vanilla.
5. Pour into greased tube or bundt pan and bake 1-3/4 hours or until toothpick comes out clean.

Enjoy!

2011-12-08T14:10:00.001-05:00

Another cookbook update.... I DO still have some left. The craft show did not seem to be terribly busy this year, and we did not sell out. I am willing to ship out what is left. They are $10 each, including tax. Shipping is $2.90 via First Class Mail, for one book. If you are not in a rush, Media Mail is $2.41. Please email me at: savorysecrets@yahoo.com and I will let you know the specifics for how to pay by paypal or check. It is first come/first serve. I think I have less than 50 left and I am not planning on doing another printing.

I am hoping to get a blog post up in the next week about an amazing (if I do say so myself!) apple cake recipe I developed this fall. We went apple picking twice and ended up with something like 46 pounds of apples! I played around with some apple cake recipes and ended up with one I am really happy with. It's also really easy!

Limited Number of Cookbooks Left

2011-11-23T20:02:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Just wanted to let everyone know I have a limited number of cookbooks left and will be selling them at the Central Bucks Family YMCA Holiday Craft Show
I will be there Friday, December 2, from 9:30am - 7:30pm and Saturday, December 3rd from 9:00am - noon. If you would like a book, they are $10 each (including the tax). Please send me an email at savorysecrets@yahoo.com if you would like a book, and I will send you a confirmation email and reserve a book for you to pick up at the craft fair. I am not mailing any books at this time.

I am sharing a table with my sister, who is a Wildtree Foods rep, so look for the Wildtree table. It's a natural foods line-- all products are free from preservatives, MSG, high fructose corn syrup, and food dyes, and are peanut free. So stop by to say hello, pick up a Secret Chef cook book, and try some of the yummy Wildtree samples!

Have a great Thanksgiving and I hope to see you soon!

Apples!

2011-10-10T22:49:00.000-04:00

Happy Fall everyone! I am ready for some real fall weather, please. Hopefully it is coming soon, and I will be able to drink my pumpkin spiced lattes hot instead of iced! I am still enjoying my usual fall activities though. Sunday we went to the pumpkin patch and last week the boys and I went apple picking at Wildemoore in Chalfont with some friends. We went on a Wednesday morning while school was in session, and we were the only ones there. I hope to also get to Solebury Orchards later this month.

The boys were more interested in taking the apples out of the bucket. Here is a picture of my little helpers. They are 18 months old now and getting so big!

We picked Winesap, Macintosh, and Ida Red varieties, which are all supposed to be good for cooking and baking. That bucket held about 25 lbs of apples! The apples are very good- nice and tart, and not mealy at all.

I decided to bake some apple pies with some of the apples we picked. I used this recipe from www.allrecipes.com : http://allrecipes.com/recipe/apple-pie-3/detail.aspx They came out so delicious! I used a mixture of all three types of apples in each pie. I was out of nutmeg, so I used a teaspoon and a half of pumpkin pie spice instead of the three different spices (the ingredients were similar). I also just brushed the crust with milk and dusted with turbinado sugar instead of the egg wash. The crust got a little over-browned (next time I will cover it part way through- I should have watched that more closely). I plan to make more this week, along with a huge batch of applesauce.

August in Bucks County: Blackberries and Peaches

2011-08-10T13:59:00.005-04:00

Today has been beautiful here in Bucks County, PA. Sunny, breezy, and not too hot! The boys and I just got back from red raspberry picking at Wildemoore Farm... yes, more berry picking! Hurry over to Wildemoore's in the next two weeks if you want to pick red raspberries. They are open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9am - 1pm and the berries are delicious. But that's actually not what I was planning on writing about today.

A couple of weeks ago I went to Penn Vermont Farm in Bedminster to pick Blackberries and I wanted to write about that. They are located at Bedminster (Rt. 113) and Rolling Hills Roads. As you can see from the sign, they have a farm stand with sweet corn, tomatoes, honey, peaches, flowers, and various other things. They also have pick your own strawberries in the spring, and black raspberries, and blackberries in the summer. I missed the black raspberries (darn!) but I was able to pick some gorgeous, huge black berries! If you are in the area, definitely check out this farm. It's a pretty drive to get there, and the farm is huge.

The blackberry patch (above). The bushes are thorn-free, and the grass is mowed in between, so it is easy picking.

My 4 quarts of blackberries. I think it took me a little under 45 minutes to pick them. I did not have the boys with me that day, so it definitely went faster!

I also purchased a peck of delicious peaches. They are not pick your own, but I passed the trees on the way to the black berry patch so I snapped a picture.

After my morning of picking fruit and visiting the farm, I had 4 quarts of blackberries and a entire peck of peaches to use up! I remembered a Cooking Light recipe that I had been meaning to try (Bourbon Glazed Pork Chops and Peaches), so I stopped by Blooming Glen Pork to pick up the pork chops. I still have bourbon left over from The Secret Chef that I have been trying to use up (we're not big drinkers, obviously), and I had honey from the Penn-Vermont farm stand, so I was ready to get started. I made the recipe as written, with only minor changes, from June 2004 issue of Cooking Light magazine. It was a fun way to use up some of the peaches in a savory dish. The green beans were from a farm stand on E. Creamery Road in Perkasie (Hilltown Township), so this was a very locally sourced meal!

Bourbon-Glazed Pork Chops and Peaches

1/3 cup bourbon
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (4 ounce) boneless, center-cut loin pork chops
2 peaches, halved and pitted
cooking spray

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl or large glass measuring cup. Pour approximately 1/3 - 1/2 the marinade into a separate bowl and add the pork (toss to coat). Add peaches to remaining marinade (toss to coat). Allow to marinate for a few minutes.

2. Heat non-stick grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Remove pork and peaches from the marinade (reserve marinade from peaches). Place pork and peaches on the grill pan; cook approx. 4 minutes on each side, or until pork is done. Note: I could not fit all of the chops and peaches together on my grill pan, so I cooked the peaches first, set them a side, then cooked the pork.

3. While pork cooks, place marinade from the peaches in a small sauce pan. Simmer over medium heat while you are cooking the other ingredients. Spoon over the pork and peaches before serving.

I still had all of those blackberries to use, so I decided to try Martha Stewart's Strawberry Cake, only substituting blackberries for strawberries. It was soooo yummy! Next time, I would increase the sugar on the top of the blackberries to 3 tablespoons (to compensate for the tartness of the blackberries), so I am making that change here. It is such an easy cake to make, I will be trying it will lots of different kinds of fruit.

Easy Blackberry Cake
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pan
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk (I used whole)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups blackberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 10 in spring form pan.
2. mix dry ingredients together in medium bowl.
3. Put butter and 1 cup sugar in bowl of mixer. Mix on medium-high until pale and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. lower speed to medium low and add egg, milk, and vanilla and mix until combined.
4. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add in dry ingredients.
5. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Arrange berries on top of batter as close together as possible, in a single layer (or as close to single layer as you can). Sprinkle remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar over the top of the berries.
6. Bake cake 10 minutes, then reduce temperature to 325. Continue baking until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, approximately 1 hour. Let cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into wedges. Serve with whipped cream. Store at room temperature, loosely covered, for up to two days. I am pretty sure you could also wrap this tightly and freeze it. We gobbled ours up, so I was not able to try it!

I also was excited to try a Honeyed Peach Blackberry Crisp recipe, because it called for EIGHT cups of peeled, chopped peaches, PLUS three cups of blackberries... in other words, the perfect recipe for my situation! Unfortunately, I didn't realize until after I had already started it, that I was not going to have enough flour. I tried improvising a topping made out of pancake mix. It was ok, but not blog worthy! The filling was a pretty good combo though, so maybe next time I have a ton of peaches and blackberries to use up I will give it another try and post it here.

Enjoying Summer/Blueberry Picking

2011-07-24T21:17:00.002-04:00

This summer has been flying by! We are having so much fun. I just finished co-hosting a bridal shower for my youngest sister this past weekend, so I was very busy planning, shopping, and cooking for most of July (watch for an upcoming post on the shower, including a recipe or two). I almost felt like I was back at The Secret Chef! The boys and I did manage to squeeze in some more berry picking (and eating), between the shower planning. We discovered a place called Wildemoore Farm, which is a true local treasure! And I finally perfected my No Sugar Added Jam recipe (scroll to the bottom of the post for the recipe).

