Category: Recipes

Let’s Talk Dogs – Hot Dogs, That Is


Summer is quickly approaching, which means more face time with the grill. And, I don’t know about you, but I love a good ol’ hot dog, hot off the BBQ with all of the fixin’s. It should be noted, that not all hot dogs are created equal, so I wanted to share with you my two favorites… one, which is beef and the other one, vegetarian. Both are delicious.

 

Beef: My absolute favorite “real” hot dog is Hebrew National’s 97% Fat Free Beef Franks. There are NO fillers, by-products, artificial flavors or color. Score! And with only 40 calories and 1 gram of fat, how can you go wrong with this top dog?

 

 

 

Vegetarian: 

These veggie hot dogs should receive awards because they’re so amazingly good. They’re Smart Dogs by LIFELIGHT and have a mere 45 calories and 0 fat, plus provide you with 8 grams of protein. With those numbers, why would you just have one, right?

 

Finally, I want to talk buns 😉  I realize that a lot of you are concerned about carbs, etc., which is why I favor (and love) these… Orowheat Sandwich Thins. They are only 100 calories and are fantastic to use with your hot dogs!

Don’t forget the ketchup, mustard and relish!

Eggs Benedict


Some people shy away from making this tasty breakfast or brunch dish because of two things; poaching the eggs and the Hollandaise sauce. So, since I’ve already given you a recipe for a Hollandaise that is both easy and low-calorie, I’ll now explain how to poach an egg, so you can fear no more. If you are really low on time, you can “cheat” and pick up a package of Knorr Hollandaise sauce mix.

Ingredients

  • 2 English muffins
  • 4 slices Canadian bacon or veggie sausage (I love Morningstar Farms original sausage patties)
  • 4 whole eggs for poaching
  • 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
  • 2 tsp coarse salt
  • Hollandaise Sauce

Directions

  1. Saute the Canadian bacon/cook the veggie sausage in a little butter or cooking spray (veggie patties can be quickly cooked in the microwave).
  2. Split and toast the English muffins.
  3. Poach the eggs, as described below.
  4. Put toasted muffins (with a little butter, or my favorite, Smart Balance Light) on a plate, followed by a slice of the bacon or veggie sausage on each muffin side. Top with one poached egg and Hollandaise.
  5. Garnish with parsley, chives or an orange, if desired.

Poaching Eggs: In a medium-sized saucepan, heat 4 inches of water, the vinegar and the salt to boiling; then reduce to a simmer. Break each egg onto a saucer or into small cups or bowls. Now stir the water in a wide circle vigorously and slip eggs carefully into simmering water. The slightly acidulated water will set the eggs quickly, while the whirlpool of water will keep the egg in a ball. Poach at a simmer for four to five minutes for set whites and soft yolks. Remove from water by lifting each poached egg with a slotted spoon, but hold it over the pan briefly to let any water clinging to the egg drain off. Drain well before serving. As an easier alternative, you can use an egg poacher (available at local supermarkets).

Tip: To keep the eggs warm if you’re making them a little ahead of time, slide them, as they are cooked, into a large bowl of hot (not boiling) water. Don’t worry about them sticking together. Top with more hot water from time to time to keep them warm. The eggs will be soft, warm, and ready to eat when you are ready to serve them.

Oatmeal Pancakes


Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

  1. Combine milk and oats in a bowl and let stand for at least five minutes.
  2. Add oil and eggs, mixing well.
  3. Stir in flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.
  4. Cook on a hot, lightly greased griddle.
  5. Turn pancakes when top is bubbly and edges slightly dry.

Serve with butter or butter substitute and warm syrup.

Popovers aka Yorkshire Pudding


These light and airy bread treats have been a favorite of mine for a long time. I really REALLY LOVE them! But be warned, you will have a hard time just eating one!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup milk, room temperature or heat in microwave for 30 seconds
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 tbsp butter, chilled

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
  2. Spray a popover or muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  3. Place pan on center rack of oven and preheat for 2 minutes.
  4. Lightly blend flour, salt, eggs, milk, and melted butter until it looks like heavy cream, about 1 to 2 minutes, do not overbeat.
  5. Cut chilled butter into 12 small, even pieces. Place 1 piece of butter in each cup and place pan back in oven until butter is melted (about 1 minute).
  6. Fill each cup half full with batter and bake 20 minutes (no peeking… don’t open the door to check on them).
  7.  Reduce heat to 325 F and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.
  8. Immediately remove from pan.
  9. Serve piping hot with honey butter (see below for recipe), regular butter or jam.

