A Caribbean Treat--Fried Bread

One of our favorite restaurants on Grand Cayman on the north end, is Over The Edge. Their back porch hangs over the water and it's a great view of the sunset as you dine on their delicious menu choices. Whatever your order, they always begin by bringing you a basket of their wonderful fried bread, hot and tasty.

I've done a little searching for a recipe that might be comparable to theirs. While I hinted, no one was volunteering the recipe but they did say it was made with a dough that used baking powder. Here's one that might be closest. I'll be trying it at home sometime soon.

FRIED BREAD
3 cup sifted all purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter softened
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup warm milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon sugar
Fat for deep frying

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl. Cut in soft butter. Add enough milk to make soft pliable dough. Knead on floured board until dough is smooth and soft but elastic. Divide into 8 balls and brush melted butter on top of each. Cover and let stand 45 minutes. Pat out into rounds 5-6" in diameter and about 1/4" thick. At this point, I believe the restaurant cuts the rounds into fourths. You can either fried the large round or smaller pieces in the fat or oil for deep frying. I'm guessing the restaurant uses lard because of the taste. In the States, a restaurant would have to use something more "healthy." Dough should rise immediately to surface. When brown on one side, turn over and brown other side being careful not to pierce bread. Drain on paper towel and serve hot.

Crachit's Christmas Goose

In Dicken's A Christmas Carol, Scrooge is shown the Crachit's Christmas celebration by the ghost of Christmas present. They have what appears to Scrooge to be a pitiful stuffed goose. In that day it probably was the poor man's dinner. When Scrooge is finally through his visits and awakes on Christmas morning he insists on buying a large turkey for the Crachits.

Today the goose is probably a more unusual and even gourmet meal. We used to have a Christmas goose almost every year. Baked to a golden brown the wonderful smell of our goose dinner filled the house. Here's a recipe if you are ready for a Crachit Christmas goose.

1 domestic goose (10-12 lb)
salt and pepper
1 apple cored and quartered
1 orange peeled and quartered
1 lemon peeled and quartered
1 cup hot water

Sprinkle the goose with salt and pepper. Place fruit in empty cavity and place goose in shallow baking pan breast side up. Pierce skin with a fork near the thighs and wings. It allows excess fat to drain as it cooks. Pour water into pan.

Bake uncovered at 350 for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until thermometer reaches 180. You may want to drain some of the fat from the pan if there is too much.

Let stand for about 20 minutes and remove fruit and discard before carving.

We always liked sauerkraut and dumplings seasoned a bit with the goose drippings but being English, I'm sure the Crachits had more traditional "puddings" and potatoes with other vegetables.

Japanese Christmas Cake

Along with their KFC meal on Christmas Eve in Japan, people also have a Christmas cake or kurisumasu keki. It is basically a sponge cake (angel cake) with whipped cream for frosting and strawberries.

I searched for recipes for sponge cake and they all looked like more work than I was willing to do. So I went to my man the Pillsbury guy and found an angel food cake mix. (Actually many brands of cake mixes have a sponge or angel food mix.) So here is the "recipe".

Japanese Christmas Cake

Angel Food Cake Mix
Make according to directions on package. Bake in two round cake pans and set aside to cool

Frosting:

2 cup heavy whipping cream
4 TB of sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
About 20 strawberries

Use a large cold bowl and make sure your whipping cream is cold. With a hand whip or mixer, whip the cream, sugar and vanilla together until soft peaks form. Put half of whipped cream in another bowl and add about 10 thinly sliced strawberries to one bowl.

Spread frosting with strawberries on one layer of cake and set second layer on top. Use the rest of the frosting to cover the top and sides of cake. Decorate top of cake with whole strawberries.

If this all sounds good but you don't want to do the work, seek out a Chinese/Asian bakery and they will usually have a cake for purchase.

Norwegian Cookies - Kokosmakroner

Basically Kokosmakroner, Norwegian Christmas cookies, are coconut macaroons, something my husband loves so I guess after I post this recipe I'll be off to make some for him. If you are a chocolate lover, once you bake the macaroons, melt some semi sweet morsels and dip half of each cookie in the chocolate. Set them on some waxed paper until they harden.

Coconut Macaroons

2/3 cup flour
5 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1/4 tsp salt
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
2 tsps vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. In large bowl mix together the flour, coconut and salt. Stir in vanilla and sweetened condensed milk. Use your hands to blend it well. An ice cream scoop or tablespoon can be used to drop the dough onto the cookie sheets.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until coconut is toasted.

