Video Tutorial: Berry Simple Fruit Tart – Friday, July 17, 2009

Hey Young Chefs!

This is my very first cooking tutorial video on YouTube! I am making Berry Simple Fruit Tart. Here is the recipe:

Berry Simple Fruit Tart

Ingredients:

1 pkg. of ready-made refrigerated sugar cookie dough

1 8 oz. pkg of cream cheese, softened

1/4 – 1/2 c. sugar

splash of vanilla extract

3 c. seasonal berries

Directions:

Roll out the cookie dough on a small cookie sheet until it is about a 1/4 inch thick. You can even use a small pizza pan if you want. Bake the cookie dough according to the package instructions. You may have to bake the dough a little longer because of its size. While the cookie is baking, mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a bowl with an electric hand mixer. After the cookie dough has fully cooled, spread the cream cheese on top of the cookie, going all the way to the edges. Sprinkle your favorite berries on top. Cut into squares and serve. Great chilled too! Serves 8-10

Cool kids cook and get creative in the kitchen!

Bon Appetit, Eliana

Grilled Pork Chops Over Creamed Spinach; Monday, November 10, 2008

Hey Young Chefs!

Here I am cooking creamed spinach. Yum! Yum! It’s very simple. First, you wilt the spinach over medium heat. Then you add half a bottle of Mexican Crema (cream). Next, you add 1 cup of Italian blend cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Mommy and I grilled pork chops to set on top of the spinach. We also had macaroni & cheese, green beans, and a cheddar cheese biscuit.

Dinner was delish!

Cool kids cook so get creative in the kitchen!

Bon Appetit! Eliana

Recipe: Turkey Cupcakes; Saturday, November 1, 2008

Hey Young Chefs!

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged. A couple of weekends ago, my cousins spent the night and we made Turkey cupcakes. They were so cute! Here is the recipe!

Turkey Cupcakes
Ingredients:
Cake mix
Candy corn
Chocolate chips
Chocolate frosting
White frosting
Twizzler

Directions:
Make cupcakes according to package instructions. Frost the cupcakes with chocolate frosting. Line two rows of candy corns to create the turkey’s feathers. Cut 2/3 of the Nutter Butter cookie. Use the larger part of the cookie for the turkey’s head and body. The remaining 1/3 will be a wing. Cut another Nutter Butter cookie to create a second wing. Insert the head/body and the wings into the cupcake. Using the white frosting, attach to the head – chocolate chips for eyes, a candy corn for a beak, and a small piece of Twizzler for the turkey’s wattle. Now you have a cute Thanksgiving turkey! Gobble, gobble!

Note from Mom: If your children are allergic to peanuts, you may also use Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies to make the turkey head and wings.

Remember, cool kids cook so get creative in the kitchen!

Bon Appetit, Eliana

Eliana Meets Iron Chef Cat Cora – Saturday, October 25, 2008

Hey Young Chefs!

Today, I met awesome Iron Chef Cat Cora!! Macy’s department store had a grand opening at the Esplanade Mall in Kenner, Louisiana. To celebrate, Chef Cat Cora cooked some delicious dishes. She is a chef on Macy’s Culinary Council. Here is Cat Cora cooking crab cakes. Yum! Yum!

Don’t worry. The balls above her head didn’t fall down and crush her. LOL Here is Chef Cat Cora’s recipe for Crabcake Sandwiches with Avocado Salsa and Mango Coulis. This recipe appears in her book, Cat Cora’s Kitchen: Favorite Meals for Family and Friends.

Crabcake Sandwiches
Ingredients:
2 c. canola oil
1/2 lb. crab meat
3 tbsp. red onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. scallions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tbsp. red bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 c. mayonnaise or aioli
1 tbsp. Tabasco
1 1/4 c. bread crumbs
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 c. flour
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions:
In a 10 inch saute’ pan, heat 1 cup canola oil on high heat. Test readiness with a piece of bread. Turn heat to medium. Check temperature with thermometer. It should read 375 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, combine crab, onion, scallions, bell pepper, mayonnaise, Tabasco, bread crumbs, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until fully incorporated. Make 3 oz. cakes and dredge in the flour, then egg and the remaining bread crumbs. Lay the cakes in the oil and pan fry for 5-6 minutes. Remove and place on a paper towel and season with salt in a mixing bowl.

To serve crab cakes, spoon puree’ onto the plate in a small pool. Slice the cake in half and lay the bottom portion in the puree’. Spoon avocado on top and place the top of the cake on the avocado like a sandwich. Top with a small amount of avocado and garnish with a cilantro leaf. Serves 4-6.

Avocado Salsa
Ingredients:
2 avocados
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 tbsp. cilantro
2 tbsp. red onion, finely diced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to use.

