Author Archives: Virginia Wright

About Virginia Wright

VIRGINIA WRIGHT (born Virginia Brown) is an American multi-genre best-selling author, award-winning illustrator, and nature photographer born and raised in Maine. As an artist, the cover Wright designed for Steampunk Alice by Dennis Higgins won the AUTHORSdb Gold Award (2014). She won the AUTHORSdb Silver Award (2016) from Timothy the Christmas Mouse Coloring Book. Crying Bear ranked #1 Amazon Best Seller in Children's Bear Books (2016). Buzzzzzzzz What Honeybees Do, ranked #1 Amazon Best Seller in three categories (2016). Buzzzzzzzz What Honeybees Do is the AUTHORSdb Cover Contest Bronze Award winner (2018), in the Education category. Ayuh, Another Downeast Cookbook ranked #2 Hot New Release Best-Selling in New England Cooking, Food & Wine (2018). As a multi-genre writer, Virginia's WIP is currently a romance novella. Besides writing, in her pastime, when she isn't spending time with her husband, Virginia is a foodie and restaurant reviewer. She enjoys sifting through old recipes and photographing everything she cooks and eats. She is also a nature photographer and a mixed media artist; she gets her ideas for her illustrations through inspiration that she gathers from the nature that surrounds her, which is ever-present in her designs.

Recipe|Dandelions Batter-Fried Eating Wild-Dandelion Blossoms

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Batter-Fried Dandelion Blossoms                                                                                        By Virginia Wright

Ingredients

  • 2 c dandelion blossoms
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten
  • 1 c milk
  • 1 c self-rise flour
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp basil
  •  Light olive oil for sautéing
  • 1/2 tsp garlic salt

Instructions

When you go out hunting for your dandelion blossoms, you will need certain tools, scissors and a 2-cup measuring cup to collect your blossoms in.

1. Cut dandelion blossoms right under the base of the head, avoiding bitter stems. Pick blossoms just before using, as the blossoms will close up quickly after cutting.

Cutting Dandelions right under head of blossom. © Virginia Wright

2.  Fill a bowl with water, put blossoms in and rinse well; place on paper towels, and gently pat dry.

Rinsing Dandelion Blossoms.  © Virginia Wright


3. Beat the egg and milk in medium-size bowl; add flour, pepper, onion powder, garlic salt, and savory herbs– cumin and basil.

Dipping blossoms in batter. © Virginia Wright

4. Mix well. Dip each flower head into the batter, one at a time.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is PanFryDandelionBlossoms_VW-300x225.jpg
Dip Blossoms and Pan Fry © Virginia Wright

5.  Sauté flower blossom in olive oil, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels lean brown paper bag. Serve hot.

Battered Fried Dandelion Blossoms © Virginia Wright

HELP SAVE THE HONEYBEES

I hope when you notice dandelion greens growing on your lawn that you do not kill them, besides being a nice early springtime treat to eat, the honeybees like the blossoms as well. Save a patch of grass for the honeybees!

COOKBOOK: Ayuh, Another Downeast Cookbook: Recipes From Maine                    Advertisement 

© 2012-2020  Virginia Wright. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Recipe | Christmas Cookies | Pecan Puffs

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Pecan Puffs

Christmas Cookie | Pecan Puffs

Christmas Cookie | Pecan Puffs

Summary:                                                                                                                                                                                   This is a great cookie to make for the holidays. Quick, simple, and delightful! Goes great with coffee or hot  cocoa. You can freeze cookies after they have cooked and rolled with powdered sugar. Take out several hours  before guests arrive. Yields 40

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 Ingredients
  1. 2 cups butter
  2. 4 cups all purpose unbleached white flour
  3. 4 tsp. pure vanilla
  4. 8 tbsp. powdered sugar
  5. 3 1/2 cups ground pecans or walnuts
  6. powdered sugar for rolling cookie in
Instructions
  1. Cream butter, and other ingredients together. Roll dough into small balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake approximately 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Take out of oven and roll cookie in powdered sugar. Let cool. Roll a second time. Excellent Christmas cookie.
Notes
  1. These cookies puff up when baking, allow a little extra room on the baking sheet between cookies.

The Recipe Corner | Recipe Submission

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Submission Guidelines

Submit Your Tried and True Recipe 

If you have a “Tried and True” recipe you would like to submit to The Recipe Corner, send in the recipe to [info] [at] virginiawright [dot] com. In the subject area type: Recipe Submission. Please include your full name and the state you are from, along with your recipe. All recipes are reviewed for publishing, if your recipe is chosen, you will be notified when it is in the queue for publication. Please read Submission Guidelines below prior to submitting a recipe.

Submission Guidelines

You will not receive any payment if we post your recipe on The Recipe Corner. Furthermore, you understand that your recipe submission grants us permission to publish your recipe royalty-free on The Recipe Corner, or in our newsletter, emails, or social media pages compensation-free. When your recipe is chosen for publication on The Recipe Corner, we will publish your recipe, first name as recipe contributor, and state you are from…and your recipe contribution enters you in the yearly giveaway.

Ayuh, Another Downeast Cookbook

What are you waiting for? Now go cook!

Submit your recipe today! No submissions-No yearly cookbook giveaway. 

The deadline for the giveaway is November 30th each year–The giveaway winner is chosen from all recipe submissions throughout the year. The first week in December the winner will be chosen.

1-person will be chosen each year to win this cookbook from all the submissions.

Need Help! Adapting a Recipe to a Healthier Version?

Send in your recipe and make sure you tell us what you want to accomplish with recipe adaptation, i.e., lower fat, lower carb, etc., and let the Queen of Recipe Adaptation see what she can do! This is a free service, and there are no guarantees, but there are many things that can be tried to achieve healthier versions of recipes.

In the subject type: Recipe Adaptation

 The Recipe Corner     eMail: info [at] virginiawright [dot] com

Seafood | Recipes| Baked Stuffed Lobster

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Baked Stuffed Lobster

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Baked Stuffed Lobster (C) Photo 2012 Virginia Wright

Baked Stuffed Lobster © Photo 2012 Virginia Wright

                                                                        Summary: This is an easy and delicious lobster recipe that will “Wow” your guests!

                                

Ingredients

  • 6 live Maine lobsters, boil 2, leave 4 alive.
  • Unseasoned breadcrumbs (enough to fill the cavities of 4 lobster)
  • 1 stick of butter, melted
  • 1 cup crab meat, cooked

Instructions

  1. Pick the 2 cooked lobster and put the meat in a bowl, add crab, unseasoned breadcrumbs, and a stick of melted butter, mix thoroughly.
  2. Slice the live lobsters from head to tail fins and clean out the internal guts, leaving the inside meat intact. ( I always rinse the inside of the lobsters to make sure all is removed.)
  3. Stuff the lobsters with the stuffing and drizzle with butter.
  4. Bake for twenty minutes loosely covered with aluminum foil in a preheated 350 degree oven.
  5. Melt extra butter for dipping. Serve with fresh corn on the cob.

Checking to see if baked lobster is done.

Checking to see if baked lobster is done.                      Photo © Virginia Wright

                                                                                                                                                                                                    Cooks note: Lobster can be stuffed with “lobster only” if preferred. Also for an extra treat for seafood lovers…scallops sautéed in butter can be added to crab and lobster when making stuffing.

 Preparation time: 30 minute(s)

Cooking time: 20 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

My rating 5 stars:  ★★★★★ 1 review (s)

Authors Cook Recipe Contributor: Author, Launa McNeilly

You can read more about Launa on her Amazon.com Author Page.

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-Virginia WrightAuthor, Food Writer, Recipe Developer, Foodie & Queen of Recipe Adaptation -See more at: Ayuh, Another Downeast Cookbook: Recipes From Maine
© 2012 Virginia Wright. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
– See more at: https://virginiawright.com/blog/?page_id=1899#sthash.Qg8lQSaL.dpuf

Desserts | Recipe| Cream Cheese Frosting Light

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Cream Cheese Frosting Light

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Recipe: Cream Cheese Frosting Light

Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting

Summary: If you want to make your favorite Carrot Cake and frost it with Cream Cheese Frosting, here is an alternative “light” recipe using Neufchatel cheese in place of cream cheese. The basic recipe calls for confectioners’ sugar, regular butter, whole milk, vanilla and regular cream cheese:

Ingredients

  • 1 box confectioners’ sugar
  • 8 oz neufchatel cheese
  • 4 tbsp light margarine or Vegetable oil spread, room temperature
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 4 tbsp fat-free milk, more or less

Instructions

  1. Cream non-hydrogenated margarine or vegetable oil spread in large mixer bowl with neufchatel cheese.
  2. Add confectioners’ sugar alternately with milk, beat until smooth texture.
  3. An additional tbsp of milk may be needed, adding only 1 tbsp of milk at a time depending on desired consistency. Additionally, 1 less tbsp of milk may be used for a thicker frosting.
  4. Blend in Vanilla.
  5. Spread on your favorite cake recipe!

Makes approximately 2 cups

Savings in fat, in the cheese alone…

1 serving Neufchatel Cheese 6 grams of fat                                                                      1 serving Cream Cheese 10 grams of fat

Tabulating results…
You save 4 grams of fat per 2 Tbsp serving
Then you will save more on saturated fat and cholesterol by using the fat-free milk, as well as in the light margarine or vegetable spread in place of butter.
Just Experiment with your recipes by adapting them. Not all will turn out with the same texture or taste, but many times the recipes will be acceptable to the taste, as well as have eye appeal. No palate death here!
Watch for the Carrot Cake recipe in upcoming postings at The Recipe Corner…
Enjoy! Now go cook!
-Virginia Wright

Author, Food Writer, Recipe Developer, Foodie & Queen of Recipe Adaptation

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© 2012  Virginia Wright. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.