Okay, now my mouth is watering.

First The Antipasti

Christmas meals in Italy are varied by region but one thing they have in common is the antipasti. Well, at least the general idea of the dish or platter. It is basically a platter with all sorts of cold meats, cheeses, condiments and vegetables arranged beautifully to create an invitation to begin dining.

I chose this item as a part of my reflection on Christmas in Italy because it is so adaptable to any Christmas celebration. Here is a list of things you might choose from for a more authentic antipasti, which by the way means "before food or before the meal."

Cold cuts sliced thin:
prosciutto
salami
mortadella with pistachio
mild coppa

Marinated vegetables such as artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, pepperoncini, and mushrooms.

Cheeses:
Bocconcini
chunks of parmigiana
thin slices of asiago, provolone and fontina

Breads like Grissini bread strips, focaccia, ciabatta, and other varieties of artisan breads.

All sorts of gourmet olives

You can also add deviled eggs, grilled veggies, figs or melon (wrap the melon in prosciutto).

Antipasti make a great addition to any buffet table and informal gathering.

BUON APPETITO!

The Yule Log Cake

Yesterday I posted about Pere Noel and some French traditions at Christmas. One of the most important is the Yule Log Cake. There are lots of versions of the Yule Log Cake as people have taken recipes and tailored them to their own tastes. Basically the cake is a jelly roll so you can make different fillings. There are all sorts of recipes that are super easy to super hard but here is one I think even I could tackle.

Yule Log Cake

6 eggs
1 box Devil's food cake mix
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 TB powdered sugar

Heat oven to 375. Line a jelly roll pan (10X15X1) with wax paper or foil. Spray with a baking spray (one that has flour in it).

In large bowl beat eggs with mixer on high speed until they are lemony color, about 5 minutes. Add cake mix, water, and oil and beat on low speed until mixed and then on medium for 1 minute. Scrap bowl often.

Pour 3 1/2 cups of the batter into the jelly roll pan. (The rest will make 6-8 cupcakes if you like)

Bake 14-16 minutes until cake is springy to the touch. Now comes the tricky part. Run a knife around the edges of the cake to loosen it. Sprinkle the powdered sugar on a kitchen towel (don't use terry cloth) and turn the cake upside down onto the towel. Remove the foil. While cake is still hot, roll the towel and cake into a log from the narrow end. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour.

While you wait, make your filling:
1 1/2 cups cold whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and beat until cream is stiff.

Unroll cooled cake and spread filling on top. Roll again without the towel and place on dish to frost. Use canned frosting or make this creamy rich frosting:

Microwave a 1/2 cup whipping cream in a medium bowl for about a minute or just to the boiling point. Stir in 1 cup chocolate cups and 1 TB corn syrup. Let set 3 minutes then use wire whisk to gently beat until smooth. Beat in 1/4 tsp vanilla. Refrigerate for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes.

Drag a fork the length of the log to make it look like roughened bark. Decorate with a few sprigs of artificial holly or pine.

Bring Me Some Figgy Pudding

Many of our Christmas traditions stem from early British customs. They have evolved and been Americanized through the mix of cultures we have in the United States. Looking back on some of those British customs, it seems a good thing. For instance in the Middle Ages, they often used swans and peacocks as their main entrée at their feasts.

Later, in Victorian times, the bird used was a goose or turkey. They even established “goose clubs” similar to our old Christmas clubs at banks where a little money was saved each week to be used to buy the goose for Christmas. The turkeys and geese were often imported but those raised in Norfolk were marched to London’s market. To protect their feet, the turkeys wore little boots made of sacking or leather and the geese had their feet tarred.

As we travel the world, we are fascinated with the foods of different nations. Christmas traditions at our home are a mix of our backgrounds. My dad's side was Bohemian thus our pork, sauerkraut and dumpling meal. My husband's side is rooted in England so there is always the alternative goose or turkey.

Dessert may be cookies or pie—pumpkin if we didn’t have enough for Thanksgiving. But this year as we started singing our Christmas carols, I became curious about figgy pudding. Why did the carol demand figgy pudding? And what is it? Here's what I found.

Figgy pudding is a pudding in the traditional British sense of the word. Most people know of figgy pudding from the Christmas carol “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”. It dates back to medieval times and is a descendant of frumenty, a rather unappetizing dish from the looks of the ingredients. Another source has figgy pudding being related to plum puddings of old.

