These Spicy Thai Basil Potatoes taste like the Thai Dish Pad Gra Pow. These potatoes are delicious and very easy to prepare and are low in fat too. You can serve them cold as a salad or hot as a side dish.

This recipe makes about 12 servings

3 pounds small red potatoes

1/4 cup vegetable soup base (or chicken)

1 cup Thai Basil – chopped

4 Thai red chili peppers – chopped fine

4 large garlic cloves – chopped fine

1/4 cup golden mountain seasoning sauce also called tuong gia vi (it’s a soy sauce but with more flavors)

1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar

2 Tablespoons fish sauce

1 shallot – sliced very thin on a mandolin

1 Tablespoon canola oil

Directions

Put the cleaned potatoes in a pot. Add the soup base and cover potatoes with water. Bring pot to a medium boil and let the potatoes cook till fork tender. (they boil about 15 minutes)

Drain the potatoes when done.

While they are hot slice the potatoes in half and put them in a large bowl. Sprinkle the golden mountain seasoning sauce over the potatoes and let them absorb for about 5 minutes. Shake the potatoes around so the sauce is distributed. Add Thai basil, chili peppers, garlic, sugar, fish sauce, shallot and oil. Gently stir.

Enjoy!

Delicious!

 

I was watching Andrew Zimmern’s TV Show “Delicious Destinations” in Sicily. What interested me the most were the unusual Cannoli he enjoyed in Sicily. They didn’t look anything like any other cannoli I’ve come across anywhere. They looked almost like Chocolate Tacos filled with the usual cream filling studded with chocolate chips and topped with candied orange peel. I remembered he said the secret to these cannoli was vinegar in the recipe. So here is my attempt to create something similar to what I saw on TV. I used my normal cannoli recipe ……that took a while to develop….and swapped out the water and wine for vinegar. I added 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa and an extra Tablespoon of sugar (because of the vinegar). The mixture got very dry so I then added just one teaspoon of water. As the mixture sat it got too wet……so I pinched off a dough ball and just dipped each dough ball in flour and kneaded like bread. If you make the candied orange peels you have to make them two days in advance because they take two days to dry. In my area they don’t sell good tasting ricotta cheese for the filling so I make a rich ricotta cheese. It takes about an hour to make. It’s simply a gallon of milk, a quart of heavy cream (this is a creamier version of what I normally do…usually I use a pint of heavy cream), a teaspoon of course sea salt. You SLOWLY bring to a slow boil. Into the boiling parts SLOWLY add the juice of two lemons till curds form and let it slowly boil a few minutes. I drain the cheese well with either paper towels lining a colander or if I’m in a big hurry I use a mesh strainer. I add 10x sugar and vanilla to taste for the filling. For regular cannoli I dust with 10x sugar. For Delicious Destinations Style Cannoli I used a mixture of unsweetened cocoa mixed with 10x sugar. It’s best to make the cannoli filling the day before because the sugar makes the vanilla filling wet and you will need to drain it.

Ingredients for about 13 servings

1 cup flour – plus extra for kneading and rolling

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter – room temperature

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 pinch course sea salt

1/4 cup vinegar

1/2 egg white and 1/2 yolk separated (use yolk to seal cannoli)

1/4 cup cocoa

Optional 1 teaspoon water if dough seems too dry

oil to deep fry with – I used vegetable oil

2 oranges – for candied orange peels

2 cups sugar – for candied orange peels – plus extra to roll peels in

1 cup water – for candied orange peels

Directions

Add Oil to electric fryer and set it to 350 degrees F.

In a medium size bowl add flour, butter, sugar, salt, vinegar, 1/2 egg white, cocoa and mix well with a fork. If the mixture is too dry add up to a teaspoon of water. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for about a half hour.

If you’re making the candied orange peels use either a knife or a vegetable peeler and peel off the orange zest. Try not to get much of the white part because that white part is bitter. Boil the orange peels and you will see the water turn orange. Drain the water and REPEAT TWO MORE TIMES. After you boil the peels THREE TIMES. Simmer the peels again with one cup water and two cups sugar. Keep it simmering till the liquid looks slightly thicker. Pull the peels out and roll each peel in sugar and place on a pan covered with plastic wrap. Peels need two days to dry.

Either pinch off a marble size piece of dough or divide the dough into about 13 pieces. If the dough feels sticky dip the dough into flour and knead. Lightly flour your rolling pin and rolling mat or whatever you usually roll dough on. Roll it as thin as you can. Place in your taco frying holder and place in oil till it looks cooked. Remove cannoli shell on to a paper towel lined pan. Repeat till all the shells are done.

