ForumGarden

Thought I'd like to start this thread off with:

Penne Pasta Ala Vodka



Ingredients:

1 lb penne macaroni (make sure the penne has ridges to scoop up the sauce)

lots of extra virgin olive oil and hot chili sesame oil

3 cloves minced garlic

2/3 chopped, sweet vidalia onion

1 small can tomato paste

1 35 oz can of crushed tomatoes

1 stick butter...yes, real butter

lots of vodka...ok... half cup at least

cup of heavy cream

fresh, grated asiago and parmesan cheese to your taste

all of your favorite spices: fresh basil, oregano, cilantro....

and touches of crushed red pepper. salt and pepper

__________________________________________________ _____

** In a large skillet saute butter,oils and onions for 8 minutes.

** Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes and any other dried

spices to the mix. Simmer for 25 minutes. Begin to boil pasta now and drain.

** Add vodka and heavy cream to sauce and mix.

** Add penne pasta, fresh spices of basil, oregano and cilantro and grated

chesses to the mix and blend.

***You can also add cooked, spicy shrimp and chicken to this mixture for a full

meal...freezes well

I want to have dinner at your house!

Kathy Ellen's Fresh Salsa

Ingredients:

** 2 cups of fresh corn (cut from the cob)

** 4 ripe plum or vine tomatoes, peeled (optional), seeded and diced

** 2/3 large red onion diced

** garlic and red pepper flakes to your taste

** 1 each: sweet peppers (green, yellow and orange) seeded and diced

** 1 tablespoon minced jalapeno peppers

** 1 tablespoon minced poblano peppers

** fresh cilantro (heafty handful)

**1 tablespoon each of squeezed lime and lemon juice extra virgin oil and balsamic oil (enough to marinate). You can add a bit more of olive & balsamic oil, salt and pepper.

__________________________________________________ ______________

** Combine corn, tomatoes, onion, all peppers and cilantro. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper and marinate for an hour or overnight.

** Drain the salsa mixture in a colander. Try to squeeze out as much liquid as possible by placing this mixture onto paper towels and tea towel, and drain for 1/2 hour.

__________________________________________________ _____________

You can mix this salsa with chicken, shrimp, pork, lobster and make a fried tortilla. I buy the large "Mission Wraps", usually Jalapeno Cheddar or Sundried Tomato and Basil and add my favorite chesses ( asiago, parmesan and fontina).

**lay the tortilla out flat. Place your ingredients: meat, cheese and salsa, or whatever on the tortilla and fold the tortilla like a taco.

**place extra virgin olive oil in a pan and place the tortilla mixture onto the pan. Fry on both sides until brown. DON'T take your eyes from the pan for a second....it fries up VERY quickly. you wouldn't believe what a difference this frying makes...

** add sour cream and snippets of scallions to the top of the tortilla and ENJOY!!

****** This mixture of salsa makes at least 4 cups of salsa....enought to use right away and freeze extra. Just make sure you've taken most of the liquids out.

__________________

Just made this brekke sandwich this morning...yummy:-6

Spicy Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Panini

INGREDIENTS:

Any kind of brekke sausage that you like. I love the hot, Italian sausages:-4

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon milk

1/8 teaspoon salt

dash freshly ground black pepper

dash Cajun or Creole seasoning

2 to 3 teaspoons butter

2 small slices Mozzarella cheese

2 medium ciabatta breads (about 3 1/2 to 4-inch squares) or other similar size bread

PREPARATION:

Slice your sausage link in half crosswise, then slice into 4 or 5 thin slices lengthwise. In a small skillet, brown the sausage on both sides, set aside.

Whisk eggs in a small bowl with the milk, salt, pepper, and seasoning.

Slice the Ciabatta bread horizontally.

In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat.

Add eggs and let firm up around the edges. With a spatula, form the egg into a rectangle, letting the liquid egg remaining flow around it. Continue cooking and shaping with the spatula until firm enough to flip. Flip and let the other side cook until the eggs are firm but still moist. Remove from heat.

Cut in half and divide egg between two bottom halves of Ciabatta bread or other bread. Top the egg with the thinly sliced sausage then place a slice of cheese on top. Finish with bread tops. Grill or cook in a panini press until sandwich is hot and cheese is melted.

Makes 2 medium sandwiches.

****If you don't have a panini maker you can put aluminum foil around a brick and then place it over the sammy on the grill.

chonsigirl;814002 wrote: I want to have dinner at your house!