We know figgy pudding today from the popular song, We Wish You a Merry Christmas. So if your carolers begin to sing, "Bring us a figgy pudding!" here's a really easy recipe for it.

• 10-12 ounces of dried figs

• 2 cups water

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 box carrot cake mix

• ¼ cup vegetable oil

• 3 large eggs

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

• ½ cup chopped walnuts

• ½ cup raisins

• grated zest of one orange

• 1 tablespoon orange marmalade

Place the figs and the water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit until soft, a few hours. Once soft, remove the figs from the water and place in a bowl. Save the water and add the sugar. Bring to a boil and let reduce slightly. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Chop the figs finely, being careful not to pulverize them.

To the boxed cake mix, stir in 1 ¼ cup of the sugared fig water, the oil and eggs. Set aside the remainder of the fig water. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well using a mixer on high speed for 2 minutes. Stir in the walnuts, chopped figs, raisins, orange zest and the marmalade.

Line a large (4 quart) metal bowl with foil. Use enough foil so that you have a big collar around the edge of the bowl. Spray the foil with nonstick spray. Pour the batter into the bowl and place in an oven that has been preheated to 350 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes and then fold the foil collar over the top. Continue baking for about 1 ½ hours more, or until a wood skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool overnight.

To serve, take the reserved fig water and add ½ cup of brandy or rum. Heat, and if you wish, (carefully!) ignite the sauce and pour over the pudding. Serve in wedges with whipped cream.

To quote Tiny Tim, “God bless us every one!”

Cruise Cuisine - Chilled Fruit Soup

One of the choices for soup each night on a cruise usually includes a cold soup and it is usually a fruit based concoction. I love the berry soups mostly but all of them are good and it's like eating dessert first! Hmmm. Wonder if there is a chocolate soup?

Here is a soup recipe for Cantaloupe Soup. Looks easy enough. Kind of like a fruit smoothie in a bowl.

Cantaloupe Soup

1 cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 cups orange juice
1 tbl fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Place cantaloupe and 1/2 cup orange juice in a blender or food processor. Cover and process until smooth. Transfer to large bowl and stir in the lime, cinnamon and the rest of the orange juice. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour. Serve in small bowls with a mint leaf garnish.

Now close your eyes and imagine blue seas and sunshine as you enjoy the flavor of your soup.

New Zealand's Afghan Cookies

We were introduced to these wonderful cookies, or biscuits as they're called in NZ, at the Lilac Rose Bed and Breakfast in Christchurch. As we were checking in, our host was baking and brought us some of these chocolate delights to have with a cup of tea. Later we began to notice them more and more in bakeries and even in McDonald's McCafes (which are totally unlike our fast-food version). Here's the recipe for all you cookie bakers. It's the right time of the year to be sharing this!

By the way, no one knows where the name Afghan came from. The recipe is very old and appears in many past issues of the popular Edmonds Cookery Book of New Zealand.

Afghan Cookies (Biscuits)

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10-15 minutes
Biscuits
200g butter (7/8 cup), at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups cornflakes (unsweetened)
Chocolate Icing (see below)
walnuts, optional
1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Sift flour and cocoa.

2. Stir into creamed mixture. Fold in cornflakes.

3. Spoon mounds of mixture onto a greased oven tray gently pressing together. (Some recipes suggest they should be rolled into balls and then pressed. The cornflakes will make them easily break apart.)

4. Bake at 180C (375F) for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned and firm.

5. When cold ice with chocolate icing and decorate with a walnut piece if you like.
Chocolate Icing:
200g (7/8 cup) dark chocolate
1/2 cup cream
25g (2 TB) butter

1. Break chocolate into top of a small bowl. Add butter and cream.

2. Set over hot water and heat, stirring constantly, unit it has melted and smooth. Alternatively, microwave on MEDIUM power for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.

3. Beat until thick before using.

 Now make another batch because these will disappear quickly!

South Florida's Key Lime Pie

There's one rule to keep in mind when you are looking for Florida's signature dessert, Key Lime Pie. If it's green, it's not a real Key lime pie. You'll find the best Key lime pies are slightly yellowish in color but mostly a creamy color and consistency. Key lime trees are abundant in south Florida but sometimes you can get them in your own area grocery store. Here's an easy recipe to try:

1 9" prepared graham cracker pie crust (or make your own)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbls fresh or bottle Key lime juice

heavy cream for whipped topping

Preheat oven to 350°

Filling:
Whisk together egg yolks and condensed milk until well blended. Add Key lime juice and whisk again until blended well. Mixture should thicken a bit.

