First Monday Favorites - September 2017 - 9

Is it only me or has this summer not just zoomed by fast, but did it hit hyper sonic speeds as well?
I know it's September and it should be getting cooler soon, but we're still sweltering in not just heat but humidity as well in our little corner of the world.   I can't wait for cooler weather so I can cook some of the foods I'm craving.
But enough about me.
It's First Monday Favorites time again.
Time to share your favorite recipe from last month.
Mine was my Sid's Lighthouse Crab Cakes.  
I did participate in a Crab Cake Cookoff in July, and won the People's Choice award for that, and that was wonderful but I didn't get the recipe posted until August.  And I have to pat myself on the back for that.  I've since made Sid's Lighthouse Crab Cakes a couple of times, and I think they'll be staying in the rotation for awhile.  I thought they were that good.  

I hate to admit it, but I did very little posting about new recipes last month.

Between getting a new computer up and running, doing the final edits on my cookbook, Hygge - Danish Food and Recipes and life in general happening to me, I only got a couple recipes posted.

So there it is.  My choice for August.

An InLinkz Link-up

Tapas for August 2017

Another month, another Tapas Night. 
Not quite, we missed holding one last month due to extenuating circumstances, but made up for it this month.
It's still summer here and hot as can be, and some people were out of town or otherwise occupied but we still had some great food brought and shared.
I got to share my award winning Crab Cakes with everyone, but didn't get a picture of the finished platter. sigh
I usually miss getting a picture of at least one dish, and this time round, it was mine.
Such is life.
We had some Shrimp on Cucumber Rounds,  I loved it. 

 Hot Corn Dip to be scooped up with some chips.  Sinfully good.

Bang Bang Shrimp, another guilty pleasure.

Bacon wrapped scallops, starting to think it was a seafood kind of night.

But then...The meat showed up.

Bourbon Meatballs, which disappeared, fast.

 More meatballs, and they were tasty

 We also had some Kibbeh ( I think I spelled that right)

 I made some Frikadeller which are Danish Meatballs (the recipe can be found in my cookbook)

 We had a Quinoa salad

 And another Lentil Salad

 Someone usually brings Stuffed eggs, which is always a great idea, cause they disappear fast.

Then more seafood showed up.
Fish Dips are always a popular item here.

Along with crackers.

I had fun putting out a plate of heirloom carrots and radishes and didn't tell anyone what they were.

And since I forgot to take a picture of the platter of Crab Cakes, here's a picture I did earlier. With a generous dollop of Remoulade sauce (which is also in the cookbook  Hygge - Danish Food and Recipes)

There were some desserts as well.
Carolyn has more fun with making frozen trifles and they're always delicious

There was a Pecan Pie

Cookies

I made some Caramel last week, so I put that out. 

As well as some Mini Muffins.

I've washed and put away the wine glasses, sat down for a much deserved break and am almost ready to go again.
Det var en hyggelig aften med gode venner.
In other words, a cosy evening with good friends. 

Hygge - Danish Food and Recipes is released

I'm so excited.  My cookbook came out on Amazon this week., complete with a big misspell right on the description in Amazon. sigh

But the rest is as correct as I could make it.    You can buy either a hard copy, well, it's paperback or get it on Kindle or even just borrow it on Kindle Unlimited and read it. 
You can find it here.

Inside the book are many of the recipes I grew up not only eating but learning how to make from my mother.
Who was a fantastic cook.
I've also learned a lot from my sisters and my brother who are all great cooks as well.

This is a full color cookbook with pictures of the finished dishes.
I don't know about you, but I like to know what my food should look like when I'm making a new recipe.

I've done some reminiscing here, I grew up on a farm, had a great life and it continues to be a great one.

Here are a couple of pages from the book:

Along with some of the many illustrations included.
From my childhood, also a favorite from my adulthood.

To Denmark's National Dish -

And plenty of Christmas stuff, such as these cookies, called Vaniljekranse or Vanilla Wreaths

I hope you take a look, and of course buy some. 

 Just released - Nibbles and Bites - A Compilation of Appetizers, Canapes and Finger Foods.  Available as both in book form and as an ebook.  
My cookbook Hygge - Danish Food and Recipes would be a great gift for any foodies in your life. Available as a Kindle e book or in paperback. Autographed copies are also available at the Danish Windmill in Elk Horn, Iowa or on their website.  

Zuppa Toscana ala Sid for Soup Saturday Swappers

I joined a group called Soup Saturday Swappers a few months ago.  And I've had this recipe on my back burner for awhile now.
Every time I planned on making it, plans fell through or I got busy or... 
Life happened....

I tasted some Zuppa Toscana at a potluck a few months ago,  and fell in LOVE!!!  It was spicy and brothy and yet hearty as well.
I love soup.  I can eat it year round and I do.   Even though it's not that cold outside.
I do live in Florida after all.
This month's theme is Copy Cat Recipes and it is being hosted by Heather of All Roads Lead to the Kitchen.  

