I'm Headed To The Austin, Texas Hot Sauce Festival Competition & Food Bank Fundraiser With My Entries!

In years past I've entered my *red* hot sauce and my *salsa verde* (green sauce) in this hot sauce competition, with not even so much as a nod from the judges. Believe it or not, I was surprised. I was also disappointed and heartbroken (I was younger then, okay?), so I decided to not enter for several years. In the meantime, the festival and judging have undergone some much needed changes. Once I learned of the changes, I submitted my entry fee and form, and I leave Saturday morning for the Sunday competition down the road in Austin, Texas.


Now, don't get me wrong here. I'm not just in it for the possible contract with some big company to make my sauces commercially. Of course, that would be perfectly lovely, wouldn't it? But there is more to this festival than the competition. Proceeds raised from the entry fees go to The Austin Food Bank, as do all the cans of food requested as entrance into Waterloo Park, where it will be held. It is what literally allows the Austin Food Bank to survive yet another year. And, I'm not talking about feeding those in Austin who sell flowers on street corners. Those people have it made. I'm talking about all the families and individuals that have fallen upon hard times due to whatever misfortune has befallen them. They also invited restaurants and those who commercially produce their sauces, made in Austin, to offer mass tastings of their products. Trust me when I tell you that it is Hot Sauce Heaven.


In addition to the commercial producers, there is also a tent where the public is invited to try all the entries into the competition. But, this makes the competition a three tiered affair.


There are categories for home salsa makers (red, green & specialty), a restaurant category, and a commercial hot sauce makers category. This affords the judges a wide range of expertise and tastes. In the midst of all this going on, there are hawt Austin bands playing their music on the stage throughout the day. There are beer and wine vendors, as well as plenty of water and soft drinks vendors. It's a day of great fun and camaraderie among hot sauce fans, so if you live in the Austin area and have nothing better to do, get yourself over to Waterloo Park (located @ 12th & Red River) on Sunday.


The festival opens their gates to hot sauce competition entrants between 10:30 AM and 11:30 AM, when they must drop off their forms and their sauces. The festival is open to the public from 11:00 AM until 5:30 PM.


I've been making hot sauce for Christmas gifts all week, so it just happens to be the perfect time. I visited the organic Farmer's Market and loaded up on tomatoes, habanero peppers, jalapenos, onions, cilantro, and bell peppers. Since there wasn't enough of every ingredient, I also went to Sam's Club to finish getting the ingredients I would need. Throughout the week I've tried different (new) ingredients to enhance my almost perfect sauce, and yes, my friends and relatives will be the *guinea pigs* for all of my experiments this week. They've never yet complained, so I guess it's all good. Although I'd be a complete & utter moron to tell you my recipe at this point, I can show you a few pictures of the process. I'll let you know the outcome when I return.


Meanwhile, please keep your fingers & toes crossed or perhaps send a little prayer my way, if you can. And if you live in the Austin area, then be sure to get yourself down to Waterloo Park for the festivities! Hope to see you there...

Rustic Peach Tart... Or Peach Galette

Peaches are at the height of their flavor right now, so we've been making the most of it. It's well known by all our friends that Mr. Snooty is a total peach hound, so I made him this lovely treat on his birthday and he couldn't seem to get enough. Well, he did eat eat the entire thing... This recipe is so easy that it will make you weep for the sheer joy of its simplicity. Some things simply cannot be improved upon. Rustic Peach Tart: Ingredients: For Tart Crust: 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour (with a little extra for rolling out dough) 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 6 tablespoons of cold butter, in small pieces 1/3 cup of ice cold water (and more, if needed) 4 - 6 peaches 1 teaspoon of sugar 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup of slivered almonds, toasted For The Glaze: 1 Tablespoon of butter 1 Tablespoon of Apricot Marmalade (other other marmalade) 1 Tablespoon of sugar Directions: For the tart, whisk together all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Gently incorporate butter with your hands or a pastry blender, leaving some pea-sized pieces. Drizzle water over top of flour-butter mixture, a tablespoon at a time, and work until dough comes together in a ball. Press dough into a disk and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, to peel the peaches, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add peaches and cook for 10 to 30 seconds, depending on the fruit's ripeness. Transfer peaches to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking. Peel the peaches--the skins should slip right off. Halve them and remove the pits. Slice peaches thinly and toss them with sugar and lemon juice. Preheat oven to 425°F. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a circular shape about 1/8-inch thick. Gently transfer dough to a baking sheet by folding it into quarters. Unfold dough and sprinkle almonds over it, leaving a 2-inch border around the edges. Pile peaches on top of almonds, then fold edges of dough up over fruit.

