Tonight our Chat was researched and written by Host Food Amy and there is no doubt she chose some wonderful recipes. Our first recipes will probably put you on fire and the last recipes are to put the fire out. We hope you enjoy the recipes.
Host Food Judee

This news letter is from an AOL food chat and is printed here at Recipes From Friends with permission of host Judee.

Welcome back Around Our Kitchen Table! Tonight’s theme is Fire and Ice; we’re steaming up the windows with hot and spicy main dishes and putting out the fire with some cool and creamy desserts. As we all know, spicy is a relative term, so some of these recipes may need adjustments based on personal preferences Let your taste buds be your guide in that area!!

Hellfire Shrimp with Black Rice

20 jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails on

Hellfire Sauce:

2 teaspoons whole butter
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1/2 tablespoon ginger, chopped
3/8 cup Spanish onion, finely diced
1/3 cup green pepper, finely diced
2 2/3 tablespoons red pepper, finely diced
1/2 habanero pepper, seeded*
1/2 tablespoon TABASCO brand Habanero Pepper Sauce
2 tablespoons light rum
Juice and zest of 1 small lime
Juice and zest of 1 small lemon

Black Rice:

1/4 cup Spanish onion, small dice
2/3 cup rice
11 oz. reserved liquid from cooking black beans
1 teaspoon thyme, dried
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
1 drop cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons cilantro, fresh, chopped
1/2 tablespoon TABASCO brand Green Pepper Sauce

*Wear gloves and eye protection. Immediately wash hands afterwards. Wash cutting board with cold water first, then with warm water.

Sauté shrimp in whole butter. Deglaze with light rum.

To make Hellfire Sauce, aromatize garlic and ginger in butter. Add onions, bell peppers, and TABASCO® brand Habanero Pepper Sauce, and cook until onion is translucent. Deglaze with rum. Add fruit juices and zest. Puree and check for seasonings.

To make black rice, sauté onions in 2 tablespoons oil until translucent. Add rice and coat with oil. Add black bean juice, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 18 minutes. When rice is done, add cilantro and TABASCO® brand Green Pepper Sauce and serve immediately.

To serve, place black rice in middle of plate. Surround with shrimp and sauce. Lace plate with mango puree.
Serves 4.
***End of Recipe***

Albondigas en Salsa Chipotle (Chipotle Meat Balls)

Serve these simple meat balls over rice.

4 chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped fine
1 small white onion, chopped
5 tomatoes, chopped fine
1/4 cup finely chopped carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup beef broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
½ cup bread crumbs
½ cup milk
2 eggs
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

In a saucepan, combine the chipotles, onion, tomatoes, carrots, celery, cilantro, broth, and salt and pepper and cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

While the sauce is cooking, combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl, mix well, and fashion into meat balls. Bake the meatballs in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F. Remove, drain, and add them to the chipotle sauce. Simmer in the sauce for 20 minutes, and serve.

Heat Scale: Medium
***End of Recipe***

Black & White Vegetarian Chipotle Chili

This is medium-spicy, but like any chili recipe, you can modify this for your own taste by adjusting the amount of chipotle and chili powder used, and the type of canned tomatoes with peppers you use.

1 (15 ounces) can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 - 2 cups cooked beans)
1 (15 ounces) can navy beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 - 2 cups cooked beans)
1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes and green chilies or diced tomatoes with jalepenos
1 cup onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1 tablespoon dried cilantro (optional)
1/2 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chipotle chili, minced

Stir everything together in a 4 1/2 quart or larger slow cooker. Cook for 6 hours or longer on low.

Serve with cheese or sour cream if you wish.
***End of Recipe***

Bami Goreng ( Indonesian Stir Fried Noodles

8 oz. Chinese egg noodles
2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons oil
2 C. chicken breasts, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth (I use shitaki)
1 onion, sliced into thin wedges
1 carrot, sliced thin
1 leek, thinly sliced
¾ C. ham, cubed
¼ C. shrimp, cooked
1 tablespoon sambal oelek (Indonesian Red Chili Paste)
4 tablespoons ketjap manis (Indonesian Sweet Soya Sauce)
salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Cook Chinese egg noodles according to package directions; drain& set aside.

Heat a large frying pan and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Swirl in the beaten egg to make an omelet. Remove from pan and let cool. Cut omelet into thin strips; set aside.

In a large wok style pan heat oil. Saute chicken with garlic, coriander, ginger and broth until chicken is no longer pink (5 to 7 minutes). Add sliced onion, carrot, leek and ketjap manis; sauté 4 to 5 minutes.

