Southern pies and libations

Seriously Black Bottom Pie has a rockin’ rum sauce and for those who can’t decide, a crust of both ginger snap and graham crackers.

Peanutbutter Candy Pie is preferred in Jan Moo’s family over birthday cake. Grilled Plum with Port Crostata is something I’d never heard of. I love the way she calls big pans of gooey stuff “slab pie.”

Moon’s “The Southern Pie Book,” from our trusted friends at Southern Living, won’t steer you wrong. Her beauteous concoctions of braided crusts and fillings don’t seem very difficult to attempt, especially with photos indicating what your guests will be in for. And yeah, there was something in there with bacon. I said bacon.

This writer shares anecdotes and has fresh ideas for flavor combos. Little things, like the way she chop nuts for pecan pie, make her creations look extra special. One section is called “Baked Unitil Bubbly.” How about a sweet potato cobbler or blackberry with lemon cornmeal crust? Let’s all pitch in so Moon can live down the street from us and borrow a cup of sugar.

I showed this book to my mother and she had memories of everything from the vintage pie servers in the lovely illustrations and berry picking to how her Louisiana relatives would bake.

Here’s a little taste from her toppers section:

Apple Cider Drizzle

The author reports it takes a little time to reduce the cider to a syrup, so she generally makes extra. If feeling generous, she will share a jar or two.

4 cups apple cider

1 half cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter

Bring apple cider to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil 35 minutes or until reduced to two thirds of a cup. Stir in brown sugar and butter, cook, stirring constanly, 2 mnutes or until sugard dissolves and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and cool 1 hour.

Invite the Godfather for Halloween

While I have long lived with my husband and his buddy quoting The Godfather on any appropriate and otherwise occasion, I did not realize there was a drink named for this character. Now there is a twist on this drink that I am happy to experience and share. It involves the iconic glass brick of a bottle that is Disaronno amaretto, billed as the world’s favorite Italian liqueur. It was certainly my grandma’s favorite, and she would receive a bottle each Christmas. That’s how I grew to relish a few drops of Disaronno at the end of an evening. Nectar it is.

Now, if you are considering a grown-up Halloween party, may I suggest something around the theme of one of Disaronno’s slew of  “twisted classic” cocktails. Acclaimed mixologist Paul Sevigny has revamped the daiquiri, the sidecar and the sour.

Here’s one for “the family.”

Twist on the Godfather: Godfather Revised aka The MICHAEL CORLEONE

1 ounce  Disaronno

1 ounce Dewers 12

2 dashes cherry bitters,

2 dashes walnut bitters

Garnish: Lemon/cherry

Method: Add all ingredients into mixing glass. Shake for 10 seconds. Strain into rocks with ice. Garnish with lemon and cherry.

Celebrate rum

A hand woven “petate” straw band is a Mayan symbol for the unity of time and space and the signal you’re investing in Ron Zacapa rum. National Punch Day was Sept. 20, but with Port Arthur’s Cayman ties, a sip of rum seems a fitting way to raise a glass this holiday season. Sistema Solera 23, a product of Guatemala, is “aged above the clouds” with young and old blends that produce a “rich color” and “profound flavor.” Rum equals romance with this offering. Just a bit in a clear glass should last the evening, but consider playing with New York-based cocktail consultant and founder of LUPEC NYC Lynnette Marrero’s twist on the classic rum punch.

Zacapa Rum Hibiscus Punch

Ingredients:

1 and one fourth ounce Zacapa Rum 23

1 ounce Brewed and Chilled Hibiscus Tea

1 ounce Fresh Pineapple Juice

Fresh Nutmeg and Cinnamon for Top

Lemon Slices and Edible Flowers for Garnish

Preparation:

1. Combine Zacapa Rum 23, hibiscus tea and fresh pineapple juice in a highball glass filled with ice and stir well.

2. Grate fresh nutmeg and cinnamon into the glass.

3. Garnish with lemon slices and edible flowers.

Ideal Serving Glass:

Highball Glass

ddoiron@panews.com

How many breakfasts left in September?

