Frog Tales

This is truly amazing fudge!!  The little bit of sea salt causes the flavour to explode on your taste buds. Chocolate Nutella Fudge with Sea Salt Basic fudge recipe by Giada De Laurentiis Butter, for greasing pan 1 (14 oz. ) can sweetened condensed milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 8 oz. high-quality bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate chips 1 cup Nutella, room temperature 3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1/2-inch pieces Sea salt, approximately 1/2 tsp Grease the bottom and sides of an 8- by 8-inch baking pan with butter. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overlap on the sides. In a medium glass or stainless steel bowl, stir together sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, bittersweet chocolate chips, Nutella, and butter. Form a double-boiler by setting the bowl on a medium pot of gently simmering water. The water level should be low enough that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until the chocolate chips are melted and the mixture is smoo...

I can't take credit for this recipe ... and I just love the way Anne Burrell added little insights to this recipe. Focaccia Recipe courtesy Anne Burrell Prep Time: 20 min Inactive Prep Time: 2 hr 15 min Cook Time: 30 min Level: Intermediate Serves: 8 to 10 servings Ingredients 1 3/4 cups warm water 1 package active dry yeast 1 tablespoon sugar 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for kneading 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus coarse sea salt, for sprinkling 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided Directions Combine the warm water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Put the bowl in a warm, not hot or cool, place until the yeast is bubbling and aromatic, at least 15 minutes. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, 1 tablespoon of kosher salt, 1/2 cup olive oil and the yeast mixture on low speed. Once the dough has come together, continue to knead for 5 to 6 minutes on a medium speed until it becomes smooth and soft. Give it a sprinkle of flour if th...

The Dips ... Tzatziki ... is the same as on  http://boiledfrog-frogtales.blogspot.com/2011/09/vampires-beware.html Chipotle Ranch - I just used a basic packaged ranch dip mix in sour cream and added a couple of tablespoons of chipotle adobo sauce. Hummus & Spinach/Artichoke Dips were just purchased.

STEAK BITES 1 cup red wine 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil - evoo 1 tbs basil 1 tbs oregano 2 tbs worcestershire sauce 1 tbs fresh ground black pepper 1 tbs montreal steak spice 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tsp salt 1 1/2 lbs flank steak, cut in to 1" cubes 2 cups flour 2 tbs montreal steak spice 2 cups vegetable oil Combine red wine, oil, basil, oregano, worcestershire, pepper, montreal steak spice, garlic and salt in a ziploc bag and add steak.  Seal, place in the fridge and let marinate for 4 to 6 hours or overnight. Drain the marinade.  Mix flour and steak spice in a tray.  In a large pot, heat oil to medium high.  In batches, dredge steak pieces in the flour and place in the hot oil.  Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, remove and place on a paper towel lined dish. Once all the batches are done, transfer steak bites to a clean serving dish. PORK SOUVLAKI BITES 2 small lemons 2 garlic cloves, minced 3 T olive oil 1 T fresh dill, plus extra for garnish 2 tsp dried ...

This recipe was Alex's idea.  We used a pizza dough based added some seasoning  and tossed it in the oven. Pizza Dough Ingredients 1 1/2 cups warm water, 100 to 110 degrees F, plus extra as needed 1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast 5 cups all purpose flour, plus extra as needed 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano olive oil, for drizzling Directions Put the water in a small bowl. Add the yeast and stir until dissolved. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt and herbs together. Add the yeast mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add a little extra water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too sticky, add extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. With floured hands, knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drizzle the inside of a clean bowl with olive oil. Put the dough in the bowl and cover loosely with plastic...

What a great day for a gathering.  We had a large gathering of friends and family over for my birthday appetizer party.  I'll post the recipes a few at a time ... The menu was: Calabrese Wraps Steak Bites Pork Souvlaki Bites with Tzatziki and Pita Bread Pizza Bread with Basil Tomato Sauce Cut veg with Chipotle Ranch Dip For dessert we had fresh fruit and Steve made Mudslide Cupcakes Calabrese Wraps - these salami and bocconcini bites combine many of the fresh flavours characteristic of Tuscany. 12 Calabrese salami slices, halved 24 Medium fresh basil leaves 12 cherry tomatoes, halved 24 small bocconcini cheese balls 24 pieces of sun-dried tomato in oil, about 1/2 inch each 24 toothpicks 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar fresh cracked black pepper Arrange salami on work surface, placing 1 basil leaf over each piece.  Place next 3 ingredients in a row over top.  Fold up ends of salami and insert a toothpick from end to end to secure.  Place on a baki...

