A Trio of: Party Snacks. Brigadeiro (Brazilian Chocolate Caramels)

 ...A rather delightful, but ill-defined confection. Is it a caramel? Is it chocolate? Is it a truffle? Don't trifle yourself with these questions! Just make and enjoy. My camera does not do these little candies justice, they look like little jewels when the light hits them.

I'm also classifying this as an ingredient elimination recipe, with the feature ingredient, sweetened condensed milk. I had a small amount of condensed milk from my sweet potato pecan pie and was looking for something to do with it. I stumbled upon Brigadeiro, first on the blog Las Vegas Food Adventures, but I found the recipe duplicated verbatim many other places, so I don't know who gets credit for it! The original doesn't call for the cocoa to be sifted, nor does it include the salt or liquor. I was so happy with the outcome, that I made a full size batch, then another, and other for a Christmas party I was hosting.

Brigadeiro (makes about 20 candies)

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 3 Tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1/2 shot liquor of choice (I used peppermint schnapps, vanilla rum, and Irish cream in different batches)
• pinch salt 
• butter
• red or green sugar, or chocolate sprinkles, for coating 
• mini-candy cups 

1. Combine the condensed milk, cocoa powder, butter, liquor and salt in a heavy bottom saucepan using medium low heat. Initially, stir constantly and vigorously, incorporating the ingredients well.
2. Continue stirring frequently, for about 12 mins, making sure the chocolate doesn't stick or burn. At about the 12 min point, the chocolate should begin to thicken. 
3. Remove from heat, cool (I just put mine out on the porch, it was a cold day). Once cool and easily molded, it's ready to be formed into candies. 
4. Assemble several baking cups. Thoroughly butter your hands to prevent the candy from sticking. Roll into small balls (about 1/2 inch) and roll in the sugar, and place into cups. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. 


Kitchen Notes: Getting these to the right consistency can be tricky. If after you've cooled the chocolate it still cannot form into balls, heat the mixture on the stove for a few more mins until you get the desired consistency. You'll want to use a good quality cocoa powder as there's not much else in this recipe.

Verdict? A very easy, very delightful treat, with a lot of versatility. They have a rich chocolatey flavor and mild caramel flavor. They are smooth but chewy. These little candies are so beautifully festive looking, enjoy!

Ingredient Elimination: Veggie Cream Cheese

Note: I've cooked a lot of recipes in the past few weeks, and due to a family emergency, I've been unable to post. I'm going to try to catch up over the next week.

This could also be called "Crisper Drawer Cream Cheese" since I basically assessed the contents of my crisper and added the stray bits to this cream cheese. The ingredient to be eliminated in this edition of Ingredient Elimination is soy cream cheese. I'd used 4 oz of soy cream cheese to make creamy tomatillo sauce for vegan fried green tomatoes. I prefer soy cream cheese in dips--its flavor is neutral and it creates a better consistency than conventional cream cheese--but used for its intended purpose, it has a strong soy flavor, a strong tofu flavor, which doesn't work so well with a bagel. Not wanting it to go to waste, and not wanting the stray veggies in the drawer to go to waste, I whipped this up. If I had intended to make this, selecting the ingredients from the market, the veggies would be a lot different. There'd probably be a bit of roasted pepper, perhaps a touch of tomato, and maybe some capers or chives.

Crisper Drawer Veggie Cream Cheese (makes ~6 oz)

• 4 oz soy cream cheese
• 1/2 carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 green onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 large zucchini, coarsely chopped
• freshly ground pepper

1. Pulse all above ingredients in a food processor. Don't puree, but mix until the veggies are in fine bits. Allow cream cheese to sit in fridge before serving. Add additional black pepper when serving.

Kitchen Note: Don't omit the pepper. It really enhances the flavor of the veggies.

Verdict? As mentioned above, these aren't my #1 choices for a veggie combo for making cream cheese (it's a bit muted), but it definitely succeeded with regard to: 1) taking the "soy" edge from the soy cream cheese; 2) using up some of the veggies in the fridge. I found this much fresher tasting than conventional veggie cream cheeses, and it's a quick-and-dirty way to increase veggie intake and decreasing the fat content without resorting to (gasp!) low fat cream cheese.

Ingredient Elimination & A Trio of: Savory Pecans

To close out my trio of roasted nuts, I break both my pattern of baking with almonds seasoned like hot beverages (see my previous posts for Chai Almonds and Hot Cocoa Almonds) and switch to pecans with a savory slant. In addition, I used my last egg white. Hurrah!

                                                        Packed up for a dinner party!

This recipe is modified from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics. I tried the original recipe and was greeted with failure, the nuts burned, and had little flavor. With modifications it's a great bar snack. Enjoy!