September is both National Breakfast Month and Cholesterol Awareness Month. Here are a few ways to observe a commitment to fueling up for a great day:

Healthy Germ

The familiar Kretschmer Wheat Germ has filled many a pantry for decades. If you can’t think beyond sprinkling some into your cereal, head to http://www.mywheatgerm.com/ for ideas like Berry Delicious Wheat Germ Pancakes, Zucchini, Gruyere and Wheat Germ Quiche and Honey Crunch Energy Bars with Wheat Germ. They’ve created a week’s worth of breakfast recipes for parents and kids. Each of the A+ recipes caters to a specific nutritional need including fiber for focus, zinc for immunity and phosphorus for strong bones.  I’m skipping to Friday, because face it, adding wheat germ to smoothies is as easy as sprinkling it on cereal. Oh, and I also rolled a banana half into some Honey Crunch Wheat Germ for a satisfying dessert. I’m so glad my germ is back in my pantry.

Protein-Rich Smoothie with Wheat Germ and Chia Seeds

Protein-Rich Smoothie with Wheat Germ and Chia Seeds

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: About 1 cup each Servings Per Recipe: 2

Amount Per Serving:
Calories 250
Calories From Fat 90

This green goodness smoothie is packed with vitamins and minerals that can help jump-start your day or serve as a post-workout recovery snack. Make it the night before if you are pressed for time and give it a good shake before drinking.

Serves 2

One half cup fat-free milk
One half cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
1 frozen medium banana
2 tablespoons unsweetened smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon Kretschmer Honey Crunch Wheat Germ
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 1/2 cups baby spinach
4 large ice cubes
Place all ingredients into blender and process until smooth and creamy. Serve cold.

Pancakes for Picky Eaters

You can have your pancakes and eat them too with  Krusteaz Heart Healthy Buttermilk Pancake Mix. Much better than the more healthy variations I have been “making up,” this Heart Healthy variety is a good source of fiber, low in saturated fat and cholesterol free. That’s why it’s just easier for me to keep this good base on hand and just add water. Then I can add cranberries, berries, cocoa powder, cinnamon and what have you. I know everyone has their own favorite texture, but I loved making tiny crispy pancakes with my batter. Fluffy folks, you can have it your way, too.

   Balance on the Go

While some of you may want to remember the numbers, others will just want to remember I’m telling you Balance Bars’ new “indulgent Dark Chocolate Line tastes really good (as in not like some health bars).  Makers call it balanced 40-30-30 nutrition, 40% of calories from carbohydrates, 30% from protein and 30% from dietary fat. I enjoyed Dark Chocolate Crunch, Dark Chocolate Peanut and Dark Chocolate Coconut with equal  joy. Balance Bar says it gives you energy you need to outlast the day. The line is gluten free & features 13 grams of protein while Balance Bar mini’s can make a breakfast on the go for younger fans. If you try to give your family more healthy choices, but find they are skeptical, these bars, made with Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa, are a delicious pick.

The Leafy Greens Cookbook

Assemble ingredients for your pina colada smoothie: pineapple, coconut milk and spinach. That’s right. Kathryn Anible’s “The Leafy Greens Cookbook” does thing with kale, chard and collards like you wouldn’t believe. Actually, I’d totally believe that bok choy and beef would be great.

But I would not have thought of kale in chicken enchiladas or Swiss chard in breakfast burritos.

Super foods are in now, so go ahead and make your Brussels sprouts with bacon and cherries, and spice up yoru dandelion greens with red pepper.

Want some classic collards? Serve them up with red beans and rice. It’s not difficult to eat better. In fact, most of these recipes are not much harder than this one:

Arugula Pesto for bruschetta, pasta or chicken

2 cups packed arugula

1 tablespoon pine nuts

1 clove garlic

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until well blended.

House Foods

Weight Watchers partnered with House Foods Hungry Girl Lisa Lillien to tell people about House Foods Traditional Shirataki Noodle Substitute. An Asian yam flour and tofu gets shaped into noodles that keep in your fridge just waiting for a low-cal meal. As much as my family loves Asian flavors, I could keep a wall of noodle packages ready for a quick meal.

