Cuisine Diva

Asian Style Vegetable Wraps

 

Veggie wrap in flour tortilla with ponzu dipping sauce.

On Friday I blogged about rice and bean thread noodles. I used rice noodles as part of the filling for Asian style vegetable wraps I made for my daughter, who has recently become a vegetarian. She was looking through one of my vegetarian cookbooks, The Best Ever Vegetarian Cookbook by Nicola Graimes (Barnes & Noble Books, 1999), where she saw a recipe for a vegetable wrap.

 

Ingredients for Asian style vegetable wraps. The alfalfa sprouts never made it into the wraps, thought we had enough veggies without them. I kept the veggies a bit on the crisp side, but you could cook your veggies a bit more then add sliced water chestnuts for a bit of crispness.

No Chickens Allowed
The recipe was for cilantro omelet packages with oriental vegetables. She liked the idea of mixed vegetables being stir-fried and wrapped up somehow, but she isn't a big fan of eggs. We decided to use flour tortilla's as our wrap, and we even used whole wheat pita pockets for some of the leftovers the next day.

 

Broccoli, carrots and snow peas prepared for veggie wraps.

New and Improved Recipe
I drastically changed the original recipe, and came up with an all new recipe for Asian style vegetable wraps. My daughter and I both thought this recipe was super delicious. She took a bit of the leftovers with her for her school lunch the next day. She placed the vegetable wrap filling, in a small plastic container, and wrapped up a couple of tortilla's in foil. I think she added a small container of mandarin oranges, and a carton of chocolate soy milk for a complete and delicious vegetarian meal.

 

Shredded cabbage.

Easy on the Seasonings
Ponzu sauce is a thin, soy sauce which is flavored with citrus. My daughter doesn't like overly flavored or spicy foods, so I kept the seasonings a bit on the light side. If I were making this just for myself, I would probably increase the amount of hoisin sauce and chili oil a bit, or even add a fresh Thai chili or two. My husband and son would even like this dish, if I added a bit of shrimp or chicken to it.

Ingredients for Asian Style Vegetable Wraps

• *1 bunch softened rice thread noodles
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/8 teaspoon chili oil
• 1 inch piece fresh ginger root - peeled and grated
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 4 green onions - sliced thin
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup grated carrot
• 1 cup pea pods - cut into thirds
• 3 cups Napa cabbage or Chinese cabbage - shredded
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves - chopped
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon Ponzu sauce

Ginger and garlic in the sizzling wok.

*To Soften Rice Thread Noodles

1. Remove one bundle of rice noodles from the package.
2. Place the bundle in a large bowl.
3. Cover the noodles with hot water.
4. Let the rice noodles soak for 10 minutes.
5. Drain off the water.
6. Cut the softened noodles into 2-3 inch long lengths.
7. Continue following the Asian style vegetable wrap recipe.

Variety of vegetables stir frying in the wok.

Directions for Asian Style Vegetable Wraps

The vegetables should still be a bit crispy, and not mushy, after cooking. The cooking times given in this recipe are just guidelines. I have one of those induction top stoves, but a gas stove would be much hotter, thus a shorter cooking time will be necessary.

 

Completed veggie wrap filling, with rice noodles and sauce added.

1. Heat the vegetable oil and chili oil in a wok, or a large frying pan.
2. Stir the ginger into the wok, and cook for 1 minute.
3. Stir the garlic and green onions into the wok, and cook for an additional minute.
4. Add the broccoli and cook for 2-3 minutes.
5. Stir in the carrot and cook for 1-2 minutes.
6. Stir in the snow peas and cook for 1-2 minutes.
7. Stir in the Chinese cabbage and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
8. Stir in the cilantro leaves.
9. In a small bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, water and ponzu sauce.
10. Stir the sauce mixture into the pan full of stir fried vegetables.
11. Cook for another minute or two, until the cabbage has wilted, and all the vegetables are well coated with the sauce.
12. Remove the wok from the heat.
13. Serve immediately. Use rice paper wrappers (i.e. spring roll wrappers), flour tortillas or pita pockets to make vegetable wraps. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.

