Food Photo of the Day: “Dove” Love Cookies.

"Dove" Love Cookies by youmadethat.

Perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Macarooned on an Island (via The Patriotic Baker)

Case was just talking to me about Gilligan’s Island so this caught my eye. Island fever, indeed! This looks absolutely delicious so I’ll be saving it in my recipe list.

Gilligan’s Island style (and yes, I know the actual word is ‘marooned’). Except I have running water, a grocery store and means of transportation off the island. Maybe it’s just some island fever. Living on a little island has taught me that I never want to be stuck on a little island. I go stir crazy. The furthest away I can drive is the other side of the island…and that isn’t that far away. It’s like…20 minutes away by car. There are pros a … Read More

via The Patriotic Baker

FoodBuzz it Up!

If you aren’t already a member of the vibrant and engaging food community on FoodBuzz, I highly encourage you to take part; bragging rights aside – I discovered 500 friends on that site all within

Pork Scallopini by Ken Canterbury.

the chilly month of January. Funtastico. Who wouldn’t want a family of gluttonous, free-wheeling aspiring chefs who share palatable transcriptions for feasting and pictorial munchie bliss!

Sigh.

Mind you, I don’t mention friends with the flippancy likened to the online association of the virtual associate that so-called social media experts denounce as insular verbally awkward introverts who spend upwards to 85% (<–This number isn’t based on any quantifiable data. Just my fav number for the moment.) of their time fawning over their Photoshopped avatars and making monkey faces from the confines of a greasy computer screen.

Nope.

For the most part, the folks on FoodBuzz are real. They are passionate and honest about their love for food. Whereas music and love purport a universal connection among the world community, great food, the love of food, connects individuals, families, friends, societies, states and nations in the great united states of Foodbuzzinia.

Mmmm, I need some more chocolate.

Changes.

Aunts, uncle, cousins...

Hey, everyone. My apologies for the lack of written content these past few days. I’m in the process of changing careers, getting new glasses, having a more optimistic outlook on life, and working hard on pursuing better goals this year.

Food will always be high on my list of priorities because you all know this boy has got to eat. But most importantly, 2010 really revealed to me that the value of laughter and family, especially during these trying times, is critical in maintaining one’s sanity and composure. 😉

In a way, you could also say that cooking kind of saved me a little.

As this week draws to a close, I’m going to work on establishing another food blog that will embrace the love of cooking complete with interviews, video, and recipes, lol. Goodies from the Grenadines will return to its original purpose of focusing on Caribbean culture, cuisine, and hopefully the daily ongoings of the bakery that my hard-working cousin and her husband own and manage in Kingstown, SVG.

With that said, here’s to looking forward to the kind of change that gets us back on track to the road to success and happy stomachs.

This was yesterday’s breakfast. 🙂

Bananarama (sp?)

They help with memory retention.

Doughy.

Egg pizza?

Getting eggy with it.

They were sweeter than usual.

Just about done.

Sizzle and pop.

Aunts, uncle, cousins…

Tomatoes, cilantro, and onions.

Zooming in.

Food Photo of the Day: Lamingtons.

Lamingtons by May You Cook It.

Crispy Blackberry Delight.

When I was a kid living in Maine…well, it started in Maine and spread to Florida and finally to the state of Washington. Point is, my mom would make this awesome treat called “Quick Cherry Dessert” courtesy of Great American Recipes. W00t.

Life before the oven.

Quick Cherry Dessert was very simple and easy to make, although, as a child I had no freakin’ idea. I had this wonderful fantasy sequence in my mind (I also had a fairly outrageous imagination back then. If my parents weren’t as understanding and patient, I’m quite sure they would have had me see a psychiatrist.) of my mom opening the window and allowing these monstrosities of made-up animals bring her the necessary ingredients at her kitchen window like some kind of Pan’s Labyrinth-like check-out counter minus the pixie-eating dining hall scene.

Okay. I’ll stop there. I think you get it.

Anyways, I’ve taken that recipe, the Quick Cherry Dessert, and turned it into my own with a few modifications.

Obviously, instead of cherries I substituted blackberries. Using strawberries isn’t so bad either. You can also sprinkle the top with powdered sugar instead of brown sugar and Honey Bunches of Oats instead of cornflakes works just as well. Pretty much, this recipe is so easy to make, you can afford to be as creative as you want. Have fun!

Life before the oven.

Oventime!

The crrrriissssp.

Ingredients

2 sticks of butter

2 tablespoons of Baker’s Vanilla Flavor or 1 teaspoon of almond extract

4 eggs

2 cups of all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons of baking soda

1 can of blackberries (pie filling) or fresh strawberries or canned cherries

Brown sugar (you know you taste so good!) or powdered sugar

2 cups of cornflakes or whatever 😀

Whipped cream

Preparation

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and beat until the mixture is fluffy and light.

2. Add the vanilla flavor and stir in the flour and baking powder. Mix until smooth.

3. Butter a 13-by-9-inch cake pan. Turn the mixture into the pan.

4. Spoon the pie filling into the cake, in 16 spots, spacing 4 spoonfuls evenly in each direction. Or pour the pie filling in an S-shaped form over the cake or letter that you see fit.

