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2012 Top 10 Recipes | She Paused 4 Thought

A New Year brings the promise of diverse culinary adventures.  I thought before we move forward it would be fun to look back. Borrowing from a late night host, here are the Top Ten.  I hope one of these is your new favorite recipe.

#1| M’hanncha – Moroccan Snake Pastry

Photo by Cathy Nelson Arkle
It comes as no surprise to me what this was the most view post of 2012.  The Moroccan Snake Pastry is bursting with WOW factor.  I mean, who doesn’t want to look like a pastry princess?  This recipe is time consuming and worth every second it takes to create it.

#2| Pumpkin Mousse with Toffee Crunch & Cran-Raspberry Sauce 

cathy nelson arkle

This recipe was a winner in my book from the ingredients alone.  Add the visual magic and viola… you are a culinary wizard.

#3| Pork Butt with Port and Prunes

   Cathy Nelson Arkle

This was the shocker! I think this made it to the top because of an irresistible title of “Pork Butts and Pig Tales“ featuring a humorous, yet informative post.  Something about cooking with “prunes and butt” must have kept everyone’s inner adolescent boy laughing all the way through this blog. I would love to know if anyone actually made this!  Funny thing is, this is a really good recipe.

 

#4 | Mexican Shrimp Cocktail

Cathy Nelson Arkle
This is simple to make and bursting with flavor.

 

#5 | Santa Maria Tri-Tip Tacos with Guacamole and Salsa

 Cathy nelson arkle
This has Super Bowl party food written all over it!

 

#6 | Gâteau au Chocolat (French Chocolate Cake) 

cathy nelson arkle
The best part of this recipe besides eating it is you can freeze it ahead of time.

 

#7 | Lemon Rosemary Shrimp Skewers with Mint Pesto

cathy nelson arkle
Shrimp “anything” is always a sure bet considering it is the most popular seafood in America.

 

#8| Roquefort, Walnut & Belgian Endive Salad

Cathy nelson arkle
Simplicity meets visual artistry.

 

#9 | Cucumber and Cheese Verrine

cathy nelson arkle
This is very easy and refreshing on a hot summer day.

 

#10 | Melon and Blueberry Parfait with Ginger Yogurt

Cathy Nelson Arkle
I have made so many variations of this recipe I lost count. It is one of those recipes you can’t afford not to have in your recipe box.

Quote of the Day

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” - Walt Disney

 

My goal this year is to stay curious, be experimental, and never stop learning.I intend to seek out new culinary delights such as bugs… particularly from Moreton Bay or Balmain. I tried them on my recent trip to Australia and they are much better than the “bugs” I had in Cambodia, but that is another post.
…and then, she paused for thought.

 

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Maximizing Menu Development

Photography by Cathy Nelson Arkle

Today’s class is about menu development.  After all our weeks of training, Chef Carol Cotner Thompson thought we were now ready to be creative and experiment. Scary for me because I want a recipe as my security blanket, but this how we learn.

Once you have a good handle on cooking techniques, different cuisines, and which foods and spices work together, creativity can take your dishes to a whole new level. Here are some tips to help make you look like a pro.

Three Tips for Maximizing Meal Planning

  1. Make sure flavors complement, not compete.
    Any single item now becomes part of a group when you menu plan.  Understanding how ingredients’ flavors relate to one another is a great place to start.  A good resource is “The Flavor Bible.”
  2.  Don’t overdo any one item.
    If your appetizer has garlic, use onions or leeks in your entrée. Too much of a good thing can be bad.
  3.  Keep it simple.
    Limit the number of ingredients per dish. This helps create balance and harmony throughout your entire meal. Continue Reading →
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Farmer Market Treasures

Photography by Cathy Nelson Arkle

Today’s classroom was taken to the streets of Santa Monica, CA for the Wednesday Farmers Market.  We are on a treasure hunt for the freshest seasonal and locally grown fruits and veggies to prepare in class today. Wait until you see what we cooked with our Farmers Market treasures!

photography by cathy nelson arkle
This market is not only the largest, but also a favorite of food enthusiasts and local chefs alike.  Farmers show off their local produce and other seasonal favorites while shoppers enjoy the colorful atmosphere. Continue Reading →

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Incredible Indian

Photography by Cathy Nelson Arkle

Trying to explain Indian cuisine is like describing quantum physics. I love both, but they are best left to an expert. India’s cuisine is anything but uniform for many reasons: its 5000-year-old history, numerous settlers with diverse belief systems and distinct geography differences.  But… there is a common thread.

Significant Spices

The French have their sauces, the Mexicans have their chilies, the Italians have their pastas, and the Indians have their spices.

India produces 70% of global spice market. They grow about 50 of the 80 varieties of spices harvested worldwide. Continue Reading →

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Asian Awakening

Gyoza (Japanese Potstickers) from New School of Cooking

Asian cuisine is probably my least favorite, so why has this Pro-Chef class turned out to be my favorite so far?

It isn’t the taste or texture of Asian food; it’s because the MSG gives me headaches. Therefore, I thought… Asian food = headache. But today we experienced some great recipes that really turned my uneducated opinion around. I can cook Asian cuisine and avoid MSG.

You can’t discuss Chinese and Japanese cuisine without talking about rice. It is the focal point of every meal, and the blank canvas on which all other foods are created.

Rice Rudiments:

  • Asia alone produces and consumes 90% of the world’s rice.
  • Rice has fed more people over a longer period of time than any other crop.
  • For millions of people, rice is 3/4 their total diet.
  • There are more than 40,000 varieties of rice that grow on every continent except Antarctica.
  • In several Asian languages the words for ‘food’ and ‘rice’ are identical.

Asian ingredients for class at New School of CookingChinese Soy sauces for class at New School of Cooking

The other main staple in Asian cooking is soybeans. Some of the products made from these beans are; soy sauce, miso, tofu, bean curd and tempeh. Continue Reading →

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