Bahamian Peas n' Rice Recipe

 One of the many great things about Small Hope Bay Lodge . . . the food! Our wonderful kitchen staff continuously and consistently prepares the most delicious and wonderful foods. From breakfast though dinner and desserts, they are exceptional.

One of the most popular nights here is "Bahamian Night". This is the night when the chef prepares traditional Bahamian food. Bahamian cuisine has a similarity to Southern cooking, but with a distinct island flare!

Here is our recipe for Bahamian Peas n' Rice . . .

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 can pigeon peas (16 oz.)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 sweet pepper, finely diced
• 1 tomato, finely diced
• 6 cups long grain rice
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp browning sauce
• 1 2/3 quart vegetable stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce (We use goat pepper sauce. Hot hot hot!)

Directions:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, sweet pepper, tomatoes and cook until soft and turning brown, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook 5 more minutes. Add pigeon peas, stock, browning sauce, thyme, and pepper sauce. Bring to a boil, then add rice. Stir until it returns to a boil, then add the bay leaf. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot. and cook until rice is tender, stirring occasionally, about 25 more minutes.

Serves up to 5. Pin It Now!

Mmmmmm, Delicious Bailey's Marble Cheesecake Recipe

Some things in life are just wonderful. For example, cheesecake. Another example, Bailey's. What could be tastier than mixing those two together? Pretty much, nothing! Here's the recipe below so you can make at home:

Ingredients:

Crust

• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs

Filling

• 3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur
•  1 tsp vanilla
• 6 squares semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Directions:
For the crust, combine the melted butter and chocolate wafer crumbs. Press into the bottom of a 10" springform pan. bake for 10 minutes at 325 F. Then, in a large mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time while beating. Stir in sour cream, Bailey's, and vanilla.

Pour 2/3 of the cheesecake mixture over the crust. To the remaining mixture, stir in the melted chocolate. Spoon the chocolate mixture over the plain cheesecake mixture. Run a knife through it a few times to create a marble effect.

Bake at 325 F for about 1 and 1/2 hours, until the center is raised and set. Let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.

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Thanksgiving at Small Hope Bay Lodge

Wow! Another incredible Thanksgiving here at Small Hope. Our kitchen staff did an amazing job of preparing the most delicious meal, as well as 32 scrumptious desserts.

Most of all we enjoyed a wonderful holiday with friends and family. Some things I am thankful for: living in a gorgeous location, working with funny and friendly people, Jeff Birch (a hilarious and sweet boss),  great food, great company!

Now to the food. Here is what we had:
 

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Another Wonderful Christmas at Small Hope!

Christmas is a very special time here. Couples, friends and families escape to Small Hope Hope for the holidays for several reasons - sunny and warm days; a great meeting place for many who would be traveling; lots of activities for everyone (diving, snorkeling, kids games, fishing); great, home-style food without the fuss of making it at home. 

Our Christmas traditions here include our typical daily activities such as dive and snorkel trips, as well as special things like making your own Christmas tree decorations and our HUGE and tasty feast. This year's menu included roasted turkey with gravy and cranberry sauce, Kahlua-glazed ham, mushroom stuffing, roasted sprouts, Waldorf salad, tomato pumpkin bisque, Mahi Mahi, sauteed shrimp, mashed sweet potatoes, and sauteed peppers. This, of course, was followed by dessert . . . 25 delicious homemade desserts in fact!

Our great staff followed dinner with a dance performance by our chef, Sherry, and a short demonstration of Bahamas-style Junkanoo!

It was such a great night - full of laughter, smiles, and friends, both old and new - that I can't wait for next year!

Like one of our guests said the other night - "It's just like home, but better!" Pin It Now!

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Pie

In the past week I've had the pleasure to feast on the Reese's Peanut Butter Pie several times for dessert (several times in a week! wow!! I feel so spoiled). And as promised to Spencer and co., here's the recipe to make back home with your famous chocolate sauce.

Reese’s Peanut Butter Pie Makes 8-16 portions
Crust:
1 ½ cups Graham Cracker crumbs
2 tbsp Sugar ¼ cup cocoa powder
3 tbsp. Butter, melted
Filling:
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
1 ½ cup Whipped topping
1 packages instant chocolate pudding 4 serving size (or any flavor)
2 cups milk

1. Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cocoa powder and butter.
2. Mix well and press into pan.
3. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes.
4. Cool completely.
5. Blend peanut butter, and powdered sugar, until smooth; blend in egg yolk.
6. Fold in whipped topping.
7. Spread this mixture into crust.
8. Mix the milk with the pudding and blend until it thickens and of proper consistency.
9. Spread evenly on peanut butter mixture.
10. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours or until set.