To make the glaze, heat butter and apricot preserves in a small saucepan until just melted, stirring to combine. Brush dough with mixture and drizzle remaining over the fruit. Sprinkle pastry and fruit with sugar. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake 20 to 25 minutes longer, until dough is golden brown and fruit juices are bubbling. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.

Surf And Turf Garden Salad With Raspberry Vinaigrette... Snooty Style

Last week was my hubby's birthday so I made the dinner he requested. It consisted of prime NY strip steak, lobster tail, spinach souffle, garlic bread and a rustic peach tart for dessert. Even though we split the steak and lobster, I still had some leftover.


As it turns out, it was just the right amount for this salad. I also had some tomatoes from our *topsy-turvy* planters that needed to be used, so this was the perfect light meal for us. It's basically a I-don't-know-what-the-heck-to-make-so-I'll-check-the-fridge type of dinner. Maybe you'll like it as much as we did!  


Surf & Turf Garden Salad: Ingredients:

leftover steak,

thinly sliced leftover lobster tail,

thinly sliced small package of baby spinach

fresh mushrooms,

thinly sliced 1/2 or 1 whole avocado,

thinly sliced 4 spring onions (green onions),

thinly sliced fresh garden tomatoes,

chopped gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Raspberry Vinaigrette


Directions: 1. Begin building your salad by spreading the baby spinach over a plate. 2. Add sliced mushrooms and the tomatoes. 3. Next, add the sliced avocado. 4. You can now add the sliced lobster and sliced steak. 5. Last of all, sprinkle the sliced green onions, the gorgonzola cheese, topping with your favorite vinaigrette. 6. Enjoy!

Cherry Pie Faux Pas... But Looks Aren't Everything

When grocery shopping last week, I was pleased to see a kingdom of luscious cherries as I entered. Now, I love cherry pie but I especially adore homemade cherry pie, so I grabbed up two large bunches with that thought occupying my head. I could hardly wait to get home and get started on what I was certain would be my masterpiece. It would be my loveliest and most delicious pie of the summer. Until I discovered I had no tapioca pearls. Bummer.


Because I refused to return to the market to make one teensy little purchase, I was forced to use my imagination and substitute with something else. Never a good idea when you are me. Anyway, that substitute turned out to be a brand name package of quasi tapioca that required being cooked. I decided that since the pie had to be cooked, this was a marriage made in Heaven. Right? Wrong. The pie turned out all runny in the center. However, it was still more than edible, which Mr. Snooty proved by eating nearly all of it.


So, I will give you the original recipe I started with; just don't use any substitutes unless you actually know what the Hell you're doing.
 

Cherry Pie

4 c. fresh or frozen pitted, tart red cherries 1 c. sugar 1/8 tsp. salt 3 tbsp. quick cooking tapioca 1 tbsp. cherry brandy (optional) 1 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel 1 tbsp. butter Pastry shell for double crust pie.

In a large bowl combine cherries, sugar, tapioca, brandy (if desired), lemon peel and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Let stand 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.



Fill a pastry lined 9 inch pie plate with cherry mixture, dot with butter. Adjust top crust, seal and flute edge. Cover edge of pie with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil, bake for 25-30 minutes more or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Spanish Gazpacho And Curry Mayonnaise With Foccacia Bread

Every summer when the garden gets going into full bloom, we are overrun with tomatoes, so we make loads of Gazpacho. However, even if you don't have hordes of tomatoes you can use canned tomatoes, since they are picked when flavor is at its height.


This year I'm using canned tomatoes because we have a fox family living in our garden. We've become so fond of our little wards, that we chose to not plant the garden this year, allowing the foxes to have free reign out there. Our decision has provided us with hours & hours of free entertainment, peering over the garden fence to see the antics of the four pups they had in spring.


I've missed having a garden this year, but it really has been worth it seeing the fox family at play. Anyway, this wonderful cold soup has a bit of a bite, so if you don't like it hot you can adjust the recipe to your own tastes. So, let's get to it.
 

Spanish Gazpacho With Curry Mayonnaise:
 
Ingredients:

1 clove garlic
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, preferably heirloom varieties, roughly chopped
1/2 pound cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and roughly chopped
2 scallions (white and green), roughly chopped
1/4 jalapeno, stemmed and chopped with seeds, if you like the heat
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (1/2 small bunch)
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 1/2 cups chilled tomato juice (I like to use Bloody Mary mix)
2 avocados, peeled, pitted & chopped

Directions:

1. On a cutting board, lightly sprinkle the garlic with a pinch of the salt and smash it into a paste with the side of a cook's knife.

