Rrrrecipes! Archives - Carlton Cooks!

May 20, 2020May 20, 2020

World Bee Day Recipes

Carton Cooks makes a Strawberry Salad with Honey Bee Dressing. — Can you spot the heart-shaped strawberry in this picture?

As we celebrate World Bee Day https://carltoncooks.com/celebrate-world-bee-day/ our World Bee Day recipes were inspired by John in New Mexico. He has lettuce, strawberries and green onions in his refrigerator. Let’s play the Pantry Puzzle Game to use John’s foods. Remember, the Pantry Puzzle game is all about Staying at Home and using what you have. If you don’t have what John has, you can substitute the foods that you do have in your home. Please email and tell me about the salads you create.

Today’s mystery tool is:

On this World Bee day, in honor of the honey bee, we’re making Strawbee-ry Salad with Honey Bee Salad Dressing.

Ingredients for the dressing:

1 Tablespoon of honey

2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard

1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (other vinegar will be fine, too)

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 teaspoon of salt

Ingredients for the Salad:

4 cups of Romaine lettuce leaves, torn into bite-sized pieces (or any other green leafy vegetable)

8 Strawberries (or any other fruit. Apples might be nice.)

½ cup sliced almonds (you can brown these or leave them raw)

Tools:

Measuring spoons

Measuring cups

Whisk

Small mixing bowl

1 cutting board

1 paring knife

One large salad bowl

Directions:

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing. Set the dressing aside.

Wash and dry the romaine lettuce. Tear the lettuce into bite size pieces and add to the salad bowl.

Slice the strawberries and add to the salad bowl.

If desired you may toast the almond slices by placing them in a frying pan over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until they golden brown and smell toasty. Let the almonds cool before adding to the salad.

Add the almonds to the lettuce and strawberries in the salad bowl.

Pour the dressing over the salad and toss together.

Makes 4 servings

If you want to, you could add:

1 small clove of minced garlic to the dressing

And any of these to the salad:

Crumbled Feta or Shredded Parmesan cheese

Sliced chicken breast or rinsed Garbanzo beans from a can

April 5, 2020April 5, 2020

Carlton’s Carbonara

Today we’ll play the Pantry Puzzle Game https://carltoncooks.com/pantry-puzzle-game-makes-delicious-dishes-at-home/ to make a delicious a pasta dish plus https://carltoncooks.com/use-leftover-egg-whites-to-make-crunchy-carlton-kisses/ a sweet and crunchy dessert! Carlton’s Carbonara is easy to make and uses ingredients found at home.

To make:

Carlton’s Carbonara

Ingredients:

2 eggs (we’ll use the yolks for dinner and save the whites for dessert)

2 mushrooms, sliced

Some dry spaghetti (12 ounces of you have it, Macaroni or any other pasta will work, too).

One-half a bag of frozen peas (frozen corn would work, too)

One small piece of Parmesan cheese or any hard cheese that you have. You can also use the little packets of cheese that come with delivery pizza. Try to shred 1/4-1/3 cup of cheese.

Because this recipe is our own invention, you can also add whatever you have in your own house. I like to add a few slices of crumbled bacon, a handful of browned pine nuts, some sautéed onion and garlic, and maybe some chopped green chile or jalapenos. Sometimes I like to fry an egg and place it on top of the pasta, or serve it with sliced grilled chicken.

And, I’ll tell you a secret. Egg yolks mixed with some saved pasta water will always make a creamy pasta sauce, no matter what other ingredients you add.

Directions:

Shred your cheese and set aside.

Separate your eggs. Place the whites in the refrigerator to use later for dessert.

Put a large sauce pot of water on to boil. If you have salt, add a teaspoon to the water.

Add the pasta to the water and cook as directed on the package.

REMEMBER TO SAVE ONE CUP OF THE PASTA COOKING WATER! Drain the pasta and return it to the stockpot

Next, heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add a bit of butter or oil to the pan and sauté the mushrooms until they brown at their edges. Add the peas to the pan and set aside.

Beat the egg yolks.

SLOWLY scramble in 1 large ladle full (about 1/3-1/2 cup) of the pasta cooking water into the eggs. The pasta water stops your eggs from scrambling when added to the pasta, and helps to make a creamy pasta sauce.

