USVI-On-Line

hey I have those salt and peppers too!

Liamsaunt - regarding your tuna down now, it looks really good (more like an authentic roll you'd get at a sushi place). It does look a bit different than the one at BB, but I think it's more in the presentation. Doesn't BB cut theirs on a bias and in thinner pieces? Their pieces are definitely thinner than an inch, more like half an inch, if memory serves. Of course, I'm always three painkillers in by the time the tuna down now makes an appearance, so what do I know?

Oh, and regarding those veggie summer rolls, is there a recipe you can post? I'm in the process once again of whittling more meat out of my diet (probably down from poultry and seafood to seafood only) and I'm trying to build a cache of good veggie recipes. Thanks - your efforts as a chef never fail to impress me. It only pains me that I can't try these goodies you post.

Oh my God I just had the BEST chicken stuffed with boudin!!! It smelled so good that we cut that puppy open and devoured our shares before I could break out the camera.

We were in Lafayette (real Cajun country) this past weekend and we picked up two of them and some boudin.

If any of you are interested, they will ship (hope it's okay to post this link as I am in no way affiliated with them). It's called Don's Specialty Meats: http://www.donsspecialtymeats.com/

They also make turdukens which alot of people down here serve at Christmas or Thanksgiving rather than a plain old Turkey.

Maybe when we cook the other chicken, I will take pictures before we chow down.

The tuna was very easy to do. I bought two pieces of sushi-grade deep frozen tuna from whole foods, and cut them in half lenghtwise. I wrapped the tuna in nori and then dipped into a fake tempura batter--equal parts rice flour and water, plus one egg. I fried the tuna for about 3 minutes in 375 degree oil and then drained and sliced them. I waited a couple of minutes before slicing because two of the people eating don't like super rare tuna the way John and I do. If I make it again for just me and John, I would slice it immediately after taking it from the oil to ensure very rare tuna.

I'll post the summer roll recipe this evening.

Edited to add that you should fry the tuna while it is still frozen or it will overcook.

a couple things to catch up on. Sat. morning I made a banana blueberry bread w a streusel topping


Sat night I roasted a chicken and used the left overs tonight in a Tostada of sorts. I puffed up a tortilla in a little olive oil then (fat free) refried beans, chicken, lettuce, tomato, olives, green onions, cojita cheese, sour cream, salsa, avocado. pretty yummy!

I'm just going to rise above my feelings of inadequacy and say OMG that strudely bread looks like and I just know it smells like HEAVEN......warmed up with a dollupa buttah. Oh my!

it's soooooooooo easy I swear!

it's soooooooooo easy I swear!

I'm scared to try. If I did it once they'd expect it all the time.

quick breads are so easy! I think next year I will make a few and freeze them and take them to STJ!

BTW I didn't have banana chips so I put some unsweetened coconut and almond slivers in the topping.

Blueberry-Banana Bread


Linda Tebben combined elements of several quick-bread recipes, then added banana chips. This version is excellent spread with cream cheese. Prep and cook time: about 1 1/4 hours, plus 45 minutes to cool.


1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained, or frozen blueberries
2 cups plus one tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3)
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
Oatmeal Streusel


1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a small bowl, gently mix blueberries with 1 tablespoon of the flour.
3. In another bowl, blend remaining 2 cups flour, the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
4. In a third, large bowl, whisk bananas, buttermilk, butter, and egg to blend. Stir flour mixture into banana mixture just until evenly moistened; the batter will be stiff. Gently stir in blueberry mixture.
5. Spread batter level in a buttered 5- by 9-inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with oatmeal streusel and press in lightly.
6. Bake bread in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes.
7. Let bread cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges to loosen. Invert bread onto a plate, remove pan, and turn over onto rack to cool completely, about 45 minutes.


Yield: Makes 1 loaf; 10 servings


Streusel Preparation
In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup each all-purpose flour, regular rolled oats, and chopped dried banana chips; 2 tablespoons each firmly packed brown sugar and butter, cut into chunks; and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Mix with your fingers until fine crumbs form.

Mary Beth...after I leave Becky's...I am coming over to YOUR house

come on down!

That salad looks amazing Mary Beth! I don't think I can get cojita cheese. Can you suggest a substitute?

OK, I forgot to look at the recipe for the summer rolls last night. I remember how I made the rolls, but not the porportions for the peanut sauce. I will post it though!

Cojita is semi hard and I used crumbled like Feta. So I think Feta would work. Cojita is salty!
I actually planned to just use a shredded colby jack mix but opened the fridge and saw the Cojita and figured I better use it up. I think anything would really do and you could forego the cheese all together really.

Next time I make something like that I'd prefer a dressing of sorts - maybe a lime something or other. Need to look for something like that. I did squeeze a lime over the dish but it wasn't enough lime for me!

I keep spelling that backwards! It is cotija

I've seen Cojita around Boston...