Creative Food Ideas

What I love about Food Network Magazine is how they create recipes for the everyday cook but add in a creative twist or think outside the box idea. Take for instance in the current summer issue Salad on a Stick is featured. The photo below is Pasta Salad on a Stick and then there's Chef's Salad on a Stick,  Caesar Salad on a Stick, Garden Salad on a Stick,  Nicoise Salad on a Stick and Steakhouse Salad on a Stick. Each photo comes with how to directions and a suggested dressing recipe.  

Each month there's an insert booklet titled 50 Ways e.g use an avocado, burger toppings or cake pops .
Another featured item this month was Old Bay Seasoning

with some creative ideas to use the seasoning on foods other than seafood  e.g. hummus. fruit cubes. grilled cheese. bacon and French toast. When Old Bay was first sold in the 1940's the spice blend was called Delicious Brand Shrimp and Crab Seasoning.The exact combination of ingredients remains a secret but old cans listed the following ingredients: celery salt, pepper, mustard, pimento, cloves, laurel leaves. mace, cardamom, ginger, cassia and paprika.  

Keeping with the red, white and blue theme this dessert has it all.  Color, taste, fresh fruit and easy to put together making this treat a real winner. 

                                                   Lemon Berry Shortcake
Cook's Notes: Prepare the sauce a day ahead and refrigerate until needed. The cake recipe called for adding  1 cup sliced strawberries to the batter which I did and it was fine. But since the cake is served with a strawberry/raspberry sauce this step could be omitted.  The cake is moist with the addition of buttermilk and flavorful with lemon juice and zest. It's a recipe keeper in my book. Recipe adapted from Taste of Home Magazine and serves 6-8. 
Cake Ingredients:

• 1-1/3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 large egg
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1-2 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1 TB lemon juice 
• 1 tsp.vanilla  or 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• optional 1 cup diced fresh strawberries

Cake Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of a 9 inch round cake pan.
• In a bowl sift and whisk first 4 ingredients together. 
• In another bowl whisk the egg, buttermilk, melted butter, lemon peel, lemon juice, and vanilla or almond extract. 
• Add to dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Fold in strawberries. Transfer batter to pan and evenly smooth out. 

• Bake 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 5 minutes and invert on to a plate.    

Raspberry Strawberry Sauce 
Ingredients:

• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 TB. tapioca
• 1 package frozen sweetened raspberries, thawed in the juices from the box (I used product Birdseye Whole Red Raspberries with Syrup)
• 1 pint of fresh raspberries 
• 2 cups diced strawberries
• ½ cup orange juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• dash of nutmeg
• 1 TB. fresh lemon juice
• 1 TB cherry brandy or Grand Marnier

Directions:

• In a large saucepan, combine sugar and tapioca.
• Add one package of raspberries with juice, stir to coat with sugar and tapioca.
• Let stand 15 minutes in pan.
• Stir in orange juice,cinnamon stick, salt and nutmeg.
• Bring to a slow boil, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat, add lemon juice, a pint of fresh raspberries and diced strawberries.
• Cool at least 15 minutes, remove cinnamon stick and refrigerate.

PLEASE NOTE A CORRECTION:There was an incorrect rice measurement in the ingredient list and in the how to rice directions  for Chicken with Wild Rice Casserole recently posted. http://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2017/05/memorial-day.html
It has been corrected in the original recipe.  I apologize for the confusion.