2. Mix the garlic, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, scallion, jalapeno, parsley, and mint in a large bowl. Season with the salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in the olive oil and sherry and toss well.

3. Add half of the vegetable mixture to the blender and pulse. Add half of the tomato juice and 2 ice cubes. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour for the flavors to come together.

4. Divide among chilled soup bowls and serve.  

For Curry Mayonnaise:

Take about 1 cup mayonnaise and thoroughly mix in 1-2 teaspoons of hot Indian curry powder. Add a teaspoon or so to the middle of each bowl of gazpacho & serve.  

For Quick Foccacia:

1 package of ready-made pizza dough
fresh rosemary,
chopped red onion,
chopped chives,
chopped garlic
garlic flavored olive oil

1. Remove pizza dough from carton and cut in half.

2. Spread out onto two pizza pans.

3. Sprinkle the chopped rosemary, red onion, and chives over the top of both.

4. Brush lightly with the olive oil.

5. Place in preheated 325* oven. Cook for approximately 10 minutes or to desired doneness.

Maple Glazed Salmon With Grilled Green Beans & Mushrooms

Sometimes you just stumble onto a new recipe that really *Wows* everyone and baby, this is it. The maple syrup glaze is the perfect compliment to the salmon and the grilled vegetables are the perfect side dish, for a nice, light dinner. I found this recipe at a wonderful blog called Closet Cooking. I pretty much made up the recipe for the green beans.


When I made this for dinner Saturday night, there wasn't even a morsel left on either of our plates. Frankly, I was ready to lick the remaining maple syrup off my plate, but restrained myself. I can't begin to tell you how delicious this is! So, you just need to try it for yourself.
 

Ingredients:  

For The Salmon:
1 large Salmon filet
1/4-cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons of light soy sauce
1 teaspoon of grated ginger (optional)  

Directions:

1. Marinate the salmon in the maple, soy sauce, ginger, mixture for 20+ minutes.

2. Cook the salmon in a preheated oven set to broil for 5 to 10 minutes. Pour maple mixture over salmon several times during cooking.

3. Place individual servings of salmon on plate and pour over the top of salmon, letting it drip down onto the plate.  

Ingredients:

For The Grilled Green Beans & Mushrooms:
1-cup of chopped onions
1 large Portobella mushroom, chopped
1/2 pound fresh green beans, washed & trimmed
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
olive oil (garlic flavored)

Directions:

1. Take an extra large sheet of aluminum foil and make a tray with sides. Spray bottom with cooking spray.

2. Pour garlic oil into tray and add veggies.

3. Gently toss veggies with your hands until all are lightly coated with garlic oil.

4. Sprinkle with sea salt and fresh ground black pepper.

5. Add another piece of doubled foil to the top and seal all the way around.

6. Place package of aluminum foil on preheated grill and cook for 15 minutes.

7. Turn the package over and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

8. Be careful when opening package as the hot steam builds up during cooking.

Pork Chops And Veggies In A Pouch

This is the very first actual dish I learned to cook that was beyond spaghetti or hamburgers and I was 19 years old. I still fix it for Mr. Snooty at least once a month.


This is also the absolute most perfect meal to have when doing a dinner with friends outside, because you can prepare them ahead of time and let them bake while you enjoy the company of your friends. Whether in the oven or on a hot grill, the aromas that emit from this meal will totally knock your socks off.

I also used to make these up ahead of time and send them with the hubby and kids when they went on Indian Princess & Indian Guide weekend campouts. You know. So that the family could have more than the usual fare of steak and beans. Enjoy!

"Pork Chops And Veggies In A Pouch":

 

Ingredients (PER SERVING):

1 pork chop (2 halves) per person, per pouch (unless you have a very hearty eater)

1 medium sized potato, chopped

1/2 can of French style green beans, drained

 8 baby carrots, thinly sliced

1/4 green bell pepper, chopped

1/4 red bell pepper, chopped (optional)

2 Tablespoons onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic

1 Tablespoon butter

Directions:

1. For each serving you make, use a large piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper. It has to be big enough to enclose the meal entirely, sealing in the scrumptious juices.

