tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32084520857212382662024-03-23T12:50:35.693-05:00Passionate KitchenA blog by erotic romance author Silvia Violet where she gushes about her gastronomic adventures and shares tidbits of her writing. Because food and sex go together so well.Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-83611578916605576632008-01-28T09:29:00.001-05:002008-03-19T12:50:31.590-05:00Blogging At A New SiteHi everyone! I'm now blogging about writing and recipes <a href="http://silviaviolet.wordpress.com">here</a>. Please come join me.<span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class="on" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"></span></span>Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-59352576594319919712007-03-18T18:26:00.000-05:002007-03-18T18:39:42.524-05:00Fish and Noodle Packets and Sugar Snap PeasIt's been awhile since I've made time to record one of my recipes, but I did some experimenting with dinner tonight that turned out nicely so I wanted to share it. <br /><br />Yesterday, I watched an episode of Good Eats with Alton Brown where he explained packet cooking. I downloaded a recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_24166,00.html">shrimp noodle packets </a>from the Food Network site and then discovered I didn't actually have a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer like I thought I did so I pulled out some thinly cut tilapia fillets instead. I also substituted sherry for the mirin since I didn't have time to make it to the specialty market to get some. I cooked the packets for the same amount of time specified in the recipe (15 minutes at 400F) and they turned out great. I definitely recommend giving this one a try whether with fish fillets or shrimp. It's fast to put together and yummy!<br /><br />For a side dish, I pulled some sugar snap peas out of the freezer but I wanted to do something more exciting that simply eating them up. Here's what I did:<br /><br />In a microwavable bowl, combine:<br />1 bag (14oz) sugar snap peas<br />2T water<br />2 tsp butter<br />2 tsp chopped fresh mint leaves<br />salt and pepper to taste<br /><br />Microwave according to package directions.<br /><br />They turned out really great and far more exciting than if I'd just left them plain. Even my three year old enjoyed them!Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-19193136004945929102007-02-08T13:46:00.000-05:002007-02-08T13:46:20.058-05:00Another New Release: Wolf Caller 1: ControlThe first book in my new werewolf series, Wolf Caller 1: Control, is now available from Changeling Press. To learn more about it, click <a href="http://changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=539">here</a>.Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-77069519787276126942007-02-08T13:44:00.000-05:002007-01-31T11:21:38.823-05:00February Column PostedIn my February Passionate Kitchen column, I list links that help you eliminate the stress of finding something to cook for dinner. Check it out <a href="http://changelingpress.com/ezine/pk.php">here</a>. *Warning: Other articles in this ezine you are linking to contain adult material.*Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-18959604956077898392007-01-30T10:11:00.000-05:002007-01-30T10:12:43.175-05:00New Book ReleaseChangeling Press has just released my Valentine Candy Kiss, Lupercalian Feast. You can learn more about it and read and excerpt <a href="http://http://changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=530">here</a>. *Warning: This story if for those 18 and over only.*Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-85741999106117630542007-01-28T06:48:00.000-05:002007-01-28T06:55:19.383-05:00Banana Nut MuffinsI made these muffins for breakfast yesterday and we ended up snacking on them all day. The recipe is very simple and relatively healthy for a muffin. I lowered the fat from the standard recipe I had used, added a whole grain (oatmeal) and cut the sugar. <br /><br />Banana Nut Muffins<br /><br />1 cup all purpose flour<br />1 cup old-fashioned oats<br />1 t baking powder<br />1/2 t salt<br />2T sugar<br />1 cup milk<br />1/4 cup canola oil<br />1 egg<br />2 medium bananas, mashed<br />1/2 cup chopped pecans (or any nut you prefer)<br /><br /><br />Preheat oven to 400F. Mix all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Then spoon into 12 lined or greased muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes.<br /><br />I used regular paper muffin liners and had some trouble with them sticking to the liners before they were thoroughly cooled. I'm hoping to get some <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-Easy-Silicone-Baking-Count/dp/B000FPX4GC/sr=8-1/qid=1169985240/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-5879818-8101561?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden">silicone muffin cups</a> soon and see how they work.Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-49730636325368159752007-01-28T06:40:00.000-05:002007-01-28T06:45:33.738-05:00Great New Site - TastespottingI spent an embarrassing amout of time last night looking at the pictures and following links from <a href="http://www.tastespotting.com/">Tastespotting</a>. Delightful food porn and fun kitchen gadgets too. Check it out!Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-82927213085184005212007-01-17T08:31:00.000-05:002007-01-17T08:32:37.742-05:00January Passionate Kitchen ColumnThe January edition of the cooking column I write for Changeling Press's free ezine is now available. To read it, click <a href="http://www.changelingpress.com/ezine/pk.php">here</a>Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-6782241476047064892007-01-17T08:20:00.000-05:002007-01-17T08:30:07.069-05:00Cheese SconesI took a longer than expected holiday vacation from blogging but I'm back now and hoping to bring you regular recipe posts once again at least until my baby is born around the beginning of spring. Then I'll be taking another hiatus for certain :)<br /><br />My daughter and I have been having a lot of tea parties lately so I wanted to share one of our favorite tea accompaniments, cheese scones. Theses scones are fabulous on their own, with butter, or sliced open and filled with jam and ham or prosciutto. <br /><br />Cheese Scones<br /><br />1.5 cups flour<br />2t baking powder<br />1t dry mustard<br />1/2t salt<br />1/4 cup butter<br />1 cup grated cheddar cheese<br />2T grated Parmesan<br />1 egg<br />1/2 cup buttermilk<br /><br />1) Preheat oven to 400F. Mix dry ingredients together then cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives or rub it in with your fingers. Mixture should look like soft granules.<br />2) Mix in cheeses. Beat egg into buttermilk then add to bowl and stir until a dough forms.<br />3) Turn dough out onto counter and knead a few times. (This is the tricky part. Either too much or two little kneading can ruin the texture of the scones. I've found that about 2 minutes of kneading works for me.)<br />4) Roll out until dough is 1/2 inch thick. Cut into triangles or circles. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 12-15 minutes.<br /><br />Makes 12 scones.Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-67521933617616763252006-12-13T06:38:00.000-05:002006-12-13T06:46:02.605-05:00Chocolate Chip Pound CakeHere's one more recipe in my series of doctored cake mix treats. I taught at a small private high school several years ago and our secretary used to make one of these for the teachers on occasion or whenever one of her three kids needed to bring a treat to school. (We were Louisiana, and we took food very seriously. Someone always needed to bring a treat to school. I lived there 6 years and gained 20lbs.) The cake became famous in the school, and I begged for the recipe when I moved. <br /><br />Chocolate Chip Pound Cake<br /><br />1 box yellow cake mix<br />1 small (3 oz) box instant chocolate pudding mix<br />1/2 cup sugar<br />3/4 cup oil<br />3/4 cup water<br />4 large eggs<br />8 oz sour cream<br />1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips*<br /><br />Mix all the ingredients except the chips for two minutes on medium speed. Stir in chips and pour batter into a well-greased bundt pan. Cook for 1 hour at 350F.<br /><br />*The only tricky part is keeping the chips from sinking to the bottom while the cake cooks. To prevent this, I tossed them with about 1 tsp of flour. Sometimes they still sink a bit so I make sure the pan is very well greased so the cake will come out in one piece. It's yummy no matter what happens :)Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-16480431757973411622006-12-11T14:34:00.000-05:002006-12-13T06:46:58.444-05:00Easy Sour Cream Pound CakeSince so many of you were excited about the easy chocolate cookies, I wanted to share another doctored cake mix recipe. This one is for a pound cake that is amazingly moist and scrumptious.<br /><br />Sour Cream Pound Cake<br /><br />1 box yellow cake mix<br />8 oz sour cream (I've used light and nonfat with no adverse effects.)