First Monday Favorites from February 2020

It's time for First Monday Favorites.    Here is where I ask fellow bloggers to share their favorite recipe from the previous month.  Their own personal favorite. 

Here's mine.  I had two recipes this month that wanted first place, so I actually had to flip a coin to pick it, but my Créme Fräiche recipe won the toss.   And rightly so, cause it's going to be one I make a lot of. 

I've now made it twice in one week, which really isn't that excessive. 

At least I don't think so. 

I do want share that the other side of the coin was my Bacon Jam. But the jam isn't something I'm going to make often, it'll be more of a special occasion dish.

 
A few years ago, I belonged to a group of bloggers called the Secret Recipe Club.  There were so many of us, that we were divided into four groups and once a month we were assigned another food blog to find and make a recipe from.  We then posted the recipe we choose on our blog on a Monday.  We all had different Mondays to post on. 

As time went by many bloggers opted out, and then the club was dissolved.   I got a lot of great recipes, and got to know some of the other bloggers.

Well, I missed seeing the posts every Monday, from different bloggers and decided to do my own
reveal, once a month, asking other bloggers to share their favorite recipe from the previous month. 

I call it First Monday Favorites and it's live the first Monday of every month.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Homemade Créme Fräiche

I have a bit of a love affair with Créme Fräiche.
I'll buy it and lick scrape the container to get every last bit of that luscious, rich, creamy goodness.

Créme Fräiche is basically fancy French Sour Cream.

But on a 'whole nother level'.
I love keeping some on hand to use in different dishes.  It's more stable than sour cream which means it doesn't break up as easily when heated.  A little dollop on top of a soup can make the soup transcend into glory. 
A little too much hyperbole?

I just love this stuff.  I'll put some on a potato, pierogi's, soup, mix it into a spread and use it anywhere I'd use sour cream.

And I may be in trouble now.  
I just learned how to make it, at home.
Be still my heart.

Sorry, I do tend to get carried away when it comes to this.  I love, love, love Créme Fräiche.

All that being said, it's so dead easy to make at home.

2 ingredients, 12-24 hours and VOILA--  Créme Fräiche.

I mean it, it's that easy.

One little side note here.   I love buttermilk and in fact I like to drink it, plus I also use it in several recipes, such as these, my Suncoast Tea Bread.  I also use it in biscuits, Scones,  Soda Bread, Æbleskiver (Danish pancakes balls, Pandekager, and Koldskål (Cold Buttermilk Soup).

And the Créme Fräiche also gets used in several recipes, such as these Lavender and Lemon Scones,
or these Ploughman Scones

I don't eat it all by the spoonful.
Usually.  

However, if you don't drink the buttermilk or use it in a recipe right away, you can always freeze it in 1/2-1 cup measures for future recipes.

And the Créme Fräiche can keep up to 10 days in the fridge, but I bet it won't last that long.
I have plans for it.

Home made Créme Fräiche

Yield: 4-6 Servings

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking - adapted from a couple of recipes

prep time: 5 Mcook time: total time: 5 M

Just a dollop or more of this luscious home made Créme Fräiche can help transform any spread, or make the rustic baked potato come alive.

ingredients:

• 1 cup heavy cream (heavy whipping cream)
• 2 tablespoons Whole Buttermilk or Non Fat
  

instructions:

How to cook Home made Créme Fräiche

1. Whisk the cream and buttermilk together in a small glass bowl, and cover with a clean dish towel.  Allow to sit at room temperature for a minimum of 12 hours, or up to 24 hours.  Mine sat just from 11 am to about 9 am the next day.  
2. The mixture will thicken. Spoon into a small dish with a lid and place in the refrigerator to cool down. 
3. This will keep up to 10 days. 
4. Use liberally on a baked potato, in a cream cheese spread, or anywhere you would usually use sour cream.

NOTE:  Most buttermilk is cultured from milk and cream.   Whole buttermilk, which is made from non-fat milk and also cream.   It contains about 8 grams of fat per 8 oz. glass.  I've made this with both non-fat and full fat buttermilk. The non fat tends to make a thicker Créme Fräiche.  But both are good.  

Created using The Recipes Generator

All recipes and their respective images are either original or adapted and credited, and are all the sole property of Sid's Sea Palm Cooking © 2011-2020, with all rights reserved thereof.

