YOU ASKED-  I’LL ANSWER:

• Freezing Coconut milk- yes, you can!  Try pouring the extra in a muffin tin, or an ice tray for individual uses down the road.
• I can order peelers- We have 2 options; they might even be better than what we used.  They are one peeler, with 3 blades in one, you rotate to the blade of your choice and click it into place.   I am going to order them, let me know if you are interested.
  They will be about $12-15.00.  The advantage here is you don’t need 3 independent peelers in your drawer to dig around for, just one…let me know if you would like one and I will also send out feedback on these new items next week!

Baba Ganoush- Char the outside of the eggplant by rotating it over your gas cook top; adding that extra smoky/roasted flavor.  Pop in a hot 400 degree oven to cook the inside for about 20 minutes.  When soft and sunken looking, slice in half and scoop out the insides, seeds and all.  Whisk in bowl with tahini, lemon, garlic, olive oil and the extra special smoky sea salt, and there you have it; an easy and great tasting homemade baba ganoush for your falafels!

Falafel- Garbanzo beans and cumin are the staple to this great vegetarian recipe.  Whirl all ingredients in food processor, but careful not to over process.  Too sticky when scooping out or don’t stay in their assigned balls when cooking?  No problem, add a bit more flour, (about a Tablespoon) , and there you have it- golden brown falafel patties in a matter of minutes!

Putting it All Together- Grill your favorite Nan or flat bread- about a minute on each side, top with all your homemade dishes:  falafel patties, hearty tzatziki, baba ganoush, finish off with gourmet spring greens; drizzle with just a bit of olive oil and red wine vinegar, a dash of salt and fresh ground pepper, and you have the perfect light-summertime Falafel Diner!

Raviolis- So impressed that not a single pasta pillow pocket (as we call it at our home), exploded while cooking, great job ladies!  Choose your filling, you can’t beat fresh picked crab accompanied by sauteed spinach and garlic; paired with asiago-rosemary cheese, ricotta and egg to keep it all together.  The freshly grated nutmeg adds that extra indescribable taste.  Try swiss chard in place of spinach or mushrooms, pancetta; all great options to change it up and keep it new.

Blue Cheese and Bacon Bib Salad- Buttermilk added that smooth creamy flavor with a bit of pop and depth.  Try European yogurt in place of buttermilk as another option.  Blue cheese- a classification of a type of cheese made with either cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, or goat’s milk, with spotted veiny blue/greyish mold running through- is what gives it a sharp and slightly salty flavor.  Gorgonzola- one of  the oldest of the blue cheeses, originated in Italy and is typically made from whole cow’s milk.  Roquefort- made with sheep’s milk comes to us from Southern France.  Resource: Wikipedia.com

Kari’s Sweet-n-Sour Broccoli- Remember to slice your broccoli thin lengthwise, providing maximum surface area for searing.  Cooked over med-hot heat in a large saute pan allows the honey/vinegar glaze to caramelize and cover most of the dish.  A crisp, sweet and tangy healthy dish your children will come back asking for more!

• Creamy Tomato Soup- Oven roasted tomatoes provide that extra concentrated sweetness to this easy homemade soup.  Carrot, celery, and onion add vitamins the kids will never know existed once blended- thanks to the easy use of an immersion blender!  Try adding about a cup of Mango-Orange juice with a garnish of fresh mango to change it up.  Chopped basil and/or thyme and a grate of parmesan are always a welcomed taste to this traditional favorite.

• Peppadew Peper Mac-n-Cheesy- Cherry red sweet piquante peppers from South Africa make this dish rich and flavorful.  Available in olive bars at local markets, when blended together with roasted red peppers and sharp cheddar, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses, provides a pleasant variation to traditional mac and cheese.  Serve oven baked in individual ramekins, topped with crunchy panko bread crumbs (or other alternative toppers- see below). A great dish for family or company any night of the week!

Remember that-

Crushed cornflakes, crispies, or even potato chips are good alternatives to panko bread crumbs for your mac-n-cheese topper.  Use what is in your cub-bards!

Adding sausage or shredded chicken to the Mac-n-Cheesy for an extra boost of protein, makes for a complete meal in one dish.

Tomato Paste available in a tube or a plastic reusable container from Barber Foods is a convenient way to store refrigerated and is ready for use with just one squeeze or scoop.

Slightly freezing mozzarella cheese provides just the perfect hardened base needed when grating- no more clogged/gummed up graters!

• Hearty Cannellini-Kale Soup- Brown your smoked sausage of choice, de-glaze pan w/red wine and saute all chopped veggies until soft and fragrant.  Add remaining ingredients:  chopped kale, Italian tomatoes, cannellini beans, paste, sugar, seasoning such as sage, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes for a bit of kick. Finish it off with your Gruyere and Caramelized Shallot Crostinis.  This power packed soup will keep you out of the doctor’s office as it’s loaded with vitamin K and C, rich in calcium, beta carotene and will keep you energized!
  

• Sinful Chocolate Souffle- A crowd pleaser for sure, proves a mouse-like treat in the first few bites with a more traditional cake/souffle texture when you scoop down deep. Begin with sugar, flour, salt and milk; simmer until slightly thickened.  Remove/cool; add powered chocolate, vanilla, egg yolks, and a bit more milk until creamy…in the mean time, have your kids beat up the egg whites until stiff and peaky!!  Fold egg whites into batter and voila, you are done.  Make the batter up ahead of time for guests, or surprise the family on movie night with their own warm individual mini chocolate souffles!

Remember that…

Cannellini Bean- also referred to as white Kidney beans or Butter beans are more flavorful with a pleasing texture; worth using over simple white beans.

Kale Chips- make these great quick treats with your left over Kale.  Simply rip off a sand dollar size piece of Kale, toss in olive oil, season w/salt and pepper and bake in a hot 400 oven for 7 minutes or so and you have these yummy, crispy, healthy snacks your kids will even eat!

Cranberry-Apple Chutney by chopping, peeling, dicing, and slicing onions and apples.  Add zested ginger, minced garlic, sauteed all together with star anise and allspice; adding that extra depth and unique flavor.  The perfect accompaniment to any foul dish!

• Did you know…   Freeze your ginger in advance for easy grating. To remove ginger skin, simply scrape off with the back side of a spoon; effortless! Chopping onions without crying…nibble on a piece of bread while cutting

Coriander seared Duck, not your everyday main course, bringing looks of hesitation as we scored and patted it down with salt and pepper on one side and coriander; a slightly lemon and flowery flavor- on the other.  Who knew it would be such an easy and most flavorful main course?

• Did you know… It is much more economical to buy duck whole, ask the butcher to order it for you, and they just might carve it for you too. Coriander- comes from the cilantro plant; it is ground from the seeds which develop after the plant flowers.
  

Triple -Orange Glazed Sweet Potatoes roasted at high heat with maximum surface area exposed, tossed in olive oil, cayenne, and salt; finished off with triple orange (orange juice, zest and concentrate) honey sauce.  An easy but most flavorful side dish; a great accompaniment to duck.

OR– was it the homemade cream cheese crust inside and out that surrounded our filling in each individual pie, we called our own?  Use a simple 2 cup ramekin for your family and friends, easy to make ahead of time or that night right from the oven in less than one hour.

Stuffed Tomato Salad- such an easy and healthy alternative to the traditional green salad…remember fill it with your choice of veggies be it: avocados, celery, cucumber, and a bit of red onion as we did here.  Or change it up a bit by adding:  shredded carrots, radishes, and kalamata olives to our feta cheese lightly tossed in rice vinegar and olive oil topped w/a fresh grate of parmesan.

Mini Pumpkin Pies- don’t just love the texture of a traditional pumpkin pie, or just want a bite or two?  These mini pies are the perfect solution!  A one bowl mixture of pumpkin, followed by bourbon and cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and more-  make for a fluffy, yet oh so flavorful mini pie topped with homemade whipped cream.  Find all these recipes under the Workshop Recipes Tab and let us know how they worked for you!