I like to powder the shells. The powder also helps to keep the shells crisp. For plain shells I powder with 10x sugar. These D.D. Sicily Inspired Chocolate Shells I powdered with a mix of Unsweetened Cocoa and 10x sugar. The shells get filled with a fresh made rich ricotta cheese. I added a splash of pure vanilla maybe two drops of natural anise extract and 10x sugar till it’s slightly sweet. The sugar will make the mixture turn wet so I put the mixture in a paper towel lined colander in the morning and changed the paper towel twice. Just before filling the shells I added slightly chopped chocolate chips. Each D.D. Sicily Inspired Cannoli gets topped with a candied orange peel.

Different! More flavors, notes and textures than my regular cannoli. I like the usual different look but they are a little harder to eat because of the unusual shape. If I make them next year I’d just try to make the taco shape smaller.

Your Place can be a DELICIOUS DESTINATION if you prepare these Forking Delicious Cannoli!

 

 

 

 

The lemon cucumbers taste different than other cucumbers.Lemon Cumbers also look different….they actually look like lemons. These cucumbers are sweet and sort of fruity with gentle acid. I thought they’d go well with I’itois Onions, Sweet Yellow Bell Peppers and Saffron. I just add a little sugar and a tiny bit of course sea salt. I think that is all this salad needs. I figure if you are able to find lemon cucumbers that you shouldn’t ave trouble finding an I’itiois Onion. It looks like a scallion but has more complex flavors….sort of scallion and sort of shallot.

Ingredients for about 4 servings

5 medium lemon cucumbers – ends trimmed and cut in 1/2 slices

1 yellow bell pepper (stem and core removed) – cut in thin 1/4 slices

1 I’itois onion – sliced

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon course sea salt

pinch saffron

Directions

Everything but saffron goes in a medium sized bowl. Gently stir bowl. Crumble the saffron well with your fingers and add in.

Chill and serve.

This Biscotti recipe is a tweaked and different flavor version of Giada de Laurentiis’s Recipe (chocolate chip biscotti) that is or used to be on www.FoodNetwork.com . The Biscotti just come out delicious. You and all your guest will be thrilled with these Biscotti. The pomegranate just adds a really neat fruity pop and this interesting texture. The fresh rosemary is just something that aromatic and in the background….a hint that you don’t really know it’s there but it just taste delicious.The cookies are great with or without the chocolate drizzle so that is optional….As for the recipe I only changed up the flavor (anise), regular flour for bread flour from the original …… for more texture. I also added lower degree and lower  baking for a crisper biscotti. This recipe will make around 30 Biscotti. Like for most better results for yummier cookies I made the cookie dough the day before and baked up the Biscotti the next day.

Ingredients for about 30 servings

2 cups bread flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon course sea salt

3/4 cup sugar

4 oz unsalted butter – room temperature

2 large eggs – beaten

1 teaspoon anise seeds

1 pomegranate – all the fruit from the pomegranate

1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary – chopped fine

optional 6 oz chocolate chips for drizzling (I used milk chocolate….)

Directions

In a large mixing bowl add the sugar and butter and mix well with a fork. Then add the eggs and mix well. Now dump in the flour, baking powder, salt and anise seeds and mix well. Add the pomegranate and rosemary. Mix well. Cover dough bowl with plastic wrap. Put bowl of dough in the refrigerator and let sit overnight.

Next Day

Set oven to 350 degrees F

Get out a baking sheet and line it with a silicon mat if you have one. If not parchment paper should work almost as well.

Roll the dough into two logs and place on lined baking sheet. It should look something like picture below.

Put it in the oven for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes it will look something  like this.

The dough will be hot and soft. Let it cool for a couple hours on the counter.

Remove one dough log and slice it slowly in a sawing motion with a serrated knife in about 1/2 inch slices.

Turn down the oven to 300 degrees F.

If you have two silicon mats line two baking sheets with the silicon mats. (parchment is second choice. The Biscotti need to get baked on each side. Lay the biscotti on the side to get baked like picture below.

Bake the biscotti for 20 minutes and take the biscotti out of the oven. (you might have 4 hard small ends that you might need to remove now and set to the side for drizzling or just eat them)

Turn the oven down again to 275 degrees F.

Flip each biscotti over on the other side so the other side can get cooked. Let them cook for another 20 minutes. After 20 minutes I shut the oven off and opened the door and let the biscotti stay in there to crisp up a little more. (maybe another 20 minutes)

If you are adding the chocolate drizzle…….

Line baking sheets with parchment paper

Then line up the biscotti like this.

