Christine's 2006 Countown, Part 1

Man oh man. Food this year was so tasty. Like Erin, I tend to make a lot of new recipes rather than rely on the old familiars, but the ones I do go back to are worth it.

10. Garlic Citrus Roasted Chicken from the Food Network

9. Dark Chocolate Flourless Cake, with or without orange zest.

Google that title and if you find a recipe that calls for something like 1 c. chocolate, 1 c. butter, 2 or 3 eggs, some sugar, and 2 T. flour, you found my recipe. It's like a big brownie but better. People will crave this after you make it once. Good to bring to red wine tastings.

8. Black Bean and Turkey Chili, with Erin's Hot and Slow Mac and Cheese

I serve this at least once every two months. I served it to friends who helped us move. I serve it to friends who crave pepper. I serve it to my parents and brother. And somedays, I really do make it just for me and my husband. What chicken soup is to other people, this is to me. Unless I'm really sick, and then it's "Lentil Soup for the Sick," somewhere in these archives.

7. Black Bean Soup

An embarassingly easy soup recipe. I timed myself once, and I can make this in ten minutes. After hundreds of times to practice.

2 cans black beans

Mash one can, in blender or with hand mixer or with a spoon in a bowl, and drain and rinse the other.

1 onion
lots of minced garlic

Saute in olive oil in a Dutch oven or large, deep skillet.

Add at least 1 T. chili powder, 1 t. cumin, some cayenne, salt and pepper.

Add 1 can diced tomatoes, with or without green chiles.

Add 1 can corn kernels. Does it smell good yet? Season some more if you want.

Add beans, whole and mashed. Stir, simmer, so on. Add fresh cilantro at the end if you have it, or corn chips and cheese, or sour cream. Or Fritos when desperate.

I also make this in the crock pot, stopping after the sauteed onions and garlic and dumping the rest in the crock, cooking on low all day or on high for three hours.

6. Hoppin' John and cornbread

Erin and I got in an argument one afternoon about Hoppin' John and whose recipe was superior. After going through our recipes out loud, we realized the only difference was adding corn or not. Really.

I like mine slow-cooked with dry black-eyed peas all day, with green peppers, and sometimes with corn, sometimes not. While it's great with cornbread, it's also good with rice.

HOPPIN' JOHN of Missouri
2 c. dry black-eyed peas

Soak overnight in water to cover 3 inches. Drain and rinse in morning.

Saute in olive oil: 1 chopped onion, lots of garlic, maybe celery, definitely green bell pepper. Add to crock pot.

Add beans to crock and stir. Add 1 bay leaf, 1 t. Worchestshire sauce, salt and pepper and cayenne. Add 1 can diced tomatoes, with or without green chiles. Add corn if you're from South Carolina.

Have lots of vegetarian or chicken broth on hand, and add until beans are just covered--probably four cups or more. Cook at least 4 hours on high or 6 or 8 on low.

Erin's Top Ten Cooking Countdown of 2006 (1/2)

In the spirit of unnecessary end-of-the-year countdowns, I've decided to post my top ten recipes of 2006, and to continue the obnoxious trend, I'm going to do it in two parts! These aren't necessarily the best meals that I've made this year, but rather the go-to recipes that I have made in excess of three times in the past 12 months. (And yes, making something that many times is quite remarkable for me.)

I urge you to post the same. And impress your friends, neighbors, and postmen with these tasty (I'm resisting the urge to use the cliche of treats here) menu items.


10.) Christy Salad

This is easily the best salad around, and sadly I can take no credit for it. It's all the lovely Christy Scheuer.

The trick is Christy's special dressing which consists of

1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup basalmic vinegar

Infuse garlic in olive oil for approx. 30 minutes. Mix with basalmic before serving.

For said salad, I recommend Romaine lettuce, some sort of fresh fruit (I've used pears, apples, cranberries, and strawberries), some sort of nut (pecan, walnut, almond), and some sort of soft crumbled cheese (feta and blue cheese work best). Toss with dressing, salt, and pepper. Serve. Note that any variation (roasted red peppers or dried cranberries instead of fruit, cubed havarti instead of feta, etc) is equally excellent. Serve as a side or sear some salmon and serve on top with roasted orange peppers and cilantro. Whatever. Your guests will totally marvel that you made your own dressing. And that it rocks as hard as it does.

9.) Simple Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm not a huge sweets fan, but a good chocolate chip cookie never treats me wrong. While I love cookies that are 80% butter, I can't actually bring myself to eat them. This recipe makes fluffy cookies that still have a nice crunch to them. The below recipe is my patented Lazy-Man's food processor version. Great for last minute baking.

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips, or chunks

Preheat oven to 375. Place butter and both sugars in the food processor. Process until blended. Add eggs, vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Repeat. Add flour. Process until forms a solid ball. Remove from food processor and add chips. Spoon dough onto greased cookie sheet about two inches apart. Bake for approx 12 minutes or until done. Cool. Eat with cold glass of vanilla soy milk. (Because it's tastier than that cow crap.)

8.) Erin's Slow-Cooker Split Pea Soup

This was my favorite pre-game meal in my hockey days. It somehow manages to be both light and stick to the ribs. I recommend the slow-cooker method, but you can always do it over the stoves as long as you soak your peas overnight. (Or do a quick-soak in the morning.)

In a slow cooker combine:

1 lb dried split peas
2 quarts chicken stock
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 bay leaves
2 tbp marjoram
salt & pepper to taste

Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve with sour cream and grated cheddar cheese. (This last part is a necessity for the mashed-potatoes-as-supper feel of the meal.) Heats up excellently and, as per most things, can be frozen for later tastiness.

7.) Erin's Hot and Slow Mac & Cheese


8 oz. maracaroni (cooked and drained)
1 tall can evaporated milk
1½ cups milk
3 cups shredded sharp cheese
1/4 cup blue cheese
¼ cup margarine
2 eggs
5 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tbp cayenne pepper
1 tbp crushed red pepper
1 tbp black pepper
1 tbp salt
1 tbp paprika
1 tbp dried parsley
1 tbp onion powder


Mix all ingredients together. Put into crock pot. Cut several thin slices of sharp cheese and place on top. Cook 3 to 4 hours on low.

Note: You can substitue sharp cheddar for any cheese lying around. Also, don't skimp on the pepper. It's what makes it so magical.

6.) French Coconut Pie

Paula Dean's recipe is a staple. Partially because I always have everything around the house. Partially because it's amazingly buttery and delicious. (I mean Tiffany was a convert to coconut from this dish alone!) Sure it's not the prettiest or fanciest pie around, but who bitches about pie? No one.



Keep posted for recipes numbers five through one, coming soon to a blog near you. In the meanwhile, kiddies, keep that spice rack filled and those recreations of leftovers a'goin'! (Might I recommend this for cranberries and mashed potatoes and this for turkey?) Until next time, this is Erin E. saying goodnight and good duck.

I made up a recipe!

And honestly I shouldn't be so surprised. This kind of thing does happen incidentally, or often, but usually these spontaneous recipes are not so complex. For example, I "made this up":
cook oatmeal with soymilk in microwave;
add golden raisins and cinnamon;
eat.

But last night was a night of culinary genius.

FIG SPREAD WITH PEPPERED WINE
(to be eaten on baguette, toasted, and topped with Gorgonzola)--makes about 1-3/4 cups


1-1/2 c. red wine with low tannins, like Pepperwood Grove Zinfadel

Put wine in a medium saucepan and start heating over medium heat.

Using a tea ball or piece of cheesecloth, make a spice bag:
24 peppercorns
2 green cardamom pods
1" piece of ginger root, cut into two
whole zest of 1 lemon, not grated off but sliced

Add spice bag/s (or ball/s) to saucepan; let wine continue to simmer. (The pepper and lemon are most important. You could probably leave the others out.)

At your leisure, add:
10 oz. dried figs, like Black Mission, stemmed and cut in half

After all the figs are added, bring to a boil, then simmer and cover for 20 minutes, until figs are easily pierced with a fork.

Let cool enough to handle, then puree in a food processor completely. Add fresh lemon juice (remember the zested one?) if need be.

I suggest adding no sugar at all, but if desired, add 3 T. brown sugar to the simmering wine early on. Also, if you have almost enough wine but not quite enough, you can add a little water to top it off.

------
I have one 8 oz. jar in my fridge, and one half-eaten bowl at my friend's place, post-party. It should keep a month in the fridge.

Damn I'm good.

Bringing Flava' to the South

In moving to the Deep South, I was not concerned so much with the cliches -- racism, blinding heat, the casual creeping of the word "ya'll" into my vocabulary -- but rather that lack of good food. Sure, there's the soul variety and all it's butter-drenched, deep-fried goodness, but for me, a tad on the heavy side. And sure enough, upon getting to Hattiesburg, I've found one Thai restaurant, two sushi places, and a mythological take-out only Indian-Mexican place that I haven't actually found as of yet. (Update: Apparently the Xanadu that was Comfort Foods -- previously referenced restaurant -- has closed its doors. A moment of silence of my now utter lack of Mississippian Indian food.) Which of course means that one much make all of one's own ethnic food in order to feel like a worldly eater.

Step in Lost night. Sure most of my friends have never watched the show or know what tahini or capers are for that matter, but I figure Wednesdays should be all about the epicurial edification of the future PhDs of America. Thus each week, we have been pot-lucking it with different ethnicities. Below, my contributions:

Week One - Mexican

Tortilla Soup: This isn't exactly the recipe I used, but close. Really nice on cold nights (not like we have those here in H-burg) and with a bottle (or three) of cerveza on hand.