I made Veggie So Low Mein with mushrooms, zucchini, bean sprouts, scallions and carrots. These noodles are a blank canvas. They soak up your sauce and you feel sooooo good about your meal choice.

ddoiron@panews.com

Sevenne Hall hit the spot for Nederland celebs

There was a treat in every direction at Boots and Bulls, the fourth annual celebrity waiter event to Nederland Chamber of Commerce event. Gulf Credit Union sponsored the barbecue dinner at Sevenne Hall, also billed as Broussard’s Farm on some searches. It’s out in the country in the Fannett area with cattle and horses in view. Country accents gave a casual, friendly feel as guests entered the wood-accented hall with décor like oversized vintage photos and a car bar. Old metal bed frames adorned with string lights, beads and ribbon made unique chandeliers and benches around a fire pit made a good spot for Texas stargazing.

Diana LaBorde, Port Arthur News sales exec, served me a heaping plate of chicken and guests happily filled auction bid sheets to raise dollars for the chamber.

Pick your pepper

Update:

The other day when I wrote about boudain-stuffed peppers as an appetizer, a reader called to make sure I meant jalapenos, and not bell peppers. I did mean jalapenos. I didn’t think to clarify because those little jalapenos – fresh, picked or baked – are so often a part of my meals that I’m always talking about them.

Anyways, Eva Aguirre gave me her recipe for boudain in bell peppers, which is featured in the St. Charles Catholic Church cookbook. She’s been making this since the 1970s. Funny thing is, she loves the flavor the bell peppers impart, but doesn’t usually eat the pepper.

Here’s how she does it:

Fast Bell Peppers

4 to 8 bell peppers

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

2 pounds boudain, removed from casing

12 crackers

2 teaspoons butter, melted

1 and one half teaspoon salt

Wash peppers. Cut off tops of the peppers and clean out the seeds and membrane. Place in pot with salt water, about an inch over. Bring to a boil. Lower flame and cook, uncovered, about 5 minutes. Drain. Stuff peppers with boudain and stand in a PAM-sprayed pan. Crush crackers in a plastic bag. Mix with Parmesan cheese and butter. Top peppers with crackers. Bake in 350 degree oven about 20 minutes.

VnC Cocktails

Lady Gaga and John Hamm are into these. VnC Cocktails may be for “beautiful people,” but they’re lo-cal, pre-mixed and all-natural. After a few sips of the banana daiquiri, I was pretty surprised by the low-calorie claim. This stuff is rich and sweet and tastes like an indulgence, for sure. Knock yourself out with flavors like Pacific Mai Tai, Passionfruit Caprioska and Vodka Mojito. What comes out of these beautiful, trendy bottles puts one in the mind of resort pools and cabanas on the beach. But they are a New Zealand thing. The price tag is reasonable, since everything is already in there. You can’t see the impressive press kit I got, but you can pour yourself a fruity one.

Quota dinner

Cooks 2 Dozen will cook up barbecue dinners for Quota International of Southeast Texas. Look for $10 plates from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at Eagles Lodge No. 3743, 2313 Nederland Ave., Port Neches. Call (409)-543-1233 by Oct. 11 for deliveries of 10 or more dinners.

ddoiron@panews.com

Boudain stuffs peppers

A contact associated with the Christus St. Mary Sports Medical Center actually encouraged me to write about the food at their Greater PA Chamber ribbon cutting. No problem here. Parents of sporting teens will be happy to hear about how the center’s work. I was happy to try the chef’s peppers stuffed with boudain. That’s a pretty clever Southeast Texas treat.

So how many gingers?

Remember Ginger on Gilligan’s Island?  A beautiful redhead. I’ve only recently become aware that many Europeans refer to redheads as gingers, so it’s fitting that 2 GINGERS® Irish Whiskey, the newest member of the award-winning Irish whiskey portfolio from the Kilbeggan Distilling Co.™, comes with a drawing of two lovely ladies on the label.