Add your shredded cheese to the egg and pasta water mixture.

Pour the egg mixture over the pasta. Continue to toss the pasta until it soaks up egg mixture and thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. The mixture will be creamy.

Remove pan from heat and add the mushrooms and peas to the pasta. Sprinkle with black pepper if you’d like.

Tl’s ingredients will make four small servings.

You can use your egg whites to scramble with leftover vegetables for breakfast, or you can go here https://carltoncooks.com/use-leftover-egg-whites-to-make-crunchy-carlton-kisses/to make a batch of Carlton Kisses for tomorrow’s dessert.

Happy cooking. And remember to send me ingredients to use for our next Pantry Puzzle Game https://carltoncooks.com/pantry-puzzle-game-makes-delicious-dishes-at-home/

Love,

Carlton

April 5, 2020April 5, 2020

Carlton Kisses

Once you’ve played the Puzzle Pantry Game https://carltoncooks.com/pantry-puzzle-game-makes-delicious-dishes-at-home/ and made a delicious bowl of Carlton’s Carbonara https://carltoncooks.com/carlton’s-carbonara/ you can use the leftover egg whites to make a crunchy cookie called:

Carlton Kisses

Ingredients:

½ cup sugar

2 egg whites

1 pinch of cream of tartar if you have it

½ teaspoon of almond extract (you can also use vanilla, or omit if you do not have extract)

1 drop of food coloring if you would like to color your kisses

Tools:

Mixing bowl

A hand mixer and beaters

Measuring spoons

Cookie sheet

Directions:

First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet and set aside.

Next, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium high until the egg whites are fluffy and look like mountains with peaks.

Slowly add the sugar, and continue beating.

Add the almond extract and food coloring if desired, and beat again until mixed.

Finally, using a teaspoon, scoop a spoonful of egg meringue onto the cookie sheet. Continue until you have scooped all of the batter and the cookie sheet is filled.

Put the cookie sheet in the oven. TURN THE OVEN OFF AND GO TO BED!

Your cookies will be ready to eat in the morning.

Love,

Carlton

March 30, 2020April 5, 2020

Make Two-Ingredient Pantry Puzzle Muffins

Rescue Dog Carlton Cooks teaches us how to make Pantry Puzzle muffins. — It turns out that you can mix one can of pumpkin with one box of cake mix and NOTHING ELSE to make delicious cakes or muffins!

Say this three times fast: My Pantry Puzzle Game makes delicious dishes. My Pantry Puzzle Game makes delicious dishes. My Pantry Puzzle Game makes delicious dishes. https://carltoncooks.com/pantry-puzzle-game-makes-delicious-dishes-at-home/ Today’s Pantry Puzzle Game recipe comes from a friend who lives in Chicago, Illinois. He wanted muffins. He had a cake mix, but he had no eggs, oil, or milk. But he did have a can of pumpkin. He used his cake mix and pumpkin to make two-ingredient Puzzle Pantry Muffins.

It turns out that you really can mix one can of pumpkin with one box of cake mix and NOTHING ELSE to make delicious cakes or muffins! Make two-ingredient Pantry Puzzle Muffins for your family. I bet they will love them!

Pantry Puzzle Muffins

Ingredients:

One boxed cake mix, any flavor

I 15-ounce can of pumpkin

Tools:

I bowl

1 wooden spoon

1 muffin tin

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375.
Using a spoon, stir the cake mix and pumpkin together in a mixing bowl.
Divide batter into muffin tin.
Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes. Muffins are done when a knife pushed into a muffin comes out clean.

Tip: I used a pan that makes six large muffins. Many muffin tins make 12 smaller muffins. If your pan makes 12 muffins, you will need to cook your muffins for less time. Set your timer for 12 minutes and check the muffins every three minutes.

Send me a picture of the Pantry Puzzle Muffins that you make. I would love to see them. And I will always write back.

Love,

Carlton

June 22, 2019June 22, 2019

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE INFUSED WATER

You can mix anything you want into a glass of water to give it a different flavor. Some companies add sugar to water to try and make it taste better. Can you think of examples? If you said soda pop and sports drinks, you’re right.

I like to stay hydrated using my favorite drink recipe. It is called Fruit and Vegetable Infused Water. The flavors from the fruits and vegetables help to flavor the water. You can add any fruit, vegetable, or herb to your water to make an infusion. Or you can add a combination of these things. The choice is yours. Make the Infused Water that tastes best to you. And then email me your favorite recipe!

When I make Infused Water, I like to pretend I am making a magic potion that will give me superpower energy all day long. Today I am making different infused water recipes with fruits, vegetables, and herbs from my garden and refrigerator.

Chef and rescue dog Carlton Cooks is ready to stay hydrated with recipes for fruit and vegetable infused water. — You can add any fruit vegetable or herb to your water to make an infusion. Or you can add a combination of these things.

I made four infused waters.

Watermelon and Lime

Grapefruit and Rosemary

Cucumber and Mint

Strawberry and Basil

Which one do you think will be the best?

Add a few pieces of your favorite fruit or vegetable and a leaf or two of your favorite herb. The infused flavors will become stronger the longer the water sits. Your infusion foods will last through a few refills of your glass. And when you are finished drinking water for the day, you can eat the fruits and vegetables that infused your water!

Good cooks know the word: infuse. To infuse means to steep (a fancy word for soak) something in liquid without boiling to remove the parts that will dissolve in water.

INGREDIENTS:

Fruit, vegetables and herbs of your choice that have been washed

Water

Ice

TOOLS:

One paring knife

One cutting board

One drinking glass or water bottle

DIRECTIONS:

Use a water glass or reusable water bottle.

Next, add 2-3 leaves of the herb of your choice and ¼ cup chopped fruit or vegetable of your choice.

Fill your glass 2/3 full with cold water.

Add ice as desired.

Remember, the flavors will get stronger as the water sits.

Make sure you empty and clean your infused water glass daily.

Serves 1

May 12, 2019May 12, 2019

Mother’s Day Breakfast

TORTI-YUMS are an easy tortilla breakfast recipe for kids to make on Mother’s Day.

Good cooks know the word: Broil. To melt, crisp or cook food under direct heat. The broiler is the burner/heating element on the ceiling of your oven and cooks your food from above.

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese (about 1ounce)

1 six-inch flour tortilla

1 Tablespoon butter, melted

Optional Ingredient: Jarred salsa

TOOLS:

1 small mixing bowl

1 whisk or fork

1 box grater

1 plate

Measuring spoons

1 medium sauté pan

1 pastry brush

1 cookie sheet

DIRECTIONS:

1. Turn your broiler on to high.

2. Next, break the eggs and use the whisk or a fork to scramble them until they are a light yellow color. Set the eggs aside.

3. Place the box grater on a plate or cutting board. Shred the cheese and set aside.

4. Using the pastry brush, brush both sides of the tortilla with butter.

5. Place the tortilla in the sauté pan and cook over medium heat two minutes on a side until the tortilla is lightly browned and slightly crisp. Remove the tortilla from the pan and place on the cookie sheet.

Butter both sides of the tortilla and brown it until slightly crisp.

6.Pour the remaining butter in the sauté pan. Over medium heat, pour the eggs into the pan and stir the eggs until they are cooked.

7. Finally, place the browned tortilla on a cookie sheet. Top the tortilla with the scrambled eggs and then cheese. Have your adult place the cookie sheet under the broiler for 30 seconds (count to 30) or until cheese is melted.

Top the tortilla with scrambled eggs and cheese. Place under the broiler until cheese melts.

8. If desired, serve the Torti-Yum with salsa.

Serves one person for breakfast in bed, at the kitchen table, or anywhere else you like to eat breakfast!

May 8, 2019May 8, 2019

WATERMELON AGUA FRESCA FOR KIDS

In today’s Recipes from Around the World, we’ll travel to New Mexico and make Watermelon Agua Fresca for kids.

Good cooks know the word: Garnish. To decorate something, usually food. In this easy to make Watermelon Agua Fresca for Kids, we will use mint as our garnish.

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup of cold water

6 cups of cubed watermelon

1 lime

1 Tablespoon of Honey (sugar can also be used)

I can of club soda or other sparkling water

Optional Ingredient: Mint Sprigs

TOOLS:

Measuring spoons

Liquid and dry measuring cups

One blender

One citrus juicer

Mixing spoon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Have your adult cut the watermelon into 1- inch slices and remove the rind.

