First things first ... my apologies to the few readers who have been visiting over the last month and probably wondering "where the heck did she go". No, Chris and I didn't sail off the edge of the world nor did we sink our boat. We did, however, fly back to the States on Decemeber 1st and, as you can imagine, things got a bit hectic. Guess that's what happens when you haven't seen family and friends for over three years! It is fantastic to be home, but my waistline is paying the price ... first there are all the yummy foods we've been "deprived" of over the years, add that to the special treats being served in the holiday season and the skinny jeans are doomed!

Speaking of special treats - what to do with all those leftover candies from the holidays? Maybe Santa left chocolate kisses in your stocking, or you decorate your tree with candy canes. Yes, you can just snack on these delicious sweets, but why not enjoy one last holiday huraah in the kitchen (or galley)? These would also make great snacks for all those Bowl Games.



You might be tempted to pass these up - after all it's the new year and with that comes resolutions, usually beginning with "lose the holiday fat" ... but come on, you wait months for the holiday season so why end it so soon?

Here are two tasty treats that I think you'll enjoy. I love the pretzels with Hershey kisses - there is something about the salty-sweet mix that just satisfies all my taste buds. The peppermint bark is a refreshing treat that cures my sweet tooth and leaves my mouth minty-fresh. Neither of these recipes require strict amounts, so they are quite flexible and a great way to use up any leftover candies lying around. They are also both kid friendly, so if you have some young bakers in the house be sure to get them involved.

Hershey Pretzels

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Ingredients
White or Dark Chocolate Hershey Kisses/Hugs
Pretzels
M&Ms

Method
Line a baking sheet with wax paper.

Lay out pretzels (use only whole pretzels) and set one kiss on each pretzel.
Note that the white chocolate (Hugs) will melt faster than the dark chocolate so I suggest you do the same type of Hershey's per single cookie sheet.

Bake at 170 F for 4-6 minutes (4 minutes for the Hershey Hugs and 5-6 for the Hershey Kisses). The chocolate should be soft to the touch but not melted.

Remove from oven and immediately press one M&M into each Hershey Kiss/Hug.

You can let cool on the counter, or place the tray in the refrigerator until cooled competely and chocolate has reset (takes about 10 minutes in the refrigerator).

M&M Fun: Use only your team's colors (in the M&Ms) and serve these treats during the big game. Or use all red for Valentine's Day.

Peppermint Bark

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Ingredients
1 (12oz) bag of chocolate (you can use white or dark chocolate and wafers or chips).
Candy Canes or any other type of hard peppermint candies. (Amount is to taste - roughly 5 large candy canes or the equivalent is a good ratio to 12oz of chocolate).

Method
Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.

Break up the peppermint candies into little pieces.

Melt the chocolate (follow manufacture's instructions - usually a double broiler or microwave). Once melted stir in the peppermint candy pieces.

Spread the chocolate mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet. Place in the freezer for 5-10 minutes (until hardened).

Break into pieces and enjoy! Peppermint bark also makes a great holiday gift - get some cute boxes, line with wax paper and pass them out.

Continue reading "Holiday Leftover Treats" and recipe ...

'Tis the season of the pumpkin. As a vegetable by itself I'm not a huge fan. But add some ginger and spice and everything nice and voila you are in for a treat! These muffins came about the other day when I was making pumpkin risotto (another delicious pumpkin dish - stay tuned for the recipe) and had some leftover pumpkin. I was thinking to make some pumpkin bread or muffins when I remembered that I still have about a KG of candied ginger to use up. To help me along with some ideas of how these two ingredients might come together I scoured the internet for similar recipes and came across a tasty one that included Molasses and a Molasses Glaze. This recipe originally came from Bon Apetit and was posted by The Amateur Gourmet.

As usual I didn't follow the recipe as written: first I didn't use molasses (I didn't have any light molasses and figured the dark would be too overpowering, so instead I used honey), I added cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg, and finally I doubled the amount of candied (or crystallized) ginger.

These muffins were a big hit and are tasty both with or without the glaze. The recipe says it makes 6 jumbo or 18 regular muffins, however after filling my 6 jumbo tins I still had enough mix leftover to make 4 regular muffins.

Ingredients
2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
3 large eggs
15 ounces pumpkin puree
1/2 cup honey (or light molasses)
1/2 cup buttermilk (see substituion tip if you don't have any)
1 cup candied ginger, chopped small

Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp honey (or light molasses)
water

Method
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 6-8 giant muffin cups or 18 standard cups with nonstick spray.

Sift together the flour, spices, baking soda and salt.

In a separate bowl beat together the sugar and oil. Beat in eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Beat or stir (beating might be too splashy) in the pumpkin, honey, and buttermilk. Stir in the candied ginger.

Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir until just blended.

Divide batter among the prepared muffin cups.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the the center comes out clean (about 30-40 minutes depending on muffin cup size).

Transfer to a rack and cool completely.

For the glaze whisk together the sugar, honey and 2 Tablespoons of water. Continue to whisk in a little bit of water at a time until a thick glaze forms. Dip the muffins (top only) into the glaze then transfer to the rack; allowing the glaze to drop down the sides. If desired you can sprinkle the tops with additional candied ginger. Let stand until glaze is set, about 1 hour.

Buttermilk Substitution
If you don't have buttermilk, or buttermilk powder try this: mix about 1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice, white vinegar, or cider vinegar plus enough milk to make 1/2 cup. Let it stand 5-10 minutes before using.

Continue reading "Pumpkin and Ginger Muffins" and recipe ...

'Tis the season for sports. You've got the NBA, MLB, and NFL. There's the World Series, Monday night football, college games, pro games, and even fantasy games. And for foodies and sport fans alike there's the game-food. What better excuse do you need to produce a delicious spread? There is nothing wrong with traditional sporty foods - who doesn't love 7-layer dip or buffalo wings - but how about something just a wee bit different?

When we were moored in Savusavu, Fiji, we used to go into the Yacht Club on Friday nights, and if we were lucky their TV and generator would be working so we'd be able to catch some Rugby or Rugby-Sevens. And if we were REALLY lucky the local Fijian-Indian woman from down the street would show up with her Samosas. These were delightful stuffed pastries full of vegetables, potatoes, and spices - Chris and I would eat so many that we'd call it dinner.

For me, one critical criteria for game-food is that I need to be able to make it ahead of time, after all I don't want to be banging around the kitchen ('er galley) while all my friends are in front of the tube catching the action. I wasn't too sure how these samosas would keep, as they are definitely best served warm, so I did a bit of experimenting. There are two ways you can make them - using a puff/filo pastry or using wonton wrappers (and of course the third way is to make your own dough). If you use the puff pastry or filo the samosas can be baked, therefore you can make them ahead of time, store them in the refrigerator or freezer and then bake just before serving. If you would like to use the wonton wrappers they are best fried. To make these ahead, fry as directed, cool completely, and then freeze. Thaw for about an hour and then pop them in the oven (on a lightly greased baking sheet) for about 5-10 minutes which will not only heat them up but bring back their crispness.

Happy Game Day!

Ingredients: 2 potatoes, peeled, cooked until soft, and chopped finely 1 carrot, finely diced 2 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 onion, finely chopped 1/2 cup frozen peas 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 2 Tbsp lemon juice 1 Tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp curry powder (more to taste) 1 tsp ground cumin 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp fresh chili, diced salt & pepper to taste puff pastry, wonton wrappers, or filo dough oil for shallow pan frying (if not baking) Mint Yogurt Sauce for dipping (recipe below) Method: Saute the onion, garlic, and carrot in 1 TB oil until the onion just starts to turn soft (carrots should still be crisp). Mix in the lemon juice, soy sauce, chili, and spices - heat until fragrant. Remove from heat Add the potatoes and frozen peas to the onion-carrot mixture. Using puff pastrys (good fried or baked), wonton wrappers (best fried) or filo dough (best baked); Cut 4 inch rounds and place a heaping teaspoon of the mixture on one side of each round. Fold the round over and seal edges (if puff pastry press together with fork, if wonton seal with water or by pressing, if filo dough using fork or press with fingers). If baking: follow the directions on pastry package - baking on greased baking sheet until pastry is nice and brown. If frying: Heat 3/4 inch of oil in a pan; add samosas and cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden browned. Drain on a paper towel. Serve hot with Mint Yogurt Sauce. Makes about 25 samosas

