Redhead in the Kitchen

Toble-ly Delicious Oatmeal Cookies

2012-01-10T10:53:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I feel like I might be a heartless beast of a girl.
Let me give you an example. I have an intense love affair with the combination of oats and chocolate. Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are like love in its most pure and patty form. But they need to be a certain way, you know? Adding nuts is a good thing, but when you venture outside the tree nut or peanut butter category, you've gone too far, my friend.
It's a week before Christmas, and we're at my parents' house celebrating the holidays with my mom's side of the family. Everything is all aglow with Christmas cheer and my relatives are all looking their finest. Mom has this huge spread of appetizers out that include several cookie jars filled with goodies she's so sweetly and thoughtfully made for everyone to share.

Wait! Mom! How could you not tell me you made my favorite cookie! Cousin Ashley and I were so excited about our discovery of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies on the table we couldn't wait to get our grubby little hands on them.
Chomp! Chomp... Chomp......
"Is there cinnamon in here?"
"Yes, do you like it?" Mom asks with a sweet and loving smile on her face.
I wrinkle my nose at the thought of cinnamon being introduced to what otherwise is the perfect combination. Mom stares at me as I (without an instant of hesitation) chunk the cookie from quite a distance and with a good degree of force into the nearby trashcan and reluctantly chew the soggy gob in my mouth. Ashley and Mom stare at me in shock that I would act like such an evil spoiled brat on Christmas, and right in front of the person who made the cookie, no less. What can I say, I am picky about my oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Thankfully, despite my ogre-like qualities, Santa did not bring me coal at Christmas. I got some great stuff, and some legit chocolate. We're talking Toblerone. That heavenly bar filled with nuances of honey, almonds and nougat. Milk chocolate at its finest, in my opinion. Unfortunately, perhaps my troll-ish behavior was just a warning sign that all those calories I packed on over the holidays were quiet literally making me troll-shaped. Time to dispense with the Toblerones in the best way possible. Time to make some cookies. Without cinnamon.

Ignore the coffee ring and dot of hot sauce under the cutting board. I wanted cookies RIGHT AFTER breakfast, okay? It's oatmeal. That's healthy, right? Check out that Global Cook's Knife Jeremy got me for Christmas. Yeah, baby.

Toblerone Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Inspired by Joy the Baker's Oatmeal Walnut Cocoa Nib Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen large cookies

2 sticks salted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 scant cup Sugar in the Raw
1/8 c blackstrap molasses
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
2 1/2 c old fashioned oats
1 c. coarsely chopped toasted almonds
1/2 c semi sweet mini-morsels
1 cup chopped Toblerone bars (2 full size candy bars)

Preheat oven to 350 and line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or grease the baking sheets if you don't wish to use parchment. Use a mixer to whip butter, sugar and molasses together until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Add vanilla. While that's working itself into a fluffy frenzy, find a medium bowl. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add this flour mixture all at once to the butter mixture and keep mixing until it's just combined. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, toblerone that you haven't stuffed in your face yet, and almonds. Keep mixing until ~~your arm falls off~~ everything is well combined. If you have a melon baller (The toughest tool in the drawer that gets the most dough) or a small ice cream scoop, you can use this to measure out identical little cookie blobs to go on your cookie sheets. Make sure your blobs don't touch and try to get them the same size. I used a tablespoon to make rounded balls about the same size. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cookies are light brown on top. Let cool 5 minutes before transferring to cool on wire racks or just on the counter on parchment if you aren't lucky enough to have some spiffy wire racks. That's how mellon baller and I roll.

Want to make new friends?! Make ice cream sandwiches out of these cookies with chocolate, vanilla, and butter almond ice cream. Scoop the ice cream after it has softened a bit and pop the assembled sandwiches in the freezer to firm up before transporting. These cookies are just the right amount of sweet, salty, crunchy and chewy. The Sugar in the Raw gives them and interesting little crunch, but if you prefer to swap the raw sugar and molasses for 1 cup packed brown sugar, that will totally work too.

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This Goat Cheese and Raspberry Stuffed Chicken Breast Wrapped in Proscuitto is NOT Playing Around.

2011-12-31T12:24:00.000-05:00

When I woke up yesterday morning, I knew this was destined to become my dinner. That rarely happens to me. Often, I come home from work, boil some noodles and eat them with bottled pasta sauce and canned parmesan. True story.

But not this time.

Do you spy Sampson's butt?

My good friend Jonna knows how much I enjoy cooking and got me an awesome spoon rest for Christmas as well as this Pampered Chef Raspberry Habanero Sauce.

The sauce was the inspiration for this dish. I typically don't keep sauces around, so it was fun to dream up how to best use this one.
*If you don't have a sauce like this around, you could make something just as perfect for this dish by combining one small jar of seedless raspberry preserves with two tablespoons (or less depending on how hot you want it) chipotle in adobo sauce. Perfectly sweet, smoky and spicy. The goat cheese is a great foil for the heat and makes everything all perfectly balanced and yum.

This dish is so simple, yet really elegant. It reminds me of a grown up version of one of my favorite eats Mom and Dad used to make when I was growing up: cream cheese and chive stuffed chicken breast wrapped in bacon. You can use the same method I'll outline below and switch up the ingredients to try this gem as well. This is like the grown up version of my classic favorite.

Raspberry and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken with Prosciutto
3 or 4 medium chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 oz. plain soft goat cheese (chevre)
1/3 cup spicy raspberry sauce (see note above)
4 thin strips prosciutto
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Toothpicks (for securing bundles)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take a chicken breast and pound it out till it is an even thickness and thin enough to wrap completely around the filling you will put inside. I used my empty coconut oil jar because I'm a professional.

Note the smashed pieces of raw chicken on the side of the jar. Keepin' it real.

Divide your goat cheese into thirds or quarters, depending on how many chicken breasts you have. I had three, so I did thirds. Put one third of the cheese in the center of the pounded chicken breast. Spoon a third (or quarter) of the sauce over the goat cheese.

Wrap the chicken around the fillings and secure it together by piercing the two ends of the meat together with a toothpick. You might be able to skip this step if it sticks together with little effort. Be careful to remove the toothpicks after cooking so you don't impale the roof of you mouth and treat yourself to an emergency room visit. Thanks.
Repeat the pounding, filling and sealing process with all your chicken breasts. Wrap a sweet li'l blanket of prosciutto around each stuffed breast before placing them in a casserole dish. If you want to use two pieces of prosciutto per chicken breast, congratulate yourself on having a beautiful mind. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I like a lot of pepper.

Place the stuffed and wrapped breasts in the oven for 20 minutes. Flip. Cook 20 more minutes on the other side until proscuitto is lightly browned and juices run clear. This dish makes it's own gravy, kind of like Gravy Train Dog Food, but better, and totally meant for human consumption. Eating it with rice to sop up the juices is a great idea. In fact, it's the law. I made a wild rice pilaf.

Wild Rice Pilaf
1/2 cup brown rice
1/2 cup wild rice
2 cups vegetable stock
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 Tbsp garlic seasoning
Handful chopped parsely
1/4 bottle pilsner beer
2 tsp olive oil

Bring the rices, stock and butter to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Leave it alone for 50 minutes. While that is working, saute your diced onion in the olive oil until translucent. Add onion, garlic seasoning and beer to your rice during the last ten minutes or so of cooking. Stir in parsley when ready to serve.

When your chicken is done, serve a piece over your rice and spoon some of that crazy good gravy over both the rice and chicken. You worked hard on dinner. I give you permission to use bagged salad. I sure did.

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Easy Southwest Casserole

2011-12-29T11:24:00.002-05:00

Oh, Christmas? Yeah, about that... I'm over it. I was absolutely sick the whole time. From Christmas Eve Eve straight up through my stuffed up face this morning. While I absolutely adored spending time with family and friends, I am ready for a new year.

Yesterday was a weird day. Second day back at work, the least sick I had been in several days, it started off fine. Lunchtime. Enter moodiness, indecision and a strong craving for Mexican food. I got in my car for my lunch break and began aimlessly driving around town until I landed very close to my house at one of the best Mexican places around: La Vaquita II. I ate this:

All of it. Enchiladas Poblanas en Mole- one chicken, one cheese, and some raw onions to foul my breath up for the rest of the day. It was amazeballs. Picture this moment: stuffy nosed loner redhead sitting with her back to the rest of the happily chatting Spanish speakers eating in the restaurant, scarfing down a full plate while the fluorescent bulbs highlight my loner status as I stuff my face in front of the huge storefront window. Sexy.

The thing about Mexican food, is I can never get enough. Ever. So naturally, it's what's for dinner. Casserole is what happens when I think I don't have any groceries and I want to get rid of random leftovers. It's also so easy that I barely had to pay dinner any attention so I could ~~watch copious amounts of Deadliest Catch~~ get some cleaning done. You can vary the ingredients with whatever you have in your fridge. Salsa was on sale for $0.74 last time I went to the grocery store, so this made for a super cheap meal. If you have a few more ingredients a a couple more minutes, you can make this casserole that has a little more kick. I am posting the recipe exactly as I made it, but please use whatever you have and don't make a special trip for these ingredients. For crying out loud, I topped a casserole containing pork with vegan "cheese". Totally delicious.

Easy Southwest Casserole

1 cup jasmine rice

2 cups water

generous pinch kosher salt

1 1/2 small jars medium salsa (you can sub canned tomatoes with green chilies in a pinch)

1/2 pound grilled pork tenderloin (or cooked meat of your choice/omit meat to make vegan)

1 can black beans, drained

3 good glugs Mexican hot sauce (I use Valentina or Cholula)

1 Tbsp garlic seasoning

1 cup vegan "cheese shreds" (or organic cheese)

Fat free greek yogurt and cilantro for serving

Preheat oven to 350. Cook rice: Bring rice and water to a boil. Add salt, reduce heat to low, and cover for 15 minutes.

Dump one whole jar of salsa in with the rice. Dump in can of beans. Dice up your meat. Dump it. Stir.

Season to taste with garlic seasoning and fresh ground pepper if desired. Glug in some hot sauce. Glug, glug. Isn't that such a satisfying sound? Mmm hmm.

Spread your mixture in an even layer into a casserole dish. Sprinkle "cheese" shreds over the top evenly. If you have tortilla chips, by all means crush them over the top of the cheese. Dollop your remaining salsa over the whole mess and pop it in the oven uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and the casserole is heated through. Serve topped with fat free greek yogurt (or sour cream) and torn fresh cilantro. Go back for seconds.

Best when enjoyed in the company of someone you love and not under fluorescent lighting.

Ideas for variations- add or substitute the following:

Chorizo

Chopped grilled chicken

Tortilla chips

Pinto beans

canned black olives

canned or fresh jalapenos

Veg-all or mixture of frozen veggies/veggies in danger of dying an ugly death in your fridge

Chives or green onions

Salsa Verde

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Maple Nutmeg Butter Cookies

2011-12-21T10:14:00.001-05:00

First of all, you should know that you can only make these cookies for people you love. Because cookies that require chilling, rolling, and cookie cutters are only worth it for people you love.

That said, you should make these cookies. You should make them on a night when you don't have a lot else going on, because they are going to take some time and you are going to make quite the mess, my little cookie queen (or king).

You should also be aware that when these cookies are implemented as a bargaining tool in a cookie exchange, they are both a blessing and a curse.
Blessing: You get mad compliments.
Curse: You don't want to give them away. Blast, that buttery, maple goodness is so sneaky like that.

I found this recipe over at Smitten Kitchen. This woman is the heat, no lie. She has performed a great miracle and has achieved a lofty goal. A goal that I aspire to. This snazzy lady makes her living by literally rolling out of bed, cooking whatever she feels like at that particular juncture in time and blogging about it. And she's worked hard to get there. Rock on, Deb. Live the dream.

Maple Nutmeg Butter Cookies
Ever-so-lightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature (I used Plugra)
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup (Grade B makes for an explosion of maple flavor, but use Grade A in a pinch)
1 large egg yolk
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon kosher salt

You know what? "They" say you should bake with unsalted butter. I never do, probably never will. I think it tastes more buttery with the salt, thank-you-very-much. Do what you feel.

Use a stand mixer (if you have one and are obsessed with it like me) to combine butter and sugar with the paddle attachment until fluffy. Add egg yolk. Drizzle in maple syrup. Lick cup measure. What? Sorry.
In a separate bowl, stir together flour, salt and nutmeg. Add flour mixture into butter mixture, just until combined. Divide your crumbly dough into 4 balls, wrap each in plastic wrap, chill in the fridge for at least two hours, or overnight. Don't skip this step even though you're tempted. I have skipped this step a million and a half times, and then I pout about why I can't roll out my dough and make pretty shapes. Cry baby.

Preheat your oven to 350 and line at least a couple baking sheets with parchment paper. If you use wax paper instead, you'll set your ever-loving house on fire. True story.

Flour your very clean counter top or kitchen table with a handful of flour. Keep the flour handy so the dough doesn't stick to the table, your hands, or your rolling pin. Yes, you're going to need a rolling pin. Don't have one? Use an empty wine bottle, you lush. Take one of your four doughballs out of the fridge. Unwrap. Plop in flour. Beat the living daylights out of it with your rolling pin until it sweetly submits. Roll out your dough about 1/8 inch thick and cut fun little shapes out. If you don't have cookie cutters ~~you are a terribly boring person~~, you can use the mouth of a jar to cut perfect little circles. Cut cookies go on the parchment and into the oven for 8 minutes. For smaller cookies, watch them and maybe take them out at 7 minutes, depending on how browned you want your cookies. Ball up your dough scraps and wrap them and refrigerate them for after you have used up your initial dough balls. When your cookies are done, remove the batch from the oven and slide the whole sheet of parchment and cookies off the pan so your pan can cool and be reused for another batch. If you have cooling racks, use them now. If you are like me and you don't have cooling racks, ask for some for Christmas.

Confession time. I got so sick of all that leftover dough (that I had already worked and thus was more pliable than I wanted) I threw out at least a handful of it at the end. By the Beard of Zeus, I already had like 5 dozen cookies! Remember, there's no judgement here. I won't tell the baking police, I promise. Take that last batch out of the oven, clean your flour coated kitchen filled with destruction and cookies, and go have a glass of eggnog with a cookie. You deserve it.

And how did that cookie exchange go? I think I came out on top with some pretty good loot (and some of my leftover maple cookies I secretly hoarded).

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Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing: A Tale of Love and Funk

2011-12-20T09:24:00.001-05:00

I like to eat fowl smelling things. So sue me.
Tempt me with some anchovies, oh yesss. Woo me with your deviled eggs and I'm yours. Tease me with your Gorgonzola, Roquefort and Cambembert, and I'm at your mercy.
When it comes to stinky, indulgent delight, it's hard to beat homemade blue cheese dressing. My dad started this new-ish tradition for our Christmas gathering on my mom's side. Instead of turkey, ham or more traditional holiday fare, we go for the gusto with some variation of grilled beef (standing rib roast this year), shrimp, and salad with homemade blue cheese dressing. I look forward to all of it every year, but especially that blue cheese. Let's make it a tradition for you too.

Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
1 medium wedge danish blue cheese
1 cup mayonnaise (I use Dukes because I'm Southern through and through)
1 1/2 cup fat free greek yogurt (so we can have some dessert too)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
1 good dashes hot sauce
1 scant Tbsp mustard (I used horseradish dijon, don't use yellow mustard)
1.5 tsp garlic seasoning
Juice of 1 lemon half
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Kosher salt to taste

In a large bowl, combine mayo with yogurt. Crumble in your blue cheese, slicing it if you need to in order to make crumbling easier. Use a spoon to stir in the cheese and break it up into smaller pieces. We're going for big chunks and small crumbles for flavor and texture. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and adjust seasonings to taste. If you want to add a dash of cayenne, we could totally be best friends. Let this sit in the fridge for at least four hours, but preferably overnight so the flavors can get to know one another. You did it! Congrats!

This dressing makes the simplest of salads amazing and satisfying. Thanks, fat. I love how you do that. Now that I ate that for lunch, don't you think it's okay if I eat like four of the Maple Nutmeg Butter Cookies I am making for tomorrow's cookie exchange? Too late, I already did.
More on that story... after the break.

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Eggnog Tiramisu and Sunday in Pictures

2011-12-19T10:43:00.001-05:00

Eggnog Tiramisu loves you.

I made this for you. Okay, so I really made it for our family Christmas gathering on my mom's side, but I totally thought of you while making it. And the best part- it's so simple to make, yet totally elegant! Eggnog and Tiramisu become their best selves when the two become one. But more on that later. Here's how yesterday looked:

Family coziness

We obviously know how to tear into some delicious appetizers. Mmm. Shrimp.

Ian made his signature mashed potatoes with goat cheese and rosemary, which were stunning. Watch him work.

Dad was the star of the show with his succulent (ew! I can't believe I just used that word) standing rib roast grilled masterfully on his Weber Kettle Grill.

Juicy Vittles

Fire pit for keeping roasty toasty while sipping a hot toddy.

Today's hot toddy of choice was spiced cider with black spiced rum. Speaking of rum, you're gonna need some to make this killer dessert.

Eggnog Tiramisu
Custard
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups organic whole milk
3 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp butter

Espresso Soak
1/2 cup black spiced rum (The Kraken is what I used. My favorite!)
3 Tbsp espresso powder
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup sugar

1 package almond cookies, crushed
1 handful Slivered or chopped almonds (optional)
1 whole angel food cake (you could sub out lady fingers if you so desire)

Whipped Cream
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup frangelico (hazelnut liquor)
1 tsp vanilla

This looks like a lot of ingredients, but it's actually really simple and all about layering. Promise. Let's start by making pudding from scratch. This is one of the first things I really remember making by myself and being proud of. I was thirteen-ish? My mom had this checkered Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook (your mom probably has one too) and it made pudding from scratch pretty simple business. If you leave the nutmeg out of this eggnog custard, BAM! You have vanilla pudding. Don't buy Jello. I love you too much to let that happen to you ever again.
Custard
In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine milk and sugar over medium heat. In a separate small container, stir in a little milk from the pan into the cornstarch until there are no lumps. Pour it all back in the pan. Stir frequently until the milk is "scalded." This means there will be little bubbles all around the edges where the milk touches the pan, and it will smell cooked. In the meantime, crack and lightly beat your eggs in a bowl. Keep at the ready. When your milk is scalded, remove the pan from the heat. Add a few tablespoons of the hot milk mixture in a slow and steady stream into your eggs. Beat continuously while doing this. We're just bringing the eggs up to temperature so they don't curdle when we put them in the milk. After you've incorporated a little of the milk into the eggs, slowly pour a steady stream of the egg mixture into the pan with the milk, mixing continuously to avoid curdling. This is called tempering your eggs. No biggie.
Cook for two to three minutes more over medium heat while stirring. When the mixture has thickened into a loose pudding consistency, remove from the heat. Stir in vanilla and butter until melted it. Glossy, no? Grate in your nutmeg and stir. Set aside. Try not to eat the whole batch. But definitely eat some! You could stop here and have a comforting and delicious dessert to eat alone, or serve company in some fancy glasses with a ginger snap on the side.