Week Two - Chinese

Egg Drop Soup: For some reason I got it in my head that egg drop soup would be difficult to make. That is so very much not the case. Delicious, simple, and the shitakes make all the difference.

I also made Meagan's very tasty scallion pancakes, but I'll let her do the posting for that!

Week Three - Greek

Greek-Style Penne: This meal is impossibly good. Like obsessively eating it. One of those leftovers that sings siren-esque from your fridge. Gotta get the fresh stuff though. Not the same. And serve with a nice little Greek salad with this dressing, my new favorite quick dressing. (I used white wine vinegar infused with taragon. I recommend.)

Week Four - Middle Eastern

Baba Ghannouj: I always add more spice to mine. Double the garlic and give a nice hearty shake of that red pepper and oh yes!

Helawat al Jazr: Sweet cardamom carrots. I used soy milk and cut down on the sugar and actually could have probably halved or less the sugar. Very sweet. Very rich. Really excellent side dish to Cherri's tabouli.

Halva: So I over-cooked this week. What else is new? This desert is similar to Paula Dean's ever-so-tasty honey bars. But flakier, thanks to some rocking Cream of Wheat. I mean a middle-eastern recipe that calls specifically for Cream of Wheat? How could I deny it's creation?

Up next? Thai. Then perhaps Indian -- where I might rehash the dal makhani and cilantro coconut rice I made in Lafayette last weekend. Oh life is delicious!

Do you have a pantry like me?

And by pantry I of course include the fridge and freezer. And by I, I mean me, Christine.

Maybe I overstock, especially for two adults of non-picky palate. But I realized today, when I wanted fresh soup, that I had all the ingredients for this one I'd been meaning to try. And I'd cooked the chickpeas myself three days ago. Wacky, wacky. Anyway, this is truly wonderful. I haven't tried using soy milk or skim instead of half-and-half yet, but I'm guessing you could without a problem. The fat isn't needed for transcendence here; it's already wonderful.

GARLIC, CHICKPEA AND SPINACH SOUP, serves 4 or 5

In dutch oven/soup pot:

Olive oil (or walnut, if you run out like I do)
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
Saute for 5 minutes until golden.

2 t. cumin
2 t. ground coriander
Add in; saute a minute more.

5 c. vegetable or chicken broth
12 oz. potato, peeled and diced (2 medium)
Pour in broth and potato; bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.

2 c. chickpeas (1-15 oz. can)
Add to pot; simmer for 5 minutes.

2/3 c. heavy cream/half and half
1 T. cornstarch
2 T. tahini
salt and pepper
Combine. Add to pot when potatoes and chickpeas are just tender, stirring a lot.

7 oz. spinach, shredded/chopped fine
Add to pot; bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste, and a bit of cayenne pepper. Garnish with a dash of cayenne.

---
This really is wonderful. Smells great, goes together fast. An excellent lunch soup for a grey day.

Delicious After-bar Snack for Fall (Though Be Careful With Your Knives)

Heidi Swanson's wonderfully simple Curried Apple Couscous recipe (http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001509.html) is probably lovely with couscous, or bulgar. But using spaghetti squash as the base instead, as Meagan did this weekend, makes it truly transcendent. The rich flavor of the squash, combined with the curry and sweet crispness of the apples, make this dish a wholly satisfying late-night, half-drunk snack. And you don't even have to peel the apples! Or do much work with a sharp knife! Walnuts worked fine as a substitute for pinenuts, as did dried mint for fresh. To substitute spaghettie squash (and really, most things in life are better when you subtitute with spaghetti squash) simply cut your squash in half, microswave for 12 minutes with 1/4 cup water, then scoop the insides into your saucepan of cooked green onions and butter, season with salt to taste, then toss in the apples and let it simmer together for about 30 seconds or so. Eat it in a good ceramic bowl on the couch with an episode of Veronica Mars on the television for maximum deliciousness.

Note: I used 1/2 spagehetti squash when i made this (about 2 servings), and it was super buttery and flavorful, if a little on the salty side. You could probably use a whole spaghetti squash for four servings, and then just add 1/2 more apple, and a little more butter/salt to taste. This would also be great for dinner with a fresh salad and brown crusty bread.

Zucchini Bisque!

People. You have no idea. Just let me get to the recipe.

In your crock pot:

Turn to high. Add 6 T. butter, cut into a few cold pieces, 1 chopped onion, 1/2 t. curry powder, and 1-1/2 lbs. chopped zucchini. Let sweat for 30 minutes.

Then turn to low. Add 3 c. chicken or vegetable stock, 1 T. chopped fresh basil, and 2 T. rice (for body). Let cook on low for 5-6 hours.

30 minutes before serving, puree, either with an immersion blender, or in batches in a blender or food processor. Add 1 c. half and half; let heat through for 20 minutes on low. Add salt and pepper to taste.

----

This is an excellent soup. Forthcoming inventions which disregard butter and half and half will be reported herein. For now, know that it is creamy, mild, delicious.

My Dear John to RR

Dear Rachel Ray,

Enough is enough.

I have made the last of your food. Sure, you might be adorably cute and have one of those Julia Roberts runway-sized smiles and lovingly cute monikers for things as banal and extra virgin olive oil, but let's face it, your food is mediocre. The smothered kale and mushrooms? Bland! Even with extra garlic and high-powered Erin seasoning. Your citrus snapper? Terrible! And I love snapper in pretty much all forms -- what a heartbreaking waste of a good piece of fish! Even the garlic-laced broccoli with dried cranberries, which I was certain would be a winner, was undercooked and devoid of complex flavor. You even fucked up couscous! How is that even possible?

Yes, yes, I know. You're making food for the masses, the time-starved parents who work eight jobs and have twenty-nine children and still try to have an active sex life, but really? Is that an excuse? Giada can whip together any number of fantastic Italian dishes in the time it takes you to say "In the time it takes you...", so c'mon. Try a little harder, because when we were still in love, there was Hungarian Lentil Stoup, a poem-worthy concoction if their ever was one. Don't let it end there. No more flank steak. No more iceberg lettuce. No more travel shows that showcase that sugary little giggle that attempts to undermine your wealth of culinary knowledge. I'm ready to see you bust out with some all day souffle. Some Emeril-style flair, and not the TGIF pin-on flair mind you. I'm ready for us to get drunk on the good wines you always talk about; have you thought about a drinking on $20/day show? I could take you to some fine dives all across America. Just say the word.

Unforunately, though, as someone very stupid once said to me, I just can't fall head over heels in love you with, Rachel. But what's different in this situation? I think it is you and not me.

It was good while it lasted,
Erin

PS. On an unrelated note, Bean and Barley Soup, rocks my slow-cookin' world!

How To Make Friends and Influence Grad Students

So for the past month I've been cooking for me, just little ole me, and sometimes Meagan, and sometimes there is banana bread and/or cookies that I try to pawn off on workshop members. But no real big meal, what with the food pyramid and the dessert baking. So last night, there were invitations. There was chicken and smashed garlic potatoes. There was the amazingness of Paula Dean's French Coconut Pie (yeah, I know I posted that one before, but it's a reminder. So easy, so tasty!). Want to impress impoverished grad students? You too can be a culinary master. Just follow these easy steps for making a delicious dinner for five:

Terrifyingly Easy Crock-Pot Chicken

1 whole fryer (chicken), approx 3 pounds
1 head of garlic, peeled and smashed
1 tbp paprika
1 tsp parsley
3 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Remove weird internal organs from chicken. Throw away ('cause they're gross). Put whole chicken into crock pot. Season. Turn on low for eight hours. Eat.

Garlic Smashed Potatoes

2 1/2 lbs potatoes (doesn't matter what kind), scrubbed and cubed (not peeled!)
1/2 head of garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 red onion, cubed
1/2 cup half & half
3 tbp butter
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Boil potatoes until tender. In the meanwhile, put red onion, garlic, half & half, and butter into food processor. Blend until finely chopped. Transfer to mixing bowl. When potatoes are done, transfer them into the food processor (this'll probably have to be done in batches). Pulse until you've reached the consistancy you prefer, adding cooking liquid as necessary. Stir garlic-onion mixture with potato mixture. Stir in parlsey and salt and pepper. Serve.

Grilled Zucchini with Mint

3 large zucchini, sliced 1 inch thick
1/2 cup mint, finely chopped
1 tbp olive oil
8 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1 tsp marjoram
salt and pepper to taste

Grill zucchini (sauteing over the stove or roasting is also probably fine) until browned on both sides. Toss with remaining ingredients. Serve warm.

Make said French Coconut Pie. Bask in the food love of friends!


In other news:

Scallops with Capers and Sun-Dried Tomatoes: Fucking amazing. Go light on the sun-dried tomatoes though. They can be over oily.

Mushroom-Smothered Kale: Good, but not great. Need better mushrooms maybe? I just used portobello and buttons.

crock pots are magical

and i'm not even kidding. mine isn't pretty; it's 30 or 40 years old, with gunk caked in the bottom of the crock and stains on the cooker from the overflowing food of yesteryear.

but dude. have you ever made cider in one? or erin's mac and cheese? or ... hot breakfast cereal?!

i'm not kidding. i got a new cookbook (surprise), Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook. and indeed it is not my mom's; i have a copy of hers and it is crappy indeed. mostly bland. and unaware of the realm of possibility.

so back to hot breakfast cereal. observe the recipe and then, i'll come back.