Mint Yogurt Sauce: 1 cup plain, thick (such as Greek-style) yogurt 3 Tbsp fresh mint leaves, chopped 1/2 tsp ground cumin Combine all ingredients in a blow and stir until smooth. Store in the refrigerator.

Continue reading "Game Day Food: Samosas" and recipe ...

There must be some psychological term for the behavior that overtakes most cruisers when provisioning (fancy word for grocery shopping). I think I become just a little crazy. It is, after all, a somewhat mind boggling game. Where will I next find a grocery store? When? What will they have? Can I really live without Skippy Creamy peanut butter? What will happen to our relationship if we run out of chocolate? And so forth.

See food, especially for me, isn't purely about surviving, it's about enjoyment, creativity, luxury, and sometimes comfort. At sea, cruising, there is very little that I or my partner can actually control. We can do our best to prepare, but in the end we have to "go with the flow"; mother nature after all is not one to take orders. So what am I left with? Food. I can supply my yacht with the best of things and prepare superb dishes, even when truly in the middle of nowhere. I refuse to resort to canned soup and dehydrated vegetables.

But in order to have this power I must stock-up, and I admit, I go just a bit overboard. There I am in the last major grocery store I know I will see in at least three months, and my mind starts racing. I think surely two jars of Skippy will be enough, but then my mind wonders and I picture the day I'm craving peanut butter only to find we've run out. So I get four. To make matters worse, Chris and I hoard; saving those special foods for "special occasions" because we fear over indulging and the dreadful running out! It is this thought process that has left me with 2kgs of "left-over" candied ginger - purchased way back in Australia about a year ago. Luckily I've got a vacuum sealer and good storage techniques, but still it is time for the ginger to go.

And so I thank my soon-to-be mother-in-law for her Ginger Scone recipe - one of Chris' favorite breakfast treats. The other morning Chris says to me, "you know what would be good?" "Hmmm?" I ask. "Ginger Scones" he replies with this huge smile. I kindly asked him who was going to make them to which he smiled and said, "think of the photos you could take". So I kill four birds with one stone; I get a delicious breakfast, Chris is thrilled, I get something tasty for the blog, and finally, I use up some of the candied ginger that I've been hoarding for the last year!

Ginger Scones 1 3/4 cup flour 2 1/4 tsp baking powder 1 T sugar 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 cup butter 1/2 bag candied ginger pieces, cut into small pieces* 2 eggs 1/3 cup cream juice from 1/2 lemon Preheat the oven to 450 F. Mix together the dry ingredients. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two forks. Stir in the candied ginger. In a small bowl, beat the eggs, cream and lemon juice; add to the flour mixture. Stir until well mixed. Turn out onto a buttered cookie sheet, and shape (with hands) into a circle. Score the top for 6 pie shaped pieces. Bake about 15 minutes (should brown lightly - keep an eye on them to ensure you don't burn the bottoms). Let stand a few minutes then cut (using scores) and serve warm. Makes 6 scones. I've kept them up to a week in the refrigerator, but they are best when hot and fresh. *Half a bag of ginger will obviously depend on how big your bag of ginger is - I was never given a bag size or amount, but I use roughly 1 to 1 1/2 cups. I cut my pieces quite small because while I love the taste of ginger, I don't like any one bite to be to overwhelming. You can adjust the amount of ginger used based on your own preferences.

Enjoy!
Continue reading "Ginger Scones" and recipe ...