Have your adult slice the watermelon so that you can cut the watermelon into cubes.

2. Cut the watermelon slices into 2- inch cubes or chunks.

3.Have your adult cut the lime in half.

The lime juice goes into the Watermelon Agua Fresca. The slices will garnish the drink.

4.Juice half of the lime and set the juice aside.

5.Have your adult cut the remaining lime into slices.

Add the ½ cup of water, lime juice, honey and watermelon chunks to the blender and blend until smooth.

Blend the watermelon, honey and lime to make Watermelon Agua Fresca for kids.

Add ice to each glass.

Pour the watermelon agua fresca into the glass until it is ¾ full. Add sparkling water to fill the glass.

Easy to make Watermelon Agua Fresca for kids!

Garnish with a lime slice and mint sprig.

Makes 6 servings.

PS- Today we are using use mint as an optional ingredient. This means that if you have mint you can add it to the recipe, and if you don’t have mint you can leave it out of the recipe without ruining the drink.

Mint is fun and easy to grow in your garden. Make sure you plant your mint in a pot because it is a very bossy plant and will take over your entire yard if you are not careful!

March 23, 2019March 27, 2019

PUPPY CHOW FOR CHILDREN

Good cooks know the word: Boil

Boiling occurs during cooking when large bubbles rise from the bottom of the pan to the surface of the water or mixture in the pan. When the bubbles pop it allows steam to escape.

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups whole grain square cereal made from rice

4 cups whole grain square cereal made from wheat

1 cup peanuts

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cake sprinkles

TOOLS:

1 large roasting or casserole pan greased, sprayed with non-stick spray, or lined with foil

Dry measuring cups

Measuring spoons

1 saucepan

Mixing Spoon

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 375°F.

Spray large roasting pan or casserole with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine cereal and peanuts in the roasting pan and set aside.

Here are the cereal squares and peanuts needed to make Puppy Chow for Children. — I see how the recipe got its name. The wheat and rice squares do look a little bit like real dog chow.

Mix the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, salt and baking soda in the saucepan.

Cook over medium heat. Have your adult stir the pan until the ingredients begin to boil and then remove the pan from the heat.

This is the butter and sugar mixture that boils and is then poured over the dry cereal squares to make Puppy Chow for Children. — When the mixture boils, quickly remove it from the heat.

Stir the vanilla into the mixture in the saucepan, and then pour over the cereal and nuts in the roasting pan. Stir to coat.

Bake for 10 minutes, stirring halfway way through. (So how many minutes does the mixture need to cook for before you stir? 5 minutes.) For very crispy Puppy Chow for Children, let the mixture cook for an additional 5 minutes, watching to make sure it does not get too brown.

This Puppy Chow for Children topped with colorful sprinkles is perfect for any celebration! — Allow your Puppy Chow for Children to cool slightly before adding sprinkles. If you sprinkle too soon, they will melt!

Remove the pan from the oven, and let the mixture cool slightly before shaking the sprinkles over it. Give one final stir.

Cool completely before eating.

Makes 10 servings.

Puppy Chow for Children will keep for one week in a sealed bag or container.

Answer. The vanilla is missing from the ingredients picture above.

March 17, 2019March 26, 2019

Golden Carrot Coins

Top of the Morning to You on St. Patrick’s Day!

Today my friend Finnegan and I are sharing the recipe for Golden Carrot Coins

GOLDEN CARROT COINS

Good cooks know the word: Roast

To use dry heat and hot air, often from an oven or open fire, to cook foods like meat and vegetables.

To make Golden Carrot Coins you need carrots, butter, olive oil, honey and one orange. — To make Golden Carrot Coins you will need carrots, olive oil, butter, honey and one orange

INGREDIENTS:

¾ pound of carrots (This will be 3-4 carrots depending on their size.)

1 Tablespoon of olive oil

1 Tablespoon of butter, melted

1 Tablespoon of honey

½ teaspoon of grated orange zest (the colorful outer part of the peel)

2 Tablespoons of orange juice

Salt and pepper to your taste

TOOLS:

One vegetable peeler

Measuring spoons

One roasting pan or cookie sheet with raised sides, greased

One small saucepan

One zester or grater

One hand-held citrus juicer

Mixing spoon

DIRECTIONS:

Step 1:

First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Next, wash and peel the carrots.

