Cuisine Diva

Healthier Eating With Weekly Food Preparation

Above: marinated steak, roasted squash, kumquat/fennel salad

Prepare Foods in Advance

I am trying to eat healthier these days. I participate in 15-20+ races per year; triathlon, 5k, half marathons and time trial bike races. I'm often so busy training and racing, that I sometimes forget all about meal planning and preparation until I am absolutely starving. Then it just seems easier to grab a bag of chips, or go to the local fast food restaurant for a quick bite to eat. As I am still trying to take off a few more pounds before the 2012 race season gets under way, I am trying to pay better attention to my diet.

I work as a freelance writer/blogger/craft artist out of my house. With the kitchen just around the corner from my office, I have a tendency to grab a quick snack whenever I'm hungry. I'm trying really hard to eat more regular meals, but that means I have to plan a menu for each week. I find that it's much easier if I prepare a bunch of meals and snacks ahead of time, so they are ready to eat when my stomach starts growling at me.

Please note; I almost always have a mixed green salad or green vegetable, such as steamed broccoli or oven roasted asparagus, with my lunches and dinners. Vegetables are terrific sources of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. And unless you smoother the vegetables with butter or cheese sauce, they are also very low calorie.

Above: oven roasted butternut squash

 

Intermediate Food Prep

There are a few items that must be made ahead of time, which are used to make the other recipes.

Honey mustard dressing - I use the honey mustard dressing in the potato salad. Left over honey mustard dressing can be used on hot dogs or chicken nuggets, although I no longer eat hot dogs or chicken nuggets myself.

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup prepared honey mustard
• 2 tablespoons stone ground mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey or light agave syrup

Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Store in a covered bowl in the refrigerator until ready to add to the potato salad. If you have any leftover, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Hard boiled eggs - approximately 1/2 dozen. A couple are chopped up and used in the potato salad recipe. I have the remaining hard boiled eggs on hand, to either chop up and use in green salads, turn into egg salad, or to simply eat a hard boiled egg on it's own for a quick snack. I place the eggs in a large pan of water, bring to a boil, then boil the eggs for 12 minutes.

Above: kumquat fennel salad

Weekly Food Preparation Recipes

These are the recipes that I just made on Monday late morning/early afternoon. If you work a regular Monday-Friday job outside of the house, you will probably want to do your food prep on the weekend. Prepare your shopping list and go shopping for all ingredients on Saturday. You can do the actually cooking later in the day on Saturday or anytime on Sunday.

Potato Salad

Ingredients for potato salad:

• Small container of fingerling potatoes
• 2 hard boiled eggs - chopped
• 1 recipe honey mustard dressing

Directions for potato salad:

1. Scrub the skins off the potatoes to remove any dirt and blemishes
2. Leave very small potatoes whole, larger ones should be cut in half or thirds
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil
4. Add the potatoes and cook for 12 minutes
5. Place the potatoes in a colander and rinse with cold water until cooled down
6. Stir in the chopped eggs and honey mustard dressing
7. Store in the refrigerator in a covered container until chilled. Leftovers will last for 4-6 days

Kumquat Fennel Salad

Kumquats look like micro sized oranges and have a tangy/tart orange taste. Fennel is crunchy like celery, with a slight anise/licorice taste. You may also add a bit of chopped, raw red onion to this salad if desired.

Ingredients for kumquat fennel salad:

• pint size container kumquats
• 2 fennel bulbs
• juice from 1 orange
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Directions for kumquat fennel salad:

1. Rinse off the kumquats, cut in halves or quarters, remove any seeds and add to a large bowl
2. Remove any dried out/discolored outer portions of the fennel bulb if necessary
3. Cut off the top and bottom of the fennel bulbs
4. Cut the cleaned fennel bulbs in quarters, then chop into 1-2 inch size pieces and add to the bowl of kumquats
5. If desired, the herb-like leafy portion of the top of the bulb may be cleaned, chopped and added to the salad
6. Stir in the orange juice and olive oil
7. Add salt and pepper as desired
8. Chill in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Above: marinated steak

 

Smothered Marinated Steak

I found a package of very thinly sliced eye round steak at my local grocery store. You could also use skirt steak or flank steak for this recipe. My favorite way to eat the steak after cooking, is to cut it into strips and serve on top of a large plateful of mixed salad greens. A local pizza restaurant near me makes a Thai-dye steak salad, which is the marinated steak served on top of a mixed green salad along with roasted chopped peanuts, roasted red bell peppers and a Thai-style peanut dressing. It is pretty dang yummy!

