SO, what is your dish?

SO, what is your dish?

Choices!  Choices!  Choices!

Spicy Sesame Noodles
adapted from no less than 100 recipes
Serves 4-6

4 tablespoons peanut oil
2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon butter
8 large cloves of garlic, minced
4 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
6 tablespoons sesame oil
4 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons salt
1 lb whole wheat spaghetti noodles
12 spring onions, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm peanut oil. Add red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until the oil becomes slightly red and the pepper is fragrant. Add Peanut butter and butter stir until melted. Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant and soft, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, whisk together sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, balsamic vinegar, sugar and salt. Whisk in the garlic-ginger peanut butter mixture. Set aside.  Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Transfer to a bowl. Add sauce and coat the noodles. Add scallions and coat the noodles. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours. Just before serving add sesame seeds and cilantro. Toss to coat. Can serve cold, room temperature or reheat to steaming, piping hot.

These noodles are tangy, filling and quite frankly, simply delicious. Feel free to serve them with additional soy sauce, hot sauce and red pepper flakes. They can be served as a main meal with grilled chicken, shrimp, steak or eggs. They are easy on the weekly budget and perfect for a packed school or work lunch. The sauce is also very versatile. It is perfect for fish tacos,  grilled flank steak or a thick dip for fried wontons.

I love food blogging – it just feels good!  I am sending my Spicy Sesame Noodles to Presto Pasta Nights by Girlichef    Stay in touch.

Stay Tuned.........

Coming soon to a computer near you......the re- launch of Once Upon A Gourmet Gin

Martha Stewart has nothing on Gourmet Gin and Robert Rothschild Farm

This blog post is brought to you by Gourmet Gin and Robert Rothschild Farm :-)

Martha Stewart has nothing on Gourmet Gin and Robert Rothschild Farm.  Well, that is not completely true.  She has a lot on Gourmet Gin.  She is famous, and Gourmet Gin has just a "small" following. Martha Stewart is quite wealthy and Gourmet Gin pinches pennies.  Martha has her own TV show/magazine and Gourmet Gin is just now learning how to post to YouTube   What are the odds that Gourmet Gin (ME) would become as famous as Martha Stewart?  ZERO!  I am alright with that.  I am especially  alright with that when I am introduced to fabulous gourmet food companies like Robert Rothschild Farm.

STOP THIS BLOG POST!!  Alert the blogging world and the foodies in it, Robert Rothschild Farm just might give Martha Steward a run for her money!

Don't take my word for it.  Click here and indulge in some of the most delectable gourmet foods to ever grace your palate and jolt your taste buds!

Got some extra time on your hands?  Do you have a deep maddening desire to bake a moist citrusy cupcake?  Do you want to know a secret ingredient that will make your lemon cupcakes BURST with flavor? (unsweetened lemon drink mix)  How about baking a batch of Gourmet Gin's Lemon Curd Cupcakes? 

Gourmet Gin's Lemon Curd Cupcakes

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 package unsweetened lemon drink mix
4 eggs
4 lemons, finely grated 
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 
1 cup buttermilk
1 jar Robert's Reserve Lemon Curd & Sweet Topping
1 big batch of cream cheese frosting

Directions:  (1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line muffing cups with liners.  (2)  Cream butter, sugar and drink mix until fluffy and yummy.  Add eggs one at a time beating after each.  Beat in lemon zest, vanilla and add flour and buttermilk.  Beat until just combined.  (3)  Fill muffin cups 1/2 full and bake approximately 25 minutes or until the house smell like true citrus goodness!   Cool completely (4) Spread a big tablespoon of Robert's Reserve Lemon Curd &Sweet Topping on top of the cupcake and top with piped cream cheese frosting.  (5)  ENJOY!

If you are among the baking faithful or a devoted cupcake eater, I say unto you, if thou has not yet discovered the most perfect Lemon Curd Cupcake, then look no further!

 Robert's Reserve Lemon Curd & Sweet Topping adds a special dimension that just can't be duplicated (sorry Martha) to these cupcakes. Your only challenge with these cupcakes is to gracefully juggle a way not to eat every single last one of them-OR- not to taste away the entire jar of Robert's Reserve Lemon Curd &Sweet Topping 

Have a safe and happy week! 

A Chocolate Cherry Covered Cookie counts 333 days until Christmas 2010 and 13 days until Superbowl XLIV

Christmas comes only once a year, but there are year round celebrations to bring out a cookie tray.  Take, for instance, Superbowl XLIV.

Superbowl parties bring out friends, fun and food.  A cookie tray full of "sweet" choices is perfect for your football party.  It is a small portable treat for your guest to enjoy.  A cookie tray doesn't have to be a painstakingly difficult process if you start now.  Pick a variety of cookies that freeze well and in two weeks you will be the talk of the celebration.

Chocolate Covered Cherry cookies are unique and a "Gourmet Gin" guarantee that there won't be one left when the final score is revealed.

Gourmet Gin's Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
1 c sugar
1 egg
1 Tablespoon  vanilla
1/4 t coffee extract
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
24 maraschino cherries
1/2 c semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 c sweetened condensed milk
 
Directions
(1) Preheat oven to 350 F  (2)  Mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder & salt together, set aside.  (3)  With a  mixer beat the butter until softened. Add the sugar to the butter & beat until light & fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract, coffee extract and coconut oil.  (4) Add the flour mixture & beat until well mixed.  (5)  Roll the dough into 1-inch balls & place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.  (6) Use your thumb to make an indentation in the center of each cookie.  Drain the cherries reserving the juice. Remove the stems & cut the cherries in half. Place 1/2 of a cherry into the indentation in each cookie.  (7)  Bake for 10 minutes & cool on a rack.  (8)  While cookies are baking put the chocolate chips & condensed milk in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until the chocolate is melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons of the cherry juice.  Cool  (8)  Spoon 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of chocolate over the top of each cherry covering it completely. (9)  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  (10)  ENJOY!! 
 
The coffee extract and coconut oil complement the chocolate and cherry of these cookies.  You won't taste the flavors but what you will taste is a rich decadent chewy moist flavorful cookie (I think that about covers it!)
 
Your Superbowl party is a great excuse to try out some new cookie recipes.  Have a mix of simple to the exotic cookies.  This Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookie is addictive.  It is not too sweet, and with a chunk of cherry is sure to be a crowd pleaser. 
 
Ok!  Now on to the game.  Since my beloved Cincinnati Bengals are not heading to the Superbowl this year I am rooting for the New Orleans Saints.  I can't think of anything better for a city that has been plagued with the bad luck of Hurricane Katrina.  They deserve some HAPPINESS, and something tells me that their Saints winning Superbowl XLIV is just the ticket to some long overdue contentment.  GO SAINTS!!
 
Have a great week and enjoy a cookie on me : -)