Food and Photo

Back for more

2010-02-10T21:46:00.002-05:00

Dear heavens, how long has it been since I've written on this blog?
Months.... No wait.... Over a year.
Dad brought it up for awhile and then magically stopped. And now here I am 15 months later, trying to come back and blog.
Have I lost my food blogging mojo? Nope. I've just been blogging elsewhere for work and well have been to lazy, yes, lazy to blog personally.
But I'm back. And I hope to start blogging once a week, again.
I'm getting back in to the baking groove, sending cookies to Iraq (hoping they don't turn into cookie pucks, but it's possible) and making birthday cakes and brownies, which means kitchen accidents, cuts and bruises.
Nothing major has happened lately in that department. Just smoke coming out of the oven, which lets admit isn't that abnormal.
Now if I can only figure out what to make for Valentine's Day?

Thankful.....

2008-11-27T12:26:00.004-05:00

As a kid, I don't think I fully understood Thanksgiving. What asked what I was thankful for one year, I said my dog. As a teenager, I don't think I ever said I was thankful for my family (I was rebellious). But now as an adult, living on my own, I'm thankful a lot of things- my family, friends, job, and my inner strength.
This year has been rough. Moving, breaking up, getting a job and in the beginning it all seemed so hard. I didn't know if I would make it sometimes, but I pushed through with the help of friends and family.
And while today, I will be working and missing from my family's table. I will be at a friends. Plus, a coworker and I are bringing in dinner for the people on duty. It won't be a feast by any means, but it is something. More than nothing.
I'm making my famous Upside-Down Butterscotch Apple Sour Cream Cake. I made it 2 years ago and was a huge hit among friends and family. I hope it will be the same here.

Upside-Down Butterscotch Apple Sour Cream Cake
(Bon Appetit)

Cake
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup baker's sugar (superfine sugar) or regular sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)

Butterscotch-caramel apples
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/3 cup butterscotch morsels
2 8-ounce Golden Delicious apples, peeled, halved, cored, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

For cake:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until blended. Beat in flour mixture, then sour cream. Stir in chopped apple. Set aside while preparing butterscotch-caramel apples.

For butterscotch-caramel apples:
Melt butter in 10-inch-diameter nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add brown sugar and butterscotch morsels; stir until melted and smooth and mixture is bubbling, about 2 minutes. Add apple slices to skillet and cook until golden brown, using tongs to turn slices, about 3 minutes per side (there will be a lot of liquid in skillet). Remove skillet from heat and let cool 3 minutes. Using tongs, arrange apple slices in skillet in concentric circles or other pattern.

Carefully spoon cake batter in small dollops atop apples in skillet. Using offset spatula, gently spread batter evenly to edges of skillet (batter will seem to float on top of apples and pan juices). Bake until cake is golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in skillet 10 minutes. Run knife around edges of cake to loosen. Place large platter atop skillet. Using oven mitts or pot holders, hold platter and skillet firmly together and invert, allowing cake to settle onto platter. Serve cake warm.

No 60 minute Thanksgiving dinners...

2008-11-10T15:42:00.003-05:00

I'm sorry to disappoint Ms. Rachael Ray, but her 60 minute Thanksgiving dinner took almost 2 hours for me to make. No help, just me, myself and the ingredients.
Now why would I take on such a feat?
Well, because I've never made Thanksgiving dinner and I wanted to know if you could really do it in 60 minutes. So I gathered up the ingredients and tore up the kitchen to see if I could do it.
I begun where the magazine said to start, blanching the green beans and starting on the potatoes. Check Check. Bird in oven, check. Start on chopping for stuffing. Back to green beans. I started to get mixed up with which dish I was working on and what hadn't been done. My brain was getting frazzled. I knew 20 minutes in this wasn't going to work. So I began going dish by dish, getting each one done.
I was ahead for about 30 minutes and then I got slammed. The trifle and potatoes came back to back, plus I was going back and forth between her minute-to-minute list to her recipes because I had found errors during prepping that I wanted to weed out.
For example, Ray's original turkey recipe said to let it rest for 20 minutes but in the minute-to-minute list the bird rested for 8. Where did the other 12 minutes go?
Plus it didn't help that I did not have enough counter space or any help. I decided to go it alone.
Sixty minutes hit, the turkey was still raw and I had just begun on mashing the potatoes. Albeit 3 dishes had yet to be completed, 2 were.
Another 15 minutes go by, the dessert and the potatoes are completed. What's left is the bird. I didn't use a thermometer, I did it by touch and luckily (as usual) I was right. The bird was done.
And while I may not have been able to do it in 60, I did do it 90. And this is mainly due to the fact that the bird was still partially frozen when I put it in the oven. It was the last thing to come out. If it had been dethawed I think I could have shaved 15 minutes off, but that would be cutting resting time.
My companion, who watched me, enjoyed the entertainment and the meal. The potatoes is what she loved the most and I concur, but who doesn't love potatoes.
Now I just wonder is Ms. Ray even doing her meals in 30 minutes and what to do with the leftovers?

Orange and white potatoes
(adapted from Rachael Ray November 2008 issue)
4 small russet potatoes
1 cubed sweet potato
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup of butter
salt
pepper

Place russet potatoes in pot cover with water. Bring potatoes to boil After about 20 minutes add sweet potato. Cook until tender, drain water into colander. Place potatoes in bowl, mash with fork or other utensil. Mix in cream and butter. Salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Cowboy cookies?

2008-11-02T13:57:00.003-05:00

I am a cookie fan. Peanut butter, oatmeal, chocolate chip. Anything really. I do not discriminate against the cookie.
So last week, I talked to a friend for the first time in months and she said to me, "Jerry, I miss your cooking." I smiled and then felt guilty. She had yet to receive a Jerry package of goodies. I knew I had to rectify my shortcoming with something, so I hit the computer.
It seemed everything I found I a) have made 2) didn't want to buy the ingredients or c) had no interest in making. O.K. so maybe I was a little discriminatory. Then I remembered a recipe a friend had given me- Cowboy Cookies. When I heard about them, they intrigued me because I had never seen or heard of them before.
However, if you look at the recipe all they are, are just oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips, but I made them anyways. And they are a fabulous! Crunchy outside soft middle. The way I believe a cookie should be. Now if I can only part with them.

Cowboy Cookies

2 sticks butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 cups oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix together dry ingredients. Cream butter, then add sugars and cream some more. Add in eggs and vanilla, after that combines add in dry in spurts so that you don't have flour everywhere. Then add in raisin and chocolate chips, doll-up scoops unto a baking sheet and cook for 10-12 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!

Making Whoopie....

2008-10-28T14:50:00.001-04:00

Do you remember those Little Debbie "Oatmeal Cream Pies" you'd get in school? The two cookies on the outside and frosting in the middle?
I remember them vividly, probably for different reasons than you, but I can honestly say I ate my far share of them. That and Zebra cakes.
So, when I heard about the "Anything but Pie contest" that the local market was doing here in Elizabeth City, I thought whoopie pies. This was because contest rules said you had to use either pumpkin or sweet potatoes in the food you made. When I was told this, I vaguely remembered a recipe I had seen for pumpkin whoopie pies. So I knew then I had to make them.
I spent one afternoon roasting the pumpkin, making puree and then making the little "cookies."
Some might say it would be easier to have gotten canned pumpkin, but I had a small one and I like using fresh pumpkin when I can. Yes, the kitchen is a mess but you have pumpkin for a couple more recipes than just a pie.
The whoopie pies came out spectacular, my friend said he would give me first place if he was a judge. Then come Saturday-market day and it was cancelled. No contest, no market, me with a lot more whoopie pies, then I had planned. So, I took them to work and they got gobbled up by coworkers, who took more than one.
Now what to do if the market is on this weekend and the contest rescheduled for this Saturday?

Pumpkin whoopie pies
(adapted from Rachael Ray mag)

1.5 sticks butter, 1 stick melted, the 1/2 stick softened
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin puree
cinnamon, allspice, clove
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 2/3 cups of flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 2/3 cup sugar
4 oz cream cheese
1 cup powder sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°.

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the baking powder, the baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour.

Using an ice cream scoop or tablespoon, drop 12 generous mounds of batter, spaced evenly, onto each baking sheet. Bake until springy to the touch, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, cream the softened butter with the cream cheese. Add the confectioners' sugar and the remaining 2 pinches salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; mix on low speed until blended, then beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Spread the flat side of 12 cakes with the cream cheese frosting. Top each with another cake.

My obsession with biscuits

2008-10-19T18:09:00.003-04:00

Tonight was suppose to be chili. I had every intention to make chili, however I got home from the pumpkin patch and the last thing I wanted was chili.
But what I really wanted was a biscuit. So I googled and then went to Food Network, finding Alton Brown's biscuit recipe. You know the shortcut episode- instead of buttermilk use milk and lemon. So I had found my recipe, but could I make fluffy biscuits?
I've been trying to get that final product, Brown's would be my third. Every other time, the biscuits were never fluffy rather rolly. Crusty outside, white inside, but it would never be a biscuit. So awhile ago, I asked my dad about biscuits, he said that I should never knead them, which is what I had been doing. So, this time I used the best tools- my hands.
What did I get? Well, they weren't exactly huge, tall biscuits, but they were fluffy and crusty and oh so good.
The perfect biscuit to go with my southern dinner/breakfast- eggs over easy, bacon, biscuits and OJ. A great way to end my day.

Southern Biscuits
(adapted from Alton Brown's Southern Biscuits)
1 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
9 1/4 ounces all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, chilled

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Combine the milk and lemon juice in a glass measuring cup and place in the refrigerator.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using your fingertips and working quickly, rub the butter and shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like crumbs. Make a well in the center and pour in the chilled milk mixture. Stir just until the dough comes together. The dough will be very sticky. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, dust top with flour and gently fold the dough over on itself 5 or 6 times. Press into a 1-inch thick round. Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch cutter, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet so that they just touch. Reform the scrap dough, working it as little as possible and continue cutting.

Bake until biscuits are tall and light gold on top, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

A quiet cake

2008-10-16T21:56:00.003-04:00

I am a maker of cakes. I don't need a reason. I'll make cakes just for the hell of it, but if its your birthday, I always make one. Whatever you want. No questions asked. I'll make it even if I hate it.
So, when I learned a friend's birthday was this week, I automatically said I'd make a cake. He said I didn't have to. He didn't need one. My mouth dropped. No cake?
I protested. He said if it would make me happy, then I could make him a cake. I was a little hurt. Cake is a big deal. Birthdays are defined by cakes.
Maybe it's because I view birthdays as the one day of the year, I can say screw you and do what I want because I have an excuse. Or maybe its because I get my favorite cake. I don't know.
Plus, people always surprise you on your birthday. You learn about your turn friends on that day. So that's why I took offense.
Of course, I made a cake anyways- Chocolate Espresso from Nigella Lawson. It didn't rise as it should have. I think that's due to my lack of self-rising flour and that I tried to make it myself. However, it has a good chocolate with a hint of coffee taste that I like.
And maybe this year, I'll celebrate my birthday twice. Cause the first time I didn't get the cake I wanted and it's always better when I make it.

A little bit of West, Texas

2008-10-06T14:35:00.003-04:00

Oh the market is down, gas is down and jobs are becoming scare. Amid all of this, I can be found in my kitchen.
The market is bad, I could soon lose my job, but I do not fret or worry. Maybe I should, hell my newspaper is for sell, but I'm calm about it all. It's my laid back lifestyle.
So instead of fretting I make kolaches. What are kolaches you ask?
One of the many breakfasts that I know and love in Texas. All it is really, is a sweet roll with jam/jelly/preserves in the middle.
Nothing is better than stopping in West, Texas at the Czeck gas station to pick up a kolache on your way to or from Austin. Sure there are other places to get them. They are all along the I-35 corridor, but I find them to be the best in West.
After moving to NC, I've craved them, but no one knows what they are. I've had to explain them to almost everyone I know. I guess it's a Texas thing.
So this morning, I got up and made kolaches. It's just like making any sort of bread. It takes time to rise and the whole process takes about 4 hours. To some it may seem like to much work but to me. The work is worth the reward.
Especially with a hot peach kolache and a cup of coffee. Nothing is better. Well... that's a bold statement isn't it? O.K. so it's up there. At least in my top ten.
But don't take my word for it. Hop on over to Homesick Texan's website and try her kolache recipe. It's divine.

Far far away...

2008-09-14T11:58:00.004-04:00

My closest college friend is in D.C. and although it is only 4 hour drive from my current residence, work prevents me from visiting often. The rest of my friends live in Texas, far far away. I find myself missing them more often now that I am away, keeping in touch more and sending more goodies than ever.
I guess its the distance. I can no longer cook or bake for them so I send packages of brownies, cookies, books and other things. They do the same. There is no hesitation from any one of us and often there is no message of the package until it shows up on the doorstep of the receivee. It's better that way; it's a surprise.
With Ike and Gustav hitting places where I have friends currently, I've been constantly making sure everyone is alright by twittering and text messages. I guess its the maternal instinct that I have.
Then again, I made several e-mails and phone calls when Hanna hit last week, so I've been in the same spot. Though some may say they have to worry about me more because sometimes I don't fully think things through before doing something, which is true.
So this morning I decided to put together packages my friends know so well. (My friend's dad patiently waits to see what I send her every month, which means she sometimes only gets one piece.) Since I love chocolate and coffee, I put together an espresso brownie recipe.
It is deliciously soft, chewy and chocolatey the perfect thing for all my girlfriends.

Espresso brownies
(adapted from Everyday Food)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon coffee grinds
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
5 oz semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with rack in center. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan, and line the bottom with parchment or wax paper. Coat paper with butter. Set aside.
In a large heatproof bowl, combine the butter and unsweetened chocolate, and place over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until completely melted. Let cool slightly. Whisk in sugar, espresso powder, vanilla, and eggs.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add to the chocolate mixture, and stir until just combined . Fold in chocolate chips.
Pour into pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out slightly wet, 30 to 35 minutes. Using a damp, warm knife, cut into 16 squares, wiping knife blade after each cut.

Black only.

2008-09-10T10:52:00.000-04:00

I never drank coffee as a teenager. I tasted it a few times out of my Dad's cup and always made a sour face, saying, "Bluck!" However, tastes change and you pick up a real job, naturally you pick up coffee, too.
Or like me, you knew it could become an addiction, so tried to avoid the haunting black liquid as long as you could. Really, since trying coffee more than a year ago, I felt an addiction comin' on. Weird I know, but my first sip caused a flutter with my taste buds and a began Saturday ritual of breakfast tacos and iced mochas. Routine seemed innocence enough until friends and I began meeting up at coffee joints at 11 p.m. One latte later and I was up all night. Thus began my relationship with coffee- a reoccurring romance that I avidly denied and avoid. Little did I know that coffee had already won.
Of course being journalist, hours are strange and sleep always is lacking, what becomes once a week eventually turns into 3 times a week into at least one cup a day. This happened to me over a span of a few weeks. I know drink at least one cup a day, depending whether I'm at work or with friends. It is my 3 p.m. jolt during my 10 hour day that lasts often until midnight.
Within this span of about 2 months, I've gone from cream and sugar coffee to black. Now I don't mind the cream and sugar, but I find that I don't need the additions to drink my cup. I don't know why. I like the bitter often woody taste of my coffee. I don't need to sweeten it.
Now I just need to learn to make espresso.

My Black French Press Coffee

1.5-2 Tbsp of coffee
1-2 cups boiled water

Boil the coffee in microwave or like me on the stove because I lack a microwave. Place coffee in press, pour boiling water over. Let water and coffee steep for at least 4 minutes, I let it steep for long anywhere between 5-10. Press the metal press down, pour into cup. Enjoy!

Comfort me with food

2008-09-03T18:09:00.005-04:00

I claim mental insanity, when I decided to start studying for the GRE because today my prep book arrived. I immediately started to skim through it and discovered that it seemed just like the SAT, but all the words I once knew failed me. I mean, who actually uses the words-assuage, cacophony, ephemeral- in daily life? I know of no one.
Of course this comes after helping a friend's daughter with a percentage of a percentage problem today, which I couldn't understand. Did going to college make me dumb? Or is it that I haven't had math since high school?
Personally, I'll go with the latter, but all this education talk made me hungry and what better way to easy a hurting head than with food. Plus, it was one of my nights off, so I could cook a decent meal in my kitchen without having a time limit or forgetting to defrost dinner.
I knew I had zucchini, which was on its last leg and googled a recipe. For meat, I felt like chicken. But what I was really feelin' like was biscuits. Nothing is better than a golden fluffy biscuit. O.K. so that statement is a stretch, but I'd prefer a homemade biscuit to Pillsbury any day.
Sure the can is fun to pop open, but making them is just as fun.
(Note: I've been craving fried chicken, but I put it off until I had some guinea pigs to try it out on. Plus, grease still scares me. It is the one hospital visit I do not want to make.)
So I made the biscuits which puffed and became golden brown, zucchini hash and chicken. It was so nice to have a home cooked meal again. I forget sometimes with late night work shifts, how comforting a meal can be.
Now I've promised myself that I would begin preparing meals before I go to work, so on my lunch I can just pop them in the oven. Well, see how long it lasts. Or if it even starts.