Well then, come on over my surfer friend and chow down:-4

Check this site out for the heat of chili peppers:



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville_scale

Shrimp Fra Diablo

Serves about 6 people

Ingredients

1 tb olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 md onion, chopped

15 oz can tomato puree

6 oz can tomato paste

2 tb red wine

1/2 c water

2 tbs crushed red pepper flakes

2 tbs drained capers

2 tb minced fresh basil leaves

1 1/2 lb medium shrimp, peeled and

deveined

1 cooked pound of your favorite rice or pasta

Instructions

In a heavy skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic

and onion and saute 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree, tomato paste,

red wine and water. Bring to a boil. Add the crushed red pepper

flakes, capers and basil. Lower the heat and simmer 15 minutes. Add

the shrimp and cook over low heat 7 to 10 minutes, or until the

shrimp are pink and cooked through. Serve over hot cooked pasta or

rice.

Kathy, I'm definately trying that shrimp fra diavlo. There is a small restaurant near where I live and they do it with lobster over angel hair pasta. To die for!

qsducks;817156 wrote: Kathy, I'm definately trying that shrimp fra diavlo. There is a small restaurant near where I live and they do it with lobster over angel hair pasta. To die for!


Q, that sounds delish and I think I'll make it this summer when my family come to visit. Anything "fra diablo" is yummy to me. The hotter the better:wah:

Hot and spicy dishes???

You rang??

G'day Kathy - how ya going, Hon?

Hi sweetie Pam...I was just thinking about you...have to write soon...things here are just way too busy:(

Stuff's resolving here, Kathy. The process is painful, but I am starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. Very soon, hopefully, what's left of the former stylishly abnormal madcap, bright and breezy, creative pam type goddess will re-emerge. :-6 Ready for mischief and merriment in Klees and elsewhere. :sneaky:

I finally made the shrimp fra diablo, man it was soooo hot. I think I added too much red pepper flakes.:wah:

Here's one for qduck.........

Chipotle Marinated Chicken and Pine Nut Quesadilla

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 ounces Tabasco Chipotle Sauce

8 ounces raw chicken meat, boneless, small dice

1 tablespoon canola oil

8 flour tortillas

12 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

1/2 Roma tomato, small dice

1 cup Tomatillo Sauce (recipe follows)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place the pieces of chicken into the Tabasco Chipotle Sauce for 30 minutes. While the chicken is marinating, toast the pine nuts in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes. Watch them closely as they have a high oil content and will burn quickly. Once lightly browned, remove the nuts from the oven and transfer them to a cool dish.

Sauté the chicken in a non-stick skillet for 4-5 minutes in the oil. Cook the chicken until just firm, being careful not to overcook. Allow the chicken to cool and cut it into small pieces.

To Assemble the Quesadillas:

Place 4 tortillas on a non-stick cookie sheet. Spread the grated cheese over each tortilla evenly about 1/3 of an inch high. Spread equal amounts of the chicken, pine nuts, and tomato on top of the cheese and place the four remaining tortillas on top.

Place the quesadillas into the 350°F oven for 7-8 minutes until the cheese has softened and just begins to bubble out the sides.

To serve, cut each quesadilla into 8 pieces with a large knife on a wooden cutting board. Slide the cut quesadilla onto a plate and top each slice with a dollop of the Tomatillo Sauce

Tomatillo Sauce

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 avocado

3 tablespoons sour cream

1-4 ounce can tomatillos, crushed

Preparation:

Remove the pit from the avocado and scoop the fruit out with a soup spoon. Place the avocado, the sour cream and the tomatillos in a food processor or blender and purée until smooth.

Store in a sealed plastic container in the refrigerator. Best used the same day as prepared, but will last for up to 4 days.

Thanks Kathy but wouldn't you know it I already went to the grocery store before I saw this:wah:

And you forgot to put the Tomatilla recipe here

qsducks;821887 wrote: And you forgot to put the Tomatilla recipe here


There ya go qduck...just added it...it's delish:-4 Make it another time.

Well then, I will have to grow those in my garden then this summer. Grew them years ago and they are really prolific.

Here is a spicy Aussie croquette recipe that looks delish.....:-6 I love croquettes but can't often find hot, spicy ones. Think I'll make this recipe this weekend...

SPICY AUSSIE CROQUETTES



http://gourmettraveller.com.au/spicy_po ... uettes.htm

I love the Italian sauce called "Arrabiata" and plan to make it tonight to add to penne pasta...I love this sauce but have never made my own.....Now I will with this recipe...it's simple...

INGREDIENTS FOR ARRABIATA SAUCE:

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

4 cloves garlic, minced

3/8 cup red wine

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic in oil for 5 minutes.

Stir in wine, sugar, basil, red pepper, tomato paste, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, black pepper and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer uncovered about 15 minutes.

Stir in parsley. Ladle over the hot cooked pasta of your choice.

HOT POTATO CHEESE SOUP



2 Tb Butter

4 Leeks, white part only, cleaned well and sliced

5 lg Russet potatoes, unpeeled, diced

1 qt Vegetable stock many Chopped ripe serranos (or cayennes but serrano flavor does especially well here)

Salt to taste

2 c Milk or soymilk

1/2 t Caraway seeds (optional but good)

2 Tb Fresh dill or 1 Tbsp. dried

Pepper to taste

1 c Grated Swiss cheese

1/4 c Grated Parmesan cheese

3 Tb Plain yogurt

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

In a large stock pot, melt butter and saute leeks for 3 minutes. Add potatoes, stock and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

Add the milk, caraway seeds, dill and pepper. Let simmer another 15 to 20 minutes; the soup should become thick and the potatoes should begin to fall

apart. Stir in cheeses and allow them to melt, then stir in the yogurt and heat through, but do not boil. Adjust seasoning and serve hot, topped with parsley.

I've gained five pounds since I arrived a few minutes ago in this gourmet thread!!

G'day Kathy!!! I'm going to raid my cellar and bring out some perfect aussie wines to accompany this mega feast!!

Bon app!!!!

Kathy Ellen;814001 wrote: Thought I'd like to start this thread off with:

Penne Pasta Ala Vodka



Ingredients:

1 lb penne macaroni (make sure the penne has ridges to scoop up the sauce)

lots of extra virgin olive oil and hot chili sesame oil

3 cloves minced garlic

2/3 chopped, sweet vidalia onion

1 small can tomato paste

1 35 oz can of crushed tomatoes

1 stick butter...yes, real butter

lots of vodka...ok... half cup at least

cup of heavy cream

fresh, grated asiago and parmesan cheese to your taste

all of your favorite spices: fresh basil, oregano, cilantro....

and touches of crushed red pepper. salt and pepper

__________________________________________________ _____

** In a large skillet saute butter,oils and onions for 8 minutes.

** Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes and any other dried

spices to the mix. Simmer for 25 minutes. Begin to boil pasta now and drain.

** Add vodka and heavy cream to sauce and mix.

** Add penne pasta, fresh spices of basil, oregano and cilantro and grated

chesses to the mix and blend.

***You can also add cooked, spicy shrimp and chicken to this mixture for a full

meal...freezes well


Oh my gosh Kathy, that sounds DELICIOUS!!! I HAVE TO try this!! Thanks so much for sharing! :-4

Gotta try the shrimp fra diablo recipe too. These recipes sound like my kind of cookin'! I just don't have the alcohol. I don't normally drink vodka, 'cept in cosmos... & I drink white zinfandel.

Oh, and I LOVE hot & spicey! Lived in Biloxi, MS, when I was younger!

I tried the shrimp dish and it was really good. Maybe I'll make some tonight.

Do you have any leftovers??? :-3

Double Pepper- Infused Strawberries



Strawberries with Tex-Mex Tequila and Black Pepper

This is a shocking dessert if there ever was one, with the sharp flavors of the pepper tequila and black pepper strangely complementing the sweetness of the strawberries. Only a truly daring chilehead would serve this over chile-infused icecream.

6 cups halved strawberries

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup chile-infused tequila (or soak crushed piquin chiles in tequila for a few hours and strain)

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Mint sprigs for garnish

Combine the strawberries, orange juice, tequila, black pepper, and balsamic vinegar in a bowl and toss well. Cover and chill for 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Spoon the mixture into 6 small glass bowls and garnish with the mint sprigs.

The piquin chili is extremely hot...check the following scale for a milder one:

http://www.batnet.com/~rwc-seed/pepper. ... scale.html

Old Bay Crab Cakes

INGREDIENTS

2 slices dried bread, crusts removed

2 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Parsley Flakes

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

1 pound fresh lump crabmeat

DIRECTIONS

Break bread into small pieces and moisten with milk. Add remaining ingredients and combine well.

Shape mixture into patties. Broil or fry until golden-brown on both sides.

Kathy ellen, I make those crabcakes all the time. Sometimes at Giant supermarket they have a buy 1 get 1 free Phillips crab cans. I usually end up with about 14 cakes. Last summer I sauteed them on the grill:-4

qsducks;838467 wrote: Kathy ellen, I make those crabcakes all the time. Sometimes at Giant supermarket they have a buy 1 get 1 free Phillips crab cans. I usually end up with about 14 cakes. Last summer I sauteed them on the grill:-4


Thanks Q, will make them this summer...sounds delish....

HOT AND SPICY ICE CREAM

1 1/2 cups heavy cream and 1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon greshly grated nutmet

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper ( or your favorite)

3/4 cup sugar

6 egg yolks, beaten

1 Combine the cream, milk, spices and half of the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir the remaining sugar into the yolks. 2 Add the cream mixture in a stream to the egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly, and pour the mixture back into the saucepan. cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Cool, pour into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions.

Spicy Burritos

1 lb ground beef, browned or other meat, cooked (chicken, pork, steak)

2 jalapeno or other hot peppers, diced

1 tomatoes, diced

1 small onion, diced and chopped

1 pkg. of 8" tortillas

Shredded Monterey Jack & Cheddar cheese

Sour cream, optional

Salsa, optional

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and place on cookie sheet. Warm for about 5-6 minutes. Remove from oven.

Mix all ingrediants together in bowl, except the sour cream and salsa. Place about 2-3 tablespoons of mixture into middle of one tortilla. Fold both sides over so they meet and then take bottom of tortilla and fold it over the middle section and just roll over to make it look like a package. Repeat with the other tortillas. Place on cookie sheet and bake about 8 minutes.

Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Hope I explained this right regarding folding the tortillas.

Wow Ducks:-6 Spicy Burritos....let's add some spicy hotdogs to that meal:-6



"Spicy Hotdog Chili Recipe"

This spicy tomato and red pepper hotdog chilli recipe will keep for at least a week in the fridge.



Ingredients

6 Tomatoes

1 Onion

1 Red pepper

2 Garlic cloves

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

1/3 cup light sugar

5 tbsp cider vinegar

1 handful fresh basil leaves



Skewer each of the tomatoes in turn on a metal fork and hold in a gas flame for 1-2 minutes, turning until the skin splits and wrinkles. Slip off the skins, then roughly chop the tomatoes.

Roughly chop the onion, red pepper and garlic. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion, red pepper and garlic.

Cook gently for about 10 minutes until the pepper is softened. Add the chopped tomatoes, cover and cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes release their juices.

Stir in the cinnamon, chilli flakes, ginger, salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar. Bring gently to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes or until the mixture is pulpy. Stir the basil leaves and check the seasoning.

Allow the chilli to cool completely then transfer it to a glass jam jar or a plastic container with a tightly fitting lid. Store covered in the fridge.

Oh my Kathy, what, do you have a spicy cookbook or what? Can't wait till my hot peppers start growing. Every time I see them in the store, they remind me of you.:p

"Mexican Spicy Chocolate Martini"



Ingredients:



2 ounces Chocolate Vodka (3 Olive)

1/2 ounce Chocolate Liqueur

1/4 ounce Mocha Liqueur

1/4 ounce Cinnamon Schnapps

Directions:



Rim chilled martini glass with cinnamon and sugar

Pour over ice, shake, strain and serve

Optionally top with chocolate drizzle or shavings

qsducks;861252 wrote: Oh my Kathy, what, do you have a spicy cookbook or what? Can't wait till my hot peppers start growing. Every time I see them in the store, they remind me of you.:p


:wah::wah:

Due to my allergies, I don't have a good sense of taste and smell....

That's why I love hot and spicy foods......I can TASTE these foods:p

I'm just one hot and spicy pepper......HA,HA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kathy Ellen;861691 wrote: :wah::wah:

Due to my allergies, I don't have a good sense of taste and smell....

That's why I love hot and spicy foods......I can TASTE these foods:p

I'm just one hot and spicy pepper......HA,HA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


So your a nice jalapeno pepper kind of chick?:-6

Absolutely Ducks:-6

I'm a hot and spicy jalapeno beach girl.........

Kathy Ellen;863766 wrote: Absolutely Ducks:-6

I'm a hot and spicy jalapeno beach girl.........




I'm sure you did not get to the ocean yesterday as it probably came to you instead:D Much beach erosion down there? You guys got walloped bad.

qsducks;864407 wrote: I'm sure you did not get to the ocean yesterday as it probably came to you instead:D Much beach erosion down there? You guys got walloped bad.


:wah::wah: There's always erosion and lots of sand was on the street. The wind was horrible. Tried to take a pic of the surf and was nearly blown into the sea. It's bad here with high surf because I live between the Barnaget Bay and the ocean. Both back into the water table (think we're only 9 ft. above the table) and everything floods:-5 Have to keep the plumber on speed dial:wah:

"HOT AND SPICY CHEEZ-IT"

:wah::wah: Just bought a box of "cheeze-it "Hot and Spicy" crackers with tabasco sauce. They're delicious and spicy:p

Pass the crackers, please, Kathy.. I've brought a tray of peach bellinis to offset the heat.

:sneaky:

It's rained here in Sydney for a whole week. Amazing. Lovely to watch in the evening, but a bit of a pain to negociate during the day. Lots of flooding round here too. Pity the coastal rain doesn't make it inland here. Most of the non flooded part of the country is still in drought - go figger.

Kathy, I had hot wings t:-4oday. Now that I'm eating more hot & spicy dishes, your name pops into my head:wah: Ok, now you might actually jump into the ocean this weekend:wah: as it's gonna be a hot one.

AussiePam;882557 wrote: Pass the crackers, please, Kathy.. I've brought a tray of peach bellinis to offset the heat.

:sneaky:

It's rained here in Sydney for a whole week. Amazing. Lovely to watch in the evening, but a bit of a pain to negociate during the day. Lots of flooding round here too. Pity the coastal rain doesn't make it inland here. Most of the non flooded part of the country is still in drought - go figger.


Yeeeehaaa (((PAm))) love peach bellinis:-6 I also bought a tons of different cheezes. Sorry about all the rain...our weather is crazy, isn't it?? Oh well, I love the global warming...warm and sunny days:p

My family is in Greece and Aruba ...right now...I'm so jealous....would love to go to Greece one day. Did you watch the movie...."40 Carats" swoon, so romantic:-4 Part of it took place in Greece.

qsducks;882584 wrote: Kathy, I had hot wings t:-4oday. Now that I'm eating more hot & spicy dishes, your name pops into my head:wah: Ok, now you might actually jump into the ocean this weekend:wah: as it's gonna be a hot one.


Hey Ducky, happy you're back..missed you:p

yummy....love hot wings with sour cream. Well then, you know that I'm the hot and spicy girl:wah: Forgot if I asked you...did you see the movie "Tortilla Soup?" Swoon...very good and romantic movie...loved it. Don't know if I'll end up in the ocean this weekend. Was sick with allergies for the last week or so and need to catch up with a ton of work.

Kathy Ellen;883191 wrote: Hey Ducky, happy you're back..missed you:p

yummy....love hot wings with sour cream. Well then, you know that I'm the hot and spicy girl:wah: Forgot if I asked you...did you see the movie "Tortilla Soup?" Swoon...very good and romantic movie...loved it. Don't know if I'll end up in the ocean this weekend. Was sick with allergies for the last week or so and need to catch up with a ton of work.


My daughter will be in the ocean this weekend with this heat wave coming! And I will be stuck in the kiddie pool with Quin:-6:D Tortilla Soup? Will have to rent that one. Is it a chick flick?:D

qsducks;883339 wrote: My daughter will be in the ocean this weekend with this heat wave coming! And I will be stuck in the kiddie pool with Quin:-6:D Tortilla Soup? Will have to rent that one. Is it a chick flick?:D


Yes, big time...absolutely loved it:-6

Kathy Ellen;883352 wrote: Yes, big time...absolutely loved it:-6


Cool, glad I didn't give Laura the Blockbuster card then:wah:. We went to Chickies & Pete's yesterday for her after grad party. Wings weren't too impressive. JB Dawson's are way better and hotter:D

qsducks;883353 wrote: Cool, glad I didn't give Laura the Blockbuster card then:wah:. We went to Chickies & Pete's yesterday for her after grad party. Wings weren't too impressive. JB Dawson's are way better and hotter:D


Hope you like it as much as I do...must have watched it about 10 times. I'm going to put it on now:wah::wah:

Kathy Ellen;883368 wrote: Hope you like it as much as I do...must have watched it about 10 times. I'm going to put it on now:wah::wah:


Now, I'm in the mood for A League of Their Own. Another great chick flick.:wah: