Tasty Tangents

Food, life and other morsels

July 27, 2010
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Comments Off on I heart Zucchini

I heart Zucchini

Zucchini

Zucchini

Summer abundance is in full force, and the number of zucchini in my parents’ backyard is the proof. You can serve them dozens of different ways, but we decided to try to turn them into the main course.

It seems you can take just about any lasagna-like recipe you love and subsitute the zucchini for the pasta for a lighter dish more suited to the hot weather.

The trick to avoiding tons of water coming from the zucchini is to slice and salt the zucchini, lay them on a greased cookie sheet and pop them under a high broiler for about 5 minutes before starting to layer them. Be careful when opening the oven door, the amount of steam is kinda crazy.

Two medium-sized zucchini (like the ones in the photo) made a 9″x13″ three-layer lasagna that served six generously. We made a traditional Italian lasagna/parmigiana-type recipe, layering the zucchini with meat sauce, shredded mozzarella, grated parmesan cheese, one beaten raw egg and diced pre-sliced mortadella. It needed about 45 minutes at 375F.

I’m definitely going to try some other layered dishes this way, and we’ll just have to see what happens!
Zucchini "Lasagna"

July 13, 2010
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Caramel Popcorn in the Microwave

Caramel Popcorn with Peanuts

Caramel Popcorn with Peanuts

I’m one of those people who gets cravings. I’m definitely not pregnant, but every now and then I get a hankering for something in particular. It can be salty or sweet, chocolate or ice cream, but I generally have to do something about it before it will go away.

This time it was some kind of Crunch ‘N Munch, Fiddle Faddle or Poppy Cock or some sweet and salty combination of popcorn, nuts and caramel that I was really hoping for.

So I was excited when I found this great, quick microwave recipe on AllRecipes.com that I adapted to what I had on hand. You may want to follow the recipe’s suggestion of using a big paper bag to coat the popcorn with the caramel, but I didn’t have any.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unpopped or 4 quarts popped popcorn
1/2 cup salted peanuts
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
In a large heat-proof bowl combine all ingredients except baking soda, peanuts and popcorn. Microwave for 3 minutes, remove and stir. Then return to microwave for another 1 1/2 minutes.

Here’s where you need to move quickly. Place the popcorn and peanuts in a large bowl greased with cooking spray. Remove the bowl of caramel from the microwave and add baking soda. Then pour over popcorn and toss to coat. Be careful, it’s hot!

Return the coated popcorn to the microwave for 1 minute and 10 seconds. Remove, stir again and microwave for another minute.

This is the part where you’re supposed to lay out the mixture on wax paper to cool, but mine didn’t make it that far, it was devoured very hot, and very quickly. Enjoy!

June 24, 2010
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Pretty Things

Dessert at Langdon Hall

Dessert at Langdon Hall

I think I had the prettiest dessert ever last week.

As a gift, mom and all the kids got together to take dad out for Father’s Day to an award-winning chi-chi restaurant called Langdon Hall in Cambridge, Ont.

While the amuse bouche, appetizer and main course were delicious, they didn’t drive any of us wild with pleasure. The same cannot be said about the dessert.

We shared two desserts, one was Dark Chocolate Tortoni with Hazelnut Praline Ganache and Nougatine Caramel Sauce. The other was Black Cherry Mousse with Olive Oil Cake, Kirsch Orange Sorbet, White Chocolate and Verbena Zabaglione.

While the names and descriptions were impressive, even more memorable were the look and taste of both.

And all I can say is it truly reinforces for me the idea that you eat with your eyes first. Which means as delicious as your food may be, it must also look appetizing.

Anything from ugly china to bad lighting to burnt edges and runny sauces are liable to turn me off even the most delicious dish. Do you think the appearance of your food affects your appetite?

I’m wondering if they’ve ever done an experiment to see if people rate the same food differently based on how it was served? Does anyone know?

June 17, 2010
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Orange Honey Carrots

I thought I’d try to do a post entirely in photos, so here it goes.

I used this great cookbook, which I’ve mentioned before:

Anna & Michael Olson Cook at Home

Anna & Michael Olson Cook at Home

This recipe, except with onions instead of shallots:

Orange Honey Carrots Recipe

Orange Honey Carrots

And here’s how it turned out in the end:

Orange Honey Carrots

Orange Honey Carrots

It was simple, inexpensive and delicious, as are so many others in this great book, one I definitely recommend!

June 15, 2010
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Kitchen of the future

My husband sent me a link to this Reuters video titled “Future kitchen without pots, recipes” and it gives an interesting glimpse into what great minds are envisioning for our future cooking facilities.

I’m not sure if or how soon our future cooktops will detect ingredients, instantly call up recipes, shape shift into pots and pans, cook our meals and then transform into a dinner table. I think I’ll keep trying to hone my cooking skills.

Regardless, any convenience that helps more quickly prepare a nutritious and tasty meal will be popular. You just have to look at the explosion of the microwave in our kitchens to see that.

Whatever happens, a girl can dream about a kitchen that will at least help clear the dishes, can’t she?