Pour into prepared crust. Bake in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes. Cool completely on rack and then chill for 6-8 hours.

Just before serving, whip cream and spread on top of pie. Garnish with a couple of thin lime slices if available.

Bring Us A Figgy Pudding

As we travel the world, we are fascinated with the foods of different nations. Christmas traditions at home are a mix of our backgrounds. My dad's side was Bohemian thus our pork, sauerkraut and dumpling meal. My husband's side is rooted in England so there is always the alternative goose or turkey.

This year as we started singing our Christmas carols, I became curious about figgy pudding. Why did the carol demand figgy pudding? Here's what I found.

Figgy pudding is a pudding in the traditional British sense of the word. Most people know of figgy pudding from the Christmas carol “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”. It dates back to medieval times and is a descendant of frumenty, a rather unappetizing dish from the looks of the ingredients. Another source has figgy pudding being related to plum puddings of old.

We know figgy pudding today from the popular song, We Wish You a Merry Christmas. So if your carolers begin to sing, "Bring us a figgy pudding!" here's a really easy recipe for it.

• 10-12 ounces of dried figs
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 box carrot cake mix
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cup raisins
• grated zest of one orange
• 1 tablespoon orange marmalade

Place the figs and the water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit until soft, a few hours. Once soft, remove the figs from the water and place in a bowl. Save the water and add the sugar. Bring to a boil and let reduce slightly. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Chop the figs finely, being careful not to pulverize them.

To the boxed cake mix, stir in 1 ¼ cup of the sugared fig water, the oil and eggs. Set aside the remainder of the fig water. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well using a mixer on high speed for 2 minutes. Stir in the walnuts, chopped figs, raisins, orange zest and the marmalade.

Line a large (4 quart) metal bowl with foil. Use enough foil so that you have a big collar around the edge of the bowl. Spray the foil with nonstick spray. Pour the batter into the bowl and place in an oven that has been preheated to 350 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes and then fold the foil collar over the top. Continue baking for about 1 ½ hours more, or until a wood skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool overnight.

To serve, take the reserved fig water and add ½ cup of brandy or rum. Heat, and if you wish, (carefully!) ignite the sauce and pour over the pudding. Serve in wedges with whipped cream.

Tapas

Our next travel adventure starts in Barcelona. We have been to the beautiful city several times but always as a port of call with little time to do it all. This trip we will be starting out there and spending a couple of days. Why? Simple. We want to explore more and linger in places we didn't have time before--namely Las Ramblas, the main street of the city where everyone strolls along to enjoy the sights, sounds, and tastes of Barcelona.

We have never had time to sit down and enjoy a Spanish tradition called tapas. Tapas are small plates of food sort of like appetizers but are served with drinks. The origin is hard to place but there is speculation that way back when, a thin slice of ham or cheese was laid over the top of a drink glass to keep the flies off of it. Tapas means lid or cover. Of course if they were on the ham, I don't know that I'd want to eat that.

Today tapas are still served with drinks but they are not free as they used to be. You could actually make a light lunch of tapas and/or use them as a way to sample the menu of a restaurant since they are often just a smaller plate of a menu item.

I've been nosing around the recipe sites and think I may just have to make some tapas before we go. Here's an easy one I found on the Food Network.com that is basically just spinach and chick pea served on toast points. Sounds delish!

Cook 10 oz. of fresh spinach with water still on leaves until it wilts. Drain and chop. Add a can of drained chick peas, a finely diced sweet red pepper, a tablespoon of fresh chives finely chopped, the juice of one lemon, and a fourth cup of olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

What you drink with it is your choice.

Irish Scones

This is a recipe that I picked up from our stay in Galway, Ireland, from the Petra House's hostess, Joan. Every morning of the several days we spent there we woke to the smell of these baking. The recipe was easy to make once I converted her measurements to American. They are delicious. In England, you might eat them with clotted cream but in Ireland we were told, "a slab of Irish butter is best." Enjoy!

3 3/4 c. self-rising flour
2 sticks of butter (1/2 lb.)
4 Tbl. sugar
4 oz. golden raisins or other dried fruit (I found raisins that were coated with cinamon that were very good)
1 cup of milk
2 eggs

Cut in (rub in) butter until flour is mealy
Add eggs and milk to form a soft dough
Knead on a floured board. Be careful not to overknead
Roll out 3/4 " thick
Cut with biscuit cutter.
Put on baking tray (parchment paper works well with this) and brush tops with milk. Sprinkle with a little sugar.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
Place on wire rack to cool a bit.