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Cracked Wheat/Bulgur for Breakfast, serves 4

1 c. bulgur or cracked wheat
3 c. water
pinch of salt

Combine ingredients in slow cooker. Any size is fine. Cook on LOW for 7-9 hours, or overnight. Try serving with brown sugar or honey and a bit of milk poured in to cool.
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"And wake to a hot breakfast"--Berryman.

i don't know how to keep extolling this. there's a recipe variation i haven't tried yet, but just listen: replace water with apple juice, add cinnamon and cloves, add raisins, and chopped dried apple. can you imagine how that will smell when you wake up? bliss.

today i am making a berry pie for a friend's "bring your own pie to our potluck reception" wedding. inventive. and i am broke, so it's frozen berries from aldi and an overdue premade pie crust. but there will also be dinner, for the first time i've made dinner just before eating in weeks. in other words, crock pots save my life.

Erin Writes "Personal Essay" Paper About Her Love of Food

Since the dawn of man, I have loved food. I love the process of making it. I love the surprise in new recipes. I love the moment when everything comes together, and you realize you've just created something of beauty. And unlike writing, you get to eat it when you're done! This blogger entry will seek to examine the food I have cooked in the last week and explain its awesomeness to you, the audience.

In Hattiesburg far away from many of the things I love -- my boyfriend, my best friends, hockey, good Indian restaurants, liberal thinking -- cooking has become my outlet. Which means, lots of new recipes, new dinners, frequent trips to speciality grocery stores, importing cheap veggies from Lafayette, etc. I walk through ethnic grocery stores and produce stands with the kind of voyeuristic awe of a 40 year old bachelor in a porn shop. I can't eat out without thinking "I could make this better, lighter, and cheaper at home." Plus when someone brings you the food, it denies the process, making cooking a nearly shamanistic ritual where so few know or understand the how of it. (Note: This is my thesis statement. Underdeveloped as it is.)

So what have I been making with this all encompassing love of food prep? What haven't I! When Meagan came to visit last weekend, we had a very fine mushroom risotto, though the recipe as stated makes enough for about six. And it's fine without the prosciutto, largely because sans Aldi, prosciutto is freakin' expensive. We also made David's curry recipe*, though with lots of veggies and some inventive additions. A nice breakfast of Erin grits**, scrambled egg whites with havarti and olives, and a toasted slice of my homemade corn meal-millet bread with green chile jam and there was food goodness to be had aplenty.

This week, I've been enjoying some fine fish, including Orange Roughy Dijon, which is spectacular and easy. And lots of veggie recipes, including chunky guacamole (great with Christine's black bean soup -- ask her for the recipe) and Fennel, Apple, Celery Salad with Cilantro and Lemon, which I had tonight with baked herbed grouper and Christine's Peach Brie Quesadillas. Nothing like a little solo comsumption decadence to make a girl happy.

I've also made some really great acorn squash recipes from The Vegan Gourmet, to which I say, just buy the freakin' book. It's only 75 cents for goodness sake! Plus there's a really great recipe for garlic mashed potatoes that requires no butter or cream -- and it's amazing!

In conclusion, you don't have to eat crap. Who cares if it's fast and deep fried? You know, deep down, it doesn't really taste good. And your body is probably throwing a hissy fit about it. So go home. Make some food. Whistle a jaunty tune while you do it (or drink some nice Chilean wine!) and eat like Erin. 'Cause she's cool.

--

* David's Magic Curry (modified from this recipe)

(Makes six servings, easily)

5 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
3 fresh green chiles, seeds removed and thinly sliced
A handful curry leaves, ripped into small pieces
2 thumb-sized pieces ginger
1 1/2 onions, peeled and chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
14 fluid ounces (400 milliliter) can coconut milk
1 3/4 pounds (800 grams) mixed vegetables, chopped (we used zucchini, red peppers, cauliflower, and parsnips)
1 cup cashews
Salt

Heat the oil in a pan when hot add the mustard seeds. Wait for them to pop, then add the fenugreek, green chile, curry leaves, and ginger, stir and fry for a few minutes.

Using a food processor, chop the onion, add to pan, and continue to cook. When brown and soft, add the vegetables, chili powder, tumeric, and garlic powder.

Using the same food processor, blend the tomatoes and add to the pan. Cook for a couple of minutes, add the coconut milk. Simmer for about 5 minutes until it has the consistency of thick heavy cream then season carefully with salt. Take this sauce as a base.

Add cashews and continue to cook as normal and simmer until the vegetables are tender.


** Erin's "Trust Me, You Actually Will Like Grits Cooked This Way" Grits

1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup instant grits
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil. When the grits have soaked up the stock, serve. (If you don't have stock, a cup of water and a chicken bouillen cube is fine.)

Veggies in H-burg!

The one nice thing about living alone is that there's no one to look at you funny about the strange things that you have decided to consume today. Yet the joy of food discovery isn't as fun and there's no one to pawn leftovers on. So if anyone would like to collect the contents of my tupperware from my fridge, I promise tastiness!

And oh darling Christine. No vegetables? But it is the time of all things great in the vegetable world! Squashes and zucchinis and eggplants! Of course here in the 'burg, I'm eating nothing but the green stuff -- and my body isn't really that happy about that either. Something about how you need iron in your diet. And protein. And things that aren't necessarily grown in the earth. Perhaps we should combine our cooking ambitions? Perhaps we should start a blog of sorts which shares said recipes with one another? Hrmmmmmm.....


Butternet Squash Soup

1 med. butternet squash, peeled and cut into cubes
1 small sweet potato, peeld and cut into cubes
2 tsps miso
5 cups water
roasted sesame seeds (for garnish)

Place water, potato, and squash pieces in a soup pot and boil for 0 minutes or until pieces are soft. Then put the squash and potato along with their liquid in a food processor with the miso and blend until smooth.

Pour into bowls and top with roasted sesame seeds. Can be served warm or chilled.

(From Asian Vegan Cooking)

NOTE: I was concerned about the lack of spices in the soup so I added some ginger, which I think actually took away from the flavor. Trust in the simplicity.


Miso Salad Dressing

2 tbp miso
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tbp sugar
2 tbp warm water
1/2 cup oil
2 tbp apple cider vinegar

(From Asian Vegan Cooking)

NOTE: Halfing this isn't a bad idea. Or easing up on the oil. It's my new favorite summer salad dressing though.


Balsamic-roasted Acron Squash with Hot Chiles and Honey

This recipe blows my mind with it's awesome goodness. Spicy, sweet, rich, savory. It's got everything with very little.



Curried Apples and Raisens

1 tbp olive oil
2 green apples, cored and diced
1/2 cup raisens
2 tbp curry powder
salt and pepper to taste


Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add apples, raisens and curry. Toss until coated. Cook over medium heat for approx. 10 minutes. Serve.

(This is my own recipe. And it's a rocking side dish.)



Cauliflower Sauteed with Peaches and Cardamom

4 cups chopped cauliflower
2 med shallots, slivered
1/4 tsp salt
2 med peaches
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
Several grinds of black pepper
2 tbp minced fresh parsley leaves

Combine cauliflower, shallots, and salt with 1/3 cup water in a heavy-bottomed skillet. Cover and cook over med heat 7-10 minutes, until the cauliflower is barely fork-tender.

Meanwhile, peel the peaches and slice the flesh from the pits into bite-size chunks.
When the cauliflower is barely tender, stir in the paches and sprinkle the cardamom and pepper evenly over the contents of the skillet. Cook, stirring gentle but frequently for about three minutes. Toss with parsley in a bowl and serve hot or at room temp.

(From The Vegan Gourmet)

NOTE: This is one of my new favorite things in the whole wide world. And only 56 calories a serving! Also, this is the best cookbook I own. You should buy it. Seriously. Their recipes need no changing.


Italian-Style Wild Rice and Vegatbles

The rice
1 tbp olive oil
3/4 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice (white's fine)
1/4 cup uncooked wild rice
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano

The vegetables
2 tbp olive oil
3 gloves garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes (or one large fresh with 1/2 cup water)
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 cup sliced green beans
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tbp capers, drained

Put 1 tbp of oil in a 2 quart pan over low heat and add both rices along with the basil and oregano. Saute for a minute, stirring constantly. Add 2 1/2 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 40-45 minutes until the water is absorbed and rice is tneder.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tbp of oil in a skillet that has a tight-fitting lid. Saute the garlic (don't burn it like I did while you're checking your email in the other room), then add the tomatoes and their juice. Add all of the vegetables and the herbs. Bring to a rapid simmer over med-high heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Uncover and cook 10 minutes longer to reduce the liquid. Beggies should be tender, but not overly soft. Serve with rice and sprinkle with capers.

(From The Vegan Gourmet)

Muffins! Pasta! Pudding!

Ah, pasta, flax seed and pudding. Here we go, with the things that make me happy lately. Along with the return of friends, husband, and more good news than bad.

I bought some milled flax seed, and the box proffers this lovely, tasty recipe. Which I modified because, well, I do that. Make these today and be amazed at how buttery they taste when they have no butter inside. And of course, flax seed gives you the most omega-3 oil you can get from any one thing.

Whole Wheat Flax'n Apple Muffins

1/4 c. milled flax seed
3/4 c. whole wheat flour (not stone-ground)
3/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour (or graham flour, or white wheat flour)
1/2 c. sugar
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

Mix dry ingredients together with a whisk.

