Author Archives: Kimberly Crocker

Cucumber Guacamole Dip

Cucumbers and Lime give this guacamole a refreshing flavor.

INGREDIENTS
2 ripe avocados, peeled and chopped
1/2 medium cucumber, (peeled) chopped              
1/3 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp pepper flakes
1 squeeze lime (about 1-2 Tbsp juice) may use lemon
Salt to taste (about 1/2 tsp)

DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to blender or food processor and process to desired consistency. Add salt (about 1/2 tsp) to taste. Serve chilled. Enjoy with your favorite chips or tortillas.

Top off with chopped1 freshly diced  tomato and 1 tablespoon torn cilantro leaves.

Number of Servings: 8

Salsa, Guacamole Dips tied to Food Poisoning: CDC

Please remember to place dips into small containers for refrigeration, or which may also be frozen in order to avoid food poisoning.  Homemade dips should have all vegetables washed in the home. Best practices on washing vegetables:  2 tablespoons of baking soda into 4 cups of water, allow vegetables and fruit to sit in water for 5 minutes, rinse well before preparation of  food.  KMC

Rita Maas (Photo by Getty Images)

“WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Contaminated salsa and guacamole dips are common causes of food poisoning in restaurants, and food workers need to take greater care, researchers told a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention meeting on Monday.   

They said nearly one of every 25 traceable outbreaks of foodborne disease between 1998 and 2008 began with one of the increasingly popular dips, which are made using onions, tomatoes, peppers, avocados, herbs and other ingredients.

“Possible reasons salsa and guacamole can pose a risk for foodborne illness is that they may not be refrigerated appropriately and are often made in large batches, so even a small amount of contamination can affect many customers,” said Magdalena Kendall or the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.

“Awareness that salsa and guacamole can transmit foodborne illness, particularly in restaurants, is key to preventing future outbreaks,” Kendall, who worked on the study, said in a statement.

“Salsa and guacamole often contain diced raw produce, including hot peppers, tomatoes and cilantro, each of which has been implicated in past outbreaks.”

Kendall and colleagues analyzed all outbreaks of foodborne illness reported to the CDC. None were associated with salsa or guacamole before 1984, they found, but by 1998 to 2008 the two dips accounted for 3.9 percent of outbreaks traced to restaurants.

“We want restaurants and anyone preparing fresh salsa and guacamole at home to be aware that these foods containing raw ingredients should be carefully prepared and refrigerated  to help prevent illness,” Kendall said.

In March a coalition of consumer and public health groups said foodborne illnesses cost the United States $152 billion in health-related expenses each year.

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill a year ago to reorganize the convoluted U.S. food safety system, but the Senate has yet to act, despite broad bipartisan agreement on the issue.

The CDC estimates that 76 million people in the United States get sick each year with foodborne illness and 5,000 die.”

(Editing by Paul Simao)

Resourse: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100712/hl_nm/us_food_usa_salsa

Zucotto Cuppula

Zucotto is a traditional Florentine cake whose shape is inspired by the rounded roof of the local duomo. It consists of a sponge filled cake with layers of chocolate, mascarpone and fruit.

1 sponge cake pre made from a store or may use the recipe from Pan di Spagna
1/2 cup Marsala (sweet or semi secco)
4 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped and then melted
500 grams Mascarpone cheese
2 Tablespoons Confectioners sugar
1/2 cup black berries
confectioners sugar and cocoa powder to dust.

Line a round 6-cup pudding bowl with plastic wrap, letting the plastic wrap to hang over the edge of the bowl.

cut outer circle of sponge cake and then the inner circle into triangles.

Insert knife into the side and center part of the cake. Rotate cake so that the cake is cut into half. Take top half of cake and set aside then cut  cake into eight triangle part’s.  Arrange triangles (about 7) into the bowl so that they fit snuggly together.  For the bottom half of the cake; Cut 1 inch around the edge so that the a smaller round center remains intact. Set both aside.

Drizzle 1/4 cup Marsala over 7/8 cake previously placed into bowl.

Melt chocolate. Combine with 1/2 of Mascarpone.  Spoon into the cake lined bowl and evenly distribute the mixture, leaving hollow the center part of the cake.