Eggnog Custard

Assembly
Make your espresso soak first. Combine water, rum (or liquor of your choice), sugar, and espresso powder in a container that is easy to pour stuff out of. Whisk until sugar dissolves. In the serving bowl you'll be using to present your lovely dish (I used a large clear bowl so folks could see my luscious layers), line the bottom of the dish with some chunks of angel food cake. We're talking a layer maybe an inch thick of cake on the bottom. Drizzle half your espresso soak over the cake so it soaks it up. It's okay if it's not even steven. Those juices will sink in and redistribute. Spread half your eggnog custard over the now very brown cake layer. Sprinkle 1/3 of your crushed cookies over custard layer. Repeat: cake, espresso soak, custard, cookies. Time to make the whipped cream. (Most fun step?)
Whipped Cream Topping
In a cold, clean bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip the whole pint of whipping cream into soft peaks. Add your liquor, vanilla, and sugar. Whip to stiff peaks. I like to use my immersion blender with the whisk attachment for making whipped cream. It literally takes seconds and makes me stand in wonder like a five year old how it magically makes whipped cream happen so fast. Taste to make sure it's sweet enough for your liking, but don't make it too terribly sweet. That's part of the elegance of this dessert, is the perfect amount of sweetness complimenting each layer. Spread the whole lot of it over your layered creation. Top with the remaining 1/3 of your crushed cookies, and with your handful of crushed or slivered almonds if you choose to use them. Let this sit overnight or at least for several hours while the flavors marry and the custard soaks and sets the dessert. Scoop or slice and serve.

Once more, just to tempt you to make this baby

About this dessert
I have to take a minute to tell you I am super proud of this one. I was inspired by a vegan recipe for Pumpkin Tiramisu and thought the seasonal flavor twist was brilliant. But I wasn't all about combining chocolate with pumpkin for some reason. When I thought about eggnog and espresso playing off one another with crunchy almonds, I had to make it and find out if this crazy combo would work. I can't wait to make it again. Whether you make the custard or go all the way with the Tiramisu, I hope you'll let me know how it turns out. Merry Christmas in your mouth.

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Meaty Minestrone with Beet Greens: It'll Cure What Ails Ye

2011-12-15T10:04:00.001-05:00

Been in a funk.
Know what I mean? I mean come hope so slap worn out that you eat Chinese take-out two nights in a row. Not something you want to really pontificate about on your food blog, right? It happens.

But, HARK! Soup can help bring one out of the funkiest of funks, and it's good for warding off those nasty little snot viruses popping up from here to kingdom come. So I made some, and so should you.
The good news? This soup is so good for you and so easy. The bad news? I scarfed it down so eagerly that I forgot to take a picture. Good thing there are leftovers I can show you later.

Here's a few good rules for cooking up soups and stirring your brew:

1. Use your favorite big pot, preferably one that has a heavy bottom.
2. When in doubt, a little booze makes it better.
3. Always, always use a wooden spoon

I'm so serious about this.

Ingredients
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 links hot turkey italian sausage, removed from casing
2 quarts homemade turkey or chicken stock (or boxed if you don't have homemade stock)
1 large yellow onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 bottle beer (lager or ale works great)
1 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 jar whole roasted red pepper/pimiento in its packing water, diced
1 can white beans
1 large can crushed canned tomatoes with basil
2 cups dried pasta noodles (small shapes like twists or elbows)
2 monstrous handfuls of chopped beet greens or baby spinach
2 tsp dried basil
2 bay leaves
3 tsp garlic seasoning blend (or just 2 tsp garlic powder if you don't have some sort of blend)
2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
black pepper to taste

In your large pot over medium heat, add olive oil. Add onions and garlic. Stir so they don't brown, but just start to become translucent. Add your meat. Drain grease after it cooks out a bit. Keep stirring with that wooden spoon. You can add mushrooms here if you wanna be like that. Totally up to you.
Cook onion, garlic and meat mixture until you start to see a little browning starting to happen on the bottom of the pot. This is where all the magic soup flavor comes from, so don't be scared to let this happen. Once you've got a few little brown bits and smudges going on, you're going to need some help scraping up that stuff and incorporating it into the mix. Enter beer. It's so multi-talented, no? Pour about a third of a beer in the mix, and use some elbow grease to get those bits up and into the mix while the beer cooks down.

Bad picture, good beer.

The alcohol will cook out and leave you with intensified yum flavor. When the beer has reduced, stir in the can of tomatoes. This will definitely stop all your browning and give you a minute to drain your beans and dice up the contents of that jar of pimiento. I use the Goya brand because it's cheap, easy to find, and tasty.

Add in your pimiento and drained beans. You should have some thick looking stew on your hands. Good job! Add cayenne, bay leaves, basil, and garlic seasoning. If you don't have a seasoning blend you use, you really should try a few. It can be such an amazing secret weapon in your soups, sauces, or whatever. My weapon of choice comes from Costco in a giant container. I don't think it can be beat.
Wait for it....

Wait for it...

BOOM.

It says "spread" on the bottle, but it's a powder. I use it as a seasoning, but I'm sure if you make it into a spread it's bangin'.

Add your stock and your pasta and let it simmer until the pasta is tender. Stir in your beet greens until they are wilted and well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with grated Parmesan cheese and croutons if you must. Bring some to your mom if she's sick.

This soup looks like a lot of ingredients, but it actually comes together pretty quickly and makes a heap of soup. I'm sure it's even better the next day with a grilled cheese faithfully by its side. I'll take one for the team and test this hypothesis for dinner.

So long funk! Hello, cozy.

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Sweet Potato Fries and Scenes from the Weekend

2011-12-05T15:03:00.001-05:00

O Christmas tree, O Christmas Tree, how sappy are your branches! So maybe that's not how that sweet li'l anthem goes, but it's certainly how Christmas tree decorating goes for me.

This is largely due to the fact that Jeremy is what some might call fanatical about Christmas light placement, distribution and saturation. As long as the lights are being put on when he is ready to do it, that's really his problem. Well call me whiny, demanding, or whatever you want, but I wanted the lights on NOW. So after he'd spent a good hour putting lights on the top 1/8th of the tree, but took a break to light the grill, I picked up the slack.

And so it begins...

"You have to do it just right. Wrapping each individual branch up and back to the core, moving to the left, from front to back." These were my instructions. Let's cut to 15 minutes later. Jeremy is grilling, I am sweating, covered up to my elbows in tree sap, and have what I presume is a very fowl look plastered across my face. Cheerful Christmas music is tinkling in the background and all of a sudden, I hear myself exclaim at the top of my lungs, a very ugly and decidedly un-Christmas-y word. I get down off the chair on which I am standing, turn off the Christmas music and curl into a ball on the couch, glass of wine in hand, and frown firmly on face. Consider this my public confession that I was being a total whiny baby. After Jeremy came back inside, saw me on the couch and had a good laugh, he explained to me that I could do the Christmas lights my way and he was sure they would be just beautiful. Well the top 1/4th of our tree is just that. Beautiful. As for the rest of the house, Christmas exploded all over it. Boxes, bags, tissue paper and glitter make for a nice little Christmas sheen all over the floor.

On to more successful endeavors...
Like dinner. I found some beautiful lamb shoulder chops at Whole Foods and marinated them in some citrus juices, olive oil, fresh garlic, rosemary, and oregano.

Jeremy grilled those babies up while I made some Garlicky Kale and sweet potato fries.

You can make these too. It's a cinch. These are my favorite side to make in the summer with some homemade grilled burgers with all the trimmings. I like mine savory with a good organic ketchup, but cinnamon sugar works great if your into sweet sweet potato fries, sweetie.

Sweet Potato Fries
1 large sweet potato
1 to 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (if you're making a sweet version, you might try coconut oil instead)
1 Tbsp rib rub or cajun seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel sweet potato, cut in half lengthwise, and cut each half into fry shapes. The thinner you cut them, the crispier they'll get, so you want to cut them thin, but not paper thin. Try to cut them about the same size so they'll cook evenly. Toss them in the olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with the seasonings of your choice. Add salt and pepper to taste. (This doesn't mean taste the raw potatoes...)
Cook 20 minutes on one side. Take them out and flip them over. Cook 15 to 20 minutes more on the other side, or until fries are crisp and browned to your liking. Sweet potatoes are incredibly healthy, and this will definitely quench any french fry craving you have, so could this be the perfect food? You tell me.

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Blueberry Pancakes

2011-12-04T12:10:00.001-05:00

Want to know how many times a month I crave pancakes?
I don't want to talk about it. It's a lot.
Instead of shoveling out 8 bucks at a restaurant for some of the cheapest comfort food out there, I cooked some up this weekend. Because I'm cheap, and because I know I can control the quality of ingredients that go into these hot cakes. Griddle cakes. Ew. Does "hot cakes" make you cringe a little? It should. They're pancakes.
And in this case, they're blueberry, whole wheat, and vegan. Oh, and delicious.

Blueberry Pancakes
Adapted from Peas and Thank You's recipe for Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 cup Sugar in the Raw
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups almond milk (unsweetened plain or vanilla)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Earth Balance vegan margarine and Grade B Maple syrup for serving

Combine all dry ingredients. Stir in almond milk, just until combined. Over mixing your batter will make tough pancakes, so try to avoid that. Fold in blueberries so they are evenly distributed in your batter. I used a large mixing spoon to slop batter into my cast iron skillet heated on medium, but you could use a 1/3 or 1/4 cup measure depending on how big you like your pancakes.

I like a good buttery crust on my pancakes, so just before I drop some batter into the pan, I will add about a teaspoon of Earth Balance to fry it up in. You don't have to do this, but you totally should. Cook the pancake on the first side until you see little bubbles forming and popping on the surface and the edges turning golden brown. Flip it. Cook a couple more minutes until the other side is golden.

You're going to cook all of these one at a time unless you have a totally awesome large griddle or electric skillet, so it can take a little while. To keep those cooked pancakes hot while you cook the rest of the batter, keep them on a plate in the oven with your oven set on its lowest or "warm" setting. Here's a peek at my state of the art and impeccably clean oven. Don't judge.

After they're all golden, cooked and gorgeous, serve them up with some warmed blueberries or some maple syrup. Grade B is has less of a glycemic impact than Grade A, in case you care about that sort of thing. I also happen to think it tastes more maple-icious.

A little magazine reading on the couch, a ponytail to hide my unshoweredness, and a couple cups of coffee later, I'm ready to go pick out this year's Christmas tree. Feeling fa-la-la.

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Thanksgiving Flavors, The Remix: Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries

2011-12-02T08:48:00.001-05:00

Like we've discussed before, I'm a holiday person. The minute it strikes midnight on November 1st, I become the most Melody version Melody can possibly be and I enter my element. Strap on some jingle bells, power up with some eggnog, and tightly clutching pumpkin in one hand and cranberries in the other, brace yourself- it's time to get festive.

I borrowed this recipe from Tracy of Shutterbean and made it my own. Tracy is Joy the Baker's BFF. And therefore, I want to be BFF with both of them always and forever. But you already knew that. Anyway, this recipe tastes like all the festive holiday flavors you love wrapped into one amazingly healthy, comforting and delicious package. What could be better?

Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 large or 2 small apples, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 and 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 and 1/2 Tbsp aged balsamic vinegar
3/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper*
1 Tbsp orange zest*
1 and 1/2 Tbsp Sugar in the Raw or brown sugar
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

*Optional

Preheat your oven to 400 and get ready to do some mad chopping. Confession: I like chopping things so much that sometimes I cook something for the sole purpose of satisfying my therapeutic chopping needs and desires. This is the perfect time to satisfy that need.

Let's get that butternut out of the way first. You could use two large sweet potatoes if you prefer, but the butternut is really worth it. Cut it in half across so it's easier to deal with. Cut the half with seeds in it in half lengthwise and scoop them all out with a spoon. Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, peel the skin off the whole thing and cut it into cute little 1/2 inch cubes. This is not an exact science. As you chop each vegetable, start tossing it onto a shallow baking dish or roasting pan lined with foil to prevent extreme messiness.

Now Brussels Sprouts. You're going to want to trim the ends a good bit so they're not tough. After that, peel off the outer layer and split them in half. Done and done. Onion. Apple. Cranberries.

Pretty!

Time to make the dressing. Did you know that salad dressing is the easiest ever to make? That's really all this is. Find a jar or container with a resealable lid. I used sweet li'l old jam jar. In the jar, combine the curry powder, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and cinnamon, cayenne and orange zest, if you're using those optional ingredients. I REALLY wanted to use orange zest but didn't have any. If you have it, please use it. Shake it like a polaroid picture.

Drizzle the mixture over the pretty chopped stuff and use your hands to toss. Aren't you so glad to get this moisturizing treat for those dry winter hands? Lovely. Smooth into an even layer and sprinkle the sugar evenly over the mix. You don't need to mix in the sugar. Put it in the oven for 20 minutes. Stir gently. Back in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

While your veggies are working in the oven, you might want to prepare some couscous, wild rice, or quinoa on the stovetop, using chicken or vegetable broth instead of water. Prepare according to package directions. I used quinoa in some homemade turkey stock. When the veggies are done, serve yourself a heap of them over your grain of choice. I was feeling super cozy, so I drizzled the tiniest amount of grade B maple syrup (less sweet than your average bear) over the whole thing. Yum.

I used to be afraid of curry or cooking anything with curry. How dumb was that? It's delicious.
What are you hesitant to try? Afraid of?

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Roasted Chickpeas Two Ways: Chai Some Chickpeas and Hummus Deconstruced

2011-11-30T11:20:00.001-05:00

Here's something to add some fun to your life! Or your salad, party, what-have-you.
Did you know you can roast chickpeas?! Oh you most certainly can and should. Even if you think you don't like them. This magical recipe turns slop from a can into chic (or should I say chick...) snack, topping or bar munch. This recipe was inspired by my trusty Peas and Thank You cookbook I told you about a while back. I would double this recipe if I were you. Just sayin.'

Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chickpeas
Juice of 1 and 1/2 lemons or limes (I used limes because I didn't have lemons. It was legit.)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1.5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 can rinsed and drained chickpeas
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Combine all ingredients and marinate for at least an hour, or a couple if you have time. Spread chickpeas evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure they get nice and evenly crispy and brown. These taste like hummus deconstructed, if you can imagine.

Want some dessert? Try this next recipe over a salad with dried cranberries and pecans with a nice sweet vinaigrette or a splash of good aged balsamic vinegar. Or eat them right off the cookie sheet.

Chai Some Chickpeas
1 can chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry
1.5 tsp garam masala
1 Tbsp vegetable or olive oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup
Pinch of sea salt
Light brown sugar (optional)

Combine all ingredients. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 25 minutes, stirring frequently. Keep your eye on these even closer. They tend to need more stirring to prevent burning since they have a higher sugar content. Sprinkle a little brown sugar on these when they are hot out of the oven for a more indulgent treat.

Important storage tip: Make sure these have cooled completely before storing in an airtight container. Otherwise, they will become a little chewy and odd. I know this from experience, and so does everyone else who ate them at Thanksgiving.

Speaking of giving thanks, I am pretty thankful for this scoundrel. What are thankful for this year?

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A Healthy Addiction? Garlicky Kale to Your Post-Thanksgiving Rescue

2011-11-29T08:51:00.001-05:00

I'm not one of those people you're going to find saying, "oh, I'm SOOO addicted to exercise". That doesn't mean I can't dream about it. You're far more likely to find me eating some combination of bread and stuff that melts and saying "oh, I'm SOOO addicted to (insert bread and fat of the day)". But in the past several months I've had a breakthrough. I developed a healthy addiction! It's kale.

Wait! Don't leave! Once I too was like you, thinking that kale, in all its ultra deep green roughness, could only be consumed comfortably after it had the Satan cooked out of it and had been covered in some sort of high sodium or high fat sauce to mask its overly healthy and virtuous taste. And then, as it is known to do, Whole Foods (better known to some as Whole Paycheck) came to the rescue with its salad bar brimming with vegetables and toppings galore. Of all the delectable delicacies in the salad bar, the garlicky kale was the crown jewel. And then I was so cruelly betrayed. I would sneak away to Whole Foods for lunch to have a rendezvous with G.K., and it was nowhere to be found. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, and I'm making garlicky kale from scratch.

Lucky for me, Brittany over at Eating Bird Food had the same addiction and did most of the leg work. I doubled her recipe and doubled my pleasure. The awesome thing about this salad aside from its delicious and addictive properties, is that it's even better the next day. Definitely the only dressed salad I know of that can hold its own in the fridge a second day. If you like Caesar salad, you're going to love this.

Garlicky Kale
(Recipe slightly adapted from Eating Bird Food)

1 bunch kale
1 1/2 Tbsp tahini
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp unfiltered apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (sounds weird but it's like soy sauce or tamari. Sub tamari in a pinch)
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (an ingredient definitely worth stocking in your kitchen)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Sesame seeds to taste for garnish (optional)

1. Remove tough stems from the kale and tear into bite size pieces.
2. Combine all the remaining ingredients except kale and sesame seeds in a blender (magic bullet is awesome for this) until smooth. Pour over kale.
3. Use your clean hands (sorry, this is going to be your best way to do this) to evenly distribute the dressing and rub it into the leaves, like you're giving it a well deserved massage. Relax, kale, you're feeling a little stiff.
4. Wash your grubby hands, weirdo, and shake some sesame seeds on your delectable health food before you start shoveling it in your pie hole like it was bread with melty fat. If you can manage to wait to eat and let this sit in the fridge for an hour or two, you'll love it even more. If not, strap on the ol' feedbag.

I like to make a meal of this when I know I'm eating pizza (bread and melty fat) for dinner later that day. It's all about balance, or so they say.

This is great for impressing friends that think they don't like healthy food. You sneaky devil.

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Part 3 - MasterChef Casting Calls Wrap Up

2011-11-28T09:22:00.001-05:00

The judges came back in the room after their deliberations.
"We are going to call three names. If we call your name, that doesn't mean you made it. If we don't call your name, that doesn't mean you didn't make it. That sounds like a line, doesn't it? But it's really not. In each city, for each season, we go back through applications and notes and make phone calls, so please don't discount yourself. With that said, please hang around if your name is..."

1. ZZ Top look-alike that played harmonica and sang like he was at American Idol tryouts
2. Jim Schmim
3. Not Melody Ann

I shook hands with the roofer and lawyer that were on either side of me, we tasted each other's dishes, and I left with a huge grin on my face. Because I did the best I could do, got awesome feedback, stepped out of the box and did something outside my comfort zone, and had an amazing experience.

Time to go grab a beer and finally exhale. We walked down to River Street and headed for Vic's on the River for lunch.

For lunch, I had a Caesar salad that was so amazing I stuffed it in my gob before I could photograph it. Amazing lemony white anchovies, biscuit croutons and parmesan crisps that when combined created a whole so much greater than its parts, and an excellent and refreshing foil to the rich and wonderful french onion soup. Washed down with a Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout, and I'm a happy girl. We capped it off with a trip to River Street Sweets and munched on some pralines on the waterfront. Nap time. I had to rest up (no sleep, remember) before we headed out to dinner and our ghost tour. I'd like to go ahead and give Lori her due credit for coming up with this idea. I'd also like to point out I am a huge wimp and have no idea why I agreed to do such a thing as a ghost tour in the world's most haunted city. But at this point, with a belly full of good food and tryouts under my belt, I laid in bed still blissfully unaware of what awful things awaited me.

