Lori, Author at Fake Food Free

Jonathan’s Bluegrass Table: Cornmeal Waffles with Bananas Foster Sauce

June 15, 2010

When I was in San Francisco last November for the Foodbuzz event the people I met, especially those from California, seemed intrigued by the fact that I was from Kentucky. No offense meant to you if you are from California, of course. However, it was immediately apparent to me that Kentucky seemed a strange and far off place to those I encountered.

During that food conference last year the common question was:

How are things in Kentucky?

Obviously, with the given atmosphere “things” was used to refer to food. People seemed somewhat surprised when I told them about our multiple local producers of incredible products like cheese and honey, or the rolling farm land owned by inspiring families who use the same practices as Polyface Farm featured in Omnivore’s Dilemma and Food, Inc. I typically went on to talk about the gourmet restaurants housed in historic buildings with chefs who are regularly in the running for the honor of the James Beard award in the Southeast region.

The more we talked, the more my pride grew. Yes, we have some fabulous food and chefs in Kentucky. While I enjoyed our conversations, I’ve recently acquired a cookbook that will leave no need for further discussions. The next food event I attend outside of Kentucky I think I will take it with me. When someone asks me, “How are things in Kentucky?” my answer will be:

This is how things are in Kentucky.

Jonathan Lundy is the chef owner of the historic restaurant in downtown Lexington, Kentucky, Jonathan at Gratz Park. In his new cookbook, Jonathan’s Bluegrass Table: Redefining Kentucky Cuisine, he combines the flavors and ingredients he grew up around in Kentucky’s Bluegrass region with the flair that only a creative, highly skilled and well-traveled chef can master. Many of the recipes for the foods featured at the restaurant come to life in his cookbook.

Chef Lundy has strong ties to Kentucky which comes through in his art. His family invented Calumet baking powder which was later sold to become Calumet Farm with a record history for Derby and Triple Crown winners. If you don’t know much about horse racing, perhaps this additional fact about Chef Lundy’s history will be of interest – his first kitchen job was as an apprentice to Emeril Lagasse. Jonathan was a 2010 James Beard Southeast chef of the year nominee.

This collection of recipes is more than a cookbook; it is a food memoir of growing up in Kentucky. Chef Lundy uses local ingredients such as sorghum, bourbon, country ham and grits to create old fashioned favorites with an upscale, gourmet twist. It is Kentucky food as it has never been done before. It is history for the modern food lover.

Many of the recipes utilize fairly simple ingredients with straight forward steps. One recipe will encompass several others as sauces, toppings and other additions are included in separate recipes. This makes it easy to quickly find them when you take Chef Lundy’s advice and use the book as a base to get creative in your own cooking.

The book is full of stunning photography by Lee Thomas. Not only will you see gorgeous food photos, but photos of all things Kentucky – horses, stone fences, farms and family.

It was difficult to decide what I wanted to make from the cookbook, but it is likely no surprise to you that I went straight for the brunch section. This led me to Cornmeal Waffles with Bananas Foster Sauce. This is the most unique waffle recipe I have tried and to be honest with you, as I mixed the batter I began to worry that it would be too thin. However, once on the iron it puffed up beautifully.

Cornmeal Waffles with Bananas Foster Sauce | Fake Food Free

I let them cook longer than other waffles I’ve made, closer to 6 minutes than 4. This created a beautifully crunchy crust. Once they are topped with the Bananas Foster Sauce you realize you have the best balance between breakfast and dessert ever created.

Cornmeal Waffles with Bananas Foster Sauce and Toasted Pecans

Reprinted with permission from Jonathan Lundy

½ cup flour (I used white whole wheat)
½ cup cornstarch
½ cup cornmeal
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
2 tbsp sugar (I used mascavo)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups buttermilk
½ cup milk
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 egg yolk
3 egg whites
Bananas Foster Sauce (below)
½ cup toasted pecans

Sift all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
In another large mixing bowl, mix the vanilla, buttermilk, milk, vegetable oil and egg yolks together.
Whip egg whites to a soft peak.
Mix all ingredients together.
Store in a refrigerator. May be made up to 2 hours before cooking.
Follow waffle machine directions.
Top off waffles with Bananas Foster Sauce and toasted pecans.
Serves 6

Bananas Foster Sauce

1 stick butter, melted
2 cups brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ cup banana liqueur
6 bananas, sliced ½ inch thick
½ cup dark rum

Add melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium-sized sauté pan. Place pan on low heat and simmer until sugar has dissolved.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.
Ladle 3-4 ounces on each portion of cornmeal waffles.
Yields about 4 cups – Serves 6

If you want to experience Kentucky cooking the book is available from the Jonathan at Gratz Park website, Butler Books or your local bookstore.