Mango Coulis
Ingredients:
2 mangoes
2 c. water
1 tsp. confectioner’s sugar

Directions:
In a blender, combine all ingredients and mix until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Here is Cat Cora with the plated food. She also made Basque Rubbed Shrimp Skewers with Chimichurri Sauce. My favorite dish was definitely the crabcake sandwiches. Delish!

Cat Cora talked during her cooking demonstration. She told us that she was from Mississippi. She’s a Southern girl, like me. She has two children, both boys, 18 months and 5 years old. They are lucky to have a chef for a mom! I bet they grow up with the best meals!

After Cat Cora cooked, Mommy and I met her. She gave me a high five and a hug. We told her about my blog and we hope she comes and visits! I can’t wait to try some of the recipes in her cookbook that she autographed for me! I especially want to make Spanokopita and Milk Pie! Iron Chef Cat Cora says, “Keep Cooking!”

It was so exciting to meet Cat Cora. I can’t wait to watch Food Network’s show, Iron Chef, and see Cat Cora win!

Remember, cool kids cook so get creative in the kitchen!

Bon Appetit, Eliana

Book Review: Everything But the Kitchen Sink: Weird Stuff You Didn’t Know About Food, Saturday, October 25, 2008

Hey Young Chefs!

I want to tell you about a fun and fabulous book about food.

Everything But the Kitchen Sink: Weird Stuff You Didn’t Know About Food
By Frieda Wishinsky and Elizabeth MacLeod
Illustrated by Travis King
Fun Non-fiction
ISBN-13: 978-0-545-00398-8
ISBN-10: 0-545-000398-9

Everything about Everything But the Kitchen Sink is fun and cool. Inside, you will find weird facts, science experiments, and even scrumptious recipes like Haystacks. Here are some freaky facts about food perfect for the weirdness of Halloween:

• Get Back, Jack! – Jack-O-Lanterns go back to the Irish tale about a trickster named Jack who was condemned to wander the earth for eternity. A flame was placed inside the Jack-O-Lantern to light the way for travelers so they didn’t get fooled by ghosts who appeared on All Hallow’s Eve.

• Chopstick Etiquette – If you visit Asia, you better not leave your chopsticks sticking up in the air, especially not inside rice. In Japan, this custom is done only at funerals. Passing food from chopstick to chopstick is also a NO-NO! That is only done with the bones of a cremated body at a funeral. Ooooooooooh…

• Bark from the Dead – In Thailand, they believe that if you eat dog, the dog’s spirit will possess you. Also, don’t eat before your elders or you will turn into a dog in your next life! Woof!

• Good Luck, Bad Luck – Some people are super superstitious, especially when it comes to salt. Don’t spill salt or you’ll have bad luck. To bring the good luck back after you spill salt, throw salt over your shoulder.

• Grab some Garlic! – Vampires are not fond of strong odors. To keep them away, get some garlic and keep it close! Besides, garlic tastes good and you should always have some in the kitchen!

Everything But the Kitchen Sink is crazy cool so get reading, young chefs!

Remember… cool kids cooks (AND READ) so get creative in the kitchen!

BONE Appetit (hahaha), Eliana

40 Clove Roasted Chicken Dinner – Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Hey Young Chefs!

Tonight Mommy and I made 40 Clove Roasted Chicken with sauteed mushrooms, polenta, and spinach salad. Above, I am placing the garlic in and around the whole roasting chicken. We also stuffed the inside with a bunch of uncut chives. It’s a super simple recipe with totally yum! yum! flavor! Here is the table I set.

40 Clove Roasted Chicken
Ingredients:
1 roasting chicken
Seasoning Blend of your choice
40 cloves of garlic (skin on)
1/2 small onion, sliced or bunch of chives

Directions:
Clean and season chicken on both sides (remove parts from inside cavity). Place in roasting pan. Stuff onion or chives inside the chicken’s cavity. Place 40 cloves of garlic in and around chicken. Place covered in 400 degree oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes. When chicken is done, remove cover and return to oven for 10 minutes to crisp skin if desired. Garlic can be squeezed out of skin and spread on chicken. Delish!

Cool kids cook so get creative in the kitchen!

Bon Appetit, Eliana

Veggie-licious Stuffed Chicken Breasts – Monday, September 29, 2008

Hey Young Chefs!

It’s dinner time! On tonight’s menu — “Veggie-licious Stuffed Chicken Breasts.” Stuffing your food is a great way to add yum! yum! flavor! The cool thing about this recipe is that even though the chicken is loaded with veggies, all you taste is tons of flavor. In the picture above, I am cooking the stuffing. In the picture below, I am seasoning the chicken with Eliana’s Magic Seasoning Blend.

