AAMP'ED up Cooking

How did you create your username for VOX? What influenced your decision?
Submitted by Strive2Be.

AAMP are my intitials.

Sounds like the word Amp.  Used as a verb Amped...

I told a friend I was really Amped up (excited) about cooking more... and whah la! Amped up cooking but with two A's

Etb

So this is my entry for Elly's 'Eat to the Beat' blog event. Please vist her blog and check out all the yummies! I have made quite a few of her recipes and they always turn out great!

The song I chose was:

Being from Indiana, a staple of cooking was allways Fresh Catfish.  We had it quite a number of times durring the year.  I have never been a big fish person.  Catfish can have a really fishy taste too it, but the really fresh fish is actually quite mild.  This song brings back memories of life back home.  Fishing with my uncles, Cooking with my Grammama, playing Marco Polo in the corn firelds, and all the other down home fun we had.

This recipe was comon at my house, of course I have made some changes to give it a little more flavor, and some regional changes had to be made as well.  The original recipe is a catfish fillet breaded in white bread crumbs.

Salmon

Well after a lot of searching I couldn't find any Catfish in Boston.  This kinda made me sad, but I didn't really expect to find any.  So For this version i used salmon Fillets. And I substituted the breaed fish with a slice of ciabatta bread, and wah-la!::

CHIBATTA BREAD SALMON

Ingredients
6 fresh salmon fillets or steaks approximately 6-8 oz each
3 large lemons
2 large limes
8oz sour cream
1 large ciabatta bread
1 bunch of cilantro
1 large Yellow or Sweet onion
2 garlic clove
3 medium tomatoes
1/4 fresh pineapple cut into chunks
Olive oil, sea salt, pepper, chili flakes for seasoning and taste
Can of olive oil or canola oil cooking spray
Heavy duty aluminum foil cut into 6 squares suitable for creating envelopes around salmon and ingredients – approximately 12” square
 
Preparation
Rinse salmon in cool water and pat dry
Remove any bones
Finely chop 1/2 onion,6 fresh pineapple chunks,1 clove of garlic, cilantro and 3 tomatoes put in a bowl mix together and season with salt, pepper, olive oil and chili flakes.
Slice 1 lemon and 1 lime into six slices each
Grate 1 lime zest into the sour cream and squeeze in the juice of the lime
Spray each of the skin sides and place individual portions in aluminum foil season with salt and pepper then top with a pinch of fresh cilantro 1 slice of lemon and lime then squeeze some fresh lemon over the top and roll down the top and seal the sides. 

Instructions
Place aluminum foil packets on medium heat grill for 5 - 8 minutes
While the salmon is cooking chop the ciabatta into triangles and toast on the grill.
Once the ciabatta is toasted split the pineapple salsa between the ciabatta triangles drizzle with olive oil and place the cooked salmon on top followed by a spoonful of sour cream (optional)

ENJOY!

Show us what the weekend has in store for you.

Aton253l

What's your morning beverage of choice?  Coffee, tea, juice?  Homemade or store-bought?

Strawberry and Orange smoothie.  8 oz. frozen strawberries, and 8 oz. Flordia's natural orange Juice.  Gets me going.  I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh strawberries and Ice.  This allows me to use 1/2 the orange juice which saves 180 calories.

So as You may have noticed I have not updated recently. I have been so busy! OMG its crazy.  Well I was ready in Elly Says Opa about a blog event she is hosting.  I came up with a great Idea... so here goes nothing.  I am energized to get back to blogging.  I have been trying alot of new recipes lately, but with the time it takes to make them I don't have any more time to blog about it! :(.   So check back soon.  There are updates coming I promise.

So in order to access the recipies you have to donate a minimum of $10 to Project Bread.  I found this kind of anoying because we have donated to Project Bread before, but chose not to this year in favor of a few other charities.  Well I wanted the recipies so I donated the $10.  But for others of you out there here are the recipies for easy reference.  By the way, Project Bread is an amazing charity and you should donate if you have the $$$ to spare.