Many thanks to Joan for sharing. It's still better to wake up and smell her scones baking though. Fond memories.

Quick Toffee Treats for Your Party

If you know me at all you know there are times I am truly challenged in the kitchen. I never make Jello. Not because I don't like it but because it never turns out right for me. It's either too rubbery or you can drink it with a straw. I can make these delicious treats though and to my surprise, successfully every time! This is a recipe we circulated on postcards from our book, A Scrapbook of Christmas Firsts. There are lots of other great recipes in there as well--from the other authors who are much more successful in the kitchen.

10 Minute Toffee Treats

1 sleeve saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil, then line with a single layer of saltines. In saucepan bring butter and sugar to boil. Boil 3 minutes. Immediately pour over saltines. Spread. Bake for ONLY 4-5 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Wait 4 minutes and spred. Sprinkle with nuts Cool and break into pieces.

Disclaimer: These can be addictive.

Beef & Guinness Stew

While in Ireland, we had Beef and Guinness Stew several times for dinner. The recipes were a little varied. Some were very rich and hearty, gravy-based and served over potatoes, once with a filo dough topping, and other times the dish was more like a soup. When we visited the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, we picked up a recipe card for the popular stew. You can find other recipes to use with Guinness at their website.

Beef and Guinness Stew

7 oz. (200ml) of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
1 lb. stewing beef, cut in cubes
1 medium onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced (the carrots in Ireland were huge so I'd use two or three of ours)
1 large celery, diced
1 large parsnip, diced
1 quart beef stock
sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary (to taste)

Brown the meat in large pan. Add vegetables and cook until tender. Pour in the Guinness and simmer to reduce by half. Add the beef stock and herbs and simmer for an hour to hour and a half. (You might want to thicken it a bit if you like more of a gravy than a soup.)

It is said that the stew is better made a day in advance and served over champ potato.

Champ Potato

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and halved
1 cup milk
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 cup butter
1 ground black pepper to taste

Place potatoes into large pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.

Drain well. Return to very low heat and allow the potatoes to dry out for a few minutes. Meanwhile, heat the milk and green onions gently in a saucepan, until warm.
Mash the potatoes, salt and butter together until smooth. Stir in the milk and green onion until evenly mixed. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

The Irish also make a potato called colcannon which is the same only with a little cabbage added to the potatoes.

Casey's Comfort Chicken Casserole

In Murder Among The Orchids, Casey makes a chicken casserole for the family after her boss is found murdered. It's great comfort food. This is the recipe. My deepest gratitude to my friend Judy who made this for us years ago when my mother passed away. She shared the recipe with me and it has become a favorite in our family.

2 1/2 cups uncooked noodles
4-5 cups cooked, deboned chicken
2 cups chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup pimento
1 small onion chopped
1/2 lb. grated sharp cheddar
small can of mushrooms

Mix all ingredients together well saving some cheese back to sprinkle on top later. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour. Remove cover and sprinkle top with croutons or almonds and remaining cheese. Bake uncovered until cheese bubbles.

For more updates on Murder Among the Orchids, "like" my Facebook page.

Have You Had Your Fill Of Barbecue Yet?

Our very favorite place for BBQ ribs closed a few years ago and recently our most convenient place for ribs closed as well. That sent us scrambling for where to get some great ribs for Fourth of July. We were a bit disappointed in what we found at a restaurant near us that specialized in wings. Still, they were flavorful but left us wanting more.

There are usually several BBQ rib cookoffs in our area in a summer and I was curious to see where else there might be opportunity for those delicious staples of the season. Well, there are all sorts of places all over the country! Cookoffs, festivals, you name it there are still lots of opportunities to indulge. Check the listings at the BBQ Festival Directory for a place near you.

And if you're in the mood for BBQ chicken, here's my mom's recipe for the sauce. She also marinated her chicken in Italian dressing for a few hours and then gave it a good start in the oven before finishing it off on the grill.

Mom's BBQ Sauce

Melt 1/4# (1 stick) butter or margarine in small saucepan. Add 1 small can tomato paste. Mix together with the following:
1/3 c. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
3 Tbl. worchestershire sauce

Stirr and simmer for 5 minutes. Apply to chicken when almost done grilling.

