tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47346617347410628212009-11-11T05:31:12.181-05:00Culinary adventures of a New Bern, NC, home cookJudyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.comBlogger472125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-50164074537513424582009-11-08T06:30:00.003-05:002009-11-08T11:30:38.211-05:00

I’m not nuts on chili, but I do occasionally enjoy a smashed baked potato or grilled hot dog topped with it. Store-bought chili has always disappointed me, and I haven’t found a restaurant chili that really rocks my socks. So, rather than purchase already-made chili, every once in a while, I’ll make my own and freeze it in small containers to be used for baked potatoes and hot dogs. Chili is one

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-17617685547653948902009-10-25T10:56:00.002-04:002009-10-25T11:06:12.672-04:00

Debbie, of Dining with Debbie, gave me the “One Lovely Blog Award.” And Sam, of My Carolina Kitchen, gave me the “Nice Matters Award.” Thanks, ladies, so much for these awards. I will cherish them both. And, by the way, my absence is not because of a shortage in recipes. Life has kind of gotten in the way of blogging. I’ll be returning soon.

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-56402257759487825752009-10-16T06:30:00.003-04:002009-10-17T09:52:41.282-04:00

Blueberry season was over too soon, again. But I was wishing for blueberry muffins. Frozen berries do not make the best muffins, but I decided to go ahead any way. I rinsed them with cold water and blotted them dry with paper towels, helping them not to bleed. These muffins are tender, moist and full of blueberries. My fave yogurt,Stonyfield Farm, provided a lot of the moistness, and some grated

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-85249381547419229522009-10-14T06:30:00.000-04:002009-10-15T14:55:07.417-04:00

Come fall, I start dreaming about cranberry confections. This recipe, adapted from Food & Wine Magazine’s March 2001 issue, called for fresh or frozen whole cranberries. I really wanted to make these with whole cranberries, but couldn’t find any. So I subbed dried sweetened cranberries instead. I erred in only using 3/4 cup, thinking that when they plumped, they’d double in size. Well, maybe

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-90310074793818847372009-10-12T06:30:00.001-04:002009-10-15T14:58:33.569-04:00

Today was all about experimenting in the kitchen with my fave yogurt, Stonyfield Farm. It’s the only yogurt I use, because it’s organic and because of the great taste and texture. And, FYI, their website (click on the link above) has coupons you can download. Stonyfield Farm makes Oikos Greek yogurt which I love, but for today’s recipe, I used the low-fat 6 oz. container of vanilla. Those

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-66039580604631342452009-10-09T06:30:00.003-04:002009-10-09T09:33:35.289-04:00

Apple cheesecake is one of hubby’s and my faves. Recently, I made an apple strudel cheesecake that was amazing. Last year, I made Paula Deen's Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars, and they were also delicious. But this adapted Kraft recipe is even better. Adding brown sugar instead of white to the cream cheese gives the cheesecake a mild caramel flavor. I didn’t care to use Kraft’s graham cracker

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-1023898425493714212009-10-07T06:30:00.001-04:002009-10-07T06:30:01.710-04:00

When I made Quaker Oats’ Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins with Chocolate Streusel, I thought there could never be another oatmeal cc muffin to get my top rating. But this one comes very close. Kari Farwell submitted this fabulous recipe to Allrecipes, and the readers rated it 4-1/2 stars. Even with my lower-fat, part whole-grain version, these muffins are still moist, tender, flavorful, full of

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-54534056472204522942009-10-05T06:30:00.001-04:002009-10-05T11:01:26.497-04:00

One last package of frozen butternut squash in my freezer begged to be used before new squash moved in. This recipe, from Food Network Kitchens, looked promising, except that the cookies were reported to be cakey. I’m somewhat prejudiced toward cakey cookies. I wanted something fudgy, not cakey. Not knowing if my goal was achievable, I decided to give it a try. By draining the squash, adding

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-80255175968108283742009-10-02T06:30:00.003-04:002009-10-02T08:43:44.964-04:00

