Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Deliciously Easy Small Blueberry Cake


Advocate staff photo by HEATHER MCCLELLAND --  Small Blueberry Cake

Photo: The Advocate/HEATHER MCCLELLAND


Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Deliciously Easy Small Blueberry Cake: From Denny:  This is an easy to assemble cake, practically a dump cake after you add together the dry ingredients and milk.  You pour the melted butter over the batter without stirring and layer loads of blueberries on top and then bake to get this marbling effect.

Make sure you are using aluminum free baking powder, an easy find at most grocery stores these days and always at health food stores like Trader Joe's.  You could also substitute agave syrup for the white sugar to lower the glycemic index.  I'm considering trying it with brown rice syrup to see how it performs so I'll let you know later how that turns out.  (First we have to finish off my experiment with a rice pudding recipe that came out quite well.)

While this recipe calls for Louisiana blueberries there are plenty of other blueberry growers with very delicious berries in Texas, Mississippi and California and other states too.  Since blueberries have grown in popularity more farmers have turned to growing them.  Get what is local to you so the berries will be fresh.  Buy USA berries which supports workers and farmers in America.

This is a small pan cake (9" x 9") so it is suitable for just a snack for a few friends or a couple of people who regularly cook for two - with leftovers.  Oh, that's too bad, you mean there might be more to enjoy for breakfast?  This would be wonderful at tea time or a coffee break snack at the office or home as this little cake will travel well for picnics and gatherings too.  It would even taste great chilled for the hot summer weather.  Blueberries are awesome and healthy!

Oh, and a big thank you to those of you supporting Denny Lyon Gifts by purchasing products like aprons, t-shirts, pillows, bedding and mugs.  My profits (paid by Cafe Press) go to the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank here in Louisiana that basically feeds half of the state and also to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, two of my favorite charities that help a lot of children.  Who should go hungry in America?  Who should experience financial ruin because your child gets sick?  So, I started up my small store at Cafe Press for some creative fun of designing and to give to these charities.  So, again, thank you for your support.  You guys rock!...


Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Deliciously Easy Small Blueberry Cake


(As these articles post this week I'll add the links, so check back often!)

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Lucy Name Canvas Lunch Tote



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Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Easy Blueberry Heaven Trifle


Advocate staff photo by HEATHER MCCLELLAND --  Blueberry Heaven
  The Advocate photo/HEATHER MCCLELLAND
                                             
Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Easy Blueberry Heaven Trifle: From Denny:   Could this week get any hotter?  With 100 degree highs and a 115 degree heat index this summer is turning out to be a real scorcher.  It brings to mind a Downton Abbey episode when Lord Grantham was arm-twisted by the women of the family to quit drinking for six months until his health issue was confirmed or denied: "Good God, man! Steady on!"  Any time we don't like something or want to complain at our house that's our new go-to phrase for laughs.

Cooling summer desserts come to mind when the weather is uncooperatively too hot.  In fact, before the age of air conditioning it was custom to never eat a hot meal.  The vegetables were as cold as the meats on the plate.  You still see some of that mindset in places like Greece where the concept of a hot vegetable is considered strange.  They boil their vegetables and then chill them before even considering offering them to a guest or family.  With this kind of outrageous weather the idea sounds good!  It certainly takes the stress off the body for getting too hot.

What?! You've heard enough about the ridiculous hot weather and Greek culture?  How about this easy recipe that is kid friendly too that the family could help with this one.  This one is easy to assemble as it involves a purchased angel food cake torn into chunks, cream cheese (whipped or not), sweetened condensed milk, a box of Jell-O vanilla pudding, whipping cream, toasted pecans (Louisiana pecans, if you can get them, because they sure are wonderful) and a honking huge quart of fresh blueberries.  Remember, this trifle does serve 10 to 12 people.  Enjoy!...


Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Easy Blueberry Heaven Trifle


(As these articles post this week I'll add the links, so check back often!)

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Monday, August 17, 2015

Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Blueberry Lemonade To Beat The Heat


Advocate staff photo by HEATHER MCCLELLAND --  Grandma's Blueberry Lemonade

                                     The Advocate photo: HEATHER MCCLELLAND 


Dennys Food and Recipes: Summer Food: Blueberry Lemonade To Beat The Heat: From Denny:  Blue food.  It's pretty to look at and cooling in this summer heat.  Blueberries are the very essence of summer.  Did you know the silvery bloom on blueberries is a naturally protective waxy coating?