Pour a bit of olive oil in the palm of your hand and rub it over each carrot until they are covered with oil.

To make Golden Carrots Coins, begin by rubbing olive oil on the peeled carrots to help them roast evenly. — Before roasting the carrot, rub them with a bit of olive oil to help them roast evenly.

Place the carrots on the roasting pan or cookie sheet. (Line the pan with foil if desired to make cleanup easier.) Roasting the carrots will make them easier for you to cut.

Roast the carrots uncovered at 400 for 12-15 minutes or until they soften and begin to brown at their edges.

When making Golden Carrot Coins, the edges of carrots rubbed with a bit of olive oil will caramelize, turn golden in color, and taste sweeter after roasting. — The edges of carrots rubbed with a bit of olive oil will caramelize, turn golden in color, and taste sweeter after roasting.

Remove carrots from the oven at let them cool.

Step 2:

While the carrots cook, make the carrot coin glaze.

Zest the orange.

Juice the orange.

In a small saucepan, mix together the honey, melted butter, and the zest and juice from the orange. Cook over medium heat 3-5 minutes or until the glaze begins to thicken. Remove from heat.

Step 3:

When the carrots are cool enough to touch, slice them so that they look like thick coins. Some of the coins will be as round as a quarter. Others will be as round as nickels and dimes! All of them should be about ¼ -½ inch thick.

Add the carrots to the glaze in the saucepan.

Stir over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until carrots coins are heated. Watch to make sure the glaze does not burn.

Makes 6 servings.

Golden Carrot Coins make a a great side dish for your St. Patrick's Day dinner. — Golden Carrot Coins make a a great side dish for your St. Patrick’s Day dinner.

PS- Golden Carrot Coins are great when served as a side dish for your St Patrick’s Day dinner.

February 7, 2019February 7, 2019

Fettuccine Alfredo

FETTUCCINE ALFREDO DAY is February 7th!

Good cooks know the word: Colander A colander looks like a bowl with handles and holes. A Colander drains liquid from foods.

INGREDIENTS:

¾ pound of fettuccine noodles (12 ounces of dry noodles)

2 Tablespoons butter

½ cup of Half and Half (whole milk can also be used, but it will affect the texture of the sauce)

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ cup of pasta water from cooked fettuccine

Salt and pepper

TOOLS:

One 8-quart stockpot

One 2-quart saucepan

Mixing spoon

One colander

Liquid measuring cup

Dry measuring cups

Measuring spoons

DIRECTIONS:

1.To begin, have all of your ingredients measured and ready, mise en place (remember, that means things in place. )

2. Cook fettuccine noodles in the stockpot as directed.

3. While your fettuccine cooks, melt the butter in the saucepan over medium-low heat.

4. Add the Half and Half to the butter in the saucepan and stir.

Begin making Fettuccine Alfredo sauce by melting butter and adding Half and Half.

5. Next, add the cheese to the butter and Half and Half mixture. Continue to stir.

6. Before draining the fettuccine, have your adult remove ¼ cup of the water used to cook the fettuccine and set aside. Using the colander, drain fettuccine and return to the stockpot.

7. Add the ¼ cup of reserved fettuccine water to the sauce in the saucepan and continue to stir.

8. Add the nutmeg to sauce in the saucepan and stir. The mixture will begin to look creamy.

Once you add the pasta water and stir, your Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce will begin to look creamy.

9. Pour the sauce over the fettuccine in the stockpot and stir.

10. Finally, place the fettuccine on a platter or in serving bowls. Try a bite and then sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired. Makes 6 servings.

Fettuccine Alfredo can be served on a platter just like this one for your family to share at the table. Adding broccoli or peas make a tasty treat! — For a tasty treat, try adding broccoli or peas to your Fettuccine Alfredo. Yum! When you serve food on a platter so everyone can serve themselves, it is called “eating family style.”

Psst. Want to know a secret about food glue? Good cooks use a little leftover pasta water when they cook because the starch left in the water after cooking the noodles acts like glue and helps the sauce stick to the noodles.