Gold Medal has a recipe for “Extraordinary Chocolate Chip Cookies” printed on the back of their 5-lb. unbleached all-purpose flour bag. Always up for a new CC cookie recipe, I thought I would try it, especially since they bragged with the title that the cookies are “extraordinary.” Right off the bat, I made a change, switching from chocolate chips to M&M’s. And instead of using white sugar +

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-69206499794667156652009-09-30T12:56:00.002-04:002009-10-02T08:50:41.415-04:00

You may have noticed (I hope) that I’ve been working on upgrading my blog. Since I’m somewhat of a technophobe, it’s been an uphill struggle. Many hours of research, trial and error, and some successes have produced less-than-spectacular results. I know, I know. I could have just hired someone. But this is my effort in educating myself on html code and on the mechanics of blogs. Once I get

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-17746352854153907642009-09-30T06:30:00.001-04:002009-09-30T12:44:59.118-04:00

I think I could live on soup and muffins. To me, soup is the ultimate in comfort food. And muffins are the perfect dessert – easy to freeze, already portioned and not too sweet. When red peppers were on fire sale recently, I stocked up. Roasting them on the grill is quick and easy, and my freezer is stocked with them. While fresh corn was still available, I bought some for this delicious soup.

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-2455021883139627322009-09-28T06:30:00.004-04:002009-09-30T12:34:07.658-04:00

Reeni, from Cinnamon & Spice blog, recently posted her very own recipe for Green Tomato Corn Muffins. She declared them the best corn muffins ever. Well, I thought I had developed my ownvery best corn muffin recipe, but I love Reeni’s blog. She has creative recipes and I consider her to be a great cook. So I had to try her recipe, with my own tweaks, of course. Both hubby and I loved Reeni’s

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-2088927239182563642009-09-25T06:30:00.001-04:002009-10-01T12:28:04.035-04:00

New recipes can come from many sources. This one was attached to a package of leeks. Ocean Mist leeks. The recipe is from….surprise…..Ocean Mist. I’m usually leery of recipes that come attached to produce or are in the produce aisle on a recipe card. But this one caught my eye and sounded good. Too good to ignore. So I tried it with just some minor tweaks, and guess what? It was good. No, it was

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-89601276413629442472009-09-22T16:31:00.003-04:002009-10-01T12:32:16.882-04:00

Who doesn’t love Tyler Florence? A real hunk of a man, and he cooks, too. Some of his recipes are good, and some are too over the top for me with too many flavors. But, when I saw him make “the ultimate barbecued chicken” on one of his recent shows, I was interested. First, he brined the chicken while he made a fast and easy basting sauce, then he grilled the chicken, transferred it to the oven

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-64640311392955976662009-09-20T14:55:00.004-04:002009-10-06T18:08:47.735-04:00

Apple pie and cheesecake: two of America’s faves. This recipe combines both for a rich, tasty dessert that’s sure to please everyone. Janice White, Encampment, Wyoming, sent this recipe in to Country Woman Magazine, and it was a prize winner. After making it, I can see why. My hubby, who is not big on desserts, came ‘round for seconds, and so did I. Five simple steps will get you this fab

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-220185024620141832009-09-18T06:30:00.001-04:002009-10-08T14:04:27.032-04:00

A fantastic blueberry season has ended, but my freezer is full of tart-sweet goodness. I think I’ve already found my fave blueberry muffin recipe, but that doesn’t keep me from trying new ones. King Arthur’s website has a recipe for blueberry muffins with rave reviews, but it’s different from the one in King Arthur Baker’s Companion, which is titled Classic Blueberry Muffins. The “classic”

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-69825645141639091452009-09-16T06:30:00.001-04:002009-10-10T15:26:39.631-04:00

My favorite veggie for any time of the year is butternut squash. Combined with spinach, it's not just delicious -- it's also a powerhouse of antioxidants,vitamins and minerals. Butternut squash is fat free and nutrient dense, with Vitamins A, B and C, as well as an assortment of minerals, including potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and iron. Spinach is no slouch, either. It's considered

