Lorina Stephens's Blog, page 69
April 20, 2011
Stonehouse Cooks Contest: Recipe 25 Avocado Black Bean Dip
Contest Rules
Photo due: April 30, 2011
Avocado Black Bean Dip
1 ripe avocado
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed well
1 jalapeno finely chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
Cut avocado into cubes and lightly mash together with the beans. Add remaining ingredients. Chill 1 hour before serving with toast or tortilla chips.
Photo due: April 30, 2011
Avocado Black Bean Dip
1 ripe avocado
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed well
1 jalapeno finely chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
Cut avocado into cubes and lightly mash together with the beans. Add remaining ingredients. Chill 1 hour before serving with toast or tortilla chips.
April 19, 2011
Twitterview with Alicia Hendley at Novel Publicity
Alicia Hendley, author of A Subtle Thing, was recently part of a Twitterview at Novel Publicity. We present that interview here for you.
Stonehouse Cooks Contest: Recipe 24 Pear and Mint Jelly
Contest Rules
Photo due: April 29, 2011
I developed the following mint jelly recipe as an alternative to some of the truly spineless mint jellies available commercially.
Pear and Mint Jelly
½ cup fresh mint
3 cups pear juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 ½ cups sugar
2 packages liquid pectin
Wash and finely chop mint. Bring juice to a bowl with the mint. Add vinegar. Stir in sugar. Bring to a rolling boil and continue to boil one minute. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the pectin. Stir for another five minutes while skimming away foam. Pour into hot, sterilized pint or half-pint jars and seal.
Yield: 3 ½-pint jars
Variation: you can switch up the recipe by using sweet apple cider for the pear juice and rosemary for the mint.
Photo due: April 29, 2011
I developed the following mint jelly recipe as an alternative to some of the truly spineless mint jellies available commercially.
Pear and Mint Jelly
½ cup fresh mint
3 cups pear juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 ½ cups sugar
2 packages liquid pectin
Wash and finely chop mint. Bring juice to a bowl with the mint. Add vinegar. Stir in sugar. Bring to a rolling boil and continue to boil one minute. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the pectin. Stir for another five minutes while skimming away foam. Pour into hot, sterilized pint or half-pint jars and seal.
Yield: 3 ½-pint jars
Variation: you can switch up the recipe by using sweet apple cider for the pear juice and rosemary for the mint.
April 18, 2011
Stonehouse Cooks Contest: Recipe 23 Avocado Orange Salad
Contest Rules
Photo due: April 28, 2011
Avocado Orange Salad
2 ripe avocados cubed
1 540 ml jar mandarin oranges, drained
¼ cup pitted Trilya olives (or any good black olives)
Combine all ingredients and plate onto a bed of tender, pale, tender lettuce. Drizzle with olive oil.
Serves 2-4
Photo due: April 28, 2011
Avocado Orange Salad
2 ripe avocados cubed
1 540 ml jar mandarin oranges, drained
¼ cup pitted Trilya olives (or any good black olives)
Combine all ingredients and plate onto a bed of tender, pale, tender lettuce. Drizzle with olive oil.
Serves 2-4
April 17, 2011
Stonehouse Cooks Contest: Recipe 22 Red and Green Pasta Salad
Contest Rules
Photo due: April 27, 2011
Red and Green Pasta Salad
2 cups tubetti cooked al denté
1 sweet red pepper cleaned and diced
1 package frozen, chopped spinach thawed
1 cup broccoli florets blanched
½ cup diced turkey summer sausage (or whatever sausage or salami you wish)
½ cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic minced finely
Toss together all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill. How easy is that? And you were thinking of MickyDs.
Serves 8
Photo due: April 27, 2011
Red and Green Pasta Salad
2 cups tubetti cooked al denté
1 sweet red pepper cleaned and diced
1 package frozen, chopped spinach thawed
1 cup broccoli florets blanched
½ cup diced turkey summer sausage (or whatever sausage or salami you wish)
½ cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic minced finely
Toss together all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill. How easy is that? And you were thinking of MickyDs.
Serves 8
April 16, 2011
Stonehouse Cooks Contest: Recipe 21 Stonehouse Apple Salad
Contest Rules
Photo due: April 26, 2011
Stonehouse Apple Salad
3 apples cored and cubed (I use pink Crispin, but also find Ida Red and Royal Gala very nice.)
Zest and juice of one lemon
1 cup celery finely chopped
1/2 cup raisins (dried cranberries make a nice variation)
1/2 cup walnut halves
1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise or low-fat yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill at least 1 hour before serving. This is simply wonderful served with grilled fish or chicken. Try the recipe both ways, with either yogurt or mayonnaise, as each has its own distinctive flavour.
Serves 4
Photo due: April 26, 2011
Stonehouse Apple Salad
3 apples cored and cubed (I use pink Crispin, but also find Ida Red and Royal Gala very nice.)
Zest and juice of one lemon
1 cup celery finely chopped
1/2 cup raisins (dried cranberries make a nice variation)
1/2 cup walnut halves
1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise or low-fat yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill at least 1 hour before serving. This is simply wonderful served with grilled fish or chicken. Try the recipe both ways, with either yogurt or mayonnaise, as each has its own distinctive flavour.
Serves 4
April 15, 2011
Stonehouse Cooks Contest: Recipe 20 Chick Pea Salad
Contest Rules
Photo due: April 25, 2011
Chick Pea Salad
1 540 ml can chick peas drained and rinsed
6 slices turkey summer sausage cut into ¼" cubes (or whatever summer sausage or salami you have)
2 large tomatoes diced
½ large English cucumber diced
3 cloves garlic minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh mint
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss well and serve with fresh, crusty bread. No spread is required on the bread as it makes a great sop (dunker) in the juice. This makes an entire meal on its own and requires no other dishes.
Serves 6
Photo due: April 25, 2011
Chick Pea Salad
1 540 ml can chick peas drained and rinsed
6 slices turkey summer sausage cut into ¼" cubes (or whatever summer sausage or salami you have)
2 large tomatoes diced
½ large English cucumber diced
3 cloves garlic minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon fresh mint
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss well and serve with fresh, crusty bread. No spread is required on the bread as it makes a great sop (dunker) in the juice. This makes an entire meal on its own and requires no other dishes.
Serves 6
April 14, 2011
Stonehouse Cooks Contest: Recipe 19 Chilli Cheese Biscuits
Contest Rules
Photo due: April 24, 2011
These biscuits are simply a must to accompany that winter bowl of chili.
Chilli Cheese Biscuits
2 cups white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup low-fat margarine
1 cup no-fat natural yogurt
1 can green chillies (about ¼ cup)
1 cup old cheddar cut into ½" chunks
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a bowl combine flour and baking soda. Cut in margarine until mixture is fine and crumbly. Combine yogurt and chillies and add to flour mixture with the cheddar. Stir well. Knead lightly on a floured board. Cut into rounds and place on cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until golden.
Yield: 8 biscuits.
Photo due: April 24, 2011
These biscuits are simply a must to accompany that winter bowl of chili.
Chilli Cheese Biscuits
2 cups white flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup low-fat margarine
1 cup no-fat natural yogurt
1 can green chillies (about ¼ cup)
1 cup old cheddar cut into ½" chunks
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a bowl combine flour and baking soda. Cut in margarine until mixture is fine and crumbly. Combine yogurt and chillies and add to flour mixture with the cheddar. Stir well. Knead lightly on a floured board. Cut into rounds and place on cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes or until golden.
Yield: 8 biscuits.
April 13, 2011
Stonehouse Cooks Contest: Recipe 18 Cranberry Pancakes
Contest Rules
Photo due: April 23, 2011
I first made these pancakes over an open fire for one of our June al fresco breakfasts.
Cranberry Pancakes
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 egg
1 ¼ cup unsweetened cranberry juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dried cranberries
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl combine wet ingredients. Add wet to dry and stir until just blended. Fold in cranberries. Pour ½ cup onto a heated non-stick or dry griddle over medium heat. Flip when top begins to bubble.
Yield: approximately six 6" pancakes.
Photo due: April 23, 2011
I first made these pancakes over an open fire for one of our June al fresco breakfasts.
Cranberry Pancakes
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 egg
1 ¼ cup unsweetened cranberry juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dried cranberries
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl combine wet ingredients. Add wet to dry and stir until just blended. Fold in cranberries. Pour ½ cup onto a heated non-stick or dry griddle over medium heat. Flip when top begins to bubble.
Yield: approximately six 6" pancakes.
Troubles with Kobo
It came to our attention yesterday that Kobo had arbitrarily started discounting eBooks by indie publishers and authors who distribute through Smashwords, the sort of discounting that lurks within Amazon's manipulative corporate strategy. The discounting, apparently, was such that publishers and authors were only to be paid the net on Kobo's set retail, not on the publisher's retail (agency model).
Much to our astonishment, when Five Rivers checked on that allegation, we were astonished to find all our titles removed from Kobo's content, despite the fact we established a direct account with Kobo several years ago, and have had our titles available through the eBook retailer for over a year.
We received no notification from Kobo that our titles were to be eliminated, nor any notification if and when they will again be available in their catalogue.
We're investigating this as best we're able. Communication with Kobo has never been stellar. And we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our fans and customers. As we discover any news, we'll let you know. Hopefully this will be resolved without undue hair-tearing and trouble.
Much to our astonishment, when Five Rivers checked on that allegation, we were astonished to find all our titles removed from Kobo's content, despite the fact we established a direct account with Kobo several years ago, and have had our titles available through the eBook retailer for over a year.
We received no notification from Kobo that our titles were to be eliminated, nor any notification if and when they will again be available in their catalogue.
We're investigating this as best we're able. Communication with Kobo has never been stellar. And we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our fans and customers. As we discover any news, we'll let you know. Hopefully this will be resolved without undue hair-tearing and trouble.