Ingredients:

• 1-2 pound package thinly sliced steak
• 1 bottle ginger dressing/marinade
• 1 red onion - peeled and chopped
• olive oil

Directions:

1. Cut off any visible fat from the steaks
2. Place the steaks in a bowl and cover with some of the ginger dressing
3. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator for up to 10 hours, stirring occasionally
4. When ready to eat, place a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a large frying pan set over medium heat
5. Cook the red onions until they begin to turn translucent
6. Remove the onions to a bowl or plate
7. Add additional oil to the pan if necessary and turn the heat to medium high
8. Cook the steaks, a few at a time in the pan, for a minute or two on each side.
9. The key to keeping these thin steaks tender is to quickly cook them.
10. Serve with the grilled onions and additional ginger dressing if desired

Roasted Butternut Squash

Yes, I use chili powder and five spice powder in this recipe. I acutally grabed the chili powder by mistake and sprinkled it all over the squash before realizing it wasn't five spice powder, silly me! It came out fantastic with both the chili powder and five spice powder, happy accident!

Ingredients for roasted butternut squash:

• 1 butternut squash
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• five spice powder
• chili powder
• salt
• pepper

Directions for roasted butternut squash:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Use a vegetable peeler to peel off the outer layers of the squash
3. Cut the squash in half, lengthwise
4. Use a metal spoon to scrape out all the seeds and stringy pulp from the interior
5. Cut the peeled and cleaned squash into 1-2 inch chunks
6. Toss the squash with the olive oil and spices
7. Place the squash on a large baking pan and place in the oven
8. Bake for 35-40 minutes until fork tender.
9. Note: You could smash the cooked squash with a potato masher if desired prior to serving. I leave mine as it comes out of the oven. Reheat the cooked squash as needed with your meals during the week.

Above: honey mustard potato salad

 

Additional Foods to Prepare in Advance

I get bored if I always eat the same types of food. Each week I try to vary my menu slightly. Here are some other ideas for recipes to make when doing your weekly food preparation.

Pasta - prepare in advance and toss with extra virgin olive oil. Reheat as necessary and serve with your favorite tomato sauce. I am trying to eat mostly gluten free these days, so I have boxes of quinoa, brown rice and corn based pastas in my pantry.

Tuna salad - mix up a can or two of your favorite brand of tuna with a bit of mayonnaise and celery. Since I am trying to eat gluten free, I rarely eat bread anymore. In lieu of serving your tuna salad on bread, I like to place it on top of tomato slices.

Egg salad - my husband loves egg salad and will eat it faster than I can make it. Mix up chopped, hard boiled eggs with a bit of mayonnaise. My husband likes his with chopped celery mixed in. I like mine with celery and a few roasted sunflower seeds mixed in.

Roasted potatoes - wash a small container of red skin potatoes. Leave the skin on and cut larger ones in half or thirds. Toss with a bit of olive oil or walnut oil. Add 1/2 package of Lipton's onion soup mix and stir until all potatoes are coated with a bit of the dry soup mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven until fork tender. Left overs can be reheated as needed.

Green beans almondine - I'll probably add the exact recipe for this side dish in a few days, as I plan to make it later in the week. Saute mushrooms and onions in a large pan with a bit of olive oil. Add chopped, roasted garlic and fresh green beans which have been cut into thirds. Add fresh chopped rosemary and salt/pepper to taste. When green beans are done remove the pan from the stove and toss in slivered almonds prior to serving.

Pasta salad - cook a box of your favorite pasta according to package directions. Place in a strainer and rinse in cool water until it has cooled down. Strain well then add to a large bowl. I like to use a vinaigrette dressing, such as balsamic vinegar mixed with olive or walnut oil, to dress my pasta salad. I add a variety of ingredients such as sliced black olives, chopped green onion, fresh dill and chopped red onion to my pasta salad. As this pasta salad has contains no mayonnaise, it can be packed in a tupperware container, placed in your lunch box and brought to work.

Raw vegetables - pretend you are having a party and are going to serve a vegetable platter. I use a large, divided tupperware container to place a variety of chopped, raw vegetables. It's nice to have an assortment of vegetables, all cleaned, prepared and ready to pack in your lunch box or grab as a quick snack at home. Some of my favorites include: carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, summer squash.