Wildemoore Farm is located in Chalfont, off of Upper Stump Road. It is a very small family farm, and each summer they open up for pick your own blueberries, sour cherries, raspberries, and a few other things. They do not have a website, but you can call the answering machine to find out if they are open for picking (215-249-3683). The family is so nice, and the blueberries were only $2 per pound if you picked four or more pounds! That is an incredible price. I found a pound of blueberries to be a little less than a quart. If you picked less than four pounds, they were $2.50 per pound. It was very enjoyable picking. The berries were plentiful, especially at the beginning of the season, and they mow the grass between the bushes. Also, we were told that they are "low spray". They spray the ground once at the beginning of the year, but do not spray the bushes or berries at all.

The boys thought my sun hat was hilarious!

They played in the grass next to me while I picked blueberries....

... until they decided to escape and I had to chase after them and put them back in the stroller!

Some of our yummy blueberries:

The Wildemoore's beautiful flower garden:

Sadly, the blueberry picking is over for this year at Wildemoore Farm, however, you can check www.pickyourown.org for other farms near you. I hear Solebury Orchard still has blueberries (see this post for info on Solebury Orchard).

Now, for my No Sugar Added Mixed Berry Freezer Jam recipe. As you can see from the picture below, my boys love it! I think my original mistake was trying to use only strawberries. I heard strawberries are one of the fruits that are naturally lower in pectin. This time I used a mixture of berries. I also cut the honey down to only 1/3 cup, and cooked the jam for a short period of time, even though freezer jams are typically not cooked. It set perfectly. It is definitely less sweet than regular jam, but we love it, and I feel better about feeding it to my children.

No Sugar Added Mixed Berry Freezer Jam
1 cup mashed strawberries
1 cup mashed blueberries
1 cup mashed raspberries
1 3/4 cups no sugar added mixed berry juice (or no sugar added apple juice)
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 box NO SUGAR NEEDED pectin
1/3 cup honey

1. Mash fruit.
2. Pour lemon juice and berry juice into sauce pan. Gradually stir in pectin and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil and stir one minute.
3. Add fruit and stir while bringing back to a boil. Boil and stir one more minute and remove from heat.
4. Pour into freezer containers. (Unfortunately, I forgot to jot down how many containers I filled using this recipe... and we've already eaten several containers, so now I am not sure. I think I filled five 8 oz. containers, probably somewhere around there).

Keeps up to three weeks in the refrigerator or six months in the freezer. Enjoy!

Pick Your Own Strawberries

2011-06-20T12:42:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite parts about late spring/early summer is local strawberries. I was so happy to learn that I did not miss the pick your own season this year. I was away on vacation in late May/early June and the strawberries were not in yet before we left. We came home to an intense heat wave, with temperatures in the high nineties. I knew the strawberries were in, but I just could not see taking my 14 month old boys (or myself) picking strawberries in such hot weather. Once the heat wave was over, I was so disappointed to learn that the strawberry season was also over at all of the local pick your own farms that I knew of (you can check www.pickyourown.org to check for farms in your area). I was thrilled when I found out that Penn Vermont Fruit Farm in Bedminster plants a later variety and was still open for picking (they have a facebook page:)! The boys and I went last Wednesday with some friends and had a great time. Even though the boys are too young to help pick, they enjoyed sitting in the jogging stroller in the fresh air, watching us. I managed to pick six quarts! And I just checked Penn Vermont's facebook page and they are still open for picking this week. So there's still time if you did not get a chance to pick any yet this year (or if you already ate all of your yummy strawberries!)

I had a recipe for No Sugar Strawberry Freezer Jam that I was excited to make because I don't like feeding my babies regular jam because of all of the sugar. It uses no sugar pectin and only 3/4 cup of honey for the entire batch of jam (that is much, much less sweetener than regular jam or jelly). So I used about two quarts of my precious berries for the jam. The jam tastes amazing, but unfortunately, did not set. I put it in the freezer, hoping that it will firm up a little bit. I plan to pick blueberries, cherries, raspberries, and blackberries throughout the summer, so I will have to tweak the recipe until I can get it to work.

I also made up some Strawberry Banana Bread (my own concoction) and some Strawberry Muffins (using this recipe: http://www.strawberry-recipes.com/strawberry-muffin-recipes.html) which both came out awesome!

Easy Strawberry Banana Bread
makes 2 small loaves*

1/2 stick butter, softened
2 eggs
1 very ripe med or large banana
1/2 cup mashed strawberries
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/3 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine first five ingredients (through sugar). Use a fork, spoon, or potato masher to mash the banana and mix the ingredients together. Most of the banana and strawberries should be mashed up, with just some very small chunks of fruit remaining.
3. In a separate large bowl, combine the rest of the dry ingredients (flour through cinnamon).
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix just until they are blended together.
5. Pour the batter into small, greased loaf pans and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Let cool 10 minutes and transfer to wire rack to cool. We ate one loaf while it was hot (yum!) and then once the other loaf was cool, I wrapped it in plastic wrap, then foil, and put it in the freezer. I freeze regular banana bread all of the time using this method. It's nice to have on hand.

*I apologize that I do not have the measurements for the loaf pans. They are approximately half the size of a regular loaf pan, not the teeny tiny individual loaf pans. You can buy the disposable/reusable aluminum pans this size at the grocery store or dollar store.

Spring: Maple Mustard Chicken Thighs

2011-05-17T21:41:00.001-04:00

I was over-joyed the week before last when I drove by my favorite local farm stand and I saw the first asparagus of the season! I feel so blessed to live in Bucks county surrounded by small farms. I love watching for the first asparagus, spring onions, strawberries, radishes, and lettuce each year. They always taste like spring to me.

I needed a main dish to go with my asparagus, and I remembered a recipe in the May 2011, "Cooking Light" magazine that I wanted to try. I always keep an eye out for recipes that are super easy and do not require a lot of ingredients. I am so busy with my 14 month old twins, and my husband comes home late a lot of nights, so I have to be realistic about what I can accomplish at dinner time! This recipe fit the bill. It was also in the "Feed 4 for Less than $10" section of the magazine, so that's even better! I did not freeze it, but it is so similar to a lot of my Secret Chef recipes, that I am confident you could freeze the chicken (in the marinade) in a ziplock bag.

Here is the recipe (from May 2011 , "Cooking Light" Magazine):
1/3 cup spicy brown mustard
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 teaspoons lower-sodium soysauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
8 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned*
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
cooking spray

*I only had boneless, skinless chicken thighs so I used those, and it was fine

1. Combine first 9 ingredients. Place half of the mixture in a zip-top plastic bag; reserve remaining mixture. Add chicken to bag; seal. Chill 2 hours.
2. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
3. Remove chicken from bag. Sprinkle chicken with salt. Place chicken on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 8 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with reserved mustard mixture.

Hearty Beef Short Ribs and Crispy Roasted Brussel Sprouts

2011-03-18T20:55:00.002-04:00

I apologize for not posting in ages! I had this recipe made and photographed back in January, but didn't get around to posting it right away. Then the boys and I took turns being sick throughout the month of February, and in March I have been busy planning their first birthday party... yes, you heard that correctly! Where does the time go? They turned one years old yesterday (on St. Patricks Day!) but we are waiting until the end of the month to do a big bash for them.

This recipe was perfect for the colder weather, but now with the beautiful warm weather today, I am dreaming about asparagus, radishes, strawberries, and all of the other yummy spring foods that will be coming shortly. I will still post it, and we can file it away for next winter! I know there are a lot of brussel sprout haters out there, but this recipe was really good. Give it a try!

Hearty Beef Short Ribs

4 lbs. beef short ribs
1 Tbs. grape seed oil (or olive oil)
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. ground thyme
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup beef gravy
1/2 cup chili sauce (Heinz 57 or similar)
2 Tbs. cider vinegar
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbs. packed brown sugar

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 lb. bag of baby carrots

1. Place ribs on a broiler rack/pan and broil under high heat for 6 minutes per side. Remove from the oven and drain on a paper-towel-lined platter.

2. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until transluscent. Add garlic, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over mixture and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add beef gravy, chili sauce, vinegar, Wrocestershire sauce, brown sugar, and mustard powder. Bring to a boil. Stir in carrots. Remove from heat.

3. Place short ribs in short cooker. Pour sauce/carrot mixture over the ribs, and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours. Ribs should be tender and falling off the bone.

Crispy Roasted Brussel Sprouts

1 lb. Brussel Sprouts, washed and drained

2 Tbs. olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Trim stem ends of Brussel sprouts so that the leaves begin to peel away. Discard the ends.

3. Peel away any leaves that easily separate from the hearts (probably about one half to 3/4 of the leaves will pull off). Halve the hearts.

4. Place only the leaves in a large bowl. Add 1/2 Tbs. olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss until all leaves are lightly coated.

5. Coat a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange leaves on half the sheet. Set aside.

6. Add the brussel sprout hearts to the bowl and toss with the remaining oil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Spread the hearts over the remaining half of the baking sheet.

7. Place baking sheet in the oven. After about 10 minutes, check on the leaves. Remove any that have crispes/turned brown. Place them in serving bowl. After another 5 minutes or so, remove remaining leaves to the serving bowl. Allow hearts to roast approximately 15 more minutes, until lightly browned and tender.

8. When hearts are done, add them to the serving bowl and toss with the crispy leaves, then serve.

Cranberry Extravaganza Continued (White Chocolate Chip and Cranberry Cookies)

2010-12-22T19:23:00.004-05:00

My cranberry extravaganza finished off with White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies. There are several variations of this recipe around and I always wanted to try it. I found this one on the internet. They did not disappoint! I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and best wishes to you all in the New Year. I am very excited to see what this new year brings... hopefully plenty of cooking adventures and blogging!

White Chocolate Chip and Cranberry Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 Tbs. brandy
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries (craisins)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets (or line with parchment paper).
2. In large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and brandy.
3. Combine the flour and baking soda and stir into the sugar mixture.
4. Gently mix in the white chocolate chips and cranberries.
5. Drop by spoonfulls* onto prepared cookie sheets.
6. Bake 8-10 minutes. Allow to cool 1 minute on cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool.

*I made my cookies using approximately 1/2 Tbs. of raw dough for each one (so on the smallish side), and I got just over 3 dozen cookies from this recipe.

Cranberry Extravaganza!

2010-12-19T20:26:00.001-05:00

This Christmas season has been fun so far. The boys are just on the verge of crawling and are starting to get into everything. They love the Christmas tree. I think they see it as their own personal entertainment center! Even though they are keeping me pretty busy, I have found some time to cook and bake over the past few weeks. I was on a cranberry kick and made a bunch of things, some new, and some from The Secret Chef recipes.

Cranberry Chutney
This is one of my favorite holiday recipes. You can pour it over a block of cream cheese or brie and use it as an appetizer (serve with crackers), use it as a cranberry sauce with your holiday turkey, or serve it with other meats such as ham or pork roast. It is in the cookbook, however, I forgot to mention in the cookbook that you can add a teaspoon or so of fresh orange zest to give it a little extra flavor. I usually squeeze a little bit of the juice from the orange as well (approximately a Tablespoon or so). I find it makes enough for a couple of appetizers or an appetizer and one small bowl of sauce. The photo above shows approximately one third of the mixture over a one pound block of cream cheese.

1 (12oz) bag of cranberries
1 1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup water
1 large granny smith apple, cored and chopped
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves (you can substitute all-spice)

1. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil on the stove. Reduce heat to low and stir constantly until apple is tender and mixture thickens, approximately 15-20 minutes.
3. Cool completely. Store in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature.

Carol's Cranberry Horseradish Dip Mix
My sister recently became a Wildtree sales representative, so I discovered that this fall. They make some great dip mixes that are perfect to have on hand this time of year-- especially for last minute entertaining. I bought a bunch of cream cheese and crackers when they went on sale and if I need something quick to bring to a holiday event or have unexpected guests, I can whip one of the dips up quickly. I love the Carol's Cranberry Horseradish Dip for this time of year. Everyone likes it and the products are all-natural and peanut free. You can search Holly's Wildtree on facebook or maybe this link http://www.facebook.com/#!/topic.php?uid=175145615830108&topic=250 will work?

Chicken with Maple Cranberry Sauce
This recipe is also in the cookbook. It is sooooo easy but looks "fancy"! It serves approximately 4 people.

1 cup red cooking wine (burgundy)
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1/2 cup dried cranberries (craisins)
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbs. butter
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken

1. In a small-medium bowl, combine the red wine, maple syrup, and dried cranberries. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat butter over mdeium heat until hot. Add the chicken and cook for approximately 4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep it warm.
3. Add the maple cranberry sauce to the pan and cook over medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes
4. Combine the cornstarch and 1 Tbs. cold water in a small bowl. Add the cornstarch mixture to the skillet and cook until the sauce thickens and turns clear, about 1 minute.
5. Return the chicken to the skillet and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Simmer one minute. Serve the chicken with the sauce spooned over it.

I'll continue the Cranberry Extravaganza in my next post... with the recipe for Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2010-11-24T19:04:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! As I am sitting here writing this post, I can't help but remember last Thanksgiving. I was pregnant with my twin boys and we had 500 cook book orders pending. Right after Thanksgiving, I ended up getting put on strict bedrest (which continued until I delivered on St. Patrick's Day!) Fortunately, my husband and our families pitched in and helped us pack up and deliver all 500 of those cookbooks! I was able to do all of the correspondence and paperwork from the couch, so that kept me busy. And everything ended up fine in the end. The boys were born prematurely, but they were healthy and strong. They are eight months old now and doing great. I am so thankful for that! And I am so thankful for all of the help our families have given us!

We ended up doing a second printing of the cookbooks, so we do have some books available again this year. They make great Christmas/Hannukah gifts (they are especially good for teacher gifts)! They are $16.95 (including tax). Ordering info is in this post: Savory Secrets Cookbook Ordering Info . I think I have about 100 books left for sale.

I also wanted to give everyone a tip. If you are fortunate enough to have leftover turkey and need some recipes to use it up, the Chicken and Wildrice Casserole I posted awhile back can also be made with turkey! Just substitute the same amount of cooked turkey in place of the chicken. One reader commented that she added frozen veggies to the casserole and I thought that was a great idea! I also saw a similar recipe online that called for a can of green beans (or you could probably use about two cups of frozen).

Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

The Secret Chef Marinated London Broil

2010-11-22T20:32:00.001-05:00

The Marinated London Broil was one of the all-time favorite menu items at The Secret Chef. It is included in the Savory Secrets cook book, so if you already have the cookbook, then this recipe will not be new to you. Customers always raved about it and commented how everyone in their family, even picky eaters, liked it. It's a really easy marinade recipe and it freezes great. The main secret is to use a restaurant cut London Broil-- that just means to use what is called "Flank Steak" in the grocery store. I meant to post this recipe on the blog weeks ago, but of course I have been busy and just never seemed to find the time. Sorry about the slightly blurry picture. It does not do justice to the recipe!

I will be back in a couple of days with a brief Thanksgiving post and also in December I have some cranberry recipes planned!

The Secret Chef Marinated London Broil

4 oz mayonnaise (weird, I know, but trust me!)

1/3 cup lite soy sauce

3 Tbs. lemon juice

2 Tbs. Dijon Mustard

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. ground ginger powder

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 - 1 3/4 lb. flank steak

1. Mix all ingredients (including steak) in a large freezer bag. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

2. Remove steak from marinade.

3. Grill or broil about 6 inches from heat, for approximately 6-8 minutes. Turn steak over, and grill or broil for 6-8 minutes longer, or until cooked through (it may take longer in the broiler).

4. Let steak stand a couple of minutes before slicing. Important: Cut across the grain into thin slices to serve, or even better, cut diagonally across the grain into slices.

Enjoy!

If making this dish ahead to freeze: Freeze sreak in marinade after step 1. Thaw in the refrigerator. Continue at step 2 to cook.

Favorite Fall Pumpkin Recipes

2010-10-17T20:33:00.001-04:00

Fall is my favorite season. I love the cooler weather and all of the beautiful colors here in Pennsylvania. I had a great time taking the boys to Merrymead Farm to the Fall Harvest Days and I got some cute pictures. The adorable little pumpkin hats are hand made and were purchased from an etsy seller (since everyone asks!)

I also love pumpkin spice lattes, cider doughnuts, ginger snaps, and all of the other yummy fall eats. I had a ton of pumpkin to use up, so I tested several new recipes this month. The pumpkin chocolate chip muffins did not make the cut, but the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin spice cake were pretty delicious! The pumpkin spice cake is especially good topped with some pumpkin icecream. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. milk
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 365 degrees F.

2. Combine pumpkin, sugar, vegetable oil, and egg. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve baking soda with milk and stir into wet ingredients. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix well.

3. Add vanilla and chocolate chips.

4. Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet* and bake for approximately 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown and firm. *I flattened the cookies first a little bit before baking. These are a cake-like cookie (not crispy) and they do not flatten much at all during cooking.

Pumpkin Spice Cake

1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. powdered ginger
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 (16 oz) can pumpkin
1 Tbs. vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, mix well. Combine dry ingredients. Stir into creamed mixture just until moistened. Stir into creamed mixture just until moistened. Stir in pumpkin and vanilla extract.

3. Pour into a greased bundt or tube pan and bake for approximately 1 hour 15 minutes, or until it tests done.

I just made a really simple confectioners sugar glaze for my cake. There are other glaze recipes that use butter, which are very good, but I just made this simple glaze.

Powdered Sugar Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar (preferably sifted)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbs. milk

1. Mix together all the ingredients with a fork or whisk.
2. Pour over cake.

Note: I usually don't sift the powdered sugar for the glaze unless it is for something special. My glaze does sometimes have some little lumps, but it still tastes the same. =)

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

2010-08-16T21:53:00.001-04:00

As my former customers know, I didn't really do too many traditional casseroles at The Secret Chef. This one caught my eye though, because it was just SO easy. I had to try it! It came out pretty decent. I loved that the rice did not have to be cooked before assembling the casserole. I was super ~~lazy~~ thrifty and used leftover rotisserie chicken. I served it with steamed broccoli and baked sweet potatoes to make the dinner a little healthier. This would be a good recipe to double and freeze one (unbaked) for later. I tested it and it froze just fine!

Note to self: Get some prettier casserole dishes if I am going to be making and photographing casseroles very often-- the photos came out very "blah".

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
(serves 4)

3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 (6 oz) box Uncle Ben's Wild Rice Mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
approximately 2/3 can milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix all ingredients together and pour into 2-quart casserole dish (sprayed with non-stick spray).
3. Cover and bake 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

I'm Back!!! (with Sante Fe Chicken Burritos)

2010-07-21T21:11:00.002-04:00

Hello Everyone! It has been a busy four months with these little munchkins, but things are finally settling into a bit of a routine. I am starting to have (a little) time to cook again so my plan is to update this blog with super easy meals, that even a mom of four month old twins can make! I would also love to hear from any of you who have some quick, healthy meals you like to cook. If I make and post your recipe, I will give the credit to you/your blog, of course!

The first meal I tested was Santa Fe Chicken Burritos. The filling cooks in the crock pot. They were so easy and tasted yummy. I will definitely make them again in the future.

Santa Fe Chicken Burritos

1 can Black Beans, drained
1 can Corn, drained
1 cup Salsa, divided
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
8 oz. block cream cheese (you can use lite cream cheese, if desired)
fresh cilantro, optional
1 package Whole Wheat Tortillas

1. Add the black beans, corn, and 1/2 cup salsa to the crock pot and stir.

2. Add the chicken breast and the remaining salsa. Cook on high 3 hours.

3. Add the cream cheese and cook 1 hour more.

4. Shred the chicken using two forks, then spoon the mixture onto the flour tortillas and roll up into burritos. Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.

I think the flavor of this dish depends heavily on the flavor of the salsa you use. You can increase the flavor by adding some onion, chili powder, cumin, ceyenne pepper, etc.

The Twins are Here!!

2010-03-31T20:02:00.001-04:00

Hello Everyone!
I just wanted to announce that Benjamin Reid and William Henry arrived on Wednesday, March 17th. Benjamin was 3lbs. 4oz, 15 in. long, and William was 4lbs. 11oz, 18 in. long. They were 6 weeks early, so they are still in the NICU learning how to eat and grow. They are doing great and hopefully will be home soon! I had a bit of a rough recovery, but am doing much better now. I can't believe the boys are already 2 weeks old! [Sorry the pictures are so small... blogger made some changes and I need to figure out how to make them bigger. I will try again tomorrow!]

Savory Secrets Second Printing Update

2010-02-25T22:03:00.001-05:00

Hello Everyone! I finally have everything set with the printer for the second run of Savory Secrets cookbooks. The books should be ready next week (about March 2nd). If you would like to purchase a cookbook, they are $15.99 each, plus tax and shipping. If you order 3 or more books, they are $14.99 each, plus tax and shipping.

Please pay for your book(s) via pay pal or by mailing a check (use chart below to calculate cost). Once your payment is received we will mail your book(s) out via media mail. If you need your order sent priority mail, please email me back for pricing.

To pay by pay pal: go to www.paypal.com and there is an option to send money to an email address. Fill out your info and send your payment to savorysecrets@yahoo.com

To pay by personal check: Please make check out to: "Gretchen Albanese" and email me at savorysecrets@yahoo.com for my mailing address.

Pricing Chart:

1 book ($15.99ea) = $15.99 + (0.96 tx)= $16.95 + 2.38 shipping = $19.33 (total for ONE book)

2 books ($15.99ea) = $31.98 + (1.92 tx)= $33.90 + 2.77 shipping = $36.67 (total for TWO books)

3 books ($14.99ea) = $44.97 + (2.70 tx)= $47.67 + 3.16 shipping = $50.83 (total for THREE books)

4 books ($14.99ea) = $59.96 + (3.60 tx)= $63.56 + 3.55 shipping = $67.11 (total for FOUR books)

5 books ($14.99ea) = $74.95 + (4.50 tx)= $79.45 + 3.94 shipping = $83.39 (total for FIVE books)

6 books ($14.99ea) = $89.94 + (5.40 tx)= $94.27 + 4.33 shipping = $98.60 (total for SIX books)

7 books ($14.99ea) = $104.93 + (6.30 tx)= $111.23 + 4.72 shipping = $115.95 (total for SEVEN books)

8 books ($14.99ea) = $119.92 + (7.20 tx)= $127.12 + 5.11 shipping = $132.23 (total for EIGHT books)

Please email me for pricing on orders of more than 8 books.

And in case anyone wants an update on the twins =) ... it looks like I will be delivering early, probably in the next week or two! Of course, I am really trying to get these books out before then! My family will be helping (again!) to make sure the books are packaged and sent out, if Mike and I are unable to do it ourselves. Thank you everyone for asking about me. I will update on the blog once the babies are here.

Gretchen

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-15T18:59:00.002-05:00

Hello Everyone! Many of you have already heard that I was put on strict bed rest last week. That means no more cooking for me for the next three months. It's a good thing I made this recipe and took photos a few weeks ago in anticipation of doing a holiday post!

If any of you are still looking for a good recipe to make for Christmas or New Years, this ham recipe is delicious and it is so unbelievably easy to make!

Maple Cranberry Glazed Spiral Cut Ham

2 cups whole berry cranberry sauce
½ cup real maple syrup
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
1 spiral cut ham (We typically used Leidy’s® fully cooked, bone-in, spiral cut hams at The Secret Chef- they were actually half of a ham- and they weighed approx. 6-8lbs. each. I have also had good results with Costco and Smithfield hams.)

Note: This meal should serve at least 8-10 people, depending on the size of your ham.

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.

2. Place ham in a heavy baking dish or roasting pan. Cover ham with foil and bake until almost heated through, approximately 1 to 1 ½ hours (cooking time will depend on the size of ham that you are using). If you are using a pre-cooked ham, you just need to heat it up, be careful not to over-bake it.

2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, mix together the cranberry sauce, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the glaze is melted and thickened slightly.

3. Uncover the ham, and baste with the maple cranberry
glaze. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 20-30 min,
basting several more times with the glaze.

If you are making this dish ahead to freeze: Mix the
maple cranberry glaze ingredients in a small freezer
bag instead of cooking it. You can freeze the glaze and
ham for up to 3 months. Thaw thoroughly in the
refrigerator (it will probably take several days for the
ham to thaw completely). Continue at step 1 to bake.

Enjoy! And Happy Holidays!

Cook Book is Done!!

2009-11-25T16:35:00.003-05:00

I have great news: The cook book is finally done, just in time for the Holidays! It is called "Savory Secrets: Favorite Recipes from The Secret Chef". It is 176 spiral bound pages, color cover and 5 color photos inside. The cost is $15.99 per book ($16.95 including sales tax). If you purchase 3 or more books, the cost is $14.99 per book ($15.89 including sales tax).

Your first opportunity to purchase the cook book will be at the Central Bucks Family YMCA Holiday Craft Fair, Dec. 4 and 5th. The holiday fair is open to the public and admission is free. Santa will be making a visit by fire truck Friday night. We are offering to free gift wrap for any cook books purchased at the YMCA holiday fair!

The Holiday Fair hours are:
Friday, December 4th: 9am - 8pm
Saturday, December 5th: 9am - 2pm

The address of the Central Bucks Family YMCA is:
2500 Lower State Road
Doylestown, PA 18901

If you are unable to make the fair or live out of the area, you can order your cook book by mail. If I receive your order, with payment, by Monday, December 8, 2009, SHIPPING/DELIVERY IS FREE (anywhere in the continental US)! For orders received after December 8th, please include $4.50 for shipping and handling. Orders must be received by Friday, December 18th for Christmas delivery. The $4.50 shipping and handling fee covers shipment of up to 4 books. For orders greater than 4 books, please email me at: savorysecrets@yahoo.com to discuss shipment options and cost.

You can pay with a credit card via paypal. My paypal account is under savorysecrets@yahoo.com. Please send me an email for my mailing address if you would like to pay by check.

Please include the following with your order (I am not sure if you can note this in paypal, if not, just send me an email at savorysecrets@yahoo.com with the shipping info, etc.):
1. # of books you are purchasing
2. Shipping address
3. Your email address
4. Your telephone number
5. Your payment
THANK YOU

1 book ($15.99ea) = $15.99 (0.96 tx)= $16.95
2 books ($15.99ea) = $31.98 (1.92 tx)= $33.90
3 books ($14.99ea) = $44.97 (2.70 tx)= $47.67
4 books ($14.99ea) = $59.96 (3.60 tx)= $63.56
5 books ($14.99ea) = $74.95 (4.50 tx)= $79.45
6 books ($14.99ea) = $89.94 (4.50 tx)= $95.34
and so on...

THANK YOU! AND HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Good News!

2009-10-29T21:43:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! I have good news: I am expecting TWINS in April! Unfortunately, I have had some nausea and food aversions that have made cooking, writing, and blogging about food a little difficult these past few of months!

I have a little over 100 pages of the cook book done (all of the chicken, turkey, pork, and beef recipes are finished). I still have to complete the fish and vegetarian recipes. I have been feeling a little better lately, so I am still hoping to have the cook book finished and printed by Thanksgiving. I will keep everyone posted.

Thank you for all of your support!

Quick Homemade Pizza

2009-09-24T16:02:00.000-04:00

It’s really fun to make homemade pizza. This recipe is easy and fast to make, because you don’t have to let the crust rise. This is thin crust pizza, so don’t go too heavy on the toppings or the crust will get soggy. You can make a couple of batches of crust and freeze the extra for later. Enjoy!

Thin Crust Pizza

0.25 oz package active dry yeast

¼ teaspoon granulated sugar

¾ cup warm (110 degree) water

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Topping ingredients: I like to use a pesto-tomato sauce (see recipe below), sliced fresh mozzarella, sliced kalamata olives, fresh basil, and arugula.

Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the warm water; allow to rest 8 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt.

Pour yeast mixture over flour mixture. Add the olive oil. Mix well.

Empty the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 2 min. You DO NOT need to let this dough rise. Note: if you are making extra dough to freeze for later, roll the extra dough into a ball. Place dough in a freezer bag (leave a little extra room when sealing the bag, because the dough may rise a little bit before it freezes). Freeze. Thaw in the fridge completely and continue at step 5 when ready to make the pizza.

Press (or roll) the dough into an approx. 12” circle.

Place the dough on a lightly greased pizza pan and stretch the dough to the edges.

Top pizza with your choice of toppings. I like to spread a light layer of sauce over the pizza, then top with slices of fresh mozzarella, sliced kalamata olives, and sliced fresh basil.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for approx. 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden and cheese is bubbling.

I like to add fresh arugula to the pizza after taking it out of the oven. The pizza is hot enough that it will wilt the arugula.

For a super easy Pesto-Tomato Pizza Sauce, mix equal parts tomato paste and pesto sauce. You can use store bought pesto sauce, or make your own using my recipe from this previous post .

2009-08-31T16:30:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone is enjoying their last days of summer, and taking advantage of cooking on the grill. Last week I made one of my favorite steak dishes: South American Skirt Steak with Chimichuri Sauce. Skirt steak is a flavorful type of beef steak, often used for fajitas. It usually comes in long, thin steaks. This dish is great for an end of summer barbecue. I usually serve it with a big green salad.

South American Skirt Steak
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
approx. 1 1/2 lbs skirt steak

1. Add the following ingredients to a zip-top freezer bag: 2 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 cup lime juice, 1/4 cup red wine, 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion, 2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp salt. Seal the bag and gently squeeze it to mix the ingredients. Open the bag, add the steak, and re-seal the bag. (If you are making this dish to freeze, stop here and freeze the bag of steak/marinade. Continue at step 2 when you are ready to cook the steaks).

2. Marinate the bag of steak in the refrigerator for approximately 8-12 hours. Remove the steaks from the marinade and discard unused marinade.

3. Preheat grill to high heat. Grill steaks over high heat for approximately 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Important: cut steaks diagonally, against the grain, into strips to serve. This step is very important-- skirt steak can be stringy if it is not cut this way! Serve with Chimichuri Sauce (recipe below).

Chimichuri Sauce
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil

In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients. Serve over skirt steaks. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. If you are making this dish to freeze, mix the first 4 ingredients in a small freezer bag, and freeze. Add the red wine vinegar and olive oil when you are ready to serve the dish (it doesn't freeze well if mixed all together before freezing).

Summer Fruit Pie Recipes

2009-08-13T18:44:00.002-04:00

As promised, here are my fruit pie recipes. These are regular size pies (not deep dish). I made the blackberry pie from the berries I picked at Solebury Orchards. The secret ingredient is fresh grated ginger. Don't leave it out because it really "makes" the pie! The peach pie was made with peaches from a small farm stand on Middle Road in Dublin, PA. I have also had some excellent peaches from a small stand on E. Creamery Road (between Rickert and Callowhill Roads) in Hilltown Township.

Blackberry Pie

Recipe for Double Crust Pie Pastry (see this post for recipe)

1 qt. Blackberries

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup corn starch

1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 Tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Optional: one beaten egg white and sprinkle of sugar for top crust

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Prepare a double pie crust and line pie plate with half the dough. Roll top crust out and cut into strips for lattice crust.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the blackberries, white sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, grated ginger. Empty the berry mixture into the pie shell. Sprinkle the berries with the lemon juice and dot with the butter pats.

4. Weave the lattice top over the top of the berries. Optional: Brush the top crust with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar for a nice presentation.

5. Set the pie on a metal baking sheet (to prevent a messy oven if the pie spills over). Bake pie for 10 minutes at 450 degrees F. Turn heat down to 350 degrees F and continue baking for an additional 30 minutes or until crust turns golden and pie is cooked through. Cool on a wire rack.

Tip: Fresh fruit pies tend to be a little runny, even with the use of cornstarch. After cooling the pie, you can chill it in the refrigerator to help it set, if needed.

Peach Pie

Recipe for Double Crust Pie Pastry (see this post for recipe)

About 10 medium peaches

1/4 cup crushed ginger snaps (about 6 ginger snaps)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup corn starch

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 Tablespoon butter, cut into pieces

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Prepare a double pie crust and line pie plate with half the dough. Roll top crust out and cut into strips for lattice crust.

