I love how everyone from the south says.. “My Biscuits are the Best”! Well here is a Buttermilk Biscuit recipe for you to try out. I love them, and use your hands to mix as your hands melt the butter into the flour mixture perfectly!
baking
Strawberry Shortcakes 🍓 /
Oh the season! Most of you know in the 90’s I worked for Driscoll Berries as their corporate chef. I created packaging recipes, recipe booklets, website recipes and more. Here is a great easy shortcake to make. The only setback is that you need to eat the berry mixture within 48 hours as it has not been cooked. After you break down the walls of the berries they tend to start fermenting. I hope you enjoy the recipes!
The recipe makes 6 large shortcakes.
Southern Banana Pudding Triffle /
Since I am not doing my nightly shows anymore I wanted to make this dessert this week for you. I hope some of you try it even though you don’t see me making it.
The dessert without a name. You all have had some form of it. Bananas, Pudding, ‘Nilla Wafers and whipped cream. I felt it was southern, as one time, I had it from a soul food restaurant steam table outside of downtown Dallas. It was hot, so rich. I jumped in a cab with my good author and southern friend Nancie McDermott, and off we went into an area of Dallas she had heard of a great lady who made killer soul food (Just to let you know if Nancie has a hunch of something good you get in the cab! The cab driver didn’t want to take us to that side of town; she said it was dangerous. We told her that we would buy her lunch. Sure, enough that worked! Food always works! She said she would wait as nobody would come out to pick us up (This is pre-Uber). We got plates of food and a sandwich for the driver, she said. Oh, I guess it’s safe since the police are having lunch here!
Nancie said that her friend Chef Bill Smith of Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, NC (he retired in 2019), had it on his menu, and it was trendy, and he called it Good Banana Pudding. She feels it is a Southern home cook’s streamlining of the Classic British Trifle. And I agree. How you make it is up to you. I have seen so many shortcuts, and some are what you may be used to flavor and texture-wise.
First, the cookie: Nabisco’s Vanilla Wafers 1898, which changed in 1967 to “Nilla Wafers as real pure vanilla is not used in them anymore. When a recipe for the pudding dessert was placed on the package back in the 1940s, southerners started using them in droves. This is the dessert you always have at a family reunion, covered dish supper (potluck), or Funeral. I created my own cookie to make that are very flavorful and even have vanilla!
Next, the pudding: Oh, boy. Jell-O came out with Banana Flavored pudding, which eased the making of this dessert. I love to make my Banana Pastry Cream to use instead. Some stores do not carry the Banana Cream, flavor outside of the south.
Topping: Most of the recipes today for this dessert have Cool-Whip as the topping. Formerly in the early, non-fast days of the method, it was a toasted meringue. I only use Cool-WhipÔ on morning shows when I can’t have whipped cream melt under the lights of the studio. Today's dessert we will make a meringue.
I hope you will take the time to make this Southern Dessert that I call, Banana Pudding Trifle.
Tuesday July 28th, 2020: Date Day! 🌴🌴 /
Dates mere one of the most perfect foods. Sweet and full of history! They all grow not too far from my home close to Palm Springs. Here are two recipes and also some pictures of the date farms where you can pickup the sweet stone fruit.
Here is some information on the date farms and addresses etc: Date Farm information: Sheet
Monday July 20th, 2020.. It is Peach🍑Day! /
Today we make three recipes and take a field trip to see how Peach Donuts are made at The Donut Man on Route 66.
Wednesday, July 15th, 2020: The History of Brownies /
We will focus today on where the cookie/cake item we call a “Brownie” came from. And then the first recorded recipes the 1909 Brownie from Boston.
Easy Yeast Rolls /
I have been doing live shows from my kitchen since April. Posting really only those shows. Here is an extra posting. On This Saturday’s show we make Fire House Chili. I thought I needed some yeast rolls to go with it so here is a simple yet rewarding recipe. Try them out.. Oh.. I meant to make 12 rolls and I made 6.. so they are big big big…
Friday May 1st, 2020: Disney Retro Week: The Red Wagon Corn Cogs /
In 1987, I created corn dogs for a temporary location during The State Fair Days at Disneyland. We thought it would last only a few months, but now its company wide. Enjoy the history and watch the tape too. Below is the recipe for 10 servings instead of the 100 I created!
Here is the show.. Enjoy!