And my Copy Cat recipe is Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden,  but I had to put my own twist on it.  There was no kale or swiss chard to be found in my local store. sigh.
I however, had a package of spinach in the freezer.  So I used it.  I also  had a couple of sausages left over from a BBQ we'd attended a couple of days prior to, so they got chopped and added to the soup.
A good soup is all about adding good things to it.
Because I had that lovely sausage, I chose not to add the bacon as I was already getting a lovely smoke bacony flavor. 

Yield: 4 servingsAuthor: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking (inspired by many recipes)

Zuppa Toscana ala Sid

prep time: 10 MINScook time: 30 MINStotal time: 40 mins

This is a copy cat soup with my own twist, personally I think it's better than the original.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. Hot Italian Sausage, cooked and sliced
• 2-4 russet potatoes, cut into large dice
• 1 onion, diced
• 2-4 slices bacon, cooked
• 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and chopped
• 4 cups chicken broth (home made is best)
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, tempered
• 2-4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon + red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit if using commercial chicken stock)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Brown the sausage in the bottom of a heavy pot. Add the onion and garlic and cook until just translucent. Then add the chicken broth to the pot and stir, adding the potatoes just as the stock comes to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are just done, adding the red pepper and tasting if it needs more. Add cornstarch slurry and stir. Then add the chopped spinach, and bacon and let come to a boil. Take a little of the broth and add to the cream to temper it, take the soup off the heat, and slowly pour in the cream while stirring. Serve immediately. You can always add more red pepper and in fact can add it when browning the meat as well.

Created using The Recipes Generator

   

An InLinkz Link-up

Salmon Cakes with Gravad Lax for #FishFridayFoodies

I've had adventures I tell you, adventures, in and out of the kitchen.   And I'm a little late here with my entry for the Fish Friday Foodies event this month.

And I'm supposed to be the Hostess?  Sorry...
But I got such a great dish to share with you.
First though, the theme this month was Preserved Fish - Pickled, Canned, Dried or? 
As a Dane I love Pickled Herring, and eat a lot of it.  I also love my dried, or smoked fish as well, and in fact decided to use a favorite in my recipe this month.
Gravad Lax or Cold Smoked Salmon.
We Danes like it draped over hard cooked eggs, on Stjerneskud or Shooting Star, and as a topping on all kinds of open face sandwiches.
But I was wondering how it would be in a fish cake.  I did win (pats self on back and dislocates shoulder), the Crab Cake Cookoff last month, and it gave me an idea.
I had some cold smoked salmon in the freezer and I wondered how it might be if I made it into a fish cake.
Well, I gotta tell you, I think I done hit it out of the park on this one, again.    And best of all, because smoked salmon is so flavourful, you don't need a great deal to make a killer salmon cake.

If you'd like to join in the fun, just email email Wendy at wendyklik1517@gmail.com.of Fish Friday Foodies.   We post and share new seafood/fish recipes on the third Friday of the month.   Visit our Pinterest page or our Facebook pager for more wonderful fish and seafood recipe ideas.

Yield: 12-14 Appetizer size cakesAuthor: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking

Smoked Salmon Cakes

prep time: 10 MINScook time: 10 MINStotal time: 20 mins

These are extravagant, over the top, delicious bites of goodness, perfect for a special occasion. And best of all they won't break the bank, too badly.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 oz. Cold Smoked Salmon, diced finely
• 1/2 - 1 cup crushed saltines or oyster crackers
• 2-4 tablespoons mayonaise, I prefer Dukes brand
• 2 stalks celery, fine dice
• 1/4 cup onion, fine dice
• 1 egg, separated
• 4 teaspoons butter
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 -1 cup flour

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Dice the onion and celery in a fine dice, then saute them in 1 teaspoon each of the butter and olive oil, just til the onion is translucent. Set aside to cool. Separate the egg, beating the white and setting aside. Mix the mayonnaise and egg yolk together. In a separate bowl add the diced salmon, onions and celery together with crushed saltines. Add the egg yolk and mayonnaise mixture to the fish and vegetables and stir together. Fold in the beaten egg white. Form balls the size you want to cook and serve using either a ½ cup scoop or measuring cup. Drop the salmon cakes onto a flat plate containing the flour and turn gently to coat the salmon cakes. Flatten them a little, Sauté the flour coated crab cakes in a mixture of butter and Olive Oil until browned, turn over and brown on other side. Serve with my Remoulade Sauce.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Thanks for the comments, and pardon me for not replying, but for some reason I'm not able to do so at the moment, new computer and all, I need to figure out the settings again.  But I'm reading them all. 

An InLinkz Link-up