The Urban Spork

Featured

Chocolate Dipped Fruit

October 29th, 2010 · Candy, COOK, Fruit, Holiday

Now this is my kind of candy! This Chocolate Dipped Fruit has got to be one of the easiest recipes on this site. From start to finish, you can be done in about 10 minutes – not bad at all for a treat that’s this delicious. As you can see from the photos, I chose to use one of my favorite dried fruits – apricots, but it also tastes great on dried papaya, mango or even fresh strawberries.

Ingredients

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
dried fruit (apricot, mango, papaya) or fresh strawberries

Directions

To make tempered chocolate – chop the chocolate into pieces and place 4 oz. in a small glass bowl and microwave for 20 seconds. Stir the chocolate and continue to microwave for 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until the chocolate is smooth and shiny (it took me about 80 seconds total). Add the remaining 2 oz. of the chocolate and stir until smooth. The chocolate should register 87° F to 89° F on a candy thermometer.

Dip each piece of fruit into the tempered chocolate and place on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 2 minutes to set.

adapted from a recipe found here

Tweet This Post

→ 4 CommentsTags: Candy·Chocolate·Fruit

Beef Chili

October 25th, 2010 · COOK, Soups and Stews

The arrival of Fall means the beginning of soup and stew season – one of my favorite times of the year! While I constantly look for new and interesting recipes, there is no denying that you can’t beat the classics. This Beef Chili is the ultimate cold weather meal – a little spicy, full of flavor – complete comfort food.

Don’t be alarmed by the long list of ingredients – it’s well worth it. If you like a really spicy chili, increase the amount of chile powder and/or the chipotle chiles in adobo.

Serves 8

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 pounds ground sirloin
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons chile powder
3 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons chopped thyme
2 teaspoons chopped oregano
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups low-sodium beef broth
1-15 oz. can pinto beans
1-14 oz. can diced tomatoes with the juices
3 chipotle chiles in adobo, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
juice of 1 lime
salt, to taste

Directions

In a large pot, heat the oil. Add half of the ground beef and cook over high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes; transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Brown the remaining ground beef. Return the first batch of browned beef to the pot.

Add the onions and pepper to the pot and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent – about 8 minutes. Add the garlic, chile powder, cumin, coriander, sugar, thyme, oregano, black pepper and cayenne and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the beef broth, pinto beans, tomatoes, chipotles, tomato sauce, tomato paste and the vinegar. Simmer the chili over low heat for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add the lime juice, season with salt and serve.

If you are fortunate enough to have leftovers, I recommend adding a little extra beef broth while reheating the chili.

adapted from a recipe found here

Tweet This Post

→ 1 CommentTags: Beef·Chili·Soup·Stew

Print This Post

Maine Lobster Rolls

October 10th, 2010 · COOK, Sandwich, Seafood, TRAVEL

Maine is one of my favorite places to visit – especially in the Fall. The amazing scenery, changing foliage and delicious food are just a few reasons that make this special place well worth the visit. Lobster Rolls are a must when you visit this part of the country and on a recent visit, I had the opportunity to taste a variety of these delicious sandwiches. If you find yourself in the area, some of my favorite spots are Red’s Eats, Sea Basket and Billy’s Chowder House.

This Maine Lobster Roll recipe couldn’t be easier – be sure to use the freshest lobster you can find and toasting the roll is a must!

Makes 2 rolls

Ingredients

8-10 oz. cooked lobster meat, torn into bite-size pieces
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
2 hot dog rolls
1/2 head of butter lettuce, thinly sliced

Directions

Combine the lobster meat and mayonnaise in medium bowl – season to taste with salt and pepper. Butter the outside surfaces of the hot dog rolls. Warm a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the rolls (buttered side down) in the skillet and toast until browned slightly, about 2 minutes per side. Open the rolls and fill with lettuce and then lobster mixture – serve immediately.

original recipe found here

Tweet This Post

→ 2 CommentsTags: Lobster Roll·Maine·Sandwich·Seafood·TRAVEL

Print This Post

Spicy Dill Pickles

August 29th, 2010 · Canning and Preserving, COOK, Vegetables

For the last year I’ve been obsessed with finding the perfect pickle – the sour kind with a serious kick. My search led me to some great pickles including Bubbies and McClure’s, but as good as they were, I still kept searching. When I came across this recipe it was like a light-bulb going off – why didn’t I think of making pickles myself?!

These Spicy Dill Pickles are easy to make and taste amazing. While I expected the search for pickling cucumbers to be daunting, my local Whole Foods carried a great selection – I just had to ask for them because they weren’t sitting out. A few items to note about selecting cucumbers:

select “pickling cucumbers” to ensure that your pickles are crisp
good cucumbers are dark green, firm and have a lot of warts

Makes three 1 1/2-pint jars (I used one large 3 quart jar)

Ingredients

12 pickling cucumbers
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 cups packed coarsely chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon sugar
8 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
1 1/2 tablespoons pickling spice (my favorite is from The Spice House)
1 1/2 teaspoons dill seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Directions

Combine all ingredients except for the dill sprigs in large bowl. Stir, let stand at room temperature for 2 hours – until the sugar and salt dissolve.

Transfer the cucumbers to the jar(s). Pour the pickling mixture over to cover. Place a few dill sprigs in each jar. Cover the jar(s) with the lid(s) and close tightly. Refrigerate at least 10 days – I gently shake the jar(s) once a day to mix up the spices. The pickles will stay fresh for up to 1 month. Keep refrigerated.

adapted from a recipe found here

Tweet This Post

→ 6 CommentsTags: Canning·Dill·Pickles·Preserving·Spicy·Vegetables

Older Posts...

Print This Post

Napa Valley

August 2nd, 2010 · GREEN, TRAVEL

Napa Valley

Every time I go to Napa Valley I feel like I’ve reached one of the most beautiful spots on earth. My senses come alive – the smells, the tastes (oh, the tastes), the views, the sounds (or lack thereof) – no wonder people never leave this place! There is so much to explore that each [...]

→ 2 CommentsTags: GREEN·Napa·TRAVEL·Wine

Print This Post

Lemon Yogurt Cake

July 29th, 2010 · Baking, Cake, COOK

Lemon Yogurt Cake

This lemon yogurt cake is the perfect summer dessert and even tastes better on the second (and third) day after baking. It’s so easy to make, you don’t even need an electric mixer! Try it with a side of fresh berries or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For those interested in making a healthier [...]

→ 30 CommentsTags: Baking·Cake·COOK·Dessert·Lemon·Yogurt

Print This Post

Apricot and Honey Jam

June 5th, 2010 · Canning and Preserving, COOK, Fruit, READ

Apricot and Honey Jam

As you may know, I have a longtime obsession with jams and jellies and am always looking for new, interesting, spreadable combinations. A resource that I always go to (and one of the most interesting cookbooks I own) is Mes Confitures, by Christine Ferber. Throughout the book, Ms. Ferber not only shares her secrets to [...]

→ 17 CommentsTags: Apricot·Canning·Honey·Jam·Preserving

Print This Post

Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise

May 23rd, 2010 · COOK, Dessert

Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise

This delicious vanilla bean Creme Anglaise (English Cream) has a rich, smooth texture and can be served either warm or cold with cakes, pies, puddings or my personal favorite – drizzled over fresh fruit. Not only is this cream easy to make, but it’s the perfect addition to your favorite summertime dessert. Makes 2 cups [...]

→ No CommentsTags: Dessert·Vanilla

Print This Post

Lemon-Rosemary Pickled Green Beans

May 16th, 2010 · Canning and Preserving, COOK, Vegetables

Lemon-Rosemary Pickled Green Beans

I realize that this post seems a little unusual – pickled green beans?! I know, it isn’t something that sounds too exciting, but when I came across a Bloody Mary recipe that used these as a garnish, I knew that I needed to make them. The Bloody Mary recipe is coming soon – in the [...]

→ 14 CommentsTags: Canning·Green Beans·Lemon·Preserving·Rosemary

Print This Post

Flour Tortillas

May 4th, 2010 · Bread, COOK, MENU

Flour Tortillas

My love for flour tortillas goes way back. I have great memories of watching my grandmother and great-grandmother make huge batches of tortillas and cook them on an old wood-burning stove. Something about that stove seemed to add the perfect flavor to the tortilla and brown it in all of the right places. I’d anxiously [...]

→ 48 CommentsTags: COOK·Flour·Mexican·Tortilla

Categories

Search

Recent Posts

Twitter Updates

Taste With Your Eyes

Resources

Archives

Share This Blog!

Featured

Chocolate Dipped Fruit

October 29th, 2010 · Candy, COOK, Fruit, Holiday

Recent Posts...

Beef Chili

October 25th, 2010 · COOK, Soups and Stews

Maine Lobster Rolls

October 10th, 2010 · COOK, Sandwich, Seafood, TRAVEL

Spicy Dill Pickles

August 29th, 2010 · Canning and Preserving, COOK, Vegetables

Older Posts...

Napa Valley

August 2nd, 2010 · GREEN, TRAVEL

Lemon Yogurt Cake

July 29th, 2010 · Baking, Cake, COOK

Apricot and Honey Jam

June 5th, 2010 · Canning and Preserving, COOK, Fruit, READ

Vanilla Bean Creme Anglaise

May 23rd, 2010 · COOK, Dessert

Lemon-Rosemary Pickled Green Beans

May 16th, 2010 · Canning and Preserving, COOK, Vegetables

Flour Tortillas

May 4th, 2010 · Bread, COOK, MENU

Sponsors