Thursday April 30th, 2020 Retro Disney Week: Cookies of Disney /
Here we show you how to make three of the featured cookies from the Market House on Main Street…
Here is the video of the cookie production. Enjoy
Wednesday April 29th: Retro Disney Week: Tahitian Terrace Restaurant /
The Tahitian Terrace was a Polynesian themed restaurant at Disneyland Park in California. It was placed next to the Enchanted Tiki Room attraction in Adventureland. Popular dishes to enjoy during the themed native dancing show where skewered chicken, tropical fruit salads and other island dishes were served. It was in operation from 1962 to 1993 when it was replaced by Aladdin’s Oasis Dinner Show which only lasted 2 years. Currently, they are changing the restaurant once again to The Tropical Hideaway. This dessert was on the menu from the late 80’s to closing. It was served with vanilla ice cream for $2.
Even though we purchased the pie crusts, I wanted to include a recipe and also the proper techniques as to how to make the perfect pie crust. You can watch the show to see me roll out the dough.. It is all in the method! Enjoy!
Here is the show!
Apple Season! Fall is in the Air 🍏🍎🍏🍎 Oak Glen and Recipes /
Shocking for some, but Southern California has two large apple growing areas. One in Riverside County in the area of Oak Glen and the second in San Diego County in Alpine.
Last weekend I made my yearly fall pilgrimage to Oak Glen, CA. It has not changed since the first time I visited when I was in single digits. Oak Glen has about 2 dozen independent family apple farms which grown about 60 varieties of apples over the season. Oak Glen also has a number of restaurants and gift stores selling “everything apple”. The season tends to start around Labor Day and ends close to Thanksgiving with the annual Apple Butter Festival. I strongly suggest going on a weekday. If you must go on a weekend, get to the area about 10am and have lunch at 11:30am so you beat the crowds.
If you are traveling to the area, get off of Beaumont Rd, off the 10 freeway, travel north towards Oak Glen, it turns into Oak Glen and continue to drive into the hillside, you will pass all of the orchards, making the loop (about 15 miles) you end up at the 10 freeway.
Here are a few of my favorite orchards. All are family owned and if you go during the week, the owners are normally very happy to talk with you regarding apples. Some of the orchards have other items for sale, which I mention below. I suggest that you call (not email) the orchards in case you have a certain variety of apple or need. Keep in mind the apples are higher than at your local market, but you get to sample all of the apples and also keeping a local farm in business.
The Oak Glen Apple Growers:
You can take a look at all of the growers on this site
Snow-Line Orchards
39400 Oak Glen Rd
909-256-0405
Since 1898
Over 44 varieties of apples, Apple-cider Mill, Apple Spice Mini-Donuts, Apple butter.
3 flavors of cider, Original, Raspberry and cherry. Wines also.
Riley’s Farm
12281 Oak Glen Rd.
909-797-7534
Many varieties of apples, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, pumpkins and sunflowers. A restaurant and bakery are onsite. Specializing in heirloom apples. Living History Tours are on the weekdays. They also have overnight accommodations. Closed on Sundays.
Mom’s Country Orchards
38695 Oak Glen Rd.
909-797-4249
Since 2002
When you drive in you can see the signs as to the varieties of apples they have on hand. Take a look at their antique equipment still in use. Besides the apples, the back room has dozens of flavors or butters, jams and jellies and the like. They have samples galore of everything. I know you will be leaving with a few jars of the jams and apples!
Of course, I purchased too many apples. Tonight, I made a Double Crust Apple Fall Leaf Pie.
Enjoy!
George
Banana Chocolate Chip Cake /
A very moist and flavorful cake.. I like to use very very ripe bananas that are very dark. The sugars come up and wow.. so much flavor. Use any kind of Bundt tube pan for this recipe.
A trick I tell all of my students when you are making a Bundt cake… No need to grease and flour the pans as it is too difficult to get into all of the cracks and crevasses.. Spray pan with a non-stick spray. After the cake has completely baked, set a timer for exactly 10 minutes. Then invert directly on a cooking rack. The pan will lift off perfectly.
Lavender Stamped Butter Cookies /
I wanted you to learn about two things with my recipe this week. The use of Lavender and rolling pins from Turkey. This past weekend I was invited to a TV viewing party in West Hollywood. I could not go empty handed, I took a box of homemade cookies. When you never know what to take try something small and cute.. A box of cookies.
Here is the recipe for the Shortbreads.
Lavender Sugar: I make my own really. But in Southern California we have Keys Creek Lavender Farm. They sell at some of the farmers markets around San Diego and Temecula. Plus online. Here is their Website: Keys Creek Lavender
Rolling Pins: You all MUST take a look at these phenomenal. Do not let the shipping from Turkey worry you. I purchase many and they get here ok. And you use your PayPal account. They will make your cookies a work of art! Rolling Woods
Double Chocolate Chip, Snickerdoodles, Lav Butter and Peanut Butter Dipped in Belgium Chocolate and rolled in Peanuts
European Butter Cookies.. /
Ah..Meyer Lemon Butter Cookies.