The alarm goes off, we all get dressed for our fanciest dinner of the night and head out haphazardly without reservation or reservations.

Our destination of choice would have been The Olde Pink House, but there were no reservations available, and the wait likely would have been hours. We walked past a beautiful restaurant with amazing smells and charm oozing out everywhere. Let's eat here! It's the Olde Pink House, duh. We went in anyway to ask about wait times. A handsome man held the door for us, walked up to the host and cancelled his reservation, exclaiming that instead he would like to offer his place "to these lovely ladies." And that's how we were immediately seated at the best seat in the house. The Pink House, to be exact. I didn't get pictures here, because it was just inappropriate, ya know. It was one of those perfect moments that a picture couldn't sum up when we started in on our cornbread fried oyster appetizer with a fresh basil aioli. A large group was seated at the table next to us as we ordered our entrees. I of course had to go with Duck Confit with Vegetable Crepes which was amazeballs.

"That girl at the table next to us looks like Eva Mendez," Lori said. I looked over, amused, and slowly my amusement turned to panic. And I'm sweating. It couldn't be. There in all their LA-stained glory were all the producers, judges and food critics from this morning. We ordered a bottle of wine, and I freaked out as Lori and Ashley planned intricate schemes to get their attention. Their themes varied, but their plans generally stuck to reliable tactics like forced tripping, yelling obvious questions in their general direction, and other reasonable methods. We were almost late for our ghost tour, so we asked for some to-go cups for our bottle of wine (remember that crazy open container law) and started to head out. I walked by their table, told them I enjoyed cooking for them today, and hoped they enjoyed the rest of their stay in Savannah. They were over the top nice, and when Lori kept motioning and mouthing, "call her," behind my head, the sweet Latin American Studies major asked again for my name. They remembered my dish and again said they enjoyed it, and I walked out completely elated. Now if they'd just give me that call to come to LA... :)

At this point, we were legitimately late for our ghost tour, and were sprinting down the streets, wine bottle in hand, looking for our meetup point. We found our party and were congratulated for our open-container-savvy ways. First stop was a graveyard. I was totally not scared at this point. Our guide, Tobias, told us to be sure to take pictures, and don't delete them until we get a good look on our computers. Silly ghost tour, man. It turns out Tobias not only owned this company, but he is actively involved in research with such reputable paranormal researchers as The Rhine Institute. We went to the hospital where mental patients and yellow fever patients were treated and buried in mass unmarked graves. Many were buried alive due to the coma-like state that was characteristic of yellow fever. I started feeling pretty bad right about here. Lori, Ashley and I were debating leaving the tour. It was getting to be a bit much.

The worst was yet to come. We headed to the slave trade square, where families were separated and humans were sold like household appliances. The air was cold and thick here, and tragedy and fear were tangible. Without going into too much detail, there was bad energy here, and we were ready to move on. The tour reached a terrifying finale when at the last uninhabited house, we were given the awful and heartbreaking story of what had happened in this place. As the worst details were divulged, the lights in the top floor suddenly went out. They keep lights on in the house to discourage vandalism and curious ghost hunters. Downstairs lights remained on, and everyone seemed to be ready to head back to more populated areas. Timers, maybe? It was 11:56; maybe they were set for that random time, or maybe the timers were fast... Whatever, it was time to go. What had been Savannah's charming landscape of beautiful old trees and Spanish moss was now more terrifying than it was beautiful, even in the daylight of the next morning. We all three slept in the same bed that night with no sleep. Notice a trend here? Good thing we hadn't loaded the pictures on Ashley's computer yet. (Every single picture is full of these large, mysterious orbs. No biggie.) Lesson here- don't go searching for darkness. You will surely find it. I regret the tour, and will certainly not be going out looking for ghosts again.

The next morning, we decided to grab some brunch before heading home. We also decided a sack of 24 Krystal Burgers would be a fitting appetizer. We were clearly thinking rationally. Breakfast on the beach sounded perfect, so we headed for Tybee Island. We picked Fannie's on the Beach, which offered amazing brunch with these views.

Ashley ordered some mighty tasty fish tacos, and Lori and I ordered the Holy Grail of Eggs Benedict: Two grit cakes topped with two poached eggs and hollandaise, swimming in a pool of pan fried garlic shrimp and butter. Exhibit A.

It came with a toasted English muffin and a gorgeous variety of fresh fruit. Seriously?! Oh, yeah. After a stroll on the beach, we headed back to North Carolina three very happy girls.

So I still haven't heard anything, but trying out for MasterChef was one of the best experiences of my life. It made me more confident in my cooking skills and more ready than ever to pursue my passions. I can't believe the overwhelming amount of support I received from family, friends and strangers. So Thank you! I can't wait to try out again! Until then, this redhead is staying in the kitchen, and telling you all about it.

It's hard to sum up the whole experience in these three blog posts, so if I've left anything out, or if you have any questions about any of it, you know where to find me! Cheers.

Part Two- Behind the Scenes at MasterChef auditions

2011-11-23T16:33:00.001-05:00

After pulling into the parking lot at Savannah Tech Community College, I stalled a little, assessing the sitch. Not as many cars as I expected. Lots of people toting some really extra large coolers and heavy loads. I had my little satchel, lunchbox cooler and thermos. Hmmm. We walked through the double doors and my trusty companions grabbed us a table and chairs while I waited in line and registered. I was contestant number 120, and I handed over my registration packet complete with hot sauce splotches. The lady issuing numbers kept interrupting herself as she instructed me and said, "what?" Like I had interrupted her while I stood there silent. It was strange, and she was strange. But probably an awesome person in real life when she wasn't processing registration packets.

We took our seats and watched ALL sorts of people file in and settle into line.

Oooh! Here's Beefcake. He was destined to be our bestie for the coming hour or two. He made lasagna with homemade noodles and bechamel sauce and was really nervous. And beefy. I hope he made callbacks, but have no idea.

Look! Here we are waiting. Ash on the left, me on the right and the sweet, but ghostly, face of pallor right smack in the middle. Poor old girl was feeling like a squashed beetle.

Check out this dude. Yeah, that dude way in the back of this fuzzy picture standing behind his table and being a total cheater. Although the rules very specifically state you can not bring any heating devices and your dish should be cooked ahead of time, he prepared what I think was chicken marsala on two gas stoves in the middle of the room in front of a very hungry, anxious crowd full of nerves and critical stares. He made sure plenty were watching when he cracked his eggs with one hand and loudly chopped his herbs. Don't be that guy.

An hour into the wait, my number was called. I filed in line with my group of 19 others and we were led into the room of uncertainty as our peers clapped, hooted and hollered. It was a fun feeling, like starting a big race. As we entered the room with the judges, we were given a space on some tables that were arranged in a horseshoe. I'd say it was approximately 2 feet square. "Put your stuff down and move over," said the really hot and skinny LA cool girl being the boss of us. "Get all your stuff out, but don't open or start plating anything." Well that's nice, it makes it easier.

"Ready? Have everything plated in three minutes when I say go. After I say stop, get your hands off the table and don't touch ANYTHING. If you touch your paperwork after I say stop, you'll be disqualified. It's my property now, so make sure it's on the table. Three... two... one... GO."

Hands shaking, I ripped a banana leaf in half, marveling how blessed I was that it made a clean and beautiful tear, laid it across my rectangular platter, and tore three beautiful leaves off my hydroponically grown lettuce. One, two, three lettuce cups in a row. Thermos of meat opened, I clumsily forked out a couple tablespoons on each leaf. I opened my pickled onions, filling the room with the very distinct smell, and I felt like vinegar was everywhere. A few onions on top so my pork is pretty in pink. 20 seconds left. Mango salsa on top of each, no time for cilantro, wipe the plate, "STOP."

A cool looking hipster girl came by my table. "Oh those are so cute! I'm not a judge, but I really want one. They're so pretty! Can I have one? What are they? Oooh, how do you know how to cook Mayan? Awesome! I'm a Latin American Studies major too! Well thanks!" She walked away and whispered something to the producer. Here comes the food critic:

"This is cochinita pibil? I'm from LA, so I eat a lot of authentic Mexican food." He takes a bite. No expression. He looks at me. "And this is very good. So tender." Another bite. "And this mango salsa, what are the peppers? Ah, habanero. No wonder the heat is starting to get to me." He is sweating through his shirt, but that happened before he got to my table. Uh oh. Was it too hot! No way! I tasted it this morning and it was barely spicy. He must be a wimp, but at least he was a nice one. Eek! Wonder what he's saying to the other staff over there. Here comes the guy asking about our TV personalities and our dish of choice. He asks a lot about my personal history, personality, cooking style, strengths and weaknesses. Tough questions, but he's a heck of a nice guy, this Duffy fellow. "Oh this is the mango habanero salsa everyone is talking about." Oh no. "Yeah, I was afraid it might be a little hot..." I said.

"Oh, no they loved it. They were all back there talking about how good it was." Compliment number three. Is this happening?! Could I really make it on the show, or even just to callbacks?!" I'm getting really excited now. The judges go through the last couple of people. One person with a ZZ Top beard sings and plays harmonica, and the judges eat it up. Another 55 year old man has pink hair, the girl two over from me is wearing a see-through shirt. Maybe I should have worn my eye patch? The judges wrap it up and leave us in the room as we deliberate. I make friends with the lawyer and roofer next to me. You wouldn't believe the crazy array of folks here. The plated dishes are mostly beautiful, but some people have some Nutso sounding dishes. I'm feeling pretty good. The judges come back in with the results.

Stay tuned to the third and final installment!! Haha, I always hate it when TV shows do that to me, so I get this sick pleasure out of doing it to you. But seriously, my fingers are tired of typing, so stay tuned.

MasterChef Casting Call Part 1

2011-11-23T09:21:00.001-05:00

So for those of you who have been following my MasterChef casting call audition, here's how it went! I have to preface it by saying that it was an awesome experience, and it meant the world to me to have so much support from family, friends and readers. I was truly overwhelmed with gratitude, so a sincere thank you goes out to every single person reading this!

It began on Friday morning by hacking up a ridiculous sized piece of meat, pouring the marinade I made the night before over the hacked pieces resting in my beloved dutch oven, and packing it in the cooler along with all my ingredients for the mango salsa, pickled onions, banana leaves, and the rest of the marinade. I wasn't sure how well equipped the kitchen in our hotel room would be, so I was careful to pack plenty of knives, containers, etc. My sister arrived and joined Ashley and me for the car ride down.

We arrived at the hotel, which was about 20 minutes away from downtown, but very clean, pleasant and well equipped.

My cozy little hotel kitchen

We settled in, I made my salsa and pickled onions, and we got ready for dinner. We drove downtown and decided to try out Moon River Brewery and ordered some amazing beers with dinner. I had the Rosemary IPA (India Pale Ale), and it was incredible. I love IPAs in general, but the very subtle rosemary in this one played so well off the citrus character of the hops and added a festive Christmas tree feel to it too! Ashley ordered a beer that was better than a dessert. Her Sweet Potato Ale was not sweet or spiced, but was a perfectly refreshing and full bodied ale. The rim was dusted with a mixture of crushed nuts, spices and brown sugar and it made a huge impression! Yum. I don't remember what Lori ordered, but clearly it was not as good as mine and Ashley's... sorry, Lo.

Rosemary IPA up front, Sweet Potato Ale to the right, mystery (Belgian?) ale to the left. Sorry for the fuzzy photo!

We gobbled up some standard pub fare, and headed down to River Street, which was looking pretty desolate for a Friday night. Before heading back to the hotel to crash, we grabbed a beer to go...
Yes! Wait! Did you know about that?! Savannah has an open container law that allows you to literally roam the streets of downtown with beer in hand. Weird and wonderful. I had to take a picture as evidence.

After heading back to the hotel, it was straight to bed. Oh, did I mention that poor little sister was so sick she was hacking her brains out? It's true. No sleep for you! Does that make me sound mean and cruel? Probably. But I really did feel so bad she felt so bad. We tried our best to take care of her, but it turns out Mel and Ash care isn't as effective as amoxicillin. I got up at 3am to line the dutch oven with banana leaves and wrap them around the meat like a present. At least Miss Piggy can be all snug and warm in her sheets even if I can't. I guess I should count my blessings that I wasn't snuggling up to sleep in an oven like this pork was. Into a 275 degree oven until I clambered out of the bed again at 7. I got up at 4. WHAT?! The oven light isn't on! Tailspin into panic! Turns out the oven light was just broken, and it had indeed been cooking and I would indeed get to present my dish as intended. I got up at 5. Good. Still cooking. Ash got up at 5:30, got Lo some water to ease her coughs and grumbled as she went to the bathroom and took world's longest shower. Wet headed cousin climbs back into bed, I climb into shower. It's 8am and I am yelling. Get up! Am I going to have to go do this thing by myself?! I'm so sweet in the morning. It's 8:30 and we're all in the car on the way. We pull into Savannah Tech Community College and everyone is toting the coolers to the door. Awesome! My hands are sweaty and now I am so nervous I feel the urgency of needing a bathroom STAT. Sweaty is gonna look so sexy, how could they dare not put me on the big screen?
Stay tuned for Part 2, where I'll give you all the sweet behind the scenes details of MasterChef casting calls...

Technique: Cooking with Dried Chilies

2011-11-17T09:33:00.001-05:00

I'm going to let you in on a secret-
Rarely do I ever make the same thing the same way, and I almost NEVER cook soup with an idea of what kind of soup I want it to be. It just keeps life more interesting, and helps me take advantage of whatever I might have in my fridge or pantry at the time without sending me to the store again. Another little secret is that I go to the grocery store probably 3 or 4 times a week. I adore grocery shopping. The inspiration from the soup I made last night came from two things: the giant pig bone I had sitting in my fridge, and the nice little dried ancho chilies I picked up yesterday at Food Dog. If you've never cooked with dried chilies, it's a damn shame. Let's fix that right now. Not only is it super cheap and easy, it adds depth of flavor like nobody's business and will totally impress your friends.

The good news is you can find these spicy little numbers almost anywhere. Check either your produce department or the ethnic foods isle. They can be purchased loose or in bags with several in them. Ancho chile is my favorite because it has this smoky, sweet, almost raisin like flavor to it. There are many types: pasilla, chile de arbol, cascabel, and more- you should definitely explore. One of the best ways to cook with dried chilies is to make your very own chili powder. How impressive does that sound?! Guess what... it's easier than putting pants on. Almost. Basically, you just grab an assorted handful of chiles with their seeds removed and toss them in a cast iron skillet with some cumin, paprika, what-have-you, and toast them up a few minutes so they are fragrant before tossing them in the blender. My dad is a pro at this and used to toast them up in the oven. This will make your house smell incredible. Check out Alton Brown's easy and fail proof recipe for specifics.

Want something even easier to do with them? Use them in a soup or sauce for flavor so authentic your burps will probably sound like mariachi music. Cut the top off one or two peppers and slit that mother open. Scrape out all the seeds (most will fall out on their own) and remove the "veins" (lighter colored stringy fibers on the inside of the pepper). Mine barely had any visible veins, so I didn't worry much with it. Put them in a medium container and cover with hot, but not boiling, water. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and drain if you're looking to make a paste, or if you're making a soup, you can leave the liquid in there. Even if you want a paste, save that drained liquid to cook beans, rice, or whatever in it. Yum! If you drained them, use a blender (I like my magic bullet for this) to puree them. If you're making a soup like I did, you want this yummy liquid to stay where it is. Put peppers and liquid in a blender and puree, or use an immersion blender in that same container to make it super easy. I ran my puree through a strainer before I put it in my soup. Totally optional. After the chiles were in the water with the pork bone I boiled the heck out of, it was clear from my pantry that tortilla soup was in order. Here's what I did:

1. Cover bone with water and boil the crap out of it for several hours.
2. Remove bone and let it cool. Pick meat off of it and toss it back in the pot with the water.
3. Rehydrate one dried chile (ancho is what I used) and puree it in its soaking water. Strain and add to pot.
4. Chop one onion roughly. You guessed it, into the pot.
5. There's corn kernels in the freezer. Shake about a cup into the pot.
6. Dump one can of beans into the pot (I used the white ones because I am burnt out on black beans).
7. Dump can of fire roasted tomatoes in pot. Add two Tbsp garlic powder, and one of oregano to pot.
8. Add two chopped up links of chorizo style meatless sausages.
9. Add 1/3 cup jarred enchilada sauce.
10. Add the almost used up whole grain tortilla chips in the back of the cabinet after crushing them.

Let this simmer for at least an hour, stirring frequently and skimming fat off the top. When almost ready to serve, heat 1/3 cup vegetable oil in cast iron skillet until a bead of water flicked into it makes it hiss and dance like nuts. Fry one tortilla per lucky person eating this, one at a time. About thirty seconds on each side is good before removing to a plate lined with a paper towel. Break up into chips for garnish and add to individual bowls of finished soup. Top with avocado if you have it. I had mango salsa and cilantro, so there you go.

Tortilla soup for the soul.

This is the first time I have ever made tortilla soup, and it was my favorite. I will definitely be adding this to my favorite dishes I keep in circulation.
Leaving for MasterChef casting calls in the morning! I couldn't be more excited, and I can't even express how grateful I am for all the encouragement I've gotten from you guys, family and friends. Thanks for routing for me!

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MasterChef Casting Call this Weekend!

2011-11-16T09:00:00.001-05:00

Did I say I'd wait until Monday to tell you my secret? Oh, well. I am way too pumped to hold it in, and goodness knows I can use all the prayers, good vibes and positive thoughts I can get this weekend as I travel to Savannah for the open casting calls for the reality TV cooking show, MasterChef with Gordon Ramsay.

This is incredibly out of character for me. Don't get me wrong, I am all about some cooking competitions. I'm guilty of even turning potlucks at work into Iron Chef matches. Dad and I still compete in the kitchen (although he always wins). The kicker is that I hate reality TV. In fact, I don't even have TV. I watch my episodes of The Office, Parks and Recreation and Modern Family on Jeremy's computer. I don't enjoy the drama, cat fights, and overly staged cheese factors of a reality show. But when it comes to food it's a whole new ballgame. I've even learned to love Iron Chef. ("Squisant! ...Yes...")
...Did anyone get that reference other than my own sister? Yes?

The truth is, I have a lot of respect for not only Gordon Ramsay and the top chefs that make this show so successful, but I also have loads of respect for any amateur cook who has the gonads to really put himself out there and possible make an arse out of himself on National Television, all in the name of his passion and love for food and cooking. Did I mention the perks of networking, meeting other cooks, bloggers and food writers, and spending an incredible weekend in one of my favorite cities with my sister and cousin? So first thing Friday morning, off we trot to Savannah so I can make an arse out of myself while doing what I love most.

Okay, I won't make you wait any longer. So what am I going to make, for Pete's sake?! Oh, you know, just some Cochinita Pibil. What, you haven't heard of it? Allow me to introduce you...

It's pork... It's not vegan, yo...