My daughter is a vegetarian and often packs raw vegetables in her lunches which she takes to school. She fills a very small tupperware container with hummus to bring with her, which she eats along with the vegetables. You could even use some of these ingredients during the week to make a vegetable infused stir fry dinner. Use your imagination!

Take care,
Lynn Smythe, AKA the Cuisine Diva

 

Vegetarian Quinoa Burger Recipe

Above: quinoa burger with all the trimmings. 

What is Quinoa?

Quinoa is a wheat-free, gluten-free grain and can be consumed by anyone that suffers from celiac disease.  Although I don't have a gluten sensitivity, I know I feel a lot better and have fewer digestive complaints when I limit the amount of wheat products in my diet.

I have a box of Ancient Harvest brand quinoa pasta in my pantry. According to Ancient Harvest, "quinoa stands alone as a complete protein grain. It supplies all the essential amino acids in a balanced pattern."

Above: two varieties of organic quinoa.

My daughter, who turns 16 years old today, decided to become a vegetarian 3 years ago. My husband and I aren't vegetarian, but as hard core amateur athletes, we are continually looking for ways to eat a healthier diet. A BurgerFi restaurant recently opened up near us in downtown Delray Beach. They offer a delicious quinoa burger for their vegetarian patrons. My daughter and I really enjoy BurgerFi's veggie burger so I thought I would try to make my own version of a quinoa burger.

Where to Find Quinoa?

Besides quinoa pasta varieties, you can also buy quinoa in it's raw state. You can find quinoa at most grocery stores, in either the rice or pasta aisle. I found red and white varieties of organic quinoa at the 4th Generation Market in Boca Raton, Florida.

If you use the white variety of quinoa, you will end up with something that looks similar to a turkey burger. If you use the red variety of quinoa, you will end up with something that looks similar to a traditional beef burger.

Above: quinoa burger mixture waiting to be made into patties and pan fried.

Cooking Quinoa

Before you can make quinoa burgers, you first have to cook your quinoa. The quinoa I purchased didn't come with directions on how to cook it so I searched a couple recipe sites on the Internet. I wasn't sure if my quinoa was pre-rinsed or not so I just assumed it wasn't. I placed the quinoa in a pan and covered it with water and let the quinoa soak a minimum of 5 minutes then used a fine mesh strainer to drain off the water.

• 1 cup uncooked rinsed quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

I placed the rinsed quinoa back in the pan along with the 2 cups of water and the salt. Bring the water to a boil, turn the heat down to low and cover the pan with a  lid. Simmer the quinoa until all water has been absorbed. I didn't really time it but think it took around 15 minutes to cook.

Quinoa Burger Recipe Ingredients

• 1 recipe cooked quinoa
• 1 large carrot - grated
• 1/4 cup onion - minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic - minced
• 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup cream cheese - room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup panko - Japanese style bread crumbs

Above: pan fry quinoa burgers in extra virgin olive oil.

Quinoa Burger Recipe Directions

1. As there are two eggs in this burger recipe, I let the cooked quinoa cool down a bit before adding the rest of the ingredients.
2. Once the quinoa has cooled down, stir in all the remaining ingredients. I placed the burger mixture back in the refrigerator for two hours, to let it firm up a bit, before making the burgers.
3. To cook the burgers, I placed 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and placed the pan over medium high heat. I formed large patties with the quinoa burger mixture and cooked them until medium brown and crispy on both sides.
4. You can eat the quinoa burger as is, or dress it up like you would a hamburger by placing it on a bun with lettuce, tomato and onion.

Above: enjoy a quinoa burger with your favorite toppings.

Recipe Variations

Gluten free quinoa burger

• Substitute 1/2 cup crushed rice Chex cereal for the breadcrumbs.
• Serve the burger without a bun.

Dairy free quinoa burger

• eliminate the mozzarella
• substitute silken tofu for the cream cheese

Vegan quinoa burger

• eliminate the mozzarella
• substitute silken tofu for the cream cheese

Ingredient Substitutions

1. Any shredded cheese, such as cheddar, colby or Monterrey jack,  can be used in place of the mozzarella.
2. Ricotta cheese, cottage cheese or even silken tofu can be substituted for the cream cheese.
3. Instead of cooking the quinoa in plain water, which has salt added to it, substitute the water and salt with vegetable broth. If you aren't vegan or vegetarian, you may cook the quinoa in chicken broth if desired.
4. Green onions, or even shallots, can be substituted for the onion.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Pumpkin Spice Cake Recipe

Above: pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting.

Delicious Dessert Recipe

Here is a recipe for a pumpkin spice sponge cake with cream cheese frosting. The recipe can be found on the inside label of most canned pumpkin pie filling. The recipe was originally meant to be made as a pumpkin roll, but I've had problems in the past with the filling oozing out and making a big mess. So I prefer to make the cake as directed, but instead of filling it with the icing and rolling it up, I cut the cake in half to make a double layer cake.

Pumpkin Spice Cake Recipe Variations

You may add 1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans to the cake recipe if desired, before baking. I made mine without nuts. Any pumpkin pie spices can be used in this recipe, choose from allspice, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and even Chinese five spice powder, for a total of 1 teaspoon.

Pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting would make a delightful culinary addition to a tea party or bridal shower.

Above: canned pumpkin. Leftovers can be used to make pumpkin pancakes.

Pumpkin Spice Cake Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2/3 cup pumpkin puree

Pumpkin Spice Cake Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease and flour a 15 x 10 x 1 inch jelly roll pan.
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a large bowl.
4. In a small bowl, beat together the sugar and eggs.
5. Stir the pumpkin into the sugar and egg mixture.
6. Add the liquid ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until mixed through.
7. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.
8. Let the cake cool to room temperature.
9. Cut the cooled cake in half.
10. Add one half of the cake to a large platter and spread with half of the cream cheese frosting mixture.
11. Top with the other half of the cake and spread with the remaining cream cheese frosting.

 

Above: enjoy pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting along with a cup of coffee or hot tea.

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

• 1 eight ounce package cream cheese - room temperature
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine - room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar - sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting Directions

1. Add the cream cheese and butter to a mixing bowl.
2. Beat with an electric mixer until creamy.
3. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Spaghetti Squash Side Dish

Above: a whole and cut in half spaghetti squash in it's raw state.

Vegetarian Side Dish

My daughter decided to become a vegetarian two years ago. I am always looking for vegetarian recipes that I think she will enjoy. Our local grocery stores carry spaghetti squash, so I decided to purchase one a few months ago and now make this dish quite often.

Above: spaghetti squash waiting to go in the oven.

I like to sprinkle a bit of freshly ground black pepper, course sea salt and Chinese five spice powder, or nutmeg over the squash before baking it in the oven. I have tried serving spaghetti squash with tomato sauce but didn't care for it. I will stick to regular pasta to serve along with tomato sauce. Spaghetti squash, like most squashes, has a slightly sweet taste and is complimented with a variety of sweet spices such as Chinese five spice powder, nutmeg and allspice.

Above: sprinkle each squash half with a bit of salt, pepper and Chinese five spice.

Spaghetti Squash Recipe Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Chinese five spice powder
• Butter

Above: let cooked spaghetti squash cool a bit before scraping out the interior.

Spaghetti Squash Recipe Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half.
3. Use a large metal spoon to scrape out the seeds and stringy pulp, just like you would clean a pumpkin before carving it.
4. Spray a large baking dish with non stick cooking spray.
5. Place the spaghetti squash, flesh side up, on the bottom of the pan.
6. Brush each half of the squash with a bit of oil.
7. Sprinkle each squash half with black pepper, salt and Chinese five spice powder.
8. Place the squash in the oven and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours depending on the size of the squash. You want to cook the spaghetti squash until it is tender.
9. Remove the squash from the oven and let cool slightly.
10. Use a large fork to scrape the squash out of it's shell. It should pull apart into short strings which look a bit like spaghetti.
11. Add the squash to a mixing bowl and add a tablespoon or two of butter or margarine.
12. Taste the squash and add additional salt, pepper and Chinese five spice powder if necessary.
13. Serve immediately.
14. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days.

Above: cooked spaghetti squash will pull apart into short, spaghetti-like strands.

Above: add a bit of butter or margarine to the cooked spaghetti squash then place in an attractive serving dish.

 

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Mashed Cauliflower Recipe

Above: Bowl full of mashed cauliflower.