Add cubed ham, cooked shrimp, and sambal oelek; cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add sliced omelet and Chinese egg noodles; mix well and heat thoroughly before serving.
***End of Recipe***

Wasabi and Sesame Grilled Chicken

4 boneless chicken breasts
Sesame Marinade (recipe follows)
3/4 cup Wasabi Sesame Dipping Sauce (recipe follows)

Prepare the marinade according to the recipe. Marinate the chicken for 45-60 minutes at room temperature. Once the chicken is in the marinade, begin the Wasabi sesame sauce. Grill the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side, on your grill until browned and the meat is firm. Serve chicken on 4 warm plates with some steamed or fried white rice. Drizzle a little of the sauce over the chicken and serve some on small plates or in a small dipping bowl on the side of each.

Sesame Marinade

1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup peanut oil
1/4 cup sesame oil
1 tablespoon Mirin, (sweet rice cooking wine)
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cracked peppercorns
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, grated
2 scallions, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to incorporate. This marinade can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.

For whole birds, like chicken or pheasant, allow at least 3 hours marinating time. For red meat steaks, allow 45-60 minutes.

Use the marinade to baste meats on the grill for a moist, more flavorful product.

Wasabi Sesame Dipping Sauce

2 tablespoons Wasabi powder or Japanese horseradish powder
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Mix the Wasabi powder with enough cold water to make a stiff paste. Let it mature for 30 minutes to develop its heat. Whisk in the soy sauce, oil, and lemon juice. Add the sesame seeds just before serving. Serve the sauce on flat plates so your guests can roll their food in it, Japanese style.
Note: You can adjust the heat of this sauce simply by adding or subtracting the Wasabi paste.
***End of Recipe***

Kelly Johnson’s Pollo Desinflado Asada with Pipian Rojo
Translation: Uninflated Grilled Chicken with Red Seed Sauce

For the Chicken:
4 chicken legs and thighs
3 cloves garlic
4 tablespoons chopped cilantro
zest and juice of 2 limes
4 ounce vegetable oil
2 jalapeños or poblanos (depending on how spicy you want it)
salt and pepper

For the Chicken:
With a boning knife remove the leg and thigh bone leaving the meat and skin intact and gently pound to even it out (hence "uninflated")

Mix all the rest of the ingredients in a blender and marinate chicken for 15-20 minutes.

Grill skin side down till skin is crisp and turn. Cook for 8-12 minutes or until chicken is just done.

For the Pipian Rojo:
1 medium onion, diced
1 jalapeño
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
2 Ancho chilies
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 limes, juice only

For the Pipian Rojo:
In a medium pot add the oil until hot and add the onion, jalapeño, garlic and pumpkin seeds. Sauté until seeds and onion are just starting to brown and add the Ancho chiles and chicken stock.

Simmer 1/2 hour or so, then add cilantro and lime juice.

Put the sauce in a blender and purée until very fine (add more stock if too thick). Season with salt and pepper and keep warm, not hot.

When the chicken is done on the grill, plate up and ladle Pipian Rojo over top.

Serve with Spanish rice and a margarita.
***End of Recipe***

Apricot Cream

1 can (16 ounces) apricot halves, drained
1 envelope unflavored gelatin, about 1 tablespoon
3 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy or whipping cream, whipped

Directions for apricot recipe
Place apricots in blender container; puree. In a small bowl, soften gelatin in the cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine apricot puree, gelatin, lemon juice, and sugar. Heat over low heat until gelatin and sugar are dissolved.

Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Fold in whipped cream; pour mixture into a 4-cup mold. Refrigerate apricot recipe until firm. Apricot recipe serves 6.
***End of Recipe***

Fudgesicle Pie

15 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup milk
3 oz. pkg. chocolate instant pudding mix
1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped
2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
1/2 cup candy coated chocolate pieces or chopped candy bars

In a large mixing bowl, combine crushed cookies and butter and mix well until crumbly. Press evenly and firmly into bottom and up sides of 9-" pie plate. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

In a large bowl, combine milk and instant pudding mix. Beat with electric mixer until well blended, about 1 minute. Beat whipping cream until soft peaks form and fold into chocolate mixture. Gently fold in softened ice cream and pour into prepared crust.

Sprinkle with candies. Cover and freeze until firm, 3-4 hours.

Let stand at room temperature about 10 minutes before slicing. Serves 6 to 8
***End of Recipe***

Easy Tartufo

This is a little different take on the yummy Italian dessert.

3 cups chocolate ice cream
1 cup frozen pitted cherries, thawed and chopped
15 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
4 tsp. oil

Mix chopped cherries into the ice cream. Scoop ice cream mixture into six balls using an ice cream scoop. Roll in crushed cookies. Place on wax paper-lined cookie sheet and freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

In small saucepan, melt chocolate chips with oil, stirring until smooth. Cool.
Place coated ice cream balls on wire rack. Spoon melted chocolate over each ball, coating the top and sides.

Freeze again until firm, at least 1 hour. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving.
***End of Recipe***

Orange Bavarian

3/4 cup milk
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
2 eggs, separated and at room temperature
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed and undiluted
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup whipping cream

1. Grease 6-cup bundt pan; set aside.

2. Pour milk into medium saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin over milk; let stand several minutes to soften. Add 1/2 cup sugar and 2 egg yolks to gelatin mixture; mix well. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens slightly. Do not boil. Remove from heat; set aside.

3. Combine orange juice concentrate, orange peel and vanilla in small bowl; mix well. Add orange juice mixture to gelatin mixture. Cool mixture in refrigerator, stirring occasionally, until it begins to set.

4. Meanwhile, beat egg whites in small bowl until soft peaks form. Add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into orange-gelatin mixture. Beat whipping cream in chilled bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into orange-gelatin mixture. Pour into prepared pan; refrigerate until set.

5. Dip bottom of pan briefly in warm water. Place serving plate on top of pan. Invert pan and plate and shake to loosen gelatin. Gently remove pan from bavarian.
***End of Recipe***

Fantasy in Berries

1 bag (12 ounces) frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1. Place thawed frozen raspberries, 1/4 cup sugar and lemon juice in blender or food processor; blend until smooth. Pour through strainer to remove seeds. Spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce onto each of 8 plates. Tilt each plate, rotating to spread raspberry sauce over plate.

2. Arrange 1/4 cup sliced strawberries, 2 tablespoons fresh raspberries and 2 tablespoons fresh blueberries on top of sauce in desired pattern on each plate.

3. Place cheese, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and vanilla and almond extracts in clean blender or food processor; blend until smooth and satiny. Spoon cheese mixture into pastry bag and pipe onto berries, about 2 tablespoons per serving. (Use star tip to make rosettes or various sizes of writing tips to drizzle mixture over berries.) Before serving, garnish with mint sprigs and edible flowers, such as pansies, violets or nasturtiums, if desired.
***End of Recipe**

Dulce la Leche Cheesecake

2 Cups cookie crumbs (vanilla, shortbread, snickerdoodle, etc.)
6 Tablespoons melted butter (may be less depending on cookie used)
3 8oz packages Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 cup ½ brown and ½ white sugar
3 whole eggs-
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons caramel syrup flavoring
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1 cup caramel topping
1 cup heavy cream
Whipped cream with hint of cinnamon
Caramel

One hour before preparing, take cream cheese and eggs out of the refrigerator and cover to warm to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees with one rack in middle and other rack on lowest shelf. Wrap a 9” spring form pan in a sheet of heavy duty tinfoil, mist with non-stick spray and line bottom and sides with parchment paper circle and 3 inch strip. Add butter to cookie crumbs a little at a time only adding enough butter until mixture stays formed when pressed by spoon.

(All mixing is done at lowest speed and watched carefully and done quickly as not to over beat causing cracks and deflating)

With a 5-qt mixer, blend cream cheese and sugars on lowest setting just until smooth. Add two eggs and when incorporated, stop mixer and scrape the sides. Again, on lowest speed, add one at a time: the last egg, vanilla, cinnamon, caramel flavoring and butter. Next, add ½ cup caramel topping and heavy cream just until blended. Pour half of batter in pan, drizzle remaining caramel topping on top, and cover with the rest of the batter.

Place pan on middle rack in center of oven. On lowest rack place an oven safe dish or pan around 8 X 11 at least 2 inches deep filled with water. Bake for one hour, turn off oven and let stand for 30 minutes. Remove and cover with kitchen towel on counter and let stand another 30 minutes before placing in refrigerator for AT LEAST 5 hours (overnight is much better) before serving with a dollop of whipped cream and drizzled caramel.
***End of Recipe***

Lemon Truffle Pie
This fantastic pie has a cream cheese and white chocolate base and a tart lemon topping. It's one of my favorites!

9" pie crust, baked and cooled
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup water
2 egg yolks
1 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup lemon juice
1-1/2 cups white chocolate chips
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

Beat egg yolks in a small bowl. Combine sugar, cornstarch and flour in a heavy saucepan. Using a wire whisk, stir in water until smooth. Cook this mixture over medium heat until boiling, stirring constantly.

Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir about 1/4 cup of cooked mixture into egg yolks and blend. Return egg yolk mixture to saucepan and cook 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in butter and lemon juice.
Transfer 1/2 cup of the cooked lemon filling to a small bowl with the white chocolate chips. Set rest of lemon filling aside. Microwave the chip mixture on low 1-2 minutes or until chips are melted, stirring until smooth. Beat cream cheese and add vanilla chip-lemon filling mixture and beat well. Spread over cooled crust. Spoon lemon mixture over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate 4 hours to set. 8 servings
***End of Recipe***