Mix remaining part of Mascarpone with 2 tbsp confectioners sugar and  1/3 cup Marsala.

Combine marsala with mascarpone mixture.

Add berries of choice and combine. Spoon mixture into the center of the cake and evenly distribute.

Place cake ring ( 1 inch trimmed edge) onto outer top of cake and filling. Place cut out bottom circle into center of cake gently fitting it into center. Cover bowel with plastic and place into refrigerator for two hours.

Remove cake. First remove plastic from top of  bowl. Place a plate upside down onto top of  bowl and flip onto plate so that the Dome is right side up. Gently remove plastic.  Dust cake with cocoa powder and confectioners sugar onto dome. Place half cherries around outside of cake to create effect of windows.

Eggplant Parmigiana

Eggplant presented with fresh basil leaves.

Many styles of Eggplant Parmigiana have been made and written about, but the original recipe still stands tried and proven. This is a dish that you just have to go with and enjoy, don’t count calories or you can miss the moment of sheer enjoyment as your palate will dance with delight. Buon Appetito!

Preheat oven to 400F or 180 C.  Serves 12 persons.

SAUCE

  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
  • 2 28 oz or 2 720 grams Tomato Sauce ( De Cecco or Fratelli)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 8 Basil leaves (a few extra for presentation)

Delicious Tomato Basil Sauce for the Eggplant Parmigiana

In a medium size pan, sauté onion in olive oil for 5 minutes on medium low. Add tomato sauce, salt, milk (helps to reduce acidity of sauce which comes from the processed seeds.) Allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Add basil leaves to sauce at end of simmering time.

INGREDIENTS FOR EGGPLANT

  • 1 liter of vegetable oil
  • 1 Eggplant(2 if small) peeled and sliced into 1/3 inch round slices.
  • 1 Tbsp Salt
  • 1 cup Flour
  • 2 eggs (raw) beaten
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 cups mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

    After dredging the eggplant slices from four to egg batter (two times), add to hot oil to fry until golden brown.

(Some stores may sell eggplant slices already grilled and may be used instead.) Otherwise, wash,  peel and slice eggplant. Lightly salt all slices and set aside in colander for about 1 hour to allow for bitter water to come out from eggplant. Pat dry eggplant slices with paper towel.
Heat oil in a frying pan oven medium heat for 4 minutes.
Beat raw eggs. Add milk and continue to beat mixture until combined.
Take a slice of eggplant and dredge into flour then dip into the egg mixture, back again into flour and one last time into egg mixture. Place dipped and dredged eggplant into hot oil. Fry until both sides are golden. Remove from hot oil once golden and place onto a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Continue to follow same procedure for all eggplant slices.

Alternate sauce, fried eggplant and mozzarella until the pan is 3/4 full.

ASSEMBLE
In a large baking pan ladle the pre made tomato sauce into pan, enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Organize 6-8 slices of fried eggplant into bottom of pan. Ladle sauce again into baking pan so that the eggplant are lightly covered in sauce. Layer with mozzarella and 2 tablespoon`s of parmesan cheese. Continue to follow assembling order until all eggplant has been used.

Place into a preheated oven of 400 F allow to bake for 30 minutes. Take out of the oven and allow to set for 30 minutes before eating.

Serve after allowing the eggplant to rest for at least 30 minutes. Extra delicious the day after!

Pepperonata

Wonderful side dish

3 Peppers washed and sliced
1 Onion sliced
1/4 cup Olive Oil
16 ounce can Tomato Sauce
1/2 tsp salt
5 Sausage Links pre-cooked and drained (Optional).
10 leaves Basil

Over medium heat place sausage links prick all with fork tines and allow to fry in pan for about 10 minutes. Over medium heat add to frying pan Yellow Peppers, Onion, Olive Oil. allowing to cook over heat for 10 minutes turning vegetables often. Once vegetables are wilted add tomato sauce. Add salt. Drain sausage and slice into round circles. Add sausage to simmering vegetables and cook in pan allowing flavors to come together for about 10 minutes. Add basil leaves torn into halves to the dish. Immediately serve over pasta and top off with parmesan cheese.