I've been trying to eat healthier during the past few years. I do a lot of swim-bike-run workouts but still have a tendency to eat too much. I've seen a few websites posting up mashed cauliflower recipes as a healthier alternative to mashed potatoes, so I decided to make my own version and post the recipe to the Cuisine Diva blog. Mashed cauliflower makes a wonderful side dish to serve at your next dinner or holiday meal celebration.

Mashed potatoes are very high in carbohydrates and most versions are loaded with tons of milk, cream, butter and even sour cream. Mashed cauliflower, as prepared in this recipe, offers a lower carbohydrate, lower fat and lower calorie side dish that can be substituted for traditional mashed potatoes.

Above: A few of the ingredients used to make mashed cauliflower.

Mashed Cauliflower Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1/4 vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon margarine - I used Brummel & Brown spread
• 1 teaspoon dried or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
• 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Above: Cut cauliflower into smaller florets and place in steamer basket.

Mashed Cauliflower Directions

1. Cut the core out of the base of the cauliflower and remove any blemished spots.
2. Cut the cauliflower into smaller pieces.
3. Steam the cauliflower for 30 minutes - I used my bamboo steamer placed inside my wok.
4. Add the vegetable broth, margarine, thyme, garlic, garlic powder, salt and pepper to a large pan placed over low heat.
5. Add the steamed cauliflower to the pan with the vegetable broth and seasonings.
6. Use a potato masher to finely mash the cauliflower.
7. Add additional vegetable broth if necessary.

Above: Vegetable broth and seasonings simmer while cauliflower is steaming.

Mashed Cauliflower Additions

You can add approximately 1/4 cup of any of these suggestions to your mashed cauliflower for some unique flavor variations. Unfortunately these additions also add a bit of fat and calories back into the recipe but they sure are tasty options.

• Crumbled goat cheese
• Crumbled feta cheese
• Regular or low fat sour cream
• French's fried onions - taste great sprinkled on top of mashed cauliflower.
• Instant potato flakes - to create a creamier consistency.
• Soy cheese - good option if you are lactose intolerant like I am.

Above: Mashed cauliflower sprinkled with French's fried onions.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

 

Coffee House and Tea Party Ideas

Happy party guests at our coffee house fundraiser.

My husband and I do a lot of fundraising for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through our local Team in Training chapter. We recently hosted a Coffee House at our house, to help us with our fundraising goals as we train for the 2010 winter season's century bike ride with TNT. My husband is one of the cycle team coaches, and I am training for the Cocoa Beach century ride which takes place on October 31 in Cocoa Beach, Florida.

 

Team in Training fundraising table setup at coffee house.
 

Serve Lots of Yummy Food

Here is a list of food which I made to serve at the party. I've posted many of these recipes online, and have included links to those recipes where appropriate. I've also hosted various tea parties at our house throughout the years, and all of these recipes are also perfect for serving at a tea party, luncheon or bridal shower.

Bounty of party food.

Coffee House and Tea Party Recipes

• Deviled eggs
• Egg salad finger sandwiches
• Walnut chicken salad finger sandwiches
• Ham & cheese quiche - with Swiss cheese and green onions
• Bacon & cheese quiche - with cheddar cheese and fresh thyme
• Lemon bars
• Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
• Party cookies with chocolate chips & almonds
• Peanut butter cookies with Hersey's Kisses
• Pecan pie bars
• Pumpkin spice muffins

Even more food.

 

Make Ahead and Freeze

When hosting parties at my house, I like to make as much food ahead of time as possible. Certain recipes, such as cookies with a lot of butter in them, can be made ahead and stored in the freezer for up to two weeks before the party. Simply take them out of the freezer the day of the party, and they will thaw out at room temperature in an hour or two.

In the case of the crab canapes and asparagus roll-ups, leave them in the freezer until you are ready to bake them. The instructions for those two appetizers are for cooking them directly from the freezer. Other foods, such as the quiche, can be made a day or two ahead of time, and stored in the refrigerator until the day of the party.

Fussy Food Handling

More fragile food, such as deviled eggs, egg salad finger sandwiches and walnut chicken salad finger sandwiches are best assembled the day of the party. I cooked the hard boiled eggs the day before the party, so they would have enough time to cool down. But I didn't actually make the deviled eggs, or assemble the egg salad sandwiches until the day of the party. Our party went from 12:30 PM to 4:30 PM, which gave me plenty of time to do last minute cooking, assembly and cleaning before the party started.