Check out my cookbooks on Amazon.  All are available as paperbacks or as e-book. 
 Simple Shrimp Recipes - 25 + Appetizer, Entree and Dipping Sauces.
 Nibbles and Bites - A Compilation of Appetizers, Canapes and Finger Foods. 
  Hygge - Danish Food and Recipes 

Pancake Day

It's Fat Tuesday and also, PANCAKE DAY!!!!

I'm late I know, but just in case you're undecided as to dinner tonight, here a few suggestions.

In the mood for savory?  Then try these Savoury Oat Pancakes.    


Or you have some slightly ripe bananas that need to be used before their expiry date tomorrow.
These Banana Coconut Pecan Pancakes are so good.
 

You can also do a nice Dutch Baby Pancake or


 even a Toad in a Hole for dinner.  Both will hit nice little notes.
 

Or heading to my Danish side.

Æbleskiver

or
Pandekager



They're all good and perfect for dinner tonight. 
Or pretty much anytime.  

Smoked Salmon Tarts for #FishFridayFoodies

It's time for our Fish Friday Foodies event of the month.  This month Karen of Karen's Kitchen Stories is our hostess and she suggested Pies.   And of course, since it's Fish Friday Foodies time, it also means it has to have seafood in it.
I have to admit to being somewhat relieved that she didn't want us to make any kind of bread, cause she's the Queen when it comes to making different kinds of bread.

Well, I'm really not to fond of fish pie, just not my thing, but I do love smoked salmon and started brainstorming ideas, and googling and looked at a lot of recipes online.  I had made a Savory Salmon Cheesecake for another blogging event a couple of years ago, and didn't want to copy it. However, I usually keep at least one pouch, if not more of Smoked Salmon in the pantry.  They come in so handy. 
 I did go to several sites for inspiration and took a little from this one, and a little from that one, and a touch from a third.

Then I blended a little from each of them, but made it my own.  I served slices of the tarts at a party, and they disappeared in short order.

I served the slices with various options of topping the Salmon Tart slices.  I offered Crème fraîche, Capers, finely diced Shallot and a concoction I came up with, heavy cream blended with Quince and Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar and chopped chives.  I made enough of that so I can have some on a salad. 

I had fun.

If I can't have fun in the kitchen, I don't want to play.

Fish Friday Foodies is a fantastic group of bloggers who joins Wendy each month in sharing Fish/Seafood recipes based on a theme chosen by one of the members.  I've gotten such great ideas and recipes thanks to all the other bloggers, and have shared a few recipes along the way as well.
 If you are a blogger and would like to join in the fun you can email her at wendyklik1517@gmail.com and she'll send you out an invite.  Although you are also welcome to just check out the bloggers who share their great recipes as well.

Smoked Salmon Tarts

Yield: 4- 4 inch tarts, cut into 4 slices each or one 8 inch tart

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking - adapted from a couple of recipes

prep time: 15 Mcook time: 30 Mtotal time: 45 M

These are a lovely appetizer or starter to a meal, although they also sub as a light lunch, served alongside a salad.

instructions:

How to cook Smoked Salmon Tarts

Crust

1. Mix the cheese and flour together, cut the cream cheese and butter into the flour mixture, until it resembles a coarse meal.  Mound the mixture in the bowl and add the cream,  forming it into a ball. Add more cream if  needed, making sure not to 'work' the dough too much.   Divide the dough into fourths, rolling each piece out large enough to fit into the tart pans with removable bottoms and pat into place.  Cut the excess dough off level with the top of the pans.

Filling

1. Whisk the egg and cream together, add the pepper, capers, and shallots and mix.   Flake the salmon up, mix into the filling.   Divide the filling into fourths, and distribute evenly in between the tart pans.  
2. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Serving

1. After the tarts have cooled, remove them from the tart pans, and sprinkle with the chives. 
2. Serve with some Creme Fraiche, finely minced shallots, Chives, and capers for topping.  Let the guests top their slices as they wish.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Check out the rest of the great dishes my fellow bloggers came up with.

• British Fish Pie from Making Miracles
• Charleston Shrimp Pie from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Greek Inspired Scallops, Spinach, and Caper Puff Pastry Appetizer Bites from Goats and Greens
• Jambalaya Pot Pie from Palatable Pastime
• Magical White Fish B'Stilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Norwegian Flaked Salmon & Potato Mini Tarts from Sneha’s Recipe
• Sheet Pan Seafood Pot Pie from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Smoked Salmon Tarts from Sid’s Sea palm Cooking

Red Velvet Cookies - Gluten Free for #FantasticalFoodFight.

I have to start this post with a little history.  Many years ago I belong to a group of bloggers called The Secret Recipe Club.  We were assigned another blogger's blog to make and post a recipe from. Well, all good things come to an end and the SRC was disbanded to the dismay of many. 

Then along came Sarah and started a group called Fantastical Food Fight which is a group of food bloggers who were challenged to come up with a recipe using the theme or the main ingredient each month.  You could make up your own recipe, find one online or in a cookbook, it was up to you, you just had to cite your source. 

Again, we're at the end of a great era, and this is the final Fantastical Food Fight, this time round we're having a Red Velvet food fight.  We're tasked to make something Red Velvet, whether it be cake, cookies, breakfast, pancakes, or where ever your imagination takes you.

I brought my best to the food fight a few times, with my Cantaloupe Salsa for Fish Tacos, this amazing Banana Bundt Cake, I've made Eggnog Cake, Pecan Pie Butter Tarts, and these Honey and Garlic Roasted Carrots.  And those are just some of them.    Wait a minute, I almost forgot these Chocolate Cherry Balls.  OMG were they good.  Come to think of it, I've got a chocolate cake in the freezer, and some cherries in the pantry, I may just have to make some more of these, soon. 
Lots of great recipes, and best of all memories. 

I wish Sarah the best in her new life, and I will miss this group.

Here's what I brought to the Fight this time.   I've been playing with gluten free recipes for a while now and when I ran across this recipe from The Toasted Pinenut, it intrigued me.  I didn't have any white chocolate chips, and I also put my particular spin on the recipe as well.

Now for my true confession. I'm really not crazy about Red Velvet Cakes.  I'll have a taste from time to time, but have only had a couple over the years that I thought were really good.  A friend here makes an awesome one, and if she brings one to a gathering, I'll have some of hers.

I'm not going to share just how many of these cookies I sampled,TMI,  but I did leave some to share.
This dough is sticky, and you really do need to let it rest in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes. I also wasn't thrilled as to how brown they were, but I really hate to use a lot of red food coloring. 

Here are the cookies on the cookie sheet before baking.  I used a fork dipped in water to press them down a little.  They really don't spread that much.

 First batch, baked.

Side view of the first cookie to undergo the 'taste' test.  It was crispy on the edges and soft in the middle.

And an overview

I don't know if it was the humidity (really high today) or the nature of the cookie, but they became very soft after sitting for awhile.

And here is the cookie as a sandwich with Ermine frosting in between.   Ermine frosting was the frosting for Red Velvet Cake long before Cream Cheese frosting was made popular.  Actually, this looks a lot like Whoopee Pie or maybe a Goober.  All I know is, it was delicious. 

Red Velvet Cookies - Gluten Free

Yield: 20 cookies

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking - adapted from a couple of recipes

prep time: 10 Mcook time: 12-14 Mtotal time: 45 M

It's hard to believe these little cookies are gluten free, and almost keto friendly.

ingredients:

• 1/2 butter
• 1/2 cup raw Sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon Pomegranate Liqueur or Vanilla Extract
• 1 teaspoon red food coloring
• 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tsp. mild vinegar

instructions:

How to cook Red Velvet Cookies - Gluten Free

1. Cream the butter and sugar together.  This will take several minutes as the raw sugar takes awhile to break down.  Use your stand mixer if you have one.
2. While that is mixing,  blend the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking soda together. 
3.   Add the egg, and continue to mix, then add the red food coloring (bonus point if you have organic or natural food coloring) and the pomegranate liqueur or vanilla extract.  
4. Add the almond flour mixture and fold in, and mix until combined. 
5. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and then take cookie dough out of fridge and form into 20 balls, using a small scoop.  Flatten them slightly using a fork dipped into some water to keep the dough from sticking to the fork.  Place on a parchment covered cookie sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes.   Leave on cookie sheet to cool for at least 5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. 
7. If you want to continue with the Red Velvet theme, you can add some Ermine frosting to the tops, or make them into a sandwich cookie. 

Created using The Recipes Generator

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter