Frittering the Summer Away (Auntie's Fabulous Broccoli Fritters)

I am in electrical appliance hell.

I don’t know what I ever did to appliances to deserve what’s happened in 2006, but whatever it was, my appliance karma is seriously out of whack. You’ve read about the refrigerator and its death throes; you’re read about the dishwasher’s dastardly defiance; you’ve read about the microwave mutiny…now, here in Phoenix, Arizona, in the middle of summer, I awoke yesterday to every Arizonan’s worst nightmare – the air conditioner DIED. Considering it costs anywhere from $3,000 to $8,000 to replace an air-conditioning unit these days, this had the potential to be fairly catastrophic, as the cost might be more than my net worth. We were able to get it repaired fairly inexpensively, but the repairman ominously intoned that the 20-year old unit is teetering on its last legs….so now we’re sitting vigil on our air-conditioning unit, which is a necessity item, not a luxury, when temperatures are routinely over 110º F here in the summer. All I could think when the Hubster awakened me with the news yesterday of yet another appliance meltdown was “make the lambs stop screaming.” (If you’re too young to get the pop culture reference, just ignore the last sentence.)


Back to Work…


I’m always hearing parents comment that they can’t get their kids to eat vegetables, certainly not a new lament. So, I’ve decided to publish my world-famous Spinot Bomba recipe, developed by my great-aunt, handed down in the family. I absolutely guarantee that if you make this recipe, not only will your kids love it, but they’ll ask for it again (I get asked for the recipe wherever I make it), and it’s a great way to get them on the road to eating and enjoying vegetables. This “Broccoli Fritter” can be made with either frozen spinach or frozen broccoli, so you can vary it. It’s easy-peasy to make, only 5 ingredients, but it takes a bit of watching while cooking, so if you’re planning to make it, do it on a night when your other half is grilling the meat or chicken, or you’re cooking a tenderloin or roast in the oven – something that you don’t have to watch very much. If you want to get an idea of what the finished product will look like, visit this link – our finished product will look very similar, but ignore that chef’s toppings.

Spinot Bomba (Broccoli Fritters, or Spinach Fritters)

• 1 package (usually 9-10 ozs.) chopped frozen broccoli, cooked & drained, allow to cool;
• 3 medium-sized eggs, separated
• 3 Tablespoons Flour
• 1 Tablespoon Oil
• ½ Teaspoon Salt

In large bowl, combine egg yolks, flour, oil and salt; mix well. Add enough water to make a thick, creamy mix. Add in broccoli and mix well.

In separate bowl, whip egg whites until they form stiff, not soft, peaks.

Heat lightly oiled frying pan on medium-low to medium heat on stove.

Now, gently fold egg whites into egg-broccoli mixture. After the egg whites and egg-broccoli mixture are combined, drop mixture by 1 tablespoon each into lightly oiled frying pan. Mixture will start to spread, and then stop as it cooks. After about 30 seconds – 1 minute, flip fritters over, finish cooking on other side. Fritters should be lightly golden brown on each side, this doesn’t take long, so don’t overcook. Serve alone, or (my favorite) with butter as a topping. Yummm.

NOTE: Click on this link if you need any help in separating eggs (yolks from whites), beating whites or folding whites into batter. This page has delightful, step-by-step instructions, even down to illustrations - perfect for novices.

Variation: Before mixing up the egg-broccoli mix, fry up 4 slices of bacon in the frying pan you’re going to use, cook bacon well. Remove bacon from pan, allow to cool, then crumble into small pieces and add to the egg-broccoli mixture in the first step. Reserve bacon fat to use when frying the fritters, adding a small amount to the oiled frying pan. This variation is FANTASTIC, and my personal favorite.

Variation 2: Substitute one package (9-10 ozs.) frozen chopped spinach, and use the bacon as well. This is the original “Spinot Bomba” recipe, and is also terrific; make sure you drain the cooked spinach thoroughly.

Make-Ahead Note: This recipe can be doubled or tripled, but do not make the mixture up ahead of time, as once combined, the egg whites rapidly lose their volume, and the mixture will become “soupy,” and will not fry and puff up properly. You can make up everything ahead of time EXCEPT the egg whites, so if you want to prepare everything early, mix up the egg-broccoli mixture, but place it and the separated egg whites in the refrigerator until you are ready to whip up the whites and add them to the egg-broccoli or egg-spinach mixture. I'd take the egg-broccoli mixture out of the fridge a little ahead of time, allow it to come back up to room temperature before whipping and then folding in the egg yolks.

Again – this recipe is absolutely fantastic, and guaranteed to knock their socks off. If you try it, please come back here and let me know that you liked it!