Most people don't wash them until just when ready to eat.  Well, that doesn't work in our house so I pour a large bowl of water, add about 2 Tablespoons of white vinegar and let the entire plastic box and blueberries soak for about 5 minutes to kill bacteria.  Drain the entire box well, dry off a bit with a towel and throw back into the fridge.  Usually, a reputable grocery store - and even from the farm - they give the berries a quick vinegar wash to brush off leaves and bugs.

We all like to dine on blueberries by the handfuls as snacks, toss them on to the breakfast cereal or yogurt and make breakfast muffins. Here's a new twist: how about blueberries in your homemade lemonade?

This interesting recipe (from our local newspaper food writer) combines two fruit syrups:  a blueberry syrup and a lemon syrup.  You only use the blueberry syrup to color the lemonade to your preference.  The remaining blueberry syrup can be used on pancakes, waffles, toast or even in salad dressings.  OK, you got me, this lemonade is so doggone pretty!  Great idea for summer entertaining...


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Friday, August 14, 2015

Dennys Food and Recipes: BBQ Grilling: 3 Tasty Compound Butters To Compliment Your Recipes



Associated Press photo by Matthew Mead -- Compound Butters



Dennys Food and Recipes: BBQ Grilling: 3 Tasty Compound Butters To Compliment Your Recipes: From Denny:  Whether you are grilling or baking in the oven specially infused butters offer wonderful flavor choices to celebrate your food!  Chef Sara Moulton is known for easy recipes that can be done at home with a minimum of fuss.  She's also one of my favorite food teachers as she is so relaxed, giving even the novice cook a boost of confidence.

Her first recipe is for an herb butter.  Do you have some favorite herbs that you just can't cook without?  This recipe is all about your favorite combination of herbs, though she does suggest a few to get you started.  While you could substitute a Vidalia sweet onion in place of shallots, well, shallots are that much sweeter, and, oh, so wonderfully flavorful so try to find them in your area.  Shallots, a favorite of classically trained chefs, are usually in plentiful supply in the spring and summer months, often into autumn.

Are you more in the mood for a citrus butter?  Chef Moulton combines the zest and juice of lemons and limes for a sublime summer taste that everyone will enjoy.

How about something more substantial for those manly men who enjoy a great grilled steak?  Oh, this recipe is for you!  Combine this steak butter with Dijon mustard, a fresh finely minced garlic clove and Worchestershire sauce (we prefer Lea & Perrins at our house though you could use the brand you like),

If you can't grill outside just use a grill pan on the stovetop to get those prized grill marks, turn it over and place it in the oven to finish.  When ready to plate make sure the steak plate has been heating in the oven. Place a large slice of this steak butter onto the plate and then place the steak on top of the butter.  Talk about awesome taste as the butter melts on the very hot plate, spilling out like a gravy for your steak!  That's the method all the old steakhouses of the 1940's and 1950's used before restaurants went to open charcoal or wood fired grilling.

The beauty of all these butters is that all you have to do is roll them into logs and wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze until ready to use.  Just slice off the amount you need and return it to the freezer.  How simple is that?  You can make these up way ahead of when you will need them...

Dennys Food and Recipes: BBQ Grilling: 3 Tasty Compound Butters To Compliment Your Recipes



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Funny Friday Weekend Mug


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Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Dennys Food and Recipes: BBQ Grilling: Try Grilled Summer Cooling Puttanesca Gazpacho


Associated Press photo by Matthew Mead -- Grilled Puttanesca Gazpacho

                                                 AP photo/Matthew Mead


Dennys Food and Recipes: BBQ Grilling: Try Grilled Summer Cooling Puttanesca Gazpacho: From Denny:  Fancy a cold soup to counter the ridiculous hot heat of the summer?  Gazpacho is everyone's favorite, especially when entertaining for large groups.  This version involves grilling all those delicious veggies like red bell peppers, poblano peppers, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and a head of fresh garlic.

Let the charred peppers cool before removing the skins and the inside seeds and membranes. Squeeze the cooled soft garlic cloves out of their papery skins and into the food processor.  Add the delicious flavors of capers, Kalamata olives, anchovies, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Make the soup as chunky or as smooth as you like.  Chill well before serving.  To serve, garnish with yummy ricotta cheese and fresh torn herbs like cilantro and basil.  Then sit back and wait for the compliments to arrive!...

Dennys Food and Recipes: BBQ Grilling: Try Grilled Summer Cooling Puttanesca Gazpacho


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Sophie Name Dog T-Shirt

Sophie is a sweet pup -and wise - she deserves the very best!  More products like mugs and t-shirts, ornaments available in this Sophie name, so come see.
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Saturday, August 8, 2015

Dennys Food and Recipes: BBQ Grilling: Goat Cheese Stuffed Grilled Sweet Potatoes


Associated Press photo by Matthew Mead -- Goat Cheese-Stuffed Grilled Sweet Potatoes

                                            AP photo: Matthew Mead 


Dennys Food and Recipes: BBQ Grilling: Goat Cheese Stuffed Grilled Sweet Potatoes: From Denny:  This is a delicious unusual recipe twist for the popular sweet potato.  We all know that goat cheese is a low salt and low fat alternative to the regular highly salted - OK, totally yummy - cheeses.

I've tried goat cheese as the soft melting quality cheese in my omelets and found it a bit sour in comparison to  my favorite cheddar cheese but eventually created a medley of white cheddar, fontina or mozzarella in addition to just a touch of goat cheese for my favorite blending of flavors..

Yet that slightly tangy sour taste is the perfect healthy complement to the very sugary sticky sweet potato.  This recipe also adds fresh thyme and olive oil for aromatic delight and lots of fresh garlic and butter for robust flavor.  To sweeten it up a bit the zest of an entire orange is added for that citrus brightness that pairs so very well with sweet potato!

It's advised you slice the sweet potato in thick chunks so it is easy for the thick smear of cheese, oils, herbs and citrus zest to adhere better.  If you like your potatoes to have a bit of crispness on the skin, then open up the aluminum foil in the last 10 minutes of grilling to brown and crisp up a bit.

Also note that you will require a microwave to partially bake the potatoes before placing on the grill.  This recipe is best done at home instead of at some remote fishing camp with no electricity - like we have so many of here on the Gulf Coast, especially Louisiana. :)

This is such an easy recipe it is kid friendly and a good choice to help teach the kids to learn how to grill by helping you with the prep work.  What creative kid would not enjoy smearing a gooey mess onto those sweet potatoes?  I rest my case. :)  Enjoy!

Dennys Food and Recipes: BBQ Grilling: Goat Cheese Stuffed Grilled Sweet Potatoes


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Louisiana Seafood Reusable Shopping Bag



Check out awesome Louisiana eating: oysters, shrimp, crawfish, gumbo, jambalaya
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Thursday, August 6, 2015

A Truth Journal: Why is Trump Catching on Fire? What Would His Cabinet Look Like? The Hilarious Lowdown





A Truth Journal: Why is Trump Catching on Fire? What Would His Cabinet Look Like? The Hilarious Lowdown: From Denny:  My fellow media are flabbergasted that billionaire Donald Trump is rising so fast in the Republican polls.  The media is so entrenched in their collective bias that they refuse to take his candidacy seriously.  Hold on to your hats, folks, because Trump will survive far beyond the summer flavor of the month.  Come on; we all know that former President Bill Clinton secretly got him to run as a way to help clean house on the Republican candidates, paving the way for Hillary to win.  Well, that strategy just might backfire since Trump is catching on with the disgruntled middle class.

Well, Trump may be stupidly wealthy but he still knows how to talk Middle Class in his brash Brooklyn accent.  In fact, Trump reminds me much of the very bold personality of President Teddy Roosevelt. And, he is every bit as passionate about his views, with plenty of real fire in the belly running for President that the American public likes in a presidential candidate.  We certainly are not seeing any of that fire in the belly with any other Republican candidates and only with one Democrat candidate, Bernie Sanders...



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Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Dennys Food and Recipes: BBQ Grilling: Red Onions, Shishito Peppers with Peanut Sauce


Grilled Red Onions and Shishito Peppers With Peanut Sauce is a simple and fast dish that plays up the smoke and char.

                                                                      AP photo


Dennys Food and Recipes: BBQ Grilling: Red Onions, Shishito Peppers with Peanut Sauce: From Denny:  When it comes to summer entertaining we all like to fire up the grill.  Well, here's a finger friendly recipe for those chili pepper nibblers and snackers who want to try the latest Shishito pepper sensation in the food world.

The peanut sauce is a medley of awesome flavors: smooth natural peanut butter, red wine vinegar, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, soy sauce and your favorite hot sauce.  All that's left to do is add some other good recipes to your party menu like this grilled chicken dunked in that famous Alabama White Sauce!

Dennys Food and Recipes: BBQ Grilling: Red Onions, Shishito Peppers with Peanut Sauce

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Too Sexy Retirement Men's Sleeveless Tee


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Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Dennys Food and Recipes: BBQ Grilling: Butterflied Barbecue Chicken with Alabama White Sauce


Associated Press photo by Matthew Mead -- Butterflied Barbecue Chicken With Alabama White Sauce

                  AP photo: Matthew Mead -- Butterflied Barbecue Chicken With Alabama White Sauce



Dennys Food and Recipes: BBQ Grilling: Butterflied Barbecue Chicken with Alabama White Sauce: From Denny:  With all this ridiculous hot weather across the nation we are all left wondering if we are the ones getting grilled!  But wait!  Time to grill that famous summer BBQ chicken, this time with the Alabama White Sauce becoming so popular.

If you are not familiar with Alabama White Sauce it's based on mayonnaise.  Yucky mayonnaise, you say?  Hey, all that oil delivers the spicy flavor of this unusual sauce and the mayonnaise taste is completely changed by the following:  There is plenty of cider vinegar and lemon juice to cut the oil and the addition of cayenne pepper, black pepper and horseradish definitely spices up the taste.  The recipe for this sauce follows so you can make your own...

Dennys Food and Recipes: BBQ Grilling: Butterflied Barbecue Chicken with Alabama White Sauce



Lucy Name Mug


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Monday, July 27, 2015

EU Visitors: How Cookies Are Used on This Blog





Google's suggestion of notification: "We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners."

Denny Lyon's message:  I find the use of cookies annoying and invasive of my privacy as much as yours.  Yes, I use AdBlocker when I surf the web.  Now that the EU won against Google, any one with a simple blog, like here on Blogger, is required to suddenly understand all the legal ramifications and legal language.  

Of course, Google just dumped this on bloggers with nothing but confusing messages of how to notify you of their cookies you already knew existed.  Look below for the links to Google of all their "privacy" notices and other goodies. I'm in the process of figuring out how to install cookie consent notices on all my 26 blogs so this page is the starter for cookies notification.

We all get followed all over the web and reported back to the NSA and other intelligence agencies, collecting data globally.  Use Opera as a free and excellent browser (from Germany) for no reporting at least to the NSA.  Use duckduckgo as your search engine instead of Google or Bing because it comes out of The Netherlands and they do not report your browsing data.

Well, friends, consider yourself "cookie" notified.  Surf the web wisely and don't let these annoying Big Business types spoil your fun.


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Tuesday, June 23, 2015

A Truth Journal: The How of World Hate: 9 Christians Killed For What in South Carolina?






A Truth Journal: The How of World Hate: 9 Christians Killed For What in South Carolina?: From Denny:  It really is past due time to get serious about dealing with the issue of World Hate.  Black people think it's "just" about historical racism aimed squarely at them.  Well, that's true - and it's also an ugly part of a much larger and more pervasive problem destroying humanity from within.

Hate is like an invasive weed that chokes out the sunlight and dries up all the nutrients and water that gives Life to the surrounding plants.  Think of this scenario in terms of a nation or a religion and the consequences are staggering...



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Tuesday, June 2, 2015

A Truth Journal: Beau Biden: He Gave Politics - And Humanity - A Good Name




Paul Sancya/AP/File - Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden, who died Saturday, introduces his father, Vice President Joe Biden, at the Democratic National Convention in Denver in 2008

Read on for why this man was so exceptional and how you can benefit from his example.

A Truth Journal: Beau Biden: He Gave Politics - And Humanity - A Good Name: From Denny:  Beau Biden, a rare person in politics, government or anywhere:  he was known as a person of exceptionally good character.  Many of us are saddened at his passing as much as his family.  When we lose a person of such goodness and moral strength who spent his life in service to his country and his family we are all reminded of his example for all of us to do better.

One of those rare politicians given generous authentic praise from both sides of the aisle...


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