Flour tortilla, on the left, and whole wheat pita, on the right, used for Asian style vegetable wraps.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Rice and Bean Thread Noodles

 

Rice noodles, on the left, and bean noodles, on the right.

Vegetarian Recipes
My 13 year old daughter decided to become a vegetarian a few months ago. I let her look through my two vegetarian cookbooks to see if there were any recipes she wanted me to make for her. She saw a recipe for sauteed vegetables wrapped in an omelet. She said she would like something similar, but without the omelet.

 

One bundle of rice thread noodles. They are very stiff and need to be soaked in water before adding to recipes.

Vegetable Wraps
I made a shopping list, and we went to the grocery store to purchase the ingredients. I originally thought I'd use rice paper wrappers for the wraps, but I couldn't find them at Albertson's. I'll probably make a trip to Wholefoods in the next day or two, but for now, I decided to use flour tortilla's instead.

Rice & Bean Thread Noodles
I thought the wraps would need something a bit more substantial than just vegetables, so I decided to see if I could find rice thread noodles. I found both rice sticks and bean threads on the ethnic food aisle. The rice sticks, AKA rice noodles, come three bundles to a package and are made from rice, cornstarch and water. The bean threads, AKA bean noodles, come three bundles to a package and are made from mung bean starch, potato starch and water.

 

Soaking rice thread noodles in hot water.

The rice noodles are very thin, like an angel hair pasta, while the bean noodles, are a bit thicker, almost like spaghetti. Both varieties are wheat-free, making them perfect for anyone following a gluten-free diet. The preparation method is the same for both types of noodles.

Soaking Rice and Bean Thread Noodles

1. Remove one bundle of rice or bean noodles from the package.
2. Place the bundle in a large bowl.
3. Cover the noodles with hot water.
4. Let the rice noodles soak for 10 minutes, and the bean noodles soak for 20 minutes.
5. Drain off the water, then use the noodles in your recipe.

Drain softened noodles in colander.

Frying Rice and Bean Thread Noodles

1. Fill a stock pot with vegetable oil, until it is at least 2 inches deep.
2. Heat the oil to 375 degrees.
3. Remove one bundle of rice or bean noodles from the package.
4. Carefully place the noodles into the hot oil.
5. The noodles will immediately expand in the oil.
6. Remove the noodles from the oil and drain on a paper towel lined plate before adding to your recipe.

We wanted a soft noodle, to add to the vegetable wraps, so I used the water soaking method. I soaked the noodles as I was chopping, preparing all the vegetables for the wraps. Rice and bean thread noodles don't really taste like anything. They absorb the flavors of whatever recipe they are being added to. I used a citrus flavored soy sauce, AKA ponzu, and hoisin sauce to flavor the veggie wraps.

 

Veggie wrap filling on flour tortilla.

On Monday I will post up the recipe and lots of photographs of the vegetable wraps being made.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Food & Culinary Equipment from Mex Grocer

Right now I'm on a Tex-Mex cooking kick. I have a copy of Daniel Hoyer's book Culinary Mexico; Authentic Recipes and Traditions (Gibbs Smith, 2005). When I first read through this book, for a review I wrote on Suite101, I was a bit mystified regarding some of the ingredients used. I did a search on chile peppers, and found a link to the Mex Grocer website.

I decided I wanted to try some of the recipes in the Culinary Mexico cookbook, so I placed an order with Mex Grocer.

Here's what I ordered:

Achiote paste - when using achiote seeds in recipes, many of them have you soak the seeds in vinegar or water, then grinding the softened seeds into a paste. I want to see if the achiote paste is as good as the from scratch method.

Achiote seeds - I've actually used achiote seeds in the past. Used for flavoring and coloring in many recipes. In case I don't like the pre-made achiote paste, I decided to also order some achiote seeds so I can make my own paste. I've also heated achiote seeds in a bit of vegetable oil to make a smokey, brick red cooking oil. The seeds are strained out and discarded, leaving a wonderful flavored oil which can then be used to stir fry meats and vegetables.