Honey Butter

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup honey
Mix together until smooth and place in an airtight container in the fridge.

Simple French Toast


An easy & yummy dish for breakfast or brunch.

Ingredients

  • 2 slices of bread
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/8 cup milk
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions

  1. Beat together eggs, cinnamon & vanilla until blended, then add the milk.
  2. Heat a lightly oiled (or use cooking spray) skillet or griddle over medium heat.
  3. Soak bread slices in egg mixture for about 10 seconds or until they are saturated.
  4. Cook bread until they’re lightly browned on both sides and crisp.
  5. Sprinkle some confectioners sugar on top and serve with warmed or room temperature maple syrup.

Classic Lemon Bars


Recipe courtesy of Food Network Mag

Ingredients

Crust

  • Vegetable oil, for greasing
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, diced
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar, plus more for garnish
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Filling

  • 4 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 tsp grated lemon zest
  • 1 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 8 lemons)

Directions

  1. Make the crust: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
  2. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with vegetable oil and line with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides; grease the foil with oil.
  3. Pulse the butter, flour, both sugars and the salt in a food processor until the dough comes together, about 1 minute.
  4. Press evenly into the bottom and about 1/2 inch up the sides of the prepared pan, making sure there are no cracks.
  5. Bake until the crust is golden, about 25 minutes.
  6. Meanwhile, make the filling: Whisk the whole eggs and yolks, sugar and flour in a bowl until smooth.
  7. Whisk in the lemon zest and juice.
  8. Remove the crust from the oven and reduce the temperature to 300 degrees F.
  9. Pour the filling over the warm crust and return to the oven.
  10. Bake until the filling is just set, 30 to 35 minutes.
  11. Let the bars cool in the pan on a rack, then refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
  12. Lift out of the pan using the foil and slice.
  13. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving

Killer Shrimp – Don’t Be Scared


Here’s a spicy shrimp recipe served in a bowl and with bread for dipping. You may need a fire extinguisher.

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs raw large shrimp (peeled & deveined)
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup dry sherry
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons chili sauce
  • 2 tablespoons hot sauce 
  • 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
  • 4 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeno chile, minced

Directions

  1. Preheat over to 350F.
  2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, simmer all ingredients (except shrimp) until well blended.
  3. Place sauce and shrimp in large shallow baking pan and bake approximately 10 minutes or until shrimp are opaque in center.
  4. Serve in bowls with crusty French bread for dipping.

Canapes of Smoked Salmon


I catered a charity art event in Beverly Hills and had to come up with some “crowd-appropriate” hors d’oeuvres. This dish went over incredibly well and there wasn’t one left (out of the 200 prepared). It does take some time (and patience) to put these together, but the presentation is lovely and your guests will be impressed.

 

Ingredients

  • 1 pkg smoked salmon, thinly sliced
  • 1 carton of creme fraiche
  • 1 box cheddar & asiago cheesecrisps (John Wm Macy’s)
  • 1 jar of caviar
  • Fresh chives, sliced to 1 inch in length

Directions

  1. Set your cheesecrisps on a plate or tray.
  2. Cut up salmon into thin strips (see pic) then place on top of crisps.
  3. Put a dollop of the creme fraiche on top of the salmon. I used a decorator bag with a small, round tip. Alternatively, you can use a ziplock bag and cut off the corner so there is just a very small opening.
  4. Add a small amount of the caviar on top of the creme fraiche with a toothpick.
  5. Top off with a sliver of the chives.

Voila… you have an easy (no cooking) and beautiful appetizer.

Crazy For Cranberries


Here’s a simply amazing recipe for cranberry sauce that you can whip up in no time for the holidays!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar (1/2 cup white, 1/2 cup brown)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 4 cups cranberries (1 12 oz pkg)
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp allspice

Directions

  1. In a saucepan, bring water, orange juice and sugar to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.
  2. Add cranberries and return to a boil.
  3. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.
  4. Add spices and stir well.
  5. Remove from heat and cool completely at room temperature.
  6.  Chill in the refrigerator. Sauce will thicken as it cools.