2. Spray foil or parchment paper with cooking spray to avoid sticking. Place plump porkchop in center of same.

3. Then, you begin to build your meal, starting with the canned French style green beans.

4. Next, add the chopped potatoes and the carrots, bell peppers, onions, and crushed garlic (in that order.

5. Add approximately 1 Tablespoon of butter to the top of each pile, then salt & pepper to taste.

6. Seal foil as tightly as is possible. Place in preheated 350 degree oven and bake for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

7. You will be starving for it by the time it's done because the aromas during cooking will make you salivate profusely.

This is a great meal to let the kids help with because they always love building their own...

Bacon-Wrapped Grilled Quail With Risotto Cakes & Sauteed Spinach

My dear husband, Mr. Snooty, has taken a tremendous interest in cooking ever since the children grew up and left for college. It's been a little difficult for me to relinquish my kitchen, but I'm slowly starting to like the break now and then.


Last weekend, Mr. Snoots decided to make the Bacon-Wrapped Grilled Quail, so I decided to make risotto cakes and sauteed spinach.


Bacon-Wrapped Grilled Quail:

Ingredients:

1 Box of frozen Quail (we get them at HEB, 4 to a package)

4 slices of Jalapeno Bacon

melted butter for brushing on quail

Directions:

1. Get your chimney filled with charcoal and get the fire going.

2. Melt butter and brush all over each quail.

3. Wrap one piece of bacon around each quail and secure with a toothpick.

4. When fire is ready, place the quail on grill rack and grill approximately 8 to 10 minutes per side, over a medium fire.

5. Serve with steamed spinach and risotto cakes sprinkled with Parmesan, while still hot.

Bloody Mary Steaks And Fresh Corn-On-The-Cob With Tomato-Horseradish Butter

Mmmmmrrrrrroooowwwww! This is one of my favorite meals, especially when fresh corn is being sold for pennies (Okay, maybe quarters...). The steaks are so tender after marinating in the Bloody Mary mix that it will blow your mind. And, the sun-dried tomato & horseradish butter compliments both steaks and corn, perfectly.

In the summer months, we like to have friends over to play yard golf, which we made up about 15 years ago at our former lake house. Being outside while we play enables me to watch the steaks as they cook on the grill and enjoy the company of good friends. However, it's no guarantee that I'm going to play well, but who cares? It's always played in fun and this meal always pleases the whole crowd.

As I recall, I got this recipe from a Food & Wine magazine, about 3 or 4 years ago. You will rave over this wonderful recipe. We've served it numerous times to friends, for dinner parties. Add some Chinese Coleslaw and garlic bread, and you've got a complete meal. When it's only the two of us, we just have the steak and corn, using the leftover butter on salmon fillets or other cuts of steaks, within the week. You might want to give this a whirl.





BLOODY MARY STEAKS AND FRESH CORN ON THE COB W/ TOMATO-HORSERADISH BUTTER:


1 Large bottle of Bloody Mary Mix

1/2 cup Pepper Vodka (or you can just go ahead and add a whole cup. I do!)

2 Tbs. fresh lime juice

2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbs. freshly grated (or prepared) horseradish

2 tsp. Tabasco sauce

1 tsp. celery salt

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

6 Filet Mignon's or rib-eye steaks (butcher-cut)

Olive Oil

Salt


Tomato-Horseradish Butter (softened):

1. In a large baggie, combine the Bloody Mary mix, vodka, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, celery salt and pepper. Add the steaks & turn to coat. Allow meat to marinate at least 3 hours. Remove the steaks from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before grilling.

2. Cook corn to desired doneness by favorite method, drain and place on plates.

3. Fire up the grill. Just before putting the steaks on, lightly brush the grate with olive oil. Drain the steaks then brush with olive oil. Season the steaks generously with salt & pepper and grill over moderately high heat, turning once, about 15 minutes for medium rare.

4. Place a fat slice of Tomato-Horseradish Butter on each steak and each ear of corn, and serve.

TOMATO-HORSERADISH BUTTER:

1 Stick of unsalted butter, softened

2 sun-dried tomato packed in oil, drained & minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tsp. of freshly grated or prepared horseradish

2 tsp. fresh lime juice

1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1/4 tsp. coarse salt

Directions:


Combine all of the ingredients in food processor and pulse until smooth. Scrape the butter onto a 12-inch square of wax paper and roll it into a cylinder, twisting the ends tightly to seal. Refrigerate the flavored butter just until firm, about 30 minutes.

 

Make Ahead

The butter can be refrigerated up to 3 days ahead of time. Allow butter to briefly soften before using.