You've Got To Taste This

I've just returned from a 10-day mission trip to Cochetal, Costa Rica, a small village in the northern part of the country near the Nicaraguan border.  One of the best parts of the trip for me was that our meals were prepared each day by four women from the community, so it was a great opportunity to "eat local".

Every meal we ate was accompanied by slices or chunks of the sweetest pineapple I've ever put in my mouth. This was not a surprise as we passed fields of pineapple on our way to the village every day. Mangoes, too, were part of our daily intake as there were three to four mango trees in every yard, all with branches heavy-laden with ripe fruit.  Groves of orange trees covered the landscape, as did lime trees, so there was often a hint of citrus in the air.

We could also count on there being rice at every meal, and I was surprised to learn that a variety of dry-land rice is grown in this part of Costa Rica.  We had black beans and rice for breakfast, and, on several occasions, variations of chicken and rice (arroz con pollo) for lunch and dinner. I refrained from licking my plate at the end of every meal out of sheer politeness.

One of my favorite meals was the one we had on the very first day: arroz con pollo topped with a spicy black bean sauce, a vinegary coleslaw, thick wedges of fried flour tortillas, and pineapple slices. These two recipes for arroz con pollo and black bean sauce come pretty close to the ones we enjoyed so much last week. "Muchas Gracias" hardly seemed adequate thanks for the amazing food we savored every day of our stay in Cochetal.

Between the long list of things pregnant women aren't supposed to eat and the aversions (I had a temporary one to ground beef), it can be hard to find healthy snacks that both you and the baby like.  However, one day I was at our local grocery store stocking up for the week, and saw a sample of Van Kaas Gouda cheese.  After verifying that it was neither a) soft nor b) unpasteurized (the two cardinal sins of pregnancy cheese consumption), I popped a cube and thought it was the best thing I'd ever put in my mouth.  When you're pregnant, if it tastes good, it tastes REALLY good! 

Since we were already pretty well stocked in the cheese department, I decided to pass it by...but a few days later I found myself drawn by the Call of the Gouda.  Unable to think of anything else, literally, I dropped by the store to pick up some cheese and Rosemary & Olive Oil Triscuits.  (The baby drove the car by itself, I swear!)

When I got home, the combination was everything I'd hoped it would be.  My husband and our dinner guests agreed, so it wasn't just the hormones talking.  I love how the Gouda complements the flavored Triscuits.    Not only is the pairing delicious, but it's a great way to get in some calcium and whole grains.  I've enjoyed taking a serving to work to nibble on, but next time I enjoy this as an appetizer, I think I'll pair it with a nice glass of the mysterious non-alcholic wine rumored to be at Whole Foods, or an ice-cold Buckler's.

During the summer when the temperature is high and the humidity even higher, I crave wines that are sparkling, light, and refreshing. One of my new favorites is Riondo Veneto Prosecco, an Italian sparkling white wine. It has just a slight hint of citrus, and , I think, a little bit of melon flavor.

It’s perfect on its own as a pre-dinner drink, or as an accompaniment for light appetizers. Because it’s fruity, it can hold its own with flavorful ingredients—I particularly enjoyed it with small slices of pizza and again with tomato-and-olive-topped bruschetta.

I’ll also admit that one of the other things I love about this wine is the price—it’s about $12 a bottle. This is quite a benefit since I find myself buying several bottles at a time on a fairly regular basis. They keep it chilled at the market down the street from my house, so I can pop the cork right when I get home and take a sip of cool, sparkling refreshment.  It makes the humidity seem not quite so brutal. Salute!

The supermarket attendant demanded to see my license while I was purchasing my latest addiction…wine sorbet. Yes, adults, it’s time to rejoice because there’s a new frozen treat on the market that’s made just for you. Entrepreneurial duo, Bret Birnbaum and David Zablocki, birthed Wine Cellar Sorbet in 2005, causing a buzz among wine connoisseurs and dessert junkies alike.

When first tasting the Riesling sorbet, I pondered completing the five steps of wine tasting: see, swirl, sniff, sip, and savor. Impatience overtook as I dug my spoon in the pint and savored my first bite of pure heaven. An explosion of flavors overtook my mouth, and the refreshing coolness was blissful on a hot summer’s day.

Riesling is my sorbet of choice, but five other flavors are available: Champagne, Sangria Rojo, Pinot Noir, Rose, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Luscious and guilt-free, all sorbets are fat-free, low in sugar, and no more than 5% alcohol. The Web site boasts a unique collection of recipes featuring the various sorbet flavors. So, grab a pint at your local grocer and get creative.

Normally I’m not too crazy about casseroles made with “cream of something soup”, but when I needed to figure out how to make a lot of casseroles in the most efficient manner possible, I begin to see cream of mushroom soup in a whole new light. 

My women’s mission group just sponsored a Freezer Fair where we sold frozen casseroles to raise money for a local women’s shelter. We took pre-orders for four different types of casseroles, and then gathered on Saturday morning to cook, assemble, label, and freeze over 200 orders for pick-up the next day.

