Hello Recipe Club,

Patricia Rain has been a supporter and friend of Chef2Chef.net almost since the day we launched the site. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank her for her many kind words and deeds over the years. She is one of the "Real" people I've met online. When you think about anything that has to do with vanilla or even if you have a question about vanilla, visit Patricia at Vanilla.com

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Chicken Livers with Vanilla White Wine Sauce

This recipe is from my friend Carmen Rivera who is renowned for her culinary skills in Veracruz. Veracruz was the entry point for the Spanish trade after the Conquest. It is the only area of traditional Mexico that incorporated the use of olive oil, olives and capers, though in modern Mexico these ingredients aren't so unusual. You can adjust the heat of the chiles to your preference.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
20 chicken livers, well cleaned
2 pounds of tomatoes, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped canned chiles in vinegar or 1 to 2 jalapeño chiles chopped plus cider vinegar to taste
1 laurel leaf (bay leaf)
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1 vanilla bean cut into pieces
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup cilantro or parsley, or mixture, finely chopped

Preparation:

In a heavy pan or Dutch Oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Sauté until onion is soft. Add the chicken livers and brown lightly.

Add herbs, chiles, vanilla, vinegar to taste and wine. Reduce heat and cover pan so that all the ingredients simmer but are not boiling. Cook until chicken livers are at preferred doneness. Adjust seasonings.

Serve on top, of or next to, the grain of your choice and garnish with chopped parsley and/or cilantro.

Tip: If you want to use vanilla but can't use pure extract because of the alcohol, use ground vanilla beans to flavor foods and beverages. You can grind your own beans, or buy finely sieved, pure, ground vanilla bean powder at The Vanilla.COMpany, Vanilla.com.

Courtesy of Carmen Rivera Diaz

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Couscous Salad with Apples, Cranberries and Smoked Turkey

For those of you unfamiliar with couscous, it is a type of pasta made from hard winter wheat, from North Africa and some Mediterranean countries. One of the advantages of couscous is that it takes only minutes to prepare. If you can't find couscous, you can substitute cooked rice, bulgar wheat, or orzo, a rice-shaped pasta from Italy.

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

10-ounce package of couscous
1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
4 - 8-ounce pieces of smoked, cooked turkey, cut into small strips (chicken, regular turkey, or smoked tofu can be substituted)
1 sweet, crisp apple such as Yellow Delicious, Jonathon, or Fuji
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)

Mustard Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey mustard or Dijon style mustard
1 teaspoon sugar if using unsweetened mustard
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan with tight-fitting lid, bring stock or water to boil. Remove from heat and add couscous and cranberries. Cover and allow to stand 5 to 10 minutes.

Cut turkey into small strips. Core apple and chop.

Transfer couscous mixture to a large bowl and toss the mixture with a fork to separate the grains. Add turkey, apple, onions and pine nuts (if using) and mix well.

Prepare dressing by placing all ingredients in a jar with a tight cap. Shake well and pour over salad, mixing well. Serve, or cover and chill until serving.

Tip: Vanilla accentuates the natural sweetness of grains. A little goes a long way, but it definitely will enhance the flavor.

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A Great Lowered Fat Vanilla Cheesecake

This cheesecake tastes as good and as creamy as the higher fat versions. The trick is to use cream cheese that has stabilizers in it so that it holds together well. The sugar quantities are to taste. If you don't like your desserts real sweet you can use 3/4 cup of sugar (or Splenda), especially if you use vanilla yogurt or 3 cups of light sour cream. Plain yogurt tends to be tart.

Ingredients:

2 8-ounce packages of "light" (low fat) cream cheese or 2 9-ounce containers of whipped "light" (low fat) cream cheese
3/4 to 1 cup sugar (to taste)
3 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract and 1 scant teaspoon ground vanilla beans or 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lemon zest (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups light sour cream
1 cup plain or vanilla low-fat yogurt

Graham Cracker crust (recipe follows)

Preparation:

Cream the cheese with the sugar and then add eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, and salt. Beat until smooth (or blend all in a food processor).

Blend in the sour cream and/or yogurt but do not overmix.

Pour mixture into the prepared crust.

Bake in a moderate oven at 325 degrees F. for 35 to 45 minutes or just until set. Cool slowly at room temperature. Chill for several hours (overnight is best).

Graham Cracker Nut Crust

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups fine graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped toasted nuts
1/2 teaspoon ground vanilla bean powder
1/4 cup melted butter

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients and press onto the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan.

Garnish cheesecake with fresh fruits or fruit sauce.

Tip: Vanilla is an ideal flavor for people on diets. It adds a creamy sweetness to foods and beverages that helps to make low-fat foods more tasty. At 14 calories per teaspoon, it isn't high in calories.

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