Author Archives: Kimberly Crocker

Lamb

Leg of Lamb or Lamb Shoulder

 Ingredients •Leg or shoulder of lamb (a per 2-4 people depending on the size) • 2 garlic cloves, sliced •1/4 cup olive oil •1/2 cup white wine •2 Tbs rosemary •2 Tbs thyme 2 Tbs sage.  Preparation Pierce the lamb with a knife, and insert garlic or mince garlic and massage into lamb.   Marinate overnight in olive oil, wine, rosemary, thyme and sage  in the refrigerator.

Cooking Fire or your oven until hot, and then let the heat fall to a low to moderate temperature, roughly 350-400ºF.  If you have fired your oven for a longer period (90 minutes or more), rake out the coals to allow the temperature to keep falling. If you do not have enough retained heat in the oven, you can leave a small fire, or coals at the start of cooking.

Place the lamb in a presoaked terracotta dish (dish emersed in water for 30 minutes) and add some fresh rosemary. Dish should always be placed in a cold oven and warmed with the oven.   Cooking Hint: You can  place some fresh rosemary in the oven. It adds some spice to the air and the food. Roast for approximately 30 minutes per pound for medium-doneness.

Death to Domestic Restaurants?

It is encouraging to note how restaurants brought to the USA from abroad are being embraced as Americans openly try meals from other cultures.   The opportunity for many to enjoy Thai, Japanese, Turkish, Greek and Latin foods have proven that the domestic eateries need to find away to expand their menu’s and experiment with various styles of  food preparation.  A sharp reduction in food chains such as: Bob Evans, Macaroni Grill, Don Pablo’s, Pizza Hut etc. should be a red flag to those in food service when contrasted with how many foreign national shops continue to remain open and thrive, while the other domestic brand names are folding.

Grandma’s recipes from the Islands of Asia, Europe and South America are unboarding the doors of the foreclosed domestic restaurants in America.  They invite you to come in and tempt your tastebuds with a new tantilizing flavor found in their beverages, entree’s and desserts.  Ones palete can almost drive you to the table of an authentic meal,  as opposed to the traditional melted cheese, deep fried, overly salted or peppered meats and vegetables.

While “Mom and Pop” shops provide us with the comfort foods we will crave, it’s the variety of wines, oils, herbs, spices and other seasonings that provide a unique and delightful savor to the new dishes.  Domestic restaurants can break out of the crisis in the States only if they are willing to try some new recipes and add them to their menu’s.  Moving an appetizer to the entree` part of a menu is simply not enough when it comes to make the necessary changes to save some of our favorite Friday and Saturday night hot spots.

Alexis’ Moroccan Carrots

Great ANYTIME dish that adds to any planned menu.  Don’t miss making Moroccan Carrots for your guests!  Best if marinaded overnight and serrved the next day to allow all the flavors to come together.

  • 1 pound (half kilogram) of carrots. (Ends removed  and quartered)
  • 2 Liters of Boiling Water
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1-2 Tablespoon Vinegar (white)
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp Cumin
  • 1/2 tsp Ginger
  • 1/2 tsp Paprika
  • 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Clean carrots and remove ends.  Quarter the carrot and place into boiling pot of water, allow to parboil for 7 minutes.  Remove water from the carrots and allow to cool.  Briefly pulse and chop carrots in food processor and then spoon carrots into dish.  Add olive oil, vinegar and spices.  May add more spice as you adjust for taste.

Allow 10 minutes before adding additional spice so that the carrots can absorb ingredients accordingly.

Sangria’s Best

Smiles, Laughter, Friends….Sangria’s Best

Summertime, Laughter, Memories, Mixed Drinks!!!! HAVE FUN….

Sangria should be refrigerated 24 hours before serving.  Any soda drink, or sugar added 30-60 minutes before serving.     Carrafe or bottle must accomodate about 4 liters of liquid.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 Peaches peeled, pitted and diced.
  • 2 Apples peeled, cored and diced
  • 2 Oranges peeled and cut into rounds
  • 1 cup Cherries pitted and halved
  • 1 cup Berries of choice
  • 1 750 ml Sangiovese wine
  • 1 750ml Lambrusco wine
  • 1/3 part (250 ml) Rum
  • 1/3 part (250 ml) Brandy
  • 3/4 liter (750 ml)  sprite or coke (added 30-60 minutes before serving then reseal bottle.)
  • 4 Cinnamon sticks

Mix all ingredients in container seal and store in refrigerator for 24 hours.

Presentation and Flavor

Prepare an additional:  3 Peaches, 2 Apples ( cored and diced), 2 Oranges cut into rounds, 1 cup Berries and 1 cup Cherries.  Toss fruit in a bowl and keep close to Sangria for serving. Mint Sprigs, Cinnamon Sticks Lime cut into round circles for presentation eased onto side of glass.

Serve:  Pour Sangria over  a few ice cubes in cup and  add freshly cut fruit.

Drink Cautiously.  1 glass for women. 2 glasses for men. Have appetizers available  before drinking, always eat first!   (Food higher in fat absorb alcohol,  like cheese, or chip/dip, so that the alcohol will not be absorbed by the brain) .

Benefits of a Cappuccino on Bones

The aroma of freshly ground coffee beans and the  sound of  milk being frothed at the cappuccino maker, beckons many of the  sleep deprived population to stumble from their homes into coffee shops everywhere.  Caffiene is the one energy product that so many will not split hairs over, but instead will readily agree to, that “IT” gets us through our morning.   So, great news for Starbucks cliental and frequentor’s of local cafe`s, “You can have your cappuccino and drink it too!” 

 Various studies have been conducted on  how caffiene effects an individual’s calcium absorption. Some studies showed that caffiene interfered with calcium absorption while others showed that the information was misleading.  A third study was performed and showed that certain cultures may consume less dairy products, therefore,  caffiene then seemed to negatively influence calcium absorption.  However, by adding 1-2 tablespoons  of milk to the beverage, ones dietary intake seemingly  improved.

In conclusion and according to the latest study done at Creighton Universty in Omaha, Nebraska, “There is no evidence that caffeine has any harmful effect on bone status or on the calcium economy in individuals who ingest the currently recommended daily allowances of calcium.”

Kim Crocker

Dietitian for Children and Adult Nutrition

(calcium supplements 1000-1500mg)

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/calcium.asp

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12204390