Creamy Garlic Chive Butter Spread

It's not hard to taste the fact that butter is perfect in almost everything ahhaha.

Today, I decided to make a spread that would go great with soft bread rolls (along with some sort of pasta dish).  Before the idea came about, I was reminiscing about the days when I'd visit Boudin and request 6 extra pats of butter to go with whatever I ordered (usually Clam Chowder in a sourdough bread bowl MMMmmmmMMm).  Of course I didn't consume all pats of butter at one time (though I came close one time) I always left happy knowing that my stash in my refrigerator back at home would get bigger.  If I could describe Boudin in two words, well, maybe three, it would be Sourdough Bread and Butter. In light of my fond memories, here's a delicious butter spread recipe that will more than likely leave you and your stomach smiling. 

This creamy spread is delicious on top of toasted bread rolls, cutlets, fried foods, hamburgers, chicken burgers, and can be made as a base for pastas. Stay tuned for a pasta recipe that I recently made using this spread.

Ingredients:
3 tbsp butter (I use land o lakes light, salted)
1 garlic clove minced finely
~1/3 cup chopped chives
1 tsp dried parsley
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cajun seasoning
If using unsalted butter add 1/2 tsp salt.  If not, no need to add salt.
1 tbsp cream cheese
6 tbsp evaporated milk

Directions
1. Melt butter in sauce pan for fry pan Medium high heat.
2. add butter, chives, parsley, pepper, salt, pepper, and cajun seasoning as soon as butter is melted. Turn heat down to medium low heat to prevent burning garlic, creating a bitter taste.
3. Stir frequently for ~5 min or until mixture starts bubbling.
4.  Add cream cheese and evaporated milk.  Stir in with other ingredients.  Once uniformed, cook for another min or so.  Turn off heat and immediately transfer into a container and cover.

Rick's Cafe- Great Pizza, Homemade Ice Cream, and More

Business Information
delivery available; T-Su 6pm-9pm. Minimum order of 40EC for delivery.
-Cuisines: American-burgers, fries, ice cream, pizza, BBQ, sandwiches, beer
-Location: In Grand Anse Shopping Centre.
-Hours: M closed; Tu-Sa 11am to 10pm; Su 4-9:30pm
-Phone: (473) 444-4597
-Price Range: $-$$
-Menu
 
How to Order
1. Place order with person behind register (where menu boards are located)
2. Obtain your ticket if ordering pizza/ receipt for anything else.
3. If you ordered a pizza, pick up across of register. Don't forget to show your ticket. If you ordered ice cream, show lady in back of ice cream station your receipt and tell her what flavor you'd like.

Order Here First

If you live in Grenada, you'll know that most businesses close early (5-7pm).  Of the very few (literally) that close late, fortunately, is the notorious Rick's Cafe.  This late night cafe is known for their home made rich ice cream that comes in a wide array of flavors, both traditional and tropical.  They're also known for their pizza.

  I have a friend that's been living here for almost 2 years and she's gotten a taste of just about everything in Grenada.  Of all the places she has eaten at, Rick's has landed as her favorite when it comes to pizza and ice cream.

Personally, I also love their pizza and ice cream, but I have nothing to compare both of them to since I haven't had the chance yet to expose myself to other restaurants.  I ordered the "Presidential Pizza," 2nd to the largest available (sorry, I forgot the diameter), choose any 6 toppings, $58EC.  It's a thin crust pizza, packed with toppings, and coated with tomato sauce that's a little sweeter than your usual pizza sauce in America.  I highly recommend their pizza.

Their ice cream is on the creamy side, rich in texture with a nice balance of sugar.  So far, I've had their Nutmeg ice cream. It's so delicious, a must try.

Pick Up Pizza Here

Some of their flavors include:
-soursop
-nutmeg
-strawberry cheesecake
-chocolate ripple
-strawberry
-chocolate
-vanilla
-coconut
-Rum Raisin
-Peach Melba
-Pistachio 
-Power
-After Eight
-Guava
-Strawberry Ripple
-Cherry Vanilla

Rick's a great place for food, dessert, and hanging out with your friends. There's also plenty of little shops nearby to peruse.  A grocery store (Foodfair) is right next door too if you need to go Grocery shopping.  Don't forget to check out the Koi fishes located in a man made pond right in front of Rick's. They're so beautiful and you can feed them too!

Getting there:
From SGU bus terminal, Take the Mont Tout Bus (C). Stop in front of Grand Anse Shopping center across street from Scotia Bank (past round houses). Or you can take local bus #1 St. George's. It also stops at the same place. 


***Update:  
Rick's pizza has landed as my 3rd favorite pizza place next to Prickly Bay (#1) and La Boulangerie (#2).  But it's the greatest bang for your buck!!! I also just had their burger and it was a lot better than Grill Master's burger located in Spiceland Mall, but Umbrella's has the best burger by far in my eyes.  Their onion rings are to die for and their sorbets are so light, cheap, refreshing, and so darn cute.  I tried grape, coconut pineapple, golden apple, and punch.  Their flavors vary from day to day.  My all time favorite is Coconut Pineapple.    

No Yeast, No Bake, Stove Top Pizza Made From Scratch- Caramelized Onions and Salami

Stove Top Pizza?  Yes, stove top pizza hahaha.  Such a far fetched idea huh, but often times, far fetched ideas often churn out surprises.

I thought to myself, what are the most important factors that makes a pizza a pizza?  After reflecting back on my alternate pizza recipes (made with other starches such as sliced bread and baguettes), I've decided that an actual dough recipe, crispness of crust, and a melted baked cheese texture were the determining factors in making anything worthy of being called a pizza.  

Cheese and Salami

Surprisingly, after a lot of experimenting in my kitchen, I was able to churn out something that was worthy (in my eyes) of being called a pizza. I love this pizza so much that it will take some convincing to get me back to ordering delivery pizza.

This pizza recipe is for those who love their pizza crust and cheese thin and crispy.  O, another gauge for determining if this recipe is for you, is, do you like cheese-its?  If so, this recipe is for you.

You know how on some delivery pizzas, some cheese spills out to the edges of the pan... and gets baked and turns into crispy goodness, in other words, cheese-its? Imagine loads of it on a pizza.  This pizza is that kind of pizza.

You can definitely tweak this recipe to your liking.  Have fun with it. The possibilities are endless.  

First Attempt. Caramelized Onions and Cheese-  The pizza sauce on this one was grilled along with other ingredients. Messy deed but fun!

~7 Mini Pizzas; 25-35min

Ingredients:

Dough

2 cups sifted flour (I bought pre-sifted flour, Purity Brand with pig on front of cover)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp white sugar

1 tsp baking powder

2 small eggs

1 1/2 cup water

1 tbsp vegetable oil

Sauce

4 cloves garlic minced finely

1 tbsp oil

1 Jar Spaghetti Sauce (I used Magic Time Mamma Mia Traditional)

1 tsp white sugar

1 tsp dried parsley 

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 tbsp tomato paste

Toppings

2 small onions caramelized (good for 3 pizzas)

salami

sharp cheddar cheese
sprinkle ground black pepepr

(Fresh Basil would've been great but I didn't have any)

Directions

1.  Prepare dough. In a bowl, mix flour, salt, sugar, baking powder.  Make a well in the middle for wet ingredients.

2.  In the well add eggs, water, and vegetable oil. stir to incorporate. Try not to over mix. Let set momentarily while you prepare sauce.

3.  Prepare sauce. In a pot heat up oil.  Medium low heat. You don't want garlic to burn as it will become bitter. Stir garlic constantly for ~2 min to cook out raw taste.

4.  Add spaghetti sauce, sugar, parsley, basil, pepper, and tomato paste. Mix well.

5. Simmer sauce for about10-15min allowing for it to thicken and develop in flavor.  You may want to cover it as it may splash out.  After cooked, set aside and bring to room temp.

6. Cook dough. In a non stick pan (essential to caramelize cheese), heat medium high heat. When heated, add about 1/3 cup batter at a time (if you have a standard sized pan. try keeping batter from touching sides. this will trap moisture, not allowing dough to get crispy). as you're pouring hold pan up tilting in a circular motion to create a circle (as flat as you can get it).

7. Let cook for about 5-7 min on one side on medium low heat until bottom browns. Once browned, flip and cook other side the same way.  

8.  Add toppings adding cheese last (exclude tomato sauce for a crisp crust). Flip and pat down with spatula. let cook 2 min allowing for cheese to turn into a cheese-it texture.  Start scraping all around pizza towards center of pizza to get cheese to lift off from pan.  Once free, press down on pizza moving it in a circular motion.  Take a look under to see if cheese has hardened.  

9. Transfer to a cooling rack, add room temp. pizza sauce, and serve immediately.  If you want to preserve the crisp texture of the cheese, you can dip your pizza in the sauce as you go instead of putting sauce on all at once.

*tip: try not to overload toppings.  the moisture needs to be kept to a minimum in order for cheese to caramelize.  you can add them after. 

*no need to add extra oil. salami and cheese have plenty of natural oils

*you don't have to cook all pizzas at once. you can refrigerate dough in a sealed container

*the dough should be thin enough to spread out by tilting pan

Savory Caramelized Onion Cabbage Pancakes

I grew up with traditional pancakes just like almost everyone else who lives in America, not savory pancakes.  Pancakes were all that was really offered-at  Denny's, IHOP, McDonalds, and almost every other breakfast/brunch eatery place you can think of.  So naturally, pancakes became part of my collection of most cooked foods.  It was only until I grew up and watched numerous TV series of the Food Network that I discovered the art turning sweet into savory- I discovered the world of Savory Pancakes.  For once... something that tastes as good as it sounds.  They soon became one of my most favorite, most satisfying foods to cook.

Traditional pancakes are definitely delicious but there comes a point where enough is enough and the sugar becomes overwhelming.  If and and when the time comes, the savory version is the way to go.  Call it a fresh breath of air.  They're so versatile that they can be tweaked to fit into any kind of meal- breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.      

Some Ideas:
Breakfast: add in sausage, bell peppers, and cheese. Top off with Sour cream and hot sauce.
Lunch: Add your favorite cold cuts, tomato, and onions. Dip into ranch, sour cream, or my dipping sauce.
Dinner: Add Chives, Garlic, Chicken, and your favorite veggies. Serve with your favorite sauce.

Have fun with it!

2-3 servings; 15-25min
Ingredients:

ingredients can be found at IGA

Pancakes
3/4 cup flour ( I used pre-sifted)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white sugar
dash cayenne pepper (for heat)
1 egg for batter; 3 extra for topping (optional)
2/3 cup water
1/2 lb cabbage diced (~ 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium shredded carrot (a little under 1 cup)
1 small onion caramelized
3 salami deli slices chopped
oil for frying

Dipping Sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp white sugar
pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp grated ginger


Directions
1. Caramelize onions. Click HERE to learn how to cook them.
2. Prepare batter- In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, Cajun seasoning, black pepper, salt, white sugar, cayenne pepper, egg, water. stir well but don't over mix. Adjust if necessary to make consistency similar to pancake batter (a little thick).
3.  Add in cabbage, carrot, and onions. Stir to incorporate.
4.  In a separate bowl, prepare dipping sauce. Mix vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, red pepper flakes, and ginger. Mix to dissolve sugar.
5. Heat a non stick pan on medium high heat.  Add ~1/2 tbsp oil for each pancake.  As soon as oil is hot, spoon in 1/3 cabbage mixture. You don't want to make too big of a pancake because doing so will trap in moisture, preventing pancake from browning.  Make sure you make an inner circle.  Flatten out pancake with spatula using tip (sweep across pancake while tapping down with tip).
6. Add you favorite meat on top of uncooked side. I used salami. it taste great fried.  (tip: if using something else, cook uncooked meats before placing on top)
7. Right after bottom side has browned, crack a raw egg on top of uncooked side and immediately flip with wide spatula.  Cook for another 3-4min or until other side has browned.  Pat down pancake with spatula to release any batter trapped inside.
8. Cut up and serve on top of rice with dipping sauce.
9. Enjoy!

 

Cheesy Hearty Herb Chicken Noodle Soup

MmMmMmm there's nothing that hits the spot more than cheesy hearty soup.

I constantly think about Mexican food, being that I grew up in a predominantly Mexican culture and was exposed to and ate many types of Mexican dishes.  The dish for inspiration in making this hearty soup was tortilla soup, a tomato based soup typically topped with tortilla chips and cheese.

My Mexican neighbors always cooked this soup, in hot and in cold weather... heck, they would still eat it even if they were in blazing hot weather, just to give you an idea of how much they loved it.

To my benefit, they were very giving (bless their hearts) and always shared their food with me and my family.  That fact that I've grown up with this soup is part of what makes me love it, but then again, if I were  introduced to it as an adult, I'm pretty sure I would love it just the same.

The potato and macaroni gave a little body to the soup and made for a nice mouth feel and the thyme infused within the soup so well and brought out the flavor of all of the other ingredients. A hint of spice, with a little sweetness and tang, this soup has everything going on.  It's like it's having it's own fiesta and I was invited.

So if you want to have a fiesta of your own, all you have to do is make this soup.  Toss in some tortilla chips and/or make a grilled cheese sandwich for more fun and action. hahaa. As always, enjoy!

4-5 servings; 23-30 min
Ingredients:
1 tbsp oil
1lb chicken thighs cubed 1/2''
3 cloves garlic minced finely
1/4'' ginger minced finely or grated
1tsp salt
1tsp cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
1tsp dried parsley
6 cups water or chicken stock ( I used water)
5 sprigs fresh thyme tied with rope (IGA or MNIB)
1 small carrot shredded
1 small potato cubed 1/4''
1 cup frozen corn
1 1/4 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
3/4 tbsp white sugar
2 tbsp butter

Topping: sharp cheddar cheese and lime juice

Directions
1. Heat small pot over medium high heat. Add oil. Add chicken thighs in a single layer. don't stir. let cook for 2 min. until one side browns.
2. add garlic, ginger, and spices. stir for another 2 min.
3. Add water, herbs, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and corn. Stir and bring up to boil.
4. Add macaroni and bring heat back down to medium low heat.
5. occasionally stir to prevent macaroni sticking to pot. cook until macaroni is just cooked. ~25-20min
6. add butter and sugar. stir to dissolve. bring up to boil for another min or so. Turn heat off. scoop out bundle of herbs and dispose of it.
7. Serve in a big bowl and top with a splash of lime juice and shredded cheddar cheese. Butter toast, rolls, or cheese sandwiches pair well with this dish. Enjoy.

White Wine Tomato Chicken

I just love cooking with white wine.  It pairs well with chicken and makes the best sauce.  This dish is simply spiced yet is delightful to eat.  The grilled bits from the chicken add a lot of body and the white wine tomato reduction evens everything out just nicely.  There's also a hint of spice from the cayenne and black pepper in the background and a good crunch from the bodi beans...balance, just how I like it.

2 servings; 10-15min
Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2lb chicken thighs cubed 1/2'' (foodfair)
• salt (~1/2tsp), pepper (~1/8tsp), cayenne (generous dash) for dusting chicken 
• 3 cloves garlic minced finely
• 10 strings bodi beans chopped 1''(Foodfair or MNIB) or green bell pepper sliced
• 1 large tomato diced
• 1 small onion diced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 bunch fresh basil leaves or 1tsp dried herbs of your chosing (optional)
• 1 tbsp butter

Directions
1. Evenly dust chicken with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper (cayenne pepper is hot. test it out first). place chicken juices aside.
2. heat fry pan medium high heat. add oil. wait until oil is heated then add onion and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent. occasionally stir.
3. push onion to one side of pan.  add chicken in an even layer with gaps in between on empty side.  don't stir until one side browns.  when pink on chicken is almost gone mix together with onions.
4. add bodi beans and chicken juices and cook for another 2-3 min.
5. push everything to one side of pan. add tomato on empty side. adjust heat to high. cook until tomatoes have turned into mush.
6.  add white wine to tomato side and stir to combine. Cook for another 1-2 min on high heat.
7. add butter and fresh basil to tomato side and boil for another min.
8. stir everything together and cook for another min on high heat.
9. serve on top of white rice or with pasta. if serving with pasta, cook noodles al dente then combine in pan (directly from boiling pot) with white wine chicken. cook until sauce starts sticking to noodles (~3min). top with cheddar cheese.

Top Ramen Chow Mein

Top Ramen noodles resemble the noodles used in Chow Mein, or soy sauce noodles, the notorious noodles that you usually find right next to fried rice at Chinese Restaurants.  Chow Mein has been chosen to be part of the dream team of commonly ordered hits along with Orange Chicken and Mongolian Beef.  Why?  The reason why they're so darn popular and tasty is because they're fried (just like top ramen noodles) and anything that's fried is tasty.

Eat them raw or if you want to cook them, all you'll really need is 3 minutes. They're also dirt cheap so you can have a great meal without spending too much time and money.

Top Ramen comes with a packet of soup base powder and I never use it because the long list of ingredients contained in it (most of which I cannot understand) scares me.  All I know is that there's many versions of MSG in it and that's enough reason for me not to use it.  I make my own base for a piece of mind, minimizing as much unhealthy ingredients as I can in my diet.

I normally prepare these noodles with a lot of soup and eggs, but at the time, I was feeling like Chinese Food, so I prepared it Chow Mein style with a soy sauce base.