In a separate bowl, the wet stuff:
1 egg, beaten
1-1/2 c. finely chopped apples
3 T. vegetable oil (feel free to experiment with oils)
1/2 c. milk (skim was fine)
1/2 c. chopped nuts or raisins
1 t. cinnamon

Add dry ingredients to wet; stir just til blended. This is a very thick batter. Fold in apples and nuts or raisins. Fill muffin cups, and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until top springs back when touched.

I want to try this with other fruits, of course, like blueberries with some lemon zest and almond extract.

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And the eating doesn't stop there, folks. No no no. Whether this is a 'pasta salad' or just pasta, I'm undecided. But it is damn good. So just make it, eat it warm one day, cold the next, and munch on the zucchini in-between. My friends did a lot of picking zucchini out of the pasta bowl when I wasn't looking.

Rotini, Summer Squash, and Proscuitto Salad with Rosemary Dressing (courtesy of Cooking Light)

3 c./8 oz. uncooked rotini (but penne was fine)
1-1/2 c. coarsely chopped summer squash
1-1/2 c. coarsely chopped zucchini

Boil pasta; in last minute of cooking time, add squash and zucchini. Drain and rinse under cold water. (Or hold off on the squash boiling--I have another idea about that. Keep reading.)

Meanwhile, do some other prep:
3 T. chopped red onion (or white, who cares)
2 oz. fresh mozzarella, asiago, gruyere, or any combination, grated or chopped
4 oz. proscuitto, chopped (bacon would probably be okay)

Set these aside, if using red onion. If using white, you'll saute it in a minute with the proscuitto.

Heat a large nonstick skillet until hot; add proscuitto and white onion if using. Cook 5 minutes until crisp, stirring frequently.

NOW, maybe you forgot about the zucchini earlier. Throw it in with the proscuitto near the end, and let the veggies soak up the proscuitto fat. It's like deglazing, but with vegetables, not liquid. And tasty.

Make the dressing:
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. fresh black pepper
2 T. white balsamic vinegar, or reg. balsamic
1 T. olive oil
1-1/2 t. Dijon mustard
1/2 t. finely chopped fresh rosemary ... or a bit of dried, crushed

Combine dressing in a small bowl or glass and whisk.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, squash and zucchini, cheese, red onion, proscuitto, and top with dressing. Toss gently to coat. And relish in the goodness.

---
Well, after eating the pasta, Christy and I decided we needed chocolate pudding. So we made some. From this recipe.

Yum.

Iron Chef Austin

So the most recent amusement David & I have begun is to pick one vegetable and one meat that we've never cooked before and create a meal around those two things. I know. We're dorks. But dorkdom aside, it's forced me to do a little more digging than I usually do for recipes, and since we're buying the items and then figuring out what to do with them once we've taken them home, it's also lead to some Erin creativity, a terrifying thing at times. Especially because I'm apparently the cooker of vegetables -- kohlrabi and parsnips thus far. Must say, loving them both. The parsnips in particular. Surprisingly rich in flavor and a nice starchy texture.

My kohlrabi recipe started from this, but became Erin-fied pretty quickly and thus became this:

Erin's Modified Scallop kohlrabi (for two)

1 tbsp olive oil
2 shallots, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
4 kohlrabi, peeled and diced
2 tbsp butter
2 cups milk
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup bread crumbs
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 300.

Saute oil, shallots, and garlic until shallots are translucent. Mix together kohlrabi, shallot mixture, and milk in a 9x9 baking dish. Dot with butter. Bake in the center of the oven for 45. Remove and layer parsley, cheese, and bread crumbs. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until kohlrabi is tender. Eat. 'Cause it's awesome.


And as far as the parsnips went, well I've been dying to make this lentil and rice salad but was taken aback by claims that it was a little bland (because Giada is my woman). So I decided to take the idea and make it awesomer -- because that's what I do. Thus:

Erin's Awesomer Southwestern Lentil and Rice Salad

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
1 parsnip, peeled and finely diced
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 red chile pepper, chopped
1 1/4 cups dried green lentils
2 1/2 cups chicken broth, plus 2 cups
1 tsp cumin
1 bay leaf
1 cup long-grain white rice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons finely grated lime peel
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan. Add the parsnip, onion, chile, and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lentils. Add 2 1/2 cups of broth and cumin and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer gently until the lentils are just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well. Transfer the lentils to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, bring the remaining 2 cups broth and bay leaf to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the rice and return the broth to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently over low heat until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes (do not stir the rice as it cooks). Remove the saucepan from the heat. Fluff the rice with a large fork. Transfer to the bowl with the lentils. Add the cilanto and lime peel. Toss the rice mixture with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil to coat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold. Doesn't matter. It's delicious.


With the lentil salad, we had Swordfish with a Lime-Ginger Glaze, and we had a really nice amberjack with the kohlrabi, though I'm having a hard time finding the recipe, though I remember there was honey involved. And lime zest. Mmm.

In less iron-y news, other recipes:

Spaghetti with Asparagus, Smoked Mozzarella and Prosciutto is easy, elegant, and delicious. Especially when you can get cheap prosciutto at Aldi. Be sure to splurge for the good cheese. It makes an enormous difference. And beware, even by halving the recipe, it's enough for four.

And why not serve that pasta with a nice Yellow Pepper Soup? I did. And it was tasty. Though I'd add some red pepper to give it a bit of a kick. But then, when am I not saying that?

I'm going to miss Austin.

Oh, Funny Vegans

taken from a vegan how-to guide:

Mickey Mantle Breakfast

Bagel with sliced avocado and/or vegan cream cheese (see section 2)
Juice shaken with soy protein powder (see section 2)
Whiskey

Magic Peach Cobbler

Ooh-ooh, Erin goes to Scotland. Misses vegetables. Loves to invent. Ooh, ooh.

Yeah, meanwhile, I'm in central Illinois while the rest of the world travels abroad. My husband, in Japan. My friends Erin and Christy, in Scotland. My family, in Saint Louis and Texas, which feel far enough away. Boo hoo hoo.

But the one perk of Illinois in the summer, the one thing that trumps all of those other dumb places, is my Farmer's Market. Every Saturday. Free toffee, cheap pierogi, lots of dirt-covered, locally grown fruit and vegetables. Sigh.

Did I mention my quart and a half of peaches for $2? My half-pound of basil leaves? And the potatoes? Obviously, with all this produce and no one in town but me (so it feels), the pressure of cooking it up is on.

I don't know why I eat more produce once I bake it, but I do. As the following recipes testify.

MAGIC PEACH COBBLER

1/2 c. butter
Preheat oven to 350; put butter in a 9x13 dish; place dish in oven to melt. The magic begins.

1 c. all-purpose flour
1-1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. sugar
1 c. milk
This is your batter. Mix it in a bowl if you want, or my sister-in-law mixes it straight in the pan full of now-melted butter.

3 c. peeled, sliced peaches with juices
Try blanching the peaches in boiling water to cover for 1 minute. So much easier. Be sure to let them cool before you try to slide off their skins. Avoid burns, people.

Pour batter in pan, arrange peach slices on top, and bake for 30 minutes. Be amazed as the cobbler crust rises above the peaches. Maybe all cobblers do this, but I don't know that for sure, so mine is still magic. In my head.

---


That link will lead you to a complicated recipe for Spinach and Gruyere Tart in a Three-Pepper Crust. For this recipe I bought myself a tart pan. It may be the cutest thing I've bought for my kitchen, ever. Fluted edges, so adorable.

The tart was good, but not amazing. I'm going to guess more onion, some garlic sauteed with that, and more cheese would help. The crust was a good call, though. Be sure to use lots of pie weights or dried beans in the prebaking--I thought I'd used a lot, but no. It still rose in little humped pockets. And overall, the tart was overshadowed by Rogan's grilled lamb and peaches.

Why America is the Greatest Country of All Time

Having spent ten days in the UK (namely Scotland) I have come to the conclusion that politicians have known for a great long time (or at least been extolling) -- that America rocks. Not because of our self-righteous militaristic outbursts, nor our small-minded and hypocritical xenophobia, but rather because the food here is vastly superior. And I don't have to pay for it in pounds.

For someone who worships at the shrine of eating in the way that I do, travel is all about epicurean delights. Russia was marked by excellent traditional Caucasian cuisine, not to mention caviar blinis, mushroom soups, and a beef stroganoff that could bring me back to the red side (of meat, not politics that is). Sure Scotland had some really great smoked salmon, but who doesn't? And while I'm a big proponent of free wine and cheese, let's just say, I don't care what you put on wonderbread (prawns, Brie, apple slices, etc), it's gonna suck. And a slab of meat and overboiled vegetables, a meal does not make.

So since returning home, food has been pretty much all that's on my mind. (Well, all that I can publish here anyway. Check my 21 Stars Hot Action Review for more.) Thus the following elaborate and tasty dishes have been made since my return --

Curried Couscous : Absolutely amazing. Very simple. Also it has a lot of things that I usually have in the house anyway. (Though as someone pointed out, the things that are just lying around in my house aren't necessarily that ordinary.) Tastes good hot as well, though I'm gonna agree that letting it sit and serving it cold is ideal.

Sauteed Sea Scallops with Lemon-Mustard Sauce: Okay, so I didn't make this. My lovely boyfriend did. But having reaped the mustardy fruits of his labor though, I recommend and forward on.