3. Cut the peaches in half through the stem end. Peel the peaches, remove pits, and slice each half into 5 wedges. Place the peaches in a large bowl, and add white sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, and nutmeg. Toss to coat.

4. Sprinkle the crushed ginger snaps into the bottom of the pie shell. These will help to absorb the juice from the peaches as the pie bakes, keeping the bottom crust from getting soggy.

5. Empty the peach mixture into the pie shell. Sprinkle the peaches with the lemon juice and almond extract and dot with the butter pats.

4. Weave the lattice top over the top of the peaches. Optional: Brush the top crust with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar for a nice presentation.

Tip: Fresh fruit pies tend to be a little runny, even with the use of cornstarch. After cooling the pie, you can chill it in the refrigerator to help it set, if needed.

Enjoy!

Solebury Orchards

2009-08-11T15:34:00.008-04:00

Local summer fruits are plentiful here in Bucks County, PA. The peaches and plums are in now, and you can still find local blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries. Last Friday afternoon my husband and I stopped by Solebury Orchards on Creamery Road in Solebury Township to pick some berries. Solebury Orchards currently has "pick your own" blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherry tomatoes, and flowers. You can also purchase already picked peaches and pears in their market. Check their website for hours and directions: www.soleburyorchards.com . If you do not live in the area, check www.pickyourown.org to locate a farm close to you.

The market at Solebury Orchards. They also sell apple cider and yummy cider doughnuts!

Rows of blackberries at the orchard. They keep the areas inbetween rows mowed, so it is easy to pick and not too buggy.

Beautiful blackberries!

Some of our harvest!

You can pick your own flowers in the Cutting Garden. There were many butterflies, moths, and bumble bees flitting around in the rows of flowers. I didn't cut any flowers this time (husband was getting impatient to leave), but next time I would like to cut a small bouquet.

We had a great time at Solebury Orchards and I recommend them if you are in the area. I made a blackberry pie with the berries I picked and I also made a peach pie. I will post the recipes by the end of the week. Also check back later this month for the recipe for South American Skirt Steak with Chimichuri Sauce.

Crab Cakes with Lemon Dill Sauce

2009-07-29T14:26:00.001-04:00

When people would ask if I had a favorite recipe at my business, I always answered "Crab Cakes with Lemon Dill Sauce"! This dish was probably our most famous and it was the recipe that my family and I most enjoyed testing. Use the best quality jumbo lump crab meat you can get. If you make jumbo size crab cakes, they make a great summer dinner-- just add fresh local corn on the cob and some coleslaw and you are done. You can also make these crab cakes appetizer size and serve them at your summer parties or for events through out the year. These freeze fine, so you can make them ahead of time. Just thaw them in the fridge for a day or two before cooking.

Crab Cakes with Lemon Dill Sauce

2 large eggs (or approximately 1/3 cup of liquid eggs)
2 Tablespoons regular mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper *USE LESS IF YOU DON'T LIKE SPICY FOODS*
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 can Jumbo Lump Crab Meat (one pound can)
1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1. Add the eggs, mayo, mustard powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, Old Bay seasoning, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper to a large mixing bowl. Whisk or stir to combine.

2. Add the crab to the bowl of egg mixture and gently stir, so the crab is well coated. Add the bread crumbs and cracker crumbs to the bowl and gently stir until the mixture is combined. I always try to be careful not to break up the crab meat too much.

3. Form the mixture into either 6 jumbo size crab cakes or 12 appetizer size crab cakes.

4. There are two ways to cook these crab cakes. Method A: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray baking sheet with non-stick spray. Place crab cakes on baking sheet and bake for approximately 15 - 20 minutes, or until crab cakes are golden brown and cooked through. Method B: Heat approximately 1/2 cup of olive oil or vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add crab cakes and cook until golden brown and cooked through, turning once. Serve with Lemon Dill Sauce (recipe below). ENJOY!

Lemon Dill Sauce

1/4 cup Buttermilk
2 Tablespoons chopped Fresh Dill
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup Light or Regular Mayonnaise

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir. (If you are making this to freeze, this portion of the sauce can be frozen. Wait to add the mayo until you are serving the crab cakes because the mayo will not freeze well). Add 1 cup of mayo to the mixture and stir. Ideally, you should refrigerate for an hour or two before serving to let herb mixture fully flavor the mayo.

Local Treasure: Bolton Farm Market - Silverdale, PA

2009-07-15T15:40:00.001-04:00

Many of my former customers have mentioned they miss the meats and poultry that I used at my business, and have asked if they can purchase these products anywhere else. I do not believe the vendors sell to retail establishments, but I mentioned that if I found any good local sources I would pass them on. I happen to live close to Bolton Farm Market in Silverdale, PA, and I highly recommend them!

Bolton Farm Market is known for their Thanksgiving turkeys, which are excellent, but they carry so much more than that. It is worth a stop if you are in the area! Bolton's also carries other turkey products such as: turkey breast cutlets, ground turkey, turkey sausage, turkey bacon, and turkey hot dogs. They now also carry their own whole chickens and whole chicken breasts, and Black Angus beef (various cuts of steaks as well as ground beef). All of their poultry and beef are raised there on the farm, and are not fed any anti-biotics or growth hormones. Bolton's also carries in-season local produce and Penn View Dairy bottled milk (also no anti-biotics or growth hormones). I have personally tried almost all of these items and found them to be of excellent quality. It also feels good to be supporting a local family business.

I have noticed that they seem to have more of a selection on Fridays (many choices of fresh Black Angus steaks as well as frozen, for example) and there has also been a Mennonite baker there on Fridays this summer, selling many kinds of delicious pies, cookies, whoopie pies, etc. Visit www.boltonfarmmarket.com for more information and hours of operation.

Check back later this month for a Pick Your Own Blueberries account and for the recipe for my favorite Crab Cakes!

Sour Cherries are Here... Yummm!

2009-07-02T12:33:00.002-04:00

If you live in Bucks County, PA and you like sour cherries, get to a farmers market right away! The season is really short, and you don't want to miss it. Buy extra and freeze them - you can use the frozen berries later in the summer. Sour cherries are usually too tart to eat raw, but they make excellent pies, preserves, and crisps.

I found sour cherries at a really small road-side stand in Hilltown Township (on Creamery Road between Rickert and Callowhill Roads). If you live close, it's worth checking. They were $4 for an overflowing quart-size container- bring exact change because there is just a lock box type of thing to leave your money. They also had black raspberries and blueberries. If you don't live close, you can check www.localharvest.org

to find a farm or market near you. Call first to see if they have sour cherries.

Yes, you will need to pit the cherries before using them. I will admit, it is a pain, but I figure I only have do it once a year during sour cherry season. I just use an unfolded large paperclip to take the pits out. Remove the stem from the cherry, insert the paperclip in the stem end of the cherry, give it a little bit of a turn around the pit, then pop the pit out!

My favorite thing to make with sour cherries is pie. The almond extract is optional, but I really think it "makes" this pie - almonds and cherries go so well together!

Sour Cherry Pie

Pastry dough for 8 in. 2 crust pie (recipe below)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 cups fresh sour cherries, pitted
1/4 tsp. almond extract (optional)
1 Tbs. butter

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line pie pan with 1/2 of the pastry dough.

2. Mix together the pitted cherries, flour, and sugar until the cherries are well-coated. Pour mixture into pie shells. Sprinkle almond extract over the cherry mixture. Cut butter into small pieces and dot over the cherry mixture. Use second half of pastry dough to make lattice top for the pie. Crimp edges.
Optional: Brush top crust with beaten egg white and sprinkle with sugar for a nice presentation.

3. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake 30-40 minutes more until crust is browned and pie is done. Tip: Bake on the 2nd lowest rack position in the oven. Set pie on cookie sheet if it starts to spill over in the oven.

Pastry for Double Crust 8 in. Pie

2 cups all-purpose flour (I like King Arthur brand)
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup shortening (I like to use organic, trans-fat free, non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening)
1/3 cup cold water

1. Mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or two knives. Combine until mixture forms small peas-sized clumps. Use a tablespoon to sprinkle the cold water over the flour mixture, 1 Tablespoon at a time. Mix lightly with a fork as you add the water; do not overmix. The mixture should be just moist enough that it will hold together when pressed gently into a ball. It will still be slightly crumbly.

2. Divide the dough into two balls. Roll bottom crust out in a circle two inches larger than the pie pan. Gently lift the crust into the pie pan and fit it to the pan. Roll out second ball of pastry. Cut into lattice strips with pizza cutter or knife. Fill pie according to recipe. Cover pie with lattice crust strips. Bake as indicated in recipe.

Mojo Pork

2009-06-30T20:19:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite grilling recipes, that we used every summer at my business, is Mojo Pork. I use pork tenderloin and fresh herbs and citrus juice. The leftovers make fabulous Cuban sandwiches, so you can grill both tenderloins and make the sandwiches for lunch or dinner the next day.

Mojo Pork

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (approximately 2 and 1/2 limes)

1/2 cup fresh orange juice (approximately 1 and 1/2 oranges)

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

4 tsp. minced garlic

1 and 1/2 tsp. fresh oregano (or 1/2 tsp dried oregano)

1 tsp. grated orange zest

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

2 pork tenderloins (1 package), trimmed of visible fat and silverskin

1. Add all ingredients except the pork to a large zip top freezer bag. Seal the bag and squeeze to mix the ingredients. Add the pork to the bag and reseal. Place the bag in the refrigerator to marinate over night (or freeze, to make at a later date).

2. Clean and oil the grate of your grill. Preheat grill to medium high heat. Remove the pork from the marinade and grill, turning approximately every 5 minutes, and basting with the marinade. It will take approximately 20 minutes to cook through (pork should reach at least 145 degrees F). Food safety tip: do not baste during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Discard excess marinade.

3. Let pork stand for about 10 minutes before serving. Slice thinly and serve with grilled pineapple (recipe below). It should serve about 6- 8 people.

Grilled Pineapple

1 pineapple (cored, skin removed, sliced into rings)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1. Lightly coat the pineapple slices with brown sugar. Place the fruit in container in the fridge for approximately 2 hours to let the fruit macerate in the sugar.

2. Clean and lightly oil the grill grate. Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Grill pineapple for a few minutes per side. Pineapple is done when it starts to caramelize and has grill marks.

Alternate cooking method: You can put a small amount of vegetable oil in a grill pan and cook the pineapple over medium high heat for a few minutes per side, until it starts to caramelize.

Cuban Sandwich

Cuban Bread (or soft French bread)

softened butter

yellow mustard

left over mojo pork (or roasted pork)

sliced ham

swiss cheese

dill pickles

Spread a thin layer of yellow mustard on the inside of the bread. Layer slices of pork, ham, swiss cheese, and dill pickles between the bread. Spread a thin layer of softened butter on the outside of the bread. Cook the sandwich in a sandwich press. Or, you can cook in a frying pan on the stove, as you would cook grilled cheese, using a spatula to press the sandwich down as it cooks.

These Cuban-inspired dishes go really well with homemade Mojitos made with fresh mint! Enjoy!

Strawberry Shortcakes and Freezer Jam

2009-06-22T15:11:00.003-04:00

Sadly, strawberry season is almost over. I have been busy making lots of treats to use up all of my berries. Here are some of my favorite strawberry recipes:

Strawberry Shortcakes

6 cups sliced strawberries

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup butter

1 beaten egg

2/3 cup milk

Whipped Cream (see recipe below)

1. Stir together berries and 1/4 cup of the sugar; set aside.

2. Stir together the remaining sugar, flour, and baking powder. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Combine egg and milk; add to the dry ingredients. Stir just to moisten; do not over mix. Drop by spoonfuls onto a lightly greased baking sheet (I use two tablespoons). You should have enough batter to make approximately nine individual shortcakes.

3. Bake in a 450 degree oven for approximately 12-15 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Split each shortcake into two layers. Spoon the berries over the bottom half of the short cakes, top with whipped cream, then top with the top layers of short cakes. Serve immediately. (Makes approximately 9 shortcakes).

Tip: You can make the shortcake part ahead of time; cool, place in a zip top freezer bag, and freeze. Thaw shortcakes at room temperature for approximately 2 hours. Make the strawberries and whipped cream just before serving.

Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Add the cream to a medium-size mixing bowl. Beat the cream, using an electric mixer, starting on low and increasing the speed as the cream begins to froth.

2. Gradually add the sugar and vanilla. Continue to beat the cream or about 3 minutes, or until it holds soft peaks. Use immediately.

Strawberry Freezer Jam
I make freezer jams because I am a freak about food safety! They are also so easy to make.

Strawberry Freezer Jam
1 quart fresh strawberries
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
4 cups sugar
3/4 cups water
1 package (1.75 oz) powdered pectin

1. Cut the tops of the strawberries, then crush berries, one layer at a time. (You should end up with about 2 cups of crushed berries). Add lemon juice and sugar to berries. Mix thoroughly and let stand 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine water and pectin in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute. Add cooked pectin to fruit mixture and stir for 3 minutes.

3. Pour into jars or freezer containers, cover with lids, and let stand until set (but not longer than 24 hours). Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 1 year. (Makes approximately 5 8oz. jars).

Pick Your Own Strawberries

2009-06-16T16:42:00.008-04:00

The Pick Your Own Strawberry season was a little late this year in my area of Bucks County, PA, but it was definitely worth it! I was able to go to Tabora Farm and Orchard last Friday and pick about 6 or 7 pounds of delicious strawberries. They said the season should continue for another week and a half to two weeks, so you still have time!

If you don't live near Tabora Farms, you can check www.pickyourown.org for a farm close to you.

Tabora Farm and Orchard - Chalfont, PA

The strawberry field at Tabora

Some of our delicious fresh picked strawberries

Part of the beautiful flock of chickens roaming around (my sister says "beautiful chickens" is an oxymoron, but to me they are beautiful!)

It was a fun day! I spent most of Saturday cooking and baking, and of course taking pictures. Later this week I will post some of my strawberry recipes, including Individual Strawberry Shortcakes, Strawberry Freezer Jam, and Strawberry Ice Cream.

It has been so cool out, I haven't been thinking much about grilling. Later this month I will post some of my summer favorites for the grill!

Stuffed Pesto Burgers

2009-06-11T17:38:00.002-04:00

Since the weather has not been cooperating for strawberry picking, I decided to make some Stuffed Pesto Burgers. This is one of my favorite burger recipes, and it is really simple!

Stuffed Pesto Burgers

(This recipe makes 4 quarter-pound burgers-- adjust the ingredients accordingly to make more burgers)

1 pound 90% lean ground beef

2 Tablespoons pesto (recipe to follow-- but you can use store bought if needed)

salt and pepper

approximately 2 oz. provolone cheese

1. Cut cheese into 4 equal chunks and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, pesto, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Shape the beef mixture into 8 thin patties. Sandwich a chunk of cheese inbetween two of the burger patties. Seal the edges, making sure that the cheese is completely enclosed in the middle of the ground beef, so the cheese won't melt and leak out. Repeat with the remaining cheese and beef patties. You should end up with 4 burgers.

3. If you are making these ahead, wrap them in waxed paper, then place in a freezer bag or air-tight container. Store in the freezer or refrigerator. Thaw before grilling, if frozen.

4. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill burgers until cooked through, turning once. Serve on rolls.

Homemade Pesto

Following is my recipe for homemade pesto. It is another easy recipe, and you can use pesto for so many different things. You can make it in a food processor or blender, but if you use a blender, separate the recipe into two batches, and just be patient. Pesto freezes really well, so you can make up a bunch this summer.

Pesto

(Makes approx. 4 cups)

4 cloves garlic, peeled

6 cups packed fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (3 ounces) finely grated parmesan cheese

1. Add the garlic, basil, parsley, and pine nuts (if using) to the food processor or blender and pulse.

2. Add the olive oil a little bit at a time, pulsing in between each time you add more oil. Keep pulsing until the pesto is smooth, stopping when needed to scrape the side with a rubber spatula.