You can apply the same cooking method described below but instead throw in your own favorite ingredients!  The noodles are such a nice canvas to work with and the possibilities are endless.


1 serving; 10-15min
Ingredients: 

• 1tbsp oil
• 1/2 lb chicken thighs cubed 1/2''
• 10 strings Bodi Beans chopped 1'' pieces
• 2 cloves garlic minced (~1tsp)
• 1/4'' ginger slice grated or minced finely (~1tsp)
• salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper for dusting chicken
• 1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar (or lime juice)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 cup water or chicken stock (or more if you want soup)
• 2 bunches of top ramen noodles (without powder)
• 1 stalk chives or green onion (optional)

Directions
1. in a bowl, mix rice vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and water (or chicken stock).
2. dust chicken with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper (warning- cayenne is hot)
3.  In a pan, heat up oil. medium high heat. when hot, add chicken in an even layer with gaps in between. Don't stir. Wait until one side browns.
4. Once pink on top of chicken is almost gone, add ginger, garlic. Stir Fry for ~ 2 min.
5. Add bodi beans. Stir fry for another 2 min.
6. Heat a pot with water and boil noodles on high heat for ~1-2min or until they just become loose. You will finish cooking them in chicken mixture.
7. add soy sauce mixture into chicken.  cook ~1min.  Add noodles from pot directly to pan without draining. It's okay if a little water gets in. Toss ingredients together with two forks or tongs for another min.

*you can make scramble eggs and add them into the mix. just delicious. Enjoy!

Spiceland Mall Stores, Hours & Information

Food Court
*Chop Stix- Chinese Cuisine
-Hours: M-F 11am-7pm; Fr 11a-6pm; Su closed
-Phone: (473) 444-7849; Cell (868) 788-8516

*Grill Master- Local Food (Visa and Master Card accepted)
-Hours: M-Th 8am-9pm; Fr & Sa 8am-10pm
-Phone: (473) 439- 3377
-Items sold: grilled and fried dinner, roti, wraps, salads, french fries
 Website

*Native Foods and Fruits- Smoothies
-Hours: M-Sa 9am-6:45pm; Su closed
-Phone: (473) 232-3663
-Items Sold: sometimes they carry Jamaican patties, soups, and fruit bowls

Other Stores
*Adonis Men's Wear- clothing store for men. Suits, shoes, hats, shirts, accessories
-Hours: M-Th 10am-7pm
-Phone: (473) 439 1212
-Brands: Dockers, Rockport, Guess, Clarks, Reebok, Van Heusen, Levis, Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Columbia, Adidas, Oxygen

*Bryden and Minors- Stationary and office supplies
-Hours: M-F 9am-6pm; Sa 10am-7pm
-Phone: (473) 439-0870
-Items Sold: art and craft supplies, photo albums and frames, writing instruments and accessories, paper, school supplies, printing cartridges, labels, business forms, writing pads and notebooks, binders and presentation folders

*Creative Do-It Best- Retail and Distribution, building and construction, real estate and property management, air conditioning and roofing
-Hours: M-Sa 9am-7pm; Su 9am-1pm
-Phone: (473) 444-5487
-Items sold: sports items, cooking supplies, cups and plates, blenders, lighting products, tools, electric fans, electrical, bath supplies, gardening supplies

*Klassic Connection-ladies clothing
-Hours: M-Sa 10am-7pm; Su closed
-Phone: (473) 439-9326; St. George's (473) 435-7392
-Items Sold: skinny jeans, dress tops, casual tops, dress pants, summer dresses, accessories, handbags, wallets

*Lisa's- Jewelry Store
-Hours: M-Sa 10am-7pm; Su closed
-Phone: (473) 439- 4404
Website

*Mitchell's Health and Wellness Pharmacy
-Hours:
-Phone:
-Items Sold: prescription medicines, herbal medicines, bodybuilding supplements, sexual enhancers, blood sugar and pressure testing, herbal cleansers, diabetic aids, health foods

*Real Value IGA Supermarket
-Hours: M-Th 8am-9pm; Fr & Sa 8am-10pm; Su 10am-7pm
-Phone: (473) 439 2121
-Items sold: frozen and fresh foods, deli counter, ready made foods, wines, household needs
Website

*Shoe Connection
-Hours: M-Sa 10am- 6:45pm; Su closed
-Phone: (473) 444-5633
-Items Sold: belts, accessories, shoes, handbags for ladies and men