In a cereal size bowl microwave the chocolate chips for 30 seconds. Mix them up with a spoon and microwave the chips for another 30 seconds and stir well. You might need another 10 seconds.

With a disposable pastry bag……..Fold it down half way over your hand and spoon in the chocolate.

Snip off about an 1/8 inch of the tip and just go from the front to the back over the biscotti about 6 times each row.

You have to leave the biscotti sit out for around 6 hours because it takes that long for the chocolate to harden.

A special Thanks to Giada de Laurentis for her really great Chocolate Chip Biscotti Recipe on Foodnetwork. I feel that recipe taught me how to make biscotti.

ENJOY!

These Biscotti are Forking Scrumptious!

 

I picked up a bag of Jimmy Red Cornmeal Grits from Nelson’s Seafood and Meat Shop. These Grits are very different than regular grits or even polenta. They have a unique flavor and a very fine texture. On the bag it states that they have a slight chestnut and lavender taste. I tried to pick up on the chestnut taste by adding earthy chestnuts to the spinach. These grits are so different. They have almost no texture and are like creamy soup when you follow the directions on the package. I thought if I cut the liquid by 25% I could make the grits firmer and make a crusted cake out of them. The crust part is very concentrated with corn flavor that is filled with this unique creamy delicate grits. A creamy mild cheese is between two thin layers of crusted grits. Underneath is quickly braised spinach. I heated up a 1/2 cup of water with a Tablespoon of vegetable based (think of it as flavored salt) and thinly sliced onions. As soon as the mixture is hot the spinach gets squeezed into the pot and is done almost instantly. Then the spinach gets drained and seasoned. You will be surprised on how flavorful and delicious the spinach gets. Lastly the grit cakes get topped very very sweet seasoned Italian style tomatoes and a dollop of fresh ricotta cheese if you happen to have any around.

Ingredients for about 8 servings

1 cup Jimmy Red Cornmeal – Geechie Boy Mill Brand (I don’t think any other brand is made the same)

3 cups water

1/2 teaspoon course sea salt

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

non stick spray – canola or vegetable

1 1/2 lbs fresh spinach

1/2 medium sweet onion – sliced very thin on a mandolin

1 garlic clove – ground to paste

1/2 cup water

1 Tablespoon vegetable base

3 1/2 oz peel roasted chestnuts – slightly more than rough chopped

fresh ground black pepper to  taste

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 cup tiny sweet grape tomatoes – cut in quarters

1 garlic clove ground to paste

1 Tablespoon fine chopped basil – packed really tight

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon balsamic  vinegar

1 1/2 Tablespoons shaved parmesan

fresh ground sea salt – to taste

fresh ground black pepper – to taste

4 oz mild cheese mozzarella, mild provolone would be great, mascarpone would be great too (I used a mild pepadew cheese)

optional – 4 dollops of fresh made ricotta cheese

Directions

Put a sauce pot on to boil with 3 cups of water and a 1/2 teaspoon of course sea salt. When it starts to boil slowly whisk in the grits. Keep whisking. Turn down the heat to a medium simmer.  Add the butter and keep whisking. Whisk as much as you can for at least 20 minutes.

Spray a pie pan with non stick spray.

When the grits are done pour the grits in the pie pan and leave on the counter till about room temperature. Then cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to cool at set.

In a medium bowl combine the tomatoes, 1 clove garlic, basil, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, balsamic, parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Set in the refrigerator.

Now clean out your sauce pot.

Add a 1/2 cup of water to your sauce pot with the sliced onions and bring them to boil on medium high heat. Add the spinach a BIG handful at a time while stirring. (this should be very quick) Now take off heat and place spinach in a colander to drain over a bowl or in sink so it can drain. Stir in the ground garlic, roasted chestnuts, olive oil and black pepper to taste. You will be surprised on how delicious and flavorful the spinach is….

By around now the grits might be chilled and solid.

When the grits are chilled and solid. Dump them out in one piece on a cutting board.

Cut 8 wedges just like a pie.

Get a medium sized fry pan on medium high heat sprayed with non stick spray. When the pan is hot add a couple wedges at a time and they need to brown on both sides. This happened pretty quickly if your pan is hot. They only need about two minutes a side.

I put the mild cheese in-between two grit wedges.

Then over the spinach and spooned on some of the tomato mixture and a spoonful of fresh made ricotta.