I haven't tried any of these recipes so I am not 'recomending' them.  Just wanted you to have access to them if you were interested.  Please feel free to send people to my blog if they are looking for them! Enjoy your holidays!

A Holiday Recipe from Brandon Rudat of 7NEWS Artichoke Dip Appetizer

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: 8 oz. Romano cheese, pre-shredded 24 oz. mayonnaise (not reduced fat) 3 cans artichoke hearts ½ tsp. Cheyenne pepper water crackers Directions: Pre-heat oven to 375°. Open cans of artichoke hearts and drain them. Put all of the artichoke hearts in a mixing bowl. Using your hands, or a fork and knife, break the artichoke hearts up into small pieces. Add the entire container of mayonnaise and mix it up. Add 6 oz. of Romano cheese and Cheyenne pepper and mix it up. Pour the entire mixture into a shallow baking dish (9 x 9). Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown on top and bubbling. The dip must be cooked all the way through. Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with water crackers or strong tortilla chips.

A Holiday Recipe from Jeremy Reiner of 7NEWS Christmas Wreaths

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: 30 (1 lb. bag) marshmallows, large ½ cup margarine ¼ tsp. green food coloring* ¼ tsp. almond flavoring* ¼ tsp. vanilla* 1 pkg. cinnamon candies Directions: Melt the marshmallows and butter on stovetop. * Add these to the marshmallow mixture. Pour 3½ cups of cornflakes into a bowl. Pour the marshmallow mixture over the cereal and lightly mix. Form the wreaths on wax paper. Decorate with candies and enjoy!

A Holiday Recipe from Randy Price of 7NEWS Randy Price’s Louisiana Pralines

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: 1 ½ cups light brown sugar, packed 1 ½ cups sugar 1 cup evaporated milk 2 Tbsp. white corn syrup 2 Tbsp. butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract 3 cups pecans Directions: Mix together the sugars, the milk, and the corn syrup. In a saucepan over medium heat, stir mixture constantly with a spoon until sugars have dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil. You can do a cold-water test to see if it’s ready by dropping a little bit in some water. It should form a soft ball. Remove from heat. Add the butter, vanilla and pecans. Beat with a spoon by hand for approximately 2 minutes or until candy is slightly thick and begins to lose its gloss. Quickly drop heaving tablespoons onto waxed paper and allow at least a couple of inches in between for spreading. If the candy becomes stiff before you can get it all onto the waxed paper, add a few drops of hot water and stir.

A Holiday Recipe from Matt Lorch of 7NEWS Super-Easy Rocky Road Fudge

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: 2 cups (12 oz. pkg.) semi-sweet chocolate morsels 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 1 tsp. vanilla extract 3 cups miniature marshmallows 1½ cups walnuts, coarsely chopped Directions: Line a baking pan (13 x 9) with foil. Grease lightly. Microwave morsels and sweetened condensed milk in large, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute. Stir. Morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10 to 15 second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted. Stir in vanilla extract. Fold in marshmallows and nuts. Press mixture into prepared baking pan. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into pieces.

A Holiday Recipe from Kim Khazei of 7NEWS Banana Muffins

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: ¾ cup sugar 2 cups flour 1 tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. baking power ½ tsp. salt 1½ cups bananas (3 medium-sized bananas the browner, the sweeter) ¾ cup vegetable oil 2 eggs 2 tsp. vanilla Directions: Mix wet ingredients. Mix dry ingredients. Mix together. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown in a 325° oven. Eat immediately! Still yummy later!