If you've never had Jansson's Temptation (aka Janssons frestelse), then you're in for a pleasant surprise. But first you've got to get past the ingredients.

I first heard about Jansson's Temptation from Chris ... any time we'd talk about Sweden or visit IKEA, he'd go on and on about this dish. All I knew at the time was that it was some potato dish with anchovies - and given that Chris likes pickled herring (another big Swedish thing) - I never really gave the dish much thought (to put it bluntly I didn't think it sounded very tempting at all!).

Then, last year, we found ourselves in an IKEA (in Australia). We were in heaven. Now, I thought everybody knew IKEA has a food section, but I was just recently talking with some friends and mentioned this and was surprised to find they had no clue about the food section in IKEA. If you've never been - go. Smoked salmon, tubes of roe, pickled herring, crackers & biscuits, and numerous other delights await. On our last visit Chris and I were perusing around, practically drooling, when we spotted a Swedish cookbook. It was only $4 and the first recipe listed was Jansson's Temptation! While still not convinced about this dish, we purchased the cookbook and some Sprats (more on sprats later).

Luckily those little tinned sprats last a long time, because I never got up the courage to make the dish ... until a few days ago. Jansson's temptation is a Swedish casserole made up of potatoes, onions, sprats, and cream. Until you've tasted it, it might be hard to find it appealing. The key is the sprats - and it's something you'd never realize unless you knew the difference between a Swedish Sprat and an Anchovy. I didn't. I'd always thought the dish called for anchovies, but upon further research and actually opening the sprats from IKEA, I learned that it is a common mistranslation (using anchovies instead of sprats). This is because sprats, a herring-like oily fish pickled in sugar, salt and spices, are known in Sweden as "ansjovis" (while true anchovies are sold in Sweden as "sardeller"). I tasted the juice from the sprats and was surprised to find not a hint of fishy flavor, but rather a blend of spices that reminded me of Christmas (think cinnamon, cloves and cider).

Enough rambling - on with the recipe. BTW - once you fall in love with this dish you'll want to make double, as it can be frozen (see below for freezing / re-heating directions).

Ingredients:
5-6 potatoes
2-3 large onions, thinly sliced
2-3 100g (3.5 oz) tins Ansjovis (Swedish style sprats), reserve the liquid.
(If hesitant about the flavor start with one tin, but I guarantee after your first time you'll be using 2 or 3 tins!)
2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 - 2 cups of heavy cream (more to preference)

Method:
Peel the potatoes and cut into matchstick-size strips (roughly grated, mandolin slicer, or thin french-fry sized strips all work as well).

Saute the onions gently in the butter until they are golden brown.

Lightly grease a low, wide baking dish and put alternate layers of potato, ansjovis, and onion; beginning and ending with a layer of potato. Pour over half the cream, the reserved liquid from the ansjovis, and dot with a few knobs of butter. (You can also salt & pepper the layers, to taste - careful with the salt as the ansjovis are already quite salty).

Bake at 400 F (200-225 C) for about 45 minutes. Half-way through (20 minutes) pour over the remaining cream. The amount of liquid varies and may need to be adjusted - should be creamy and moist but not wet and runny* (see note at bottom).

The potatoes should be soft and the top nicely browned. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 4. (Freezing instructions below photos)

The final results (click filmstrip or slideshow icon on the bar to load):

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Freezing:
Whether making double, or separating into two dishes this is a great freezer dish. After baking let cool and wrap tightly to freeze. Thaw completely before heating; cover with foil and heat at 400 F until hot & bubbly. Check your liquid - you may need to add a little more cream during the reheat.

*Note:
When I made this dish I used two pans; one we ate right away and the other I froze. The first eating Chris reported that it was excellent, but when he'd eaten it in Sweden it was "more creamy". So, when I heated the second dish I added more cream during the cooking. You'll notice this in the photographs - one looks a bit more creamy than the other. I thought both versions were delicious - it's really a matter of personal preference (and how clogged you'd like your arteries to be!).

Continue reading "Janssons Temptation (an amazing surprise)" and recipe ...