It is just too much fun taking a traditional recipe and tweaking it to include local ingredients.  This recipe usually involves lemons, but since we have a sour orange tree beside our veranda I figured "Why not?". Ingredients 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup plain or vanilla whole-milk yogurt 1 cup sugar 3 extra-large eggs 2 teaspoons grated sour orange zest 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (omit if using vanilla yogurt) 1/2 cup vegetable oil For the glaze: 1 cup confectioners' sugar 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed sour orange juice Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, the eggs, orange zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure i...

Ingredients 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1/4 poblano 6 chicken breasts, boneless 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder 2 teaspoon cumin 2 teaspoon dried cilantro 2 teaspoon mexican oregano 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 6 cups chicken broth, low-sodium canned 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 2 limes) About a dozen corn tortilla chips, broken a bit Lime wedges tex-mex cheese sour cream Directions Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, poblano, chicken breasts, chili powder, cumin, cilantro, oregano, salt and pepper and cook until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and corn, bring to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, and simmer, covered for 60 minutes. Remove chicken breasts, shred the meat and return to the pot and cook for 5 minu...

It's been a busy week here on the Island ... we launched a new trip with  Carnival Sailing entitled "Survivor Challenge".  We subjected our friends and colleagues to the inaugural run and put them through their paces :-)  I got tons of pictures and everyone had a fantastic day.  My parents arrived in late Thursday/early Friday as the already late arriving Westjet flight was delayed by 1.5 hours.  We then spent the weekend working on moving appliances, furniture, etc and cleaning for the upcoming tourist season.  All I can say is thank goodness for rum, as we all worked way harder than one should in the Caribbean! Given the business of the week, we didn't really research any new recipes but instead went with some of the best of the best.  We had Tandoori Chicken with spicy broccoli, tikka masalla and naan bread on Friday, Pomme de terre meat pie on Saturday, Tilapia with rice pilaf, corn and parker house rolls on Sunday (the rolls were the only new t...

You have to try this recipe ... and make sure to include the Chipotle Creama, it finishes it off perfectly!  Chipotle Corn Chowder Soup: 2 cups red potatoes, peeled and diced (1/2-inch) 4 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon 1 sweet onion, diced 3 cups frozen corn 1/4 cup diced poblano peppers 1 tablespoon minced garlic 5 cups vegetable stock 3/4 cup diced bacon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup freshly minced cilantro leaves Chipotle Creama, recipe follows In a medium saucepan, cover the diced potatoes with 3 cups of water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes. then remove from heat and set aside. In a large stock pot over medium-high heat, add the 4 tablespoons of butter, and once melted, add the diced onions, half of the corn kernels and the peppers. Saute until a golden fond starts to form on bottom of pan, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute mor...

This recipe takes me back to reminds me of my Grandparent's kitchen in Southern Ontario when I was a kid.  It's a great hearty recipe full of flavour.  Even if kids don't like to eat the pepper itself, there is enough great flavour seeped into the meat for them. Stuffed Red Peppers and Tomatos Ingredients 3 large red bell pepper 3 large beefsteak tomatos 3/4 pound ground chuck 1/2 pound ground pork 1 medium onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced 1 teaspoon fresh thyme salt and pepper 2 teaspoons beef bouillion granules 2 cups cooked rice 1 cup diced tomatoes 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce 1 cup hot water parmigiano reggiano Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Start by cutting the peppers in half lengthwise, leaving the stems intact, and halving them also. Remove the seeds and ribs inside the peppers.  Cut the tops off the tomatos and scoop out the inside. Using a hot skillet, sa...

One of the photo newsletters that I receive had a contest for "A Dog's Eye View" and these are the three pics I submitted ... the last is just a collage of them all.

Saturday - Heavy chest and back workout at Sportivo Fitness, so glad to be back to heavy workouts again ... being sick for 4 weeks really kicked our buts!  It's a pretty rainy day on the island, so we bought groceries and then did some room prep for guests arriving this weekend and later this week.  Chairman's reserve in Mom & Dave's fridge - check :-) .  For supper we are having Italian Stuffed Red Peppers and Tomatoes. Sunday - Today, our guest is one of the lads teachers who is unfortunately heading back to Canada on Monday.  They plan to head down the beach, try out mono-finning again and have some "epic" xBox battles.  Mark is vegetarian, so the menu for supper is Corn Chowder and Loaded Potato Skins (both vegetarian and meat-a-tarian). Monday - The older lads have the day off school so, Steve and I get to play (well, Steve can play .. I will be coordinating and taking oodles of pictures)!!  Today, we will be running a "fam" trip for Ca...

Kujolpan (Nine Section Appetizers) ... modified to be 11 Section Appetizers Ingredients Pancakes + 10 fillings + 11 FOR THE PANCAKES: 2 cup flour 4 egg whites 2 cup water 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoon oil A Boiled Frog Bevie ... the glasses kinda look like drunken 11's FOR THE FILLINGS: 1/2 pound sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into very thin strips 2 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon sesame oil 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 scallion, minced 1 teaspoon red chili paste Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 chicken breast 1 tablespoon hoisin 1 cup lettuce, rough chopped 1 cucumber, julienned 1 lime, cut into wedges 1/2 cup cilantro 2 tablespoons sesame oil, or more to taste 8 dried shiitake mushrooms, hydrated 1 carrot, julienned 2 eggs, beaten 1 tablespoon vegetable For sauces we used hoisin, teriyaki and peanut sauce Directions Make the pancakes: In a bowl, combine the flour, egg whites, water, and salt and stir until ...

Pizza Dough Ingredients 1 1/2 cups warm water, 100 to 110 degrees F, plus extra as needed 1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast 5 cups all purpose flour, plus extra as needed 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano olive oil, for drizzling Directions Put the water in a small bowl. Add the yeast and stir until dissolved. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt and herbs together. Add the yeast mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too dry, add a little extra water, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is too sticky, add extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. With floured hands, knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drizzle the inside of a clean bowl with olive oil. Put the dough in the bowl and cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Set the bowl in a warm, draft-free place, until the dough has doubled in size, about 2...

  This is a meal that you can kick off in the morning and finish it up when you get home in the evening.  Start off with the slow cooker .... Flautas Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice 2 tablespoons canola oil 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder 2 tablespoons cumin 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons chipotle in adobo sauce, pureed 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper Lay out for wrapping flautas Directions: Place all ingredients in the slow cooker and simmer on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.  Once cooked, shred the chicken and mix back into the simmer sauce. Flautas Ingredients: shredded chicken Vegetable oil, for frying 4 - 6 mini corn tortillas per person Toppings: Wrapped and ready to fry Mexican crema or sour cream shredded iceberg lettuce queso fresco or tex mex che...

This salad is a great side dish to any bbq and combines all the wonderful flavours of a loaded baked potato. Baked Potato Salad two small bags of baby potatoes (I like the mixed bags) 1 lb bacon (for if you want to make homemade bacon bits) or two packages of real bacon bits 4 green onions - chopped 2 cups of sharp cheddar - cubed 2 cups sour cream epicure cheese, chives and bacon dip mix salt and pepper to taste.   Boil potatoes whole in skins, drain, then cool and rough chop.  In a large bowl combine potatoes, bacon bits, green onions and cheese. Mix sour cream with half the recommended mix, then fold into the potatoes, add salt and pepper.  Serves 10 ...

The Meatballs This is one of Steve's creations, served over italian sausage pasta sauce (see an earlier blog) and spaghetti, accompanied by a good (and cheap - $4.85 CAD, have I mentioned that I love this Island) Aussie Red. Cook time: 25 Minutes Yield: 8 meatballs 1 lb. ground beef 4 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese 1 oz. gorgonzola cheese 1 cup panko bread crumbs 1 egg 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 shallots, minced extra-virgin olive oil salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste Place all above ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix thoroughly by hand until they are completely combined and the mixture is uniformly firm. Served over Spaghetti and Italian Sausage Sauce Coat your hands in olive oil, and using your hands form mixture into 3-4 oz. balls Drop the meatballs into the Italian Sausage Pasta Sauce. Let cook for about 10 minutes on one side. Turn them over, and cook for another 10 minutes, covering in the sauce with a spoon as they simmer. Let rest for 5 minutes befor...