If you happen to be around the area you can meet Jonathan during his guest chef appearances at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky on June 18th and on the Old Kentucky Dinner Train on July 10th for special dinners and book signings. He will also host the opening night of the James Beard – Alltech World Equestrian Games dinners on September 25, 2010, an amazing world-wide equestrian and food event taking place in our area.

Below is a sampling of some of the other wonderful recipes you will find in Jonathan’s Bluegrass Table.
All photos below are the work of Lee Thomas and reprinted with permission from Jonathan Lundy.

Potato-Spun Shrimp

Pimento Cheese Grit Fries

Shrimp and Grits

Flaming Butterscotch-Bourbon Crème Brûlée

Disclosure: The review copy of this cookbook was sent to me free of charge. I was not under any obligation to write about it and I did not receive any compensation for doing so. Nothing influenced the opinions written here other than my love for local foods.

Ataulfo Mango Jalapeno Pizza

June 9, 2010

These days I’m feeling incredibly mango deprived. Actually, I’m feeling tropical fruit deprived in general.

Ataulfo Mango Jalapeno Pizza | Fake Food Free

Wow, has it been difficult to go from fresh bananas, pineapples, guava, mangos, papaya and oranges at the local farmer’s market in Brazil, back to mediocre store-bought apples and grapes. Things are looking up now, of course. Spring brought strawberries. Summer will bring blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and peaches. The wonderful central Kentucky apples will follow this fall.

I missed all of these things when I was in Brazil. Now that I’m back, I miss mangos! They did have a very distinct season where we lived, but when ready, the flavor was incredible. The local Japanese market would also import several different varieties from around the country.

One variety that I did not find there, however, was the Ataulfo, or Champagne, mango from Mexico. This was introduced to me by a friend in the States. I just love these tiny little bundles of sweetness. Everything you read about the flesh being rich and buttery is true.

These are still available at the stores around here so when I saw Mango & Tomato’s 2 year recipe contest I knew I had to pick one up and enter!

About this time last year I introduced you to one of my favorite mango combinations – the Sweet and Spicy Mango Quesadilla. I decided I needed to somehow include a tomato in the mix for my recipe entry. I first considered fresh salsa, but I expect that many people will consider that as well, so I kept thinking.

Finally, it came to me – pizza! Now, I was a little leery of how the tomato sauce on the pizza would go with the mango and jalapeno, but I love pineapple on my pizza so I went for it. Good thing, because the combination turned out wonderfully.

I’ve been wearing out Off Her Cork’s Spelt Pizza Dough recipe. It is excellent! I made it again here, but this time I used whole wheat flour for the spelt and white wheat flour for the unbleached. I also added a half teaspoon of salt and an Italian seasoning blend. You can use any crust of your choosing, of course.

This pizza is every bit as good as the quesadilla combo with a different twist. If you like a sweet and spicy combo on your pizza, this is one for you!

Ataulfo Mango Jalapeno Pizza

Makes: 1 to 2 servings

Ingredients

Sauce

1 (14 oz. can) no-salt, tomato puree (this will soon be fresh tomatoes once they arrive in the garden!)
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ tablespoon mascavo sugar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon fine ground sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Toppings
1 Ataulfo mango, sliced or chopped
¼ cup sliced pickled jalapenos
¼ cup whole milk mozzarella, chopped or shredded

10 to 12 inch size of your favorite pizza dough

Prep

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium sauce pan, combine all the ingredients for the sauce. Heat over medium-high and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat and set aside. You will likely have much more sauce than you need so you can make another pizza or use it another day.

Roll the dough out to your desired thickness and coat the bottom with cornmeal. Place on a pizza pan and spread on about ¼ cup of the sauce over the dough. You can use more or less based on your preferences.

Top the sauce with the mango, jalapenos and cheese. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese begins to brown and bubble. Allow to cool for 2 to 3 minutes, slice and serve.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo in a round up post with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Patty Pan Squash Stuffed with Basil Orzo

June 7, 2010

Stuffed Patty Pan Squash with Basil Orzo Recipe

Just when I was becoming confident in my knowledge of squash varieties I came across a new one at Lexington Farmer’s Market a couple weeks ago.