A Caribbean Treat - Fried Bread

One of our favorite restaurants on Grand Cayman on the north end, is Over The Edge. Their back porch hangs over the water and it's a great view of the sunset as you dine on their delicious menu choices. Whatever your order, they always begin by bringing you a basket of their wonderful fried bread, hot and tasty.

I've done a little searching for a recipe that might be comparable to theirs. While I hinted, no one was volunteering the recipe but they did say it was made with a dough that used baking powder. Here's one that might be closest. I'll be trying it at home sometime soon.

FRIED BREAD
3 cup sifted all purpose flour
1 tablespoon butter softened
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup warm milk
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon sugar
Fat for deep frying

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl. Cut in soft butter. Add enough milk to make soft pliable dough. Knead on floured board until dough is smooth and soft but elastic. Divide into 8 balls and brush melted butter on top of each. Cover and let stand 45 minutes. Pat out into rounds 5-6" in diameter and about 1/4" thick. At this point, I believe the restaurant cuts the rounds into fourths. You can either fried the large round or smaller pieces in the fat or oil for deep frying. I'm guessing the restaurant uses lard because of the taste. In the States, a restaurant would have to use something more "healthy." Dough should rise immediately to surface. When brown on one side, turn over and brown other side being careful not to pierce bread. Drain on paper towel and serve hot.

The Real Thing - Coca Cola

It's been quite a contest over the years. Coke vs. Pepsi. To our family Coca Cola has always been "the real thing." This year the drink company celebrates 125 years of its tasty cola drink. On May 8, 1886, Dr. John Pemberton carried a jug of the cola syrup to Jacob's Pharmacy in downtown Atlanta where they mixed it with carbonated water and sold it for five cents a glass.

Atlanta is the home of Coca Cola. The World of Coca Cola Museum looks like a fun spot to visit on a vacation stay or if you're in Atlanta on business and have some free time. Of course if you're a Pepsi fan, you may want to just go to Sone Mountain and indulge in your favorite drink there--that is if they sell Pepsi in Atlanta.

On the Coca Cola website there are quite a few recipes for using Coke in cooking/baking. My favorite has always been Chocolate Cola Cake:

1 18.5-ounce devil's food cake mix
1 16-ounce bottle Coca-Cola®
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 16-ounce package confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons powdered chocolate drink mix such as Nestle's Quik
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350°F; grease 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Prepare cake mix according to
package directions, using 1 1/3 cups cola in place of water and stirring 1 tablespoon
grated orange peel in batter. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 30 minutes until
wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Invert cake onto wire rack cool
completely. Cake may be made and stored, tightly wrapped, up to two days before
decorating.

Frosting: Beat butter in large bowl with mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy;
gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and chocolate drink mix until smooth. Beat in
1/3 cup of remaining cola, remaining 1 tablespoon grated orange peel and vanilla
until thoroughly blended and smooth.

Alligator For Dinner

Yes, you read that right. Alligator. It is raised as a food product in Florida and available at many local restaurants. We had some alligator tidbits--kind of like chicken nuggets--at one restaurant we went to. Our grandkids wanted to try it. Our three year old granddaughter really liked it. I didn't think they had much taste apart from the spices used to enhance the flavor.

Alligator is a lean meat, low in fat and cholesterol and high in protein. Tail meat is said to be the choicest cut and is a mild flavored white meat with a texture similar to veal.

At a fish market where we bought some snapper to make the Sundowners Poached Fish (poached in coconut milk-really good!!), I happened to see a rack of pamphlets with recipes for various seafood and one was dedicated to the alligator. So, if you are ever able to pick up a pound of alligator, here's a recipe for you.

Grilled Gator Kabobs

1/2 cup Florida orange juice concentrate
1/4 cup Florida orange juice
2 Tbsps light soy sauce
2 Tbsps brown sugar
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 pound Florida alligator meat cut into 1 inch cubes
Assorted Florida vegetables or fruit, cubed

For the marinade, combine orange concentrate, orange juice, soy sauce, brown sugar and spices in a medium glass bowl. Reserve half for basting. Add alligator cubes and stir to coat well. Marinate for at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours in the refrigerator for increased flavor.

Soak wooden skewers in water for 10 minutes to prevent them from burning.
Thread marinated alligator cubes onto skewers alternating with vegetables and/or fruit.

Heat grill to high heat and grill kabobs for 6-8 minutes; turn once. Brush with extra marinade for first five minutes. Discard any leftover marinade.

4 servings

Okay, so if you can't get alligator, the recipe works with chicken, veal or pork as well.