Ewwww! Can you see the little hair folicles?! I really should have let my butcher cut this up for me.

Marinated overnight in chilies, ground annatto seeds and citrus...

Wrapped in banana leaves...

(Only after playing matador with the leaves because you are a child) That's clearly why I'm not wearing make-up as well. Children don't wear make-up, Dodo.

Braised slowly in the oven for hours, shredded, and eaten with tortillas or fresh lettuce like tacos, with a garnish of pickled onions and Mango Habanero Salsa.

This is a traditional Mayan recipe that has been around for hundreds of years. It's not widely available (at least around here), but it's one of my favorite things I've ever eaten. I was pretty pleased with the trial run, so I plan to present the same version on Saturday! There is no way to heat anything, so I'll be cooking everything ahead of time in my hotel room with a full kitchen, transporting the meat in a thermos, and everything else in a cooler, and plating it when it's my turn.

This is something I never imagined myself doing, but now I'm so looking forward to the experience. I decided there was no reason I shouldn't or couldn't do it, so Seize the Day!
More details on the history of the dish, inspiration, preparation and recipe will be forthcoming... Thanks for reading!

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Mango Habanero Salsa

2011-11-14T14:10:00.001-05:00

I have something up my sleeve. Thankfully, it's not a habanero. But this awesome mango habanero salsa is part of it! Stay tuned for the big reveal next Monday. In the meantime, I'll tease you with a few hints.

Have you noticed a trend here? You may have gathered that I enjoy Mexican food. A LOT. If you live in California (you lucky dog), you probably have access to some pretty darn tasty authentic Mexican. If you live in Durham, NC, you can find some authentic Mexican food, but for the most part it's limited to food trucks, carnicerias (meat markets) and little hole in the wall spots that are pretty amazing if you can dedicate some time to making an adventure out of finding one. And I hate to break it to you, but for the most part, you are not going to find truly authentic Mexican food (which can actually be quite healthy) at that Torrero's or Bandido's Mexican Restaurant downtown.

One of the reasons I think Mexican food is so much fun is the crazy beautiful array of colors! Check out this confetti-lookin' beauty:

Mango Habanero Salsa Fresca

Confession time: I only used one habanero because I was a scared little baby. You should use two. I will certainly use two in my next batch, which I am making this very night. Two batches in two days because I loved it just that much! If you are feeding more than just a couple people, you might consider making a double batch. Trust me, you will have no problem figuring out things to put it on.

Ingredients

1 mango, cut into a small dice

Juice of two limes

Pinch of sea salt

Small red onion, cut into a small dice

2 habanero peppers

2 handfuls fresh cilantro, chopped

First, you're going to want to deal with your mango. If you've ever dealt with one, then you know the deal. If not, let me give you a pointer or two. Mangoes are not a straightforward fruit. They are tricky and slippery little devils. Peel your fruit for starters. It should look like so-

Are you singing the "Rango" theme song while substituting the word "mango" for "Rango"? Because you totally should. It made my salsa better, and it can do the same for yours. Try it-

"Mang-o! Mang-OOO!"

Now you're ready for the tricky part. Mangoes don't have a "pit," per se. At least not in the way a peach or avocado does. They just get really dense and fibrous and hard to cut in the middle. This means you aren't going to get all the fruit off of it that you feel entitled to, and that's okay. Know that it's frustrating for the rest of the world as well. Just cut off what you can from the outsides, first in large slabs, then in smaller pieces as you get closer to the center. Get what you can from it, then give the middle to some cool kid or messy adult to chew and suck on. If they're feeling all Mexican about it, they'll squeeze some lime juice on it and dust it with chili powder because that's what all the cool kids do. Dice your fruit and proceed to the next step.

Get out your latex gloves for some habanero handling. No, I'm not joking. If you do this with your bare hands because you think you have something to prove, then your proof of idiocy will be your burning hands that feel like you stuck them in to an unquenchable fiery furnace. Enjoy that for the next several hours.

Cut the tops off those bad boys and strip them of their seeds, membranes and dignity. If you like things a little spicier, feel free to leave some of the membrane in.

Not only is the habanero one of the hottest peppers in the world, I feel it is also the cruelest. Why? Because it tastes so stinkin' fruity and delicious that you want to eat more of it, but you will be punished accordingly. Give your charming and hateful pepper the fine dice treatment and toss it in a bowl with your diced mangoes. Add your chopped red onion, cilantro and lime juice. Add salt to taste. Taste a couple times and be sure to add your salt a little at a time. Like toothpaste, you can always add more, but you can't take it back. You can eat this immediately, but it's going to be even more amazing after sitting in the fridge for a bit to let the flavors get to know one another.

Now, I highly recommend you do this with your salsa:

Toast one corn tortilla on a cast iron pan on your stove top or char it a little over a gas burner.

Mash half an avocado mixed with a squeeze of lime juice, a dash of hot sauce and salt with a fork.

Top tortilla with avocado mash and a generous heap of your salsa.

Eat this standing up because there's no time to sit when it's this good and this fresh!

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The Best Enchiladas I've Ever Made

2011-11-11T09:56:00.001-05:00

This recipe was thrown together using pantry staples in the midst of a cleaning frenzy, not knowing what kind of crazy outcome there might be. I was so pleased with the outcome, I decided it's the best thing I've cooked in a long, long time. The only thing I would change would be using whole wheat pastry flour for the cheeze sauce instead of white (which was the only flour I had in my pantry save for spelt), and subbing homemade enchilada sauce for the jarred version I used out of blissful convenience. My only kid is a fur kid, but I imagine real life kids without fur would love this meal. Or even real life kids with fur.

Ingredients
1 can organic red lentils
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup jarred or homemade salsa verde
1 to 1 and 1/2 cups jarred or homemade enchilada sauce*
8 corn tortillas
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups water
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 cup Earth Balance (non hydrogenated vegan margerine)
1/4 Daiya vegan cheddar shreds (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make cheeze sauce: in a medium sauce pan, stir together flour, nutritional yeast, salt and garlic powder. Whisk in two cups of water and stir frequently over medium heat until bubbly and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in margarine and mustard.

Run frozen corn kernels under some warm water to defrost. In large bowl, mix together drained and rinsed lentils, corn kernels, salsa verde, and 1/3 cup of the cheeze sauce.

Pour a thin layer of enchilada sauce to coat the bottom of a large baking dish. Heat tortillas in a cast iron skillet or in microwave so they become more flexible. Fill each tortilla with approximately 1/3 cup of filling before rolling the tortilla around the filling and placing it seam side down into the baking dish. Continue filling and rolling tortillas until filling is used up or you have run out of room. It's okay if some tortillas unfold or break since it will bake together anyway.

Top with remainder of enchilada sauce, making sure to cover all the dry parts of exposed tortillas with the sauce. Finally, top the whole shebang with a generous amount of cheeze sauce, or to taste. Store the rest of the sauce in your fridge to use later in the week as a pizza or nacho topping. Top enchiladas with vegan "cheese" shreds if desired. They really aren't necessary to be honest, but it does add some visual appeal, especially if you are feeding this to someone who is wary of your cheese-less cheese sauce. And they deserve to be wary- let's be frank here. Wary until they taste it. Bake 30 minutes and strap on the ol' feed bag, as my dad likes to say.

While my goody was in the oven, I put on some Black Eyed Peas for laundry folding music. CAN'T... HOLD... BACK.... Rock that body! Come on, come on, Rock that body! Laundry will have to wait. Fergie calls, and it's time for some trampoline dancing. If you have a trampoline, you should make this part of the recipe. You would have thought I had put pure, raw crystal meth into Sampson's dog food with the way he responded to this. I assure you I did not, but I wish you could have been there. Arms flailing about, hips shaking and singing poorly, I jumped on my little rebounder in the living room while Sam darted at the speed of light from one end of the house to the other tagging walls, and stopping only to jump on the trampoline with me and run in frantic circles whilst barking and making me double over with laughter. Sam! Rock that body!

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Espress(o) Yoself.

2011-11-10T10:14:00.001-05:00

Oh, hello. If you came here for a recipe today, here's your warning so you can feel free to navigate other wondrous blog pages, pinterest or facebook: no recipe today (okay, just a little lunch idea, but nothing you're going to write home about). Today's post simply contains the musings of a caffeinated comfort food addict. There, I said it.

Hello, my name is Melody and I'm a carbaholic.

Is this a problem? A little over a month ago, I started a Raw Food Cleanse. Amazing! While it was only three days, it really changed my whole perspective about the food I put in my body. I even gave up caffeine completely for over a week! I would recommend you read it in conjunction with watching Forks Over Knives, but only if you're ready to make some dietary changes. And some (or most of you) are probably not wanting to do that and that's totally cool. After I finished the cleanse, I was hooked on some raw kale. I still am! Right now in life, there is literally nothing more I could want for lunch than a trip to the Whole Foods Salad Bar. Pile that ugly container full of garlicky kale, spinach, mixed greens, chickpeas, roasted sweet potato, pumpkin seeds and some lemon tahini dressing and it's heaven. It tastes amazing, fills me up and leaves me feeling great and energized until dinner.

Git in muh belly.

So what's the problem? Laziness. While for awhile it was so easy to come home on my lunch break and fix delicious raw zucchini pasta or a Hugh Jass salad (as Mama Pea likes to call them), when I run out of ingredients or fail to make a shopping trip when I should, I end up eating this:

Warning: May be habit forming.

What is this unusual mess? It's the magical combination of Daiya cheddar "cheese" shreds and homemade hummus cooked grilled cheese style in a cast iron skillet with a teaspoon full of Earth Balance Vegan Margarine. I was introduced to this killer combo by Peas and Thank You, where they are aptly referred to as "crack wraps". And while crack is whack, these are not. This is my default lunch, snack, meal, or comfort food when I am feeling too lazy to cut up veggies for salads or something more healthy and full of nutrients. It could be worse, thought right? Not when you start washing it down with egg nog flavored soy milk. That's when you know it's a problem. And now the caffeine is starting to slowly sneak in. While I don't have a daily cup in the morning, I might have a latte in the afternoon, or a cup of black tea one morning because I'm feeling too festive not to. Or a full blown two shot cafe americano. Hello, espresso; let's be friends again. While allowing myself caffeine during the week (but not daily) is forgivable, I have decided, the lack of vegetables at lunch is not.

I hereby resolve to find a solution. If I wrote it on a blog, I have to hold to it. It's like law now. Here's my best idea. What if I actually make it a rule that I MUST make a list before making my weekly trip that I MUST make to Whole Foods and then when I bring home all the nutrient dense veggies on my list, I will wash, chop, and store them in the fridge immediately. I even wrote it in the largest font so you can hold me to it. That way, it takes literally seconds to throw together a healthy salad or stir fry and I don't find myself making excuses to make things that melt on a daily basis. If I can get more fiber and greens into my breakfasts and lunches, then it's okay if I make things like cheezy chili mac for dinner if I feel so inclined.

I know I'm not alone in this rut thing. What kind of food ruts do you get stuck in? Is caffeine a necessary evil, or do you stay away from it?

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Jose the Dog and Butternut Squash Fries

2011-11-09T09:30:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite parts of the week every week is going to spend Sunday evenings with my parents. Jeremy and I corral Sampson into the car and head over for dinner. It's always a challenge to keep Sam reasonably calm enough to not give Jose (the overly neurotic yet adorable chihuahua belonging to Mom and Dad) a massive stroke. It's not as easy as it sounds.

Jose enjoying his throne after a romp in the snow last year.

Chicken wings were on the menu for dinner this Sunday, so I whipped up a batch of butternut squash "fries" and made a humungo salad. And then I did something brilliant:

Using fries for croutons > using croutons for croutons.

Just look at this delicious mess.

Butternut Squash Fries

2 small butternut squash, peeled and seeds scooped out

1 to 2 Tbsp olive oil

Garlic powder

Chili powder

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Chop up squash into fry shaped pieces. Spread out on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle desired seasonings on top of fries. You could do cinnamon and nutmeg here for a sweet version or really any combo. I like my fries garlicky. Use your hands to toss the whole mess together, evenly distributing oil and spices among the fries. Bake for 45 minutes, flipping fries once halfway through. If they aren't as crispy as you'd like, by all means leave them in a bit longer, but just make sure to check to make sure they aren't burning. Serve with ketchup if desired or use as a topping on a salad like the one below.

Sunshine Salad

6 cups mixed greens or salad mix

1 large avocado cut into slices

2 handfuls dry roasted almonds

1/4 cup sliced sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained

2 tangerines, peeled and segmented

1 handful butternut squash fries for each serving

2 Tbsp lemon tahini dressing or citrus vinaigrette for each serving

Layer all ingredients on top of the bed of greens except the dressing (add that after the salad has been plated). This salad is so crunchy, bright and full of citrus. I hope it makes you think of sunshine too.

As for Jose, he made it through a night of having all his precious little toys (Moo, Squirrely, Chicktoria, Dolphie, Roo and Baby Hedgie) slobbered all over and dominated by Sampson. And then the next morning after the threat was gone and he had reclaimed his possessions, he neatly gathered them into a pile and peed on each one. He might need some doggie therapy, Mom.

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One Pot Meal: Spicy Quinoa with Chorizo

2011-11-08T09:36:00.001-05:00

Okay, so I dirtied two pots for this one despite the title, but it was still a quick and easy complete meal in a bowl. You might be wondering if I ditched the whole no animal products thing after reading the title of this post. While I did not use actual delicious and amazing authentic pork chorizo, I did find this little gem at Whole Foods: Mexican Chipotle Grain Meat Sausages by Field Roast. Does that sound disgusting to you? While it was definitely delicious, I completely understand should you choose to make this dish with authentic Mexican chorizo instead.

But wait! Do you know about quinoa? Did you just say "kwin-oh-ah" to yourself when you read it? It's okay, Jeremy did too at first. Of course I totally got it right the first try, duh... It's "keen-wa". Keen! If you are totally keen on quinoa, you should definitely use it in Stuffed Acorn Squash. If not, the recipe below is a pretty sweet introduction.

Quinoa is an ancient grain that was a staple part of the Inca diet. (See how I'm totally using my Latin American Studies degree while blogging?!) I read that on the box. Here's some awesome stats on this awesome grain:

It's a complete protein in and of itself. Take that, rice and beans.
It's got a nice little "pop" to it when you bite in that gives it a satisfying, toothsome feel.
The germ (not like cooties, but like the part that will help it germinate, silly) is this little light yellow tail thing that swirls around the grain to make each one look like a miniature Saturn. Trippy.
Like couscous, it cooks really quickly and is almost fool proof to make. But it's better for you than couscous, so try using quinoa in your next recipe that calls for couscous. Look how smart you are.
It's delicious! Did you really need all those other reasons?

Ingredients
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup quinoa
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup jarred or homemade salsa verde
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 small onion, chopped
2 links meat free chorizo "sausage"
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

This dish was born out of a need for a comforting bowl of something hot and full of protein, lack of groceries, and a special ingredient that provided inspiration. I was looking for a quick fix, but if you have more time on your hands, definitely toss in whatever veggies you might have on hand or some chopped garlic to saute with the onions for an added flavor and nutritional boost.

Directions
Cook the quinoa in the vegetable broth (instead of water) according to package directions. While that's working, lightly coat the bottom a heavy bottomed pot with the olive oil and saute the onions on medium heat until they become translucent. Crumble in the chorizo, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and incorporating it into the onions. The bottom of the pot is probably starting to get little browned bits sticking to it. You want this. Wait until you have a good amount of browning going on (but watch to make sure it's not burning) and add in the white wine. Make sure to use the wine and the steam it's putting off to help you scrub up and incorporate all those yummy brown bits into your mixture.

Sauteed onion, "chorizo", white wine and salsa verde.

Check your quinoa. If it has absorbed all the liquid, dump it in the pot with your spicy onion goodness. If not, keep it simmering until the grains are fluffy and the liquid is absorbed, but be sure to watch your onion mixture to make sure it doesn't start to brown again after the wine has evaporated. If it does, just add in a little water to get those brown bits up again.

Cooked quinoa before combining with onion mixture.

Once you've combined your quinoa with your onion mixture, stir in the salsa verde and fold in the frozen peas. Don't worry- they'll defrost quickly but still maintain their fresh sweetness and refreshing pop. Ta-da! You're all set for dinner. Scoop out a serving into a bowl and garnish with a sour cream alternative (or plain greek yogurt if you eat it), hot sauce and cilantro if you like.

I can't wait to make something with cinnamon and watch The Family Stone soon. I'm thinking that definitely needs to happen sometime this week because I can't stop thinking about it. Now that the time change has happened and it's dark when I get home, I am all about transitioning into holiday mode. Break out the crafting gear and mulling spices!

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Hummus Among Us

2011-11-07T10:02:00.000-05:00

How was your weekend? Mine was pretty excellent; especially the part yesterday when all I did from 9am until 12pm was listen to John Mayer really loud, lay on the couch with pup, and make hummus. What, hummus doesn't sound like breakfast food to you?

When the clock struck 12 noon, Jeremy and I decided it was time for him to put on a hat and me to put my hair in a ponytail and head out the door to The Federal to meet Mom and Dad for some crazy good grub and beer. This place never disappoints in either category. I was too hungry to get a picture of it, but I had the veggie sliders and a side salad. And lots of Jeremy's delicious garlic fries he forfeited by having his plate near me. Sometimes really good food does make me happy, is that such a crime? Just like this hummus is going to make you happy. So don't feel bad if you find yourself half a bag of baby carrots deep into this stuff- it's tasty taste AND full of protein and healthy items for the win.

Ingredients
3 cloves garlic
Juice of two lemons
2 cans organic chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
2 Tbsp tahini (ground sesame seeds)
1/3 to 1/2 cup reserved liquid from chickpeas
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Dump all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. You will have to stop a couple times and push down the stuff on the sides to make sure everything gets incorporated and blended smoothly enough. You want it really smooth. If you want to make it a little richer, add the olive oil. It's perfectly delicious without it, but I added it for good measure. Pour your super duper hummus into a storage container with a tightly fitting lid, or a serving dish if you're smart and eating it right away. Top with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some paprika. Feel free to make limitless variations. Add some roasted red peppers to a batch. Toss in a little jalapeno and cilantro if you're feeling spicy, or give it some zing by stirring in some finely chopped olives and capers. Heck, top it with some fresh chopped parsley while you're at it and save some for me.

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Cheezy Chili Mac

2011-11-04T09:28:00.001-04:00

Happy Friday!

I'm celebrating Friday by busting out the Christmas CDs. Before anyone starts casting stones, let it be known that I realize this is ridiculous and quite possibly may even be off putting. I don't care. Although the Josh Groban choice this morning may have been a little much. I think I'll ease into it a little more smoothly tomorrow with something like the Sufjan Stevens Christmas CD. Now there is a gem.

So for lunch yesterday, I made this amazeballs chili burrito with avocado and lime crema from leftovers from the night before. After polishing that off with a good amount of baby carrots and homemade hummus, I was feeling pretty full. Okay, so I was feeling really full and like I needed a big salad for dinner. So just know that I had the best of intentions. Then I got a headache and started feeling all moody and came home and whipped up some extreme comfort food. Queue the latest episode of Modern Family (hilarious), pass the hot sauce, and let's call it a night.

Cheezy Chili Mac
1 lb package whole wheat or vegetable shell pasta
2 cans vegan chili beans or 3 cups leftover homemade chili
1 medium zucchini
1/2 package Daiya pepper jack shreds
1 package silken tofu
2 Tbsp hot sauce
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
Sea salt to taste
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook entire package of noodles in plenty of water, according to package directions. Chop a zucchini into small bite size pieces (it doesn't have to be pretty) and chunk all the chunks into the cooking noodles and water about 3 minutes before the noodles are done. This is not a precise science.

While noodles (and zook) cook, combine chili (homemade, frozen, canned, whatever) with all the remaining ingredients except the "cheese" shreds and bread crumbs. Stir/mash it all together. Drain cooked noodles and put them back in the pot. Add the chili mixture to the noodles and stir to combine well. *Don't be scared of the tofu. You're going to be amazed at how it brings all the flavors together and ends up looking and tasting just like the delicious cottage cheese or ricotta your grandma puts in her baked macaroni and cheese she brings to all the potlucks.

Dump all of the mixture into a large casserole dish and pat it down into an even layer. Top with the bread crumbs, spreading them evenly over the mixture. I shook on a little extra sea salt, garlic powder and paprika here. Spread "cheese" shreds evenly over the whole thing.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Dig in.

Are you still with me here? Are you mad that I put tofu instead of cheese into Macaroni and CHEESE? I don't blame you. But listen, if you eat dairy, please feel free to use regular cheese on top if you want. But please do try to keep the rest of the ingredients the same, because I think you'll amaze yourself and maybe you'll love it. And you don't necessarily need to tell anyone you eat this with that it doesn't have cheese. They won't be able to tell. In fact, I issue this as a challenge! Cousin Ashley, I'm talking to you. Make this for your cheese and carb addicted husband. Maw-Maw always said, "sometimes it's okay to tell little white lies." Let me know how it turns out! Salad for lunch today, I promise.

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Hearty Chili with Lime Crema

2011-11-03T10:05:00.000-04:00

There was a time in my life when all I wanted every single day was the vegetarian chili at Mad Hatter's. Served in a huge bowl with a ginormous slice of house baked ciabatta on the side, this monster was topped with slices of fresh avocado, a lime cilantro sour cream, and lots of shredded cheese. But really, the toppings were the star here. Better known for its other specialties, the chili itself at Mad Hatter's was a bit... bland.

Though I still crave that warm comforting bowl of normalcy, my budget no longer craves it, and my body no longer wants the bloat and crack-habit-like cravings that come with cheese consumption for me. Holy Schnizzle. I can't believe what I have just done. Now, I have made my fair share of chili beans. In fact, every year I host a chili cook off at work because I just can't get enough. I come by it honest, since growing up it was one of our favorite meals. My mom is one heck of a comfort food cook. I don't think there is much that is more comforting than her french toast, her spaghetti sauce, or her chili. But when it comes to veggie chili, there is always something a little lackluster about it. My last couple batches were filling, satisfying and just okay. Tonight something incredible happened. I found a secret ingredient. I don't care who you are- even Ron Burgundy or Ron Swanson would love this meatless chili. I created a monster.
Trust me on this one and give this one a go.

I'm obviously all about the toppings.

It looks like a lot of ingredients, but most of them are pantry staples.

Chili Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 can dark red kidney beans
1/2 can black beans
4 or 5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 small can green chilies
1/2 package meatless crumbles (or whole if you like it meaty)
1 15 oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
1/8 cup chili powder
2 Tbsp cumin
1 1/2 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp paprika
2 Tbsp tahini
1/4 cup organic ketchup
3 good dashes hot sauce

Lime Crema
Juice of one lime
1/3 cup Tofutti Sour Supreme, or organic sour cream
1 small handful fresh cilantro

Toppings (Optional, but why wouldn't you)
Chopped fresh green onion or sweet onion
Fresh avocado slices or guacamole
Shredded organic cheese or vegan cheese
Diced tomatoes
Chives
Cilantro
Salsa

Directions
In a heavy bottomed pot on medium heat, saute chopped onion and garlic in the olive oil until slightly translucent. Add in meat crumbles and continue to cook for a few minutes. Add in chili powder and cumin. If you have homemade chili powder, please do use that. Continue to stir a few minutes and add in the canned green chilies. It should look pretty messy right now. Like this:

I didn't have any tomato paste, so I added in ketchup at this point. I actually really loved the sweetness it added to the smoky combo at this juncture. Then I dumped in one of my secret weapons, the can of fire roasted organic tomatoes I picked up last week. I don't use these often because they are more expensive, but in a smoky and flavorful dish like this it was totally worth it. Drain and rinse your beans and add them to the mixture. I used only a half can of black beans because I used the other half at lunch for a burrito. Add your cocoa powder. It won't make your beans taste chocolaty, I promise. It just plays off the chili powder to add more depth of flavor, which is what you want in chili.

Enter the next secret ingredient and the odd one: tamari. Tamari is just sesame seeds ground up into a tasty paste. I never cooked with it until this past month, and I'm amazed at the incredible flavor it can impart to so many dishes. When I opened the fridge to put the ketchup back, the tamari caught my eye. Would it's earthy flavor and rich texture beef up this beefless mixture? It was a dangerous thought, but I live on the edge so I added in a tablespoon. I tasted it... HARK! One more tablespoon... SWEET LITTLE OLD LADY! I don't think I'll ever go back to making veggie chili without it.

Add hot sauce to taste, and let this simmer while you make your lime crema or until you're ready to eat.

To make the crema, simply combine the lime juice, cilantro and sour cream (or Tofutti) in a small blender (I used my Magic Bullet that I adore) until cilantro is roughly chopped and all ingredients are incorporated. Use as a condiment to top your chili. I could only wait about a half hour to let it simmer and dug in after piling the toppings on high. Check out this meaty texture!

I can't wait to eat it for lunch tomorrow in a burrito! Leftover chili is even better the day after. Do you ever get in a lunch rut? Is it weird that I liked to eat literally the same exact thing every single day for...ahem... a year??

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Dinner in 5! (or 10, tops...)

2011-11-02T10:36:00.000-04:00

This isn't rocket science here, folks. But it is a tasty, healthy and lightening fast dinner that you can put together in less time than it takes me to dry my crazy hair every morning. Full disclosure: (I recently purchased some dry shampoo and now only have to dry my hair every other day. Whoop Whoop!).

Like many if not most of the recipes I make up, this came together completely haphazardly based on the fact that I didn't get home last night until 9:15pm, was ravenous, and had these particular items in my fridge/freezer/pantry. Feel free to make any substitutions you like while still following the same basic idea for endless combinations. I did peas, pesto, walnuts, and soba noodles with broiled grape tomatoes, but you could do peanuts, teriyaki sauce, red bell peppers, and rice noodles with broiled whole green onions. See how this works?

Tomatoes after broiling

Here's the breakdown of what happened to create this li'l ditty:

1. Come home and turn oven on to broil. Dump full dry pint of (almost at the end of their rope) cherry tomatoes onto baking sheet.

2. Drizzle with a little olive oil (a couple teaspoons should be fine), sprinkle with salt and pepper. Give the baking sheet a good jiggle so it does all the even distribution for you. How thoughtful.

3. Put it on the top rack of your oven and broil it while you do the rest of the steps.

4. Boil water. Add one bundle (soba noodles come in bundles that serve one to two people) of soba noodles to boiling water. Pat yourself on the back smugly, knowing that since soba is made of buckwheat, you are doing your health a favor. Cook noodles for four minutes, when they will be done.

5. While waiting for the water to boil and then for the noodles to cook, grab a jar of homemade or store bought pesto (the Classico brand is totally delicious) out of the fridge. Also grab a handful or two (1/3 cup) of frozen peas and defrost them in some warm water. Cut a lemon in half. Get your strainer. Does this seem like several steps?

6. Drain pasta and put back into pot with defrosted and drained peas. Take your tomatoes out of the broiler and add them all to the pot. Add about 1/4 c. pesto to the pot, and squeeze your lemon half over all of it. Stir.

7. Divide into two portions (or one if you're really hungry) and top with chopped walnuts, parmesan cheese, or a good dose of "nooch" (nutritional yeast). Feast, Beast!

This photo makes it look gross. It was really un-gross! In fact, it was pretty, pretty tasty.

The thought for the day brought to you by the tag on my Apple Cinnamon tea:

"The finest pleasure is kindness to others."
-Jean de La Bruyere

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Pesto Change-O!

2011-11-01T11:46:00.001-04:00

Oh, now I remember why I don't watch horror movies! Because they make me cry like a pathetic little scared baby. In honor of Halloween, Jeremy and I decided to watch Season of the Witch while eating dinner and answering the door. (Once, by the way. We had only one group of trick or treaters. Sad panda.) It had Nick Cage in it- how bad could it be? Pretty bad. Like "release the demons and watch the plague eat peoples faces and turn them into zombies" bad. Mmmm. Hungry now?

Let's talk about pesto. Our favorite pizza ever is the Cosmic Karma pizza at Mellow Mushroom. It's this totally delicious swirl of regular pizza sauce and pesto sauce as the base, with toppings of fresh tomato, feta, and sun dried tomatoes that turn it into melty pizza bliss. I can make pesto! And you can too:

Ingredients
2 cups fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 large cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp fresh lemon zest
3/4 cup raw walnuts or pine nuts (walnuts are cheaper, my friend)
1 tsp kosher salt

Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Some people like it chunkier, and that's fine. If you are into eating dairy, by all means dump at least 1/3 cup of parmesan cheese (use the good stuff, like parmigiano reggiano) into the mix. This will make it thicker, so add more olive oil as desired. Use as a topping for pizza, on fresh bread, mixed with pasta (or zucchini spaghetti) or mixed in with some ricotta and used in lasagna or eaten right of the dang spoon. I chose to paint with mine. Behold the artistry:

Finger painting for adults! Wouldn't it be so festive if I smeared some on my face before answering the door for Trick or Treaters? "Happy Halloween kiddos, from Swamp Thing's home to yers." Oops, I just lost a reader. Back to pizza construction.

I made swirls of my homemade pesto and jarred Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Sauce from Whole Foods (because it's Halloween and I'm not trying to be Martha Stewart tonight) onto my homemade pizza crust. I made an easy spelt flour/regular flour crust that was okay but not my favorite, so I won't post the recipe this time. But you could totally make it so much easier on yourself and use a premade refrigerated crust. Please do yourself a favor and don't use one in a can. I have never been to a pizza place that wouldn't sell me a ball of their unbaked dough for super cheap. Definitely work up the courage to be a weirdo and do this. Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and many supermarkets also carry freshly made refrigerated or frozen pizza dough that is convenient, cheap and ready to go. After you've painted your sauce(s) onto your blank canvas, it's time to start decorating.

Ours was festively decorated with thinly sliced onions and fresh red peppers, olives, capers, sun dried tomatoes, and local fresh goat cheese with herbs. Jeremy's side had Cabot Seriously Sharp White Cheddar, and mine had the tablespoon I had left of my Daiya shredded vegan "cheddar" which I would totally recommend in a heartbeat. I decided to let a few goat cheese crumbles mingle on my side since I am not trying to be a nazi about the whole no dairy thing. Ten minutes at 425 degrees and dinner is ready and handheld. Win!

We made short work of this pizza and totally demolished it. I gave mine a generous sprinkling of nutritional yeast and it was so good Jeremy actually put "that weird stuff on the counter" on his seconds! Why don't I make pizza more often? Happy November!

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Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T11:05:00.000-04:00

My attempt at carving leaves with "softly glowing" aspects ended in me punching a giant hole into the side of the gooey mess. Hence the awkward angle. The dog food, newspaper and plants threatened by frost really enhance the holiday feel of this photo. You're welcome.

Is it too early to start listening to Christmas music? If it's wrong, I don't wanna be right. There must be a "festive gene" that all the women in my family seem to have. Maybe it's just because I have such an amazing family (no one likes a bragger, but get ready 'cause here it comes). Maybe the arrival of Halloween marks the beginning of my favorite part of the year because there is the promise of spending more time together and enjoying each others special gifts. From Aunt Hannah's sausage balls and Uncle Tommy's Christmas Eve serenades to Mom's all-out comforting Christmas decor and Alana's Thanksgiving Apple Cake, my family members are holiday professionals not to be trifled with. I could go on and on, but I'll stop being a bragging jerk and point out another awesome family- Have you met the Peas? Peas and Thank You is my new blog crush. Mama Pea's recipes are so pealicious that I had to buy her book. Whether you eat only plants, only animals, or both, her book and blog are full of recipes and hilarious stories that you will love. I loved these muffins.

Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

These were the fragrant and wonderful start to the day. And apparently they are nutritious too since I had enough energy following muffin consumption (I may or may not have had more than one) to fuel a hike by the river, intensive cleaning of the stove and microwave, and more Pea inspired cooking and eating before settling in for a cozy viewing of Funny Farm with Jeremy.

Teriyaki Tofu (recipe from Peas and Thank You) over jasmine rice with stir fried veggies for dinner. Even tofu-suspicious Jeremy went back for seconds.

In other news, I had to scrape ice?! from my windshield this morning. The holidays are truly upon us. I can't wait to go home and roast my pumpkin seeds I've been soaking from yesterday's pumpkin debacle (I'm not to be trusted with large knives and slippery gourds) and hand out candy to young'ins. Do you save your pumpkin seeds, or is it too much trouble?

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Fast Food: Spaghetti and Pumpkin Spice Lattes

2011-10-27T09:00:00.000-04:00

Every single day of my working life I drive all the way back home to the edge of town for lunch only to return in the blink of an eye to my downtown workplace.

For this:

Totally precious and mischievous Sampson. 28 pounds and he ain't close to stoppin' yet.

Totally worth it. This does present some serious time constraints when it comes to eating lunch. It's all in the routine. Most days I'll have a lunch sized salad or leftovers from dinner the night before. But on days like today when salad pickins are slim but I still want a good veggie punch, I have noodles. How fast did it take me to make my noodles for spaghetti today? Eh, we'll say 30 seconds, give or take a few.

Have you guessed the secret yet? It's raw zucchini!

I Said it's Raw Zucchini!!?!

Okay, so maybe you're not as awesomely amazed as I was when I first caught a glimpse of what a kitchen tool called a "spiralizer" can do. It can even make those neat little curly and connected chips like you get at the fair? And spirals, duh.

I had to get one right away. The good news is they are pretty cheap as far as kitchen tools go, and you can click here to get the very exact same one I have and love.

Top that off with a little of my super simple marinara sauce leftover from the night before last, and DANG! Let's eat! You can use your own tomato sauce, or a bottled organic tomato sauce to make this even easier. I love to use a sprinkle of nutritional yeast or hemp seeds like I would Parmesan cheese for a little extra flavor and texture.

I like to leave the peel on my zucchini to keep the extra nutrition and fiber, but you could peel it prior to making noodles to make it look more like actual pasta. If you don't have a spiralizer, you can still make noodle-like strips using a vegetable peeler or using a good sharp knife to cut your zucchini into matchstick strips.

Now that you've eaten such a virtuous lunch, it's high time to reward yourself with a pumpkin spice latte. Tip: Don't take out a second mortgage to go to Starbucks. You got this covered.

In a jar with a tight sealing lid, combine:
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp maple syrup (or more, to taste)
1 cup vanilla almond milk

Shake all ingredients together vigorously. You can try adding a small amount (2 tsp) of canned pumpkin if you like, but I found I like the creamier texture if I leave it out. Heat this and drink it on it's own and be in a state of autumn bliss if you so desire, or you can take it to the next level (the caffeinated level) by adding some espresso or coffee. To heat, either use a steam wand on an espresso machine, or heat it on the stove or microwave, then spin in a blender to give it the frothiness I know you will spend $5 for. Pour over one shot of espresso or 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee and enjoy.

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Ecto Cooler, Anyone?

2011-10-26T10:19:00.000-04:00

Ello, Poppet.

I have a confession, if you will. While once I was a carnivorous, wild beast of a cook, feasting on delicious animal fats and hearty meat, cheese, and eggs (evidence here)... those days are gone. At least for a little while. Fear not omnivorous friends! I'll continue to post recipes that can have meat, cheese, eggs, or what have you added to them. But for my health's sake, I've decided to go with a largely meat and dairy free diet for a bit. (I won't freak out if some animal product slips in unknowingly or in a pinch).

I'm not here to tell you that you should do the same either. It's purely a personal choice, and the way I've been enjoying eating for almost a month now. It's nice sometimes to step out of one's comfort zone and do something you thought you never (literally NEVER) thought you would or could do. So when you see recipes on this site that use Earth Balance (a vegan butter substitute), or vegan "cheese," please feel free to substitute the real deal. You'll also see some interesting ingredients you might not eat as a part of your regular diet- don't be afraid! In the past three weeks I have discovered that chia seeds, hemp seeds, sea vegetables, and nutritional yeast are awesome additions to any diet and any chef's pantry. Check out the links for more information on these power foods.

Have I lost you yet? Leaping lizards, you're still here?! Then let me tell you about my breakfast obsession. It's big, green, and it's ALIVE! Have you heard of the craze over green smoothies? Google it. It's rampant. And no wonder! Did you know that you can shove handfuls of greens like spinach and even kale into your fruit smoothie and not even TASTE IT?! It's true. The smoothie I made this morning was one of my favorites so far. Behold: The Ecto Cooler...

Okay, so it's not the ectoplasmic mucus that Slimer leaves behind in Ghostbusters, but remember that Hi-C juice box?!

Ingredients
2 handfuls of baby spinach
1 ripe fresh or frozen banana
1/3 cup frozen raspberries
1 cup frozen pineapple
1 Tbsp nut butter (I used almond)
1 cup cold water
Ice cubes (optional)

Combine all ingredients except ice in blender. Blend the heck out of it until it looks like the delicious slime above. Add ice to thicken if needed and blend again. This makes about a 24 oz. smoothie, or one serving.

Just in time for Halloween, this concoction looks disgusting, sounds scary, but tastes amazing and gives me enough energy that I don't even need my morning coffee! Adding a healthy fat like almond butter, ground flax seeds, or hemp seeds gives it staying powder to hold off your appetite until lunchtime. I have had a variation of this smoothie every single morning for the past three weeks, and I'm just getting started. The key is to raid the frozen fruit section of your local Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, and you're always ready for a new combination.

Have you ever tried to go vegetarian/vegan/primal/paleo/etc?
How did it go?

Grilled Bacon Jalapeno Poppers (Man Bait.)

2011-10-24T14:41:00.000-04:00

This weekend was a blur. A fantastic and wonderful weekend, but a blur nonetheless. My most excellent, funny and generous sister and her fiance came to visit this weekend from Asheville, NC to celebrate my most excellent, funny and generous uncle's birthday. It was a big one (Uncle Tommy would have you believe it was the big 3-0, and I'll never tell otherwise). Fire pits, jam sessions, weenie roasts, champagne, and Close Encounters of the Doggie kind were all critical components. Top it all off with the Duke Chapel Choir and the birthday boy singing a most incredible performance of Be Still My Soul commissioned by said birthday boy himself, it was a weekend to remember.

While I did do a little cooking this weekend (some pretty yummy veggie burgers to be featured soon), I didn't capture any photos. Remember all those photos in my phone from past cooking adventures I failed to post about? Here's where they come to the rescue. One of my favorites was also the simplest. Three ingredients combined to create a flavor explosion. It doesn't get much easier or delicious than Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers. They're nutritionally a far cry from the veggie burgers, but Great Oden's Raven they're good!! And if you really wanted, you could make them vegetarian or vegan by substituting the bacon for "fake" bacon and vegan "cream cheese."

Ingredients
Several medium to large jalapeno peppers (or other medium sized pepper of your choice)
1 block cream cheese or cream cheese substitute
1/2 lb bacon
Wood or metal skewers

This is a great side dish or appetizer to make when you're already firing up the grill for something else. Make sure you have your grill getting hot while you prepare to skewer your peppers. If you'd prefer to cook them in the oven, go ahead and preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

1. Using a small paring knife, cut a slit in one side of your pepper lengthwise from end to end. Do not cut all the way through. You want to be able to gently squeeze each end toward the other so it opens up like a cute little spicy coinpurse. I totally won't make fun of you if you wear gloves while making these. Peppers can burn, baby. Scrape out the insides of the peppers (seeds and membrane). If you want your poppers really spicy, you can leave more of the guts inside. It should look like this:

2. Cut off a small slab of cream cheese and stuff it into your gutted pepper. Like so:

3. Wrap each stuffed pepper with half a slice or a whole slice of bacon, depending on how big your peppers are (or how awesome you want it). It's fine if some of the bacon overlaps.

4. Thread your stuffed, bacon-clothed and blissed out peppers onto a skewer for easy grill flippage. Three to a skewer works out nice.

Grill on indirect heat (away from the hottest parts of the grill) about five minutes on each side, or until bacon is lightly browned and cooked through. If you're using an oven, try baking them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet for 5 minutes on each side, or until bacon is cooked through. I haven't tested the oven method, so keep an eye on them. Serve as an appetizer or alongside your meal. You're gonna want a beer (or two) and maybe a bat to keep all the men flocking to your house at bay and away from your precious vittles.

Are you making them tonight?! I can't wait to hear how they turn out.

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Asian Crunchberries

2011-10-20T15:22:00.001-04:00

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Whoa! Guess what? I'm back.

Blogging takes a good deal of time and effort. It's just the nature of the beast. I can't tell you how many pictures of food I have on my phone from days that I almost got it together enough to share what I'd been up to. I definitely missed it, and I'm so glad to be back! But enough talk. Let's cook! Wheat berries. Yes, let's cook wheat berries. I promise it's tasty.

This is one of those complete accident dishes that I'll totally do on purpose again soon. I had just bought my very first pack of rice wraps so I could try my hand at fresh spring rolls. Gotta get those veggies in. After literally turning my kitchen upside down and having a mini meltdown when I wasn't able to find them, I was in a funk. Seriously pouting. I'd already chopped up a nice array of radishes, yellow bell pepper, cucumber, carrots and avocado into neat little matchsticks and slices and now my beautiful avocado was just doomed to turn brown. In comes red wheat berries to save the day! I'd been boiling the heck out of these babies for the last hour or so on the stove to add to salads and wraps during the week. I'd had them once in a salad at Panera and have wanted to try them since. They are a really affordable (bulk bin fun), delicious and chewy way to seem like your totes in the know and healthy chic.

Because I made this in a frenzy of needing to use ingredients, needing Asian flavors (okay wanting), and needing to eat soon, this recipe is going to have a lot of approximations. Don't let this stop you. Make your own version and taste and season as you go, fair lad or lassie. I promise you can't screw this one up even if you were born with hands like Edward Scissorhands.

Ingredients

4 large radishes, diced

1 1/2 cups cooked wheat berries (hard red variety)

1 large or 2 small avocados, diced

2 large carrots, diced or shaved with vegetable peeler

1/2 large cucumber, seeded and diced

handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

two handfuls dry roasted peanuts, roughly crushed

2 whole chopped green onions, white and green parts

1 large yellow or orange bell pepper

Dressing

1 T toasted sesame oil

juice of 2 limes

2 T tamari or soy sauce (or to taste)

1 T rice wine vinegar

Dash of Sriracha
2 t brown rice syrup or maple syrup

Generous sprinkling of dulse flakes (dried seaweed)

You can either make the salad and the dressing separately using the ingredients listed above and then combine, or if you're totally into winging it like I did, you can toss all the salad ingredients together, and then season according to taste with the individual ingredients listed above. Keep tossing stuff in there until it tastes good. Chill in the fridge until you're ready to eat or serve it. I'm a sucker for anything that has a bunch of crunch and tangy flavor, and this has it all. Are you totally weirded out that I have seaweed in my cabinet?! Me too. You can enjoy this salad chilled over a bed of lettuce, on its own, or wrapped up in a ginormous collard green leaf like I did for lunch today. It doesn't get soggy like a tortilla and gives it a lot of eye appeal. It's totally easy to be a collard burrito pro - check out this sweet tutorial for a leak free and oh-so-chic wrapper.

You could totally throw almost any vegetable in your fridge into the mix here. The rules are there ain't no rules! What was your last successful kitchen accident? Do tell.

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Chocolate-Nutella Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Buttercream. For Real.

2010-10-29T11:30:00.000-04:00

So today is the day to celebrate the lovelies in my office who happened to be born in this most festive of months, October. While I would prefer to celebrate Oktoberfest-style with some deliciously cold-yet-warming brews, I'm at work. So we'll have cupcakes instead. Sometimes I take requests because it's nice to make your coworkers happy. Requests for this month: Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, and really chocolately cupcakes with frosting of some sort.

Admission: While I love carrot cake, and I love cream cheese frosting, carrot cake is one of the most tedious of cakes to make. I simply hate grating carrots, and I can't buy them grated to my satisfaction. Solution: boxed cake mix and store-bought frosting. Don't hate. I did add some personal touches by coloring the frosting orange and piping it! Plus I got to use my extra-neato cow sprinkles. Do I recommend these? Not in good conscience due to artificial ingredients. But definitely taste one of the other variety...

We're talking deep chocolately cupcakes filled with Nutella, and frosted with Dulce de Leche buttercream.

I started out with a fairly simple chocolate cupcake recipe from Joy of Baking.com.
I hadn't ever made a chocolate cupcake using this method (basically making my own chocolate syrup minus the sugar) before, and it was kind of fun. While the chocolate frosting that goes with this recipe looks amazing, I had to go with something a little more warm and autumn-like to cut the intensity of the chocolate cupcake. Here's where my favorite blog comes in: Joy the Baker. (Not related to Joy of Baking, actually). This girl is amazing. She makes things I have wanted all my life but never knew about. Plus, she is hilarious, and Joy if you're reading right now, which most assuredly you are not, let's be best friends forever. I found this frosting recipe on her site, which I think she actually borrowed from The Pastry Queen. Dulce de Leche is caramel usually made from goat's milk. It's actually available in the ethnic foods section of most grocery stores and is fairly inexpensive. I probably should have cut this recipe in half since I only made 12 cupcakes and had a lot left over. If you have leftover batter after a dozen cupcakes, you may want to pile it in a ramekin and bake it with the rest for a delicious molten lava cake for the chef. I was pretty happy with it.

The cupcakes are not as sweet as some (which I love), and the frosting is really sweet, so it strikes a nice balance. I still had to mess with it. I had visions of grandeur that involved piping a little suprise well of Nutella into the center of each cupcake before frosting them. Those visions came to a disappointing end quickly. (Picture me clutching pastry bag feverishly with chocolate all the way up my forearms, and aforementioned pastry bag exploding into giant supernova of chocolate and brokenness.) Solution: use butterknife to spread a thin layer of Nutella on the tops before frosting. In the absence of a functioning pastry bag, a little Ziploc baggie with a snipped corner served just fine. I couldn't resist decorating them seasonally with those disgusting little candy corns and somehow-delicious pumpkins made of the same stuff. *These are not part of a healthy diet.
...And I'm spent. Happy Friday!

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Veal Meatball Stew

2010-10-28T09:55:00.000-04:00

Do I feel guilty about buying two pounds of ground veal this week? Factoring in that this delicious meat in all its splendor only set me back a little over $6... Never! If you have a particular aversion to eating tender baby cows, you could certainly use a different ground meat. But let's be real: veal is amazing.
I wasn't quite sure what its fate would be while purchasing the meat, but inspiration struck on my drive home from work, and I made this recipe up as I went.

First, I set to work making the meatballs. You don't need to use 2 lb of meat for your meatballs, but I did, and it made tons. Believe me, you'll want leftovers.
I combined my meat with half a cup of finely grated Parmesan Reggiano (it's worth the extra expense on this recipe), half a cup of bread crumbs, half a finely diced onion, 1 large egg, 2 large cloves of minced garlic, 2 Tbsp oregano, and salt and pepper to taste. Get your hands in there and get squishy. Mush, mash and mix everything until it's well combined. Have your elves, Oompa Loompas or children get to work making 1" meatballs while you drag out your big soup pot.

Heat your pot on medium heat and coat the bottom with a thin layer of olive oil. Carefully place a layer of meatballs in the pot and brown them slightly in batches. You probably have lots of little loose onion pieces that popped out of your meatballs. This is not a bad thing, so don't stress. Hold on to those little morsels.

I got tired of this and quit after doing one layer. I told you I was making this up as I went, so cut me some slack here. I drained the excess fat from the pan, and poured in about 1/3 cup of the dry red wine I was drinking at the time to deglaze the pot and scrape up all those delicious brown bits, being careful not to break up the meatballs too much. Dump in one large can of crushed tomatoes with basil, the rest of your meatballs (browned or not), and a couple canfuls of water or chicken stock if you have it. Sadly, I have no chicken stock right now, so I used water. Also go ahead and dump in those rogue onion pieces you saved from earlier.
If you like, feel free to add extras here like some more garlic (never hurts) or vegetables from your freezer. I dumped in the rest of a bag of tricolor pepper pieces from my freezer. Turn your mixture down to low heat and walk away, drink some wine, or watch a TV show.

Taste and season your stew at this point with a little salt and pepper if needed. Not too long before you're ready to eat, stir in fresh baby spinach and a little less than half a pound of pasta. I used gemelli pasta (which means "twins" because it's like two noodles twisted around eachother). The longer you let this sit and simmer, the more swollen your noodles get. Normally I would stop at al dente, but I started feeling bad and had to go lay down on the couch at this point in the recipe.

Turns out this wasn't a bad move for my soup-turned-hearty-stew. A few ibuprofin and heating pads later, I sat down with my bowl of hearty stew topped with more parmesan cheese and some fresh parsely, and some cheese toast. Perfect movie watching and blanket cuddling cuisine.

Flash forward one or two days!
Time for some leftover heaven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dump your swollen noodle stew into a casserole dish. Top with shredded cheese if you had it. (I had about a half cup of shredded cheddar, so I used that). Combine 1 Tbsp. melted butter with 1 cup panko bread crumbed, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 2 Tbsp parmesan cheese, and black pepper to taste. Top casserole with bread crumb mixture and bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Which is better? Stew or casserole? I'm torn!

Peace, Love and Meatballs,

Melody

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Spice up your Breakfast, Baby.

2010-10-23T11:07:00.000-04:00

This is just something I make. Is it gorgeous? No. Fancy? No. It is easy, quick, scrumptious and satisfying. A good way to start out this gorgeous day. I like to call it a breakfast chalupa.
A great friend of mine is getting married today, and I am so excited for her and her husband-to-be. If I plan on dancing my socks off tonight, I better eat hearty this morning.

I made my breakfast chalupa pretty substantial today since I slept in on this Saturday morning, but it would work just as well if not better with a smaller tortilla and just one egg instead of two. We'll call that a weekday breakfast chalupa.

In a medium or large saute pan, melt a teaspoon or so of butter on medium heat before cracking two large eggs into the pan. Cook the eggs until the whites turn opaque, then top the eggs with shredded cheese while they are still in the pan. I used Seriously Sharp White Cheddar by Cabot. Toss a tortilla on top of this mess and press gently. Let it sit and cook this way until the whole thing adheres together, about one minute.

Here comes the tricky part. With the biggest spatula you have, scoot the spatula under this conglomeration, trying the best you can to get it under any cheese or stray egg pieces that may be hiding under your tortilla.

Get ready...

FLIP! It doesn't matter if it's ugly. Now top your creation with a bit more cheese if you like, and a generous portion of salsa. I like a spicier salsa with my eggs. Sometimes I like just straight up hot sauce, especially if I am making a weekday version of this. Salsa verde is a great choice with this, as would be a roasted tomato salsa. But for our purposes this morning, ChiChi's medium salsa is what I had in the fridge. This is Saturday morning, folks. We're not fancy. Let this cook awhile until the cheese between the eggs and tortilla gets all melty. I don't like to cook mine terribly long because I like the yolks to still be a little runny. Saucy!

Now you're ready to fold it like an omelet. If you're lucky, little pieces of cheese or egg or salsa have escaped and smeared themselves onto the outside of your tortilla. This makes for browned crusty goodness. This is a good thing.

Let it brown a little (maybe half a minute) before flipping to the other side and doing the same. Slide that baby out of the pan onto a plate. If you have some sour cream or greek yogurt, now would be a good time to get that out and add a dollop to the top of this mess with some fresh cilantro. I don't have either, so I ate mine straight up with black coffee.

Let's get this day started!
Get me my dancing shoes.

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Autumn in a Pretty Little Package

2010-10-21T21:57:00.000-04:00

This is my favorite time of year.
In the season where everything is dying or preparing to hibernate or go dormant for winter, there is somehow an exciting tinge of hope for renewal in the air. Something that just stirs my soul about the crispness in the air, the vibrant colors that seem to explode out of nowhere in the trees, the faint smell of burning leaves.
When the nights turn cool again and I start to crave soup constantly, well that's about the time that I become obsessive about "seasonal" dinners and my beloved deep orange Le Creuset dutch oven. And while my perfect little pot helped me crank out some hearty lamb stew last night, our focus at present is the stuffed acorn squash that sits happily digesting in my belly in its fall festive splendor as I type. Hungry yet? Let's get to it. Here's what you do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Split an acorn squash (carefully) end to end, scooping out the stringy flesh and seeds in the middle.
3. Cut a small sliver off the outside skin of each half so it sits level on a surface before seasoning the fleshy side with salt and pepper. Put half a tablespoon of butter in each half.
4. Place squash flesh side up in a roasting dish or casserole, and fill the dish with hot water to about halfway up the squash. Bake in the oven loosely covered with foil for about 40 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile
5. Treat a small to medium onion to a fine dice and saute in 2 T olive oil with some bell peppers (if you have them on hand). I used frozen tricolor peppers from Trader Joe's. Also at this time add whatever meat you choose to add (if you want to add meat). This would be a great meatless dish. I used chicken olive artichoke sausages, but this would be great with ground beef, lamb, or really any kind of ground meat or sausage. Cook on medium until vegetables are soft and meat is cooked through.

6. While your veggie-meat mixture is working, and your squash are still in the oven, cook up some rice, couscous or quinoa. I am a sucker for those Near East seasoned couscous-in-a-box deals, so I highly recommend those. High on flavor, low on fuss, cooks in 5 minutes. I used the parmesan couscous, but if I had the wild mushroom kind, I DEFINITELY would have used that. (The earthiness would go so nice with this stuff).
7. Take your squash very carefully out of the oven so you don't scald yourself, for goodness sakes. Put each half on a plate.
8. Dump couscous/rice/what have you into the veggie-meat mixture and stir. I like to throw in a few tablespoons of raisins here. Toss in some spinach to wilt if you like. I left out the spinach tonight.
9. Scoop your stuffing into the hollowed out squash halves, using an ice cream scoop if you really want to be snobby about it. I like topping mine with herbed goat cheese (because it was in the fridge and almost gone) and some fresh parsley.
10. Stuff yourself with the stuffed awesomeness.

So that looks like a lot of steps. (I admittedly might have even listed two steps combined as one step just to see if you're paying attention.) Look. It's not a lot of steps, and it's all in all a pretty impressive dinner for minimal effort. On the table in 40 minutes (with downtime therein!), and depending on what you choose to include or omit, a pretty darn affordable meal.

On a personal note:
Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to continue with the blog. There is something so wonderful and gratifying about cooking and sharing it with others. It really means a lot to know there are people willing to endure listening to me pontificate and spew food-talk. I love you guys, and am happy to be back!

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Quiche like Manna from Heaven

2010-03-01T19:46:00.000-05:00

Has anyone seen that episode of The Office where Kevin goes on and on about his family recipe chili before he proceeds to spill a huge vat of it all over the office floor? I have felt his pain on a number of occasions. While the first one looked the messiest, (Sweet Potato Chicken Chili has that musty smell and orange color that provokes terror when coating even the most water resistant floor mats), this morning's spill was much more challenging.
While creme fraiche quiche has a creamy, velvety, intoxicatingly rich flavor and texture after cooking, the custard before cooking smells a little funky as all cultured creams do. Imagine it: you've have your custard mixture in your stainless steel bowl all covered snug with plastic wrap and situated just so in the floorboard. Throughout the commute you check to make sure it's secure and comfortable. When your workplace is in sight and you are about to turn into the parking lot, you notice a slightly piquant dairy odor.

TERROR OF TERRORS! Your floorboard is completely white, the bowl is in its original upright position, the plastic wrap is still completely in place, and yet the contents of the bowl are sloshing and seeping into the darkest recesses of your custard colored Camry. Welcome to my Monday morning. While I ponder how to remove the custard funk from my vehicle, you enjoy this amazing recipe courtesy of Joy the Baker. This girl has got it goin' on. Her recipes are so inspiring, her sense of humor is grand, and she's one of those people you know was just blessed with loads of common sense.
Mine right after it came out of the oven all puffy in its custard glory and puff pastryness:

The glorious thing is that I was able to make cheese straws to go with my soup tonight with the scraps leftover from trimming the edges of the pie crust:

Just trim your scraps into quarter inch thick strips of dough, twist them into a spiral, sprinkle with the cheese of your choice (parmesan or gruyere works great, especially if you have leftover gruyere from making the quiche above), and bake at 400 for 11 minutes. Like eating cheese flavored buttery air...

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A Yucatecan Adventure Supreme

2010-02-23T12:22:00.000-05:00

I've been a woman on a mission. Couldn't stop thinking about the mole. I just couldn't leave well enough alone. So off to the fantastic Food Lion filled with hispanic delights. (I love Durham.) On the list: 15 dried pasilla and ancho chiles, copious amounts of onions for pickling, pico de gallo, and general awesome purposes. Lots of limes for garnish and ingredients, a bunch of cilantro, and some cotija cheese (kind of like Feta, but a smaller crumble).

After a most enjoyable and exciting trip, I got down to business. While I waited for my chiles to rehydrate in their bowling water so I could turn them from dried raisiny looking things into creamy, smoky, stain-my-hands-ochre-goodness, I made my pickled onions.