A Holiday Recipe from Jonathan Hall of 7NEWS Holiday Pancakes

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: 2 cups milk 2 large eggs 2 Tbsp. maple syrup 2 cups flour 3 tsp. baking powder 1½ tsp. salt 6 Tbsp. vegetable oil red and green sprinkles Directions: Use 2 large bowls. In the first bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. In the second, mix up the milk, eggs, and syrup. Pour the milk mixture into the dry mixture, and mix until smooth. Then add the vegetable oil and mix again. Grease a large frying pan or skillet and heat to medium high. Flip when bubbles appear. Serve with butter, syrup, and festive holiday sprinkles, if desired.

A Holiday Recipe from Dylan Dreyer of 7NEWS Gelatin Delight Salad

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: 1 (6 oz.) pkg. lime gelatin 2 cups boiling water 1 (10 oz.) can pineapple, crushed 1 (5¼ oz.) can evaporated milk 1 (8 oz.) pkg. regular cream cheese 1 (7½ oz.) jar marshmallow fluff 1 pt. heavy cream, whipped mandarin orange segments maraschino cherries pineapple cubes Directions: Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Pour a small amount into the bottom of at least an 8-cup gelatin mold. Let set in refrigerator until it is thick enough to arrange designs of orange segments, cherries, and pineapple cubes. Refrigerate. To remaining gelatin, add cream cheese and marshmallow fluff. Beat until smooth. Add the evaporated milk and crushed pineapple. Combine well. Refrigerate. After the clear gelatin has set to hold the fruit design and the remaining mixture has cooled, whip the cream and fold into cheese mixture. Gently place this mixture on top of the clear gelatin. Chill for at least 6 hours before serving.

A Holiday Recipe from Sorboni Banerjee of 7NEWS Comfy Corn Chowder

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: 1 can cream corn ½ onion, chopped 1 can niblet corn 1 medium potato, cubed in bite size pieces 1 can evaporated milk salt and pepper to taste Directions: Sauté onion in a little oil until it is soft. Add potatoes and sauté with onions for a couple of minutes for flavor. Add 2 cups of water and ½ tsp. of salt. Simmer until potatoes are tender, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Add evaporated milk and corn and reheat to just boiling (don’t boil). Sprinkle with pepper and add salt if needed. Mmmmm.

A Holiday Recipe from Anne Allred of 7NEWS Party Potatoes

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: 1 (2lb.) bag frozen hash browns, cubed 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 pint sour cream ½ tsp. pepper ½ stick melted butter 1 chopped onion, medium 2 cups cheddar cheese, grated 2 cups cornflakes, crushed Directions: Mix all ingredients except butter and cornflakes. Pour ingredients into a greased baking dish (9 x 13). Top with cornflakes and melted butter. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes. Serves: 16. Can be frozen.

So in order to access the recipies you have to donate a minimum of $10 to Project Bread.  I found this kind of anoying because we have donated to Project Bread before, but chose not to this year in favor of a few other charities.  Well I wanted the recipies so I donated the $10.  But for others of you out there here are the recipies for easy reference.  By the way, Project Bread is an amazing charity and you should donate if you have the $$$ to spare.

A Holiday Recipe from Joe Amorosino of 7NEWS Holiday Beef Tenderloin Roast

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: beef tenderloin roast 2 cups beef broth shallots pearl onions cherry tomatoes garlic fresh thyme fresh sage olive oil kosher salt black pepper Directions: Rub roast with diced garlic, thyme, sage, kosher salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Pan sear roast in olive oil until crispy brown, rolling it on each side. Remove from the sauté pan and place in roasting pan. Cover. Add diced shallots, pearl onions, cherry tomatoes, thyme, and sage to sauté pan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add two cups of beef broth and simmer for another 5 minutes. Pour all contents from sauté pan over the roast into roasting pan. Bake at 325° for approximately 18 minutes per pound for medium rare, or to desired temperature. When roast is cooked, remove from roasting pan. Cover for 10 minutes before carving. Use the remaining liquid in the roasting pan to create gravy. Separate and remove the top layer of fat. Strain the stock and simmer in a separate pan adding a few pinches of flour to desired consistency…and now you have an incredibly flavorful gravy.