<br />4 eggs<br />1/2 cup shortening<br />1/2 tsp almond extract (I have omitted this when I didn't have it on hand.)<br />1 tsp vanilla<br /><br />Mix all ingredients for 4 minutes. Pour batter in a bundt pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and bake at 325F for 50 minutes. Cool in pan for 10 minutes then cool completely on a wire rack.Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-24418741543158034072006-12-10T07:08:00.000-05:002006-12-10T09:06:07.723-05:00Chocolate Crackle CookiesIn order to keep up with work and do some other fun holiday activities with my daughter, we've had to simplify our holiday baking from what we did last year. In 2005, we made 13 different kinds of cookies all completely from scratch. I think we over did it a bit. On Christmas Eve, my mom offered my daughter a cookie and she said "I'm sick of cookies." LOL! This year, I think we'll make more like 6 or 7 and the following recipe starts off with a cake mix. It is probably the easiest cookie I've ever made and amazingly delcious - goey and chocolately. So if you need a quick, easy cookie especially if you are baking with a young child, here's a recipe for you.<br /><br />Chocolate Crackle Cookies<br /><br />1 box Devil's Food cake mix<br />1 egg<br />1 tub of Kool Whip or other frozen whipped topping (thawing it is ideal but it works frozen if you mix it longer)<br />1/2 cup confectioner's sugar (for rolling)<br /><br />Mix all ingredients except sugar until well-blended. Roll dough into 1-inch balls then roll balls in sugar and placed on an ungreased pan. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes.Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-14173641739358481192006-12-09T07:01:00.000-05:002006-12-09T10:25:45.493-05:00Make Your Own Instant OatmealThis time of year we probably all need some quick and inexpensive kitchen tips. I enjoy reading <a href="http://parenthacks.com">Parent Hacks</a> and today I saw a post with a recipe for making your own oatmeal packets. You can check that recipe out <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/EIBAIKHI2VEV2ZFXGP/?ALLSTEPS">here</a>. I make a slightly simpler version that I wanted to share with you.<br /><br />Instant Oatmeal<br /><br />1) Make a few cups of oatmeal powder from Old Fashioned (not quick cooking) oats by grinding oatmeal in a food processor or blender. I store this in an empty oatmeal container.<br />2) For each "packet" (I use baggies.) added 1/4 cup oats and 1/8 cup powder for a serving the same size as an instant oatmeal packet.<br />3) Add boiling water to make the consistency you like as well as other additions that you like: sugar, fruit, butter, etc.Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-8068803886876294802006-12-04T09:02:00.000-05:002006-12-04T09:15:49.326-05:00Meatball Sandwiches, Paninis, and SoupThis week I decided to make two recipes from Everyday Italian and one from <a href="http://wednesdaychef.typepad.com/the_wednesday_chef/">The Wednesday Chef</a>. Last night, I made Giada de Laurentiis's <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_28676,00.html">Grilled Vegetable Paninis </a>and they were delicious. The thick slices of eggplants and zucchini made them hearty and filling even for someone like me who rarely feels as full as she should from vegetarian meals.<br /><br />Tonight I'm going to make the <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_28674,00.html">Mini Meatball Heroes</a> and I think they will be soooo yummy. Meatball sandwiches are something I often crave.<br /><br />Later this week, I 'm going to make <a href="http://wednesdaychef.typepad.com/the_wednesday_chef/2006/11/maggie_barretts.html">Ribolita de Luana</a> which I read about on The Wednesday Chef. Ribolita is a Tuscan vegetable and bread soup. This version leaves out the bread, but I may experiment with adding it back in. I've been trying to eat more vegetables, and this sounds like a yummy way to do it.<br /><br />I'd love to hear what everyone else is making this week.Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-69683071667876295072006-12-04T06:14:00.000-05:002006-12-04T06:18:13.567-05:00December Passionate Kitchen Column PostedThis blog was inspired by the column I write for A Cheeky Changeling, the free ezine of Changeling Press. The December edition is now available. My column includes two of my favorite family holiday recipes, Lemon Meringue Pie and Pecan and Sage Dressing as well as some encouragement about holiday cooking. To read it, click <a href="http://www.changelingpress.com/ezine/pk.php">here</a>Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-88185449924445179932006-12-01T08:42:00.000-05:002006-12-01T08:45:15.604-05:00New Book Release - Solstice CravingChangeling Press has just released my werewolf Winter Solstice story, Solstice Craving. To read more about it, go to the front page of my <a href="http://violet.chaosnet.org">website</a>. *Warning: This story if for those 18 and over only.*Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-74155768189035705082006-12-01T08:29:00.000-05:002006-12-10T07:13:54.724-05:00Gingerbread CookiesAs promised, I'm reporting in on making gingerbread cookies with my daughter. We made the dough on Wednesday so it could chill (recipe follows). Then we spent a wonderful afternoon on Thursday making gingerbread cookies with a few friends. We used our gingerbread boy and girl cutters and a few holiday ones too. The girls cut out a few cookies each then sat down with their creations at a table filled with sugar, sprinkles, red hots, raisins and other decorative treats. They had a blast. Though the cookie decorating did dissolve into licking up the colored sugar from their plates. We made several pans of cookies, and they all turned out perfectly so the recipe is definitely a keeper. It comes from the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/King-Arthur-Flour-Cookie-Companion/dp/0881506591/sr=1-3/qid=1164980172/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/104-9897808-3710349?ie=UTF8&s=books">King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion</a> which I highly recommend to anyone who loves to make cookies.<br /><br />Gingerbread Cookies<br /><br />3/4 cup unsalted butter<br />3/4 cup brown sugar<br />3/4 cup molasses<br />1 tsp salt<br />2t cinnamon<br />2t ground ginger<br />1/4t ground cloves<br />1 egg<br />1t baking powder<br />1/2 t baking soda<br />3 1/2 cups all purpose flour (I found the dough a little too thin and added 2 more tablespoons of flour)<br /><br />1) Put butter and next six ingredients in a saucepan and cook over low heat until butter is melted. Pour into a mixing bowl (I used the one for my stand mixer) and allow to cool to room temperature.<br />2) Add egg and combine. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined (use the loweset setting if using a stand mixer).<br />3) Divide dough in half, form into flattened balls, cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.<br /><br />*I apparently got distracted and left you hanging on the instructions. Here are the rest.<br /><br />4) Roll out the chilled dough and cut into gingerbread men or any other shape you like. Decorate with candies, sugar, raisins, red hots, etc.<br />5) Bake 8-10 minutes at 375F.<br />6) Cool on a wire rack and ice if desired.<br /><br />Enjoy!Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-75408100400621460812006-11-27T06:35:00.000-05:002006-11-27T06:37:05.097-05:00Book Contest WinnerAnyone who posted from the start of this blog through Nov 22 was eligible to win a copy of one of my books. And the winner is........Tam. Please email me and let me know what book you would like. Thanks to everyone for checking in here. Keep the comments coming!<br /><br />SilviaSilvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-39428427801613534282006-11-25T10:46:00.001-05:002006-11-27T06:32:25.491-05:00My Second Print Book Available Now!My erotic Regency historical, A Carnal Agreement is now available in print. You can find it at<br />Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Carnal-Agreement-Silvia-Violet/dp/1599982943/sr=1-1/qid=1164453590/ref=sr_1_1/104-9897808-3710349?ie=UTF8&s=books<br /><br />Barnes and Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781599982946&itm=1<br /><br />or My Bookstore and More (Samhain Publishing's online store): http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/product_info.php?products_id=290&osCsid=7c30c67a6907eda26dcc2efb0312afe1<br /><br />To read an excerpt, follow this link to my website: http://violet.chaosnet.org/excerpts/aca2.shtml<br />*Warning: This excerpt contains adult content. 18 and over only please.*Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-68349167269286220982006-11-19T07:20:00.000-05:002006-11-20T06:28:44.404-05:00Oatmeal Muffins with Dates and WalnutsI love muffins, and I have a lot of fun creating new combinations both sweet and savory. Because I bake frequently and I keep all my baking supplies together in two bins on a shelf in the kitchen, I can pull these muffins together in ten minutes, pop them in the oven, and hbave them ready 15-20 minutes later. So I can make them for breakfast even on weekday mornings. I love the smell of warm muffins baking while I get dressed. Then I can sit down with a fresh baked muffin, a cup of coffee and some butter and pretend I'm having a calm, peaceful Martha Stewart-like breakfast experience even if my daughter is whining and my husband just rushed out the door to work.<br /><br />You can use this muffin base to make oatmaeal muffins with almost any combinations of add-ins - nuts, seeds, dried fruit, etc. Add up to 1.5 cups of whatever you like. If you prefer a sweeter muffin, you can use 1/4-1/2 cup sugar and increased milk to 1 cup. Maple syrup can also be used in place of the honey.<br /><br />Oatmeal Muffins with Dates and Walnuts<br /><br />1 cup flour<br />1 cup old fashioned oats<br />1/4 cup wheat germ<br />2 tsp baking powder<br />1/2 tsp salt<br />1 egg<br />1/4 cup oil<br />1/4 cup honey<br />3/4 cup milk<br />1/2 cup walnuts<br />3/4 cup chopped dates<br /><br />Mix all ingredients together. Fill lined or greased muffin cups and bake at 400F for 15-20 minutes. Makes 10-12 muffin depending on how full you fill the cups.Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-10963154638381103702006-11-18T09:25:00.000-05:002006-11-18T09:33:00.236-05:00Peppermint Hot ChocolateI subscribe to Everyday Food magazine, and I always make several recipes from each month's edition. It is by far the most useful cooking magazine I've ever read. The December issue included a recipe for peppermint hot chocolate and I made myself a cup yesterday while my daughter was taking a nap. It was sinfully delicious, smooth and minty and rich. I could barely finish my cup, and for me that says a lot. I usually out eat everyone when it comes to rich, chocolately items. This cocoa is definitely a drink to savor. I sat on the couch in my unusually quiet house and sipped and was in heaven. Here's what to do to make a single serving:<br /><br />Peppermint Hot Chocolate<br /><br />1 cup milk<br />1T plus 1t cocoa powder<br />1/8 cup chocolate chips<br />1 peppermint stick crushed<br /><br />Add milk to a small saucepan and whisk in cocoa until combined. Add chips and crushed peppermint candy and cook over medium heat until chips and candy have melted and milk is as warm as you like it.Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-52407290597148137042006-11-17T06:08:00.000-05:002006-11-17T06:29:54.426-05:00Everyday Italian with Giada de LaurentiisI don't watch much TV, but well over 50% of what I do watch is on the Food Network. My favorite show is Everyday Italian starring Giada de Laurentiis. The way she describes food evokes everything that is sensual about cooking. I love how she gushes over the food she's preparing and find myself running a similar commentary in my head when I'm cooking something particularly rich or aromatic.<br /><br />I have both her cookbooks, and I highly recommend them, particulary Everyday Italian. I often buy cookbooks that look delightful but only end up making a few recipes out of them, but I find myself returning to hers routinely when I'm planning meals for the week. Her <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_28842,00.html?rsrc=search">marinara sauce</a> has become a staple in my kitchen. And talk about food porn. The photos in the book would make anyone salivate. Giada knows beautiful food, and she is as lovely as her creations.<br /><br />Just watching <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_ei/episode/0,1976,FOOD_9958_36304,00.html">this show</a> was easily enough to give any one a foodgasm, and it airs again today at 1:30.Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-51022114147917437972006-11-16T06:32:00.000-05:002006-11-17T06:31:17.672-05:00Making GingerbreadYesterday was a cold, gray, rainy day, and I wanted something nice and comforting to go with a cup of afternoon coffee. When my daughter got up from her nap, I asked her if she'd like to make gingerbread. She inquired if we could use our new boy and girl cookie cutters but I explained that we were going to make the cakey kind of gingerbread, not the dough that you roll out for cookies. She thought the idea of cake sounded nice, as long as I promised to make the cookies soon too, which of course I did.<br /><br />So with her standing in the "helping chair" we mixed up the very simple batter, practiced counting while the mixer whipped it up, and then sampled batter before I got it in the oven. (Yes, eating batter with raw eggs is a risky practice, but we only use local organic eggs and I take that risk.) When the gingerbread came out of the oven, we sat down at the table and enjoyed a nice warm piece. <br /><br />The recipe I used comes from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. My mom had an older version of it and used it often when I was growing up, and the red plaid cover is comforting to me. When I'd just gotten old enough to use the oven, I started making this gingerbread recipe on my own, and it became traditional for me to make it for my family on Christmas Eve so sharing it with my daughter brightened an otherwise dismal day. <br /><br />Here's the recipe:<br /><br />Gingerbread<br /><br />1.5 cup flour<br />1/4 cup brown sugar, packed<br />3/4t cinnamon<br />3/4t ground ginger<br />1/2t baking soda<br />1/2t baking powder<br />1/2 cup shortening<br />1/2 cup molasses<br />1 egg<br />1/2 cup hot water<br /><br />Stir all ingredients together and use an electric mixer on low until combined. Then mix on high speed for 2 minutes (medium speed if using a stand mixer). Pour batter into a greased and floured 8x8 pan and cook at 350F for 25 minutes.Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-76098824183872480812006-11-15T09:53:00.000-05:002006-11-15T10:02:38.724-05:00Venison Burgers aka Deer BurgersAs promised I'm reporting back on the venison burgers I made last night. My husband loved them and I was pleased with how juicy and well-flavored they were, but the meat was a little rich and gamey for me. I would eat them again, but I prefer beef. When I first mixed up the burgers they were too wet and wouldn't hold together so I added bread crumbs and the texture came out perfect. I don't have precise measurements for my recipes, but here are my ingredients and my estimates of how much I used:<br /><br />Venison Burgers<br />1.25 lb ground venison<br />1 egg<br />1T prepared horseradish<br />1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese<br />1/4 cup fine bread crumbs<br />2t paprika<br />2t black pepper<br /><br />Mix all ingredients by hand. Form into patties (I made 7 quarter pound ones) and grill for 5 minutes on each side.<br /><br />SilviaSilvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3208452085721238266.post-50700757711768014312006-11-14T13:47:00.000-05:002006-11-14T14:08:18.708-05:00This Week's MenuI thought I would kick things off by sharing what I'm cooking this week:<br /><br />Last night I made Rachael Ray's <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_34503,00.html">Chicken with Wild Mushrooms and Balsamic Cream Sauce</a>. The sauce turned out rich and creamy and yummy, but I didn't suceed in making it in thirty minutes despite watching Rachael make it herself last week. I think the absence of a preschooler begging for attention greatly improves Rachael's speed in the kitchen!<br /><br />Tonight I'm going to try my hand at Venison Burgers. One of my husband's friends bagged a deer last week, and we got 15lbs of the meat. I've never cooked venison before so this will be a fun experiment. I'll let you know what I ultimately decide to put in the burgers and how they turn out. I'll serve them with Sweet Potato Fries which I make by slicing a few large sweet potatoes lengthwise into thin strips, spreading them in a jelly roll pan, drizzling with olive oil, sprinkling with salt and cumin, and roasting at 400F for about 45 minutes.<br /><br />The other meal I've got planned this week is Lemon Fish Roll-Ups. My mom used to make something similar, and it was the only fish dish I would eat growing up. Here's the recipe:<br /><br />Lemon Fish Roll-Ups<br />1/3 c butter<br />1/3 c lemon juice<br />2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper<br />1-1/3 c cooked rice<br />1 c cheddar cheese, grated<br />1 (10 oz) pkg frozen broccoli, thawed<br />8 fish fillets (I'm using tilapia)<br />paprika<br /><br />Melt butter. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, combine rice, cheese, broccoli and 1/4 cup of lemon juice mixture. Divide among 8 fillets, roll up and place, seam side down in a 11 x 7" baking dish. Top with remaining sauce & paprika. Bake 375° F. for 25 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork.<br /><br />I'll serve this with a spinach salad. I'd love to hear what some of you are cooking this week!<br /><br />Silvia<br /><br /><img src="file:///Users/sarah/Desktop/cheeky-smiley-028.gif" alt="" />Silvia Violethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01111456136251664627noreply@blogger.com3