5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden and cake tests done. Filling will sink into the cake while baking.

6. Cut into 16 pieces…or less.

7. You can place the bottom side up on the serving plate. Dust with brown sugar if used and spoon whipped cream if desired.

Yay, for you!

Finally…

…here’s the cinnamon swirl pecan and oatmeal cookie cake that I baked twice in one week. It goes great with chai tea, hot chocolate, and coffee. Believe me. I’ve tried all three combinations.

Cinnamon swirl pecan and oatmeal cookie cake 01.

Cinnamon swirl pecan and oatmeal cookie cake 02.

These were a lot of fun to make. I added organic blue agave and white chocolate coffee syrup to the last cake. The recipe will be up soon. I hope. 🙂

Bajan Steamed Flying Fish.

Steamed Flying Fish and Coo-Coo by Anne-Marie Whittaker.

As Anne-Marie Whittaker mentions on CaribSeek Recipes, “Steamed Flying Fish and Coo-Coo is the national dish of Barbados. No visit to that island would be complete without a taste of this treat.”

I whole-heartedly agree. Although Bequia and Young Island (two of the many islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines) aren’t exactly Barbadian, I had the pleasure of eating flying fish in both locations. Flying fish is a staple you will find in many dishes throughout the Caribbean.

Three recipes & Super Bowl recommendations from Epicurious.

It’s a major bummer that I’m unable to share pictures of my latest (and my mom’s) concoctions in the kitchen, those being a three-cheese lasagna, a splendid pot of pork sinigang, and beef, squash and zucchini stew.

However, if you click on the links above, you can read the recipes on those pages and follow the similar steps and ingredients that my mom and I did for providing each meal. Enjoy!

Chefs' Super Bowl Recipes by Epicurious writer Lauren Salkeld.

P.S. For this upcoming Super Bowl, I’ve found some awesome tips and recipes on Epicurious that you may find quite interesting and tantalizing towards your taste buds. You don’t have to be a crazed fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Green Bay Packers to truly satisfy your hunger on Sunday, February 6th. So when the time comes and everybody’s watching that pigskin getting tossed around in Texas, eat up!

Bajan Chicken or Caribbean Chicken? Both!

Bajan Chicken is a dish that hails from, well, Barbados – an island-nation famous for its beautiful white-sand beaches, world-class resorts, and of course, international superstar Rihanna. Funny enough, Rihanna actually has a soup named after her, the official title being Rihanna’s Spicy Bajan

Caribbean Chicken Wings

Chicken Soup. I’ll dig up the link for that before the conclusion of this post.

But Bajan Chicken isn’t the only favorite form of poultry in these parts. I shouldn’t forget to mention Caribbean Chicken, which is generally a spicier meal, but that all depends upon the interpretation of the cook who is preparing it.

For Caribbean Chicken, I’ve read and seen various ingredients that included mango, lime, ginger, rum, coffee, orange juice, pineapple, and jerk sauce.

The recipe below steers clear of the coffee, rum, and the like, but delivers just as much if not more of a tangier punch to the mouth for those of you pining for spice over sugar. Bajan or Caribbean, baked or fried, I found myself loving both of these dishes just as equally. Perhaps you’ll come upon the same conclusion. 😉

Caribbean Chicken. Courtesy of the Food Network.

Caribbean Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup orange juice, fresh
• 1 tablespoon lime zest
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons freshly chopped thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons jalapeno, seeded, diced
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated or chopped ginger
• 1 clove garlic
• Salt and pepper
• 4 chicken breasts, bone and skin on
• Lime wedges

Directions

Puree all ingredients except chicken in food processor. Add marinade and chicken to re-sealable plastic bag, mix thoroughly and let marinate, refrigerated, for 4 to 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat grill to high, remove excess marinade from chicken and place on grill. Grill each side of chicken for 3 to 4 minutes then place on a pan and finish in the oven for 15 minutes.

Squeeze a lime wedge over each piece of chicken and serve.

(Recipe courtesy of the Food Network.)

———————————————————————————————————————————————–

And as an added extra, here’s the recipe for Bajan Chicken…

Bajan Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 (4-pound) chicken, cut into 10 pieces
• 1 tablespoon whole allspice
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, chopped
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, about 5 limes
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons for frying
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
• Kosher salt
• Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions

Rinse and dry the chicken pieces and put them into a shallow glass dish.

Put the allspice, peppercorns, and cinnamon stick into a spicegrinder and grind to a powder. To a full sized blender add the onion, peppers, scallions, garlic, scotch bonnet, thyme, lime juice, olive oil, butter, and ground spices. Blend to a puree; add some water if it is too thick. Pour this over the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 1/2 hour before you cook it.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Put the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large, oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and season it with salt. Brown the chicken on both sides, then place the pan in the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Serve garnished with cilantro leaves.

(Recipe courtesy of the Food Network.)

 

Rihanna's Spicy Bajan Chicken Soup.

Rihanna!

P.S. Here’s the link to Rihanna’s Spicy Bajan Chicken Soup and a complimentary photo of the sultry singer. There’s no way I could leave this out of my post.