Whole Roasted Red Snapper with Orange, Rosemary and Kalamata Olives : This was really good, and I think you could probably change out the fish if you wanted because snapper isn't exactly the cheapest or easiest fish you could find. (Perhaps Aldi orange roughy?) We used nicoise olives -- I'd recommend the Kalamata. And maybe dried rosemary instead of fresh? Needed a bit more oomph.

Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella Quesadillas : This I made for myself largely because I had no car, no money (got my purse snatched in Atlanta on my way back -- which sucked largely because I spent the entire flight back daydreaming about the awesome food that I was going to make when I got back) . . . So this is a truly Erin creation

1 tomato, chopped
5 basil leaves, chiffonade
1/4 cup mozzarella (fresh is awesome)
2 tortillas

Combine tomato, bail, and cheese inside folded tortilla. Over med-high heat, saute tortilla until slightly browned on each side and cheese is melty. Eat.

For a Southwestern kick, add black beans and jalapeno. (Which you should saute with the tomato and basil before putting into tortilla.) Mmmm. Protein.

And right before I left, I made this:

Anaheim Shrimp Scampi : This might be the most delicious thing of all time. And slightly good for you!

I was also obsessing about tofu marinades and picked up this one as well:

TOFU MARINADE

1/2 c. soy sauce (low salt)
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 clove garlic, mashed
1/3 c. oil
2 tbsp. peanut butter
2 tbsp. ketchup

I didn't use the ketchup. But otherwise, mmmm. Tofu.

Erin Tries Not To Go Vegan and Fails - Part Two

I would like to start this post by stating that I ate ham last night. And shrimp. And heavy cream. And it was delicious.

But so was my Okra, Corn, and Tofu Gumbo (okay I modified that one and used shrimp and not tofu -- but that was for my boyfriend who gives me a funny look when I pour myself a glass of soy milk or even talk about putting tofu in anything), my Roasted Corn Soup with Fresh Basil, and Rice Porridge with Gingered Blueberries, all from my very favorite new cookbook, The Vegan Gourmet. I've modified these a little and present them to you in all their animal-free glory. (And just so I'm not looking at a copyright lawsuit, go buy this book. It rocks mightily.)

Okra, Corn, and Tofu Gumbo

1/4 cup white flour
1 cup long-grain white rice
1/2 pound fresh okra
1 can whole green chiles
1 tbp veggie oil
1 medium white/yellow onion, coarsly chopped
1 medium carrot, coarsley chopped
1 medium red pepper, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 pound firm tofu, diced
1 cup fresh (or frozen or canned) corn kernels
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne
2 tsp file powder (I didn't have this, so just added more cayenne)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped

Place the flour in a dry, heavy-bottomed skillet over med heat and brown for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. You must keep the flour moving to prevent it from burning. (And don't burn it. Really. It's stinky.) If the flour begins to blacken (not brown), turn down the heat a little and begin again with fresh flour. When the flour is uniformly tan in color, remove it from the pan and set aside.

Cook rice. (Duh.)

While rice is cooking, trim your okra and slice into one inch pieces. Remove the steams and seeds of the chiles and slice them into long, thin strips. Heat the oil over med-high heat in a stockpot. Saute the onions, carrots, bell pepper, and celery for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until they begin to brown.

Add the tofu, corn, okra, chiles, chili powder, cayenne, and a dash of salt. Lower the heat to med. Stir and saute for 10 minutes, then distribute the browned flour evenly over the veggies and stir it in. And 2 1/2 cups hot water, file powder, and tomatoes. Increase the heat to bring the mixture to a rapid simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve hot over rice.

(Note, your dinner serving is only 380 calories. Woo!)


Roasted Corn Soup

1 medium bulb of garlic
6 ears corn with husks intact
3 cups veggie stock
1 medium russet potato (peeled & cubed)
2/3 cup soy milk
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease pan and place unpeeled garlic bulb in center. Cook for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, soak the corn, husks and all, in cold water for 15 minutes. Remove from the water, pat dry, then place in roasting pan with garlic. Cook for 20-25 minutes. Remove the garlic and corn from pan and set aside. When cool enough to handle, shuck the corn, discardig the husks and silks. Cut the kernels from the cob, reserving cobs.

In a stockpot, combine the broth, potato, and cobs. Bring to a boil over high, reduce the heat to med, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Remove from heat and discard cobs.

Meanwhile, squeeze garlic from its skin into a food processor. Add corn kernels. With a slotted spoon, lift the potatoes from the broth and add them to the processor. Process, adding the cooking broth as needed to creat a smooth but quite thick puree. Return to the pan and stir in milk, basil, and salt & pepper to taste. Gently reheat.


Rice Porridge with Gingered Blueberries

(modified for two)

2 cups unseasoned cooked brown rice
1 cup blueberries
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Combine the rice and 1 3/4 cups of water in a saucepan over med heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer rapidly 5-10 minutes, stirring freqnetly, until a thick porridge consistency is achieved. You may create a smooth-textured porridge, if you wish, by pureeing some or all of the hot rice.

Meanwhile rinse and drain blueberries and place them in a saucepan over med heat with the maple syrup and ginger. Cook about 5 minutes until the berries pop and the juice thickens a little.

Combine rice mixture and blueberry mixture and eat. Yum.


**

Other recipes I've made successfully in the last week --

Yankee Okra -- add a little lemon juice for kicks!

Fresh Tomato, Basil, and Garlic Sauce over Angel Hair Pasta -- Because we have fresh tomatoes and basil coming out our ears here! And add grilled shrimp! Why not?

Ricotta Cheesecake with Fresh Raspberries -- I didn't make the preserve sauce and just used honey as a topping. It was good, but not great. Though infinitely better for you than real cheesecake. Oh, and I didn't like that there wasn't a crust at all. I felt it need a bit of a crunch, though I don't know if that's possible.

Peach Cobbler -- Simple and really tasty.

Gnocchi -- I tossed it with leftover pesto that we had around (that we made with cashews because we didn't have pine nuts, and I must say, it worked fine), but I did make the butter thyme sauce later and put it over a simple angel hair primavera I made the next night. It rocked. The gnocchi are a little ugly, but yummy. Like mashed potato balls. From heaven.

Erin Tries Not To Go Vegan and Fails - Part One

I'm not really a vegetarian, let alone a vegan, but I'm inching my way closer and closer to the two. What's not to love about light and flavorful tofu? Fresh veggies? An excuse to over-spice everything? Sure there's no cheese, but there are greater things in life than old milk, right? Right? Okay, maybe not, but I've gone about as vegan as one can -- soy milk, tofu, lots of grains and dried fruit. It's a little too easy to do here in Austin -- granola capital of the South. So here are two of my favorite new recipes, made up completely from my brain. Like magic. Woah.

Vegan Elvis Bread

3 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/4 vegan margarine, at room temp
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup vanilla soy milk, mixed with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt


Preheat oven to 350 F. Place bananas (in their skins) on a cookie sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Spray a 8x4 bread pan with non stick cooking spray, or lightly coat with margarine.

Remove bananas from their skins and mash well.

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and spices.

Cream together the margarine and sugars. Add bananas, peanut butter, soy milk and vanilla.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Mix well. Pour batter into pan. Bake for an hour to an hour 10 minutes.




Erin's Sweet & Spicy Stir-Fry

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow squash, chunked
1/2 red onion, chunked
1 medium tomato, chunked
1/2 cup tofu, chunked
1/4 cup crushed pineapple
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cooked bulgar wheat

Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat. Add squash, onion, and tomato. Saute for five minutes. Add tofu. Continue to cook. Add pineapple, brown sugar, cinnamon, and red pepper. Stir and saute together for five minutes. Salt and pepper and serve over cooked bulgar. (Or rice. Or whatever.)

(Of course with all stir-fries, these things are interchangable. I made this one solely because it was what was in the house. But I recommend regardless.)

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Eater

Apart from the other half of my brain, I have felt a halved person, a woman incomplete despite the tranquil (albiet suffocating) heat of south Texas and the lazy mornings or coffee and carrot muffins (which included my 2 cent wheat germ -- I love buying in bulk!). This was most evident last night when I made what would have been the ultimate in Alias dinners -- but no Christine! No Christy! And no wigs or weird daddy issues within sight!

Instead what would have been an Alias dinner in my previous life as single-girl-on-the-town, because pre-concert date dinner, which is actually what it probably should be. It's sweet and spicy and really all levels of amazing. So go home. And make it tonight.

(Modified for two from recipes from Early Girl Eatery & Spirits on the River, Asheville, NC)

Sauteed Rainbow Trout with Green Tomato and Blackberry Sauce

1 large green tomato, cored
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup diced celery
1 teaspoon lemon zest, minced
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons all purpose flour, plus 1/4 cup for coating
1/2 pint fresh blackberries
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 rainbow trout fillets
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Put the tomato and lemon juice in a food processor or blender and puree it. Transfer the tomato puree to a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat, bringing it to a low boil. Add the celery, lemon zest, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and water. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce is thick, like a marinara sauce. (Add flour to thicken.) Remove from the heat and gently mix in the blackberries. Add salt, to taste.

Lightly flour both sides of the trout and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add enough olive oil to sear the trout. When the oil is hot, add the trout and sear on both sides just until brown. Place the skillet in the oven and continue cooking until the fish is flaky, about 10 minutes. Top with the sauce and serve immediately.