This past weekend was a "nature" weekend. It was sunny about 80F here in SoCal. We took a little "road trip" to the wild flowers.. The hills were packed with so many varieties of flowers! With all of the rain we have had the hills exposed their beauty for us!
After the flowers then off to California Historical Citrus State Park. It is a MUST visit stop. They have tours of the farms and all of the citrus. This time of year the aroma is intoxicating.. You also come home with a sample bag of the varieties! Afterwards I purchased 30 pounds of oranges.. A cross between Navel and Blood. Jams will be made this week!
Here is the recipe for the butter cookies..Recipe for Butter Cookies
A few years back I came across a rolling pin company that made embossed pins.. They are out of Poland.. But they ship to the states! Take a look at Rolling Woods Store.
Until next time..
SDLiving Tomorrow! St. Paddy's Day /
The Countdown begins... I have not posted too much about the end of the SDLiving Show on the CW6 in San Diego.. This is my last St. Paddy's Day Show. I started morning shows in 1993. The year I left Disney. It was also the year the launched The Food Network. I was a regular on ABCs Mike and Maty in the 90s.. That was a 3 year run.. I have been doing this show for about 7 years.. I will have to look at the first thing I made.. I created a segment called WTF Day.. (What The Food) Day.. every day has some sorts of food attached to it.. If we didn't have an idea as to a segment we would look into what food day it was... I was so happy to always do National Cheesecake Day.. So I could highlight my book and cheesecakes!
Here are the recipes for tomorrow.. Until next week! (The SDLiving Show signs off on the last day of the month). If any of you are a friend on Facebook.. I will be doing LIVE tomorrow while I set up my show around 8:15 am PDT.
Recipes:
Chocolate Pecan Bars /
Chocolate Pecan Bars.. They are too hot to cut!
Here is the recipe.. Have a great weekend!
It's Pretzel Time /
Pretzels!
Pretzels have had a religious story for years. Within the Catholic Church, pretzels were regarded as having religious significance for both ingredients and shape. The knot shape has been claimed to represent hands in prayer. Pretzels made with a simple recipe using only flour and water could be eaten during Lent. We just celebrated Thanksgiving here in America and I thought a nice yeast pretzel would be nice for you to try out. Here is a easy simple recipe. Make sure your yeast is fresh! Next Friday I will be on SDLiving doing my segment on Fast and Easy Appetizers for the holidays.. When people drop in or your in a rush! You will not want to miss it. If you do.. I will post the recipes here later in the week.
SDLiving Wednesday! Pumpkins /
SDLiving.. LIVE on Wednesday!
November 11th, 2015.. 9am on the CW6.
Here are the recipes if you are not in the San Diego Area or not able to watch.
If you are not receiving my newsletter check it put on my Facebook Page.
Tiki Day on SDLiving! /
August 13th.. on SDLiving... We go to the islands! Live at 9am on CW6. If you are not in San Diego you can check it out on thier site after the broadcast at:
I created a super moist flavorful pound cake for www.canolainfo.org last year. (Check out the site for more of my recipes.. Just search under my name)
Here it is:
Mojito Rum Tea Cake with Glaze
Also you need an appetizer..
Cookie Time.. Red Walnuts and Lavender Buds! /
Last weekend I went to the Temecula Farmers Market looking around for new fresh items of the season. Red Walnuts and Lavender Buds for cooking. The walnuts were a bright hue of red that do not loose their color when baking. If you are not close to this farmers market you can get them from Amazon.
Notice the pure color that does not look like they are just dyed.
I made Red Walnut Oatmeal cookies that turned out terrific! Here is the recipe:
Keys Creek Lavender Farm up the road from Temecula has a table filled with the only organic certified farm for lavender around. The farm used to be open to the public, but now only if you are attending a class or function. Their Linen spray is the best on the market and made at the farm. I purchased the food grade buds to make lavender sugar and to decorate the cookies.
Have you even purchased something from etsy.com? I was looking around at rolling pins and found these remarkable tools from Rolling Woods: They even make to order.. They are out of Poland, but no worries if you order with Paypal.. My pins arrived within 3 weeks from ordering! Rolling Woods
I made Lavender Butter Cookies using the Lavender buds and European butter:
Lastly, I am a sucker for a good Chocolate Chip Cookie. I love how these turned out with the soft inside and outside with a little crunch. They also look like ones my grandmother made..
Thursday is National Cheesecake Day.. Post coming soon.. I will be on LIVE CW6 San Diego Living.. Tune in.. 9am!