I was in charge of Chicken Tetrazzini and since there was no time to make a creamy white sauce, we opened up a case of canned cream of mushroom soup and got to work. In about 3 hours, two of us had made 60 casseroles!  We did pre-cook the pasta and buy packages of chopped cooked chicken, which helped speed up the process.   

If you’re looking for a fun way to raise a lot of money, there seems to be a big demand for pre-cooked casseroles.  Or, if you’re just looking for a quick meal for your family, this one is sure to please. 

Recipe for Easy Chicken Tetrazzini

Combine 3 cups chopped cooked chicken, 12 ounces spaghetti, cooked (about 6 cups), 1(8-ounce) can mushrooms, drained, 1 stick of melted butter, 2 cans cream of mushroom soup, 2 cups sour cream, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.  Stir well, and spoon into a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish or 2 (8-inch) casserole dishes.  Sprinkle with 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: 10-12 servings.

To freeze, assemble as directed and cover with foil. Bake frozen casserole, covered, at 350 degrees for 1 hour, then bake uncovered an additional 30 minutes or until bubbly.

One of the easiest meals to make when I'm in a hurry and want something fast and flavorful is Mediterranean Chicken Couscous.

This recipe was developed by my cousin, Rami, and appeared in the Healthy Living section of Southern Living, July 2006. Rami initially created the dish as an affordable way to feed a large group of friends (doubling the recipe yields 16 cups) using some of her favorite ingredients like feta, basil, and tomatoes. She kept with the Mediterranean theme adding couscous, and then chopped cooked chicken to make it a main-dish meal. The result was a tasty one-dish dinner that takes only a few minutes to throw together.

Once I tried the recipe--I was hooked! What I love the most is that it holds well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Plus, it taste just as good cold as it does hot. You've got to give this recipe a try and let me know if you agree.

Step 1.  Open jar of Bellino Bruschetta Tomato Topping.

Step 2. Open bag of bagel crisps.

Step 3.  Spoon bruschetta onto crisps.

Step 4.  Hide bag and jar, and adopt Italian accent and regale guests with stories of your nonna's "secret ingredients".

Some people are able to pull of the perfect after-work party, breezing in from the office, twisting their hair up into an effortless updo, and pulling out their homemade dumplings from the fridge with one hand while mixing a classic martini in the other.  I am not one of those people.

Therefore, I resort to lying.  I don't tell people that my appetizers are homemade, I just don't acknowledge that the last produce market these tomatoes saw was in my local Publix.  In poker, it's called bluffing.  I prefer to think of it as preserving what southern grace my mother managed to instill in me.

If you're the kind of person who relishes last-minute gatherings, but would rather avoid the preparation fuss, stock up on this easy bruschetta topping, usually found in the canned veggies or tomato sauce section, and a few bags of bagel chips.  Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese and nuke for a few seconds for a party-ready appetizer that's ready in less than a minute.  The topping is packed with chunks of tomatoes, bright herbs, and a hint of olive oil. Plus, the jar has just enough topping to cover all the crisps in one bag of bagel chips, which I prefer to think of as God's blessing on my less-than-homemade appetizer display. 

Call your friends and tell them the party's at your place tonight, and let them bring the wine. Mangia tutto!

Some girls collect shoes…I collect aprons. Yes I said it, my name is Kimberly, and I’m addicted to aprons. I love this simple apparel’s diversity: short, long, spill proof, cotton, polka-dotted or monogrammed. Some aprons even have neat features- built-in towels to quickly wipe up spills or pockets that enable quick access to spatulas or measuring spoons. 
As a true apron connoisseur, I recommend checking out aprons from Funktion, a husband and wife team that designs bright-colored, funky-patterned aprons. From frills and flowers to sweet blue hues, this quirky site has it all. Every time I slip my bright, frilly Abigale apron on, it puts a bit of pep in my step and spices up my evenings in the kitchen.

But I love this non-alcoholic beer from Heineken. While rifling through a friend's cooler during a cookout, I came across a Buckler and decided to give it a try.

It was sweet with nice carbonation--tasted like most light beers.  I'm certainly not saying it rivals a Sweetwater Stout but as a non-alcoholic beer virgin, I expected flat, sour water and was given an unexpected surprise.

My vote: Give it a try--pregnant or not.

Jennifer

Fat Mama's Knock You Naked Margarita Mix is the best thing to come out of Mississippi since mud pies.  The name alone is worth an order, but the drink itself is sweet with just a hint of a kick.  I think there was more flavor, but I don't remember the rest of the tasting.  I do remember keeping my clothes to myself, which seems to be quite an accomplishment around this concoction.

Knock You Naked Mix is the brainchild of Fat Mama's Restaurant in Natchez, Mississippi, and is (thankfully!) available all around the country through The Mississippi Gift Company, which also sells fun products like Trailer Trash Snack Mix and baskets shaped like (you guessed it) Mississippi.

Available on Amazon and from the company's website, this drink has simple instructions: How to Knock Someone Naked: Pour mix into blender, add spirits and ice, blend on high and enjoy. 

If you're looking for other margarita recipes, check out a few of our favorites.