Next, I stuff the boneless chicken breasts.

Here’s the recipe:

Veggie-licious Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Ingredients:
4 whole boneless chicken breasts, butterfly fileted
1 1/2 c. fresh spinach
1/4 c. diced artichoke hearts
1/4 c. diced roasted red peppers
4 green olives, chopped
1 tbsp. garlic
1 tsp. olive oil
Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in sautee’ pan. Add spinach and garlic. Cook until wilted. Next, add artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, and olives. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, to let flavors marry. Let cool. Stuff chicken breasts. Place in oven uncovered and bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle top of chicken with Parmesan cheese and broil for last five minutes.

Note: You can use any of the following veggies (they all make a good stuffing): mushrooms, cabbage, squash, corn, asparagus, or your favorite veggie. We used almond stuffed olives. You can also use garlic stuffed olives (add less garlic to the stuffing) or pimento stuffed olives. Our sides with this meal were wild/brown rice and green beans.

Cool kids cook with veggies! Get creative in the kitchen!

Bon Appetit, Eliana

Chocolate Chimp Banana Bars – Saturday, September 27, 2008

Hey Young Chefs!

Ready for some dessert?! You’ll love my chocolate chimp banana bars. They’re ooey, gooey and yummy in your tummy. Your friends will go ape over this recipe!

Here I am spreading the batter in the baking pan. It looks good already!

Chocolate Chimp Banana Bars
Ingredients:
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. butter or margarine (about 8 tbsp.)
2/3 c. dark brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
3 super ripe bananas, mashed
1 heaping c. dark chocolate chips

Directions:
Stir together dry ingredients, except brown sugar. In separate bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Blend in banana. Pour wet mixture into flour. Mix thoroughly, until creamy. Stir in chocolate chimps (oooooh, oooooh, oooooh, eeeeee, eeeeee, eeeeee). Okay, I mean chocolate chips. Spread batter in 10 1/2 X 15 1/2″ greased & floured baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown and inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes. Cut into bars and serve.

Now monkey around in the kitchen and go bananas! Ooooh, ooooh, ooooh, ooooh!

Cool kids cook so get creative in the kitchen!

Bon Appetit, Eliana

Paneed Chicken with Artichoke Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce – Saturday, September 27, 2008

Hey Young Chefs!

Today, I spent a lot of time in the kitchen! I helped Mommy make dinner. On the menu tonight was Paneed Chicken with an Artichoke Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce over whole wheat rotini (the swirly, corkscrew pasta). Paneed means “pan fried” and is pronounced pon-aid. To prepare paneed chicken, you must start with thin chicken breast filets. Mommy pounded the filets with a kitchen mallet. She put 2 sheets of wax paper over the chicken to keep it from being so messy. I breaded the chicken and plated the food. Here I am, plating the pasta.

Next, we pour the sauce and then top it with the paneed chicken. Then we garnish (top with pretty edibles).

Here’s our recipe:

Paneed Chicken with Artichoke Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce
Ingredients for Paneed Chicken:
4 chicken breast filets, butterflied and pounded to 1/4″ thick
2 c. Italian breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
4 tbsp. olive oil

Directions for Paneed Chicken:
Mix salt with breadcrumbs. Dip chicken in egg mixture. Dredge through breadcrumbs, coating both sides of chicken. Pan fry in olive oil until both sides golden brown. Blot on paper towels.

Ingredients for Sauce:
1 15 oz. container Crema Mexicana (Mexican table cream)
1/2 c. roasted red peppers
1/2 c. artichoke hearts
4 large fresh basil leaves, chopped
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions for Artichoke Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:
In a small sauce pan, sautee artichoke, red peppers, basil, and garlic in a dash of olive oil for 5 minutes over medium heat. Using thunderstick, blend mixture (or place in blender and puree). Add Crema Mexicana. Use thunderstick to blend artichoke pepper mixture into cream. Add salt. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes to thicken sauce.

Pour sauce over pasta. Place paneed chicken on top. Garnish with grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil or parsley. Yum! Yum!

Cool kids cook so get creative in the kitchen!

Bon Appetit, Eliana

Fajita Fiesta! – Friday, September 26, 2008

Hey Young Chefs!

Mommy went to Baton Rouge to pick up Soleil, my 18 year old sister who goes to college at LSU. So Daddy and I cooked dinner for them. We made fajitas with all the fixings – cheese, lettuce, guacamole, and salsa. We also had fresh corn on the cob. Daddy grilled the fajitas and they came out tender and tasty. Yum! Yum!

Here I am, making my fajita wrap.

Delicioso! Cool kids cook so get creative in the kitchen.

Bon Appetit, Eliana