Please note: all images on this site are properly paid for and legally licensed from istockphoto.com. Please do not rip them off!

Duh-oh! (John Dough; Mrs. Smith's Pies made with Splenda; Schwan's Cheese Bread)

This week’s “who’da thunk” is welcoming a new product into the marketplace that is having surprising success – “John Dough,” a “grab-n-go” sandwich. What we old-timers used to call a “meat pastie,” which is basically beef or other meat, potato and vegetables (most often cabbage) stuffed in a soft yummy bread wrapper/crust. No muss, no fuss, heat in 45 seconds and eat. I absolutely adore the name, and wish I’d thought of it myself. John Dough debuted last year, and is offering Philly Cheesesteak on White, Pepperoni Pizza on Parmesan and BBQ Beef on Sun Dried Tomato, along with other varieties. The company also offers a selection of breakfast Doughs (couldn’t resist), including Sausage, Egg and Cheese on White (watch out, Burger King Croissanwich), and Ham Egg & Cheese on White (ditto, Egg McMuffin). I predict that these cuties will make a goodly dent in the convenience food market, and show up in grocer’s shelves soon.

For you dieters, and everybody watching sugar intake, happy news indeed comes to us from Mrs. Smith’s, the company that introduced “traditional slices,” single-serving, microwaveable, ready-to-eat pie slices in the freezer case. Mrs. Smith’s, owned by Schwan’s, has announced a new product line being sweetened with Splenda brand sucralose, resulting in 60% less sugar and zero trans fats. At this time, they are available in Apple and Mixed Berry (whole red raspberries and blackberries).

Direct from the Mrs. Smith’s website: “Serving Suggestion: Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream or topping.” You know, we just can’t make this stuff up.

What are we recommending this week?

In keeping with our initial theme of stuffed breads (in honor of John Dough), this week we’re recommending the Schwan’s Cheese Stuffed Bread with Sauce as an appetizer for a good-sized crowd. It’s a ready-to-bake ring of dough stuffed with cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, topped with parmesan and spices, served with a marinara sauce on the side. You bake it – get this, from a cold oven - in 22-24 minutes to a piping-hot golden brown crust, and it’s a terrific snack to get for your Fourth of July guests. This appetizer gets 5-fork ratings at the Icebox Diner, so don’t hesitate.

Looking for Schwan's? Just click here.

Simple & Sexy Summer Shrimp Recipes

Father’s Day is rapidly approaching, and if you’re like me, you have absolutely no idea what to get for Dad. I mean, realistically, how excited can a man get about a tie? I know that while I occasionally get pleasure out of replacing some of my business suits or shirts, those items aren’t high on my wishlists for birthdays or Christmas.

This year, you can surprise Dad with something nifty that he’ll probably actually use – Morton’s Steak Bible (see picture), put out by Morton’s Steakhouse. This new book contains step by step recipes for appetizers, desserts and, naturally, the main course - selecting and cooking the perfect steak. It’s also full of commemorative stories about celebrity guests at Morton’s, from movie stars to Presidents. If your Dad is a grilling fiend or a steak aficionado, this is the perfect gift for him (or for yourself if you want to learn about beef). Although you can buy it at Morton’s own website for $30.00, you’re better off buying it at Amazon for $18.90 – a savings of over 30%. Here's the link to this book at Amazon.

Ah, Summertime.

For those of us who live in the desert southwest, the idea of summertime is not cheery. In fact, summer here has major suckage. Trying to contemplate any type of cooking is more than I can face, as running the stove or oven when it’s 112º-F outside is just too much to take. It’s a little easier if you can shortcut some steps, though…so here are a few quick recipes using prepared meals or foods. Both of these dishes can be prepared in under 10 minutes and take about 15 minutes in the oven, so...enjoy!

Chicken and Shrimp Italiano Casserole

• 1 package Contessa Chicken Italiano Meal-in-a-bag
• 12 ounces medium, uncooked tail-off shrimp (Contessa 51/60 count shrimp)
• 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, oil-packed
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated.

Thaw the 12-ounces of uncooked shrimp. Prepared the Contessa Chicken Italiano per the package instructions, set aside. In a large bowl, combine the uncooked shrimp and the prepared Chicken Italiano. Add the sun dried tomatoes, heavy cream and herbs to the mixture, mix well. Pour into a baking dish; sprinkle mixture with the grated parmesan, bake at 350º for 15 minutes or until golden brown, serve with crusty italian bread. Serves 4.

