Meatball sub on a stick!

Fancy up your meat ball sub onto a stick.
After you have made your meatballs take some
dough (homemade pizza dough or simply Pillsbury dough)
and skewer the dough in between the meatballs.
These are great for snacks, lunches or any meal really.

It's great to have your favorite tomato sauce to dip it into also.
You want to bake this in the center of your oven
for  25-30 minutes on 350 degrees.

Meat ball recipe:
~ 1 pound of ground beef  (or  pork or turkey)
~ 1/2  cup of grated Parmesan cheese
~ 1/8 cup of finely chopped flat leaf parsley or
    heavy sprinkle of dried Italian herbs (about 3 TBSP)
~ 1 small to medium onion finely diced or coarsely grated
~ 1-2 cloves of garlic grated
~ 1 egg
~ 1/4 cup of bread crumbs
~ splash of milk (about 3 tablespoons)
~ salt and pepper to season



Zestfully,  Let's Cultivate Food

Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp scampi can be easy to make at home.
The best shrimp to start with is raw de-veined, de-shelled
medium sized shrimp.  I don't really prefer the tiger or the
super jumbo shrimp but the little salad size is often too small
also and therefore I like the medium sized ones.

It's optional to leave the tail of the shell on which is only for appearance
purposes.  The easiest way is to lay the raw shrimp in a circle or a line
or whichever way you'd like in a small oven safe dish.
You can have individual bowls or ramekins for each person or
one medium sized one for everyone to share.

Once the shrimp is ready, (about 1/2 pound)
- drizzle some olive oil over the shrimp  (about 1 tablespoon)
- add 2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped or sprinkle garlic powder
- drizzle 2 tablespoons of Italian salad dressing (any brand)
- 1 inch of butter (I like to use the butter that's made from olive oil)
- 1/2 tablespoon of fresh parsley finely chopped
  (you can sprinkle dry Italian seasonings instead of
  fresh parsley if you wish)
- sprinkle some Old Bay seasoning (about 2 teaspoons)- enough to
  cover the shrimp but keep in mind- you are not completely coating it
- sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese and add the juice of half a lemon

Place your ramekin or oven safe dish into the oven on 325-350 degrees
for about 17-20 minutes or until your shrimp is pink and not
that gray-ish color it started with when it is raw.

It's really good to have some crusty, toasted bread with these
scrumptious shrimp as well.



Zestfully,  Let's Cultivate Food

Apple Cider Doughnuts - minis

Hello FALL!

This afternoon, I wanted to share some
mini Apple Cider Donuts.
Do you have too many apples from apple-picking and
you're not sure what to do with them or maybe you
just want to make something for the Autumn season-
whatever the reason...

The ingredients for these little, teeny donuts are:
- 2 cups of all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 cup of apple cider 
  (I added 3 heaping tablespoons of apple sauce also for even more apple)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon of butter - melted

Mix all of your dry ingredients in one bowl and then all of your
liquid ingredients in another separate bowl and once everything is mixed
well- then mix the 2 (dry and liquid bowls together)

Use a mini doughnut pan (it looks almost like a mini muffin pan with a
raised center for the doughnut hole. You can make these as little muffins
instead if you wish.  Bake at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes
on your pan being 3/4 full. If you are using a mini doughnut pan---
make sure you are not filling higher than the center for if you do...
you will just get a mini irregular shaped ball rather than a hole in
the center for your mini doughnut.

If you want to put a glaze on them... you can melt 3 tablespoons of butter
and 3 tablespoons of sugar and melt them in a saute pan until
the sugar is dissolved and drizzle on top as soon as they come out
of the oven.  I decided to leave the extra sweetness out because
they are just as good without the glaze!

Zestfully,  Let's Cultivate Food

Pumpkin Bread

Today, I'm embracing Thursday with some Pumpkin bread.
I have a half time show in Washington DC at the Kennedy Center
that I'm participating in this weekend...  well,
performing the half time show, actually...
that's another story... OR... if you'd like to know more...
you can check out www.phillybumpball.com

I also have a cousin that lives in the DC area and she will
be receiving some baked goods.  shhhh don't tell her though.

Of course, I had to make more than one loaf...   I HAD to gobble up, 

I mean,  taste test some to make sure it would be good enough to gift.   

It past the test!

The recipe is as follows:

4 egg yolks

1 cup oil

2/3 cup water

1 can of pumpkin puree (I used 15oz)

1.5 teas salt

1 teas cinnamon

1 teas nutmeg

2 teas baking soda

3.5 cups flour (I used all purpose)

Place your pan in the center of the oven on 350 degrees 

and bake for 35-40 minutes.  The best way to tell when they're 

done is to take a toothpick and see if the toothpick comes out clean.  

After 30-35 minutes- I usually turn the oven off and leave the bread 

in the oven for the last 10 minutes to cook off/finish off.

I'm pretty sure my cousin is going to be super delighted!

Zestfully,  Let's Cultivate Food

Veggie Jeon

Another name for vegetable jeon is simply vegetable pancake.
In Korean cuisine - there are many different types of pancakes.

These are different than the American, Italian or French style
pancakes or crepes- for these are not meant for dessert
for they are not sweet.  I suppose you could have them for
breakfast but typically in Korean households  or restaurants-
they are a side dish also known as  "banchan".

A very easy veggie jeon is taking some basic vegetables that
most of us have on hand- carrots, onions and potatoes and
shredding those up.

I also added some green bell peppers and zucchini simply
because I had some in the frig.  I shredded them up and
gave a loose chop as well to make them into very small pieces.

I then added  1/2 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of water to start. 

You can add a little more water as you need it to make your mix 

easily scoop-able.  You don't want too much liquid but you are not 

making meatballs either so you don't want it too thick. 

Add a teaspoon of salt and use your ice cream scoop to mix

and scoop into your frying pan with a drizzle of oil. When each side 

has browned a little- they are done!  I prefer no sauce with these

but some are known to eat jeon with soy sauce or even ketchup.

Yes, you know about those ketchup lovers- those who put ketchup

on EVERYTHING!  Whatever floats your boat!

Zestfully,  Let's Cultivate Food

In-Home Class cooking for a Grandmother's Birthday!

What a great way to celebrate Grandma's birthday
or anyone's birthday for that matter!

Spend time together learning a few food, kitchen tips and tricks
while enjoying and eating the easy fruits of your labor.

We had a family---- get together to have a fully hands-on
In-Home Cooking Class cooking up a Dumplings menu.

Sometimes, more often than not- kids love to get involved 

just as much as the adults!

Learning to tuck your fingers in as we cut some shiitake mushrooms for the 

mixed mushroom and parsley dumpling.

Dicing the good 'ole onion...

"YES! We made our first dumpling!"

This family loves winning and creating things!  Winner of food trivia tonight!

Zestfully,  Let's Cultivate Food

Occasions occasions occasions....

Zestfully,  Let's Cultivate Food