 

Another group shot.

Party Foods That Freeze Well

• Crab canapes
• Asparagus roll-ups
• Cocoa spice drops
• Pistachio shortbread
• Lemon poppy seed teacakes

A Variety of Beverages

Not everyone likes coffee, and I knew a few children would be attending our coffee house party, so I had a variety of beverages available. I let my husband be in charge of all the coffee making. He is a great fan of coffee and I was quite busy with last minute food prep, and meeting and greeting guests as they arrived, so not having to deal with coffee preparation was a huge weight off my shoulders.

1. Hot coffee - we have a regular coffee pot, cappucinno machine and two French press pots, so we were able to make a variety of coffee throughout the party.
2. Iced coffee - we brewed up an extra strong pot of coffee the night before the party, let it cool to room temperature, then stored it in a coffee carafe.
3. Sweat iced tea
4. Soda - a friend of ours brought a variety of soda to the party for everyone to enjoy; rootbeer, orange, lemon lime and a diet cola.
5. Ice - my husband took one of our coolers in to his office and filled it up with ice. Guests could fill their cups up with ice if they were drinking water, iced tea, iced coffee or soda. His office has a large, hotel sized ice maker in the back, which is convenient anytime we host parties at our house.

I'd love to hear about the types of food and beverages you like to serve at coffee and tea parties. Or have you been to a favorite restaurant or tea house for their tea service? I would love to hear about it!

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Review of Total Tea Products

 

January is National Hot Tea month. I was recently contact by Copco, a Wilton Products Company, that designs and manufactures a variety of tea kettles, kitchen products and food preparation tools. They wanted to know if I would be interested in receiving a sample of one of their Total Tea Products to test and review for the Cuisne Diva blog.

I have a large collection of loose leaf teas, so I'm always looking for innovative products to help me brew my tea into the perfect cup of tea.

Total Tea products

Tea Making Accessories

I received a sample of the Total Tea basket tea infuser and their stainless steel thermal. I really like the stainless steel thermal, it makes a terrific travel mug. It features a twist-to-stop steeping feature incorporated directly into the lid. Simply fill the infuser with loose leaf tea, pour hot water over the tea leaves, let steep, then twist the lid to stop the steeping process.

Total Tea stainless steel thermal travel mug

Top of travel mug removed, showing removable tea infuser

Fill the removable infuser with your favorite loose leaf tea

 

Turn infuser lid to steep, in/out or stop

Suggested Retail Prices

Here's a list of some of the products available in the Total Tea line, along with their suggested retail price.

• Snap open tea infuser - $9.99
• Basket tea infuser - $7.99
• Lily pad tea ball - $6.99
• Twisting stick infuser with lily pad - $8.99
• Soft grip tea thermal - $10.99
• Stainless steel thermal - $14.99

A variety of Total Tea gadgets also available including an infuser ball, tea bag squeeze with stand, a honey/sugar bottle and a stainless steel tea scoop.

Finding Total Tea Products

Total Tea products and accessories can be found at a variety of retail stores including Target, Sears, JC Penney, Kmart, Walmart, Linens & Things and Macy's.

Website: www.copco.com

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA Cuisine Diva

How to Make French Press Coffee

My husband and I are true coffee aficionados. We have a coffee grinder, to grind whole bean coffee, a coffee machine, an espresso machine and a French press pot.

French Press Coffee
When my husband is traveling out of town, on business, I still like to have a cup or two of coffee. I am a freelance writer, and work out of my house, so I usually have a couple of cups of coffee almost everyday. When I'm by myself, I often use our French press coffee pot, instead of the large coffee brewer.

French press coffee, has a smooth and creamy texture, which reminds me of hot chocolate. I tend to put a bit more creamer in French press coffee, then regular brewed coffee, just the way I've gotten used to drinking it I guess.

 

Making French Press Coffee
To make French press coffee, I fill the electric tea kettle with water and turn it on. While the water is coming up to temperature, I prepare the rest of the items. My French press coffee pot makes 4 small cups of coffee, enough to fill 2 large coffee mugs. I place 4 tablespoons of coffee grinds in the bottom of the French press.

When the water comes to a boil, I turn off the tea kettle, wait for the water to stop boiling, then fill the French press with the hot water. I place the lid on the French press, and let the coffee brew for 4-6 minutes. Then you press down on the lid, which is fitted with a permanent metal filter, until the lid hits the bottom of the pot. Then I pour a tablespoon of flavored coffee creamer in a large coffee mug, and fill the mug with freshly brewed French press coffee.