Not so hasty, there Hater. No need to go hating on all things pickled that are not cucumbers. I am allowed to say this because I was once like you. Until I had some nice little hot pink onions on top of my cochinita pibil in Xocen, Mexico. It was then I began to appreciate the rich contrast of flavors and textures that a pickled condiment can offer. Now make these:

Combine 1 very thinly sliced large red onion with
1 c. water
1 c. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
salt to taste
generous dash hot sauce (Valentina is my favorite, and a very economic option)

Let this mixture sit at least 5 hours. Overnight would be even better. These will keep up to two weeks in the fridge. Use them to top refried beans, tacos, chili, eggs with mole or salsa, or other endless possibilites! Don't spill them in your car like Jeremy did. It's not a smell you want lingering in the upholstery.

After that adventure, I was ready to drain my chiles, cook down some onions, tomatoes and raisins, toast some spices, dump everthing in a pot with a little chicken stock and bust out my trusty immersion blender. I'm not going to post this recipe for two reasons. 1) Laziness: this recipe calls for a million spices (of which I was astonished I actually had on hand) and is quite involved. 2) Moles of any variety are always full of very strong flavors. It's not like your typical sauce, and for some including me, it's an acquired taste. It's homey, comforting, rich and complex, but it's not velveeta.
That being said, if you want to try this mole, I will very happily post or send the recipe if I get the feedback. While that continued to simmer, I whipped up a batch of pico de gallo, or salsa cruda. This is a staple. It is something very useful to learn how to make, yet it is very simple and delicious. Now make this:

Combine:
5 ripe roma or plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 medium spanish or red onion, diced
Juice of two whole limes
large handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 large jalapeno, seeded and deveined (or keep the veins in if you like it hot)
Large pinch of salt
black pepper to taste
pinch of sugar (optional)

Mix well and allow the flavors to come together for a couple of hours for optimal results. Tweak this however you want to make it spicier, or try substituting fruit like mango, pineapple or peaches for the tomatoes. Even better!

Now it's time to head to Mom and Dad's where the eats are serious and the chicken and pork are coming off the grill. If you've never had Bob's pork, it's high time you weaseled your way into his circle of friends and get some. All smoky crunchy on the outside and juicy and tender on the inside. I decided the mole would be best suited for topping a chicken leg and trying a la carte. We'll start this party with a large corn tortilla hot of the skillet. For the inside of my taco, I had to cook up some Mexican chorizo. It's just too good to pass up when you can find it, and it's so cheap!! (Don't read the ingredients unless you're particularly brave or adventurous with the parts of animals you ingest.) To top: a little black beans, some fat free greek yogurt, cilantro, pico de gallo, pickled onions. BLISS! So the mole was good, but come on, a taco complete with pickled onions tasting like you're eating it in the jungle of the Yucatan after a hot day in the milpa???? It just doesn't get better than that.

Tune in next time for what I did with my leftover mole. Oh, it's good...

Casserole Comfort with a Kick!

2010-02-17T10:49:00.000-05:00

My good friends Jonna and Jeff just had a baby! Needless to say, I am over-the-top excited about this recent development named Carolina Grace. I mean, everything else aside, her name is Carolina, for crying out loud!

So I have been working for FOREVER on this baby blanket for her, which is the first anything I've ever knitted that is not a scarf. And by the looks of it, unfortunately, I'm afraid you can tell. But the important thing is that it was knitted with love. And hand dyed yarn from the mountains of Chile.

So I managed to snap a picture of this creation, but I failed to snap a picture of the better and more consumable creation I made for her (and me the night before!). Check out this recipe I created for the dinner I took to Carolina's proud parents. I find that I lot of my favorite creations come from the creativity that arises from cooking with what you have on hand. I gotta say, this one is pretty tasty and comforting on a February night. It's even better if you have leftover chicken already on hand to save you a step.

I hesitate to make posts when I have forgotten to take a picture of my creation, but I had to make an exception with this one because I thought it was pretty fab if I do say so myself.

Southwest Chicken Verde Casserole

For the salsa verde:

In a blender combine-

1 can whole tomatillos

2 large cloves garlic, peeled

1 handful cilantro leaves

Juice of two limes

1 seeded and deveined jalapeno, chopped into large pieces

For the casserole:

1 c. cooked rice

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 c. frozen corn kernels (roasted, if available)

2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

1 large onion, diced

1 green pepper, diced

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt

Pepper

1 ½ c. shredded cheddar cheese

Blue corn tortilla chips, crushed

Make the salsa verde and mix with the first four casserole ingredients. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Saute the onions and peppers in the olive oil until softened. Add to casserole combination, seasoning with the salt and pepper to taste. Spread mixture evenly into a 9” x 13” greased casserole dish. If you want yours even spicier like I do, sprinkle some Mexican hot sauce like Valentina or El Tapatío over the casserole. Top with crushed tortilla chips in an even layer (about two or three handfuls worth before crushing). Top with shredded cheese. Bake casserole for 20 minutes, or until ingredients are heated through and cheese has melted. Cover with foil to prevent overbrowning if necessary. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream or greek yogurt, extra hot sauce, and chopped fresh cilantro.

I ate like half the casserole. Don't judge me.

What a Weekend!

2010-02-15T11:02:00.002-05:00

So this weekend I really strapped on the ol' feed bag as my dad likes to say. With my mom's birthday on Saturday and Valentines Day on Sunday, there was plenty of indulgence going on. We get together every year with my mom's side of the family to celebrate the six birthdays that occur in February. I included a photo of the lovely birthday women (Mom, Aunt Hannah and Maw-Maw), and the stunningly handsome birthday boys (Jeremy, Henry and Hank) for your viewing pleasure. Thanks in advance to my beautiful cousin Ashley for letting me rip these off your Facebook page.

This year my dad researched where we should go and picked the Green Valley Grill in the O. Henry Hotel in Greensboro. I have to say, it was spectacular. I ordered pan seared sea scallops in a blood orange buerre blanc served over a butternut squash gratin with vintage gruyere. Yes, it was as amazing as it sounds. Going for lunch instead of dinner was a great choice, as my entree was only $14! The service was impeccable, and the atmosphere is impressive. They have an open kitchen where you can watch ducks, chickens, and pork loins rotate over the oak burning oven. I really lament that I did not take a photo of my meal, as the presentation was terrific. I guess I just couldn't stand the pain of not diving right in!

For Valentines Day, Jeremy presented me with the most gorgeous bouquet of two dozen longstemmed red roses and really pulled out all the stops. We went to Whole Foods where I got to pick out all kinds of deluxe items. After cooking dinner together, we relaxed with some red wine and watched The Time Traveler's Wife. Check out these amazing ribeyes!

Each one got treated to a rubdown with a thinly sliced clove of garlic, extra virgin olive oil, course ground black pepper, hawaiian pink salt, and some chopped fresh rosemary before Jeremy grilled them to medium rare perfection. Confession: my favorite part of having steak for dinner is waiting until I am alone in the kitchen with the plate of cooked and cut meat, tipping the plate full of juices up and slurping it down. Please tell me I am not alone in this probably repulsive desire. Regardless, it's heavenly.

For our side, I braised some swiss chard with caramelized onions. I had done this before with rainbow chard, but this was wayyy better for whatever reason. I will allow that butter might have been that reason. Try this:

Get your saute pan going on medium heat. Add one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon olive oil. Toss in one very thinly sliced onion (I used a Spanish onion). Separate the rings, and then walk a way a minute or two to give it a chance to get those sugars hot. Add another tablespoon of butter. Continue to cook on medium heat until the onions are golden brown. Reduce heat to low while you coursely chop up one bunch of swiss chard. This stuff is beautiful! Cram it in your pan, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cover with a lid or large plate so that it wilts a bit.

Five minutes should be plenty of time. Uncover, and continue to cook on low until the juices thicken and your meat is ready to come off the grill. That's it! So easy, so delicious, and so good for you. (Really, adding the fat from the butter helps your body absorb all those fat soluble vitamins and nutrients!!)

Serve some good crusty bread (we used my favorite, Pane Paisano, spread with some Herbs de Provence goat cheese) alongside your steak and greens to sop up the awesome juices. Not your most elegant or visually stunning meal, but the flavor is totally going to seduce you.

In Praise of Focaccia

2010-02-08T20:13:00.000-05:00

Jeremy's birthday was this weekend. Unlike me, he was not cursed with a sweet tooth, so in lieu of cake he opted for some fresh baked focaccia. This time with some thinly sliced tomatoes and rosemary from the hearty plant out front. There are many good things about making focaccia from scratch.

The yeasty and warm smell of dough rising

The aroma of fresh baked bread permeating your house for the whole day

and most importantly,

The totally kicked up creations you can make with the leftovers.

My favorite recipe I've found so far comes from the Nordstrom Friends and Family Cookbook:

2 packages active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
1 Tbsp sugar
5 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
fresh ground black pepper

In a bowl, using a wooden spoon, stir together the yeast, water, sugar and 2 Tbsp of the flour. Let stand until foamy, about ten minutes. In a large bowl, stir together 5 cups of the flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, then form a well in the center. Pour the yeast mixture into the well along with two Tbsp of the olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon, incorporating the ingredients until a soft dough forms. Use floured hands to mix the dough when it becomes too stiff to work with a spoon.
Dust a work surface with the remaining flour (about 1 1/2 Tbsp). Turn the dough out onto the work surface and knead ten minutes, adding the flour if the dough becomes too sticky. When the dough is smooth and elastic, shape it into a ball and place it back into the bowl with 1 Tbsp of the olive oil. Turn the dough once to coat. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 30 to 45 minutes. Punch it down, cover, and allow to rise again in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 35 minutes longer.
Use 1 Tbsp of the oil to grease an 11 x 15 inch rimmed baking sheet. On a lightly floured work surface, spread and press the dough flat until it is about the same size as the baking sheet. Place in the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise one last time until doubled in bulk, about 15 minutes. Poke a pattern in the dough with your fingertips. Position your oven rack in the middle to upper two thirds of your oven and preheat to 425.
Sprinkle dough with the rosemary, remaining teaspoon of salt, and pepper. Drizzle evenly with the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil and bake 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Serve hot.

This recipe looks long. It might look complicated. It isn't!! Even if you are a novice baker, you've got a great shot at impressing even your most skeptical relatives with this one. A few changes I've made to the recipe:
Mix an additional teaspoon of chopped rosemary and one thinly sliced clove of garlic into the dough.
When dough has been formed and pressed into the baking sheet, additionally top it with thinly sliced tomatoes, a sprinkling of grated parmesan or a white/yellow cheese of your choice. Also, do you want this to be even easier? Good. Me too. That's why I do ALL the mixing and ALL the kneading in my stand mixer. If you have one, please use it. Unless of course you need to unleash some stress and make that dough pay with your hands and you just dare someone to try to stop you...

Here to our left you will notice maybe the most superb methods of transforming your leftover day or two-day-old focaccia into pure bliss. It's also super easy. After you've had enough morning coffee to avoid cutting yourself, split a square piece of focaccia about the size of your hand into two thin layers. One top and one bottom. We're making a sandwich- not a rocket.
Toss a piece of breakfast meat into a skillet on medium. Country ham is about as quick, easy and delicious as it gets. Canadian bacon is a tasty and more calorie-conscious choice, but man would some bacon be sublime!
Cook until it's done (a matter of a minute and a half for country ham!) and put it on your bottom layer. Cut the cheese. I know I am juvenile, but I get my smiles where I can, okay? Use a sharp cheese that is full fat for optimum results. Top the bread and meat with the cheese and put in your toaster oven or oven just until the cheese melts. Take it out carefully. While it gets toasty, fry up one egg. I like my whites firm and my yolks runny and saucy! Egg goes on top of ham and cheese, sliced tomato goes on top of egg, fresh ground pepper, top with focaccia half, WHAMMO. You'll love me for this, I promise.

Still have a little leftover bread the next day? Me too. So I have a pot of soup on that I plan on topping with these little beauties before polishing off a nice big bowl.

Homemade croutons take almost no effort and the flavor payoff is fantastic. Avoid buying croutons if you can. They're even delicious made from stale store bought bread. Cut into cubes, toss in a Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, season to taste, bake at 450 for ten minutes or until golden brown. Shake the pan once during cooking to ensure even browning.

If you have read all the way down to this point, I congratulate you! Thanks for staying tuned. I can't wait to hear how your bread turns out!

-Melody

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Moles (Not the kind on your face)

2010-02-03T16:56:00.000-05:00

So a sled was indeed procured. I really was convinced my dad's old Radio Flyer sled was still hanging in my parents' barn, but like many other things I have been searching for lately, it appears that it too fell victim to Yard Sale Purging Syndrome. Turns out Jeremy's dad's old Flexible Flyer was still hanging around his mom's house. So the dashing young lad went dashing very carefully to his mom's house to fetch it so we could do some Serious Sunday Sledding.

The trick is, you wait until after dark when everything refreezes and you find a road conveniently located across the street that is covered in one solid, gleaming sheet of ice. You double up on the rickety sled and shove off until you reach a very unsafe speed. You ride skillfully on one rail for several seconds before riding very unskillfully on your bare behind on ice covered asphalt for several seconds too long. And then you do it all over again and take several ibuprofin in the morning. Shame on you for not acting your age!

Anyway, what was it I said about moles? That's pronounced mo-lays, mind you! The delicious Mexican and Central American sauce so full of spice, smoke, and sultry richness it's sure to make you swoon. I have been eyeing a recipe for Pistachio Mole in the Whole Foods Cookbook for quite some time, but I must admit I am mightily intimidated. You should check out the list of ingredients on one of these sauces! Not to mention the fact that there are thousands of variations on the theme since each family in some parts has their own traditional version using different seeds, nuts, or spices. It was much too large a project to embark upon while in sledding recovery mode, so I headed out into the Great White Winter with my parents and sister to Torero's for some awesome pollo en mole.

Mom is a sucker for fajitas, Lori got a grilled shrimp salad, and Dad made sure to point out to all of us that he had made the worst choice possible and gotten the worst taco salad ever.

Check out Mom's sassy tortilla chip eating ways.

Has anyone reading this actually made their own mole? I mean roasted your own chiles, ground your own seeds, the whole enchilada, so to speak? If you have, please for the love of mole speak up and tell me how you did it, how it turned out, and was it worth it. As for Torero's, it was very good. Not as good as the Enchiladas poblanas en mole at La Vaquita on Hillsborough Road, mind you, but good.

Oh yeahhh.

Snow Day!

2010-01-30T13:30:00.000-05:00

It just doesn't get much better than this. This morning I woke up bright and early in true Melody Ann Snowday fashion, and started the day by gazing out the windows at a blanket of 7 inches of snow and sleet covering everything in sight. While I sipped on my favorite Whole Foods Pacific Rim blend coffee, and carefully chewed my steelcut oats with maple syrup, vanilla and raisins, I pondered what the day might hold for me.

Baking! Sledding? Snowman! Soup! You know what I'm talkin' about. So I put on my many mismatched multicolored layers and busted out the cookbooks.

Priority number one on days like these is always snow cream. So I waddled out the door, scraped mass quantities of still-falling snow off the hood of my car into an enormous bowl, added some skim milk, vanilla, brown sugar (looked like dirt!), and maple syrup and whipped it into a snow cream frenzy. Pour into a tall glass, gulp, freeze brain, feel five again.

Next up: exploratory walk. Is that slushy looking part out in the drive really slush? No. Rock hard ice. Is it really just a dusting that looks deeper because of drifts? No. It's really at least 7 inches deep and still going. And really, really slippery and potentially hilarious for a clumsy person like myself to be out in. Does it make proper snowballs/forts? Not yet, but it's getting there...

After a very brief exploratory adventure, I surmised it was high time for some hot comfort in the form of my mom's fantastic chili. See Exhibit B.

Alright, what's next? Baking. Sundried tomato herb garlic rustic loaf, to be specific. I used the most random recipe out there. We're talking like page 6 of a Google search from a lady in Great Britain who is definitely not a professional. But neither am I, so I figured it must be a perfect fit. I have to say, it smells absolutely fantastic right now as I wait for it to come out of the oven. I did have to add a substantial additional amount of flour, and it didn't rise quite how I was expecting, so I anxiously await the finished product.

So the taste is great, but I have to say I would have cooked it at 400 or 425 rather than 450 for 30 minutes, as the crust got a little dark. It's better alongside a light soup since it's so dense. I'm glad to have it, but I think I'll go with a simpler loaf next time.

After another outdoor adventure to the interstate, (which looks just like my driveway), I think I might need a glass of wine to warm me inside and out! Now on to my next adventure...

I have no sled. Must. Make. Sled.

Rainy Sunday

2010-01-24T14:29:00.001-05:00

I love weekends like this one. Laid back, nothing on the agenda. Yesterday I kicked off my Saturday by making some biscotti for my friend Sara. We had a shopping/wine imbibing date scheduled, and I wanted to surprise her. One of my favorite combinations ever in food land is peppermint and chocolate. Sara has always hated this duo, yet subjected to it at least once a year when my birthday rolled around and we all had mint chocolate chip ice cream cake because let's face it- it doesn't get any better than that.

The stars have realigned and Sara is now quasi-obsessed with this new combo. So mint double chocolate chip biscotti was a must. The recipe I used was modified from a Weight Watchers recipe (who am I kidding, we all know I was going to eat some of Sara's biscotti). Although it's not bad, it's not my favorite, so I don't think I'll share the recipe on this one unless someone really wants it. I was quite proud of my little wrapped biscotti parcel though. I didn't have any decorative disposable food containers, so I wrapped the buggers up in some parchment paper.

So off I scampered to Wine Authorities for some fun wine tasting followed by shoe shopping and completely forgot my little parcel! Ah well, such is life. After a lovely afternoon of shopping, it was time to fire up the grill. It was time for Jeremy to fire up the grill, rather. He had gifted me with some parmesan reggiano and some crusty bread from Whole Foods still hot from the oven to go along with our beautiful London Broil. I like to keep the seasoning simple for really beautiful cuts of meat, so I stuck with a generous rub of pink salt and course ground black pepper. So while Jeremy Grill Master fired up the grill, I sipped on a glass of incredible Dom. de la Bouysse, Corbieres Rouge "Mazerac", Languedoc, France 2007 (say that three times fast) and cooked up the broccoli. One large head of broccoli cut into spears gets steamed only until bright emerald green and slightly tender. Meanwhile, two thinly sliced cloves of garlic get nice and toasty in two teaspoons of olive oil with one teaspoon of crushed red pepper. When garlic has browned, squeeze the juice of one whole lemon in the pan. Let it continue to cook down until broccoli has finished steaming. Toss with broccoli. Take steak off the grill when medium rare and let it rest for five minutes before slicing against the grain. The meal was rounded out by the crusty bread spread with some local herbed dill goat cheese from Celebrity Dairy.

Simple, delicious, and one of my favorite weekend dinners.

Another favorite I haven't had in quite some time is homemade pizza. The whole wheat dough is proofing in my fridge, I'm listening to some Robert Earl Keen and Johnny Cash, and about to cozy up with a nice cup of coffee. I hope you're having a wonderful Day of Rest.

Poblano Prelude to the Weekend

2010-01-22T20:23:00.002-05:00

So sometimes you have one of those, "what can I cook with the very odd things in my pantry/fridge," nights. That was me tonight. But then I had this idea.
Take four poblano peppers and split them down the middle. Place them on a baking sheet.
Drain a can of tomatillos (sort of like green tomatoes that you can find on the hispanic aisle of the grocery).
Place them on the baking sheet. Broil both until browned/blackened on the outsides and discard the browned or blackened skin. (It peels right off, so it's pretty easy).
In a blender or food processor, blend the tomatillos, two cloves peeled garlic, juice of one lime, half a chopped onion and a handful of cilantro leaves until smooth.
In the meantime, cook some jasmine rice until tender or as the package directs. When rice is done, combine with the tomatillo mixture, the other half of the chopped onion, and one diced and seeded jalapeno. Spread rice mixture on the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish before topping with the poblano pepper halves. Top with shredded reduced fat or regular cheddar cheese. Bake for 20 minutes at 350. Sprinkle with sea salt before serving. Top with a dollop of greek yogurt and some chopped green onions or chives if you have them on hand.

It's pretty yummy, but even better accompanied by a stout glass of red wine. I am drinking California Frontier Red, which stands up to this dish perfectly. I think it would be even better if you added some seasoned ground beef to this dish (or picadillo), but it's tasty cheap chic as is. Let me know what you think. Buen provecho!

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Ode to the cupcake

2010-01-21T21:17:00.001-05:00

First thing's first. Pesto is delicious. What happens when it's freezing outside and your basil is dead? You make sun dried tomato pesto! I made a lower calorie version, but I really don't think you'd be able to tell. Another admission- I am obsessed with my Magic Bullet mini blender. Yes, the one you've seen in infomercials. Laugh if you must, but it gets the job done with as little fuss, mess and effort necessary. I'm pretty sure a few of my coworkers have seen me do this infomercial...
Anyway, cram the following objects in your blender, food processor, or Magic Bullet (should you be so lucky) and blend well:

1 cup sun dried tomatoes (you'll need to plump them in hot water for a half hour prior and reserve the leftover wather
2 Tbsp grated parmesan (spring for the reggiano variety if you can; there's no comparison)
2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup water reserved from plumping tomatoes
2 Tbsp dried Italian herbs or one cup fresh basil
1 cup fresh baby spinach (only if you're using dried herbs)

Bring one pound of whole wheat spaghetti to a boil and cook for ten minutes. Drain, toss with the spaghetti, and serve garnished with fresh herbs if you have them and parmesan. I did not have fresh herbs, and I could not afford the reggiano this time, but I must say I was pretty pleased.

Not the most beautiful presentation, and not the most beautiful dish, but it was tasty and satisfying, and that's all I am asking for on a Thursday night.

So I have recently been captivated by the cupcake beauties captured on camera at SugarLush, a blog I have been following, so I felt it my duty to make some snazzy cupcakes. I found a recipe for chai cupcakes with buttercream frosting at TasteBook that looked yummy. I decided to recreate them, but using Orange Spice tea instead. I'll test them on my coworkers tomorrow and see what they think. I had to sneak one just to be sure it was fit to eat. It's pretty spicy delicious!

I'd love to hear about the best cupcake combos you've tasted or heard of. Any ideas out there?

Thanks for the input. You guys are so awesome!

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Back to Basics and Canstruction

2010-01-18T18:31:00.001-05:00

There are a few things I simply refuse to buy because they are so much better and cheaper made myself in almost no time. I don't buy any sort of pre-peeled or pre-minced garlic. Not only does this exposure to air and jarring process make the garlic not taste as good, but then I would miss out on the garlic smell on my hands which I admittedly LOVE, even after the meal is finished. It lingers like such a sweet memory.
I will not buy salad dressing. You would be amazed at the amazing flavors you can concoct in just minutes with the most basic and cheap ingredients. (My favorite of late is a curry mustard vinaigrette, but I digress...)
I will not buy pasta sauce. Let me expound on this a bit, if I may.

I never ever ever (except for by accident on very rare occasions!) let myself run out of fresh onions, fresh garlic, and canned tomatoes of some sort. With these three staples, you will never be sauceless. How long does it take to make, you ask? Barely a flash. Here's how:

In a heavy bottomed saucepan on medium heat, pour in enough olive oil to just coat the bottom. (I usually use about 2 teaspoons). Finely mince or crush several cloves of garlic, depending on how strong you like your garlic flavor. I LOVE GARLIC, so I usually use 3 large or 4 medium cloves and I like to mince them very finely since the smaller the mince, the stronger the flavor. (More surface area if you're a geek like me that likes to know why). Try not to let the garlic brown too much, as this will make it bitter. The trick is to constantly stir it around. Add in crushed red pepper flakes to taste almost immediately. You're ready to pour in a large can (15oz) of tomatoes as soon as you smell the heat from the red pepper. If you are doing this, you'll definitely know what I mean. It tingles. Once you've dumped them in, turn your sauce down to medium-low heat and give it a good stir. If you used whole canned tomatoes, now is the time to smash them. If you used crushed, diced, or pureed, you can just walk away.

Let the sauce come up to a simmer and add in any herbs you wish. Italian seasoning, basil, oregano, savory, a bay leaf, etc. I like to use Italian seasoning, one bay leaf, and a little extra basil. I usually use tomatoes with salt already added, so I don't add any additional salt. You're sauce is ready when you're happy with the seasoning. Use it as a pizza sauce or a pasta sauce. Dilute it with chicken stock for a great minestrone soup base. Try it, and let me know if I've converted you into an ex-commercial-pasta-sauce-consumer.

In other news:
Here I am in the news:

The News and Observer, that is. Every year our office (Duda/Paine Architects), competes in Canstruction, a themed contest benefitting the Food Bank of North Carolina. This year's theme was super heroes. Naturally, we chose to construct an eight foot Super Smurf (complete with cape) from 6,500 cans of Kroger Chunk Light Tuna. Suffice it to say, we rocked it.

Check us out killing it time lapse camera-style on YouTube:
Duda/Paine Smurf Squad Extreme

Thanks for checking it out!

-The Redhead in the Kitchen

Melody Had a Little Lamb

2010-01-17T11:06:00.000-05:00

So it's been a bit of a rough week, but it's time to get back in the saddle. So here I blog again! It's good for me. Time for some cooking therapy and good vino.

Lamb was on sale tonight at Whole Foods, so I couldn't resist. I picked up half a leg of lamb to butterfly and throw on the grill. I haven't cooked Broccoli Rabe before, so I decided to pick some of that up as it was on sale as well. At the moment I've butterflied the leg of lamb. This just means cutting through the thinner side of the meat about 2/3 down and splitting it open so it looks like a steak. At present it's waiting patiently for the grill while it soaks up a little olive oil, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 sprig chopped fresh rosemary, 3 medium cloves minced garlic course salt and course ground black pepper:

Meanwhile, I sliced a medium white onion and started to caramelize it in a 1.5 Tbsp olive oil.

When they started to pick up some color, I added in a dry pint of baby portobello mushrooms I sliced thinly and a large clove of garlic. Once the mushrooms brown, I seasoned with sea salt before adding in one bunch of broccoli rabe, coursely chopped. Toss and cover with a snug fitting lid. The lamb goes on the grill. Until it hits that medium rare stage or an internal temperature of 150, my hard work consists of sipping on some Chateaux Bolchet I picked up at Wine Authorities. I encourage you to say this out loud. It cheered my day.

The lamb comes off the grill at a nice medium rare and rests for 10 minutes before slicing to ensure the juices don't come gushing out when the knife cuts through. A good crusty Pane Bello from Whole Foods was just the thing to sop up the juices. When it all came together, it looked like this:

I have to say, the lamb was pretty tasty. I found that the Chateaux Bolchet, while it was drinkable and tasty on its own, was even better when paired with the earthy and meaty flavors of the lamb. The broccoli rabe had some bitter, almost cinnamon-like flavors which were nicely mellowed by the mushrooms and onions. I still think it might be a little too bitter for my taste, but I am glad I tried it. Thanks for reading; it's so fun to share these cooking adventures with you! I will definitely be posting more this week. Next up: Asian Endeavors with water chestnuts! Stay tuned...

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Pork. 'Nuff said?

2010-01-10T21:27:00.000-05:00

So thanks to the generous lovelies that gave me a Trader Joe's gift card for Christmas, I was able to stock up on some delicious ingredients this week. I have been craving juice (pretty much any fruit juice indiscriminately) for a few weeks now. So one of the first things I picked up was some antioxidant-loaded pomegranate juice. Aside from making lovely cocktails, turns out it makes a pretty awesome pork marinade as well. For the marinade, I used the juice of two small oranges, 1 tsp orange zest, 2 cloves minced garlic, juice of one lime, 1/3 cup pomegranate juice, 1 Tbsp dijon mustard, dash of cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste. Let my 1.5 lb. pork loin roast soak overnight (although it could be ready in a couple hours) before grilling that baby.

While that is busy working its magic in a large plastic bag in the fridge, try mixing this up:
In cocktail shaker full of ice, shake one shot Grey Goose Citrus Vodka, one shot pomegranate juice, the juice of half a lime, and some Cointreau or other orange liquor if you have it. Pour in a martini glass. If you are like me and do not own that type of glass, pour it in a tall glass with ice and top with a little club soda. Yummy.

It's been so cold outside lately, I was really feeling the need to experiment with some homemade bread. So I followed the recipe in my Nordstrom Cafe cookbook for rosemary focaccia, and added a little sliced garlic. Here's how it turned out:

I gotta say, it was pretty tasty. But next time i would double the amount of sliced garlic and rosemary garnish on top and add a few very thinly sliced tomatoes before baking. A little course Australian pink salt on top made all the difference.

Next up: I removed the pork loin from the sauce and put the leftover used marinade in a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil and simmer until it's reduced to 1/3 its original volume, and you have a tangy and wonderful finishing sauce. Meanwhile, Jeremy tended the grill while I whipped up a salad.

For the salad: 2 cups arugula, a handful of dried cherries, 1/3 cup crumbled bleu cheese, 1 oz. crushed cashews, and 1/2 cup sugar snap peas get tossed with a citrus dressing.

For the dressing, combine the juice of one clementine or tangerine, 1 lemon, 2 pearl onions or one shallot, 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, 2 tsp olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Give it a good shake and toss with the arugula mixture just before serving.

I chose a merlot for this meal (I used the Whole Foods house brand which set me back a grand total of $6), but you could go with a nice Zin as well. I was pretty pleased with the final product.

I dedicate this blog post to my best friend and sister, Lori, who faithfully reads all my self-indulgent dribble and is my biggest cheerleader. Poor baby LoLo, I applaud you for your bravery in having all four wisdom teeth removed this week and still being "cheeky" enough (no pun intended) to set me straight and tell me what's what.

After a great weekend, it's back to the daily grind. Let's make the most of every hour this week, shall we?

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Mon Petit Cabbage...

2010-01-08T11:41:00.000-05:00

So I might have felt a little bit like Pepe la Pew when I came across these beauts. I had never seen brussel sprouts for sale on their stalk! It was truly a thing of beauty and a source of inspiration for what could have been a beautiful meal.
While my roasted chicken and brussel sprouts in a lemon dill cream sauce tasted pretty great, it wasn't so easy on the eyes. The wonderful thing about cooking is how much you can learn from your own mistakes. For example, a sauce containing dairy and citrus can look beautiful in your saucepan and poured over top of your finished dish, but should you choose to cook it in a very hot oven for thirty minutes atop your chicken and veggies, it will NOT remain emulsified. You will have a very clumpy and separated looking mess. At least it still tasted good! If you want to try this one, I'm sure it could look almost as beautiful as it could taste should you choose to roast the chicken and sprouts first and pour the sauce on just as it's finishing. This was a quick meal using individually frozen chicken breasts you can find at Trader Joe's. No need to thaw.

Preheat your oven to 425 or as directed for the cut and quantity of chicken you're using. I used four breasts. Cut sprouts off the stalk and score an "x" into the bottom of each cut sprout. Why? Because Julia Child tells you to. I have no idea why, but I blindly obeyed. Put all your sprouts (I used maybe a pound?) and your chicken in a roasting pan and into the oven for thirty minutes, turning the breasts over once for even cooking. While your sprouts and chicken is roasting, find a small saucepan.

For the sauce, finely dice one yellow or white onion and cook until softened in a tablespoon of melted butter and two teaspoons olive oil. Add 2 Tbsp flour and keep stirring until the flour, onion and butter mixture begins to pick up a golden color. Deglaze with the juice of a whole lemon, scraping up any browned bits. Pour in a cup of chicken stock and a can of skim evaporated milk (or some half and half if you really want to go for the gusto) and continue to stir while this reduces and becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. When it reaches this point, add 3 Tbsp chopped dill and continue to cook and stir for a few more minutes. When chicken is five minutes away from being done, pour the sauce over the sprouts and chicken. Serve over brown rice garnished with chopped parsely. Let me know how it goes.

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Pad Thai Success!

2010-01-05T12:52:00.004-05:00

Okay, so technically it might not be Pad Thai since I used ground turkey breast instead of shrimp. But darn if it wasn't tasty. And so easy! Really, it took me no time to whip up this exotic weeknight meal. I used the flat rice noodles I found at Trader Joe's called "Rice Sticks," but really you could even get away with using vermicelli. Here's what I did:

Saute approximately 1 lb ground turkey breast with 1 chopped and seeded red pepper, 1 Tbsp shredded ginger, salt and pepper to taste, a couple tsp fish sauce, and 2 cloves thinly sliced garlic.

While the turkey is working, grab a saucepan and whisk together 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, 2 Tbsp tamari or soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste, 1 egg, 2 Tbsp peanut butter, 1 or 2 tsp sriracha (or other Asian hotsauce). Bring to a simmer while the turkey finishes cooking. Combine turkey and sauce and set aside or keep warm on low heat.

Bring the noodles to a boil and drain them when they are al dente, or slightly firm in the very center. Toss with a large container of mung bean sprouts before combining this mixture with your turkey and sauce. I added just a touch more soy sauce at this point. Toss to thoroughly combine before plating.

Top each serving with sliced green onions (use white and green parts), crushed peanuts, and a bit of chopped cilantro if you have it. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing on top.

Let me know if you try it! To be honest, Asian is the most intimidating cuisine for me to cook. One of my intentions in 2010 is to cook a lot more Asian dishes. I want to feel more comfortable with it and expand my cooking into other cultural realms I've yet to explore. Does anyone have any good tips for experimenting with this type of cuisine? I may have to try and master a favorite of mine- Hot and Sour Soup! Although I don't know if anyone can beat Shanghai Restaurant's preparation of that one. Yum!

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Meatless Gumbo?

2009-12-30T09:23:00.002-05:00

Last night was one of those nights where I didn't feel like going to the grocery store, but I didn't quite have the normal makings for a dinner in the fridge, freezer or cabinet. So I simmered one of those sketchy Everything Stews on the stove. I did have some rustic bread leftover from the weekend that wasn't getting any fresher, so I cubed and seasoned before crisping it up in the oven for a crouton soup topper. The stew started with a mirepoix. You can see my faithful half teaspoon giraffe keeping watch by night over the simmering pot.

I cooked down a little beef stock before adding a tablespoon of flour or so to brown and deglazing with some of the Bell's Amber Ale I had in hand. In went a couple quarts of Jeremy's homemade chicken stock, some frozen green beans, an unmeasured amount of rice, some sriracha, thyme, a bay leaf, you get the picture...
While that pot of mystery food was stewing I continued with my recent craft obsession- creating various items from wine corks. I managed to finish a trivet before serving myself some stew and settling in to finish District 9. It was terrible. Really, don't see it. I expected much more and was disappointed with such an unresolved ending. You really have to have a movie that can stand on its own pretty strong in order to hint at a sequel like they did.

So for tonight, I'm looking forward to an hour and a half massage and seeing what fun items I can scope out at Trader Joe's.

By the way, if anyone has a really nice camera they would like to donate to my blog cause, I will gladly accept... iPhones rock, but they are better suited to more phone and internet-like tasks than they are to food photography.
Thanks for reading, and have a super duper day!

Movie Night!

2009-12-29T08:56:00.000-05:00

Since last night was a movie night (Jeremy and I watched The Ugly Truth and part of District 9), I decided to make a super easy dinner. By the way, I highly recommend The Ugly Truth if you're not easily offended by crude humor. It was hilarious. As for District 9, I'm disappointed so far.

I like to keep a jar of organic pasta sauce in the fridge for emergency purposes since I normally prefer making my tomato or pasta sauces but don't always remember to pick up tomatoes. I preheated my oven to 425, thickened up some Newman's Own Roasted Garlic tomato sauce with a bit of leftover tomato paste I had in the freezer, and slapped it on some Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Wraps. Found some leftover herbed goat cheese in the fridge and sliced that up along with some onions to top my Cheater's Pizzas. And then there was bacon. I forgot I had it leftover from the other night, so needless to say I was pretty happy. After crisping that up and tossing the pizzas in the oven for about 10 minutes, it was go time. A leftover creme brulee from the night before sealed the deal.

So this pizza turned out pretty good, but had Jeremy not had a say, I would have reached for other fridge ingredients. Here is the pizza that didn't get made:

Ezekiel wrap brushed with crushed garlic in olive oil, sliced onions, sliced pears, blue cheese and a few sparse dollops of fig preserves. I may have to make this version for lunch Thursday while I am working on my crafts...

Leftovers

2009-12-28T13:21:00.001-05:00

...And We're Off!

2009-12-28T12:37:00.000-05:00

I'm blogging!

Now is as good a time as any to start, as I just made an attempt last night (or all day yesterday, should I say) at Julia Child's recipe for Boeuf Bourguignon last night. If you have no idea what this entails (like me yesterday morning), then it's definitely worth looking up the recipe. That's a laugh. By far it was the most complex and difficult thing I have ever attempted, and thank God it was one of the most delicious as well. Nothing like the pressure of company coming for dinner to break out the big guns.

So I had never purchased a hunk of red meat this large before, so it had to be documented. I have to admit that after cutting it up into 2 inch cubes and browning it in bacon fat, I considered tossing out the whole plan and just chowing down with a big glass of Boujelais right then and there. But somehow, I made it through the next billion steps. Then there was the onions in butter and beef broth which caused me to ingest almost pure fat by the spoonful because the smell was irresistable.

Believe it or not, I actually finished it all before the guests arrived with enough spare time to whip up some creme brulee for everybody. I didn't get any photos of the finished products, but maybe I'll post some pics of the leftovers I'm going to eat for lunch? It's not the most beautiful dish you've ever seen...

The verdict? Well my boyfriend Jeremy and I loved it, but I'm not sure our guests could distinguish it from any other beef stew. Lesson learned: invite an equally as crazy foodie over for dinner next time I make this dish.

I'm trying to branch out a bit with the ingredients I buy so I learn to cook new things, especially vegetables. I braised some Rainbow Chard I bought for the first time this week, and it was a pretty exciting new addition to my repetoire. It's pretty! Next on the list... Belgian Endives.

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