Lemon Butter Shrimp with Macadamia Nut Crust

• 24 ounces large Contessa uncooked (tail-off) shrimp
• 1-1/4 cups breadcrumbs
• 3/4 cup macadamia nuts, chopped finely
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1-1/2 tablespoons Lemon Zest
• 1 cup (fresh) parsley, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Salt and Pepper to taste

In a small mixing bowl, combine melted butter, lemon zest, parsley, garlic and salt and pepper to taste; mix well and set aside. In a small skillet, toast (brown) breadcrumbs and macadamia nuts over medium heat and set aside. Butterfly the shrimp and sprinkle with the melted butter mixture. Top with toasted breadcrumb mixture and bake at 375º for 15-20 minutes, or until shrimp is cooked (orange outside, opaque white inside) and mixture is bubbly. Serve with a side of rice. Serves 4-6.

So, gang...have a great Father's Day, enjoy your steaks or shrimp, and don't forget your sunblock.

Find other great frozen food meals, recipes, TV Dinner Reviews, etc., at the Icebox Diner. Drop in, grab a stool and visit with us for a while.

n.b. - edited to correct typo in Macadamia Nut recipe...sorry, folks!!

Is That An Empanada in Your Pocket, or Are You Just Glad To See Me? (Goya Frozen Empanadas and Goya Ropa Vieja)

Not to ruin your appetite, but USA Weekend’s June 2nd-4th edition carried a large article about the dangers of visceral fat, which is the weight we all gain around our middles, variously called “beer belly,” “belly fat,” “love handles” or “gut fat.” This type of fat is very different than subcutaneous fat, which lies just under your skin on top of muscle. Visceral fat, on the other hand surrounds and invades your vital organs, storing fat inside your midsection, beneath your muscle tissue. If you haven’t read any of the studies or news stories about this health hazard, you can read their article here.

And, back to work....

I thought that today we would do something a little off the beaten track…something not Stouffer’s, or Lean Cuisine, or Banquet. I cruised the Diner seeking ideas, and stumbled across the Goya line of frozen entrees. Goya, like most frozen food lines, seems to range from the incredible to the inedible. Goya categorizes their frozen lines into “Prepared Specialities,” “Entrees,” “Vegetables,” “Plantains,” (bananas to us Norteamericanos) and a line of dips (Recaito, Sofrito and Guacamole).

According to Diner Reviewers, the two top products seem to be the Ropa Vieja (Shredded Beef braised with onions and peppers over rice) and the Empanadas, which are meat pasties made from seasoned beef, bell peppers, tomatoes and onions in a traditional Spanish style turnover. One reviewer from the Diner, Mayadevi, rated the Ropa Vieja 5 forks and said:

I have never actually had anyone beg me to serve them a frozen dinner before I served this one ! It is truly delicious and very filling. Perfect for comfort food on a cold winter's evening. I served it to a friend who helped me put a cabinet together one night and now every time they come over they ask if I have any of, "that Spanish Ropa stuff..." I try to keep some in the freezer just for him but it's almost impossible !

The Empanadas also get killer reviews; from Kwils, who rated them 4 forks:

I first enjoyed empanadas in St. Augustine, Florida and they were authentic Spanish food. These frozen empanadas come pretty close to the same flavor and make a great meal or snack. I'd definitely buy them again. The meat is flavored perfectly and the seasonings are done in good proportions.

Historynut also gave the Empanadas 4 forks, and said:

The last I was able to buy these, they were on a close-out at the grocery store. I hope I will soon be able to find them again. They are best when made in the oven or in a pan and lightly browned. The meat and seasonings inside the pastry crust are perfect in taste and it's very much like the way the meat turns out in a homemade empanada recipe.

Alas, not everything is fabulous; the Ham Croquettes earned big thumbs-down ratings from both Kwils and Mayadevi; Kwils actually threw them out after multiple attempts to choke them down, and Maydevi threw out the 5 remaining in her 8-serving package. So – you’ve been warned about the Goya Ham Croquettes, which get the Icebox Diner Toxic Waste Award. But if you’re in the mood for authentic Spanish, you apparently can’t go wrong with the Emapandas or the Ropa Vieja.

Note: There would be pictures of these products, if Google's Blogger platform was functional. It isn't, nor has it been for now nearly 10 days. Sorry about the lack of pictures; I know how important they are to Blogs in general. If and when Blogger comes back up, or I change hosts (an increasingly attractive option), I'll put the Goya products pictures back up. In the meantime, if you want to see pictures of the product, or read more Reviews of Goya and other frozen meals, go to the Icebox Diner.

Do you have questions or suggestions for Auntie? Just send us mail!!