Cathy Burnham Martin's Blog, page 88
February 13, 2023
Attitude Speaks
Image by Ahmed Zayen
“When it comes to staying young, a mind-lift beats a face-lift any day.”
— Marty Bucella
American cartoonist & illustrator
February 12, 2023
National Pork Rind Appreciation Day
Because this is Superbowl Sunday, it’s also National Pork Rind Appreciation Day.
Woah! What!??! “Pork rinds” is the culinary way to say pork skin that’s rendered in fat or baked or roasted to create pork cracklings (aka “scratchings”).
View them as a snack or side dish, they’ve gained great popularity in recent years for anyone seeking high-protein, low-carb foods. A regular ½ oz serving contains 5-7 grams protein, 4.4 grams fat, 77 calories, and 0 carbs. The argument ensues when we talk “fat.” Saturated fat is very bad. However, monosaturated fat (as in olive oil) is considered healthy. WebMD tells us that pork rinds are high in both saturated fat and cholesterol. Saturated fat and cholesterol can raise those “bad” LDL cholesterol levels, which we do not want.
That half-ounce serving of pork rinds contains 15 mg of cholesterol. However, 2/3 of the fat grams are monounsaturated. The best nutrition tidbit regarding pork rinds comes from the protein. Their collagen protein aids the body’s cellular communication, immune response, and tissue repair process.
Flavors range from plain and salted to BBQ, sea salt & black pepper, etc., etc., etc.
Their zero carbs make crumbled pork rinds a popular choice for a panko-style coating for chicken or fish before cooking. Or you can crumble them atop salads, mac & cheese, or soups. Or just munch them straight out of the bag. All in moderation, of course!
February 11, 2023
Hope Lives!
Photo by Raquel Raclette
“Where there’s life, there’s hope.”
— Ancient Roman Saying
February 10, 2023
Soooo Funny!
Critters Make the Best Humans! And they make the best OF humans. However, you look at it, they make us better people. That said, I am gleeful to share the funniest dog video I have ever seen. I watch it over and over…. And laugh and laugh. (Thanks to Jim Lurvey for sharing!)
February 9, 2023
A Great Year!
Though I have been writing articles here for years, it was one year ago that I consciously decided to also post something positive each day on social media. During the past year’s daily articles, I posted 187 quotations. And I shared nearly 70 recipes in 2022. All those articles remain archived for you.
Here is a list of my recipes shared with you in 2022:
APPETIZERS:
One-Bite Lobster Newburgs
Cathy’s Gyoza
Welsh Rarebit Crab Dip
Cathy’s Pepperoni Crisps
1970s Cheese Fondue
Super Simple Guacamole
Lobster Guacamole
Fruity Guacamole
Bacomole (no typo… This is with bacon!)
BEVERAGES:
Bellini
Thin Mint Chocolate Float
Hot Ruby Spiced Cider
BRUNCH & BAKED (non-dessert):
Lobster Cornbread Pancakes
Breakfast Pudding Cakes
Lemon Popovers
Cranberry Orange French Toast
Super Simple French Toast
ENTREES:
BEEF:
Super Simple Mushroom-Stuffed Burgers
Welsh Rarebit Burgers
LAMB:
Grampa’s Lamb Shish Kebabs
PORK:
Super Simple Monte Cristo
Smoky Hawaiian Pulled Pork
Bacon Weave
POULTRY:
Best Fried Chicken
SEAFOOD:
Super Simple Shrimp Quesadilla
Shrimp Tacos
Super Simple Flash-Fried Shrimp
Crab Cakes
KISS Lobster Quesadilla
VEGGIE/CHEESE:
Cauliflower Mac & Cheese Extraordinaire
Welsh Rarebit
SIDES:
Zucchini Rounds
SAUCES & CONDIMENTS:
Herb & Spice Mix a la KFC
Mustard Sauce
Portobello-Plus Mushroom Sauce
Boom-Boom Sauce
Super Simple Seafood Stock
Sensational Seafood Bisque
Papaya Salad Dressing
Cranberry Orange Relish
SOUPS:
Café Martin Fresh Beet Bisque
Super Simple Lobster Newburg
Bouillabaisse
Cathy’s Cream of Mushroom Soup
SWEETS:
Oatmeal Raisin Icebox Cookies
Cathy’s Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies (1970)
Easy Peanut Butter Cookies
Buttery Pecan Rounds
German Pfeffernusse Cookies
Hermits
Super Simple Stuffed Strawberry Blossoms a la Spatt’s
Strawberry Shortcake
Apple Brown Betty
Apple Turnovers
Cranberry Apple Crisp
Wendifully Orgasmic Triple Cornbread Pudding
Peachy Lobster Bread Pudding
Root Beer Float Pie
Cathy’s Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie
Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
Glenna Burnham’s Macadamia Nut Cream Pie
Lemon Sponge Dessert
Chocolate Balls
Maple Syrup Candy
Super Simple No Bake Chocolates
February 8, 2023
This Is National Potato Lover’s Day!
Okay, potato fans, let’s talk taters! Any style will do… one favorite crowd-pleaser is the basic Twice-Baked Potato. Trust me, they merely sound fancy, but they are Super Simple! And dinner guests always revel in the flavors.
Simply bake your potatoes (about 1 hour at 350 – 400°F). If large, cut them in half lengthwise and use a small spoon to scoop out the hot potato inside, leaving a nice shell all around the edges. (If your potatoes are perfect single serving-sized, just slice off the top ¼, horizontally, keeping the shell intact as you scoop out the baked potato flesh inside. Mash your potato flesh in a large bowl with plenty of butter, a little milk or half-and-half, sour cream, salt & pepper, and some shredded sharp Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Spoon the filling back into your potato shells and sprinkle with additional Cheddar and a dash of paprika.
These make ahead to this point beautifully and can be refrigerated or even frozen till you want to serve them. Before serving, bake (after thawing, if frozen) at 350°F for 20 minutes to warm through and to crisp up the cheese on top a bit. It’s also fun to add all sorts of other goodies inside… from some dried onion soup mix or thinly sliced green onions to cooked bacon bits.
(We also put each potato on an aluminum foil base and bake them inside a closed BBQ grill.) Enjoy!!!
February 7, 2023
National Fettuccine Alfredo Day!
Invented in 1908 by Italian restauranteur Alfredo di Lelio, this celebrated dish is simply noodles tossed in butter and parmesan cheese. Of course, we have a great many adaptations, many including adding a decadent alfredo sauce for more creaminess. We also toss in chicken or shrimp… or both. I also love alfredo with bacon, baby spinach, or mushrooms… or all of the above. However you choose to adorn your fettuccine alfredo, enjoy a hearty dish today!
February 6, 2023
Imagine Your Potential!
“I’m not going to limit myself just because people won’t accept the fact that I can do something else.”
— Dolly Parton (1946 – )
American singer-songwriter
February 5, 2023
Ah, Politics!
Photo by Michal Matlon
“Actions lie louder than words.”
— Carolyn Wells (1862 – 1942)
American author
February 4, 2023
Celebrate National Stuffed Mushroom Day!
Stuffed mushrooms first appeared as a food item sometime between the mid-19th to early-20th Centuries. Culinary experts widely agree that they most likely originated with the Italians, as they are very much like the Italian stuffed zucchini, which has a much longer history. However, the French were the first to widely cultivate mushrooms for consumption. The brown cremini mushroom soared into popularity, followed by more gourmet varietals, such as shiitakes.
We stuff mushrooms by removing the stems and chopping them up to add to the stuffing, though not required. We can then stuff them with a wide variety of vegetables and/or proteins, along with cheese, seasonings, and bread crumbs. They make perfect tapas-sized goodies, but we can stuff the large portobello mushroom caps for entree-sized portions.
While I used to crush up buttery Ritz crackers for my stuffed mushrooms back in the 1970s, I now tend to use no crumbs at all. Here’s my 2003 recipe that truly delivers melt-in-your-mouth stuffed mushrooms with no processed carbs at all. These are also great for anyone leaning away from processed grains or seeking a Keto-friendly recipe.
Cathy’s Mouth Watering Stuffed Mushrooms 2003
36 whole fresh mushrooms
1T cooking oil
1T butter
1T minced garlic
½ c finely chopped sweet onion
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Gently clean mushrooms; remove stems & chop the stems thoroughly. (Discard tough ends.) Heat oil & butter in large skillet over medium heat.
Add garlic, onion, and chopped mushroom stems & sauté 2 minutes; set aside to cool slightly. When no longer steaming hot, stir in cream cheese, Parmesan, and peppers.
Using a spoon, heap filling into mushroom caps on foil-lined baking pan (or foil pan, which also works on a BBQ grill). Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350.
KISS Tips: Garnish the tops with bits of fresh parsley for a pretty finish. For great variations, consider additional protein additions, such as crabmeat or chopped chorizo sausage. Stuffed mushrooms also soar to a whole new level when you wrap them with pliable, but partially cooked strips of bacon before baking. Ohhhh, yeah!!!! I also like to pre-cook the mushroom caps to release some of their excess moisture. After removing stems, simply place them open-side down on a plate lined with a couple layers of paper toweling and microwave 2-3 minutes. Use paper towels to dab out extra water inside, which continues to emerge as they cool.
