Hey Hey Paula!

I was never a fan of Paula Deen. I saw her bubbly, Southern-belle, face on the Food network and did not have much cause to watch her program. Often the foods did not really appeal to me or they seemed a bit too indulgent.

For Christmas, a relative gave me one of her cookbooks. After paging through the collection, I realize that there is much to offer in Paula’s arsenal of foods. Also, her story is a fine testament of one person doing what is needed and thriving by keeping focus. I'll try some of Paula's recipes! It seems reasonable to say that I am not going to make hush-puppies and collard greens, but other offerings are delightful.

Here is one, ultra-simple recipe from her collection. This crab bisque is fast and superb. It is almost embarrassing that it is so simple. You can thank the Lady for this one!

Crab Bisque (Paula H. Deen's, The Lady and Sons, too! Page 27)

1 – 10 3/4 ounce can of cream of asparagus soup
1- 10 ¾ ounce can of cream of mushroom soup
¼ cup milk
¼ cup half and half
½ pound crab meat
¼ cp. Dry sherry

Combine all the ingredients in a heavy sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
This soup can be frozen for up to a month.

I used Fat Free half and half (though I still don’t know what that means!!) and it worked well.

Cook, smile and laugh!
Happy and tasty New year!!
MITK

Live and Learn (Doh!)

Before today, I never tried a pomegranate. I had seen them, but never had a cause to try one. Recent promotions by producers and some neat looking recipes hooked me. It appears to be a healthy adder to the diet and its visual appeal gives it a neat role in presentation too.

But, I am way ahead of my self. I bought one fruit from a bin of many. The store had the coolest plastic bags to hold the fruit, on the bag were instructions on how to break into the fruit.

The rules are simple. Cut the end off, score the body, submerge and remove the seeds. “Kindergarten stuff”, I thought!

So, I cut it, scored it and went about eviscerating it. My errata: not keeping the thing submerged while removing seeds. Not knowing, I had a small bowl that was not large enough for my fruit and my,large, banana-hands. To remove the seeds, I had to raise the fruit above the water level. This gave me enough room to get the seeds out. The removed seeds fell, with just a little coaxing, into the water. I poured off the water and was soon munching on the seeds. Good stuff.

After tasting the seeds, I returned to the scene of the crime to clean up the rinds and such. That is when I discovered my mistake. You see, pomegranate juice has a color like red wine. As I was working the seeds off the rind, over the water, the juice from ruptured seeds was sprayed (quite artistically) on the wall of my kitchen. What a mess!!

Here is the lesson—Use a huge bowl of water and keep that fruit under water as you work. The bowl of water is not there to catch the seeds, it catches the spray. Experience is the best teacher; but her tuition is high!

Now, I have found the pomegranate pleasing and I will use it. I’ll keep you posted on what I find!

Thanks for listening, now I must get a rag and wash down the backsplash.

Keep cooking,
MITK