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Laura's Delicious Brownies

With Small Hope being closed for annual renovations and maintenance the live-on staff have been taking turns getting creative and making delicious dinners for everyone to enjoy. One of our divemasters Laura has been honing her baking skills to the delight of all the staff who have been testing her cakes, cookies and most recently her brownies! Now we are sharing the recipe so you can enjoy them as well.

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Bake Time : 30-35 minutes

Ingredients:

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
11 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
5 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9×13-inch glass or light-colored baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cocoa powder together.

3. Put the chocolate, butter and instant espresso powder in a large bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.

4. Add the eggs one at a time and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. You do not want to over-beat the batter here or the brownies will turn out more cake like. 

5. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Let the brownies cool completely, then lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares and serve.

7. Store at room temperature in an airtight container or wrap with plastic wrap for up to 4 days.

Frosting: 

1/2 cup butter, softened 
2 2/3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/3 cup half-and-half cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 cocoa powder

Directions:

1. Cream the butter in a small bowl.
2. Blend in the cocoa powder (the amount desired for a light, medium or dark flavor), vanilla, confectioners sugar, alternately with the cream.
3. Beat with an electric mixer, until the desired texture is achieved.

Hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

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Annual Small Hope Bay Lodge Staff Party

Nassau Here We Come

Every September Small Hope Bay Lodge closes temporarily to undergo maintenance, repairs and inventory. The first order of business however is the annual staff party. 

Whether it is at Captain Bill's Blue Hole, Somerset Beach, or right at Small Hope the staff party is always a ton of fun. This year Jeff decided to fly everyone over to Nassau and hold the party at Traveller's Rest, a beach side restaurant run by his mother, Joan Hanna. 

Austin, Nicky, Fede, Dale and Tony on the Pursuit

On the morning of the party everyone woke up and headed to the airport, except for a select few who elected to go to Nassau in The Pursuit, Small Hope's 21 foot V-hull. 

Tony and Inez cutting the rug

Arriving in Nassau everyone dispersed for a couple hours to do a little shopping before meeting up at Traveller's for some food, some drinking and of course some dancing. With a live band playing throughout the day there was always someone on the dance floor. Alvin, Jardie and Tony especially enjoyed dancing the day away. 

Alvin gets the dancing started

The food was of course delicious and once everyone had digested a little it was time to hit the water. 

having fun out on the water

There was not a dry seat in the house as everyone had a blast riding on the tube! Fede and Jeff were excellent captains...they only dumped a few people off. 









All in all is was a great day in Nassau and a terrific staff party, one we will not soon forget. A big thank you goes out to Jeff for planning such a wonderful day and leaving everyone with some amazing memories. Annual renovations and inventory are now getting underway at Small Hope,  everyone is getting excited for October and looking forward to the new season!

 Highlights from the 2012 Small Hope Staff Party

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Irene's Kidney Bean Soup

As promised here is the recipe for Irene's Kidney Bean Soup!

Those of you who have visited Small Hope Bay Lodge know that this soup is famous! Guests are always asking for the secret to the wonderfully delicious masterpiece Irene has created. So now here it is, I give to you the coveted recipe so you can bring a little bit of Small Hope home with you.  Enjoy!!


You Will Need:  recipe makes 1 gallon pot, adjust ingredients for desired amount

4 slices of bacon
2 medium onions
1 carrot
2 celery pieces from the stalk
1 sweet pepper
10 cans kidney beans
water, as needed
4 tbsp chicken base (flavor)
1 cup heavy cream
slurry (4tbsp cornstarch, 1 cup water)
thyme, to taste
pepper, to taste (preferably fresh picked peppers, such as goat or habanero)
salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Puree bacon in a food processor until very fine. Cook in soup pot on low heat.
2. While bacon is on, puree onions, celery, carrot and sweet pepper to same texture. Add to pot and continue to cook on low heat.
3. Puree kidney beans as well to same texture and add to pot, heat slightly.
4. Add enough water to pot so that contents equal 1 gallon
5. Turn heat to high, bring to boil and then reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 45 minutes.
6. Add heavy cream, bring back to a boil and cook for 5 min more.
7. Add slurry and thicken, cook 5 minutes.
8. Add thyme and peppers, and cook for another 5 minutes.
9. Adjust taste with salt.

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Everyone likes cookies......

Oatmeal Cookies

 

Ingredients

¾ cup shortening
½ cup brown sugar (packed)
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon soda
½ teaspoon cloves
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped nuts
3 cups quick-cooking oats

Method

Heat oven to 350˚.  Mix thoroughly shortening, sugars, egg, water and vanilla.  Stir in remaining ingredients.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 1 inch apart onto greased baking sheet.  Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched with finger.  Immediately remove from baking sheet.

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BBQ Ribs for a party................

For 2 slabs pork ribs:

  Dry rub:
1/4 c. salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 T. black pepper
1 t. each:  paprika or smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder
1/2 t each ground allspice, cinnamon
1/4 t. cayenne

Braising liquid
8 cups beef or chicken stock (pref. unsalted)
2 bay leaves
1 T. black peppercorn
2 whole allspice
1 can goombay punch (optional)
8 cloves garlic

Method
bbq sauce (adjust the sugar or vinegar level according to your preference)
 4 cups braising liquid from after ribs have finished, strained and skimmed of fat
4 T. tomato paste, or 1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (can sub honey)
hot sauce to taste (here i use a few drops of local goat pepper sauce
black pepper
(should not need additional salt, but check)

preheat oven to 300°F
*peel membrane from back of slab, rub ribs well and let flavors penetrate for 15 minutes
*bring all the braising liquid ingredients to a boil
*heat oil in a flying pan and lightly sear and brown the ribs (be careful not to burn the sugar too much from the rub)
*select a dish or pan suitable for oven-braising...place ribs in pan, covered half way in the liquid.  bring it back to a simmer, cover and place in the preheated oven
*cook covered in the oven until the meat is tender and just begins to fall off the bone,
*carefully remove from pan and reserve until ready to grill

*on a low to medium heat (you can use smoking wood if you like), grill the ribs covered without sauce to lightly mark, the brush sauce liberally on the ribs and finish.  serve with additional brush of warm sauce, or along side.

Goes great with coleslaw! 

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Lemon Meringue Pie..................

Ingredients

 

10 inch baked pie shell

2 cups sugar

½ cup cornstarch

2 cups water

4 egg yolks, slightly beaten (save the whites for meringue)

¼ cup butter or margarine

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

2/3 cup lemon juice

2 drops yellow food color, if desired

Meringue for 9-inch Pie

Method

 

1.      Bake pie shell.

2.      Heat oven to 400°.

3.      Mix sugar and cornstarch in medium saucepan.

4.      Gradually stir in water.

5.      Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.

6.      Boil and stir 1 minute.

7.      Gradually stir at least half the hot mixture into egg yolks.

8.      Blend into hot mixture in pan.

9.      Boil and stir 1 minute (2 minutes for 10-inch pie).

10.  Remove from heat; stir in butter, lemon peel, lemon juice, and food color.

11.  Pour into baked pie shell.

12.  Heap meringue onto hot pie filling; spread over filling, carefully sealing meringue to edge of crust to prevent shrinking or weeping.

13.  Bake about 10 minutes or until a delicate brown.

14.  Cool away from draft.

Meringue

4 egg whites

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

½ cup sugar

¾ teaspoon vanilla

1.      Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.

2.      Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until stiff and glossy.  Do not under beat.

3.      Beat in vanilla.

Enjoy with some ice-cream or whipped cream or by itself

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April is nearly over!!

It has been a busy couple of  months here at Small Hope, Spring Break  has been going for 2 months! 

We have meet some great new friends and had the chance to reconnect with old friends.

Easter has been and gone, and what fun we had......

Nicky, Renauldo, Sonny, Joe, Antonio, Kate and Denise

Sammy, Chuck and Drew

We had a lovely meal prepared by the Small Hope chefs! 

 It was a real treat to have some fresh Asparagus

and garden peas, 

 
                                                   
  

Michelle made some dinner rolls.

There was Honey Glazed Ham

 BBQ Spring Lamb

Some Dauphinoise potato

And of course there were some mouth watering desserts................

 Anyone hungry???

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Mmmmm Carrot Cake

 

Carrot Cake an old favorite for many........

• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 1/3 vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup drained crushed pineapple
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add carrots, oil, and eggs. Beat until well mixed. Stir in remaining ingredients. Put batter in two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Frost with cream cheese frosting or glaze as desired.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon warm water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

Beat cream cheese with water and vanilla; gradually add sugar, beating until smooth and spreading consistency. Makes 1 1/2 cups, enough to frost top and sides of a 9-inch square cake or top of a 13 x 9-inch cake.

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Breakfast wonderful breakfast

Breakfast at Small Hope!



Start the day with a hearty breakfast! Decisions, decisions…..fried or scramble eggs, pancakes or French toast, ham or bacon…maybe a little of everything! We also have fresh fruit, a range of cereals, toast and jam and there is always a pot of coffee brewing.

If you are feeling a little adventurous, ask for the Bahamian Breakfast Special!


“Chicken souse”  boiled chicken & vegetables in a lemony broth

“Corn beef & grits” (known as Fire Engine, by the locals) -corn beef with green peppers and tomatoes in a thyme sauce

“Stew conch” a thick soup with conch and potato

“Sardines & grits” the name says it all!

Well, this makes me hungry, how about you? Pin It Now!