My Dad has grown varieties of yellow squash and zucchini in his garden my whole life, but I’ve never come across Patty Pan Squash. It is also sometimes called Scalloped Squash for obvious reasons. Have you seen it or cooked with it before?

Patty Pan Squash

Patty Pan or Scalloped Summer Squash

Just look at that interesting shape. It is as if the little squash decided that it really didn’t want to grow long and decided to grow wide instead. You know, just to be different.

Well, in my opinion, different is good, and while Patty Pan has a similar flavor and texture to its longer cousins it adds a lot more fun to cooking.

Patty Pan Squash Stuffed with Basil Orzo

I spent several days trying to figure out what I was going to stuff into these little bowl-like vegetables. I kept going back and forth between rice, bulgur and orzo, finally settling on orzo. With all the fresh basil in our herb garden at the moment, I thought an Italian twist was the way to go.

Patty Pan Squash Stuffed with Basil Orzo

At first I was much more interested in the shape than the actual squash, but that quickly changed as I began creating this dish. Patty Pan are easy to roast up. If you trim the stem and flip them over you can simply remove the top, clean out the seeds and stuff them with all sorts of ingredients. These squash can also be sliced and steamed or sautéed with a little olive oil or butter.

The yellow Patty Pan that I used had a sweet, fresh flavor. They seemed even sweeter to me than standard yellow straight or crooked-neck summer squash. The basil and cheese combination with its slight saltiness paired perfectly with the tender, sweet flesh of the squash.

Patty Pan Squash Stuffed with Basil Orzo

Makes: 2 servings

What you’ll need:
2 medium Patty Pan squash
Olive oil
1 cup orzo, cooked and cooled
2 tablespoon whole milk ricotta cheese
2 tablespoon Romano cheese, grated
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

How to make it:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Trim the stem off the squash to create a flat surface. Coat them in olive oil and place them stem side down in a baking dish. The bake time will vary greatly depending on the size of the Patty Pan. I had two, one smaller than the other. The smaller cooked in 30 minutes and the larger took 40 minutes. Insert a fork in the flesh to ensure that it is tender and remove from the oven. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

In a bowl mix together the orzo, cheeses, basil, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Using a small paring knife carefully cut the top off of each squash. Gently scrape out some of the seeds using a spoon to create a bowl to hold your filling. Scoop half of the filling into each squash. Return to the oven and bake 5 to 7 minutes longer until everything is heated through. Makes 2 side dish servings.

Thanks for reading! All images and content are the property of Lori Rice and Fake Food Free unless otherwise stated. Please do not republish full recipes and images without written permission. What is okay? Feel free to Pin images, share links to my posts or share the photo with the title of this recipe and a link back to the post. Confused about copyright and food blogs? Here is some helpful information on Recipe Attribution. If you want to use a photo or full recipe, just ask. I’m sure we can work something out.

Links to a Healthy Weekend

June 6, 2010

What a beautiful weekend we’ve had around here! While we are getting some calming summer rain today, yesterday was hot and sunny. My husband and I ran a local 5K – Run for the Nun. I just love that name! Obviously it was put on by a church and it supports local charity.

I left the event feeling pretty proud because 3 years ago before we moved abroad I ran it and had to walk a lot of it due to hills. I’m thrilled that yesterday it was completely manageable. It was one of those times when you realize your exercise is paying off.

It was opening day at our local, county Farmer’s Market yesterday. I went out to take photos for our Facebook page and talk with vendors. Oh my, I learned so much in just two hours. I have a feeling you’ll be getting lots of interesting posts this summer!

Before I feature more about our market, I need to back up a little and tell you about the Lexington Farmer’s Market which we visited last weekend. Things have been going strong since we left three years ago and this year an outdoor pavilion and pedestrian-only area was opened for the Saturday market.

It is wonderful – lots of families, dogs and vendors as well as food. There is a booth that cooks up local products, a pizza place and a crepe stand. Next time I think I’ll hit it a little earlier to miss the crowds, but I was so impressed with all the wonderful greens available. The market also allows out-of-state products so a few peaches from Georgia and tomatoes from Florida show up too. I don’t typically go for the tomatoes, but I’ll take a fresh Georgia peach any day.

Before, the pictures, a few links. Hope you enjoy the reading to end your weekend!

Why Raw Local Honey? from Culinate is an article I found last week, but it got even more interesting to me this week. I spent some time talking to two of our local honey producers at the market yesterday. I learned all about both local and traveling honey production as well as their definitions for raw honey. I will do a post about it soon.

The Last Supper by Chik n’ Pastry has climbed the ranks to my favorite Foodbuzz 24×24 event. The author went vegetarian for a month and this was her last meal before gladly welcoming meat back into her diet. The honesty and humor are great.

This Is Why Health Claims on Foods and Supplements Really Suck by Fooducate caught my attention this week. I’ve always disliked the practice and allowances for this in the US – too many generalizations and, quite frankly, sometimes lies. This post sums up why you should seek a better source than a product label for your health info.

My Legume Love Affair 24 is being hosted by A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa! Recipe entries featuring legumes are due by June 30th. International participants have the chance to win a cookbook and US participants could win a nice big box of beans!

Chef to Diners: Clean Your Plate or Be Banned! was an article on msnbc.com. I had some fun conversation on Twitter with this one the other day. What do you think?

My book review of Thirty Percent Chance of Enlightenment was posted on The Lost Girls this week. It is a great travel memoir if you need some summer reading.

A special thanks to my brother who helped me get the new template tweaked. I wanted the center column a bit wider and the blog to expand to the page. I’m really happy with how it has turned out!

Now, enjoy a few pictures from the Lexington Farmer’s Market.

The Great Peanut Butter Exhibition #9

June 4, 2010

If you like peanut butter as much as I do, when the Peanut Butter Boy invites you to help host The Great Peanut Butter Exhibition, well, you don’t turn him down!

I’m honored to co-host this exciting recipe roundup and competition for the second time along with Spices Bites, and Feerless Food. Yes, get that creativity cooking because I said — competition! We have an incredible prize package sponsored by the famous Peanut Butter & Co.!

The theme for this round is Fruits and Veggies. Summer is near and nothing accompanies it better than fresh produce. And we say nothing accompanies produce better than peanut butter. So we want to know the most imaginative fruit and/or veggie combination for peanut butter you can come up with. This is a wide open theme so get creative, just make sure you get some fruits or veggies in there!

To enter, submit your best peanut butter (or substituted nut butter for those with allergies) recipe following the guidelines below. Of course, I encourage the use of natural peanut butter or those made with minimially refined sugars or similar ingredients. The more real food used the better!

The deadline is Monday, June 21st @ Noon (EST) which gives over 2 weeks (and 3 weekends) to brainstorm, develop and create a fruit or veggie peanut butter combo that will put you in the running for one cool prize!

Judging Criteria:

Uniqueness, Peanut Butter Weight, Presentation and Preparation Time

Rules:

Post and submit your “Fruit and Veggie” recipe by the deadline.
Please link to this page from your posted recipe to indicate that you are entering this contest.
Pictures are highly recommended but not required.
One (1) entry per person so choose wisely.
You may use any variety or type of nut butter, however please don’t use brand names in the recipe.

Feel free to use any of the logos on this page, including the following, to link back:

Blogless? Don’t worry if you don’t have a blog, you can still submit your award-winning recipe. Fill out the same form below but leave the “Recipe Permalink” field blank, fill out the “Recipe” box and feel free to attach a picture to go along with the recipe!

Submission:

Click here to submit your recipe online. Or, email “pbe@peanutbutterboy.com” with “PBE #9” as the subject and include the following information:

Name, Email, Recipe Title, Recipe or Recipe Permalink

Prize:

All recipes will be displayed but the judges will vote for the Top 3. All 3 winners receive a badge of pride to display on their site but the first place winner will receive the following prize package, courtesy of Peanut Butter & Co.:

6 jars of PB&Co peanut butter (1 of each flavor)
3 boxes of PB&Co peanut butter squeeze packs (1 of each flavor)
3 boxes of PB&Co baking mixes (1 of each)
1 signed cookbook

The entire prize package retails for $99, except of course the priceless aspect of Lee Zalben’s (Founder of PB&Co) signature.

I can’t wait to see what you come up with! Fresh produce and protein packed peanut butter? There are going to be some real food winners out there, I just know it!

* PBE Logos courtesy of the talented Kristina Sacci.

Whole Grain Rhubarb Waffles with Strawberry Butter

June 1, 2010

I’m always inspired when I read about other food bloggers taking on challenging ingredients. It is usually something like a root veggie or an over abundance of cabbage in a CSA box. While there is apprehension at first, the final result is always beautiful even if you don’t prefer the star ingredient.