Savory Pecans (makes 2 C)

• 2 C raw pecans
• 1 egg white
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (I use a vegetarian version--see kitchen note below)
• 2-3 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp chili powder

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, garlic powder, and chili powder until it forms a paste.
2. In a separate bowl, lightly froth the egg white with a fork. Mix together with the Worcestershire sauce paste until combined.
3. Pour the mixture over the pecans and stir until the nuts are well coated.
4. Place the nuts on a lightly greased baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes, stir. Bake for another 5-10 minutes. Do not allow the coating to burn.

Kitchen Notes: The original recipe calls for mixed nuts, but from experience the pecans especially shine in this recipe, so I prefer to use them exclusively. The original recipe also calls for a greater amount of Worcestershire sauce and a lesser amount of Old Bay. The veggie Worcestershire sauce I use is Wizard's brand, and I've always been happy with it. I've included a photo below.

Verdict? I love the flavor of Old Bay, so I'm partial to these. As you can gather from the ingredient list, these are very salty but have a great flavor, and probably are no worse for you then commercially available salted nuts. Give them a try, and add seasonings that you adore.

 

Ingredient Elimination & A Trio of: Chai Almonds

Here's my second installment in my trio of roasted nuts and my second attempt at getting rid of egg whites. I wanted to make a sugared almond with a little something extra. For this, I took a basic sugared almond recipe and added the seasoning from a Chai tea recipe from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant. I was pleased with the result. Just a reminder, the first installment was hot cocoa almonds.

                                                 They smelled as awesome as you'd imagine!

Chai Almonds (Makes 2 C)

• 2 C raw almonds
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 10 ground cardamom pods
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds
• pinch salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Combine the sugar with all the spices in a small bowl.
2. Lightly froth the egg white. Pour over the almonds and combine until well mixed.
3. Add the sugar mix to the almonds, combine until well-coated.
4. On a lightly greased cookie sheet, spread the almonds into a single layer.
5. Pop in the oven for 10 minutes, then stir. Pop in the oven for another 10 minutes, insuring it doesn't burn. Let cool before serving.

 Verdict? Very yummy twist on sugared almonds. I found that the spices were a bit more subtle than I'd like, so next time I'll bump up the ratio a bit. They are a bit addictive, so watch out!

Ingredient Elimination & A Trio of: Hot Cocoa Almonds

I've been making sugared almonds for a long time. I can't remember where I initially found a recipe, nor do I ever make them exactly the same way each time, but they are a go-to for me when I need to use up some egg whites.

So,  since I had 3 egg whites from my Grown-Up Dirt Pudding, I decided to make a trio of roasted nuts, starting with Hot Cocoa Almonds, followed by Chai Spiced Almonds, and ending with Savory Pecans. I realized shortly after I planned out these recipes that the 1st two relate to hot beverages, and was disappointed with myself that I didn't transform the pecans into something coffee related, or given the emerging season, hot cider related. Oh well, next time.

Hot Cocoa Almonds (makes 2 C)

• 2 C raw almonds
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1 Tbsp pure cocoa powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• pinch salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the almonds in a medium mixing bowl. 
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg white and the vanilla extract.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Pour the egg mixture over the almonds and mix until well coated.
5. Add the sugar mixture to the almonds and mix until well coated.
6. Lightly spray a baking sheet with oil. Spread the almonds into a single layer on the baking pan.
7. Bake for 10 minutes. Stir, and bake for up to another 5 minutes, watching closely for the last few minutes--these burn easily.

                                      Almonds, sugar mix, and egg whites, ready to go

Kitchen Note: This recipe will only be as good as the cocoa used. I used Dean & Deluca, with good result.


Verdict? I was disappointed with the first bite, but the finish has a strong cocoa flavor that builds as you eat more and more almonds. I was very hesitant to use much cocoa for fear it would burn, but next time I will increase to 1.5 Tbsp. I'm definitely making this again, I'd like to make a spicy version with cayenne, as well as a version with toasted coconut. Yum.
 

Ingredient Elimination: Curried Buttermilk Dressing for Tomatoes

Our current contender for Ingredient Elimination is buttermilk. I had plenty of buttermilk from the quart I purchased to make corn bread, but little inspiration with what to do with it. The label admonishes, "tastes best if used in 3 days".  With the clock ticking, I again consulted Moosewood New Classics for a solution to the abundance of buttermilk (it really wasn't as dramatic as I write it to be).

                                  The contender, weighing in at 32 liquid oz

Since I had a container of fresh cherry tomatoes in the fridge, this dressing, intended for tomatoes, seemed like a good fit.

Curried Buttermilk Dressing (makes 1 C)

• 1/2 C buttermilk
• 1/4 C plain yogurt (I used Greek)
• 1 Tbs vegetable oil
• 1 Tbs cider vinegar
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• salt
• pepper

1. Combine all ingredients except salt and pepper in a blender. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
2. Drizzle over tomato wedges or as a dip for cherry tomatoes.  