Hominy - corn kernels that have the outer hull removed. Not something I want to try making myself, as the kernels have to be soaked in either lime-water (calcium hydroxide) or lye-water (sodium hydroxide). I have 2 cans on order. I saw Guy Fieri, on Diners Drive-in and Dives, reviewing a restaurant featuring pozole. Pozole is a type of Mexican soup, which contains pork meat, chiles, onion, garlic, lots of spices and hominy AKA pozole.

Green chili sauce - I might try making my own sometime, but since I'm testing so many other Mexican recipes, I thought I'd buy a can of pre-made sauce.

Tomato/chicken bouillon - seems like an interesting ingredient. I might use it when making pozole.

 

Piloncillo - small, hard blocks of palm sugar. AKA panela or panocha. Used to flavor hot chocolate, coffee and desserts. Like a smokey version of brown sugar. The blocks must either be grated, or dissolved in water before using.

Dulce de leche - caramel sauce. You could make your own caramel sauce from evaporated milk, but I wanted to try the pre-made variety first. No reason to buy this other than it looks delicious. Just give me a spoon, and a bit of vanilla ice cream, and I'll be good to go!

100% pure Mexican vanilla extract - I use a ton of vanilla while baking.

Mexican sweet chocolate - 6 tablets. I'll use this to make mole sauce, if I'm brave enough to attempt that recipe. Or I can mix it with a bit of the piloncillo and milk to make Mexican hot chocolate. I also might try making champurrado sometime. Champurrado is Mexican hot chocolate thickened with masa and flavored with piloncillo and anise seeds.

Peppers in adobo sauce - for mole and lots of other recipes.

Queso cotija - described as either a bit like Parmesan cheese or feta cheese. A hard cheese, which is very salty and made from cow's milk.

Creamed corn - I want to make Mexican cornbread, you know, that creamy variety that gets baked in a pan, unlike firmer corn muffins. I could buy creamed corn at the grocery store, but I'm trying to use mostly authentic Mexican ingredients while on my Mexican cuisine binge.

Can of whole tomatillos - they look a bit like miniature, green tomatoes. I used to grow tomatillos in my garden, but I haven't had a garden in a couple of years. Not sure what I'll use them for, maybe a green chile sauce, or as part of a tamale stuffing. Hmmm, didn't I buy green chili sauce so I didn't have to make my own - whatever!

Wood spatula - like I need another kitchen utensil. This looks like a small paddle, pretty cool looking. I'm a sucker for interesting looking kitchen gear.

Molinillo - hollow wooden stirrer. For making authentic Mexican hot chocolate. Sort of like a whisk, used to make hot chocolate frothy. You place the molinillo at the bottom of the container that is being used to make the hot chocolate, then you rotate the molinillo between the palms of your hands until the hot chocolate turns frothy/foamy.

Chili - I've ordered both ground California molido chili and whole, dried chile negro. Lots of recipes, including mole and pozole, call for chile.

Tortilla press - cast iron press for making homemade tortillas.

Tortilla warmer - yes, one of those cheesy looking tortilla holders you get in restaurants anytime you order fajitas. But if I'm going to go to the trouble of making tortillas from scratch, I might as well get a warmer.

Tamale Lover's Kit - I freaking love tamales. If I'm going to be testing authentic Mexican recipes, then HELL yes, I'm going whole hog and learning how to make my own tamales. I also saw a Diner's Drive-ins and Dives episode where the featured diner made their own tamales. Not as complicated as I thought, time consuming yes, but not difficult. The tamale kit contains: corn husks, masa mix, tamale masa spreader and a 12 quart aluminum tamale steamer. BRING IT!   

Molcajete y Tejolote
I didn't buy a molcajete y tejolote - a traditional Mexican mortar and pestle. I have TONS of mortar and pestle sets, another hobby/passion of mine. A couple of years ago I purchased a large Thai granite mortar/pestle set, which is very similar to the Mexican variety. The Thai version is polished rather smooth on the inside, compared to the rougher surface of the molcajete. Used to grind chile peppers, herbs, spices and to make salsas and guacamole.

That's a molacajete y tejolote which is pictured on the cover of the Culinary Mexico cookbook, which is shown at the beginning of this blog post.

Comal
Comal are cast iron skillets, either round or oblong in shape, which are used to cook tortilla. My order was already getting pretty large, I thought the shipping charges on a cast iron skillet would be a bit high, so I didn't order a comal. I can use a large frying pan to make my tortilla, but I know I'm going to want to purchase a comal someday. Comal's can also go right in the oven since they are cast iron. If you've ever ordered fajitas, you've probably seem a comal, that hot, heavy, sizzling pan that is brought straight to your table.

What is your favorite Mexican/Latin American cooking utensil, ingredient or recipe? I'd love to hear about it.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Half Hour Meals

I recently listed all my diva blogs on the Blog Catalog site. I received a message from one of the owners of Blog Catalog letting me know about their new site called Half Hour Meals.

According to their website: "HalfHourMeals.com is designed for people who love to cook but do not have time to slave over a hot stove for hours. We understand that people have busy lives, but we believe that everyone deserves to enjoy a great meal at the end of the day. Do not let your hectic schedule prevent you from giving your family the very best. Search our collection of quick, simple, and delicious recipes today, and serve an extraordinary meal tonight!"

Visit Half Hour Meals
Recipes can be searched by course, type of cuisine, ingredients and more. Half Hour Meals also contains a listing of food related blogs, including this blog, Cuisine Diva. Visit the Half Hour Meals website when you get a chance, and find recipes and ideas for quick and easy meals.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Turkey Taco Salad with Blue Corn Chips

 

Turkey taco salad with blue corn chips

I have a problem with high cholesterol, despite all the exercising I do. A few years ago, I decided to stop eating red meat. While I do cave-in and have a beef burger a few times a year, I no longer purchase red meat products for the house. My daughter has recently turned vegetarian, so she doesn't miss not having red meat at the house. But my husband and son are true carnivores, so I had to figure out a way to keep the cavemen happy.

 

Ground white meat turkey

Ground Turkey VS Ground Beef
I discovered that ground white meat turkey can be used in a variety of dishes that I used to use ground beef in. And most people don't notice the difference until I tell them they are eating ground turkey. I've made lasagna, hamburgers, meatballs, meatloaf and more using ground turkey in place of ground beef.

I occasionally use ground dark meat turkey, which is moister than ground white meat turkey, due to its higher fat content. But that's kind of defeating the whole lower-fat eating program I'm trying to follow, so I try to stick to using white meat turkey.

 

Store bought taco seasoning mix

Spiced Taco Meat
I started making my own taco seasoning mix a few years ago. Prepackaged taco seasoning can be found in the ethnic food section of most grocery stores. Commercially made taco seasonings contain a bit too much salt for my taste, so making your own taco spice blend lets you reduce, or completely eliminate the salt.

 

Ingredients for homemade taco seasoning mixture

Here's a quick recipe for creating spiced, ground turkey meat, that can be used in tacos, enchiladas, taco salads and other Tex-Mex style dishes. Use ground chile pepper, such as ancho or chipolte, not chili powder spice mix in this recipe. Chili powder spice mix is usually a mixture of ground chile, garlic powder, cumin, salt and oregano.Ground chili pepper is 100% ground chili pepper.

Taco Spice Seasoning Mix

• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 1/4 to 1 teaspoon salt, if desired
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground chile pepper
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, or Mexican oregano

Cook meat until no longer pink in center

Using Taco Spice Mix

1. Add 1 pound of ground meat to a large frying pan, placed over medium heat.
2. Cook the meat until no longer pink in the center.
3. Sprinkle 1 recipe of taco spice mix over the cooked meat.
4. Pour in 2/3 cup water and still until well blended.
5. Cook over medium high heat, until most of the water has been evaporated.
6. Use the spiced taco meat as desired.

Taco spice mix added to cooked ground meat

Turkey Taco Salad with Blue Corn Chips

1. Add 1 cup shredded lettuce to the bottom of a medium bowl.
2. Add 1/2 cup of turkey taco meat on top of the lettuce.
3. Sprinkle with 1-2 tablespoons grated cheese, such as cheddar or Monterey Jack.
4. Add additional toppings as desired, such as sliced black olives, diced onion, chopped tomato, sour cream or hot sauce.
5. Serve with your favorite type of corn chip. I have a preference for blue corn chips.

Seasoned turkey taco meat, ready to eat

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Instant Homemade Pizza

I like making pizza at home. It's less expensive then ordering pizza from a restaurant, and you can control the ingredients used to make the pizza. You can either make a large pizza for the entire family, or let everyone make their own individual pizza. My husband and son are meat eaters, my daughter is a vegetarian and I like interesting topping selections, so it works out better to let everyone at our house make their own, personal size pizza.

 

Perforated pizza pan, helps make a crispy crust. Available at kitchen supply stores and the kitchen department of larger department stores.

 

Individual Boboli pizza crust, spread with olive oil and minced garlic. The olive oil helps create a crispier crust.

Pizza Crust Options

1. Visit your local pizza restaurant and buy pre-made pizza dough from them. I cover a large cutting board with corn meal, and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough before placing it on a pizza pan.
2. Pillsbury pizza dough. Available in the refrigerated section of grocery stores, along with biscuit and cookie dough. This pizza dough unrolls into a rectangular shape. Spread the dough out onto a medium to large rectangular cookie/baking sheet.
3. I can sometimes find fresh, pre-made pizza dough at my local grocery store. Check the bakery department of grocery stores to see if they have pizza dough available.
4. Pre-made pizza crusts such as Boboli. I like Boboli individual pizza crusts, which are available in a package of two, at most grocery stores.

Add your favorite toppings, such as sun-dried tomato paste, sliced green onions and black olives. 

 

Add mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs such as thyme and oregano. I always have fresh herbs growing in my garden, so I can simply run out to the garden and snip a few herbs to add to all my culinary creations.

 

Bake the pizza according to the pizza crust directions. If you are using pizza dough from a local restaurant, ask them for their cooking recommendations. I use a pizza cutter to make quick work of cutting through the pizza.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Quick and Easy Cajun Shrimp

 

Spicy creole-style shrimp

My husband cooked up some shrimp the other day to add to some pasta he was making. He didn't use all the shrimp he cooked, so I came up with this quick and easy recipe to use up the leftovers. I'm calling my concoction quick and easy Cajun shrimp.

 

Leftover shrimp waiting to be made into Cajun shrimp

A less spicy version of the Cajun shrimp can be made by reducing, or even eliminating the red pepper flakes. Serve this easy to prepare shrimp dish with a bit of leftover rice, or reheated baked potato. This seafood recipe could be doubled, or even quadrupled, to serve as a main course.

 

Shrimp, mixed with spices, reheating in pan

Cajun Shrimp Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked shrimp - chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
• 1-2 teaspoons chopped chives

Tomato sauce added to shrimp

Cajun Shrimp Directions

1. Mix together the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, paprika and red pepper flakes.
2. Toss the leftover shrimp with the spice mixture.
3. Add the olive oil to a frying pan placed over medium heat.
4. Stir in the garlic, and cook until fragrant, approximately 1 minute.
5. Stir in the spice coated shrimp and cook a few minutes, until heated through.
6. Stir in the tomato sauce and cook for 1 more minute.
7. Remove the pan from the stove, and pour the shrimp into a bowl.
8. Right before serving, sprinkle the shrimp with the chives

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Coq au Vin; Chicken in Wine Sauce

Bouquet Garni Chicken in Wine Sauce

Crock Pot cooking was extremely popular back in the late 1970's and early 1980's. In the past few years there has been a resurgence in preparing meals with crock pots, as people discover they can often start their meal before going in to work and let it slowly cook all day. There is nothing like coming home, opening the front door and being greeted by the aroma of a hearty meal. For a complete meal all that needs to be done is to throw together a quick salad or steam some fresh vegetables to serve along side the crock pot creation.

This dish is sometimes called Coq au Vin, which is French for chicken with wine. This recipe makes a hearty chicken stew which tastes great served on top of a bed of rice, pasta or potatoes. The pearl onions used in this recipe should be no larger than the size of a large grape. If you are having problems finding pearl onions in the produce section of your grocery store, you may substitute a 9 ounce package of frozen pearl onions in cream sauce. If you are using the frozen onions, be sure to thaw them out before adding them to the crock pot.

Ingredients for the Crock Pot Chicken
1 pound chicken breasts
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces ham steak - diced
30 pearl onions - peeled and left whole
1 cup carrots - peeled and sliced
1 cup celery - chopped
1 bouquet garni bundle (see instructions below)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup red wine
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons corn starch

Directions for the Crock Pot Chicken

1. Remove the tendons and any fat from the chicken breasts.

2. Cut the chicken into 2" cubes and dredge each piece in the flour.

3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the flour coated chicken pieces.

4. Cook the chicken until just cooked through and no longer pink.

5. Remove the chicken from the heat and add to the crock pot.

6. Add the ham, onions, carrots, celery, bouquet garni, chicken broth and red wine to the crock pot.

7. Stir all ingredients until blended and place the lid on top of the crock pot.

8. Cook on the lowest setting for 6 hours or on the medium setting for 4 hours.

9. Remove the bouquet garni and discard.

10. In a small bowl make a paste of the water and corn starch.

11. Add the paste to the crock pot, mix well and replace the lid.

12. Cook for an additional 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Bouquet Garni
Bouquet garni, which means bundle of herbs, is a mixture of bay, parsley, tarragon and thyme. Fresh herbs are usually utilized when making a bouquet garni but dried will work fine if that is all you have access to. Bunches of these fresh herbs are placed together and tied into a small bundle with string or twine. The bundles are placed into the cooking liquid of your recipe where they release their aromatic and fragrant qualities to your meal. The herb bundle is removed and discarded prior to serving. Bouquet garni is a traditional flavoring to add to soups, stews and sauces.

If using fresh herbs:
1 bay leaf
2 stems parsley
1 stem tarragon
3 stems thyme

If using dried herbs:
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon parsley
2 teaspoons tarragon
1 tablespoon thyme

Tie up the dried herbs in a double layer of cheese cloth so they may be easily removed and discarded from your dish prior to serving.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Healthy Snack Foods

I try to have a variety of healthy snacks in the house at all times. After I get back from my cycling workouts, I'm usually starving. I don't always have the energy to cook a meal from scratch, so instead of eating a bunch of junk food, I grab one of these healthy snacks.

The snack will keep me satisfied, then I can take my shower and relax for a few minutes before having a real meal. The snacks are also nice to have on hand for between meal nibbling. 

Healthy Snack Ideas

• Apple slices with cheese slices. I really like sharp cheddar cheese with apples.
• Celery stuffed with peanut butter.
• Vanilla yogurt served with fresh fruit such as blueberries, raspberries or sliced strawberries.
• Dried fruit and nut mix. Make a mixture of your favorites including apricots, raisins, cranberries, cherries, pecans, walnuts and sunflower seeds.
• Hummus with whole wheat crackers.
• Guacamole with baked corn chips.
• Raw vegetables with low fat ranch dressing.
• Low fat cottage cheese with your favorite fruit such as mandarin orange slices, sliced strawberries or blueberries.
• One of my favorite snacks, which I sometimes have for breakfast, is a bit of granola mixed into a carton of soy yogurt. I'm lactose intolerant, so I have to stay away from dairy products. My daughter recently decided to become a vegetarian, so we usually pick up a 6-pack of fruit flavored soy yogurt whenever we go grocery shopping.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Lots of Muffin and Biscuit Recipes

 

ABOVE: tray of rolled biscuits waiting to go in oven

I love a good muffin, or freshly baked biscuit, with all my meals. My waistline could do without so many bakery products, but a homemade muffin is a weakness of mine.

Here are links to some of my muffin and biscuit recipes on the Suite101 website.

Zucchini Nut Muffins

 

ABOVE: zucchini nut muffins

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

 

ABOVE: pumpkin spice muffins

Savory Corn Muffins

Lemon Poppy Seed Teacakes

Banana Bread & Banana Bread French Toast

Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping

Quick Bread Recipes. Includes recipes for chili cheese cornbread, garlic bread and Parmesan chive biscuits.

Recipe for Four Varieties of Rolled Biscuits. One basic biscuit recipe can be turned into plain biscuits, poppy seed biscuits, sesame seed biscuits or cinnamon sugar biscuits.

 

ABOVE: sesame, poppy and cinnamon rolled biscuits

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva