Red Gold Tomato Giveaway

Red Gold has been producing premium quality tomato products since 1942, focusing on growing local in the Midwest, while it's cold in the winter, has the perfect growing season for tomatoes; perfect angle of the sun, perfect temps-and even the winter is good for tomatoes, as it breaks up the soil for tiny root systems.

Red Gold produces premium quality canned tomatoes and tomato-based products for retail, food service, private brands, and club stores. The Red Gold family of consumer brands includes Red Gold, Redpack, Tuttorosso, and Sacramento. Exceptional quality and operational excellence are the shared values that contributed to the employee-created mission statement: “To produce the freshest, best tasting tomato products in the world”.

Red Gold has graciously contacted me if I would sponsor a giveaway for their product...of course I said "yes"! I received a selection of 5 different diced tomatoes, along with recipe index cards...my most favorite choice was the Red Gold Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic, and Oregano...I made delicious cheeseburgers with it and topped it off with slice Provolone cheese. Photo and recipe to follow!


The gift pack for the giveaway will include a sample of Red Pack goodies (ketchup, Red Gold w/Green Chilies, Red Gold Lime Juice & Cilantro), as well as coupons and recipes for a Spicy Tomato Burger and Caribbean Chicken Burger.

Look for the Red Gold Summertime Grillin' Party-  on their Facebook page. It stated on July 24th the first day of the promotion!

To enter: click on the Grillin' Party image that's posted on their Facebook header. The direct link is: https://www.facebook.com/RedGold/app_349542138512669

The promotion for the Red Gold Giveaway will end on Sunday, Aug, 4th 2013 11.00PM EST. and the winner will be determined by RANDOM.ORG

So far...no restriction apply that I'm aware of, so you can all apply (until further notice)

Thank you for all your kind comments, they are truly appreciated! xo

linking to: Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherines Corner 

                        Full Plate Thursday@Miz Helen's Country Cottage 

 

 

 

Brioches in Mini Pans

As you can see, judging from the photos...the brioches have a mind of their own; leaning 'every which way'...swaying from left-to-right, right to left' ...looks like they're falling over; but don't be fooled! They are golden brown, light-as-a-feather texture, and that's what counts!

I have an amazing recipe from my 1986 version of The Good Housekeeping Cookbook which I think is the BEST of all the other 3 that I compared it with...although they are quite similar. You can make Brioches in loaf pans which is a simple solution verses the perfect mini tin pans!

I did order the Good Housekeeping Cookbook 125th edition (2010) from Amazon, for $5.19 ...a book that retails for at least $30.00. Did you know that Goodwill Industries sells books on Amazon?...well, they are the seller; the book is almost new...shipping cost is $3.99 and I will be receiving it by next week. The new book suggests you make the Brioche in a loaf pan, which is more ideal.

I used RED STAR YEAST...this time, the Quick Rise Gluten Free, and I had great results...no doubting if the yeast will rise or not!

Brioches
from the New Good Housekeeping Cookbook
1986

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 packages active dry yeast
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup butter or margarine (1- 1/2 sticks)
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
5 eggs

In a large bowl, combine sugar, salt, yeast, and 1-1/2 cups flour. In a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat...heat butter or margarine and milk. until very warm. Butter or margarine does not need to melt.

With the mixer at low speed, beat liquid into dry ingredients, just until blended. Increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes. Beat in grated lemon peel, 4 eggs, and 1 cup flour to make a thick batter; continue beating 2 minutes, scraping bowl often.

Stir in 1 cup of flour to make a very soft dough, beat with spoon for 5 minutes.

Place dough in grease, large bow. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled about 1 hour. Stir down dough, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

About 2 hours before serving, punch down dough, turn onto lightly floured surface, cover and let it rest for 15 minutes. Grease 12 (I only had 10) brioche pans

Cut off one-sixth of dough; set aside. Cut remaining dough into 12 pieces; shape each into small balls. Make a depression in center of each small ball; place the small balls in the depression; cover, let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In cup, beat remaining egg; use to brush brioches. Bake brioches for 20 minutes or until golden and brioches test done. Remove from pans.

Serve warm, fresh from the oven, or cool on wire racks. Ideal to serve with fruit spread, or butter!

Overnight Baked French Toast

I planned to make this glorious brown-sugar crusted rich, eggy Overnight Baked French Toast for this morning, but ended up having to make it three days earlier...only having to freeze most of it along with the berries!

I was so thrilled to find this awesome recipe in the Good Housekeeping Cookbook 125th Anniversary edition, which I rented from the local library and I'm so tempted to buy this book. I do have an older copy from 1986 which also has great recipes but no photos, only drawing illustrations. I got a pleasant surprise invite from my daughter and hubby to join them for the weekend in Orlando. Lora, for her Food and Wine Conference, and Fabrizio for his cooking demonstration at the Culinary Institute...so, I was with my sweet grandchildren enjoying fun stuff at the hotel. It was raining all weekend long, even in Orlando, Florida but it's always nice to get away for the weekend!

If you visit Orlando and wish to stay at a nice hotel...about 20 minutes by car, or bus (which is FREE) to go to Disney World.... I highly recommend the Shingle Creek Hotel

Overnight Baked French Toast
 from: The Good Housekeeping Cookbook

12 slices firm white bread
6 large eggs
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Arrange bread slices in four stacks in 8-inch square baking dish.

In a blender, combine eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and blend until mixture is smooth. Slowly pour egg mixture over bread slices; press bread down to absorb egg mixture, spooning egg mixture over any uncovered bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In small bowl, stir brown sugar, butter, and maple syrup until combined. Spread evenly over each stack of bread. Bake until knife inserted 1 inch from center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

To serve, cut each stack diagonally in half. Makes 8 servings.

Linking to: Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage
                 Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherines Corner

Silent Wednesday

Valle D'Aosta, Italy...June, 2013

Hungarian Cherry Tea Cake

Had I known that fresh cherries in S. Florida cost $2.99 pr. pound (maybe just for short time)...instead of $6.99 pr. pound, I would have made this amazing Hungarian Cherry Tea Cake with it. Better yet, I got a brilliant idea and used the fabulous Amarena Fabbri Cherries  that are imported from Italy.

Hungarian Cherry Tea Cake
adapted from: Sheila Lukins
All Around the World Cookbook

Recipe doubled; is my only adaptation
(except for the butter, which remains the same amount)

8 tablespoons (1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature)
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
6 large eggs, separated
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
3 to 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups pitted sweet dark cherries, fresh, or well-drained jarred

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter an 8 1/2 inch spring form  cake pan. Line the bottom with a  round of waxed paper and butter the paper.

Cream the butter and the 1 cup of sugar in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer. Add the egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix well. Add the flour and mix well.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt, until firm, but not stiff. Stir one-third of the egg whites into the batter with a rubber spatula until just combined.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Top evenly with the cherries, leaving about 1/2 inch border around the sides of the pan. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake the cake until golden brown and the it springs back when lightly touched, about 35 minutes.

Cool the cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes Run a small knife around the cake to loosen it from the side of the pan. Remove the ring and let the cake cool completely. When it is completely cool, invert the cake onto a large plate. Remove the spring form bottom and the waxed paper, then invert the cake onto a serving plate. Serves 8

These lovely sour cherries are in sweet syrup with a touch of hazelnut flavor, so awesome by itself over ice cream, or use it in baking!

 

 

Sloppy Joes

Research at the Carnegie Library suggests that the Sloppy Joe began in a Sioux City, Iowa, cafe as a "loose meat sandwich" in 1930, the creation of a cook named Joe."

The term "sloppy" comes from the fact that eating it as if it were a normal sandwich often results in the meat and sauce spilling out. It may also be served "open face", with the bun halves or slices of bread next to each other and the meat on top of each. A sloppy joe served with no bun at all is known as a saucy beefeater.

Sloppy joes are also referred to as wimpies in parts of the Northeast USA, especially northeastern Pennsylvania, as "yip yips" in parts of southwestern Illinois near St. Louis, and as slushburgers in parts of the Upper Midwest, including the Dakotas and Eastern Montana.Where did Sloppy Joe or Joes originate from:

If you look carefully, you can see the Red...White...and Blue colors in my photo; and one more interesting fact is that this beautiful Willow pattern china is from England...how apropos is that?! I served this all American comfort food up for myself for the 4th of July...our Independence Day, ...freedom from the British Colonies!

I mean, honestly! How much more American can you get?...Apple Pie and Baseball...Red White and Blue dessert?...its all good! While I was totally all alone...family still away on vacation/holiday, as the British would say...Cherio Jolly Good, and all that stuff!

I thoroughly enjoyed a tall glass of Zephyrhills Sparkling water with the Sloppy Joes...also all American, from Zephyrhills Florida. A slice of lime, and more lime juice...added ice cubes; wow! totally refreshing.

I'm sure there are lots of recipes for Sloppy Joes, but I happen to choose the recipe from

Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) from Food Network 

Note: I made this with 1 lb. of lean ground beef, and did not use butter...only extra virgin olive oil. Also used less of the spices, of course...just broke it down to half the amount.

My son use to love sloppy Joes made with Manwich sauce with baked beans when he was little:)

 ...and later on in the evening, I walked over to the Intracoastal on the bridge and watched the fireworks!

Have a wonderful week ahead, everyone...and thank you for all your kind comments! xo