3. Transfer the pesto to a medium size bowl and stir in the salt and grated parmesan cheese. This will keep in the fridge for a month (tip: it helps to keep the bright green color of the pesto if you pour a thin layer of olive oil over the pesto). If freezing, transfer into small airtight containers.

Enjoy!

Strawberries are Late!

2009-06-05T12:46:00.000-04:00

I stopped by Tabora Farm and Orchard the other day hoping to pick some strawberries, but I was told "pick your own" doesn't start until June 12th this year! I guess the cool, rainy weather may have delayed them a little bit. Fortunately, my favorite little farm stand down the road in Dublin has had their strawberries in for about a week or so. So delicious!

Next weekend I hope to make Strawberry Freezer Jam and post the recipe, assuming I am able to pick strawberries. My basil is coming in well, so I also plan to make Secret Chef "Stuffed Pesto Burgers" and post the recipe here later in June. Stay tuned!

Almond Crusted Chicken with Strawberry Glaze

2009-05-27T21:51:00.008-04:00

One of my favorite spring or early summer dinners is Almond Crusted Chicken with Strawberry Glaze. You can use homemade or store bought strawberry preserves, and as always, this meal freezes well!

Almond Crusted Chicken with Strawberry Glaze

Ingredients for Glaze:

1/3 Cup Strawberry Jam or Preserves

1/3 Cup Chicken Broth

1/4 cup Sliced Green Onions

1 teaspoon Fresh Rosemary, chopped (or 1/4 teaspoon Dry Rosemary)

1 Tablespoon White Balsamic Vinegar

Ingredients for Chicken:

3/4 Cup Ground Almonds (use raw, unsalted almonds, and use a blender or food processor to grind them)

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

1 and 1/2 lbs. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (cutlets or tenders work best)

1 or 2 Tablespoons Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil

1. In a small bowl, mix together the glaze ingredients and set aside. (If you are making this dish to freeze, mix the ingredients in a small freezer bag, then set aside).

2. In a medium size bowl, mix together the ground almonds, salt, and black pepper. Lightly coat each piece of chicken with the ground almond mixture. (If you are making this dish to freeze, place the chicken in a single layer in an airtight container).

3. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chicken to the skillet (you may need to cook the chicken in two batches). Cook each side for approximately four minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Boneless, skinless chicken should reach at least 165 degrees F.

4. Remove the chicken from the skillet and wipe out the skillet with a paper towel. Empty the strawberry glaze into the skillet and cook over medium heat for about five minutes, or until the glaze starts to bubble and slightly thicken.

5. Serve the sauce over the chicken. This dish is great over a bed of baby spinach! Enjoy.

If you made this dish to freeze, thaw in the refrigerator before cooking, and start at step 3 above.

Farm Stand Asparagus

2009-05-18T11:41:00.001-04:00

I have been hitting my two favorite farm stands and enjoying the fresh local asparagus and green onions. Yumm! It made me think of two tips I forgot to mention with the Crab Quiche recipe.

If you are looking for a use for some of your fresh asparagus, you can modify the Crab and Swiss Quiche recipe and make an Asparagus and Bacon Quiche instead. Substitute 1 cup of chopped asparagus (lightly steamed) for the crab, and substitute black pepper for the cayenne pepper. You can keep the green onions, or you can substitute 1/4 cup diced yellow onions. Keep the rest of the ingredients and instructions the same. Enjoy!

My other savory secret to share is that green onions (scallions) actually freeze very well! If you have more than you need at the moment, go ahead and rinse and drain them. Slice them thinly. Lightly pat them dry with a paper towel if they still seem too moist. Freeze them in small freezer bags. You can pull them out of the freezer as needed, for use in soups and sauces.

Next up on Savory Secrets... early June is strawberry season in Bucks County, PA! Check back for my recipe for Almond Crusted Chicken with Strawberry Glaze.

Spring Brunch Recipes

2009-05-09T16:37:00.003-04:00

Thank you all for checking in with me and wishing me well in my new venture. I am starting to settle into my new routine. This past week I had a chance to make a couple of my favorite spring recipes: Crab and Swiss Quiche and Grand Marnier Baked French Toast. Both of these recipes are perfect for a spring brunch. Enjoy!

All photos copyrighted by Savory Secrets

Crab and Swiss Quiche

Ingredients:

2 cups Half and Half

5 Large Eggs (or 1 cup liquid eggs)

3 Tablespoons Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/4 cup thinly sliced Green Onions

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup shredded Swiss Cheese (or cut into small cubes)

1/3 lb. of jumbo lump Crab Meat (cooked)*

10-inch deep-dish Pie Shell (homemade or store bought; you can use a regular size pie shell, you will probabl just have extra batter)

*The key to this quiche is the quality of the crab you use. Use the best quality canned jumbo lump crab meat you can buy (you could use lump, but I don't use a lesser grade than lump). A one pound can is enough to make three quiches. You can make one quiche for now and two to freeze for later. They freeze wonderfully if you freeze the batter mixture in a large ziplock bag. Thaw in the fridge, pour into a pre-made pie shell, then bake.

Instructions:

1. Add the following ingredients to a large mixing bowl, and whisk: half and half, eggs, flour, baking powder, cayenne pepper, and salt.

2. Next, gently fold in the following ingredients: green onions, cheddar cheese, swiss cheese, and crab meat.

3. Pour the mixture into the pie shell. Tip: If you have any extra mixture, you can pour it into muffin pans to make mini crustless quiches. Just make sure to fill the extra muffin holes with water so they cook evenly, and check them for doneness after 30 minutes or so in the oven. These are really cute!

4. Set the quiche on top of a baking sheet in case it overflows in the oven. Bake in the oven (preheated to 350 degrees F), uncovered, for approximately 45 minutes, or until set. If the pie crust starts browning too quickly, cover the edges with foil. Let the quiche sit for 10 minutes before cutting.

All photos copyrighted by Savory Secrets

Grand Marnier Baked French Toast

Ingredients:
1 French Baguette or 4 Large Croissants
1/2 cup Butter, melted
1 cup pure Maple Syrup
6 large Eggs (or approximately 1 and 1/4 cup liquid eggs)
3 cups Half and Half
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Grand Marnier
1 teaspoon Orange Zest
1 teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract
sprinkle of Cinnamon

Instructions:
1. Pour melted butter and syrup into a 9 x 13 baking pan; spread evenly to cover the bottom of the pan.

2. Slice the french bread into approximately 14 slices (if using croissants, slice each croissant horizontally into two thin slices). Arrange the bread or coissants in a single layer in the pan, on top of the butter/syrup mixture (if using croissants, it is okay to layer the slices as needed to fit the pan).

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the following: eggs, half and half, salt, Grand Marnier, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Whisk. Pour mixture over the bread, pressing the slices down to make sure each piece is completely covered by the mixture.

4. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

5. Cover the french toast and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator. OR, freeze for up to 6 months to bake at a later date. Thaw in the refrigerator before baking.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover the french toast. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until cooked through. If you used croissants they will puff up. If they are browning too quickly, cover the french toast with foil and continue baking.

7. Let set for about 10 minutes before serving. Optional: sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving and/or serve with additional maple syrup.

Note: This french toast comes out more like a custard or bread pudding. We love it, but if you prefer a slightly dryer or crisper version, you can either pour off some of the liquid before baking, or cut the amount of eggs and half and half used by approximately one third.

My favorite combination is the Grand Marnier version listed above using croissants, but these variation are delicious as well:

Hazelnut Flavored Baked French Toast: 1) Substitute Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) for the Grand Marnier, 2) Omit the orange zest, 3) Sprinkle with nutmeg instead of cinnamon.

Traditional Flavored French Toast: 1) Omit all liqueur, 2) Increase vanilla extract to 1 Tablespoon, 3) Omit orange zest.

Welcome to Savory Secrets

2009-04-29T09:40:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Savory Secrets, a blog about simple, delicious, home-made food. My specialty is easy, freezer-friendly cooking that tastes good and makes life easier.

This will be my new "home" while I am writing my cookbook, which should be available by fall. I will post updates here about my progress on the book. In the meantime, check back here every few weeks. I will post some of my favorite seasonal recipes from my former business, as well as any other culinary adventures going on in my life.

Savory Secret #1: Check back here by May 15th for the recipe for Crab and Swiss Quiche!