 

I got these Great Baby Zucchini with attached Blossoms at the Pinnacle Peak Farmer’s Market. I thought I should stuff the blossoms so I did. Some things you do have to fry but if I can avoid frying I avoid frying because I prefer my empty fat calories from Cheese, Ice Cream, Chocolate, Bread and Alcohol..(usually wine)…….Often….. Often..or VERY OFTEN…. Fried from the oven can actually taste better than foods that are actually fried. My Oven Fried Turkey Wings and Oven Fried French Fries can actually compete with the real thing….How many times has something fried that you ate leaves grease in your mouth?  Doesn’t something fried taste like fish sometimes?  Often something fried just taste like old grease. … Well any who….I’ve come up with an unique breading recipe that actually does come out like a fried crispy coating. Two secrets are to this recipe. One I add Dijon Mustard to the egg because it makes the coating stick together great and it adds a nice flavor. The other secret is that I use Whole Wheat Panko. It works like magic for a crisp baked coating. I note that you will have a little extra Flour, Egg and Panko left over. But I think it will be too difficult to work with less. I used the leftover to make 8 small baked onion rings.

Ingredients for about 2 servings

6 baby zucchini with blossoms attached

2 oz. feta cheese – (it must be the fresh style that’s creamy mild and less salt style with-out tang) – or substitute goat cheese

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon course sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2 L eggs – beaten

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 cup whole wheat panko

non stick spray – canola or vegetable

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F.

If you haven’t done so already wash off and carefully blot dry the zucchini.

You need to slit each blossom and remove the small inside with your fingers. Just pull the little thing out.

Get your 2 oz. block of feta and cut into 6 pieces. Put the biggest piece into the biggest flower. Try to wrap the flower around the cheese as best as you can. The flower wraps around the cheese pretty easy.

Get out three bowls. In one bowl add the flour, paprika, cayenne, course sea salt and black pepper and mix.

In the second bowl add the two beaten eggs and the dijon mustard. Mix well.

In the third bowl goes the whole wheat panko.

Get out a baking sheet and line it with Quilon or parchment paper.

Start by dipping the largest blossom into the flour. Make sure the blossom is coated all over with flower.

Then take the flour coated blossom into the egg mixture and coat the blossom well with egg.

Now the egg coated blossom goes into the panko mixture and make sure the blossom is well coated with panko.

Rest each stuffed blossom with zucchini on a lined sheet tray. LIGHTLY spray the zucchini with non stick spray.

They go in a 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes and then after 30 minutes carefully turn them over and the zucchini only need about 15 minutes more on the other side.

Lightly add fresh ground sea salt and black pepper to the non breaded part of the zucchini when you remove them from the oven.

You might want small sides of marinara sauce for dipping.

Fun appetizer or side dish.

 

 

 

This is nothing like a traditional sweet potato pie. I purchased some purple sweet potatoes. The purple sweet potatoes have a different flavor than orange sweet potatoes. They are slightly perfume-ee with maybe a berry note. I think they also seem a little starchier than an orange sweet potato. The Blackberry seems to lighten up the heavy potato and the flavor and color inspired this pie. The crust is Forking AMAZING! It’s very special and unique. It’s very flavorful. It’s has savory and sweet with yummy pops from the sea salt crystals with a really great texture. It was made with coconut flour, almond flour and olive oil. This pie feels almost like Cheesecake in the mouth. If seeds from blackberries bother you then you need to  push the blackberries threw a strainer if you are making this pie. Now this is a very unique pie! You aren’t going to find anything like this anywhere.

Ingredients for about 8 servings

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup almond flour

4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon cold water

2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon course sea salt

non stick spray

15 oz purple sweet potatoes – already cooked peeled and sliced

8oz blackberries – mash them all pour 1/2 into potato filling the other half gets mixed with 2 Tablespoons sugar and gets set to the side in a small bowl.

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 L eggs – slightly beaten

14 oz sweetened condensed milk

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

pinch white pepper

pinch course sea salt

a few grates fresh nutmeg

Directions

Set oven at 350 degrees

Spray a pie pan with non stick spray (My pan is a very shallow bakery pie pan. (I think it’s a normal size pan…across the bottom is 8 inches but with the flat ends it’s about 11 inches….You can use a slightly different size but the timing might be slightly off)

Your small bowl with 4 oz of mashed blackberries and sugar is set to the side.

In a medium bowl hand mix the these ingredients one at a time, flour, coconut flour, almond flour, olive oil, water, 2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Hand pat the mixture in the pie pan. Then piece all over with a fork. Put in the oven till it’s lightly cooked that will be 4-5 minutes. Pull out and set to the side.

In a large bowl slice up the potatoes and then mash the potatoes (the slicing breaks them down so they mash better).  Hand mash in the remaining ingredients one at a time till done and the mixture is smooth. Pour a layer into pie shell then a small layer of the blackberries and go back and forth until done.  Place in the oven for about 30 minutes.

It’s delicious and very different! You will be surprised!