Additional Brewing Tidbits
Coarsely ground coffee should be used in a French press pot. If you have a coffee grinder, you can use whole bean coffee, and grind it specifically for use in a French press coffee pot. I have a Bodum French press coffee pot, the carafe is made out of glass, while the lid, handle and bottom are made out of red plastic. The plunger/filter is permanently attached to the lid.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

 

Recipes for a Tea Party

My daughter and I have hosted a number of tea parties at our house over the years. Last year we held a tea party, called the Girl's Club Tea Party, for mom's and their daughters. I used the tea party as a way to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Societies Team in Training program.

 

Lemon ricotta cheesecake

I am always looking for unique and delicious treats to serve at the tea party. These recipes could also be served at bridal showers, breakfast buffets, or even as part of a holiday dessert party.

1. Lemon Poppy Seed Teacakes; Recipe for a Cookie-Like Treat Enhanced with Citrus and Poppy Seeds.
2. Ham and Cheese Quiche; Recipe for a Hearty Egg Custard Pie.
3. Banana Bread and Banana French Toast; Two Recipes for Sweet and Delicious Recipe Dishes.
4. Walnut Chicken Salad with Herb Butter; Delicious Finger Food to Feature at a Tea Party or Bridal Shower.
5. Rosy Jellyroll Cake; Recipe for a Raspberry and Vanilla Cream Filled Dessert.
6. Blueberry Muffin Recipe; A Sweet Treat with a Cinnamon Enhanced Strudel Topping
7. Sage, Lavender and Mint Desserts; Shortcake, Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies and Lavender Custard Recipes.
8. Quick Bread Recipes; Chili Cheese Cornbread, Garlic Herb Bread and Parmesan Cheese Biscuits.
9. Gingersnap Cookie Recipe; How to Create a Soft and Chewy Ginger Flavored Dessert.
10. Orange Thyme Teacake; Recipe for a citrus enhanced dessert.
11. Pumpkin Spice Muffins; Recipe for an easy to prepare, moist and spicy muffin.
12. Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake; Recipe for a creamy citrus and herb enhanced dessert.
13. Quick and Easy Tart and Creamy Lemon Bars; Recipe for a classic lemon dessert.
14. Vanilla Bean Dessert Recipes; Learn how-to make vanilla pudding, vanilla flavored sugar and vanilla infused hot chocolate.

Quiche

Try making one or more of these goodies for your next party.

 

Lemon tea cake

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

How to Brew Tea

Basic Tea Brewing Methods
For each serving of tea you want to make, bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a non-metallic pan. An enameled, non-stick or glass pan works well. Remove the pan from the heat and add 1 teaspoon of dried or 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs to the pan. Let this mixture steep for between 3 and 4 minutes. This shorter infusion time yields a refreshing beverage, letting the mixture steep any longer may result in a bitter tasting beverage.

Place a lid on top of your container while it steeps to prevent it from cooling off too quickly. Strain the herbs from the water and pour the infusion into your favorite mug or tea cup. You could also use a French press, or tea pot with a built in infuser basket when making larger amounts of tea. Just be sure to adjust the amount of herbs you use according to how many cups of tea you are making. Those little tea balls you find in some kitchen gadget stores can also be used to make a single cup of tea.

Making Iced Tea
If you prefer iced tea, double the amount of herbs used. Don’t double the amount of time you steep the herbs, as the tea could end up developing a bitter taste. Use 2 teaspoons of dried or 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs for each cup of water you are using when making iced tea. The extra amount of herbs used allows for dilution by the melting of ice cubes that you have added to your iced tea.

Additions to Your Tea
I’ve never been a fan of adding milk or cream to my tea. A cup of coffee, definitely, but I prefer to serve my tea with a bit of honey and sometimes add a slice of lemon. You may add any of the following ingredients, in moderation, to help enhance the flavor of your herbal tea:

• honey
• white sugar
• sugar cubes
• peppermint candy pieces (kids love this idea)
• brown sugar
• demerara sugar
• lemon slices
• orange slices
• lime slices
• stevia*

*Read the Tea Diva's article: Zero Calorie Stevia Sweeteners on the Suite101 website.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva