Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter & Pretzel Spiders

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter & Pretzel Spiders
by Sarah Kwan

makes 12 creepy crawlies

1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon icing sugar
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
5/8 cup peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Classic style pretzels (48 plus more for casualties)
12 ounces chocolate (dark or milk; whatever your preference may be)
Silver sugar balls

The 37 Holiday Recipes Challenge

I bet you were expected a Happy Halloween photo today! Well, we've decided to kick off the holidays - ALL of "the holidays" - today!

The Holidays. What does that mean to you? To all of us at 37 Cooks, it means spending time with our families. And that is just what we plan on doing! We have worked really hard to complete all of the holiday recipes and blog posts we wish to share with you, and guess what? We've completed them and it's only October! Woohoo! We feel pretty happy about that! 

You can access all of our holiday posts RIGHT NOW! You don't have to wait! If you want to see all of our posts at once, just click on the 37 Holiday Recipes Challenge in the index on the right margin of the blog. You will also still see our daily posts on the 37 Cooks facebook page throughout the holidays!!

To all of you - we wish you a happy holiday season full of love and laughter! - Your friends at 37 Cooks

Chocolate Souffle

Chocolate Souffle
by Christine

2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup sugar, plus more for dishes
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons water, divided
3 large Davidson's Safest Choice Eggs yolks
4 large Davidson's Safest Choice Eggs whites
14 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Baked Egg Cups with Polenta and Broccoli Rabe

I come from a family of picky eaters (except for my dad, which is where I probably got my love of food), but the one thing that we all love are “dippy eggs”. The fancier term for these would be “over easy”. My mom makes the best dippy eggs ever. The whites are just translucent, and the yolk is warm but still runny.

Beer Steamed Egg Over Baby Greens with an Aleppo and Parmesan Crusted Polenta Cake

This is the perfect dish for a light lunch, a first course or a brunch dish. The serving is just for one, but it’s so easy to make it for more. I'd probably go for two eggs and two polenta cakes if I was making it for a main dish or for a hearty eater.

Savory Turkey Cheese Egg Muffins

As our challenges come and go, I can often track what's going on in my life by the recipes I'm doing for the various challenges. Right now I'm getting back on track with carbs and trying to watch my diet. The egg challenge came along at the perfect time because eggs are such a huge part of a low carb plan. 

Angel Hair Carbonara with Shrimp

There is a certain confidence in making this dish with Davidson's Safest Choice Eggs. There is no fear of undercooked egg causing health problems. Use a rasp grater to grate the cheese, as it must be extremely fine or it will not melt into the sauce. Small shrimp are best as they cook quickly.

Egg Drop Soup with Diced Tomatoes and Green Onions

Egg Drop Soup with Diced Tomatoes and Green Onions
by Jenny

1 Tablespoon arrowroot powder
2 Tablespoons cold water
2 cups chicken broth (homemade or store bought)

1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 large Davidson's Safest Choice Eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup diced tomatoes
2 Tablespoons sliced green onions

Eggs in a Nest

I love breakfast, but I am not at all an early morning big breakfast eater. If I make a big breakfast-y meal, it's usually for dinner or for brunch on a special occasion. For our Davidson's Safest Choice Eggs challenge, I decided to make this really fun brunch dish. It's eggs, hash browns and bacon all wrapped up in one cute little package! I served these along with some homemade banana bread. I gotta say, I had some very happy guys in my house. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get your potatoes baked and cooled before you dive into making this (I baked mine the day before and put them in the fridge overnight.) Since I only made 12 of these, I had some leftover potato mixture. I think it'll make some great potato pancakes!

Key Lime Pie Parfait

The Florida Keys, and especially Key West, hold a very special place in my heart. There's just something about the Cuban influences, fresh seafood (conch fritters!), delicious daiquiris, and beautiful sunsets that keep me constantly looking for a reason to return. In the meantime, however, the perfect key lime pie parfait is a way to bring a little bit of that particular heaven into my everyday life.

This parfait is really a deconstructed key lime pie. It consists of toasted graham cracker crumbs, a key lime custard, and home made whipped cream. Around here this works much better than a pie, as each person in the house can help themselves to the serving size and ratio that they prefer. Plus, if you are expecting company, the individual components can be made separately and ahead of time.

Poblano Chile Casserole

We enjoy this dish with catfish or tilapia and a green salad.

Huevos Rancheros

I absolutely love eggs and couldn't believe we were going to get to try these eggs out. These eggs are called "safest choice" for a reason. Warm water bath pasteurized and absolutely the freshest tasting eggs that I have had in a long time.

I wanted to make a dish that made the egg the star, while also providing a little bit of a show to go with it. I think I came up with a great example of that in my Huevos Rancheros. This is a dish you could easily make for a great meal anytime of the day! I made my own ranchero sauce, but you can easily eliminate that step and use your favorite brand. This is such a versatile dish that you can make it with any ingredients that you want.

Coquito (Coconut Rum Eggnog)

Whereas Americans typically serve eggnog for the Christmas holidays, in Latin American households we serve something called Coquito. It is Coconut Rum Eggnog, that will knock your socks off, and it’s absolutely delicious! I’m sure after tasting this you will want Coquito served at your next Christmas dinner.

Oyako Donburi

Challenged to use eggs in a dish that will showcase them, and especially benefit from the use of Davidson's Safest Choice Eggs, which are pasteurized, I immediately thought of oyako donburi. This is Japanese comfort food in a bowl. Donburi means, quite literally, 'bowl' - and in Japanese food, it refers to any of a number of popular dishes that consist of a big bowl of rice topped with something. Oyako means 'parent and child' - so appropriate for a chicken-and-egg dish!

Ox Eyes with Cilantro Cream

Many versions of this recipe suggest it as a breakfast or brunch dish. I personally think it makes a nice lunch or dinner, too! I took a traditional recipe and spiced it up. You can season however you like, but this version is quite tasty.

Eggnog

I never liked eggnog until I tried some made by a local dairy. Then I fell in love. Good thing it's a seasonal beverage, or I'd be buying it way too often.

Egg Foo Young with Lop Cheong, Snow Pea Shoots, and Cantonese Gravy

Egg Foo Young with Lop Cheong, Snow Pea Shoots, and Cantonese Gravy
by Gary

Egg Foo Young:
5 Davidson's Safest Choice Eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sliced lop cheong (Chinese sausage), about 2 links, steamed and cut into 1/4” dice
1/2 cup fresh snow pea shoots or bean sprouts, rinsed, well-drained
2 green onions, washed and sliced
1/2 teaspoon corn starch
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1/4 cup peanut oil
Chopped green onions for garnish

Deviled Egg Macaroni Pasta Salad

I was really excited to be introduced to Davidson's Safest Choice Pasteurized Eggs through 37 Cooks. I have an auto-immune system disease, so I have avoided foods with uncooked eggs. I couldn't even have a nice sunny-side up egg. Now with Davidson’s Safest Choice Pasteurized Eggs, I can have hollandaise, homemade mayonnaise and a sunny-side up egg, and not worry about salmonella and the health risk associated with it. I think you will enjoy this eggstra-ordinary recipe, and I know I will enjoy the creamy homemade mayonnaise in it.

Seven Mayos - The Great Mayo Taste Test of 2013!

BLT's on sticks were one of the items used to taste the mayos.

I was nervous after I told everyone in 37 Cooks I was making a bunch of different mayonnaise recipes for this challenge. Really nervous. And then I procrastinated. That’s what I do when I get nervous. I played 3 games of solitaire on my phone, read Facebook all morning, drank coffee, did the dishes, played 3 more games of solitaire and finally got to work.

Hatch Chile Quiche

Quiche is one of my absolute favorite dishes. It is flexible - meat or vegetarian, multiple cheeses to choose from, crust or no crust. 

Hatch Chile Quiche

by Sharyl 

Pie shell - store bought or homemade
4 Davidson's Safest Choice Eggs
1 cup of whole milk, or half & half, or combination
1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese - I used mild cheddar or jack

several dashes of Tabasco sauce or similar
dash of salt and pepper
4 Hatch roasted chile peppers (buy roasted at the store, or roast your own)

Croque Madame

Croque Madame
by Rachael
adapted from this recipe

Yield: 6 Croque Madame sandwiches

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for cooking eggs
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper
nutmeg
12 slices of thick bread, such as Texas Toast, lightly toasted
12 slices baked ham, thinly sliced
6 Davidson's Safest Choice Eggs
Sliced green onions, optional for garnish

Royal Ali'i (AH-LEE-EE) Cheeseburger

Royal Ali'i (AH-LEE-EE) Cheeseburger
by Nancy
adapted from the Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant, Waikiki, Hawaii (The burger is named after Hawaiian Royalty.)

2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 Davidson's Safest Choice Egg
1/4 cup Bull's-Eye BBQ sauce
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons beef steak sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Orange Julius

When I was little, shopping at the local mall was fine, but going downtown was really special. It usually meant having lunch and, on many occasions, it also meant having an Orange Julius. Back in those days, you could get a raw egg added to your drink if you wanted it. We never did because my sister and I thought it was disgusting. We didn't realize we ate raw egg in mayonnaise all the time! And we had no clue about protein and how good it was for you. We just liked the taste of the Orange Julius and we also liked the specialness of our downtown adventures.

The Davidson's Safest Choice Eggs Challenge

Have you seen the eggs with the "P" surrounded by a circle? They're special! They are pasteurized eggs, which eliminates all risk of salmonella.

All of us at 37 Cooks were thrilled when we were offered the opportunity to develop recipes with these great tasting eggs. The wonderful folks at Davidson's Safest Choice Eggs went above and beyond to make sure we all had enough eggs to really do some experimenting. They even shipped eggs to one of our cooks in Hawaii! And not one broke!

You can find lots of great additional info on the Davidson's website, including a store locator, recipes and a coupon. The information we were provided about the eggs follows.

We hope you like the recipes we've come up!

***
The Pasteurization Process:

The vast majority of eggs sold in grocery stores are NOT pasteurized.

1. Davidson’s Safest Choice sources eggs from vegetarian-fed hens that are hormone and antibiotic free. Our eggs come from USDA certified and inspected farms that are Kosher-certified by the Orthodox Union and are Halal certified.

2. Eggs are pasteurized in an all-natural, gentle water bath pasteurization process to eliminate the risk of Salmonella before they even enter your kitchen.

3. A thin layer of food-grade wax seals in the freshness of our egg and to further keep out any harmful bacteria the eggs could encounter once they leave our facility. This wax coating is barely noticeable and completely safe.

4. Each Safest Choice egg is stamped with a red circle “P” on the shell so you know they have been pasteurized.

Why Pasteurized Eggs?

•Safest Choice pasteurized eggs look, cook, and taste like other eggs.

•Safest Choice offers peace of mind when making recipes calling for raw or undercooked eggs, and removes the worry of cross contamination.

•Now you can enjoy your eggs sunny side up, poached or soft scrambled worry free. Also, Safest Choice eggs are perfect in sauce recipes calling for raw eggs like Hollandaise sauce and Caesar Salad dressing.

•Safest Choice eggs stay fresh longer because our warm water egg pasteurization process eliminates the bacteria that causes spoilage.

•Safest Choice Pasteurized Eggs are available in two varieties, All-Natural and Cage Free.

•Certified Humane - Hormone Free - Antibiotic Free - Certified Kosher - Cage Free available.

Additional Details and Background:

•Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year roughly 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick due to foodborne diseases.

•Salmonella bacteria in food cause more than 1 million illnesses, more than 19,000 hospitalizations, and 378 deaths in the US every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Among bacteria, Salmonella are the number-one cause of foodborne illness. 4 out of 5 Salmonella Enteritidis foodborne illness (food poisoning) cases come from raw or undercooked eggs.

Cajun-Style Crabcakes

Cajun-Style Crabcakes

by Judy

canola oil for frying

1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 16-ounce can crabmeat, drained OR one pound fresh crabmeat
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 cup Kary's Dry Roux
10 buttery round crackers, crushed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup panko or breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients, except canola oil. Form into patties of desired size and place on a dish to put in refrigerator. Chill for one hour. Heat oil in skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat, until a drop of water sizzles in it. Carefully place 3 or 4 crabcake patties at a time in the skillet and fry until golden brown on each side, turning once and slightly flattening after turning. Drain on paper towels and serve with remoulade sauce.

Shrimp Etouffee

Shrimp Etouffee
by Judy

1/2 cup Kary's "Original" Roux
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded, ribs removed and chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
1 pound package smoked sausage, sliced
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
dash hot sauce, such as Tabasco
kosher salt, to taste
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
cooked long-grain rice

In large stockpot, combine Kary's "Original" Roux and oil over medium heat. Add thyme, garlic, celery, onions, and bell pepper and saute until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add paprika and cayenne and cook about one minute. Add chicken broth, clam juice, smoked sausage, tomatoes, and hot sauce. Season with salt, to taste. Bring to a boil and reduce to a low simmer. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Stir in shrimp and cook about 5 minutes until shrimp are pink. Ladle over cooked rice. Enjoy!

Cajun Wedding Soup

Cajun Wedding Soup
by Louise

For the Meatballs:
10 ounces Teet’s Smoked Jalapeno Pork Sausage
1 8-ounce chicken breast
1 egg
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley
1 Tablespoon canola oil

For the Soup:
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 cup chopped red onion
2 cups diced carrots
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup white wine

2 quarts chicken stock (homemade or low sodium)

1 cup ditalini or other small pasta shape, such as shells

1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cups baby spinach leaves (or torn large spinach leaves)
1 heaping Tablespoon Karys "Original" Roux
grated Parmesan cheese for garnish (if desired)

Chiffy’s Cajun Chicken Thighs with Brown Rice

Chiffy’s Cajun Chicken Thighs with Brown Rice

by Chiffonade

2 Tablespoons oil
1/3 cup Kary's Dry Roux

4 large chicken thighs, skin and excess fat removed
1 large onion, fine dice

8 ounces cremini, sliced
2 large poblanos, 1/4” dice
5 cloves garlic, smashed
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups stock
1 14-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 scallions, white and 4” of green, sliced
2 heaping Tablespoons Kary's "Original" Roux
1 cup water
1 cup brown rice