Rhubarb has been my challenging vegetable as of late. It was a staple in our garden growing up, but when I had the opportunity to grow it myself, I declined. But since my parents had an over abundance, I was offered some of this year’s harvest. Seeing it as a culinary challenge, I accepted.

I feel a bit sorry for rhubarb with its poisonous leaves. It really isn’t a nutritional superstar either; just a stalk that is often in the shadows of fruits like strawberries, in order to be enjoyed.

I like the flavor of rhubarb, just not the texture. This is especially true after growing up at dinner table with brothers who made disgusting jokes about said texture while eating the pie. Thus, be careful of the way you perceive and communicate perceptions of foods to children. I’m proof that those comments hang around and can control food preferences later in life!

But now, I was up for the challenge of tackling my rhubarb apprehension. With plenty on hand I had to come up with something that would present the flavor, but not the texture.

My first thought? Waffles!

Ever since I got my waffle maker last Christmas I’m always thinking about new waffle recipes. For this one, the rhubarb blended in nicely to the whole grain waffle and while it wasn’t quite as strong as I would have liked it was still good. I topped it off with some strawberry butter and breakfast was complete.

Whole Grain Rhubarb Waffles with Strawberry Butter

Makes: About 6 waffles

Ingredients

1 cup rhubarb, chopped
4 tablespoon water
¼ cup demerara sugar

1 cup white whole wheat flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup unsalted butter melted, plus 2 tbsp more for waffle iron
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Prep

In a sauce pan, combine the rhubarb, water and sugar. Cook on medium-high heat, stirring often until the rhubarb cooks down to a jam-like consistency, about five to seven minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder and salt. Stir in the cooled melted butter, eggs and rhubarb. Stir to combine all the ingredients.

Heat your waffle iron and lightly brush each side with melted butter. Pour a heaping 1/3 cup of batter onto the iron, close and cook for about four minutes. Remove and repeat with the butter for the next waffle. Top waffles with strawberry butter (below) before serving.

Strawberry Butter

I really enjoy fruit butters in place of syrup on waffles. We used to make them all the time when I worked in a bakery. There are a variety of ways to create them, but the easiest is with jam and butter. I used some strawberry freezer jam that my mom made with this year’s fresh strawberries.

Ingredients

¼ cup butter, unsalted, slightly softened
2 teaspoon strawberry jam, the thinner the consistency the better

Prep

Place ingredients in a small food processor. Process until everything is blended and the butter is soft and spreadable.

For more info, the University of Illinois Extension Service has a helpful page about rhubarb.

Happy Birthday Fake Food Free!

May 31, 2010

Happy 2nd Birthday to Fake Food Free! I completely missed the blogs’s one year birthday, but I couldn’t let two pass by. While I don’t have anything special planned I do have to send a note of thanks to all my readers. I appreciate each and every one of you so much! Thank you for all your reading, commenting, tweeting and facebook posting. You make all this food blogging fun!

I want do a recipe contest to celebrate, but I think I’ll hold off until later in the summer. There seem to be so many going on right now and I’m even cohosting one for another site that I’ll be announcing on Friday. So for now I say Happy Birthday to the blog and a big Thank You!

Once again, it’s the end of the month and that means looking back at May in Food for my Project 365 of food in 2010.

Mini bag of brown rice my husband got in his marathon swag

Tuna sub from Jimmy Johns

Strawberry Cupcake from Gigi’s to celebrate my husbands marathon finish!

Shrimp Dorado Tacos

Beer brats from a local farm, mashed potatoes and kraut

Peanut butter cookie dough brownies

Strawberries from my Dad’s garden

Egg and veggie sandwich

Butternut, Flax and Walnut bread

Broccoli and Mushroom Whole Wheat Calzones

Carob Spirulina Chunk of Energy

Chicken Shiitake Manicotti in Garlic Mushroom Sauce

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Beer

BLT Pizza with Chipotle Mayo

Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

Ho Fan in a peanut curry sauce with veggies

Blackberry Rhubarb Crisp

Key Lime Cheesecake Martinis from the Taste of the Bluegrass

Tomato Basil pizza

Key Lime Margarita

Black Trumpet Mushrooms over Ho Fan

Iced Coffee

Chicken Salad from pastured, local chickens over fresh tomatoes

Arugula from our garden

The Summer Cookie

Almond Croissant from Magee’s Bakery

Fresh cilantro and garlic herb pasta

Homemade biscuits with pastured Heritage breed pork sausage gravy

Links to a Healthy Weekend

May 29, 2010

I really thought two southern Brazil summers had done me in as far as being a fan of the heat. I truly enjoyed my first winter back in the US, but now that things are heating up and summer memories from home are flooding back I have to say I’m excited for the new season!

We put off turning on the AC for as long as we could. The pug was having horrible breathing problems and we just couldn’t bear to watch her struggle any longer so we turned it on this week. (That’s her above trying to find a balance between comfort and a cool floor.)

Each time I feel a cool breeze as I sit in my office chair, I have to stop and ponder the awesomeness of central air technology. This is something we didn’t have in Brazil and I will never take it for granted again! I don’t want to be dependent on it, but oh my, is it nice to have.

Instead of sweating away at my computer and avoiding the oven (except for yesterday’s cookies) I am enjoying summer both inside and out. Also, while it may not be summer yet on the calendar, it did arrive in KY this week. I enjoy every aspect of that except for the humidity. No reason to complain now though because I have central AC!!

Has summer arrived where you are? Or how about winter? I realized yesterday that it is almost winter in Brazil right now and June and July were always my favorite months there.

Well, I may skip a weekend here or there, but the Links to a Healthy Weekend are back today! I hope all my readers in the States enjoy the 3-day weekend and celebrate the freedoms of our country as well as those who have fought for them. In case you have some time for reading, here you go.

How to stop eating processed foods was a book review in the Washington Post. The new book isReal Food Has Curves: How to Get Off Processed Food, Lose Weight, and Love What You Eat. Anyone read it yet? I’ve added to my list.

Rise of food blogs creates pasta paparazzi was an Associated Press article released last week. It will give you a good giggle and I have to say that I’ve never taken my tripod to a restaurant!

Recipe Attribution on Food Blog Forum is a must-read for any food blogger. I’m not sure if you’ve checked out that site yet, but it is proving to be a great resource for us.

Mango & Tomato is having a recipe contest for her blog anniversary. You have to come up with something using both mangoes and tomatoes to enter. I can’t wait to see the final results!

Have you checked out the blog Magic Flavours? I am new to it and it is quickly becoming a favorite. Not only are there great recipes, but the author writes each post in English, Portuguese and Spanish!

My latest post at the The 3 Star Traveler is all about finding the right source for travel advice – Ask the Right Local.

Last but not least, in case you didn’t notice Fake Food Free has a Facebook page! I hope you’ll swing by and tell me you “Like” it.

The Summer Cookie

May 28, 2010

I was at least a teenager before I realized that no-bake cookies existed outside our kitchen at home. I remember discovering them at a cookie shop in the mall and wondering how the recipe got out. One reason for this is because we never called them no-bake cookies.

We called them California Cookies.

I don’t know why. I just know that after I learned the more well-known name, I started calling them no-bake too so that people would know what I’m talking about it. However, the other night when I was trying to come up with a dessert that wouldn’t require me to turn on the oven I reconsidered the name.

No-bakes are a great summer cookie because everything is done on the stovetop and then left to cool. Hmm…California kind of makes me think of warm weather and sunshine which makes me think of summer. Perhaps we should all be calling them California Cookies.

I would expect that many of you have had them before, but if you haven’t, these cookies combine chocolate and peanut butter with hearty oatmeal. That’s a favorite combination around here. In fact, lately I’ve been doing this type of combo with my morning oatmeal, minus lots of sugar.

I’m always playing with the ingredients for these. Back in December I made them with coconut oil, maple syrup and honey. I wasn’t thrilled with the result. The coconut oil worked, but this time around I decided to go back to butter. My real mission was to see if demerara sugar would give me the same result as the original white sugar.

The final call? I found my new California Cookie recipe! They turned out just like the original I had as a kid, but use the minimally refined sugar, natural peanut butter and old fashioned oatmeal.

The New California Cookie

1 cup demerara sugar
¼ cup milk
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup unsalted butter
½ cup natural, no-sugar peanut butter
1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats

Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a sauce pan, melt together the sugar, milk, cocoa and butter over medium heat. Bring to a boil (that you can’t stir down) and continue to boil for 1 minute.

Remove the pan from heat and stir in the peanut butter until melted and fully incorporated into the chocolate. Stir in the oats. Drop by the tablespoon onto the parchment paper, and shape and flatten slightly. Allow to cool completely and they will harden as they cool. You can speed up the process a bit by placing them in the fridge, but this will cause them to sweat a little. Once cool and firm, enjoy. Makes 12 to 15 cookies.

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If you are here reading this post you know that Fake Food Free has a new look. I’d love to know what you think.

I also want to provide a little information about myself in the About Me as a Q & A so tell me in the comments what you’d like to know about me.

I also have a new Facebook page for the blog so give me a “Like” if you use it. I’ll update on posts, with pictures and with interesting food and health articles I come across.

The Taste of the Bluegrass

May 26, 2010

I debated all day on Friday whether or not I should go. Finally about 3:00 pm I made the decision. I would spend my evening at the Taste of the Bluegrass, a local food event to benefit God’s Pantry.

Side note: Does anyone else find it odd that we tend to support food banks by offering huge food events where we stuff ourselves? It always makes me think, but as you can see, doesn’t keep me away from the food.

My husband was worn out from a long week of conferences so I knew he wouldn’t have any interest in going, but then I found out that fellow food blogger, Melissa, wanted to go. We scheduled our date and spent the evening tasting food and drink from area restaurants.

I met Melissa a while back because she works in wellness with many of my former coworkers. When I returned from Brazil I found out she also has a great food blog so needless to say, we have a lot in common. A self-proclaimed granola girl, she cooks up great real food recipes over at My McDonald Meal.

This was my first time at the Taste of the Bluegrass and I quickly learned that it is much more of a social draw than a food event. People are there to eat, and drink, and drink, and drink, but I’m pretty sure we were the only ones with cameras. You should have seen some of the stares and perplexed looks we were getting. Fortunately, after 2.5 years in South America with very blonde hair and an accent that screamed US American, staring has very little effect on me. We elbowed up to all the tables and snapped away.

We were there for the local, seasonal flavors which we are fortunate to have an overabundance of here in central Kentucky. Not to mention plenty of great bourbon.

To say it was packed is a huge understatement. We moved along in lines to try food and found ourselves downing cups of wine and swallowing big bites to free up our hands for the next selection. This also resulted in little time to adjust my camera to changing lights so I apologize for some of the less than beautiful pictures.

So here you go. A taste of what we had to eat at this delicious event. I have to warn you though. I will likely say “best _____ I’ve had before” and “absolutely delicious” several times in this post. The food was outstanding!

We were greeted at the door with bourbon. Maker’s Mark to be exact. Many of the companies were offering their single barrel selection and most offered them only on the rocks, with water or with a local soda called Ale-8-One, a ginger ale. We passed on the Maker’s for the opportunity to try some other smaller distilleries and special selections.

Next, strangely, we hit the desserts. It all felt a bit backwards, but we took advantage of starting with some sweet stuff.

First, cupcakes from BabyCakes Cupcakes. I have yet to visit this place, but I am making it a priority now. The Kentucky Pride cupcake with mocha bourbon cake and mocha bourbon buttercream was fantastic. Not to mention that the owner is sweet as can be.

The Sugar Forest had some gorgeous wedding cakes and the Champagne Cake with Hazelnut Filling was darn near perfect as far as wedding cake goes. I consider myself a qualified judge since I grew up with a mother who owned a cake business.

Later we came to Tinker’s Cake Shop. Just look at that beautiful green fondant flower. They were giving away strawberry cake pops. You can see them there behind the cake. I usually shy away from these because so many recipes call for boxed cake mix and canned frosting, but these were incredible. I didn’t ask, but I suspect they were made from scratch. The fresh strawberry flavor was unmistakable.

Kentucky wineries were plentiful. We really have so many great wines from this area. I didn’t go overboard because for this event I was more interested in trying the bourbons, but I did have a very nice Riesling from Elk Creek Vineyards.

Speaking of drinks I got to introduce Melissa to Bluegrass Sundown, the closest thing to a true Irish coffee that I’ve had in the States. It is a concentrate made with coffee, bourbon and sugar. After it is mixed with water and heated, it is topped with cream. This is an example of one of those bad photos I mentioned above, but you get the idea.

Turf Catering served up one of my favorites from the evening – the Maryland Crabcake with Lemon Aioli. Words can’t describe how tender and flavorful this was. Likely one of the best crabcakes I’ve had, but I say that having yet to visit Maryland. The creativity award goes to their Seared Ahi Tuna on Edible Spoon with Wasabi Cream. Just look at it. So beautiful and delicious too! For dessert, the Key Lime Cheesecake Martini. Don’t you just want all of this for your next party?

We both practically cheered when we saw that Giuseppe’s Ristorante Italiano was offering gnocchi. Not just any gnocchi, but Lobster Gnocchi Gratin. Oh so creamy and rich!

The local co-op in town, Good Foods Marke & Café served up Israeli Couscous with Lamb Kofta and Tzatziki Sauce. I saw it from a distance and had to fight my way up to the table. Many of the ingredients such as the lamb and mint were local and this was another favorite of the night for me.

Oh, you’d like to hear about more drinks? Well here you go. We made our way to the Four Roses table to be greeted by a cute server in a costume of which the collar was a massive rose. She handed out these drinks, the ingredients of which I’m still not sure. Bourbon, grenadine and considering how easily they went down, very dangerous.

I have wanted to try Wild Turkey American Honey Bourbon for a long time now so I was thrilled that I had the opportunity. Oh wow, was it great. Slightly sweet, on the rocks, I have to get a bottle for the summer.

We have a culinary school in Lexington that is a branch from a school in Louisville, Sullivan University. The students were at this event offering what was likely the freshest tasting of the night. Yes, the chefs were making the pasta fresh right before our eyes! There were several different varieties made with local ingredients. I had the spinach pesto which was delicious. Melissa said the tomato was even better. I finished it off with Zabaglione (an Italian custard) with fresh fruit.

More dessert you say? How about Derby Fudge from Lexington Fudge Company? Just so you know, anything “derby” is Kentucky code for bourbon, chocolate and pecans. I didn’t even know this company existed. Fantastic fudge and I can see those little tins being the gift of choice in the future.

Last year I reviewed a delicious cheese from Sapori D’Italia, a local company that makes fresh and aged goat cheese. Oh, this cheese is unreal, especially the Caciotta al Peperocino with a red pepper infusion. I also got to try their fresh Agri alle Erbe. It just melted in your mouth. I can’t wait to pick some up at the Farmer’s Market.

Finally, if you happen to find yourself in central Kentucky there is one restaurant that tops the list for many in the area – Holly Hill Inn. The owners have a very interesting story and have expanded to open other restaurants in the area. With its location in a historic home and fresh, local ingredients Holly Hill Inn is the place to go. (Bonus that the girl working the booth asked us if we were on Tastespotting! Yes! A fellow foodie).

The Woodford County (local) Mediterranean Meatballs with Walnut Raita were incredible. Same goes for the Asparagus with Toasted Hazelnut & Citrus Glaze. I’m not sure if this is regularly on the menu, but I know what I’m ordering on my next visit if it is.

Looking back at the event guide there were so many things I didn’t get to try. I was pleasantly surprised by the level of food quality and flavors at the event. However, the location was so disappointing. It was at the Keeneland barn which is on the grounds of the local race track. A beautiful location, but it was so congested. You could barely move or see many of the vendors.

It seems as though events like this always tend to be in these types of close quarters. I really hope they decide to expand and move it to a new location next year. I doubt I will attend again until they do. As I said, the food was amazing, but it wasn’t worth the trade off of not being able to fully enjoy it without being bumped from side to side by the crowd.

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And after all that?

On Saturday morning I ran a 10K. Yes, I know. Not exactly the best race prep and believe me, I felt it, but I didn’t want to pass up either event. This was actually the first time I have run a full 10K race. I ran my half before I successfully ran a 10K event (as in running the whole thing). I ended up with an 11:40 pace which I was very happy with considering my half marathon time. My goal is to run a 10:30 5K by the end of the summer.

As for the event, I think I have officially said good-bye to small community races. It’s strange because it used to be that those were the only type I wanted to support. Now, although I don’t consider myself a hardcore runner or a gadget fan, I find that larger, more organized races appeal to me and motivate me.

This race had about 100 people and we ran through neighborhoods. It wasn’t all that safe as the finish line was located right in front of the parking lot entrance for the wellness center hosting it. That meant cars were coming in and out and we were passed a lot on the course. We also had to run past the finish line at mile 4.5 and come back to it which messes with you a bit mentally.

I completely understand the hard work that goes into planning races, but I won’t be running this one again. Although, I’m still thankful that it was a 10K because those seem to be few and far between around here.

Disclaimer: While I would have gladly accepted a free ticket, I paid for my entrance to the event with my own money. I was not asked to review any products or companies and received no compensation for doing so. For what it is worth, I paid my own entry for the 10K too.

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