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-51491213095016761122009-09-14T06:30:00.002-04:002009-10-10T15:30:16.835-04:00

Brussels sprouts are such a forgotten vegetable. They can be a little boring, too. But this recipe, rated 4 forks with stellar reviews, from one of my favorite websites brings them alive. I tweaked the original, subbing apple juice concentrate for the sugar and using onion and garlic in place of shallots (which I didn't have at the moment). The usual bitter flavor of the brussels sprouts is

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-25112105666487923652009-09-11T06:30:00.000-04:002009-09-11T06:30:00.172-04:00

A friend asked me to bake mini muffins for her son's rehearsal dinner. These were one of the muffins I made, and they were really delicious. Giada's "Nonna's Lemon Ricotta Biscuits" were the inspiration for this recipe. I added the walnuts, cranberries and a bit of orange zest to the batter and brushed a lemon glaze over the tops of the warm muffins. The glaze really set this muffin off,

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-47521368889038729922009-09-09T06:30:00.000-04:002009-09-09T06:30:01.151-04:00

My hubby hates brown rice. And I prefer not eating white rice because it raises my blood sugar too fast. Whole grains slow down that process somewhat. It gets tiresome cooking two pots of rice, so I thought I would try cooking them together to see if he would like that. Using a tip from a friend, I rinsed both rices in hot water until they stopped foaming, then toasted the brown rice and cooked

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-45195682727586985252009-09-07T06:30:00.002-04:002009-09-07T06:30:00.835-04:00

Talk about an easy but good recipe -- this is it. Just take your favorite pesto, and rub it all over your peeled, deveined jumbo shrimp.Let it sit for a while in the fridge, then grill it using medium-hot (about 400-425F) temperature. Shrimp doesn't take long to cook, so figure just a few minutes each side. The pesto does not get bitter, it tastes amazing with the shrimp.This is so good hot,

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-88014911755869458302009-09-04T06:30:00.001-04:002009-09-04T06:30:00.659-04:00

These cupcakes were made in early April, when I was having computer problems. Luckily, the photos were in my camera, and not on my hard drive, so they didn't get wiped out when we reformatted. But some of my notes were misplaced, and I can't find the frosting recipe, which was so over-the-top good. If my memory serves me, I believe I beat some Smucker's Special Recipe Butterscotch-Caramel

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-65228065642837431582009-09-02T06:30:00.004-04:002009-09-02T06:30:00.995-04:00

The next time you're in a peanut butter-chocolate mood, try these bars. They're fudgy, chewy and a little gooey and you won'tbe disappointed. The original recipe is from Taste of Home, titled "peanut butter cake bars." The photo looked good, but I didn't want a cakey bar. I wanted a chewy, gooey bar, and I wanted peanuts as well as peanut butter. So I made changes to ensure that I would get what

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-5286707162925024962009-08-31T06:30:00.003-04:002009-08-31T06:30:00.964-04:00

Tomato soup is tops on my list of comfort food. I love Tomato Basil Bisque, Fire Roasted Tomato Bisque, Creamy Tomato Soup, Smoky Tomato Soup, and Roasted Tomato Soup. I thought I had tried tomato soup in all its forms, but I was wrong. Grilled Tomato Soup is the best one yet, and my new fave.The June 2009 issue of Cooking Light had this recipe, titled "Roasted Corn, Pepper and Tomato Chowder,"

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4734661734741062821.post-28395524647290557242009-08-28T06:30:00.003-04:002009-08-28T22:22:43.934-04:00

Coconut-Almond is a great flavor combo, one that never gets old. I found this recipe (for cake) on dianasdesserts.com, and tweaked it to make it my own. These were so very yummy. They're a tad lower in fat since I subbed applesauce for half of the butter. This is a tender but dense-crumb, flavorful cupcake with subtle coconut-almond flavors. Here's where I must apologize: My notes do not say how

Judyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03441108568751750583judycastranova@gmail.com16