Quinoa and Veggies

1 cup quinoa
1/2 cup wild rice
1 tablespoon olive oil or peanut oil
1 cup mushrooms, diced
1/3 cup diced chives
1 orange bell pepper (diced)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cayenne or crushed red pepper

In a large skillet, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring occasionally, until it expands out of its shell, about 10 minutes; be careful not to overcook it.

In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally until done, about 20 minutes. (Add more water if necessary.)

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, chives, bell pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper. Cook, while stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the quinoa and rice and stir until hot. Serve immediately.



(Leftover update! Toss your leftover quinoa and veggies with some tofu, tomato, and fresh basil and heat through on a skillet. You've got yourself a nice little lunch.)



**

In other news, I made my own veggie burgers and froze a bunch with the intention of eating them for lunch. Quite tasty. I'd alternate the recipe next time to be something like this though:

Veggie Burgers

3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup corn kernels
6 shitake mushrooms, finely chopped
4 scallions, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 small potato, grated
2 egg whites
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Stir in corn, mushrooms, scallions, and bell pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, cumin and cayenne and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in spinach and cilantro. Add carrot and potato and stir to combine. Add egg whites and season with salt and pepper. Stir in enough bread crumbs so that the mixture holds together. Shape mixture into 6 disks and place on a plate. Chill for 1 hour. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in non-stick skillet and cook veggie burgers until golden on each side.

Cheesecake, heal thyself!

Who doesn't love cheesecake? Why wouldn't you? It's not even cake. It's custard/cheese one-crust pie. It's incredible. It could kill you. And to make it right, many changes to the oven must be made.

I've been on a quest for the perfect cheesecake, and I think, as far as plain ones go, this is the perfect one. It's at least the most sentient, self-healing cheesecake ever. Example: while baking this cheesecake, the outer edges began to rise and crack faster than the gooey center. Normal, and sad, cracks in cheesecake. But! While cooling in the fridge, it HEALED ITSELF. It is now a crack-free cheesecake. Flabbergasted.

The following recipe has been adapted from http://www.thatsmyhome.com/cheesecake/blue-ribbon-cheesecake.htm

Perfect Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 450, and set out springform pan, jelly roll pan, and small baking dish (brownie pan?), and some water.

Crust:
1-1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs (cinnamon grams were tasty)
1/2 c. butter, melted (1 stick)

Combine in medium bowl with fork; press into bottom and sides of a springform pan (9"). Try using spoons and heavy drinking glasses to moosh the crumbs down evenly.

Filling:
24 oz. cream cheese, room temperature (set out for an hour or two)
1 c. sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 t. vanilla extract
finely grated zest of one orange
1/2 c. butter, melted and cooled

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add sugar and mix. Add one egg at a time and beat well after each addition. Add vanilla and zest, mix, and finally add butter, mixing again.

Pour filling into crust-lined springform pan, which maybe you butter before hand, maybe not. Maybe you even used parchment paper to line it. I never do either.

Place springform pan inside jelly roll pan to prevent leaks; put into middle of oven, leaving one rack below.

Place small baking dish on lowest rack under cheesecake. Pour water into baking dish and step back; avoid steam burns!

Bake at 450 for 15 minutes, then 300 for 30 minutes, adding water after 30 minutes of baking. If the middle jiggles after this baking time, but no more than a jiggling circle a few inches in diameter, it's done.

Take out of oven and place on cooling rack. Cover the cheesecake with cardboard, not plastic wrap or foil, so it can breathe without forming condensation. Place into fridge and let the self-healing begin.

Cooking in the Heart (Heat?) of Texas

Greetings, gentle readers, from the heart of the heart of Texas. Or perhaps, rather, the cantankerous innards of Texas, where one can drive with her Kerry-Edwards sticker without fear of metallic retribution. Yes, I'm in Austin, where the grocery stores were designed by the gods, or at the very least, Sara Moulton. (You can buy grain in bulk!) Since arriving in town a week ago, there has been much cooking, bread-making, biscotti-baking, et al. Oh lazy summers of food, beverages, and the small, writhing wildlife that my boyfriend's cat tries to bring in!

For Memorial Day, we felt the need to be patriotic, Christmas-and-puppy-loving Americans, so we put together some patties of processed meat with the intention of setting them aflame. In our pseudo-burger cook-off, I decided to prepare these curry turkey burgers that I've been eyeing for awhile now. (The slaw in the recipe is also amazing. And easy. And great summer food.) David made some really kick-ass lamb burgers with a simple yogurt dressing that I sadly do not have the recipe for, but needless to say, miscellaneous meats were enjoyed by all -- meaning the two of us, his cats, and our too-soon-cold grill.

Also have been revisiting some of my favorites -- chicken cacciatore with a side of couscous, homemade hummus (with fresh feta, olives, and a little salad of red onions, cucumber, tomatoes), biscotti with dark chocolate and ginger (see earlier recipe and modify as you'd like!), etc. Needless to say, the eats have been great. Plus I haven't even gotten into grilled lamb with cilantro that was made for me.

Oh and this recipe with meatballs* (instead of the sausage) is incredible. Especially if you happen to have a certain Saturday market where one can purchase said ingredients cheaply and tastily. (*sigh*)


--

Turkey Meatballs

1/4 cup Italian dried bread crumbs
2 tablespoons milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup freshly grated Romano
1 pound ground turkey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 350.

In a large bowl add bread crumbs, milk and mix until well combined. Mix in eggs and 1/2 cup Romano cheese and mix well. Add turkey and gently combine, being careful not to overwork the meat. Season with salt and pepper.

Shape into golf-size balls. Arrange on a cookie sheet and bake for approx. 20 minutes or until cooked throughout. Toss with pasta.

21 Stars Food Review

21 Stars Food Review

Lentil soup. Not always so tasty, is it? Lemon doesn't always work, pork fat is tasty but sometimes gross, and spices don't always elevate the earthy lentil into something you're glad to be eating. What to do, what to do.

What I did was start making an Italian bean soup, only to discover I had no canned beans in my cupboard--a terrifying event, me and no beans. But lentils I had. And with the Italian soup recipe as a basis, and the necessary two hours of simmering underway, the soup was delectable.

BEST EVER LENTIL SOUP

olive oil
1 chopped onion

Saute onion until translucent.

Add:

2 carrots, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped with leaves
1 T. garlic, chopped
1 t. dry basil (or 3 T. fresh)
1/2 c. (1/4 lb.) chopped pancetta, proscuitto, ham, or turkey ham .. maybe sausage?

Pour in 7 c. boiling liquid, with chicken or vegetable stock in the majority (6 c. stock and 1 c. water was nice).

And add:
1-3/4 c. lentils (2 c. would probably be fine, as well)
2 c. stewed tomatoes (1 can)

Bring to a boil and get seasoning.

I was sick when I made this, and so were my guests, so I made it a decongestant-tastes-like-something soup. But I'm sure it's good if you're well. My husband thought so.

To season:
lots of red pepper, cayenne or flakes
lots of salt
lots of black pepper
at least 1 t. dried sage
2-3 dashes balsamic vinegar

Simmer at least 1-1/2 hours, maybe 2 hours. And get better.

That's Just Bulgur!

So in preparation for what was to become the best dinner of all time, I needed to buy bulgur for stuffing. What is bulgur you ask? According to the most reliable source of all time, bulgur is "made from durum wheat grains that are boiled and dried or toasted" (Wikipedia). Of course you can't just get 3/4 of a cup of bulgur, so I bought a pound, what seemed like a small amount of whole grain cracked wheat. Alas, three recipes later and I still have most of a bag left. That stuff goes a long freakin' way.

The first use, went into making Bulgur, Herb, and Feta Stuffed Cornish Hens. I've been eyeing the Cornish Game Hens at Aldi since I started shopping there a year plus ago. They're only $2 a piece and I have fuzzy memories of eating them with my mother on Christmas Eve when I stopped going to my stepfamily's festivities and spending the night with just her wrapping lots and lots of presents. So thus, hens! And really, this recipe is easy and absolutely amazing. (You can leave out the pine nuts if you want. They're expensive and unnecessary. Don't skimp on anything else though.)

Of course the dinner left me with lots of bulgur that must be consumed before I move out in three days, so I decided to make the Tabbouleh recipe that's on the back of the bag. And some hummus. Why not? After two mint juleps and a shot or two of brandy, Christine and I said why not Mediterranean food? Why not indeed!

Tabbouleh

1 cup bulgur
3 cups finely minced parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped mint
3 scallions, finely minced
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tbsp salt
2 tomatoes cut into 1/2" cubes
3 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil

Place 1 cup bulgur and 1 cup water in a bowl. Let stand for thirty minutes. When bulgur is done, in a large bowl gently mix together all ingredients, except lemon juice and olive oil. Add lemon juice. Toss. Let chill for one hour. Before serving, toss again with oil.


I accidentally made this recipe with twice the bulgur it called for, so I had a lot. I mean, a helluva lot. I like to eat it cold over lightly salted romaine, but in theory it could be warmed as well. Really light, excellent summer food. And keeps well. So well in fact that I tried to do something with it for our Spanish dinner party. Like wrap it in grape leaves. And bake them. Mmmmm.


Erin's Awesome Tabbouleh & Feta Stuffed Grape Leaves

4 cups tabbouleh
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp dill
1 tbsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
30 grape leaves

Mix all ingredients except grape leaves. Rinse and pat dry grape leaves. Place one tbsp of mixture in the middle of the leaf. Fold in the top of the leaf. Then fold the bottom of the leave to cover the previous fold. Then roll them jelly roll style. Steam for 10 minutes. Serve warm.


It was a complete crap shoot whether this would work or not, but really quite great! And my first time with grape leaves (they were gentle, don't worry). And while not Spanish at all, no one questioned this after seven bottles of wine turned into sangria. Nor did they notice that I was making Mexican sangria, which is so vastly superior to Spanish sangria it's not even fair.

Mexican Sangria

1 bottle red wine (crappy is fine for this one -- Winking Owl, anyone?)
1/4 cup lime juice
2/3 cup orange juice
1 cup sugar
1/2 orange, cut into slices
1 lime, cut into slices

Mix. Served chilled over ice.

The Mac & Cheese of the Stars! (Or From the Stars! Or Not Star-Like At All!)

It is time. There is little introduction needed for:

Erin's Super-Supreme Awesome Kick-ass (Humble) Mac & Cheese Recipe from the Land of Great

or Crock Pot Mararoni Pie

8 oz. maracaroni (cooked and drained)
1 tall can evaporated milk
1 ½ cups milk
3 cups shredded sharp cheese
1/4 cup blue cheese
¼ cup margarine
2 eggs
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tbp cayenne pepper
2 tbp black pepper
2 tsp salt
1 tbp paprika
1 tbp dried parsley
1 tsp onion powder


Mix all ingredients together. Put into crock pot. Cut several thin slices of sharp cheese and place on top. Cook 3 to 4 hours on low.

Note: You can substitue sharp cheddar for any cheese lying around. This week's mac? Included cheddar, feta, mozarella, American, and some crumbled gorgonzola left over from Wednesday. And it was awesome. Also, don't skimp on the pepper. It's what makes it so magical.

The Famous, Transcendental, One-Two Punch

of Erin's mac and cheese and my family's black bean chili.

If you've had it, you know what I'm talking about. Erin's mac and cheese has been sitting in her crock pot for four hours, and my chili just got off the stove, where it began twenty minutes ago. A study in contrasts, much like me and Erin. At least where height is concerned.

We first discovered this magical combination at a Final Four party last spring. I remember the silence of the guests, staring into bowls with these two dishes side by side. There was awe. One might say, a taste of the sublime.

With proper reverence, and anticipation for Erin's recipe (she's held it hostage), here.

BLACK BEAN AND TURKEY CHILI

1 T. olive oil
1 chopped onion
2 T. chopped garlic
1 lb. ground turkey, as low in fat as possible
salt and pepper

Heat oil in Dutch oven; saute onion and garlic. Brown turkey, breaking into small pieces. Season with salt and pepper. If using high-fat turkey (like 15%), feel free to drain fat after browned. Or not. Whichever.

2 c. diced tomatoes (or one 15 oz. can)
1/2 c. chopped green chiles (or one tiny can, OR one can of diced tomatoes and chiles, like Ro-tel)
2 c. black beans (or one 15 oz. can, drained and rinsed)

Pour into turkey mixture, which should still be over high heat.

3 T. chili powder
2 T. cumin
1 t. cayenne

Add to pot, and stir to combine. Add more chili powder if your chili isn't thick enough, or red enough. Add more cumin if you need to open up your sinuses, though I like to stop at 2 T. And of course, add more cayenne if you like. Tabasco works in a pinch, though you need a lot to get a decent flavor, and the vinegar in Tabasco doesn't really add to this chili.

Seriously, that's it. You will never make another chili ever again.

Christine here. Please do not think my delay in posting has anything to do with me not eating, or not cooking, or not being online. No, none of those things. It could have been because I was waiting for enough recipes to pile up. Like 20. I think it's 20, between the dinner party and all the angry shout-outs Erin keeps leaving here. I could have been waiting because I've been so busy cooking I couldn't stop to tell you about it. That is also not the case; I just take huge portions of Erin's leftovers (which she despises) and eat them at home. It is a kind of love, taking what someone else doesn't want when you'd like to have it anyway. I've been eating her white bean and sausage stew for two weeks. Seriously.

Enough headnotes and malformed apologies. Time for food!

CHURCH LADY FRUIT DIP

Really, that is this recipe's most accurate name. It's from my parents' church's fundraiser cookbook, titled AT THE TABLE. There's a sketch of the church's steeple on the front cover. It's the kind of cookbook I open up before I go to barbecues, looking for my mom's three-bean salad, and sometimes when I'm sick and can't think about difficult, multistep recipes. All the Cheez Whiz and Oleo usually stops me pretty fast, encouraging me to nap--which is what I should have done anyway.

This resembles caramel apple dip, with much less caramel and more creamy goodness. It also goes together very, very quickly, keeps for a few refridgerated, not-eaten-from-container days. Great with Fuji apples and ripe, almost moldy, strawberries from Aldi. (I didn't see the mold! I threw them out when I did! I swear!)

"Dips for Fruit"

Option 1:
1/2 c. sour cream
1/3 c. brown sugar

Stir. Eat. I heart church ladies.

Option 2 (which I like):
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. cream cheese, softened (use the microwave for 20 seconds)
2 T. white sugar
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. maple syrup--the closer to Vermont, the better

Stir. Chill for 2 hours prior to serving--it does actually help the sugars miraculously dissolve.

Lovin' Will (& Gina Torres!!) and Eatin' avocados

So last night for Alias night -- not the return, that was last week, when there was Christy salad and homemade chicken noodle soup* -- there was Will Tippen love and collective feminine appreciation for the hotness that is Gina Torres. Most importantly though, there was Salmon & Avocado with Sesame Soy Dressing, one of the best things that I've found on the Food Network site in quite some time. Plus if you don't have sesame oil (because who does?), a little vegetable oil will work fine, though I wouldn't skimp out on the the sesame seeds. They add texture that you wouldn't get with much else. Not the mention the whole recipe totally only takes 10 minutes to make and is light and just plain yummy.

There was also leftover polenta from yesterday that I attempted to bake, though that didn't go over as nicely as I'd have hoped. (Crusty on top, yes, but still far too gooey in the middle.) Also a kick ass chocolate-prune cake courtesy of Christine (Again, start bugging her. I don't have her magical recipes, alas.) and Christy salad, this week with apples and gorgonzola. Mmm.

Oh Sydney, it is time to battle yourself! We all sensed it. If only there were ninja flying stars involved, then life would be downright blissful.

--

*Erin's Chicken Noodle Soup -- From Scratch Bitches!

8 cups chicken stock
4 cups water
2 carrots, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
5 whole cloves
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 tsp marjoram
1/2 package of egg noodles
salt & pepper to taste


Bring chicken stock & (preferably made yourself, because you want to be that cool, and hell, who doesn't have chicken bones just lying around the house to boil up. C'mon!) water to boil. Add carrots, celery, onion, green pepper, garlic, bay leaves, and cloves to water. Lower heat to medium low. Let simmer for one hour. Add chicken, lemon juice, and marjoram. Simmer for 20 minutes. Add egg noodles and turn heat up to medium. Cook until egg noodles are tender, approximately 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Consume heartily.

Keep in mind, this makes enough to feed a small army, so amass one early. It's hard to draft so late in the game.

Christy's Dinner Party O' Love (Part One)

In celebration of Christy turning the big and ancient 2-5, Christine & I determined we would both create a delicious and all-encompassing meal in celebration as well as exorcise our departmental issues through excessive food preparation. For many days (some might say weeks), we poured through cookbooks, determined a cooking order, and were sadly forced to drink much beer in build-up for said event. This was what our collaboration came up with:

First Course
Mushroom Pate* & Bruschetta with Leaks and Brie**

Second Course
Our friend Wolfgang's Mushroom Soup

Third Course
Chicken with Lemon Herb Sauce
Salt-Roasted Potatoes*
Steamed Asparagus with Roasted Red Pepper Salsa*

Fourth Course
mescaline & Watercress Salad with Pears & Shaved Parmesan*

Fifth Course
Choice of Red Wine Sorbet*, Chocolate Torte (?)*, and (my personal favorite) Is It Really Better Than Sex? Cake (The answer? Sometimes, depending, but mostly no.)

There was much wine to compliment said meal, though sadly I can remember none of the fine beverages imbibed with the exception of Aldi's Riesling, my favorite of the classy Aldi wines. ($5! Need I say more?)

I would also like to report that all were happy with said meal, which was obvious by the excessive telling of dirty jokes at our table and the inability of people to move much afterward.

* - Christine is in charge of getting you, our loyal readers, the recipes. (Get on the ball, girlie!)

** - It's exactly what it says, but here's a recipe form, for those of you who like numbers.

1 loaf French bread (preferably bought by Carl)
1/2 lb Brie
2 leaks (finely chopped)
1 yellow onion (finely chopped)
2 tbp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper (to taste)

Pre-heat oven to 350. Saute leaks and onion in olive oil until slightly browned. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cut bread into one inch thick slices. Top with sliced Brie. Then top Brie with leak & onion mixture. Heat in oven approximately eight minutes. Serve warm.

The Great Pamcake Cook-Off

Several weeks ago, my house hosted the Great American Pancake Cook-Off. Okay, really it was the Greater-Chambana Pancake Cook-off that consisted of a measly four entries, but regardless! The important part about this story is that my pancakes (or pamcakes) were the champeens. Yes, that's right, world. E.E. Smith is Champaign-Urbana's Pancake Queen. Get me a float and tiara and the reign shall begin.

Of course I completely stole the recipe from here. (I know, me and the Food Network -- who woulda thunk it?) But there's no real issue with thievary in bake-offs. At least when you win. And Christine, c'mon darling, did you learn nothing from the Great Kugel Cook-off of 2005? Just because you put custard into something does not make it a slam-dunk. Plus anyone who's ever played Axis & Allies knows it's impossible for the Germans to win.

Elsewhere in my kitchen, I have noticed that I've gotten into these strange obsessions with certain foods the same way I do with certain songs. (My roommate noted not too long ago that she heard me play the same Old 97s song four times in a row and knew it wasn't a wise idea to come out and ask how I was doing.) As far as food goes though, I've been eating far too much of the following --

-bananas and cottage cheese (yes, together)
-red chai with soy milk
-pb&j (that's all natural peanut butter and some of my roommate's farmer's market raspberry jam . . . oh the snobbery!) on english muffins (well, these are from aldi and pretty crappy, so . . . )

I'm still in full obsession mode with some other things too -- black beans & rice, making chicken stock, soups from the food network site, Spanish wine, Goose Island Oatmeal Stout, Paula Deen's French coconut pie. Of course I made this the other night trying to marry my obsession with soup and black beans, and I must say, it was vastly mediocre. Five stars my ass.

The Wonders of the Sea (& the South) in the Midwest

There are few instances where I get itchy for Southern cooking. Too many years above the Mason-Dixon line have weakened my stomach to all forms of vegetable oil and lard and have thus greatly decreased the amount of Southern food that I can consume when home. (My tolerance for Cream of Mushroom soup-esque cooking has also gone down, but that's solely from acquired snobbery. In theory, it's just as tasty.) However, I was feeling the itch for some Carolina cuisine, so did a little digging and found this recipe for shrimp & grits, which might just be the tastiest thing I have ever consumed. I'll note that leaving the leeks out is perfectly okay and that prosciutto is an adequate substitution for the tasso ham, though I'd recommend throwing in some Cajun spice mix to heat it up. (Or red pepper. I'll never so no to red pepper.) I'm sure it's even better in places where the shrimp hasn't been sitting around in the grocery store freezer to the point that it could probably acquire a driver's license in most states.

Also, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to find grits in Illinois. There was a brief moment of panic walking through Schnuck's with my little basket that I would be making shrimp & Cream of Wheat, but no! There they were beside the instant oatmeal, and my heart rate returned to normal and for a brief moment in the sterile white light of this anywhere chain grocery store, I felt at home.

In other food related news, I am making biscotti. One of my favorite weekend activities. I've modified this recipe and pretty much perfected it, though more often than not I manage to burn the damn things. I completely suck at remembering that I have things in the oven and again with the damn kitchen timer! Someone! Please! If you missed my birthday, here's your chance to make it right.

Below, "Erin's Modified Biscotti Recipe That Will Completely Rock Your Socks if One's Socks Can in Fact Be Rocked."

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature (or melted in the microwave like I do because I never think to leave my butter out and I'm too lazy to do so after I decide that I must bake *right now*)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup cappuccino chips (or nuts or white chocolate chips or more semisweet chocolate chips or whatever you've got around -- though I don't really recommend fruits or vegetables, regardless of how exotic you're trying to go with these)


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter in a large bowl to blend. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Stir in vanilla. Add the flour mixture and beat just until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Form the dough into a 16-inch-long, 3-inch-wide log. Transfer the log to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 30 minutes. Cool 30 minutes. (They're not kidding with the cooling thing. Don't try to be all manly and chop through them when they're freakin' hot. It hurts their feelings and more importantly, their eventual texture.)

Place the log on the cutting board. Using a serrated knife, cut the log on a diagonal into 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the cookies cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake the cookies until pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a rack and cool completely. They're almost always better the second day because they're harder and thus don't come apart in your coffee ruining said sacred beverage. The recipe will make about 10 regardless of the fact that it claims to be able to make approx. 24. I don't know where they get these damn numbers.

Wow, those bananas are gross.

So when I got back from Austin, I found what looked like two month old bananas in my freezer. What surprised me the most is that they actually were two month old bananas that Christine had bagged and popped in amongst my 8,000 Aldi chicken breasts. Most people would view this as a cruel and fruit fly infested practical joke. I, being the magnanimous person that I am, saw it as an opportunity to make lots and lots of banana bread. Which I did. Using this recipe, courtesy of the lovely Christine. Of course I didn't have most of the ingredients in the house, be aware that you can replace rum-soaked raisins with vodka-soaked cranberries (or probably any sort of alcohol-soaked dried fruit) and pumpkin seeds for crushed peanuts (always fun to smash things). And what the hell, throw in a third banana. You know you have one!

Tonight I shall attempt to make another loaf with a different recipe. I will recommend this one as well. It was my first attempt at banana bread and pretty solid. Now if only I had a kitchen timer so I didn't leave things in 15 minutes too long. Hrm.

Minephoney

So tonight, I decided to celebrate my triumphant return to the Champaign-Urbana area by creating a tasty meal for the lovely Christine, who amused me with Spring Break (Spring Break!) stories while I made for her a partially made-up concoction that originally came from this recipe, but became a strange hybrid because of my lack of several essential ingredients. Thus, below follows the directions for what has been dubbed "Minephoney". It is delicious. Screw Food Network. (Wait! No! Not really! Giada, I want to marry you and bear your parmesan-encrusted children! Come back!)

--

"Minephoney"

2 tablespoons olive oil (or basil-infused olive oil, if you're cool like me and own it.)
2 carrots, peeled, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 package baby spinach
1 cup white rice
2 cups water
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 tbp dried rosemary
1 tsp onion powder
1 (15-ounce) can white beans, drained, rinsed
2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth
1 ounce freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 pound shrimp, shelled, deveined
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt and pepper

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and garlic. Saute about 7 minutes. Add the spinach, rice, and water; saute for about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, onion powder, and rosemary. Simmer until the spinach is wilted and the tomatoes break down, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, blend 3/4 cup of the beans with 1/4 cup of the broth in a processor until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan cheese rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir in the whole beans, shrimp, and parsley. Simmer until the shrimp are cooked and the soup is thick, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Mushrooms are for grinding

The question, dear readers, is who names their child Wolfgang? Firstly (and thus foremostly) a group of wolves is a pack, not a gang. And if it were a gang, I have a hard time viewing it as anymore than a West Side Story kind of gang with the black combs and the dancing and the spontaneity of song. Something tells me people named Wolfgang do not do this. Even when animated and put into Disney movies.

Regardless, Mr. Wolfgang Puck (I do like the hockey-liciousness of that last name though) does have a pretty fabulous recipe for mushroom soup, which can be found here. I suppose my ludicrous number of links to the Food Network belies my daytime obsession, but really, who can resist the charms of women doing women's work. (That was the RHET student in me coming out. Remember, since the dawn of time, men have been different than women.)

With said soup Christine made a pretty damn fabulous cake made of miscellaneous root vegetables and some other stuff. (She can tell you about that one.)

Other things made in my kitchen recently --

- Pizza Rustica -- "It feels like angels are making love on my tongue." -Carl

- Turkey Tonnato -- You put what on what? And did I just have to buy anchovy paste. Yes, yes I did.

- Brown Sugar Chewies -- I was actually supermodel thin before these. Really, I have pictures!

Lazy Sunday

This morning, Christine slept in. Then she woke up to snow and ice hitting her window. Then she decided, I must make German pancakes. What are German pancakes, you ask? Do they include marzipan? Do they use sauerkraut as a base? Do they involve liters of bier? No, Christine would tell you. Oh no.

They are a puffy custard onto which one squirts fresh lemon juice, then sprinkles powdered sugar. Then, this lucky one drinks black coffee and noshes, perhaps, on fresh cantelope and grapes. Who cares about snow, Christine thought gleefully after devouring half a pie plate's worth of pancake.

Because Christine loves you, dear reader, she has included the recipe below. My husband's family introduced me to these. They demanded that I make them when I was a new bride, and though I was intimidated, I won them over with my mad skillz. I beat a good egg.

Classic German Pancakes (serves 4 well)

8 eggs
1 c. half and half
1/2 c. milk
2 c. flour
1/2 c. XXX sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
Lemon juice, melted butter, sifted XXX sugar

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
Beat eggs with a whisk, then add half and half and milk. In a separate bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Add dry ingredients to egg mixtures, and beat ingredients until smooth.
Pour into well greased pie tins or oven-safe, slope sided round pans by 1/2 cup for 7 inch and 1 cup into 9 inch pans (I used one 9-inch pie plate, one 2.5 quart casserole, and one 1.5 quart casserole).
Once in oven do not open door.
Bake until lightly golden (20-25 minutes). Carefully remove with hot pan holders. Serve immediately, topping with melted butter, XXX sugar and lemon juice or fruit compote as desired.

Leftover Update

We'd somehow managed to eat all of the lettuce from Wednesday's Greek Salad, so I mixed in the leftover items (with dressing) into my black beans and rice the next day and oh my dear god was it good.

When making the next round of BB&R I included some savory. That was also a good call.

Black Beans & Rice

1 can of cheap-o black beans (drained but not rinsed)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tsp garlic powder (fresh garlic doesn't cook down enough)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp savory

2 cups cooked rice (instant's fine)
1/2 cup cheese (cheddar's yummy, but anything will do)
1/4 cup sour cream


Saute black beans onion and spices for 'bout 8 minutes. Serve over rice. Melt cheese on top. Dress with sour cream if so desired.

(Leftover option: Toss in leftover veggies . . . green peppers and red onions are ideal.)