2 Gingers is expanding into nine states, and lucky Texas is one of them. Nine recent Irish college grads are acting as brand ambassadors. Lucky them. 2 Gingers is smooth, malty and slightly sweet premium, blended Irish whiskey. I may not have immediately noted that, being a spirit lover who may not yet consider myself a whisky drinker, but lucky for me, makers have designed two cocktails with just such a consumer in mind. There is the Big Ginger, and the Skinny Ginger, which is about the same, save for making the ginger ale diet. I plugged in an Irish movie with Meryl Streep and enjoyed myself a Skinny Ginger, which I guess makes it a “three ginger” drink. With all that luck in the air, I was expecting a leprechaun to join me for the caramel, vanilla and citrus undertones. It was wild refereshing.

BIG GINGER®

·       2 parts 2 GINGERS® Irish Whiskey

·       Ginger Ale

·       Lemon Wedge

·       Lime Wedge

METHOD: Pour the 2 GINGERS® Irish Whiskey into a pint glass with ice. Top with ginger ale, followed by a wedge of a lemon and lime.

Tea and coffee together

Warning: Health food lovers only should keep reading.

Foodie groups are narrowed into sections of those who enjoy healthy, shall we say cleansing, fare that may not appeal to the conventional consumer.

Pure Health Nature's Green & Lean tea delivers what makers call a powerful double whammy - combining green tea leaves, known across Asia for their wealth of antioxidants, with pure, raw Green Coffee Bean containing Chlorogenic Acids. Billed as a superfood discovery, these goods are combined with warming spices such as anise, ginger and cinnamon for a stirring tea. If you are a spice lover, you can imagine the fall-inspired aroma this creates. This tea was really filling and I did experience a cleansing sensation. Here’s more from the makers:

“For healthy weight management and natural energy throughout the day, this new tea is an excellent choice. For best results, Nature's Green & Lean should be enjoyed about 30 minutes before each meal. You can visit the website for more information: www.PureHealth100.com.”

Easiest tuna ever

Tuna has kept me excited for days straight. New single serve StarKist Creations Herb&Garlic has 110 flavorful calories in an easy-open pouch that can stay in your desk drawer until you make a break. If you want a traditional sandwich, fine, but I enjoyed mine with lettuce and cherry tomatoes I packed alongside this slim, blue pouch. Because Zesty Lemon Pepper has just 80 calories, I added some crunchy fried onions to my salad when I tried this packet.

A serving of Sweet & Spicy has 90 calories and Hickory Smoked comes in at 110. Although it’s no hardship to open a traditional can of tuna and mix in what you like, these packets eliminate that “no-time-to-eat-healthy” excuse. This is a handy and flavorful lunch you can feel good about.

Shakedowns

For most of my life, I’d have considered a raw carrot as a punishment, not a treat. Thankfully for my health, my waistline and my taste buds, I tend to skip the chip and eat the rainbow now. Crunch and color are two things the carrot has going for it. Bolthouse Farms’ newest carrot snack,  Shakedowns, is a lunch-box sized bag of tiny carrots with a twist. Oops, make that a shake, literally.  Release a Ranch or Chili-Lime flavoring from one section of the bag and shake it all up for a pop of flavor that will make kids eat ‘em all up. Adults can’t resist, either. It’s  one thing to dip a carrot into a rich dip, but now the carrots themselves are the flavor. Shakedowns have just debuted in Texas. Crunch on.

ddoiron@panews.com

A girl walks into a yam bar...

The Apostolic Church of Beaumont always puts on a show at A Tasting for Some Other Place. This year’s yam bar featured the orange veggie served from giant Champaign glasses and topped with goodies like nuts and sugar. Oversized cans of Sugary Sam sweet potatoes, planted with sweet potato vines, adorned the booth. But the folks serving up St. Stephen’s Holy Moses Gumbo looked pretty good in their “cave” booth fashioned from brown paper. These guys took ‘The Law” into their own hands with Ten Commandment tablets issuing warnings such as “Thall shalt not burn thy roux.”

Cereal for dessert

I’ve been rolling bananas around in cereal. Post is proving their products can begin a day with breakfast and end it with dessert.