 The camera doesn't capture it, but the turmeric gives the dressing a lovely color


Kitchen Notes: The original recipe calls for yogurt or mayo. Since I had yogurt, and I am not partial to mayo, the yogurt won. I'd imagine that mayo may make the flavor a bit milder. If you're using as a dip, some of the buttermilk may need to be replaced with sour cream to make it heavier.

Verdict? With perfectly ripe tomatoes, the flavor contrast with this dressing is pure summer. I'd be less enthusiastic with non-seasonal tomatoes. This isn't to say the dressing is not good, but the tomatoes elevate it. I'm going to season the leftovers with a bit of celery salt. This would be scrumptious with fried green tomatoes. I have a feeling it'll make a good base for a remoulade, so I'll try that and let you know of the results.

Ingredient Elimination: Kitchen Sink Sangria

...Because "Kitchen Sink Sangria" sounds nicer than "Garbage Disposal Sangria".
Sangria has to be one of my favorite adult beverages. It masquerades as something fun, fruity without being declasse,and vaguely exotic. In reality, it's the ultimate drink for a skinflint. Why?
1. You're practically required to use cheap wine;
2. ...that you water down with soda or seltzer;
3. It tastes better with overripe fruit (e.g. fruit that otherwise would be destined for the garbage)

So, that said, what's in ingredient elimination this round? Blackberries that were looking a bit wilted. About 4 oz of them. Runners-up in the ingredient elimination category include an orange that was zested and not used, and 1/2 lemon that was in my fridge.

Kitchen Sink Sangria (serves 4)

• 1 bottle cheap red (if you're not sure what kind, ask the kind folks at your local liquor store)
• 4 oz blackberries, slightly mashed
• 1 orange, cut into slices and halved
• 1/2 lemon, cut into slices and halved
• 1 nectarine, cut into small chunks
• 1-2 shots creme de cassis
• lemon-lime seltzer or lemon-lime soda
• grenadine (optional)

1. In a pitcher, mix fruit, wine and creme de cassis. Let sit in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
2. In glasses with ice, pour 2 parts wine mixture to 1 part soda or seltzer. Taste, adjust the ratio as needed. If you prefer a sweeter sangria, add a bit of grenadine, or be sure to use soda, rather than seltzer. 

 A local winery produces "Plonk" specifically to make sangria for 8 bucks a bottle. Here's a closer look: 

Note: I prefer a drier sangria, so this one is not particularly sweet. Feel free to add grenadine or sugar if you like it a bit sweeter.

Verdict? Is this the most delightful sangria you've ever leisurely sipped on while dining al fresco? Nope. But it's a tasty way to use stray pieces of fruit in your fridge.

Ingredient Elimination: Greek Yogurt & Tandoori Chick'n*

We had a large container of Cabot plain Greek yogurt in the fridge. The 3/4 C left in the container was taking up precious real estate in the fridge. Wanting to grill, I decided on a tandoori chicken recipe from one of my absolute favorite cooking blogs, Closet Cooking . Click on the link for the original recipe. I love this blog. I admire his persistence, he posts a new recipe nearly every day, and his ability to transform leftovers.

With many recipes, I don't believe in providing exact amounts with spices. If you need more specifics, just ask. The recipe here is by Kevin Lynch, of Closet Cooking, with modifications by me. Because I'm vegetarian, I used Quorn chicken substitute, however, I am sure conventional chicken would be delicious, shrimp, even better.

                                              The Challenge: the orphan 3/4 C yogurt 

                                                       

 Tandoori Chicken

• 3/4 C plain Greek yogurt
• 1-2 Tbs lemon juice
• 1/2 onion finely diced
• 1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 Tbs grated ginger
• 1 generous tsp grainy mustard
• garam masala to taste
• turmeric to taste
• paprika to taste
• cumin, toasted & ground, to taste
• coriander, toasted & ground, to taste
• salt to taste 
• 4 Quorn naked cutlets or 1 lb boneless & skinless chicken cut into 1-inch pieces 

1. Mix all ingredients together except chicken, taste, adjust seasonings as needed.
2. Allow to marinate in fridge for at least 1 hour. 
3. If using Quorn: grill over medium-high heat for ~5 mins on each side til lightly charred. If using chicken, skewer and grill for 3-4 minutes or until done. I don't mess with cooking chicken so you'll have to figure that one out yourself. 




I served this with grilled zucchini and orange saffron rice with onion relish. The recipes for the orange saffron rice and onion relish are forthcoming. See picture below:

Verdict? I get tired using the same marinades repeatedly in the summer. This one is outstanding--a welcome addition to the rotation. The chick'n didn't become dry at all, and the flavor of the marinade was nicely concentrated. I highly recommend this recipe, and welcome any variations of it!

*Ingredient Elimination posts include an ingredient that I have way too much of, one that's on the verge of expiring, or an ingredient that has been hanging out unused in my pantry far too long. They are personal challenges of using the ingredient in a way that discourages waste.