Club Med's Famous White Chocolate Bread

Last night my friend, GA, shared the recipe for Club Med's famous ~ White Chocolate Bread ~ on Facebook. It's always been a favorite of mine and I've eaten a lot of it during my time working/vacationing at the various villages of Club Med. My friend, Sarah, challenged me to try making the recipe to see how it would turn out. Well, since I had the one cup of white chocolate chips called for in the recipe, and nothing planned for the evening, I took it as a sign that I should give the recipe a try.  So, last night I was a baking fool... and here are the pictures, recipe and  baking comments to prove it. Enjoy!

Club Med's Famous White Chocolate Bread  

I shared my attempt in real-time with my other Club Med EXGO friends on Facebook. Here are my comments on the bread making, just in case anyone is inspired to try their hand at making a loaf, too. The bread is best eaten while still warm, just out of the oven, but toasted the next day is also good.  My friend, Sarah, suggested making French Toast with the leftovers... oh, what a wonderful breakfast that would make!

Well, the experiment was a success! We have already devoured 1/2 of the loaf.  Here are my thoughts on/tweaks to the recipe.... ~~ only add 3/4 cup of the water (115 degrees) to begin with, then add more water if needed to get the 'play doh' consistency the recipe calls for. The whole 1 1/4 cup water is just too much. My loaf came out a bit 'heavy', not surprised about that. With the extra 1 cup+ of flour I had to add to get the dough texture right, it skewed the yeast/flour ratio. ~~ I put a cast iron skillet in the oven when preheating. I put it on the lower rack & added 1 cup hot water to the skillet after I placed the loaf in the oven to bake. Be careful because the 'steam' kicks up quick. Close the oven door quick to keep the steam inside. It really helps with giving the bread a crusty, 'French bread' exterior. ~~ I baked the loaf about 35 minutes (not the 20 in the recipe) to get it 'golden' enough & so it had a 'hollow' sound when thumped. It tastes best when eaten warm from the oven, or toasted, if eating the next day.

David's Home Baked Bread with 'Chocolate Gravy'

My nephew, David, likes to make this fun, sweet treat ~ Home Baked Bread with 'Chocolate Gravy' ~ for his sons.  A while back he mentioned it on Facebook, and he continues to tease us with photos whenever he makes it. When I asked him where he got the inspiration from, this is what he shared with me ~ I had heard about this many years ago. I looked at a few recipes online and then made my own. :)

I just love it when a certain food inspires you make it, even if it takes you years to get around to it.  It just goes to show... When the timing is right, the kitchen magic happens.  :)  Thanks for sharing your recipe, David!

David's Home Baked Bread with 'Chocolate Gravy'

Ingredients

For the Home Baked Bread...

• use one box of of your favorite Beer Bread mix, made according to the box instructions, BUT substituting Sprite for the beer

For the 'Chocolate Gravy'...  

• 3 tablespoons Ghirardelli 100% cocoa
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 cup milk
• pinch of salt

Directions

In a large sauce pan combine cocoa, flour, and sugar. Add hot water and cook over low heat until dissolved.  Stir constantly.  Once completely combined, stir in milk and salt.  Continue stirring until it becomes thick.  You now have your ole 'Chocolate Gravy'. To serve ~ just slice the bread & dunk.  Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

When I made this baked goody, I was feeling the need for a bit of chocolate-ly, sweet baked comfort food.  Having it include some veggie was an added bonus.  This recipe for ~ Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread ~ was a perfect way to go.  I swapped some of the flour for ground oatmeal (oat flour) just to sneak in a little oat goodness.  Chocolate chips just added to the decadent feel of this yummy bread/cake.  We enjoyed it at teatime, as well as for an after dinner dessert.  This is perfect for when you have a bounty of zucchini in late summer, but it's just as good anytime of year.  Give this recipe a try if you've got a craving for chocolate.  I think you'll like, too.  :)

 

Traditional English Bread & Butter Pudding ~ Meatless Monday

Our friend, Dick, brought over a wonderful English treat for us ~ Traditional Bread & Butter Pudding.  It's a simple to make dessert/breakfast/comfort food that's a favorite of both English children and adults.  I make a bread pudding, but have never had a 'bread & butter' version.  What a treat!!  The two 'puddings' are similar, but making it with buttered bread really does give this version it's own personality.  Dick  made a few adjustments to the recipe, he ~ cut the crusts off the bread slices;  he sprinkled some sugar & cinnamon along with the nutmeg; he skipped the candied citrus peel, only including the lemon zest...and I thought it was perfect made this way. We enjoyed this simple delight with some fat free half & half poured on top.  So yummy!    Here's the link for the recipe ~ It's English 'childhood comfort food' at its very best!

 

Red Pepper Cornbread & Soup ~ a comforting meal for a winter's day

Winter just won't go quietly.  Just when we think spring might be around the corner, here comes another blast from Old Man Winter.  On a cold snowy day, I often turn to a big pot of soup to make everything better.  Sometimes I'll make a skillet of cornbread to go along with it.  As much as I like eating a ~ made from scratch homemade cornbread ~ I will usually just crack open a box of Jiffy Cornbread Mix.  It's cheap, easy, quick, good and has been part of our family's pantry since I was a child.

This time I added a 1/2 cup of diced red peppers and a 1/2 cup of drained canned corn to the prepared box mix.  I like making my cornbread in my trusty cast iron skillet, just like Grandma Bunni used to do.  It's always enjoyed, especially after coming in from the cold...

Jude's Chuck Roast ~ from Dan's kitchen and The 4-Hour Chef Cookbook ~ Guest Cook Post

My friend, Dan, has more photos/commentaries of the recipes that he is cooking from The 4-Hour Chef Cookbook.  This time I'm sharing the recipe he made for ~ Jude's Chuck Roast.  Since I'm still waiting to see if Santa brings me my own copy of The 4-Hour Chef for Christmas, I'm once again pirating his hard work in the kitchen and sharing it on my blog.  He's happy about it, I'm happy about it and I'm guessing you'll be happy about getting more recipes/commentaries from/about The 4-Hour Chef Cookbook.

As a little bonus, Dan's mom, Pat, has shared some great tips on changing-up mashed potatoes.   Mom's who are good cooks always have the best advise when it comes to tweaking recipes and making them even better.  Thanks to you both!


Jude's Chuck Roast ~ from The 4-Hour Chef  Cookbook
~ Dan's slightly adapted version of the recipe with his photos/commentary

Jude's Chuck Roast ~ The recipe calls for a 2.5 lb chuck roast or rump roast. Place in pan, then add 15 ozs each of beef consommé, beef broth, and French onion soup. Add in three cloves of garlic and about a dozen Cipollini onions. I added a couple of stalks of celery and some carrots. The recipe calls for 350F degrees for 2.5-3 hours, but I chose to cook it for 4 hours at 300F degrees. This gave me the opportunity to prepare the dinner rolls...

Mom's Freezer Rolls ~  These are from a 70's era Pillsbury Cookbook I have that was my Mom's. (since I couldn't find the Pillsbury recipe online that Dan made, here is another recipe  from the 70's era that sounds like it might be similar)

The chuck roast came out as the French call it boeuf a la cuilliere (translated spoon beef) because you can eat it with a spoon.  Made some garlic mashed potatoes with the skins on.  So very good to have so many comfort foods in one great meal.

Dan's mom, Pat, has a tasty tip for jazzing up your smashed spuds even more ~ Another nice addition to mashed potatoes is adding butter beans. Take a can of butter beans, rinse/drain them and then squish them up in your fingers. Add them to your prepared mashed potatoes (could be garlic) and stir them together.  Also, a bit of lemon juice is nice as it makes them slightly tangy and I also like to add a dollop of either sour cream or Greek yogurt, just add at the same time as the butter beans and give it all a good stir.  Reheat if necessary and serve.

Eggnog Bread Pudding done 3-Ways ~ Individual servings, made in the microwave

I woke up really hungry the other morning...  I had some leftover biscuits from Thanksgiving that needed using up...  I also had a little bit of eggnog and pumpkin puree lurking in the fridge.  Hmmm, looked like the makings of a bread pudding to me!  (my friends ~ Trina and Sarah ~ have been talking about/sharing bread pudding recipes with me, so it's been on my mind lately)  This time around, I decided to try making my bread pudding in the microwave, in individual glass baking cups.  Since I was making this up as I went along, I decided to try making each one just a little different.  I made this for breakfast, but it could easily be made for dessert, also.  I liked it best when eaten warm, right out of the microwave oven, with an extra splash of eggnog.  Starting my day off with a little homestyle, comfort food ~ Aahhh.  Cooking it in the microwave may not be traditional, but it sure is quick and easy.  Sometimes, I like it like that.  How about you? ~ Enjoy!

Pumpkin-White Chocolate Eggnog Bread Pudding (bottom) & Chocolate Chip Eggnog Bread Pudding (top) ~ These are tasty, easy and quick to make.  They're also a great way to use up older bread, biscuits and rolls.  It's a win-win all-around!

~  I used a 12 oz individual-sized glass baking dish and filled it with about a heaping cup of the bread/egg mixture.  The basic Eggnog Bread Pudding and the Chocolate Chip Eggnog Bread Pudding took about 1 minute and 3o seconds to cook.  The Pumpkin-White Chocolate Eggnog Bread Pudding took about 2 minutes to cook. ~

Eggnog Bread Pudding ~ Three Ways ~ single servings, made in the microwave

Basic Ingredients

• leftover biscuits, bread or rolls ~ torn/cut up into small'ish chunks
• large egg(s)
• eggnog ~ low fat or regular
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• raisins
• vanilla extract

For every one cup of  torn up ~ bread, biscuit, rolls or a mix ~ you will need...

•  one large egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup eggnog (or milk of choice ~ dairy/soy/nut ~ plain/flavored)
• 1/2 Tbsp raisins
• 1 tsp sugar or sweetener of choice ~ or to taste ~ depends on how sweet you like your bread pudding (optional, I'd definitely add if using a plain milk)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• few gratings of fresh nutmeg
• few drops vanilla extract
• pinch of salt (optional)
• microwave safe custard cups, small ramekins or mini glass baking dishes ~ sprayed with Pam

Ready to put in the microwave...

Basic Directions

In a medium bowl, combine until well blended ~ the egg(s), eggnog, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, sugar (if using) & salt (if using).  (**add any of the following variations/changes to the basic mixture at this time) Mix in the torn-up bread and let sit for 10 minutes, so the bread can absorb some of the moisture.  Push down on the bread, several times during the 10 minutes, just to make sure it is completely covered with the mixture.  (it shouldn't, but if it seems a little dry, add an extra splash of eggnog)

Spoon into your prepared microwave safe glass custard cup/ramekin/small baking dish.  Microwave on High, for one minute.  Check center to see if done.  Depending on the size of your cup/amount of mixture cooking, it will probably take another 30 seconds to one minute more.  Do any additional cooking in 15 second increments, checking after each time.  Once it is cooked through and completely cooked/solid in the center, serve as is ~ or with an extra splash of eggnog or milk.

Variations to the Basic ~  Eggnog Bread Pudding

Pumpkin-White Chocolate Eggnog Bread Pudding
to the original recipe ~ add/change out ~ **  

• add  ~  1 Tbsp pure pumpkin puree
• add  ~  1 tsp white chocolate chips
• exchange  ~  the raisins for an equal amount of dried cranberries 

**this one will take a bit longer to cook because of the pumpkin puree ~ add an extra 15 seconds at a time, until it is firm in the middle and cooked through (mine took 2 minutes total)

Chocolate Chip Eggnog Bread Pudding

to the original recipe ~ add ~ **

• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp chocolate chips or carob chips

Feeding Body & Soul ~ My Club Med EXGO Reunion Vacation

The food at Sandpiper Bay was just as expected ~ Excellent!  Thanks to my friend, Sharon, for taking a lot of food photos, too.  I kept eating my desserts before I'd taken a picture of them!  Oops...

Back Story ~~ Twenty years ago this week, I went to work for the international vacation resort company, Club Med.  My first assignment as a GO (what they call those who work there) was working with children guests, in Ixtapa, Mexico.  I had been to a Club Med as a guest myself (at the now-closed village of Sonora Bay) and liked it so much that I decided I needed to work for the company.  It took awhile to get hired, but the wait was worth it.  It was a magical time in my life.  I've worked in many different villages (what they call the resorts), in many different locations in the US, Mexico, the Caribbean and the West Indies.  Working as an Annex (specialty restaurant) Manager, hostess and with kids.  I cherish all the friends and memories that I've made in Club Med, past and present.  Absolutely priceless!  As we like to say... Once a GO, always a GO. ~~

Current Day ~~ Last month, I traveled to ~ Club Med Sandpiper Bay ~ in Florida, for a reunion.  It was not just any reunion, it was a former Club Med GO reunion.  We now call ourselves EXGO's and we had a blast!  Many brought their families and friends with them to share in the event.  A lot of us had called that village 'home', for a season (a period of 6 months) or even longer, so it was great to be back there again.  Since I didn't have to do any cooking for the week that I was there, I took some food photos to share on the blog instead.  Club Med offers LOTS of great food, and the White Chocolate Bread just can't be beat.  Twenty years later and I still crave it...  So, here is a 'snapshot' of my vacation ~ first the food pictures and then the pretty, tropical village photos.

Rise and Shine!  It's breakfast time!

Every morning (after my yoga class) I had a great-big-egg-white veggie & cheese omelet.   Lots of other breakfast goodies tempted me, too...

Out of the pool, it's time for lunch...

After cocktails, it's dinner time...

I ate REALLY well while I was on vacation.  I stuffed myself full of my old favorites and found some new items to love, too.  After all that eating, I'd stroll around the village, enjoying being there again.  It felt just like coming home.  :)  Here are some of the lovely views that greeted me every day...

I had the pleasure to become friends with one of the most wonderful GO's during my vacation, her name is Mary and she is a Sailing GO.  All during my stay, she always had a sincere smile on her face and a caring attitude.  Even when she was off duty, she was always quick to answer any question or lend a hand.  Her enthusiasm for her job was apparent and was much appreciated!  She truly embodied the classic Club Med GO Spirit.  She also provided me with an excellent bit of brush-up tutoring on the Hobie Cat.  Thank you for everything, Mary!! YOU ARE THE BEST ~ YOU ROCK!!  :)

 

Life around the village ~ (clockwise, from top left) the main restaurant, buffet-style service; the adult infinity pool on the St. Lucie River; the view from my yoga mat; feelin' the tropical vibe.  Starting my day off, looking out at this view, was worth getting up early for.

While at the reunion, I saw old friends and made lots of new ones, too.  So many of us have worked at the same villages, just at different times, and we know so many of the same people, that it feels like we've known each other for years ~ even after just a few days.  I look forward to our next reunion ~   See you guys soon! 

Hope you've enjoyed these photos as much as I've enjoyed putting them together.  As a little bonus, as I was getting the links for the post, I came across multiple sites/versions of the recipe for the Club Med White Chocolate Bread ~ that I love so much.  I also found an a now dormant blog site ~ Black Pearls ~ that has some slightly (and not so slightly) outdated (2006 & prior) commentary on Club Med.  The pricing on 'extras' and what is now 'all-inclusive' has changed a lot since the blog was last written, but I really enjoyed the comic wit of the writer & some of the things said were spot on.  (especially since he is writing on experiences that go back to the 90's, when I used to work there)  Check it out for some giggles & a true 'from a guests viewpoint' of the Club.

ThanX GO

It seems quite a few of the villages used to pass out the White Chocolate Bread recipe.  Here are some sites that I've come across that have good instructions/comments from home cooks, talking about what changes they've made to the/their recipe to get it to work at home.  Many of the links are written about Sandpiper Bay, and the one from ~ In Erika's Kitchen ~ was written just a few months ago.  Too bad I didn't think to ask for a copy of the recipe for myself while I was there! :)

For all of you visual learners out there, check out this video taken in the Sandpiper Bay kitchens...

For those who like the written word, check out these sites for versions of the Club Med White Chocolate Bread recipe...

Sami Cone ~ (this is the site where I found the above video)

In Erika's Kitchen ~ from April 2012, in Sandpiper Bay

Love and Olive Oil

The Fresh Loaf ~ comments from home cooks on what worked for them

The Club Med Diet

Check them all out & find the recipe that sounds good to you.  There are TONS more sites out there, so if you still need inspiration to get in the kitchen and start baking, just search the 'net to your hearts content.  :)

 

Blueberry Oat Muffin-Top Scones ~ a perfect low-fat teatime treat!

I needed to finish up the rest of my fresh blueberries today, they were really on their last legs.  So, I decided to bake them in a sorta muffin-top/sorta scone ~ I'm calling them my Blueberry Oat Muffin-Top Scones.  They're perfect with a cup of tea or coffee & they're even low fat ~ Yes!  When I was making these, all I kept thinking about was the classic Seinfeld episode ~ The Muffin Tops.  It's the one with Elaine's brainy muffin-top idea, a whole lotta 'muffin stumps' & that memorable exclamation mark! phrase... 'Top of the Muffin to YOU!'  Absolute classic!  Check out some of the hilarious scenes, below...

I came up with this recipe while I was looking through the cookbook ~ Vive Le Vegan! ~ by Dreena Burton.  I was inspired to take parts from her recipe ~ Blueberry Bounty Buns ~ and combined it with some other ingredients that sounded good to me.  I came up with this really tasty hybrid of a muffin & a scone.  My recipe has egg & honey in it, so it's no longer vegan, but I think adding those ingredients really add to the overall texture & flavor of the muffin-top scones.  I also replaced part of the oil with applesauce, so it's even low fat ~ yes!    Baking them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, instead of in a muffin pan, gives them that muffin-top look ~ while also giving them the rustic appearance of a free-form scone ~ a perfect cross between the two.  I can see me tinkering with this recipe ~ a lot ~ and coming up with many other flavors.   Yummm...  My mind is brimming with ideas, I feel the beginnings of another baking tangent coming on.   :)     Enjoy!

Blueberry Oat Muffin-Top Scones

makes 12  

• 1 cup ground quick oats -->  ((grind your quick oats into an 'oat flour' using your food processor or blender))  ** if your batter is too thin to hold its shape on the parchment paper, add an additional 1 Tbsp+ of ground 'oat flour'
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon (or more, to taste)
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (grated fresh ~ if you've got it :)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp vanilla soy milk ~ light or regular
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp oil
• 2 Tbsp applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1  1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen)
• oats for sprinkling on top of muffin-top scones before baking ~ optional
• sugar for sprinkling on top of muffin-top scones before baking ~ optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. (first 8 ingredients)  Stir until well combined.

In another bowl, combine vanilla soy milk, beaten egg, honey, vanilla extract, oil & applesauce until well combined ~ then stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest.  Finally, add the blueberries & immediately add the wet mixture to the dry mixture.

Stir wet & dry ingredients together until just well combined.  Spoon batter onto parchment lined cookie sheet, into 12 gently shaped round mounds.  (try & say that fast 3 times! :)  If desired ~ sprinkle some extra oats and/or sugar on top of muffin-top scones, before popping in the oven.

Bake for approx. 20-25 minutes ~ or until muffin-top scones are just turning golden brown & are set in the middle.  Remove from oven & cool on cookie sheet for a minute, then transfer to a cooling rack.  Store in a covered container.

 

Scottish Spiced Tea Cake ~ made with a 'Cuppa Tea'

I was in the mood for a tea cake one day & wanted to make something with a bit of Scottish flair, so I hit the Internet to search for some inspiration.  Happy to say, I found it on a really cool website that has a lot of interesting stories on Scotland & the Kingdom of Fife ~ along with travel info, history, customs & traditions, golf, photos, current events & most importantly for me...recipes!  They not only have authentic, traditional recipes (e.g., haggis, scotch broth & tipsy laird), but also have a page devoted to recipes contributed by home cooks (e.g., cup of tea cake, scones & malt loaf ).  I love this site ~ armchair travel & food inspirations, all in one place!

Fresh out of the oven...

I adapted my recipe for the Scottish Spiced Tea Cake from this recipe for the ~ Cup of Tea Cake ~ a recipe that a reader contributed to the site.  It's a wonderful tea cake (that is actually made with, as they say on the other side of the pond, ~ a cuppa tea) & it's become a favorite around here.   I make two versions of this tea cake recipe ~ sometimes I make it with grated carrot, so then I call it my Scottish Spiced Carrot Tea Cake & sometimes I make it with just the raisins, that one is my basic Scottish Spiced Tea Cake.  I'm sure you could tweak this recipe many ways just by using different dried fruits or with what you have available in your pantry.

Scottish Spiced Carrot Tea Cake

I changed the original Scottish recipe a bit ~ cutting down on the margarine, including some applesauce & upping the spices.  The flavor is rich with the scent of spices, the cake is moist & sweet with the hint of apples & raisins (& maybe carrots).  Since I used applesauce to replace some of the margarine/butter, it cuts down of the fat, too ~ Yes!  :)   Try eating a slice warm, fresh out of the oven (I just love it when it first comes out of the oven & the edges are just a little crisp) or maybe try a piece toasted the next day.   Hmm...I'm feeling a bit peckish & thirsty for a cuppa tea.   I think I know what I'll be baking later today.  Now I only have to decided if will it be with or without the carrots...   :)

The end slice is my favorite...

Scottish Spiced Tea Cake ~ aka Cup of Tea Cake     
makes a one pound loaf

((** you can turn this into a Scottish Spiced Carrot Tea Cake by adding 1/3 cup grated carrot along with the raisins**))

• 1 cup of strong black tea
• 1/4 cup margarine or butter
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup raisins (or also adding 1/3 cup grated carrots if making this the carrot version)
• 2 1/3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees & grease a one pound loaf pan & set aside.
(you can use either a glass, metal or aluminum loaf pan ~ depending on the type of loaf pan you choose, the baking time may vary slightly)

Melting the butter with tea, applesauce, raisins & carrots for the Scottish Spiced Carrot Tea Cake version.

Melt the margarine in a large pot.  At the same time you are melting the margarine, add the tea, applesauce and raisins ((& grated carrots if you are making the Scottish Spiced Carrot Tea Cake)).  Once the margarine/fruit mixture is melted, continue to simmer for 1 minute, then allow the mixture to cool completely.
 

Sifting all the dry ingredients together...

While the margarine mixture is melting/doing its thing, sift together all the dry ingredients.

When the margarine mixture has completely cooled, add the remaining ingredients to the pan & mix by hand until the batter is thoroughly combined. (if you mix it all in the one pan you can save washing an extra bowl, but if you like using a mixing bowl instead, have at it :)

Pour batter into the greased loaf pan & cook for approx. one hour or until tester comes out clean & the tea cake is done.

Scottish Spiced Tea Cake with butter

Serve with a pot of your favorite tea, we drink the English teas ~ PG Tips or Typhoo Decaf.  You can enjoy the tea cake many ways ~ it's perfect served plain, with butter, with cream cheese, or maybe even a little bit of marmalade or jam...but for me, I think it's perfect with just a little bit of butter.   Enjoy!

Scottish Spiced Carrot Tea Cake with cream cheese

Low Fat Welsh Rarebit ~ Meatless Monday

It's Meatless Monday & I'm still in the mood for eating foods from the British Isles.  So, today I decided to make a dish, from Wales ~ Welsh Rarebit.   I tweaked this UK recipe, just a bit, to suit what I had on hand.

Roy told me he used to eat Welsh Rarebit when he was a kid.  Growing up in England, they called it by another name ~ Cheese on Toast.  I also remember eating this as a kid & we always called it Welsh Rarebit. (well, I used to call it Welsh Rabbit, I must have had Bugs Bunny on the brain, hehe)  Grandma Bunni used to make it for me sometimes & she always made it the best.  It's been awhile since I've had it ~ I loved it then & I love it still.  Ooey, gooey cheese, all melty  & oh, so cheesy.  Yummy!   Today, for this recipe, I used low fat cheddar cheeses, yellow & white ~ that way I could enjoy it even more.  As a kid you don't worry about calories, but as an adult you do.  (or at least I do :)    A tasty dish, from across the pond, for Meatless Monday.

Welsh Rarebit

serves 1~2

• 4 oz low fat cheddar cheese, grated  (or your favorite kind)
• 3Tblsp dry vermouth (or beer)
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp English mustard, powdered (or to taste)
• cayenne pepper powder, for sprinkling
• 2 slices of toasted bread

Preheat broiler & toast the bread, reserve for later use.

In a medium bowl, combine ~ grated cheese, onion powder & English mustard.  Using a fork, make sure it is all thoroughly blended together.

Add ~ dry vermouth & Worcestershire sauce to the cheese mixture & mix all together.

Divide cheese mixture in 1/2 & spread on the two pieces of toasted bread.  Make sure to completely cover the bread, all the way to the edges. (to keep the edges of the toast from burning while under the broiler) Sprinkle with cayenne pepper ~ to taste.

Place slices of cheese mixture covered toast under the broiler & heat until cheese melts & just starts to get bubbly.  Watch closely, to make sure it doesn't burn.  Should only be a few minutes.

Enjoy!

Updated 6/5/12:  My sister-in-law, Tracey, from over in England, says ~ Yum, yum!  This is mine & Stew's favorite!  It's even better with Worcestershire Sauce put on the cheese before grilling and I also spread Marmite on the bread, then put the cheese on top, then melt under the broiler..... Lovely! 
 
Thanks, Tracey!!  Cheers!!

Quick Rice Pudding & Bread Pudding ~ turning leftovers into a sweet ending to your meal

I always try to use up all of the food leftover from our meals, I just hate having to throw away food!  Usually I'll turn any odds & ends into soup, but occasionally, I'll create desserts out of them.  Either way, savory or sweet, those leftovers get one last hurrah.  Like Grandma Bunni always said ~ Waste not, want not. :) 

Quick & Easy Rice Pudding ~ Ever have just a bit of rice left over & nowhere to use it? Turn it into rice pudding using a vanilla pudding mix (use instant or regular, w/sugar or w/o, it's very versatile).  In a medium sauce pan add the milk, leftover rice, some raisins & a little cinnamon ~ simmer all together for about 10 minutes.  Let the mixture cool a bit, then add the pudding mix & stir well. Eat the rice pudding hot or cold. I sometimes add coconut extract & cardamom for an Indian flavor.

Bread Pudding ~ This is a great way to use up leftover stale bread ~ I guess that's how it also got the name 'poor man's pudding'.  This is one of our go-to comfort foods, we really enjoy this dessert.  We'll eat it either hot or cold & sometimes we'll even have it for breakfast.  Roy usually pours a bit of milk over the top ~ that's just the way he rolls.  :)  Check out this recipe for a light version of bread pudding, over at Food.com 

Homegrown tomatoes & veggies ~ Waiting to start the summer garden...

Heirloom tomatoes, in their many colors, turn any salad into a stunning dish!

 

I can hardly wait to get my tomato plants into the ground.  By trial & error I have learned that waiting, until after Mother's Day, is the prudent way to go with tomatoes ~ at least for the locations I've lived in for the past two decades.  If I plant the seedlings too early, they just sit there, doing nothing, while I worry if they will be OK if it suddenly turns cold for a few days.   They don't care if I want them in the ground as soon as I see them at the local nursery.  Tomatoes will grow & thrive when they are good & ready, and not a day before.  What is an eager gardener to do??

Well, this gardener goes through her old photo albums & now that I have a blog, I can also post the old pictures here, too.  If I can't plant my tomatoes yet, at least I can see what I grew/cooked the year before.  I'm reminded of the famous quote by Longfellow ~ "All things come round to him, who will but wait."  I know, I know ~ but, ohhh, I so HATE the waiting!

So, here I sit, waiting for Mother's Day ~ not for a bouquet of flowers or a box of chocolates, but for the day I can go out & buy/plant my tomato seedlings & start the gardening cycle once again.  Waiting, too, for the time I can enjoy eating my tomatoes ~ just like I did last year...

 

Homegrown goodness...

...never looked so pretty!

Here are some salads I've made, using only my homegrown veggies.  I get such a kick out of being able to create  pretty & tasty dishes from the veggie garden, just outside my kitchen door...


 

Homegrown tomatoes, basil, sliced cheese & French bread ~ add a bottle of wine & you've got the perfect summertime meal.

Tomato Water Martini

When I make salads featuring my tomatoes, I usually like to make a simple vinaigrette dressing with olive oil, a few herbs, salt/pepper & either a balsamic or red wine vinegar.  I will sometimes use ranch dressing if I'm tossing the tomatoes with cucumbers and/or beans.  Fresh shaved or grated Parmesan cheese is always a nice touch.  Another meal Roy & I REALLY enjoy eating in the summertime, when the tomatoes are sun-kissed & vine ripe, is warm, crusty French bread with sliced tomatoes, basil & cheese.  This is a full meal for us, we hardly ever have any left.  We eat it slowly & enjoy it with a bottle of wine.  Now, that is my kind of 'happy meal'!

Last year, I had a TON of yellow tomatoes get ripe, all at the same time.  I chopped them up for my Salsa Fresca & found that I had a large amount of 'tomato nectar' hiding in the bottom of the bowl.  It truly is the pure, clear, essence of summer.  What a treat!  I turned that golden liquid into a Tomato Water Martini ~ just using the nectar/tomato water as it was.  I like having the color along with the flavor, besides it was all ready to go without additional fuss.  Works for me!

Well, thanks for listening to this gardener go on about tomatoes.  The wait is almost over....  :)