A Holiday Recipe from Pete Bouchard of 7NEWS Raspberry Truffle Fudge

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 (14 oz.) can condensed milk 1½ tsp. vanilla salt to taste ¼ cup heavy cream ¼ cup raspberry liquor seedless jam + 2 more cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 9 x 9 pan Directions: Microwave or heat in a saucepan on medium heat: 3 cups of chocolate chips and condensed milk. Stir until melted. Pour in vanilla and salt. Spread into pan and allow to cool to room temperature. Combine cream, liquor, and 2 cups of chocolate chips. Melt in saucepan over medium heat. Stir until smooth. Cool until lukewarm and pour over 1st layer. Refrigerate for several hours. Cut in pieces and INDULGE!

A Holiday Recipe from Linda Ergas of 7NEWS Potato Pie

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: 1 (9 inch) Unbaked Pie Crust 1lb. Cottage Cheese 2 cups Mashed Potatoes ¼ cup Sour Cream 2 Eggs 1 tsp. salt Dash of Red Pepper ¼ cup Scallions or Onions, Chopped Directions: Mix mashed potatoes and cottage cheese. Add salt, sour cream, red pepper, beaten eggs and mix well. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese or chopped swiss cheese or cream cheese. Bake at 425 for 50 minutes. Serve! Also delicious cold!

A Holiday Recipe from Dan Hausle of 7NEWS Three Meat Loaf

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: 1 lb. ground beef ½ lb. ground pork ½ lb. ground veal ¾ cup day old Italian bread, crumbled (may also substitute dry, plain bread crumbs) ½ cup parsley, chopped 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced (optional) 1 envelope dry onion soup mix 2 eggs at room temperature ¾ cup water ¼ cup ketchup Directions: Pre-heat oven to 350°. Combine ingredients in large bowl. Place in a baking pan (13 x 9). Shape into a loaf. Bake 60 minutes or until done. Let stand. You can make gravy using a store bought envelope and adding drained off fat.

A Holiday Recipe from Deanna Lites of 7NEWS Jam Thumbprint Cookies from foodnetwork.com

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: ¾ lb. (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup sugar 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour ¼ tsp. kosher salt 1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp. of water, for egg wash 7 oz. sweetened coconut, flaked raspberry and/or apricot jam Directions: Pre-heat oven to 350°. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until they are combined and then add the vanilla. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes. Roll the dough into 1¼ -inch balls. (If you have a scale, they should each weigh 1 oz.). Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop ¼ tsp. of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the coconut is a golden brown. Cool and serve.

A Holiday Recipe from Hank Phillippi Ryan of 7NEWS Hank’s Amazingly Delicious Sweet Potatoes

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: 1 large sweet potato per person, plus one more (or two if they’re small) butter, for buttering the pan, and then melted for brushing fine herbs salt and pepper (See, I told you it was simple). Directions: Pre-heat oven to 425°. Wash and peel potatoes. Then, using a very sharp knife or a mandoline, slice each potato into very thin rounds (about 1/16 of an inch), as if you were making double thick potato chips. (If you want to do this in advance, keep the sliced potatoes in cold water so they don’t turn black.) Heavily butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch casserole or baking dish, large enough to hold all the slices. (There’s a special pan called a Pommes Anna pan, which works beautifully, but you don’t need it. A regular round casserole dish is fine. You’ll be serving from the baking dish. Layer a spiral of the potato slices to cover the bottom of the dish, arranging them in concentric circles. (Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect, it doesn’t matter.) When the bottom is covered, brush with the melted butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper and fine herbs. Repeat the layers over and over until all the potatoes are used up. (You’ll get the hang of it. It’s fun.) When the top is finished, cover with a round of buttered aluminum foil (cut to fit the top), press down to compact the layers, and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake for 30 more minutes. The top should be bubbling and crisply browning, with the hot butter seeping through the slices. I’ve overcooked before, and it’s fine. If you undercook, it’s yucky. You’re going for very hot and caramelized potatoes. Serve from the baking dish. These reheat beautifully.

A Holiday Recipe from Lauren Pryzbyl of 7NEWS Best Breakfast Buns

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: 1½ Tbsp. unsalted butter, cold and thinly sliced into 10 pieces 1 banana, thinly sliced ¼ cup pecans, chopped 3 Tbsp. dark brown sugar 1 (7.5 oz.) tube refrigerated buttermilk biscuits Directions: Pre-heat oven to 375°. Drop a piece of butter into the bottom of each of the 10 compartments of a muffin tin. Arrange the banana slices on top. Sprinkle the pecans and brown sugar over the bananas. Top each compartment with a biscuit. Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Place a baking sheet on top of the tin while the buns are still hot. Carefully flip the tin over, tapping the bottom to release the buns. Transfer to a platter. Serve warm and enjoy!

A Holiday Recipe from Frances Rivera of 7NEWS Banana Roll Sundae or “Turon” in Filipino

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: 1 pkg. spring roll wrappers 2 sweet plantains, large ½ cup brown sugar 1 egg beaten (optional) canned jackfruit, slivered (optional this can be found at any Asian grocery store) fresh ground nutmeg to taste ground cinnamon to taste 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced 2 cups your favorite ice cream caramel or fudge sauce sprig of mint Directions: Peel and cut bananas to fit the wrappers. I use rather large bananas so I cut them both lengthwise and crosswise into 4 pieces. Your banana pieces should fit into one wrapper and you can roll it like an egg roll. Spread a little brown sugar onto the wrapper and add the banana. You can also roll the banana piece in the sugar instead of sprinkling some on the wrapper. If you are using jackfruit, add a little with the banana. Sprinkle just a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon to taste. Roll like you would an egg roll. Wet the end flap with a little water or beaten egg to seal. Deep fry at approximately 350° until all sides are golden brown. It generally takes about 5 to 7 minutes per batch. Remove the turon from the oil once they’ve cooked. Then drain on a paper-lined sheet pan. Scoop your favorite ice cream into a bowl. I love vanilla bean. Add Turon rolls, fresh sliced strawberries, then drizzle caramel and/or fudge sauce. Add a touch of holiday color by adding a sprig of mint.

A Holiday Recipe from Janet Wu of 7NEWS Pumpkin Tiramisu

Project Bread thanks you for helping hungry families!

Ingredients: 2 cups whipping cream, chilled ¾ cup sugar 1 (8 oz.) container mascarpone cheese 1 (15 oz.) can pure pumpkin ½ tsp. cinnamon ½ tsp. nutmeg ¼ tsp. cloves 2 (3 oz.) pkgs. ladyfingers, halved 1 Tbsp. rum 2 Tbsp. amaretto 1 Tbsp. milk 2 oz. crushed ginger snap cookies Directions: Place ladyfingers on a baking sheet and warm briefly until slightly crisp on the outside. Let them cool. Beat whipping cream and sugar until peaks form. Add mascarpone cheese, pumpkin, and spices. Continue beating just until filling is smooth. Combine the rum, amaretto, and milk. You can build the tiramisu in a trifle bowl or mold it in a springform pan. Use a 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾ -inch-high sides. Line the bottom with half of the ladyfingers, overlapping and crowding to fit. Sprinkle the ladyfingers with half of the rum mixture. Spread half of the pumpkin filling over the ladyfingers. Repeat the above steps. Make a second layer of ladyfingers. Sprinkle with remaining rum mixture. Smooth the rest of the filling on top. Lightly dust with cinnamon. Wrap tightly in plastic, then foil. Chill overnight. To un-mold, run knife around inside edge of the pan. Release the sides of the pan. Right before serving, sprinkle with crushed ginger snap cookies.