I like Honey bunches of Oats Greek Honey Crunch, literally as a crunchy topping over my homemade yogurt. A little goes a long way to transform something smooth into a riot of texture. It’s fun to find an unintended use for a product you have, so the lemon pie substitutes below are a find within a find. “Post” this idea to all your friends.

Crispy Baked Banana Recipe

1-1/2 cups Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds Cereal, crushed

1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons honey

4 small ripe bananas, cut crosswise in half

1/4 cup thawed whipped topping

Directions

1.   Preheat oven to 375ºF. Line 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil; set aside. Mix crushed cereal and the cinnamon on large plate. Pour honey onto second plate. ROLL each banana piece in honey, then in cereal mixture until evenly coated. Place in prepared baking pan.

2.   Bake 15 min. or until bananas are soft. Place two banana halves in each serving dish. Top evenly with the whipped topping. Makes 4 servings, two banana halves each.

Tips and Suggestions

Special Extra: Mix 1/4 cup coconut with the crushed cereal and cinnamon before using as directed.

Crunchy Lemon Pie
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 cup miniature marshmallows
2-1/4 cups Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal
2/3 cup boiling water
1 package (4-serving size) lemon flavor gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
1 tub (8 oz.) light whipped topping, thawed

Directions

1. Microwave butter in large microwavable bowl on HIGH 30 seconds. Add marshmallows; toss lightly. Microwave on HIGH 1 min. or until marshmallows are completely melted, stirring after 30 seconds. Add cereal; mix lightly to coat. Press firmly onto bottom and up side of lightly greased 9-in. pie plate to form crust.
2. Stir boiling water into gelatin in large bowl at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water. Add whipped topping; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Refrigerate 15 to 20 min. or until mixture is very thick and will mound.
3. Spoon filling into crust; cover. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.

Tips and Suggestions

Substitute: Prepare as directed, using fat-free whipped topping.
Substitute: Prepare as directed, using Cocoa Pebbles Cereal, Post Golden Crisp Sweetened Puffed Wheat Cereal or Post Alpha-Bits Frosted Letter Shaped Sweetened Oat and Corn Cereal.
How to Stir Whipped Topping into Gelatin: Spoon into slightly thickened gelatin, using the amount of whipped topping specified in the recipe. Gently stir in the whipped topping until all of the whipped topping has been incorporated into the gelatin and the mixture is a uniform pastel color. Use this method in any recipe that calls for folding or gently stirring one ingredient into another.

Tea and coffee together

Warning: Health food lovers only should keep reading.

Foodie groups are narrowed into sections of those who enjoy healthy, shall we say cleansing, fare that may not appeal to the conventional consumer.

Pure Health Nature's Green & Lean tea delivers what makers call a powerful double whammy - combining green tea leaves, known across Asia for their wealth of antioxidants, with pure, raw Green Coffee Bean containing Chlorogenic Acids. Billed as a superfood discovery, these goods are combined with warming spices such as anise, ginger and cinnamon for a stirring tea. If you are a spice lover, you can imagine the fall-inspired aroma this creates. This tea was really filling and I did experience a cleansing sensation. Here’s more from the makers:

“For healthy weight management and natural energy throughout the day, this new tea is an excellent choice. For best results, Nature's Green & Lean should be enjoyed about 30 minutes before each meal. You can visit the website for more information: www.PureHealth100.com.”

Easiest tuna ever

Tuna has kept me excited for days straight. New single serve StarKist Creations Herb&Garlic has 110 flavorful calories in an easy-open pouch that can stay in your desk drawer until you make a break. If you want a traditional sandwich, fine, but I enjoyed mine with lettuce and cherry tomatoes I packed alongside this slim, blue pouch. Because Zesty Lemon Pepper has just 80 calories, I added some crunchy fried onions to my salad when I tried this packet.

A serving of Sweet & Spicy has 90 calories and Hickory Smoked comes in at 110. Although it’s no hardship to open a traditional can of tuna and mix in what you like, these packets eliminate that “no-time-to-eat-healthy” excuse. This is a handy and flavorful lunch you can feel good about.

ddoiron@panews.com