Just add a few tomatoes to the roast.

As it cooks the acid in the tomatoes will break down the meat, tenderizing it naturally.

Make Your Own Limoncello – Lemon Liqueur

A few summers ago in Sorrento, Italy, I bought several cute little bottles of a tangy lemon liqueur called Limoncello. I used many of the smaller bottles of limoncello for gifts when I got home. Of course, I kept a few of the larger bottles for my husband and myself, and we enjoyed them for several months.

True Limoncello is made only in Sorrento. But, if you can’t go to Italy this summer, buy some of the best lemons you can find and make a tangy lemon liqueur yourself that tastes very much like true limoncello.

Here’s the recipe: Limoncello

I haven’t tried this one yet, but doesn’t Limoncello Cream sound delightful?

Monday’s Food Tip: Try This Meatless Main Dish – Eggplant Lasagne

Chicken, pork chops, steaks, burgers, and hot dogs – all foods we love to grill (and eat) in the summer! But summer is also a good time to try a meatless main dish once in awhile, when fresh vegetables are so readily available.

This eggplant lasagne is a delicious (and low fat) way to serve vegetables as a main dish for dinner. Try it some evening when you’re tired of grilled meats.

EGGPLANT LASAGNE (Serves

1/2 c. fat-free chicken broth

3 c. sliced mushrooms

1 c. chopped onion

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 c. fat-free ricotta cheese

2 egg whites

1 medium (1 1/2 lbs.) eggplant

8 uncooked lasagne noodles

2 c. low-fat spaghetti sauce

1/2 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9x2 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Heat broth to boiling in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in broth for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion and bell pepper are tender. Stir in salt and pepper.

Mix ricotta cheese and egg whites in a medium bowl. Slice off the top and bottom of eggplant and discard. Cut eggplant lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices.

Spread half of the spaghetti sauce in bottom of pan. Top with half of the eggplant strips, half of the mushroom mixture, and 4 uncooked noodles. Spread with ricotta cheese mixture. Repeat with remaining eggplant, mushroom mixture and noodles. Spread with remaining spaghetti sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Cover and bake 45 minutes. Uncover and bake about 15 minutes more, or until bubbly and light brown. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

Impress Your Guests With This Simple Strawberry Sorbet

A cool and delicious strawberry sorbet can be an impressive end to a meal on a hot summer’s eve. And the only special equipment required is a food processor or blender. But you don’t have to tell your dinner guests how simple the sorbet was to prepare. That can be your little secret.

Note: While sorbets are generally made without milk products, eggs, or gelatin, this recipe does call for sweetened condensed milk. This is all you’ll need:

1 quart sliced strawberries
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. lemon juice

Puree all the ingredients together in a food processor or blender. Pour the pureed mixture into a shallow metal pan and freeze until ice crystals form. Use a fork to break up the crystals about every 30 minutes or so and continue to let it freeze until it is solid enough to be scooped into balls. Makes about 6 servings.

Simply Wonderful Scented Sugars

Scented sugars are so easy to create and they’re simply wonderful. They make perfect gifts too.

To make your own scented sugars you’ll need some clean, dry jars with good seals, cheesecloth, plenty of granulated sugar (and other sugars, if desired), and a nice variety of herbs, spices, and flowers (always choose fresh herbs and flowers that have NOT been sprayed with chemicals).

Try the following combinations, then experiment to come up with your own signature variety of scented sugar.

NOTE: The herbs and spices will begin to flavor the sugars in about 3 days, but let them sit in the jars, undisturbed, in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight, for about 2 weeks for the most flavor.

LAVENDER SUGAR

Put 2 tablespoons of dried lavender into a piece of cheesecloth and tie it closed. Place the cheesecloth in a jar and add 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

VANILLA SUGAR

Split a whole vanilla bean and put it in a clean, dry jar. Bury the bean in granulated or confectioners’ sugar. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

GINGER SUGAR

Mix 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar in a clean, dry jar. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

STAR ANISE SUGAR

To create this licorice tasting sugar, put 8 whole star anise and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar into a clean, dry jar and mix them together. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

CLOVES SUGAR

Combine 10 whole cloves with 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a clean, dry jar. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

CITRUS SUGAR

Use a vegetable peeler to remove long strips of zest (the outside peel) from a large orange, 2 medium lemons, or 4 medium limes. Put the zest in a clean, dry jar and bury it with granulated sugar. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

MINT SUGAR

Wash and thoroughly dry some fresh mint leaves (use your favorite variety of mint – spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint, etc.) Put a little granulated sugar in the bottom of the jar, then add a layer of mint leaves, then another layer of sugar. Keep layering the mint leaves and sugar until the jar is full. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

SCENTED GERANIUM SUGAR

Wash and thoroughly dry some leaves from a scented geranium (rose, lemon, orange, pineapple, or chocolate-scented geraniums, etc. – not regular geraniums). Put a little granulated sugar in the bottom of the jar, then add a layer of scented geranium leaves, then another layer of sugar. Keep layering the scented geranium leaves and sugar until the jar is full. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

TO USE THE SCENTED SUGARS:

Sprinkle any variety of scented sugar over fruit, or hot or cold cereal.

Use scented sugar instead of plain sugar in a sugar cookie recipe – or in any cake, cookie, or custard recipe that calls for granulated sugar.

Add citrus sugar to hot or iced tea.

Try a little vanilla sugar in coffee, or mix it with powdered cinnamon and use for cinnamon toast or French toast.

Add mint sugar to tea or lemonade.

Use scented confectioners’ sugar when making icings for cakes and brownies.

Final Note: Once the herbs, spices, or flowers have flavored the sugar, remove them from the jars if you will use the jars of sugars as gifts.

Try Truffles!

Want to serve an elegant, yet easy, dessert? Try truffles. The chocolate kind, that is. Not the fungi. These rich and creamy bite-sized indulgences are really quite simple to make. The secret is to buy the best chocolate you can afford.

For 25-30 basic chocolate truffles you will need:

4 oz. good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped in small pieces

4 oz. good quality semisweet or milk chocolate, chopped in small pieces

6 T. unsalted butter, cubed

2 tsp. instant coffee crystals dissolved in 3 Tbsp. warm water

1 Tbsp. of your favorite liqueur (optional)

COATINGS (Any or all of the following):

Unsweetened cocoa powder

Toasted, finely chopped pecans, almonds, walnuts, or hazelnuts

Finely chopped sweetened coconut

Very fine graham cracker crumbs

Powdered sugar

Melt both chocolates, butter, and instant coffee liquid in a double boiler over simmering water. Stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate and butter are melted and smooth (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat.

Stir in the liqueur. Pour chocolate mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm (at least 1 hour).

Use a melon ball scoop or a couple of teaspoons to mold the cold chocolate mixture into truffles.

Put each of the coating items in a separate shallow plastic container that has a lid. Place each truffle into any one of the coatings and roll it around until covered (Hint: When you have 5 or 6 truffles in any one of the coating mixtures, put the lid on the container and gently shake it until the truffles are completely coated).

Store the truffles in an airtight container (in a single layer) lined with parchment paper. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.

Other Truffle Recipes to Try:

Peanutty Chocolate Truffles

Chocolate Orange Truffles

Toasted Almond White Chocolate Truffles

Make Your Own Irish Cream Liqueur

Irish Cream liqueur is delicious served straight, or on the rocks, in a glass. But my favorite way to enjoy it is in hot coffee, with a generous (okay, VERY generous) topping of whipped cream and a light dusting of cocoa powder.

Next time you’re hosting a dinner party, or just having friends over for coffee, make your own Irish Cream Liqueur. You won’t save money by concocting this creamy beverage yourself, but you will feel incredibly clever and your guests are sure to be impressed.

IRISH CREAM LIQUEUR

1 3/4 c. good Irish whiskey (I prefer Jameson’s brand)
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 c. whipping cream (straight from the carton, unwhipped)
4 eggs
2 Tbsp. chocolate syrup
2 tsp. instant coffee
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into an attractive glass bottle and tightly cover. Store in the refrigerator. Stir before serving. Makes about 5 cups.

This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month, but it probably won’t last that long!

Just Your Cup of Tea: Plan an Afternoon Tea Party

Nothing is quite as relaxing and makes one feel “oh-so-civilized” as afternoon tea, so plan an afternoon tea party for a few friends. You can make your tea party as simple or elaborate as you like. All you really need is a pot of hot tea and some delicious snacks, but you’ll find the party is more fun if you serve tea in your best teacups and set a lovely table for the occasion.

Here you’ll find all sorts of ideas for an enjoyable afternoon tea party.

And, of course you’ll want to find out how the practice of afternoon tea got started (just in case your guests ask).

Read about Tea Time Traditions and find recipes, tips, and a wealth of resources to help you plan a tea party for almost any occasion. Try a Mother-Daughter Tea, or a Teddy Bear Tea, for example.

If you love to travel, enjoy afternoon tea at one of the world’s most impressive hotels like the Fairmont Empress in Victoria, B.C., Canada, or The Ritz in London.

Start planning your party today.

You just might decide this sort of thing really is “your cup of tea.”

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For a wonderful selection of Gourmet Teas, visit Golden Moon Tea.

Golden Moon Tea was founded in 1993 and specializes in developing and offering the highest quality loose tea products for customers interested in traditional methods of tea selection and infusion. With over thirty premium quality whole-leaf tea varietals, single estate teas, blends, and herbal teas, Golden Moon Tea, established itself as a quality supplier of products backed by excellence in customer service.

Golden Moon Tea is delicious served hot or iced and the tea is packed in attractive tins and re-sealable one pound bags for retail and wholesale customers and in brewing packages for restaurants, hotels and food service providers.

Invest in a Good Scone Pan!

Nordic Ware Scottish Scone & Cornbread Pan

When I do product samplings at area stores, customers always ask me how I manage to create scones that are such perfect triangles.

There’s no magic trick to this. I just use a scone pan.

Nordic Ware Scottish Scone & Cornbread Pan

Sampling Scones and Selling Scone Pans at Cockrell’s Mercantile

In the Kansas City area you’ll find scone pans at Pryde’s of Westport and Cockrell’s Mercantile.

You can also order scone pans by clicking here:
Nordic Ware Scottish Scone & Cornbread Pan

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