Zucchini Hash
(adapted from Cookin' for Real)
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tablespoon butter
1/2 pound zucchini, cubed
1/4 onion, diced
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large skillet, heat oil and butter over high heat. Add zucchini, squash and onion. Cook until softened and golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Rainy days call for soup.....

2008-08-30T09:50:00.000-04:00

The weather here in NC has been less than appealing. No sunshine, just gray clouds and rain lurking in the area. Don't get me wrong. I love rain and what it brings to my garden, but after a couple days I'd like to bask in the sun.
However, the great thing about gray weather is the urge to get inside and cook. And that is what I decided to do the other day. I looked at my counter once again, overflowing with vegetables in the garden and immediately decided to throw it into a pot. And that is exactly what I did. I chopped up squash, eggplant, tomatoes, onions, garlic and allowed them to simmer together.
I would love to say that I allowed them to marry for hours, stirring it occasionally as I sat in my big brown leather chair reading. But I had work in the afternoon and only had two hours. So, I let them simmer, while cleaning up the mess. I added in some spices and tabasco to my liking, turned off the stove and went to work.
As the day went on the gray clouds let go of there condensation for a large downpour, and I thought about my chili waiting for me when I got home. I was too excited about it, but it was my first real meal of the week (I've really been slacking of in the cooking department)and I couldn't get enough.
Although, it might have been too spicy for some. I loved it. The only thing missing was some cornbread. That would have made the meal complete.

Vegetable Chili
1 zuchini chopped
1 squash, chopped
1 eggplant, chopped
1 lb or more of tomatoes
2 small bell peppers
1 medium onion
4 garlic cloves
few splashes of tabasco
salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano
extra virgin olive oil

Saute onion, oregano, and all veggies except tomatoes. After onions are semi-translucent add tomatoes. Make sure you turn down the heat, the tomatoes will add juices to the chili. Add a cup of water if it needs it and let simmer for at least an hour. After simmer add spices to your liking. Let cool a little before serving.

Localvore to a....

2008-08-20T18:30:00.002-04:00

Well, I can't say T, but I'm pretty close. I've been even more local than I was in Austin, which is quite shocking, considering all ATX has to offer. (Confession: I spent a lot of time at Whole Foods and Central Market.) But here in North Carolina, I live off of food stands, the garden, and almost all organic staples on a budget no less.
Now I can't say that I've stuck to the budget always. It is really hard when you read Tastespotting and food magazines all the time because most of the stuff isn't local to my area. For example, I haven't bought an avocado in months because they are expensive due to "surging" gas prices. Maybe with this lower gas prices, food prices will go back down with it.
But even if prices do go down, I don't think I'll buy things that have made the trek from South America here. I just can't bring myself to buy those things anymore. Yes, I love asparagus in the winter, but a) it doesn't taste the same and b) I just made a huge carbon footprint. I'm not trying to rant or lecture, just opinionating.
And trust me it is really hard for me to stick to this whole localvore thing come winter. I can only eat cabbage so much. However, this year, I have learned the art of canning, pickling and freezing. Oh and what wonders have they brought me.
I now know how to can tomatoes (not as difficult as it seems), make pickles, and freeze squash. I am becoming Miss Martha Stewart almost. Never in my years would I imagine doing the things I've learned this summer, but it just makes me realize how easy things are to store for later. Yes, its not easy, but invite friends, make a party and can or freeze. Trust me come winter, I'll be having my canned tomatoes in my tomato sauce. Oh and my salsa!
I made and canned tomato salsa! Which is a feat in itself! It taste sooo good and it's spicy. Only one habenero, but my god does it leave the tingly sensation in your mouth. Next on my list is canning barbecue sauce made with garden grown tomatoes! Yum!

Spicy Salsa
1-1.5 pounds of tomatoes
1 habenero
1/2 medium onion
1 medium to large anaheim pepper
2 garlic cloves
salt, pepper, cumin

Blend vegetables together or chop for chunky salsa. Reduce for a hour on the stove to heat it up. Pour into sterilized jar and place in waterbath for 15-20 minutes. Make sure that you hear the pop, which means the jar is sealed. If it is not sealed pour salsa back into sauce pan, sterilize another jar and lid, place in water bath once again.
Seems so hard, but it is super simple!

Happy like a clam.....

2008-08-11T16:32:00.003-04:00

As big of a food snob as I am, (this is my new name at work), I haven't been culinarily adventurous in my life. I haven't had true lobster, brussel sprout, oysters, uni, beet, and many other foods that never crossed the table. Why?
One most of my family doesn't like seafood, which is sad because they are missing out, but that means more for little old me!
Two, I don't know if my parents even like most of them, and I wasn't a kid who would go out of there way to try a new food until college. So... that means I have a lot of making up to do.
Of course, I began this catch up maybe a year or two ago, but I'm still behind. I only just tried mussels for the first time a month ago, and now I can scratch clams of my list.
Oh, I'll admit, I had this once before in Alabama with the ex, but they were on his plate not mine. So I'm not counting that. You can if you wish, but I'm not.
Clams aren't that hard to find in N.C. most seafood markets I visit have them that was the easy part. And I knew that clams in a white wine sauce was popular, so at least I had an idea of a cooking method.
On Saturday, I traveled north to Virginia Beach to go to the Old Beach Farmer's Market. The market is off of Cypress right as 264 turns into a road. It has 9 vendors, all local and I believe all organic. I felt like I was back in Austin. It was small, but had that vibe. I can't describe it well, but I hope you know what I'm talkin' about.
And to my surprise they had clams. The clams were came in 25/50/100. I chose the 25 and paid the vendor. No going back, I had them. I spent the money. It was a sink or swim now.
Of course I didn't go straight home. I made trip to Trader Joe's, the bookstore, and Macy's. I had to get my coffee grinder, o.k.? At each stop, I think to myself, I'm going to kill my clams. By the time I got home 5 hours later, I had a sinking feeling they were dead.
But I wouldn't know until I cooked them. So I found a recipe, opened a bottle of wine and followed the instructions. Five minutes of steaming and some mouths were open, but not all.
My stomach sunk. I killed the clams. I wouldn't be having dinner. I would starve. So I opened my Joy of Cooking to find that they can be steamed for 5-10 mins. So, I reheated them and sure enough a couple of minutes later they were all open.
I hadn't killed them in the car, which was a relief. Plus, they didn't scream in the pot. I liked them enough, but am a bigger fan of mussels. Not to say that I won't cook them, again. Because next time they will have a shorter joy ride.

Clams with garlic and roasted tomatoes
(adapted from Heart of New England)

24 littleneck clams
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup roasted tomatoes
½ cup dry white wine, such a Sauvignon Blanc
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons dried oregano or marjoram
Freshly ground black pepper

Place clams into a strainer and shake under running water to remove loose shell debris.

Heat a large sauté or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, oregano, and garlic and cook, stirring, until garlic starts to color. Add wine and bring to a boil, then add clams and tomatoes. Raise heat to high, cover pan and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until clams are opened (5-10 minutes). Discard unopened clams.

Serve immediately with the sauce. A salad and crusty bread for the sauce completes the meal.

A snap and a crunch

2008-08-09T20:44:00.004-04:00

When the vegetables started to pile up on my counter last week, I knew I had a problem. There were and still are 4 squash, which has turned into 10; 4 peppers, magically now 9;
5 cucumbers, now 2.
Now I know what you are asking? Where did the cucumbers go?
Well, I decided to do some pickling. Yes, I know, me with all my "oh my god, the kitchen is going to explode" episodes, decided that she would pickle. And no there was no damage to myself or my kitchen.
Actually, I thought about pickling two years ago, when I was a vegetarian. My mom actually sent me my great grandmother's recipe. However, the procrastinating college student, I was never got around to it, and eventually had to throw the cucumbers out. I know it was a waste of food, but I had yet to realize my food impact.
So last week, when I had the abundance of cucumbers, I decided to give Homesick Texan's pickle recipe a go. It sounded easy enough. There was no boiling of ingredients, just the sterilization of the jars, which I've done before. And in 4-6 days I'd have pickles. So I gathered ingredients, sterilized the jars, which splattered water all over my stove. I then mixed the brine added the cucumbers and placed them in the fridge. There they sat for 5 days, haunting me.
Of course, I shook them everyday and everyday was tempted to steal one, but I waited. And then today I broke and opened one of the jars. And when I bit into that first pickle spear, I died a little. That is because the pickle was so good. It had that right acidic bite and it was still firm. I had one than another than another. Finally, I just put them away before I ate them all.
Now I know the difference between the store bought pickle and homemade ones. Today when I opened up one of the jars of pickles and took a long spear out, put it between in my teeth, I felt the snap and heard the crunch. Before I even tasted it, I knew it was a great pickle because of the crispness of it. Sure you can get that from store bought, but you taste the dill more in homemade and you miss out on it being truly something you had created. The store bought ones just take away all the fun. So this is added to my list of recipes. Now what to do with the rest of the vegetables?

Refrigerator dill pickles
(from Homesick Texan)
Ingredients:
6 Kirby cucumbers, cleaned, stemmed and halved, lengthwise
1/2 cup of white vinegar
2 tablespoons of salt
1 tablespoon of black peppercorns
1 tablespoon of coriander seeds
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of fresh dill

Method:
Place salt, peppercorns, coriander seeds, garlic and dill in a sterilized 1-quart Mason jar.
Layer sliced cucumbers in jar, leaving 1/2 inch at the top.
Pour in vinegar.
Fill jar with water, seal with lid and shake for about a minute.
Refrigerate for six days, shaking daily.

Makes 1-quart jar of dill pickles. This simple recipe, however, can easily be multiplied.

Note: I divided the recipe in have for 1/2 pint jars. They are a little sour, but that is the way I like them.

Going bananas.....

2008-08-03T19:43:00.004-04:00

I don't remember if I've ever had banana pudding. I don't remember ever making it as a child or having it. But then again, I don't remember the first time I had peach cobbler, but my dad does. So more times than not I don't trust my memory.
This week a friend's daughter wanted to make banana pudding for a pot luck, but she didn't know how to make. I told her we could make it together over the weekend.
So the daughter and I set a date. Her father then inquired if I was going to make the custard based banana pudding or the fake stuff? A little confused, I replied that it would be the custard based. Then I told my father and he told me the proper way was to layer vanilla wafers and bananas along with the custard. Boy was I thrown in a loop. To many demands and requests that I didn't know how to answer.
Most of the week goes by before I look for recipes finding one from Food Network that I was going to do. Then I am told that the original recipe is on the wafer box. But since I had found the food network one, I did not worry about the box recipe.
The day of I write down what I need from the food network recipe and go to Walmart for ingredients. Upon finding the wafers, I see the box recipe. I see that it is easier and simpler for me and the seven-year-old to make. And with that the food network recipe went out the window.
The girl and I made the recipe. She learned how to separate eggs and how to temper them. She wasn't allowed near the oven or stove so I had to do the stirring and the baking. But she was enthused about the end result and kept asking if it was done when it was baking. I replied she had to be patient.
But her enthusiasm for the pudding and her want to do everything was uplifting. It is good to know that some children want to be involved in cooking and I guess when it comes to sweets most do.
The pudding was eaten after dinner and every morsel was scrapped up by everyones spoon. I don't believe there was any leftovers to be had. And whether or not I've ever had banana pudding, doesn't matter anymore because I've learned that I am a fan and I'll make it one day, again.

Banana Pudding

(adapted from Nilla wafer box)

3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Dash salt
3 eggs, separated
2 cups milk
NILLA Wafers
5 ripe bananas, sliced (about 3 1/2 cups), divided

First, layer wafers and bananas in pot of small brownie pan. So after pudding mixture is made you can pour it over quickly.

Mix 1/2 cup sugar, flour, milk and salt in sauce pan. Once it is hot, temper eggs and then add them to milk mixture. Once mixture is thick pour part of mixture of wafers and bananas.

Cover with another layer of wafers and a layer of sliced bananas. Pour about 1/3 of custard over bananas. Continue to layer wafers, bananas and custard to make a total of 3 layers of each, ending with custard. Or how ever many you get.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Spoon on top of pudding, spreading evenly to cover entire surface and sealing well to edges.

Bake at 350°F in top half of oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned. Cool slightly or refrigerate. Garnish with additional wafers and banana slices just before serving.

Too much....

2008-07-29T15:56:00.004-04:00

OH MY GOD MY FRIDGE IS OVERFLOWING!
Ok, ok that was a little dramatic, but seriously, my fridge is like so full for a single person. Well, unless you factor in that I'm a huge food dork. And that's not even all of it.
No, my counter has peppers, squash, and cucumbers on them too. I don't know what to do with them all. I keep on telling myself, I'll make this and that, but I procastinate and it never gets done.
Why am I in abundance? I do not know how to say no. You may laugh, but when it comes to people giving me food, I feel bad saying no. But then again, I also, feel bad when people around the world are starving and I throw out what was once perfectly edible vegetable.
So, I promise myself that this time, I won't. The cucumbers will become pickles. The peppers..... I think I can pickle those too? The squash?
A chocolate zucchini cake. I know, I know, its odd. But strangely enough its really really good! You never taste the zucchini in it. All the vegetable does is keep the cake very moist and gooey. Trust me I know.
I have already made it for pot luck dinner this week. And I even converted a seven-year-old, who said she didn't like squash. I believe she even ate most of it, well her and her father.
So next time you have too many vegetables think outside the box.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake
(adapted from Epicurious.com)
2 1/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 cups grated unpeeled zucchini (about 2 1/2 medium)
1 6-ounce package (about 1 cup) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Beat sugar, butter and oil in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions each. Mix in grated zucchini and chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan.

A peach festivel gone astray

2008-07-27T15:03:00.008-04:00

I'm shocked. Appalled and downright saddened. Why you may ask?
The Knott's Island Peach Festival has no peaches from North Carolina. I mean, if you are going to have a peach festival in North Carolina, you shouldn't ship in 6,250 pounds (an exact number) of peaches from South Carolina, it just isn't right.
Maybe it's my Texas pride coming out, but no county or city in my home state would ship in peaches from "the outside" for a festival. It would be an abomination. It's unheard of. I'm ranting, but still.
What happened to a festival, celebrating the local crop that has sustained that town for years?
Add to this that the pies came from Sam's Club, no telling where the ice cream came from (it didn't have much of a peach taste, anyways). My hopes and expectations were crushed. My thoughts of getting a pie crust or peach pie recipe were fleeting because I soon realized that I was not going to get any.
Defeated, I walked away. I could get South Carolina peaches at any farm stand around. What then to do?
I went home on the ferry, a very disappointed. My first peach festival and the peaches weren't even regional.
However, the next day, I went to an orchard where I picked peaches (there is peaches on the island at a winery, but not enough to supply the festival, i guess). The woman told me that many had hail damage to them, but I decided to pick a few anyways.
All had hail damage, bugs, or were rotting on the ground. I was able to find some soft with no bugs to bring home with me. I then, took them cleaned them, mixed them with blueberries, and made cobbler.
The cobbler was wonderful. Though I am more of a pie person, I think it is the crunch with the crust. But still this was quick and easy, plus a lot less work.
Blueberry and Peach Cobbler
(adapting from Eating Well)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup reduced-fat milk
1/2 cup sugar
cinnamon and nutmeg
3 ripe but firm peaches (about 1 pound), pitted and sliced into eighths, or 3 1/2 cups frozen
2 cups (1 pint) fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place butter and oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Heat in the oven until melted and fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes. Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add milk, sugar and vanilla; stir to combine. Add the melted butter mixture to the batter and stir to combine. Pour the batter into the hot pan. Spoon peaches and blueberries evenly over the batter. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the top of the cobbler is browned and the batter around the fruit is completely set, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove to a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Throwing Out the Menu

2008-07-22T09:40:00.004-04:00

My ex might describe me as a little uptight, maybe a little anal. Though I would just say that I like my routines and often than not I break them. Because they occasionally get boring. Like last week, I took a week off from running to sleep in and do nothing but play on my computer. Was it productive? No. Did I get anything done? No. Did I enjoy it? Well, yeah. So it wasn't that bad. It wasn't a life change, no, but I did what I thought I needed. It is balancing this and what actually needs to get done.
Included in my routines is weekly menu. I look what I have or don't have and try and plan around--Gazpacho-Tuesday, BBQ chicken-Thursday, etc. But I have to say that no week goes as planned. This week I've only stuck to my menu once. Why? I have a lot of squash and tomatoes
from the garden and berries I picked in VA. I'm only one person and can only eat so much. So what do I do? The one thing I can do. Throw out the menu and start over. I zucchini, well what can I do with- bread, fries, grill it. Think outside the box.
We forget that menus and grocery stores are something new. They aren't really that old if you look at history. People a hundred years ago, still lived off the land and now I need to think like that. Think about what I can do with one thing and prepare it a hundred different ways. Create something new even. There are no rules in the kitchen, just the ones you make yourself.

All Mussels, No....

2008-07-14T22:58:00.011-04:00

Ah cable. It is a glorious thing. A place where any foodie can sit down learn something new and not be in a kitchen. Or if you are like me, it is background noise. But I don't have it. Like I said in my last post. I don't have cable, budget doesn't allow for it. So I make due without (although, I believe I am going crazy without). I read now. I read gastronomy.
Oh yes, right now I can recite a lot about Chinese food because I just got done with The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, learning too much about the fact that the Fortune Cookie is from the Japanese. But where am I going with all of this?
Nowhere, really. I got sidetracked. Back to cable. So life without cable is boring, and when visiting friends, I seem content to just sit on their couches and watch Food Network there. I know I am a horrible guest, but I miss it. I miss Throwdown with Bobby Flay, Ace of Cakes, Iron Chef, Good Eats, etc. So when I went and visited a friend in D.C. this is what I did. (No, I didn't veg out the whole time- we did things that normal 20 somethings do.)
But while, we were watching the food channel. We came across Throwdown with Bobby Flay and wouldn't you know it, he was in D.C. for an episode-mussels and fries at Granville Moore's. I was ecstatic and told my friend we had to go, plus the chef was extremely cute (added bonus points).
So on Sunday evening, my friend and I hopped in her car and took the winding ride to the other part of town. Her comment was "if this place is in a shady neighborhood, we are leaving." Slightly bummed, I agreed. But soon we realized that it wasn't that shady and parked. Outside was none other than the chef himself- Teddy. I smiled and told him we saw him on the Throwdown and I was to go eat my first mussel.
Now you maybe shocked that this is my first mussel. Yes, folks, indeed it was. There are only a few people who like seafood in my family-my father and I. So the rare occasions I got it as a teenager (don't make me explain that either), I always ate salmon.
We were soon informed that there were no tables. It was around 6 p.m. on a Sunday. We shrugged and sat at the bar. On the wall was the list of beers. My mouth about dropped at some of the prices. Thirty to forty dollars for a bottle of beer, but people spend thousands of dollars on wine. So I shouldn't be so shocked.
Soon we got our menus, I looked at the wine list and tried a 2006 William Pinot Blanc, a fabulous light white with a slight tropical taste.
I soon chatted with the bartender, learning they sold out of mussels Friday and Saturday night and had a fresh load in the back. My friend and I were shocked, here we were on a Sunday night going to dine on mussels that arrived that morning. I asked Teddy, who was sipping a beer at the bar, how many pounds they received, he said, "150 pounds." They had gone through 220 on Saturday and close to 180 on Friday he told me. He estimated that they went through almost 500 pounds this past weekend. Very close to their record. All of this because Bobby Flay and the Throwdown?
That is what was speculated because, when I saw the episode it was only the second time, it had run.
But don't think Granville Moore's is a two trick pony. Yes, their fries and mussels are excellent and fresh. His blue cheese, bacon, mussels that I tried converted me to mussels and their spectacular taste (I'll be making them at home). Plus, you can never go wrong with bacon! But also, on the menu was a bison, which I am a HUGE fan off. And they had daily specials.
Being partial to bison, my friend and I ordered it medium-rare. The burger came out nicely cooked with the correct pinkness to it. It wasn't over cooked or tough. It didn't need ketchup or mustard. It was perfect plainly dressed.
Oh and the fries! They were perfectly crispy with great seasoning. The hints of sweet and spicy hit your tough when you bit into a fry. It's great to see a place doing much more than just adding salt to french fries these days.
So I suggest trying out Granville Moore's, not just for the mussels, but the other menu items as well. They are truly a place worth going back to. I know I'll be heading back the next time I'm in D.C. and this time I'll have a beer.

Swooning over Mario Batali

2008-07-06T12:37:00.003-04:00

If I had to name my favorite chef it would be the one with the orange crocs. Better known as Mario Batali. I don't know when I became a fan. Maybe it was the Iron Chef Americas challenges because he always won, or his Italian cooking, but I fell in love with him one day.
I have told some people if I ever met him I would faint. Probably not the best first impression from me to him, but it's either that or I might lose the ability to speak to him, which is the more logical choice.
Now you would think with my admiration of Mr. Batali, I would own all of his books, most of his cookware and orange crocs. However, I do not. I own a Mario Batali wooden spoon, but that is all. Shocking, I know.
Also, due to my recent move, I no longer have Food Network, which means no more Iron Chef America, Good Eats, or all of which I use to watch. But trust me this doesn't mean I am lacking in food knowledge. Or that I am not cooking. Quite the contrary.
I rarely am seen outside my kitchen because most nights are spent there cooking quick meals. With this in mind, I decided this week to make a Batali dish, but having some of the ingredients already. I came up with my own, an ode if you will to Mario. The perfect light summer pasta dish, simple and elegant. One that calls for seconds. Fresh tomato and basil spaghetti.
I picked basil from the garden, picked up local tomatoes and garlic, but off cooking for a day, then cooked it for lunch. I was craving Italian food, so I took his spaghetti with sweet 100 tomatoes, garlic chives, and lemon basil and used what I had. It was me being economical, a localvore, and well, avoiding searching all over North Carolina for lemon basil and garlic chives. What came out? Well, I guess you'll have to try it for yourself and see if you like. I am adding it into my recipe book and am sure to make it when my tomatoes come in on my vine.
And if you see the man in orange crocs, can you send him my way for a cooking lesson or two?

Fresh tomato, basil spaghetti
1 tomato, cut into slices
handful of basil, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
1/4 of a bag of spaghetti

Begin boiling a pot of water for the pasta. Once boiling, add dried spaghetti.

While the water comes to a boil, saute garlic in olive oil, once turning lightly brown add tomatoes. Cook until softened. Once pasta is cooked, drained and add to tomato mixture. Toss together and basil. Serve and Enjoy!

The move and going greek

2008-06-25T10:17:00.007-04:00

There is reason why there has been no updates in awhile and how I've teetered off the blogging circle. That reason is that I've moved!!!!!
Good-bye Texas, Hello North Carolina!
It took 2 long days and about a week of searching to find an apt, and settle in. Of course I've blown off some of the unpacking. And I don't have a dresser so that has made some clutter, but other than that the transition has been good.
I have a kitchen with a 2 ft stove. No dishwasher or disposal, but I don't mind. Do need to get toaster because I miss toast.
I cook almost every night and and I have fresh seafood and produce around. There is farm stands all around. Plus, there is a trader joe's in Virginia. It is a slight drive, but every few months I don't mind going.
Oh and I will be starting my own garden. I'm so excited and hopefully no one will steal my tomatoes like last year and if you have any tips, I'm all ears.
To celebrate the move and the fact that is officially summer. I will leave you with a great yogurt sauce. I love it! I think it would be great with lamb meatballs or chicken kebabs. I paired it with grilled shrimp, which was tasty too. Plus its quick!

Cilantro Garlic Yogurt Sauce
(adapted from epicurious.com)
1 1/2 cups plain 2% Greek-style yogurt
3/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
4 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
3/4 teaspoon cayenne
salt and pepper

Stir together all ingredients with 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste), then chill, covered, at least 30 minutes (for flavors to blend). Bring to room temperature before serving.

Going Vegan

2008-06-12T15:02:00.000-04:00

I went vegan for three months, vegetarian for more than a year. It was hard, especially when going out with friends. I could only eat certain things. And although, I am no longer of the veggie persuasion, I still have my veggie days and friends, especially as a yogi.
I have one friend who is raw and one that is vegan. I respect both diets, but find the true way of being raw a little odd because it doesn't include soap or deodorant. EWWWWW!
Recently, my vegan friend and I decided to cook together. She loves to cook vegan and I am all to happy to cook with her and for her. So we talked about making a burger or Indian food, but we decided on a Vegan Muffulleta with roasted potatoes.
So we met up at Target and went down the list: red pepper-check, eggplant-check, olives-check, bread-check. We then went back to her place to cook and sip wine. We split up the duties and I went to chopping and so did she. An hour later, we sat down to a wonderful meal. The olive spread was wonderful with the vegetables. The perfect light summer meal.

Vegan Muffuletta
(adapted from Veganomicon)

Mixed Olive Salad Relish:
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 cup pitted green olives
1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, oil packed or dried and reconstituted
4 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Sandwhiches:
1 small eggplant
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 cups fresh spinach leaves
2 roasted bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow)
1 round peasant style loaf (or bread of choice), sliced

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease two rimmed baking sheets. Cut eggplant widthwise into 1/4 inch slicesand rub each slice with kosher salt. Allow to drain in collander for half an hour.

While eggplant is draining, place olives, parsley, garlic and sun dried tomatoes in a large bowl. Toss with the vinegar and dried herbs. With a food processor, chop the mixture in 2-3 batches, adding a little of the olive oil with each batch. Process only enough to chop the olives and tomatoes, scraping the sides of the processor often with a rubber spatula.

Rinse the eggplant slices with cold water, rub with olive oil, and lay in a baking sheet. Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise and remove stem and seeds. Rub with olive oil and place on a second baking sheet. Roast eggplant and peppers in preheated oven for 20-22 min, flipping the eggplant once, until it is browned and tender. Remove skin of peppers if desired, and cut into thin strips.

For each sandwhich, spread a thick layer of olive relish on one slice of bread. Layer the spinach, eggplant, and roasted peppers on top of the olive relish. Place a second slice of bread on top and press down on the sandwhich. Enjoy!

Traveling to the South

2008-05-26T13:45:00.008-04:00

I've logged many miles lately to New York, Austin, and North Carolina for jobs and friends. I've been able to taste a lot of good food, too. Anything I can't get fresh in Texas, I indulge on these trips. The most recent was to North Carolina, where I fell in love.
I was born on the beach and I've been attracted it since last year, when I first surfed. It's hypnotic, it's soothing. I can watch the waves, walk in the surf, and stand in the sun for hours. So when I got off the plane in Norfolk, I headed straight to Virginia Beach.
Of course I got lost, almost gave up, but the beach was calling me. Soon I found the boardwalk and a parking spot. I basked in the sun before my stomach grumble. It had been hours since breakfast and I went in search of seafood. What I found was Spicy Devil Crab aka spicy crab cakes. And the crab cakes were not all bread and little meat. They were in fact all meat. I dug in hungrily. They were flaky and not too spicy. I could have eaten a dozen.
After another walk of the beach, before I drove to Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Once again I got lost, unable to find the Hampton Inn. Fifteen minutes later, there I was inside my nice room with a very large bed. I quickly left to explore, finding the Main St and the few blocks of downtown. The city sat on the bay and boats docked at the harbor. I went for a quick run, trying not to get lost.

Soon my tummy grumbled again, and I went in search of bar-b-que. My compadre on the plain said that I might not like the bbq here because they use vinegar. I told him I was german and loved all things sour. So I found myself at the Bar-b-que Barn, looking at the menu confused. There was a bar-b-que sandwich, bar-b-que plate, ribs, hamburgers, etc-- no sausage, brisket, choice of ribs, chicken. I was definitely not in a Texas bar-b-que country. So I chose the sandwich, mashed potatoes, and green beans. I found my first reason to move to North Carolina, coleslaw on a sandwich, GENIUS!
The next night I was invited over to a local's house for a grill out. I gladly accepted. There was a several things to choose from. There was chicken, beans, corn, ribs, hamburgers, and hot dogs. Plus there was this famous bar-b-que sauce I had to try. One taste of the sauce on a chicken wing and I knew the cook had developed a great recipe. I soon started guessing ingredients only to find silence. I wasn't going to get the recipe, but I enjoyed it anyway.

On my last day, I hit the Outer Banks for some seafood and the beach. Upon arrival, I hit the visitor center to get tips on local restaurants, before making my way to the beach. It was soft-shell crab season, I was told. I kept that in mind and landed at one of the recommended spots, The Black Pelican. A place located close to the beach. I ordered She-Crab soup, which was delicious and creamy, and shrimp and grits. The grits had a kick from jalapeno, but were perfectly cooked and creamy. The shrimp was plump and soft. A southern classic made right.
I was sad to leave, but hope to be back soon.

Mexican in New York, is it better?

2008-05-14T19:07:00.006-04:00

Texas is known for two things-Mexican and Bar-b-que. Of course this is besides the accents and the size. So can New York compete?
Well, at least one restaurant can.
In a recent trip to upstate New York, I found myself dining at Raul's Mexican Restaurant in Glens Falls. I was shocked to find that you had to pay for chips and salsa unlike most restaurants in Texas, where it is often free. Another shocker was that you had to pay extra for rice and beans, when you ordered tacos! My eyes bulged. It would be around $15 if I wanted chips, salsa, tacos, rice and beans. In Texas I could order 2 taco meals or 5 tacos from TacoDeli in Austin.
Despite the math, I ordered the pork tacos, which was marinated in Seville oranges and Mexican oregano in blue corn tortillas. My companion and I also, ordered guacamole and chips. What did I find?
I discovered that Tijuana might be more than 3000 miles away, but you could taste it in the tacos. Plus, it was better than the Mexican meal I had, had the day before in Dallas.
Though the tacos were delicious, I missed some of the tanginess from the oranges in the sauce and I didn't taste a lot of oregano, but it didn't lack seasoning like the restaurant in Dallas.
So if you ever find yourself in Glens Falls, New York, try Raul's, it maybe a little pricey, but you'll get a good meal.

Taco Revolution

2008-05-09T19:10:00.007-04:00

I am a girl who eats salsa right out of the jar. That's right, I will get a spoon and dig it. Maybe its my Texas background, but salsa is one of my favorite condiments. I eat it out right, I use it as salad dressing, I put it on tacos, and the list is endless.
With the recent taco truck debacle in L.A., I am craving salsa and tacos a lot more. For those of you who don't know, part of L.A. wants to pass a law that makes taco trucks move every hour to a new location. This is causing quite a ruckus in L.A. among foodies, Latinos, and taco lovers. It makes me want to go out to L.A. and sit down to as many taco trucks as I can. But since I can't, I've decided to make my own.
I looked in the kitchen to see what I could use. I found tomatoes, onions, fresh cilantro from the garden, chicken, spices, lime, and green bell peppers. I decided to make a pico de gallo without jalapenos, caramelized peppers, and grilled chicken. The verdict?
Well it isn't carne asada or fish tacos, but it sure was tasty. The perfect Friday night meal when there isn't a taco truck or shack nearby.

Protest Tacos
2 chicken breasts
oregano
white pepper
cayenne pepper
paprika
salt
cumin
sugar (optional)

Pico de gallo
1 tomato
1/2 onion, white or red
1/3 c cilantro
1/2 of a lime

Caramelized Peppers
1 bell pepper

Dice up tomatoes and onions, then chop cilantro, mixing them all into a bowl. Squeeze the lime and flavor with salt and pepper, mixing again.

For peppers, slice them in strips, caramelize in oil on medium heat. They will get a brown tint to them.

Pound chicken breasts to 1/2 inch thick. Mix spices in bowl, rub chicken with spices, let sit at least 10 minutes. Use indoor or outdoor grill to cook meat after letting it sit with spice rub. After grilling, let rest 5 minutes before cutting. Top with peppers, pico de gallo, and other condiments such as sour cream, cheese, guacamole.

La viva Mexican Brownies!

2008-05-03T18:22:00.004-04:00

I have a weakness, known as chocolate. I'm steadily making it a habit to have at least one piece of dark chocolate a day. My excuse- they say its good for my heart and anything good for that sucker is promising. Also, a reason to drink red wine, no? It goes along with my friend's idea that because there is milk in a cafe mocha, your getting your calcium.
So we all have are little cheats and sayings that go along with why we eat certain foods. And to me that is all good. I believe in moderation not exile. A reason I can't be vegetarian or vegan, anymore. I love ice cream, bison burgers, and eggs over easy, way too much.
So when it came to my monthly drum circle meeting, I decided to bake something. It was the Cinco de Mayo festival, too. I had seen Rachael Ray's recipe for Subtle Spicy Chocolate, but had no cocoa powder. So I searched the web to find another recipe, and soon found one from Emeril. Can you ever go wrong with Bam?
So I made Emeril's Chocolate Chipotle Brownie, and they were good. One friend kept on going back for more. I missed some of the chocolate taste, but am going to tweak so you get a chocolate and spicy taste. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chipotle Brownies
(Emeril)

1 teaspoon plus 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 tablespoon plus 1 cup all-purpose flour (I split it and used half wheat and all-purpose)
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
4 eggs
1 cup chopped Mexican chocolate or semisweet chocolate morsels

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Grease and flour an 11 by 7-inch baking pan or dish with 1 teaspoon of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the flour. Heat the remaining butter and the unsweetened chocolate in a saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted. In a medium bowl, stir together remaining flour, sugar, cinnamon, and ground chipotle. Add sugar mixture to melted chocolate mixture, stirring to combine. Add eggs, mixing until smooth. Stir in chopped chocolate or chocolate morsels.

Pour mixture into the prepared baking pan or dish. Bake until the center is set, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely and then cut into small squares.

Food Prices

2008-05-01T14:13:00.007-04:00

Last week, I almost killed over when I saw the price of raspberries at a local grocery store. Eight bucks for a pint of raspberries. I don't know about you, but I go through a pint in 2-3 days. Thats a lot of money on one fruit. Of course, haven't we all noticed the higher prices in food lately?
I've been keeping my eye on it because I love food, to eat, but also, my dad is a farmer. He's growing wheat, soybeans, and corn this year because of the prices. I guess that the higher price at market offsets the higher gas prices, but I haven't crunched the numbers.
Along with this, I visited a local farmer's market, only to find that everything wasn't local. There was watermelons, peaches, and other produce not in season. One vendor said, "Wait a week or two and I'll have Georgia peaches."
However, I know peach season isn't until June depending on where they are grown. This guy wasn't going to put a veil over me. The past couple of years in Austin gave me the knowledge of seasonal produce, how to choose the right one, and the compassion to buy local. This guy was a fake.
But I took my tomatoes and my peaches home, to find the tomatoes unripened and the peaches going bad. They say, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." So I took those peaches, mixed them with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, let them marry for awhile. Then I took them and made a cobbler.
So what have I learned, research farmer's markets in local areas, and if you get some bad produce try and find something to make out it.

Peach Cobbler
(adapted from Gourmet)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granola without dried fruit
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

3 lb peaches, sliced
1/2-1 cup sugar
nutmeg
ginger
cinnamon

Take sliced peaches mix with sugar and spice and let marry for a little bit. Then place in baking dish.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Stir together sugar, flour, granola, spices, and salt in a bowl, then work in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture forms small clumps.

Take crumb mixture and spread over peaches.

Bake in middle of oven until topping is golden and peaches are tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly and serve warm.

Daring Bakers: Cheesecake Pops

2008-04-27T08:22:00.005-04:00

It is here again, the monthly Daring Bakers recipe. Elle said that this month recipe was going to be good, so I was excited to find out what it was. When I found out it was cheesecake pops, I was thrilled.
Last month's Perfect Party Cake was thrown out after a week because no one ate it. Not that they didn't like it, but chocolate always goes faster than cake in this house. So I decided to make half the recipe this month, but how do you half 5 eggs? So I used two. Plus, cheesecake doesn't come in 20 oz containers, so I settled for 16 oz. When I started mixing, I was a little scared. Did I have enough eggs in the batter? Was it going to rise? Was it going to taste like cheesecake?
Well, it rose, then fell. I cooled it and tried rolling into balls. It didn't go so well. A lot of the cake ended up on my hands. I froze them overnight. In the morning, I melted dark and milk chocolates and then rolled the little balls in chocalote, covering them with sprinkles. Oh and then I bit into one of them.
Oh it was heaven! Plus, no disasters again this month. Whew! I just don't know if I can share.

For the Cheesecake Pop recipe visit Deborah's Taste and Tell.

Spring Soup

2008-04-25T20:16:00.011-04:00

In Texas, spring and summer doesn't usually mean soup. It means tomates, bar-b-que and grilling, but I'm not a normal Texan. I use to be a vegetarian and still have those tendancies. So when I make a weekly menu, I try to include one or two.
When I went through recipes this week, I looked into Super Natural Cooking, a cookbook I bought when I was a vegetarian. One that I rarely looked at the past couple of months. However, with a new vegan friend I'm trying to cook for her, too because I know how hard it is to be a vegan in Texas. It is now turning into weekly Saturdays meals before our long runs on Sundays. But tonight is Friday, why am I cooking vegetarian?
Because fresh vegetables go bad quickly and with them in the fridge I decided to go to the cookbook to find my next meal. What I found was Heidi's Spring Ministrone. It looked perfect for a light meal and tasted great. Next dish, BLT's when tomatoes are ripe.

Spring Ministrone
(Adopted from Super Natural cooking)
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup rice
2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water
1/2 lb asparagus
1/4 lb snap or sugar peas
1/4 cup peas
salt
pepper

Saute garlic in olive oil in a pot, after the aroma permeates the kitchen, toast the rice. Add stock and water, cook rice for about 35-45 minutes. After rice is cooked, add vegetables, cook them until tender. Season salt and pepper. Serve.

Blogging by Mail

2008-04-17T16:59:00.004-04:00

Dear Dani,
Thank you for the package. It had quite a trip. First, it was to be sent to my Alabama address, then changed to an austin address. But by the time it arrived in Austin, my boyfriend and I had broken up so it made an extra trip to Dallas.
Oh and the things that you love, I love too! Especially the chocolate covered pretezels, I almost died! I couldn't get enough of them! Too bad I don't have a Trader Joe's in Texas! Pretty sad! And the Crab Chips tasted like the crab I had in D.C. last august. It just reminded me so much of being reluctant to shuck the crabs, but they were already dead! I haven't made any of the dips yet, but they look yummy as well! Oh and I use the mug every morning, its wonderful!
I know you are getting ready for your wedding, Congratulations! So I wanted to give you a healthy recipe that I'm sure you'll love!
I'm a pasta and pizza addict. Sometimes I wonder if I'm not Italian, but I'm more Eastern European than anything. So I always look for healthy recipes for pasta dishes. So looking in the fridge today, I found Italian turkey sausages. So I decided to make a meat sauce with that. It was yummy! Hope you enjoy!

Sincerely,
Jerry M. Allison

Turkey Tomato Sauce and Pasta

2 turkey sausages or 1/2 lb ground turkey
1/4 c chopped carrots
1/4 c chopped celery
1/4 onion, chopped
garlic cloves (up to you the number of cloves)
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 small can of tomato sauce
italian seasoning
salt, pepper
red pepper (optional)
Whatever pasta you like

Cook sausages or ground turkey in deep sauce pan with seasoning and red pepper. Once it starts to brown add vegetables and garlic, cook until tender. Then add stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce to sauce pan. Let simmer for about an hour or longer.
While sauce is cooking, boil water and add pasta. Cook until tender, then drain. You can either add the pasta to the sauce, or plate the pasta and put sauce on top. Serve.

LiveSTRONG with a Taste Of Yellow

2008-04-15T20:18:00.008-04:00

I've run past Lance Armstrong in Austin. I've seen him in person at UT for a CNN Fit Nation tapping. I've heard the stories of his ego. My friends and I don't like him very much. But his foundation LiveSTRONG is huge.
You might not see a lot of yellow bracelets around anymore, but thousands come out for Armstong's Race event in Austin every fall. He is the man of cancer. He is the stand out. But if we look around, we'll see thousands others who have survived. They give hope to others fighting the battle currently.
I am lucky my mother has survived cancer. They caught it early and because it was in Stage 1, only surgery was needed. But she continues blood tests every 6 month to make sure it isn't back. Soon I will be doing the same as a precaution because doctors have told her I may have it one day, too. So I am a possible survivor.
So to celebrate the survivors, I have choosen to go away from the sweets like many others go to and make an entree. Rather a Lemon Chicken recipe I created last year. It consists of a few ingredients and its baked. An easy, healthy dinner. Perfect for one or many. Make it for the survivor in your life and let them know how much they mean to you.

Spring Lemon Chicken
2 chicken breasts
basil
oregano
rosemary
salt
pepper
olive oil
lemon slices

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place aluminum foil in baking dish. Pick fresh herbs or use dry. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, top with herbs. Drizzle olive oil over and place lemon slices on top. Bake for about 45 minutes, let rest 5 minutes. Serve.

To Learn More about the LiveSTRONG challenge visit: http://winosandfoodies.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/02/post.html

Finding Home

2008-04-11T18:38:00.007-04:00

Austin is my second home. I moved here when I was 18 years old and I automatically transitioned into life here. The liberal, free spirit embraced me. In my second semester in school, I was at Posse East, chilling with friends and a waiter told me that "I looked happy and that I fit into the Austin scene." I smiled. I had finally found a home that would accept me for being wild and a little crazy.
Now back here for the second time sense the break up and I fill that sense of home I first felt. As a friend told me, "Your ex might have broken up with you, but Austin didn't." And I feel now like the city hasn't. I have friends here, I still have a life here. I have Townlake, the Farmer's Market, and my yoga studio. Those haven't left. They are still here.
As, I come to realize this today, I also realize that I have grown so much in the past month. Things I wouldn't have done before I am doing now. Like drumming, dancing, eating weird things, making new friends. I am allowing myself to explore and see life and I haven't been happier. I do not regret anything, these mistakes are what I needed. Whatever happens, happens.
So tonight in my friends kitchen, I make Lemon Risotto. A twist on my new favorite dish. Of course you can't just have risotto for dinner. I chatted up the cute boy at Whole Foods on a salad. He agreed that my thoughts of a spinach, strawberries, candied pecans, and cheese. So off I went around the store to get everything.
Went home and immediately again made my friends kitchen my own. Started the risotto, made the salad dressing, and stirred the rice. I was in my zone. The scent of the rice and broth wafted through the apartment. My friend and I sat down and ate the meal, enjoying wine, a nice meal, and good company. To me that is home.

Lemon risotto
(adapted from Bon Appetit)
3 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 cups arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

Meltbutter with oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add rice; stir 1 minute. Add wine and stir until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cups hot broth; simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently. Add remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until rice is creamy and tender, about 35 minutes. Stir in cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in lemon juice and lemon peel. Season risotto with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.

Rabbit Food

2008-04-04T20:40:00.005-04:00

I love salads! Of course something more than just lettuce or greens. Like apples, cranberries and blue cheese. Or salsa, cheese, and tortilla chips. I haven't had a lot of salads lately. Often the question was where is the meat?
As a former vegetarian/vegan, I have no problem excluding meat. So now I'm back to salads. And yes they do include meat.
Last week, I was playing ideas in my head for a new salad. I had a craving for blue cheese, pecans, and cranberries. However, I often don't get enough meat, so I always try to have some sort of protein during the day. So I knew I needed to add that to the salad.
What did I come up with?
A pecan-encrusted chicken with cranberries and blue cheese drizzled with a raspberry vinaigrette. I had floated around the idea of a balsamic vinaigrette, but I had no Dijon mustard and no shallots. So I came up with the raspberry, which personally I loved.
It was a hit at the dinner table. Every plate was empty. I almost licked mine, but refrained. Now I need to come up with an exciting vegan meal?

Pecan Encrusted Chicken Salad with Cranberries, Blue Cheese and Raspberry Vinaigrette

Chicken
1/2 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup bread crumbs
cumin
paprika
garlic powder
salt
pepper

Vinaigrette
1 Tbsp raspberry jelly
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
salt pepper

Salad
mixed greens
cranberries
blue cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Marinate the chicken in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes, can be longer. While marinating, mix pecans, bread crumbs, and spices to your liking. After marinating the chicken, encrust chicken with pecan mixture. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes.

While chicken is baking, whisk together jelly, vinegar, and oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

When chicken is done, let rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting. Mix greens, cranberries and blue cheese in bowl and then put on plates. Add chicken on top of the salad mixture, then drizzle with dressing. Serve.

Daring Baker's Party Cake without A Party

2008-03-29T20:46:00.006-04:00

When I started Daring Bakers, I had people I could relie on to eat the baked goods, i.e. friends, coworkers, and a boyfriend. Now single and away, I find myself without these mouths that I greatly looked to, to eat my food. Cookies, brownies, and cupcakes lay untouched on the counter the past week with me missing the quickness of there disappearances. With my love to bake what am I to do?
Well, I haven't solved that question but I'm sure I will find someone who will eat half a cake, right?
With the fast paced events this month, moving, breaking up, moving again, some say that I am strong for what I have done. However, I had to move on, I had to pick up the pieces. That meant not skipping out on the Daring Baker's challenges. I had done that before and sorely missed the friendship I had made in this online club.
So the day before the post date, I set out to make the cake. I seperated eggs, I mixed things together. There were no problems. None.
We all know me. Something goes wrong every challenge-Lemon Meringue Casserole, shattered pyrex pan full of cinnamon rolls, and unproffed bagels. But this time there was nothing. The batter came together, it rose. I hesistantly made the buttercream, worried that I was doing that wrong. But no that too, was done correctly. In my new state of calmness, had I finally come to my baking zen?
No, icing the cake ended up to be difficult. I've never been good at it. I don't like icing the sides. Of course everytime I ever do it, I don't have a cake plate. Maybe that's the problem. I improvised and made it work. It is not up to a bakery standard, but hey I'll still eat it. So maybe I don't have complete zen, but still no major issues this month. Now I'm scared what will happen next month.

Perfect Party Cake
(Dorie Greenspan's: Baking from my house to yours)

For the Cake

2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups whole milk or buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 ½ cups sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ teaspoon pure lemon extract

For the Buttercream
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Finishing
2/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves stirred vigorously or warmed gently until spreadable
About 1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut

Getting Ready
Centre a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9 x 2 inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.

To Make the Cake
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl.
Put the sugar and lemon zest in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant.
Add the butter and working with the paddle or whisk attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light.
Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed.
Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated.
Add the rest of the milk and eggs beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients.
Finally, give the batter a good 2- minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly mixed and well aerated.
Divide the batter between the two pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean
Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unfold them and peel off the paper liners.
Invert and cool to room temperature, right side up (the cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to two months).

To Make the Buttercream
Put the sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl or another large heatproof bowl, fit the bowl over a plan of simmering water and whisk constantly, keeping the mixture over the heat, until it feels hot to the touch, about 3 minutes.
The sugar should be dissolved, and the mixture will look like shiny marshmallow cream.
Remove the bowl from the heat.
Working with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the meringue on medium speed until it is cool, about 5 minutes.
Switch to the paddle attachment if you have one, and add the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth.
Once all the butter is in, beat in the buttercream on medium-high speed until it is thick and very smooth, 6-10 minutes.
During this time the buttercream may curdle or separate – just keep beating and it will come together again.
On medium speed, gradually beat in the lemon juice, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding more, and then the vanilla.
You should have a shiny smooth, velvety, pristine white buttercream. Press a piece of plastic against the surface of the buttercream and set aside briefly.

To Assemble the Cake
Using a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, slice each layer horizontally in half.
Put one layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper.
Spread it with one third of the preserves.
Cover the jam evenly with about one quarter of the buttercream.
Top with another layer, spread with preserves and buttercream and then do the same with a third layer (you’ll have used all the jam and have buttercream leftover).
Place the last layer cut side down on top of the cake and use the remaining buttercream to frost the sides and top.
Press the coconut into the frosting, patting it gently all over the sides and top.

Serving
The cake is ready to serve as soon as it is assembled, but I think it’s best to let it sit and set for a couple of hours in a cool room – not the refrigerator. Whether you wait or slice and enjoy it immediately, the cake should be served at room temperature; it loses all its subtlety when it’s cold. Depending on your audience you can serve the cake with just about anything from milk to sweet or bubbly wine.

Storing
The cake is best the day it is made, but you can refrigerate it, well covered, for up to two days. Bring it to room temperature before serving. If you want to freeze the cake, slide it into the freezer to set, then wrap it really well – it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer; defrost it, still wrapped overnight in the refrigerator.

Playing Around
Since lemon is such a friendly flavour, feel free to make changes in the preserves: other red preserves – cherry or strawberry – look especially nice, but you can even use plum or blueberry jam.

Fresh Berry Cake
If you will be serving the cake the day it is made, cover each layer of buttercream with fresh berries – use whole raspberries, sliced or halved strawberries or whole blackberries, and match the preserves to the fruit. You can replace the coconut on top of the cake with a crown of berries, or use both coconut and berries. You can also replace the buttercream between the layers with fairly firmly whipped sweetened cream and then either frost the cake with buttercream (the contrast between the lighter whipped cream and the firmer buttercream is nice) or finish it with more whipped cream. If you use whipped cream, you’ll have to store the cake the in the refrigerator – let it sit for about 20 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Baking out of Boredom

2008-03-26T15:04:00.005-04:00

Oh a beautiful day outside, I should be running with a puppy in the park, walking with a friend, or playing soccer, but I'm inside. Now I could be outside yes, I've choosen this, but I don't want to get lost in thoughts. So, I choose to bake.
Baking at least takes 45 minutes occupying enough time to keep me busy. Plus, I had an urge to bake. The other day I baked brownies because I promised friends. It felt good to be baking again for people. But I didn't have that reason today, I just wanted something to do.
Options were limited, not enough flour, and my lazy butt was not making a trip to the store just for flour. Waste of gas. So, I had to either half a recipe or find something with little flour. Thankfully Martha Steward came through with Peanut Butter Toffee Cookies. It called for 3/4 cup of flour, perfect cause I maybe had a little bit more than that.
Of course I changed up the recipe, mostly the sugar and add-ins, other than that it stayed the same. So if you are bored and have limited flour try the recipe or adapt it to your tastes.

Boredom Cookies

3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for fingertips
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 large egg
1/4 cup toffee bits
1/4 cup chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add peanut butter and egg; beat until smooth. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture. Stir in toffee and morsels.
Using 1 level tablespoon batter per cookie, drop onto baking sheets, about 1 inch apart; flatten slightly with floured fingertips. Bake until edges are golden brown, 16 to 18 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies immediately to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days.

Kitchen Therapy

2008-03-23T21:50:00.004-04:00

Spring is the season of renewal. Flowers, sunshine, long days, and.... Singleness? Yes, this lady is back to being single. The details are complicated and dreary and not full of spring flavor. So I'll spare you, but I am doing well.
So for this new beginning, I decided a couple things. One---I am never giving up yoga, I find so much balance and relaxation in it. Two-- I will do one thing that scares me every day. (Note: I have now eaten a raw quail's egg and it is YUMMY!) Three-- I need to get back in the kitchen. I feel bad that I haven't blogged in 20 days. But honestly, the kitchen was home to so many memories between the ex and I that it is often hard to get in there. But that is no excuse. I have ideas, and people love my cooking, so I should do what makes me happy---cooking.
So, why not start right now in the beginning of spring? I have no reasons not to, well maybe that people won't eat it, but I'm sure I can find someone. Right?
With this in mind this evening I made an Asparagus Risotto. I love risottos, I find them easy to make and very comforting. Maybe its the time or the stirring, but its repetitiveness eases me. So I share my new recipe with you to help you start Spring.

Asparagus Risotto

1-2 Tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 c arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine (Note: I used chardonnay)
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 lb of asparagus

Parsley Pesto
1 c chopped parsley
1 c Parmesan
1/4 c pine nuts
grated peel of 1 lemon

In a heavy pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook until translucent and softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and rice; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the rice is toasted, about 3 minutes. Stir in the wine until absorbed and add 1/2 cup of stock until absorbed, usually every 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, using a food processor, finely chop the parsley, 1/2 cup Parmesan, the pine nuts and the lemon peel. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and process until blended. Set the pesto aside.

After adding the last 1/2 cup of stock, stir in 2 Tbsps of pesto. Once all the liquid is absorbed add Parmesan and asparagus, cook until asparagus is tender. Serve.

Red Velvet with the Slow Southern Style

2008-03-04T10:12:00.000-05:00

I don't remember ever having a red velvet cake. Maybe I mistake it for that strawberry cake stuck in my memory, but I believe that was a light pink rather than red. I don't really know.
All I know is I decided to make it. Why?
I felt the urge to bake a cake. I had already made a carrot cake, italian cream cake, tres leches cake, butterscotch upside down sour cream apple cake, and a few chocolate cakes. I didn't feel like repeats, though there are many versions of them all. I wanted something new. Something racy!
Red Velvet cake seemed to be the answer. I looked up recipes, finally deciding on an adaptation of Rebecca Rather's. I read the recipe and thought that 1/4 cup of red food coloring was unnecessary. So I added probably 1 to 2 Tbsp. I completely left out the vinegar, didn't have it. Did I mention I mixed it all in a pasta pot?
No? Oh, let me explain then. I had no mixing bowl. It was being used for a salad, so I looked at what I did have and chose the pasta pot as a suitable substituion. Luckily, the food coloring didn't stain it.
The cake came out great! The red that I see on all other red velvet cakes. It tasted heavely. I think that the cream cheese frosting is a little strong for the cake because it over powers the cake. However, my boyfriend disagreed. We do have our differences.
Now what do I bake?

Sexy Red Velvet Cake
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cubed and softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp red food coloring
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 350. Grease 8 x 8 pan with butter.

Cream butter and sugar on medium-high for two minutes. Mix in one egg at a time, beating after each addition. Turn mixer off and add food coloring and cocoa powder to bowl. Turn on low until just incorporated and then beat on medium for 4 minutes.

Sift together the flours, salt, and baking soda and set aside. Stir buttermilk and vanilla together. Add dry ingredients to the bowl in three batches, alternately with the buttermilk in two batches, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat on medium until just combined. Add sour cream and vinegar and beat on low until combined.

Fill pan up half way and bake for 35-45 mins. Cool before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting,
8 oz cream cheese, soften
5 Tbsp butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Cream cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on med-high speed. Sift the powdered sugar after measuring. Add the powdered sugar to the bowl in batches, beating on low until just combined and then beating on high until desired consistency is reached. For a stiffer icing, add more powdered sugar.

Note: I had a thin layer of cream cheese between each layer, if you want more double frosting recipe.

Daring Bakers Julia Child French Bread

2008-02-29T11:40:00.000-05:00

When I first found that we were doing Julia Child's French Bread, I was astonished! Was it not February, should we not be doing chocolate or strawberries or some sexy dessert? But that was not the challenge, no it was/is bread. Mainly, I was scared.
I'm not really good at yeast. I've killed it many times, usually when making pizza. My first time with yeast was making a King Cake for Mardi Gras. It didn't rise and when cooked it was doughy and raw, making me slightly frightened of the live ingredient. But I also, have been wanting to make bread for forever. Especially, after making my flat bagels that were more like discs. So I accepted the challenge, but I put it off.
Oh I had the time at the beginning of the month to make the bread, but why make bread, when there is no one to bake it for. So I waited until moving back to Austin. I procastinated. But after deciding to take a day off from running and veg, I found it to be the perfect day for French Bread. So I went into the kitchen and got to it.

I accidently boiled the water and had to let it sit until it was cool, of course after burning my pinkie. Mixed in the yeast and started following the instructions. After mixing everything, I let it double in volume. 3 and 1/2 hours later, I punched it down. I started molding them. I didn't understand the forming instructions, so I kind of did my own thing. I molded them into what I thought where to be correct. I let them rest and rise, again.
Then I baked them, forgetting to set the time. Bang head against the wall, 6 hours of work to forget the timer!!! My only disaster. So I guessed the time, and waited. I did it with two batches of bread. Were they bad?
Not really, but there was more hard crust on the first batch than actual bread. Did I not let it rise enough? Did I not do it right? I don't know. I can just assume it didn't rise enough. But I'm not defeated by my bread. I'll do it, again, when I have the time.

For the recipe, visit Bread Chick

Dinner from the heart

2008-02-25T20:26:00.006-05:00

Oh where has the time gone? Six months, already?
My boyfriend and I have been together for 6 months and neither of us can believe it. I have turned him from fast food junky to gourmet eater. He likes to say, "I can appreciate fine food, but I can eat McDonald's, too." I cringe at the thought.
Our relationship has always been based on food. We started hanging out because I offered free food to any guy who helped move my tv. He offered, too, and six weeks later another guy friend helped me move it. However, I felt horrible because the next night my now-boyfriend was suppose to move it for me. So I called him up and still offered to cook. That night I did not understand why he ate so little because he eats so much. He says, "I did not want to surprise you with how much I do."
So begun our friendship and steps toward our relationship. Six months later and this love and friendship keeps to grow. To us it is a nightly dinner at home with a glass of wine and a homecooked meal. Numerous trips out to the wine country in the Hills of Texas. It means fancy meals and finger-licking BBQ. It means a guinea pig for the crazy recipe online.
So what do you cook for an anniversary that too many is an over celebration?
At first I thought, I'd cook a three course meal. However, limited counter and kitchen space ruled that one out. So I decided on dinner and dessert. But what to cook?

I decided on a Donna Hay recipe I found for roasted drumsticks with potatoes. It sounded simple and rustic, it could be my engagement chicken. So I bought drumsticks and fingerling potatoes, plus asparagus because it is my boyfriend's favorite vegetable. And I try to get in a lot of veggies to make up for his lack there of. Then came dessert.
Chocolate?
No, I've made that a lot lately. Though it is a household favorite.
Ice Cream?
No, ice cream maker is in Dallas.
Then yesterday I came across, Creamy Lemon and Raspberry Tart by Dorie Greenspan. I knew I had a pie crust in the refrigerator so it would be easy to whip up and I wouldn't have to worry about icing and layers. However, I twisted it and used meyer lemons. I made it very tart by using 4 lemons instead of 2. My boyfriend noticed the tartness, but I like tart, I like things really tart. To sweet key lime pie or citrus tart and you lost my interest. The dessert was easy, simple and was quickly gobbled up. With a smile and a hint of boyish charm my boyfriend asked for seconds and I cut another slice.
Now how to top this in 6 months?

Meyer Lemon Raspberry Tart
(adapted from Dorie Greenspan recipe)
1 prepared pie crust
4 meyer lemons
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
1 pint raspberries

Place pie crust in a 350 degree oven and bake 15-20 mins until beginning to harden. Once done cooking, let cool to room temperature about 45 mins to 1 hr. Change oven temperature to 300 degrees.

While pie is cooling, zest 2 lemons into bowl. Squeeze all 4 lemons in a bowl. add eggs, sugar and cream, whip together. When pie is cool, place raspberries in the bottom of the pie crust and pour lemon mixture over berries. Bake in oven for 30-45 minutes let cool, then top with whipped cream.

Speed Scrabble and Pizza

2008-02-22T08:36:00.002-05:00

"Who wants to play speed scrabble?" My friend asked.
Me and another friend look at her quizzically. The main question was how do you play? Easy 7 letters try to make your own grid using those letters, if you can you say pick two until almost all the tiles are gone and you can make a scrabble grid, then you win. I won one and fell in love with the game.
But the night was originally about pizza. I had all the ingredients and no house to throw the celebration. Luckily a friend offered her home and there began our pizza party.
We tried watching the debate, but we all huddled in the kitchen to make the pizza. My friend had made Giada De Laurentiis dough, which was funny cause it's the dough I usually make. I didn't know which dough she had made until she started to say the ingredients and said the recipe. We both had a good laugh.
I sauteed some sausage and had a great aged provolone from Whole Foods. It was spectacular. Perfectly aged. If only I can get some more for under $5. (The Whole Foods in Alabama has a little tray of extra cheeses for under $5, which is perfect if you love cheese or just are a big foodie.) So that went with tomato sauce, red onion, and sausage. It turned out to be the BIG hit of the evening.
The other pizza of course was veggie. I had some sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese, which we paired with pesto and spinach to make a really good pizza. Of course, there were leftovers of that.
The main question was what to do with the leftover dough? My two friends sprung to the idea of cinnamon sugar balls. So they rolled the dough into balls, covered in milk, and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon. They were the baked until golden brown. They were delicious and quickly devoured by the three of us. I'll keep the idea for my next pizza party.

V-day weekend

2008-02-19T20:34:00.003-05:00

I panic on airplanes, ever since moving to Alabama and flying back to Austin, I started to panic days before the trip, constantly looking at weather maps. My boyfriend tells me to calm down, but I never do.
This last trip was better than most, I could still breath when we landed and I didn't get sick. Then I landed and found my connecting flight was going to be a hour and half late. I paced, I sat constantly moving my leg. I made it to Austin two hours late for my Valentine's date.
But the moment I saw my boyfriend, I knew everything was alright. He was at the airport dressed to impress with irises. (Have I told you how lucky I am?) We get back to the apartment and I am told to relax. My Valentine's present was a home cooked meal. So I sipped my glass of wine and waited, trying to keep my hands off him.
Few minutes later, shrimp and broccoli scampi crosses in front of me. Oh how I wanted to dig in right away. I didn't. I sat patiently waiting for him to make his plate, then after chiming our glasses together I dug in. Boy was I blown away! It was so good. It was better than my shrimp scampi a couple months ago.
His comment, "I followed the recipe this time."
I just laughed, since I taught him to cook, meals often prepared without my presence as chances to go a stray. This means there is no recipe involved. But no matter what happens, I always appreciate him cooking like he appreciates me cooking.
And don't think I didn't cook this weekend. I picked up spare ribs at the farmer's market and made oven roasted ribs, which caused major face messes. But that is the true test to any good recipe, how messy your eater devours it!
My other success this weekend is making Bucantini all’Amatriciana. I've made it twice since the NYT article came out. And when it did I instantly went looking for guanciale (a brined pork herbed with spices, like bacon, but so much better). I instantly went to Mario Batali's deli in Seattle--$21.99 not including shipping. So I googled it, could I find it in Austin?
I found my answer, and soon found guanciale in Austin. I went forwarded and followed the recipe on chow.com. But I found it odd that I would have to add oil before cooking the guanciale. So this time, I went without it and had crispy guanciale. My boyfriend agreed the change made a difference. So here's my version. Hope your V-day weekend was as spectacular as mine.

Bucatini all’Amatriciana
(adapted from chow.com recipe)
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
3 garlic cloves
3 thick slices guanciale (about 1/3 pound), cut into 1/2-inch squares
4 fresh tomatoes
2 small dried red chile peppers
1 pound dry bucatini or spaghetti
Freshly grated Pecorino Romano for serving

Cook guanciale until crisp or slightly brown, add in onion and garlic, sauteeing until tender.
Add tomatoes and their juice and a generous pinch of salt. Crumble in chile peppers, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer uncovered until sauce is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
While sauce simmers, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil and cook bucatini according to the package directions. Reserve about 1/4 cup pasta cooking water, drain pasta but do not rinse, add to the frying pan, and toss to coat in sauce. Add reserved pasta water if needed to thin the sauce.
Transfer to serving plates, sprinkle with Pecorino Romano, and serve immediately.

Daring Bakers: Lemon Meringue Pie more like Casserole

2008-01-28T08:52:00.000-05:00

Oh my first challenge in three months and problems ensue as usual.
When I visited the "insider" blog and found Lemon Meringue Pie as the ingredient, I knew I had no excuses. One because I had taken a class at Whole Foods, where I was taught to make lemon curd. Two, I can't blame school, I'm a working girl now. Plus I missed it. I missed the community that comes with Daring Bakers. It is the reason I joined in the first place. It was the connection of bakers around the world that don't always have things go their way in the kitchen.
So I was determined to do it this month. I was in. I made a party date. I flew on a plane for a 24 hour visit in Austin, so I could enjoy the Daring Baker's Challenge with friends.
So on Saturday, my boyfriend and I arrive at my friend's so I can cook in her kitchen. The boys leave us for the liquor store and I request more lemon juice, three lemons weren't going to cut it. So, I look over the recipe and begin with the pie dough. I use my hands because that is how I always make shortbread cookies. Plus the knives weren't cutting it. And there was no pastry cutter or processor in sight. (I really should have rethought the whole cooking utensils in boxes until I find permanent job.)
With the pie dough chilling, I began boiling water. I mix the cornstarch and sugar, when the water boils, I add the dry ingredients. No whisk. No real whisk. Improvising I used beater from the electric mixer. I enlisted my friends help as I cracked eggs to separate. By the time they were separated the water mixture had come to a boil.
Or what I believe was a boil. It was really THICK. I saw bubbles, I just assumed. So, I teach my friend how to temper the eggs. The glass bowl doesn't become warm because of the mixture. So I just assume the eggs are ready. I bring this new mixture to a bowl. I call the boy to make sure he got two cups of lemon juice. That was a negative.
I read over the recipe. That is kinda the next step after butter. Oh I became panicky. My friend zested the lemons and cut them in half. As I whisked the butter into the thick gooey mixture. Soon the butter is melted and I don't have two cups of lemon juice. So we add the zest and as my friend whisks I add the lemon juice we have to the mixture.
She then asks, opening the fridge, is this lemon juice bottle something we can use. I laugh and say yes. The conversation drifted on how the guys were going to kill us when they came in. And soon after using the lemon juice bottle, they strolled in the door. We burst out laughing. My boyfriend quickly figured it out and made a joke.
I let the mixture cool and move to bake the pie crust. Only the problem was there was no pie pan. I assumed there would be one. That was the main problem, I made tooo many assumptions. So with a lasagna pyrex pan, I rolled out the dough and placed it in. I knew I had no beans either so to try and compensate, I placed pyrex measuring cups on top. 15 minutes into the baking I realized this too was a very bad idea.
The pie crust was rising where there was no weight. I immediately took of the cups and let it cook the rest of the way without weight. It came out with some dents, but still good.
The rest of the pie went off without a hitch. Everyone liked it. Once again, all the mistakes didn't ruin the end product. I just have to stop making assumptions.

Cooking Together via The Web

2008-01-14T13:22:00.000-05:00

825 miles between my boyfriend and I has not stopped our bickering, my sarcasm, his romanticism, or our love. For at least now proving that my thoughts of me moving away would doom our relationship were wrong.
Of course with me away and him being a bachelor, it would seem natural that take-out would the food method of choice. And I thought it would be what he would revert to. However, to my amazement he has continued to cook. Not every night, but I can live with the fact that 4 out of the 7 of the week, he is. Asking for more is stretching it. Especially with the nightly complaints that he just wants to eat and not actually have to cook his dinner. But if you go out buy the groceries, why double your bill by going out? (I say this as my lunch sits unhappily on my counter at my new place. As my pocketbook cries because it spent money on something it shouldn't have. I call it Monday.)
So as our grocery bills grow because we are no longer splitting the costs. Arguments start because the menu recipes are to complicated. We continued our Sunday tradition- a home cooked meal and Iron Chef, apart, but via webcam together. I felt partially like the executive chef. I threw out measurements and directions because I concentrate while cooking a little too much. My boyfriend being use to this went with the flow. We made the marinade our seperate ways, let the chicken marinate. Then cooked it two seperate ways, but both ended up moist and tender. Or at least that what he tells me about his.
So maybe being apart isn't so bad. It could be a lot worse and as long as I have Sundays to look forward to then I think I'll make the six months.

Naughty Lasagna before I depart

2008-01-06T21:33:00.000-05:00

I've been told I'm trouble. I like to break rules. Especially in cooking.
I read a recipe and I think how can I make this different. How can I change it to my tastes and my personality. How can I make it better. And sometimes I can't.
I can't change pasta dough or pizza dough recipes. I can try and improve the Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie dough recipe, but really there is no need for improvement.
But reading Martha Stewart's Tomato-Sausage Lasagna, I found it lacked something. What that something was wine.
Vino improves everything. Or at least I think so. So I added a splash. O.K. more than a splash. More like a glass. Oh and the taste of it in the sausage tomato sauce, I almost died. The little spice and earthiness of the wine just made the sauce sooooo much better. Then you add the cheese and the lasagna noodles. I'd quote my boyfriend, but it is a phrase that one must not often repeat. But as usual he went back for seconds, this time larger than usual.

The little left from the 8x8 dish went into two tupperware containers not before the comment, "Can't you fit them in one." With a glare I went back to what I was doing. I'm sure it has been devoured and will be in frequent rotation.

Naughty Lasagna

(adapted from Everyday Food)

6 no-boil lasagna noodles
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1/4 dry red wine
1 cans (28 ounces) diced tomatoes in puree
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 cups shredded shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Make sauce: Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, and red-pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add sausage, and cook, stirring and breaking it up, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add wine then Add tomatoes and their puree, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon; bring to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spoon 1 cup sauce in bottom of dish. Fit 2 noodles in dish (crosswise if using short noodles, lengthwise if using long), overlapping slightly. Cover with 1/2 cups sauce, 1 cups mozzarella, and Parmesan. Repeat with another 2 layers, then top with remaining noodles, sauce, and the rest of mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil, and bake 1 hour.
Remove foil, and continue baking until bubbly and browned, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool 20 minutes. Cut and serve.

Note: The lasagna can be assembled up to one day in advance. Cover with foil, and refrigerate. You may have to increase initial baking time by 5 to 10 minutes.

Cooking Lesson......Lost count: Mac 'n' cheese

2007-12-20T15:26:00.000-05:00

When I think Mac and cheese, I think Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. It is what I grew up with. A fresh out of the oven cheesey goodness was not something I got until I was in high school and by that point I hated anything not out of the Kraft box.
My freshman year of college I ate a lot of Kraft mac 'n' cheese. I ate so much I got sick of it. I haven't eaten it since.
But now 2 years older and growing foodie with a boyfriend who likes to say that his food tastes "can go from eating McDonald's to commenting on wine like an enthusiast." A man who loves mac 'n' cheese. So two months ago at a party, I gave the guests a recipe that I thought they would like. I gave my boyfriend cheesemonger's mac 'n' cheese with brie, gruyere, and cheddar. I never thought he would actually make it. But he insisted last week that he wanted to make it for me before I left. Who was I to complain?
First we went and picked out the cheeses. Now the recipe calls for sharp cheddar, but do you go with block cheese, fresh cheese, already shredded cheese. We went with fresh cut cheese, but my boyfriend's question was what kinda of sharp cheddar. I shrugged. It depends on what you like I told him, so we choose just a sharp cheddar. Then was the decision of the brie. How to choose that, I don't know. We just choose one, I'm no cheese expert. I just really like it and so does my boyfriend.
After the grocery store and a 2 day wait, we began to cook the recipe. It wasn't that hard and it is always fun to teach him something new. Our only problem is we didn't get the roux brown enough so it wasn't a thick mac 'n' cheese. I cut out the nutmeg and I believe with the cheeses we choose that it would over power it all. However, the mixture of the three cheese was excellent. It was so delicious that I don't know how to describe it, but my boyfriend describes it as rich. But it was so good, I went back for seconds and probably could have eaten the whole thing.

Paul's 3 cheese mac 'n' cheese
(adapted from Gourmet magazine Cheesemonger's mac and cheese)

1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Gruyère cheese
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)
1 1/2 cups diced rindless Brie (cut from 1-pound wedge)
5 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
4 cups whole milk
1 3/4 cups breadcrumbs
1 pound penne pasta or rigatoni

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Cook pasta in boiling salted water until tender but firm to bite. Drain. Transfer to large bowl.

Mix all cheeses. Set aside 1 cup for topping; cover and chill. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until mixture turns golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add thyme and nutmeg. Gradually whisk in milk. Simmer until thickened and smooth, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add cheeses from large bowl. Stir until melted and smooth.

Pour cheese sauce over pasta; toss. Place in square glass pan or anything that can hold the pasta. (We used an 8" pyrex dish and it fit) Sprinkle breadcrumbs. Bake pasta until beginning to bubble and tops are golden, about 20 minutes.

10 minute freak fest

2007-12-12T13:39:00.000-05:00

I spent 10 minutes walking back and forth staring at the form in the bag. I was waiting for it to flop around and jump of the cutting board, but it just stayed there. I cringed, I repeated "I can't," I said eww several times. Then I took a breath, I walked over to the bag and very hastily started cutting the bag with a small knife. I really thought it was going to twitch and I'd scream and runaway. Some sick horror movie, but it never happened.

No, the red snapper laid on the cutting board, staring at the ceiling, dead. Very much dead. It had no fins, no heart, no guts, nothing to keep it alive. So why was I so scared. Because it stared at me. Just like I didn't like my stuffed animals staring at me while I slept. I don't like my food to either. It took me the same amount of time to decide to eat the whole crab staring at me in D.C. in August. I'm a wimp, I know.

There are some that don't hesitate. But there are only a handful of times you see something alive before you eat. Unless you are a rancher or work at a slaughterhouse. And I am a person who rarely ever sees the "meat" before eating. So the act of cooking it and seeing it scared me.

But after the initial shock , the fish staring at me. I got over. At some point you forget that it still has eyes and a head.

Only problem, no recipe. What to do? Clip rosemary from a neighbor, mince some garlic , drizzle olive oil, and slice lemons. Place on fish and cook. So simple after the initial shock, and he wasn't going to jump off the pan now.

And the boyfriend approved so it had to be good. Now what to cook?

Goin' French!

2007-12-07T15:49:00.000-05:00

Oh how long has it been since I've posted! Almost a month! It's not that I haven't cooked or made new recipes, trust me I've destroyed many of a kitchen.

What have I made?

Cupcakes, cookies, weekly banana bread, lamb, buffalo burgers, fish 'n' chips, just to name the few. So why do I come back to you today?

I'm done with school. I'm done with college. Not just for the semester. No, tomorrow I graduate. I will have taken 3 and 1/2 years of my life and get some piece of paper for my hard work. And in a month I'll be in Alabama at Southern Living magazine. Life's crazy, but the kitchen slows me down. You have to take your time there. You have to watch things, sometimes you have to be even extra careful.

Maybe that's why I like cooking and baking because it takes that time and dedication. Yeah sometimes you screw up like the chocolate souffles I made for my boyfriend. Bad doesn't begin to describe the mistake I made with them. Did he say it? No. Was I? Heavens, No! It happens about once a week, but he never complains.

So today for lunch I sit here typing to you with a steaming bowl of French Onion Soup, my version that I've created. My boyfriend had never had it. A tragedy, so last week I made some, really good too without slaving 48 hours making beef stock. I went out on a whim and combined two recipes. The risk was worth the reward.

French Onion Soup

2.5 Tbsp butter

3 large sweet onions

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 cups beef stock

1 cup chicken stock

thyme

bay leaf

salt

pepper

Melt butter in stock pot. Cook onions until carmalized about 10 minutes. Add wine and deglaze. Add both stocks cook for at least 20 minutes. Add spices at end. Taste and respice if needed.

*It is always better to make soup a day ahead and season it the day after.

Ratatouille

2007-11-06T20:27:00.000-05:00

Oh its out! The one movie that embodies all of our food bloggers passion, but if only we were a rat!
And what better to way to celebrate than with French food. A genre of dishes that I rarely ever decide to make. I have adopted an Italian heritage and try to avoid cream and butter. I respect Julia Child for her great knowledge and life, but besides her desserts, I've never made anything from Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
So with the release of Ratatouille, I decided what better to celebrate than with the famous dish and croque madam from Gourmet with all my girlfriends just like I had in theaters.
I looked in to my Joy of Cooking and found Ratatouille, a vegetable dish. I started with the eggplant and zucchini, which almost over filled the saute pan. The suggestion of a dutch oven seemed accurate, but I don't have one. Then I go through the list, onions, red bell peppers, garlic, tomatoes, I cook them all. I add the thyme and let the vegetables cook down.
At the same time I'm making the gravy like sauce for the croque madame. The milk didn't boil and explode, which was my only worry. Oh and it tasted good, the nutmeg really added to it. Plus the gruyere cheese, so wonderful, especially paired with the dijon mustard.
It was all devoured and we gladly watch the movie, laughing and smiling.
Croque Madame can be found on epicurious.com. My only suggestion is to serve them individually to people, like it says. You can't make a batch and then serve them.

Make-up Cake

2007-10-29T17:20:00.000-04:00

I think I sold my soul. Making a devilish deal of cake. Let me expand.
I'm graduating college in 5 weeks; I don't have a job lined up; I'm more than likely moving away from Austin, leaving a new relationship to possibly blow-up; I have tons of school work that I have no motivation to do; I'm been getting sick like crazy; I want to spend my days baking and experimenting, etc.
Yeah lifes hectic and I haven't exactly made it easy on myself. Of course my mom would say that I'm being melodramatic and I probably am, but it doesn't stop the fact that I'm freaking out. Daily, weekly. Sometimes its alone. Sometimes I freak out infront of others.
The person I'm most likely to freak out in from of is my boyfriend. My beau and I are serious about this relationship and I have my doubts with my upcoming stepping stone. This has led me into hysterics, heartbreak, and many tears. Not exactly me. Not exactly the image I'd like to exude as a friend or as a girlfriend.
I could blame my hormones, or the doctors. They haven't exactly diagnosed the extreme pain I had two weeks ago. But honestly, I'm just scared. Everyone knows this. I'm surprised that I'm not in tears more often. It happened with high school graduation. It is going to happen again. However, my boyfriend, bless his soul, has been very patient and supportive. He's supported me more than anyone in the past 2 months. He's comforted me through the tears and has reassured me more than I can count. Causing me to sell my soul. How?
So I've made a promise, a chocolate cake everytime I go into hysterics and he calmly walks me through it. I'm thinking I'm going to be going through a lot of cakes between now and January. But we'll make it through and I'll probably come out with a really great recipe. So here's my first Make-up Cake.

Make-up Cake (adapted from Barefoot Contessa)

Cake

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

MAKE THE CAKE: Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter two 8-inch round cake pans and line them with parchment paper; butter the paper. Dust the pans with flour, tapping out any excess.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, mix the flour with the sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt at low speed. In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the oil, eggs and vanilla. Slowly beat the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients until just incorporated, then slowly beat in the hot coffee until fully incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then invert the cakes onto a rack to cool completely. Peel off the parchment paper.

Frosting

6 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla

In a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Add confectioners’ sugar and continue to beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla, beat 30 seconds. Add cooled chocolate and and beat 1-2 minutes. Icing should look glossy and smooth.

Cooking Lesson #2: Roasted Pork Tenderloin

2007-10-16T22:41:00.000-04:00

I was suppose to make dinner and a cake. That was thrown out the window, when the pain started. I didn't want to say it then, but I knew I wasn't going to be able to make a birthday dinner.
So I spent most of the day on th couch with my boyfriend, mostly napping or watching Bizarre Foods. When I mentioned dinner, he said he'd make it. This coming from the man who two weeks ago wasn't cooking and didn't know how to mince. I looked at him and he was genuinely wanting to cook me dinner. So I sent him to the kitchen to find what he wanted to make.
What he found was the pork tenderloin originally planned for dinner. Well, I know a bacon-wrapped tenderloin might be a little too, much without my help. So with google in hand I found a roasted pork tenderloin with sage and garlic.
He immediately went to work. I laid on the couch watching in amusement, only to see him perfectly mincing garlic cloves. I was in shock, when did his knife skills get better than mine? But then he started whacking again, I warned against it and complimented his technique. "I got skills," was the comment made.
It was so hilarious, I fell off the couch and onto the floor. After I was able to breathe again, I watched him measure everything. He worries about venturing away from the recipe, explaining that he may screw it up. Haven't we all done that? I know I've thrown out a couple dinners before.
After measuring, I answered the simple questions. What do I do with the herbed olive oil? Rub it on the meat. How do I know when its done? I don't have thermometer, I'll do it by touch. What about a salad? Make the pecans.
Thirty minutes later, the tenderloin comes out of the oven, once again moist like the chicken parmesan. It was delicious. He confessed that he had added more garlic and a little more olive oil, he's starting to get the adaptation of recipes for your own taste. It was moist and it was seasoned well.
While enjoying the meal, he commented on how it needed a sauce and I agreed. What it needed was a red wine sauce. It would have paired well with the meat, but nevertheless I was impressed. He's learning quickly, next thing I know he'll be making better dishes than me.

I Got Skills Pork Tenderloin
(adapted from Rachael Ray)

3 cloves of garlic, minced
1.5 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sage
.5 teaspoon coarse salt
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
1 pork tenderloin

Position rack near bottom and preheat oven to 500 degrees. Mix herbs, garlic, and oil in a bowl, then rub on pork tenderloin. Place tenderloin in baking dish, roast 10 minutes, flip cook another 10 minutes. Check temperature to see if it registers 155 degrees or feel by touch. Let rest 10 minutes, then slice.

Bar-b-Que Road Trip

2007-10-10T23:33:00.000-04:00

As a Texan, it is a trip that all who love bar-b-que should make. You hear about the fights in Tennessee and Kentucky about wet versus dry, but you don’t hear in Texas. It does exist, however. At the Salt Lick, you’ll receive two different kinds of bar-b-que sauce: regular and habanero. At Kruetz, the giant sign on the wall says no bar-b-que sauce served or allowed in. It is like this several towns across the state. Like football, rivalries run deep.
I grew up with a grilling father, steaks, brisket, ribs, chicken, you name it, he can grill. But even better is he does bar-b-que. His brisket is my standard to every joint in Texas and no one has ever come close to it. Now I’ve never had his ribs because I started with Salt Lick ribs. Then again, I know they are spectacular because my dad is a great cook.
So I planned the destination, the small towns, the food that is renowned to see if it lives up to my standards as a foodie and bar-b-que connoisseur.
I warned my boyfriend and my colleague that we would be leaving early Saturday morning. Both were unhappy to hear this information because I’m an early riser and it breaks my Saturday routine for my boyfriend and I. Despite this I was very adamant about the time. Six thirty sharp or I leave without you. Of course I ran late.
First stop was Round Rock for donuts at where else but Round Rock Donuts. I remember watching Food Network one morning and seeing a spot on the donut establishment, knowing I should go. And after living in Austin three and half years, I got lost finding it. I followed 79 to the H-E-B and figured out I was lost. So we went back west and down what looked to be a main street called Mays street. Down the street we saw no Round Rock Donuts sign. I was becoming frustrated. I was hungry and defiantly craving donuts.
What else could I do, but ask for directions. With two men in the car, I decide to scrap my pride and go into the 7-11. I asked the dirty, balding manager where the building was. He told me I past it, “Go back up the street and when you see the Papa John’s take a left, its right after.” With these directions I found it easily. A friend warned me of a thirty minute wait she endured once, so I was awaiting that. However, there were open spots in the parking lot and the carline only had about 6 cars long. Where was everyone?
The woman informed me that usually by now the line is out the door, but at the time it was still within the building. Can you blame the OU/UT game? Maybe.
But there we were, a girl and two guys. Me with my three donuts, them with there three and 2 dozen donut holes. The first bite of my regular Round Rock Donut was so soft and delicate. You didn’t have to tear the donut for a bite, it just gently floated to your tongue, as my colleague, Chris put it, “It’s a little angel flying on my tongue.”
With our stomachs full, and murmurs of naps, we were back on the road. Back on to 79 to Taylor, for a walk and lunch. However, through Hutto, I saw the sign for Debbie’s Pies. Nothing special, but months ago, my Grandfather, who I also, take on bar-b-que trips with me, mentioned going to Hutto for pie and Taylor for bar-b-que. And here it was the pie place. But they didn’t open until 11 and it was only 9. So we skipped the pie.
We headed back on the road to Taylor, only to find it slightly deserted and empty. It wasn't a complete ghost town, but it sure wasn't Fredericksburg either. With time to kill we explored the town, discovering the cotton gin and warehouses, plus we met three guys taking pictures of the train. They recommended 2 bar-b-que joints besides the one we were going to visit. But we had come for Louie Mueller's and we stuck to it, although we probably should had listen to our new friends.Louie's is known for the brisket. It is suppose to be smoky, tender, and juicy. However, we found it dry and lacking any taste. There seemed to be a lack of rub. I found the same with the ribs. Dry. The only redeeming menu item was the pork butt that had the right rub, and perfectly tender. But still I didn't find a reason for a repeat visit.

A need for a Coke float propelled us toward our next destination. Brenham, Texas. Home of Blue Bell Ice Cream, but we some how missed it and we drove straight into the town square. Unlike Taylor, there were people shopping and enjoying their Saturday. We hit the Ice Cream parlor first, to satisfy the need for a Coke float, which I didn't get. I went my classic Mint Chocolate Chip milkshake, cause you can never go wrong there.
The sugar rush carried overto the rest of the afternoon until we hit Elgin. Then our stomachs rumbled. Last menu item, Southside Market sausage, the sausage that put Elgin on the map. Now Homesick Texan recommended that I go visit and eat there in June and I finally made it. And it wasn't disappointing. The sausage was mixed with the right amount of spices, not to peppery, just a hint. It wasn't burned, it was the way sausage should be. It was perfect.
So where to next, I don't know. Any suggestions for the next trip?

Cooking Lesson #1: Chicken Parmesan

2007-10-01T21:10:00.000-04:00

So my relationship is new, brand spanking new. 5 weeks old and you can't tear us apart. I mean if you saw us, you'd gag, really honestly, I don't know why I don't. But until a week ago, the boy had no cookware. Look at me foodie extravaganza. Two polar opposites, but I bought him cookware and Sunday began the start of cooking lessons.
Now last week I asked him what he wanted to learn how to cook first. Chicken parmesan was his response. Well, can the boy choose well. Or I guess for me, not so well. It's something I've never made, practiced, and I usually don't eat it. But it is what he wanted to cook, and I said fine, let's do it.
So Sunday we go tothe grocery store, and I'm bombarded with questions. What is a good potato? What is good garlic? I need olive oil, salt, pepper, when we are only on aisle number 1. Now I am very OCD at the grocery store. A little chaotic yes, I have a tendency to forget things, but when I have a list, I'm very good about things. And I go in order. Nevertheless, I laughed off the questions and he looked at me like I was crazy, but we survived.
Four hours later, and after 100s of "I'm hungry," coming from my mouth did we finally start cooking. First came the tomato sauce, and all I could hear was the very sharp whacking of the knife, needless to say I taught him how to dice. Of course, I also, learned a lesson, don't leave the TV on, or it will suck out the concentration out of the room.
With the sauce simmering, he began on breading the chicken. I told him to read the recipe. "What does whisk mean?"
Startled from what I was doing, I looked over at him. He was genuinely asking me what whisking meant. Well, I'm not a chef, I don't know proper terminology. Then came, "What about the egg?"
"You've never cracked an egg?" squeaked out.
No was the reply. I cracked open the egg, shoved a fork in his hand, and said "Whisk."
"You mean break the yolk."
I nodded and went off to watch the sauce. An hour later, the chicken parmesan was on the table. And I couldn't have been prouder. The only thing burned was the garlic toast I made. His dish sat proud on each of our plates. And all I could do was smile.
He waited for me to cut into the chicken. It was perfectly moist and tender. A joy to bite into and a great dish. I couldn't stop smiling and can't wait to see what next Sunday's lesson might bring.
Chicken Parmesan (adapted from Everday Food)

2 chicken breasts
1 egg
1/4 cup parmesan
1/4 cup bread crumbs (fresh or premade)
2 cups tomato sauce (homemade or jarred)
mozzerella

Preheat oven to 450. Whisk egg in one bowl. Mix parmesan and breadcrumbs together. Salt and pepper chicken. Dip chicken in egg then parmesan mixture. Place on baking sheet. Broil for 2-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Spread one cup tomato sauce in glass baking pan, add chicken breasts, top with more tomato sauce and cheese. Bake in oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

*Note: I add extra parmesan to top of chicken though recipe didn't call for it. After 15 minutes the chicken was moist and white.

The Bakery

2007-09-30T14:07:00.001-04:00

I grew up with Saturday mornings being one of baked goods. Muffins, pancakes, waffles, and cinnamon rolls. True at this young age it was either from a canister or a box that these things were made, but it was still a treat.
Now after being out of the house for three years, I still like making a special breakfast some Saturday mornings, especially now that I have a boyfriend. And it still keeps in theme from when I was younger.
When I read this month's Daring Bakers recipe, I jumped up and down and giggled. Cinnamon Rolls. One of the recipes, I've been dying to try. My mouth was zipped, when my friends and boyfriend asked what is was.

Cinnamon rolls not only have special meaning with my younger self, but also, with my trips to Crested Butte. We first started going when I was 6 or 7, and before hikes, fishing, and rafting, we often visited The Bakery. And it had the hugest and best cinnamon rolls. They were almost as big as my head. I could finish them then, I'm not so sure that I could now.
So when I started baking that morning, I was hoping to make them as good as I had then. I started with the dough. Actually running to the store for yeast, while the shortening and sugar was creaming. I made 2 batches, the first batch was not as sticky as the second.
It didn't really rise during the 2 hour rest period. I began to worry, but went with it. Rolled out the dough, spread cinnamon sugar with raisins and walnuts, before wrapping tightly up. I then did one patch sticky buns and one batch regularn rolls. The rolls when into my pyrex lasagna pan into the refridgerator as I worked on the sticky buns.
I went back and forth from the fridge. Then the next thing I now I hear shattering, I look into the fridge and what do I see?
I see my lasagna pan shattered on the bottom shelf of the fridge. Glass everywhere, and I'm cussing. Two recipes in a row where things aren'tin my favor. I move the rolls to anor pan making sure there is no glass in them, then clean up the fridge. Of course, I cut myself.
Thankfully, nothing else breaks. In the morning the rolls rise in the oven beforre baking. My friends come over complaining about the time. Its only 8:00 am, but that's college students for you. It stops the moments there tongues taste the rolls.
I think this may come a monthly tradition. Cheers ladies!

Cake Therapy

2007-09-20T23:35:00.000-04:00

Bad days come down to three therapies- running, yoga, and baking.
After a weird dream, getting attacked by a bat, seeing a nude bicyclist, running into a raccoon, losing my ID, and other events. I decided to bake. I had already ran for the day and I needed to destroy and create something.
I searched for recipes, finding nothing I liked. I could make a Upsidedown Butterscotch Apple Cake, a spice cake, or a carrot cake.
Recently I had visited an Austin restaurant called Chez-Zee. They are known for their excellent desserts and they are remarkable. Often my boyfriend reminds me of it and repeats that we must go back. I guess he doesn't trust my baking skills, but that's a side note. When I looked at the menu, I was shocked to find that they didn't have carrot cake. One of my favorite cakes and the one I requested for my birthday.
So yesterday, I looked in my fridge and found cream cheese and what did pop in my head but carrot cake. Not just any carrot cake, but the one Ruth Reichl swears by.
I told my boyfriend I was going to destroy my kitchen, before running to the grocery store to pick up supplies. I told the cashier my goal, and she asked me if I had carrots. I looked at my groceries, cussing. I had almost forgot the most important ingredient. Carrots.
Of course, I went back and got them, coming home to work on the destruction of my kitchen. The batter of course was addicting and it was hard to keep my fingers out. The layers didn't come out even, and they never do. But in front of me was finally my birthday cake. After 8 months, I finally had my birthday cake.
And yes I had a birthday cake in January, but it was a dry, store-bought carrot cake. It didn't suffice and I've craved a carrot cake ever since. Then my friend promised me one, but it has been a month and a girl can only wait so long. So in all its glory was a lopsided carrot cake.
So what did I do with my birthday cake? I shared it with girlfriends, and then my boyfriend got to it with a fork. With his fork attack, I decided to spare people his germs and just allow him to keep it. He's also, the reason, why I have no pictures of the cake. What are you going to do?
Make another of course.

Carrot cake
(taking from Ulterior Epicurean , who used Gourmet's recipe. )

The Cake:
About 3/4 pound carrots
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2/3 cup raisins (optional)

For Frosting:
2 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

Special Equipment: two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans

Make the Cake: Put a rack in middle of oven and prheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour cake pans, knocking out excess flour.
1. Shred enough carrots on smallest teardrop holes of box grater or with fine shredding disk ina food processor to measure 2 cups.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into a large bowl. Stir in sugar, oil, eggs, carrots, pineapple, coconut, walnuts and raisins (if using).
3. Divide batter between cake pans and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of cakes comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool layers in pans on a rack for 5 minutes, then run a thin knife around edge of each pan and invert layers onto rack to cool completely.

*Note in my oven I actually cooked it for 50 minutes. And I got 2 layers and 6 cupcakes, so I'm sure it could have made 3 layers.

Make the Frosting: Beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until fluffy about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, add confectioners’ sugar, and beat until frosting is smooth.
Place 1 cake layer bottom side up on a cake plate and spread with some of frosting. Place remaining cake layer right side up on top and spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.

*Note if you want thick icing, double the recipe. If your not into icing, hell you don't even need it.

Decortations: Pecans, frosting, walnuts, and coconut

Daring Bakers become known

2007-09-11T22:30:00.000-04:00

:Dancing:
I love Gormet, I love Bon Appetit. I read them religiously, I salivate with each issue. The editors give me sooooo many ideas. And today they recognized me!
In class today, I was on the internet during Print Design, surfing the web (Sorry Mom and Dad). Since, my parents are coming into town, I thought I’d make a cake. Where to go to get it?
Why epicurious.com of course!
So, I enter it into Firefox. And see the epi-log had something on Daring Bakers. So immediately, I had to read. (For those of you who don’t know the Daring Bakers is an online baking club, where ladies and gentlemen, get one recipe a month that one other member has deemed difficult or always wanted to try. He or she posts it. Last month was Milk Chocolate and Caramel Tart.)
I start reading. Then I saw Food and Photo, my mouth dropped! I wanted to scream, jump up and down, dance in my seat. Here I am 21, and one of the most embarrassing baking experiences I’ve had is now posted on epicurious.com. I should be blushing, but I’m honored.
I’m a humble person. I don’t like celebrating my successes, but everything has been going so well for me lately. Then this happens! Makes me want to skip the next 3 months of my graduating semester and bake and cook and be daring!
Thank you to Ivonne, and Lis to allow me to have the experience. Thanks to all the other daring bakers, you all deserve to be posted on their as well. Actually it should be ya’ll and not me.
In celebration tonight, I’ve made dinner for my boyfriend and I. I’ve also done dessert. Nothing fancy really. I’ll save that for when I have more time.
So thank you to all of you. Every reader. Every person who has ever touched me. Friends. Family. I hope I’ve touched you in the same way you’ve touched me.

Strawberry Shortcake Sandwhich
1 cup flour
½ sugar
1 stick butter
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 pint strawberries
sugar
whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine first 6 ingredients with your hand or pastry cutter. It will be done when all the butter is combined with the other dry ingredients and when it clumps together. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes or until done.

Mix strawberries and sugar.

Place one cookie on bottom, cover with strawberries and whipped cream, and top with another cookie. Enjoy!

Soft Goey Goodness

2007-09-09T11:37:00.001-04:00

Favorite cookie?
Chocolate chip, soft
Well that was specific. I mean not just chocolate chip, but soft. Personally I like crunchy, crisp. I like the snap, the crunch of the cookie breaking. The sound! But not this time, no, soft cookies were in order because I'm that type of girl.
The moment the IM came through my Mac, Alton Brown came to mind because he did a whole episode on different types of chocolate chip cookies. I started to search foodtv.com for the recipe. However, I found none for Alton Brown, but thank god for Google because it found it right away.
I looked at it, remembering the episode and how he switched to each variety. Of course I rarely ever deviate from the Tollhouse version so this was new and exciting.
I could defiantly tell the difference between the batters. This was a lot fluffier or maybe its because I creamed the butter before adding the sugar, who knows.
Of course, I deviated from Alton's recipe. Adding dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate chuncks, and pecans because just chips did not sound like a good cookie. It at least needs nuts (specifically pecans) to be American.
He calls for 14 minutes of baking time. I found that, that time lended itself to burnt crunchy cookies. Not what I was going for right?
I tried 10 mins. Not burned seemed a little softer, but hardened during cooling.
I tried 8 mins. Now they weren't completely soft. No. They were soft when warm, and slightly soft when cooled, but it was the closest I was going to get. So that was the designated time alloted.
Now will the person enjoy these cookies? Defiantly, but was it what they wanted? Was it soft to there liking? I don't know. I guess I'll find out soon enough.
Oh and my favorite...... Oatmeal Raisin preferably with dark chocolate chips.

PA Chocolate Chip
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 milk chocolate chunks or something to your liking

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
Cream butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 8 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 4 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Beginning of the End

2007-09-05T14:04:00.000-04:00

The past week, I've been busy. School has started. I've entered into some great new relationships. And I've have slept less than ever. So baking and cooking has been on the back burner. Looking at my schedule over the past 4 months that may continue to be the case.
And it's my last semester. 15 hours and on December 8th I'll graduate. I'll be a girl with a diploma and nothing more. I have no clue where I'll be, who I'll be with, hell I don't know if I'll even be alive. But this semester will be the best with everything that I have started.
And with the knowledge of all of this, Monday, I made ribs, grilled asparagus and portobellos, and ice cream. It took all day and thankfully nothing was burned or cut this time. I started at noon, realizing I had forgotten materials and had to go back to the grocery store.
This time I successfully managed ice cream and bar-b-que sauce at the same time. I just splattered the counters with both, of which I think they are still splattered with.
As usual the ribs cooked quickly and the veggies were quickly thrown on the grill pan to cook. 3 people turned into 5. And the table was full of chatter, of laughter, of smiles, and of friendship.
It is something I hope will continue because I don't think they know the impact they've had on me. And how much I value their friendship.
So I raise a glass to them, "Thanks guys for the memories!"

Grilled Asparagus

1 lb asparagus
Olive oil
salt
pepper

Heat up gril pan or start the grill. Rub the asparagus with oil and sprinkle on salt and pepper. Cook in grill until bright green and slightly charred or to your liking.

Burning down the House for the sake of Daring Bakers

2007-08-29T09:20:00.001-04:00

I'm a klutz. I have a tendency to cut myself, bruise myself, and burn myself. It happens cooking and it happens just walking.
When I began this month's recipe, the pastry dough came together perfectly and I let it rest overnight. The next day I brought it out, rock solid. So I had to defrost it, which was no easy task because it was going to take a couple of hours and I really needed to start on the tart. So I put it in the oven and every few minutes took the defrosted pastry off. This took about 15 mins.
Of course at the same times, I was boiling potatoes for my party. So I was making 2 recipes at once.
This turned out to be a very bad idea because some how they were ready at the same time, making cuss words fly out of my mouth.
At the same time the potatoes were about to be done, I started making the caramel. Let me just recap, I've never made caramel until yesterday, so I was confused by the dry method. The first time I did it and added the cream, the caramel came immediately to a hard boil, splattering hot boiling cream over my entire outfit. That is when the cuss words began to fly.
I breathed and then washed out the pot and began again. This time watching very closely to see what was happening. It started to turn the amber color and I began the milk. This time it didn't come to a hard boil as quickly, but it did began to clump up.
My solution was to add the butter and the cream, then boil the mixture. This cause little sugar chunks, but I just dished those out and threw them away. I then dealt with my potato salad, allowing the caramel mixture to cool. When I added the eggs, I was worried that they would scramble and I would have to do it all over again. Which I might say wasn't going to happen because time was coming to a close.
But it came together. It wowed my friends. We all enjoyed it. I especially loved the chocolate mousse.
And what have I learned. Do the Daring Bakers recipe at a different time than a dinner party or do it the day ahead and you won't almost cut of your foot or boil you skin.
Happy Baking Ladies!

Milk Chocolate and Caramel Tart

Preparation time: 40 minutes
Baking Time: 30 minutes
Refrigeration time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

* ½ lb (250 g) chocolate shortbread pastry (see recipe above)
* 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
* 1 cup (250 g) heavy cream (30-40 percent butterfat) or crème fraiche
* ¼ cup (50 g) butter
* 2 whole eggs
* 1 egg yolk
* 2 ½ tablespoons (15 g) flour
* 1 ¼ cups (300 g) whipping cream
* ½ lb (250 g) milk chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 325 °F (160 °C).

2. Line the baking pan with the chocolate shortbread pastry and bake blind for 15 minutes.

3. In a saucepan, caramelize 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar using the dry method until it turns a golden caramel color. Incorporate the heavy cream or crème fraiche and then add butter. Mix thoroughly. Set aside to cool.

4. In a mixing bowl, beat the whole eggs with the extra egg yolk, then incorporate the flour.

5. Pour this into the cream-caramel mixture and mix thoroughly.

6. Spread it out in the tart shell and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

7. Prepare the milk chocolate mousse: beat the whipping cream until stiff. Melt the milk chocolate in the microwave or in a bain-marie, and fold it gently into the whipped cream.

8. Pour the chocolate mousse over the cooled caramel mixture, smoothing it with a spatula. Chill for one hour in the refrigerator.

Alternate Caramel Method:

If you have problems with the dry method, you may use this method.

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon corn syrup

Set mixture in a pot over medium-high heat and stir slowly. When the mixture comes to a boil, stop stirring and leave it alone. Wait till desired color is attained .

Proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Caramel Fragments:

Melt ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar in a saucepan until it reaches an amber color. Pour it onto waxed paper laid out on a flat surface. Leave to cool. Break it into small fragments and stick them lightly into the top of the tart.

Chocolate Shortbread Pastry
Note: The Chocolate Shortbread pastry can make 3 tart shells. So, if you want to cut that recipe into thirds then do so but Veron and Patricia are not promising it will scale down properly.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Refrigeration: overnight
To make 3 tart shells: 9 ½ inches (24 cm) square
or 10 inches (26 cm round)

Ingredients:

* 1 cup (250g ) unsalted butter, softened
* 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (150 g) confectioners’ sugar
* ½ cup (50 g) ground hazelnuts
* 2 level teaspoons (5 g) ground cinnamon
* 2 eggs
* 4 ½ cups (400 g) cake flour
* 2 ½ teaspoons (10 g) baking powder
* 1 ½ tablespoons (10 g) cocoa powder

A day ahead
1. In a mixing bowl of a food processor, cream the butter.

2. Add the confectioners’ sugar, the ground hazelnuts, and the cinnamon, and mix together

3. Add the eggs, one by one, mixing constantly

4. Sift in the flour, the baking powder, and the cocoa powder, and mix well.

5. Form a ball with the dough, cover in plastic wrap, and chill overnight.

Taking on the Brownie

2007-08-17T15:17:00.000-04:00

What does it take to be a Brownie Babe?
Does it take brains?
Does it take bronze?
Does it take skill?
Or does it take heart?
Does it take passion?
Does it take friendship?
I believe it takes the last three. Baking takes love, compassion, and everything in between. You place your soul into something for just the sight of watching someone eat it. I never take the first bite of something I make if I have a friend over. I wait for them to take it, watching, awaiting their response. And I've never gotten a bad one. Why? Well either its always good or people just say is good. Now I did have one bad mishap and that was with stuffed squash blossoms that weren't fried and I can't live it down. But everything I bake has never missed the spot. I love baking. I love the steps, the messes, the looks of joy when they get a neat little bundle. I do it because it brings happiness. It's my random act of kindness about once a week. Myriam, I wish I could send my brownie to you, but I don't think customs would send it. However, I can post the recipe. I hope you find joy and love in them like I have.

Tropical Brownie Pie
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup semi-sweet morsels or 8 oz fine-quality milk chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup macadamia nuts
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch pie pan. Melt butter and chocolate in a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring, until smooth. Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm. Stir in brown sugar and vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, until mixture is glossy and smooth.Whisk together remaining ingredients, then stir into chocolate mixture. Stir in nuts and white chocolate. Spread batter in pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs adhering, 25 to 30 minutes.
*Currently out of town so can't post pictures. Will as soon as I'm home.

HHDD#14 gives me an excuse for Gnocchi experimentation

2007-08-15T13:22:00.001-04:00

My first experience of gnocchi was at Buenos Aires Cafe in downtown Austin. The Le Cordon Blue Chef made 3 different kinds of potato dumplings- a chive, paprika, and traditional. It was in a cream sauce and spectacular. I fell in love with every bite. I promised to make it, but I put it off. I placed it on my summer cooking list, during my time off. It started coming down to my last 3 weeks of freedom before school. As much as I love cooking, summer causes me to want quick meals. Plus, its already hot outside, no reason to heat the apartment, too. But then Hay, Hay It's Donna Day, said it was gnocchi month. There came my excuse. But what kind of gnocchi? Ironstef did a hot pink beet gnocchi, but the thought of eating beets for the first time through gnocchi, didn't seem appealing. There's always traditional potato gnocchi, but I'm not one for tradition. Then I remembered Heidi Swanson's recipe. Gnocchi alla Romano. Friday night I read over the recipe. Doing so caused me to reread it. Heidi called for semolina flour not potato. I became confused. I thought gnocchi was always potato, then I found the beet recipe, then Heidi's. What? So I made Heidi's recipe, of course, taking it into my own hands. My friend came over and enjoyed his first taste of gnocchi. He was impressed, especially after I told him what I had to do. It destroyed my kitchen a lot of worse than pizza or pasta. But that's the fun in it, of course until you have to clean it. So here's my take on Heidi's recipe. And if you like good tasty vegetarian food, then check out Heidi's- Super Natural Cooking.

End of a Season

2007-08-12T10:17:00.000-04:00

"Today's the last Saturday market," he said.
I was astonished, the last. The End. Fin.
No more peaches for the summer. Its not even mid August and no more?
I was upset to say the least. I've been eating peaches daily, counting up to 4-5 sweet treats within 24 hours. There have been pies, muffins, salsa, and no more. I'm sorry for the repetition, but when you become so dependent on a food, it is hard to know the season is ending.
As you know, I believe in farmers markets. I support my farmers because well I hope someone would have the same compassion for the farmer, tending my dad's land. I know that farming isn't really a profitable business, but it is rewarding. A farmer sees his progress each day and in the eyes of customers. What I view as the payoff is the farmer watching someone enjoying and experiencing the freshest produce possible.
To start this peach season, I decided to PYO- pick your own. So I googled and found farms that allow it. My friends and I drove out to Fredericksburg to pick peaches. It was the first weekend of opening. It was a comfortable day, partly sun, cool. My friends and I went to Psencik Farms outside of the town.
The farm was on a backroad, where you crossed a low bridge to get across, this beautiful stone house stood where we would pick. Ms. Psencik greeted us warmly, asking whether we wanted to pick blackberries and peaches. Our answer was both.
My two friends and I picked our boxes, went to the field, and picked. I picked a large box. A pie was what I intended. I would need a lot, plus more for eating. I ate 5 that day, I believe. Juicy running down my chin, no napkin, no paper towel, just the way you should eat a Fredericksburg peach with a BIG BITE!

We then scrambled to pick blackberries that were nice, black, and tart. The vines had been plucked over. However, I insisted on blackberries. My best friend complained of the thorns, but I got what I wanted and more. Enough to last me a week and keep my lips puckered.
I traveled a second time to pick peaches. The second time, I couldn't pick because of flooding. However, I still bought enough peaches to survive on and of course another pie. I branched out to B's peaches, which were just as good as Psenciks. And this time I was even able to buy Texas plums, which were delicious.
Psenciks even sold peaches at my farmers market until mid-July, so I didn't even have to go to Fredericksburg. I always chatted up the owner, talking about how all the rained had helped and hindered the crop. It was nice to have a daily farmer to visit.
So what do I do now that peaches are over? I don't know. Asian pears are in season, but don't quench my palate like peaches. Maybe I'll move to Washington. There I would have berries, cherries, and currants. Anybody need a baker and chef?
Alas, I must say so long to what some are calling the best peach crop ever. I hope next year is just as good and that I get to savor it, again!

Celebrating Birthdays

2007-08-07T15:05:00.000-04:00

A chocolate cake with white icing and a ninja turtle on top. A chocolate cake with a blue whale. Chocolate Coke Cake. Carrot Cake. And every year in between.
These are the cakes I remember. Not necessarily memorable birthdays. I don't have many of those. None really stick out in my mind. Of course there are pictures and smiles, but no details stick out.
I think this lack of memorability is why I like making big deals of others' birthdays. I want them to experience something special, unique and memorable. I guess making up for what I lack.

This week was no different. Danielle is an amazing woman with a big heart. She has only experienced a few cultural foods. I plan on changing that and I already begun.
So for her birthday, I decided to celebrate her birthday and Julia Child's. I checked out Julia's baking book from the library and began flipping through it. It was jaw-dropping how many different recipes I wanted to try. All seemed to leave me salivating.
However, milk in my fridge limited my scope. So I found Julia's Vanilla Pound Cake. It sounded delicious. I exchanged one major ingredient for another. However, the cake was still moist and scrumptious. It even made 2 cakes, when Julia said it would make one.
Danielle enjoyed it and she had her first taste of fig, which I think accompanies it nicely. Justneeds a little whipped cream, but thats just a suggestion.

So Danielle, Happy Birthday! I hope we can experience more new foods together!

Vanilla Pound Cake adapted from Baking with Julia

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salk
2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
3 large egss, at room temperature, beaten together
1 cup milk, at room temperature
1 vanilla bean

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift dry ingredients together. Begin beating butter with mixer. After creaming butter, beat in sugar until light and fluffy. Occasionally scrapping down bowl. Begin beating eggs into batter at medium speed, after incorporting alternate milk and dry ingredients together. Propperly combined ingredients will be white and fluffy. Scrap vanilla bean and at to mixture, slowly beating in. It makes 2 loaves or at least thats what I found. Cook for between 55 to 65 minutes. Stick in a toothpick to make sure middle is down. Let cool 10 minutes before turning out.

Raspberry Twist

2007-08-01T15:53:00.001-04:00

Saturday or Sunday mornings during my childhood were always a sweet breakfast- muffins, pancakes, or cinnamon rolls. More often than not it was muffins or cinnamon rolls. I don't remember what started this, but it was an exciting way to start the weekend.
Now I must admit that these treats usually came out of a box or container. My favorite was Duncan Hines Blueberry Streusel Muffins or the Cinnamon Crumble. At least once a month I was making a batch and eating them before a soccer game.

So when I saw the recipe for Blueberry Muffins in Food and Wine this year, I was automatically intrigue. Like my Duncan Hines box it had sweet topping of sugar. Where could you go wrong?
However, I didn't make the recipe for months. It always lingered in the back of my head. Of course, the craving for muffins hit me and I knew where I would go. Blueberry Muffins.
Then a bright idea popped into my head, raspberry/lime muffins. Sweet and Tart. A combination that I love dearly.

The batch I made wasn't perfect. It wasn't tart enough for me, but I know what to fix next time. More lime zest.

Raspberry Twist

CRUMB TOPPING

1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

MUFFINS

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups raspberries split on half
lime zest

directions

Preheat the oven to 375°. Line 18 muffin cups with paper or foil liners or spray 2 muffin tins with cooking spray.
MAKE THE CRUMB TOPPING: In a medium bowl, combine the flour with the brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in the melted butter, then pinch the mixture until it forms pea-size clumps.
MAKE THE MUFFINS: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs and canola oil and beat with a handheld electric mixer at low speed until combined. Beat in the whole milk and vanilla. Add the flour mixture all at once and beat at low speed until the batter is smooth. Stir in the blueberries.
Spoon the batter into 18 of the cups, filling them about three-quarters full. Sprinkle the crumb topping on top of each one and bake for about 30 minutes or until the muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let the blueberry muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before serving.

Can be frozen.

A Saturday Pizzeria

2007-07-28T21:18:00.000-04:00

What is the heart of Italy? Pasta, pizza, risotto? Or is it the fresh produce, fish, and meat available?
I personally can only make an assumption. Italy is a country I have never been, but visit every Saturday in my supper.
As a runner, Sunday is my long running day. 7+ miles, if I'm lucky maybe less. So Saturday is carb loading night. Pasta or Pizza.
One would think I would get sick of it and I often do, but I don't find myself changing my routine. Every Saturday its the same trip to Italy. I change it up of course. Usually pasta one night, the next week pizza. Or in this weeks case, pizza back to back.
Which I have a love for. Pizza is heaven. I wish I could have a wood-burning stove. However, a college girl has no place for one. Despite that I have found a great pizza dough recipe. It is by Ms. De Laurentiis in Bon Appetit. I of course, change it up a little bit. I let it rise twice. If you like thin, crispy dough, it is perfect.
Here is my suggestion for toppings:

spinach, pancetta, black olives, and goat cheese (I heard it was a good combo and didn't disappoint)
pepperoni and mozzarella (Classic, you can never go wrong)
pesto, artichoke, basil, tomato, mozzarella, olives, and goat cheese (It is a take on my pizza joints best pizza the #7)
Any suggestions?

Pizza Dough adapted
3/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 envelope active dry yeast

2 cups (or more) bread flour
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

Pour 3/4 cup warm water into small bowl; stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes.

Brush large bowl lightly with olive oil. Mix 2 cups flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add yeast mixture and 3 tablespoons oil; process until dough forms a sticky ball. Transfer to lightly floured surface. KNEAD dough until smooth, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is very sticky, about 1 minute. Transfer to prepared bowl; turn dough in bowl to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. PUNCH down dough. (I let it rise for about another 30-45 minutes, punch down, again) DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. ROLL out dough according to recipe instructions. (Start in center of dough, working outward toward edges but not rolling over them.)

*It makes 2 "medium" pizzas or one large. I split the dough, and freeze one half. To unfreeze it let it rise room temperature. I usually take it out the night before and let it rise until I get home.

Summer Flavor

2007-07-26T16:55:00.000-04:00

Ah summer! My favorite season. That's why I decided to do the Summer Flavor Challenge. Below are the bloggers who decided to join in. They kept to the rules and did local fruits.

Elle's Plum Coffee Cake- I'm a sucker for coffee cakes and this looks delicious. It's not a standard coffee cake because it uses yeast and biscuit mix, but I bet it tastes divine!

Lynn's Blueberry Ice Cream- Lynn can stray from ice cream and who can blame her with "Perfect Scoop" in her collection. So when it comes to her blueberry ice cream, I will just tell myself its good for my heart!

Nicole's Banana Fritters- I love bananas and what a better way to eat them than to fry them. And to live in a place where you can do them without having to ship them is even better.

Julie's Boysenberry cobbler- Who can go wrong with berries? Especially a berry that I've never tried except in yogurt. It looks like a blackberry, but really it is its own berry and Julie does it justice!

And the winner is (drum-roll please.......) Ms. Julie, going on a whim to buy boysenberries. Thank you to all participants. I want to eat everyone of ya'lls glorious entries.

Next month is August Heat
August is always one of the hottest months of the year. You can never get away from it. So the theme for this month is a cool and refreshing dish. It is up to you. But remember it has to be LOCAL!
1) One must be centered around some local fruit or veggie from your farmers market or own garden.
2) It can be a main dish, dessert, drink, side dish. I'm open to anything.
3) Must be posted by August 19 and there will be a round up on August 20 on this here website. Send me information with name, blog, and dish. And don't for get pictures!
Good Luck and I'll be picking a winner and sending a goodie!
Send all entries to fallenphotoangel {at} msn {dot} com

Heartfelt Balance

2007-07-22T20:56:00.000-04:00

Summer means a lot of things-- berries, cherries, peaches, cantaloupe, tomatoes, and the list goes on. Mother Nature never ceases to amaze me with her bounty. I thank her daily through my yoga practice.
Lately, I've been asking her for guidance. And each day she helps me through another. My yoga flow has renewed me and made me realize a lot of things. It keeps me going through the job I hate, it reminds me how strong I am, and how beautiful I am, too.
Being a woman, who has struggled against so much. Realizing your roots makes you grounded and loving. What I have struggled with lately is a balance between my passion of food and my health. I let my passion take over, causing me to over eat, and what woman hasn't. However, I've been at the other end many times, not eating, causing severe health problems, weighing 112 lbs and wanting to lose more not gain. Where's the balance?
Being a runner, makes this a challenge. I have to eat enough protein to sustain my activity. As well as the fact that I need to lose what I gained overeating. Since my marathon, I've been struggling with this. And being in a job you loathe does not help things.
So I back to where I was last summer, but with a new twist. I will eat what I want in moderation. I will watch what I eat and when I'm not hungry, I don't eat. Sweets are down to twice a week. I will not be a vegetarian like I was last summer. Protein in quantities that I need. Oh and eat all the fruit and veggies I want.
I realize that this is a food blog, but there are times, when things have to be spoken or written. I always find it easier in writing. So to everyone hanging in the balance, meditate and eat chocolate. What do you have to lose?

P.S. Summer Flavor Challenge has been extended to Thurs.

Seven Spices

2007-07-19T16:01:00.001-04:00

Miss Lynn got tagged by the Cooking Ninja and I got tagged by Lynn! So I have write down 7 random things about me. So here is some glances in my memory.

1- I am a journalism student, who wants more than ever to work for the specialized food magazines. I have way to many ideas and feel constricted by not being out in the field.

2- My dad was/is the cook of the family. As I often blog about my dad's bar-b-que, he doesn't just do brisket. No, he can do almost everything I ask for, which is great because the last thing I want to do on a visit is cook.

3- I've run 2 marathons, and I'm not going to stop. My knees don't hurt and running is one of my releases. I don't know what I would do without it.

4- When I go clothing shopping, I usually end up buying shoes. Why? Cause that's the size that is always constant. Sales are the only enemy.

5- I've had my food photography published in a local magazine. I'm working on making it. Why do you think I have a blog and a website?!

6- I like everything homemade, as much as possible. Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker have made tons of money off of there boxed and bagged mixes. But isn't it just as easy to make your own? I mean when you have a time limit they are great, but when you have time to kill, making a cake is so much fun.

7- I have set rice aflame in the microwave and I WAS following instructions. The bagged recipe said 35 minutes on high, halway through it there was smoke. Whoops!

Here's my tags!

Elle - She is so wonderful and always leaving lovely comments.
JenJen - I don't know why she doesn't own a bakery.
Kristen- A stay at home mom that makes me want to move in!
Desert Candy- A reason to move to the Middle East.
Bake and Shake- A woman who can create wonderful baked goods and make me salivate everytime!
Homesick Texan- She is wonderful, and brings Texas to the Big Apple.
Tamami- She is a lovely baker in London with her own table at the farmer's market. How cool is that?!

Blueberry Dreams

2007-07-14T22:16:00.000-04:00

As a boy an event was a blueberry cream pie, but one day the recipe was lost. His mother had loaned it to someone, and later would never receive it back. However, a red recipe book would find its way into his daughter's hands by chance and she would recreate the pie. The blueberry cream pie would be savoured, complimented, and devoured by all.
My father was this boy. For the past 5 years, I have heard constant, whining and proding at my grandmother for a blueberry cream pie. She looked and looked and looked, but never found the recipe. I was then given an old Military wives cookbook from my other grandmother. I flipped through it that night and found the blueberry cream pie recipe. I knew that I had to make it.
And oh did I fall in love. Vanilla pudding folded into whipped cream. Licking my plate never tasted so good.

Blueberry Cream Pie

1 pkg vanilla pudding (don't use instant)
1.5 cups milk (I used whole)
1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped (I used regular cream, not heavy, but the recipe called for heavy)
2.5 pints blueberries
4 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp lemon juic
2 tsp lemon rind
1 baked pie shell, cooled

Mix the pudding together as directed by the box, chill. After pudding is chilled, fold in whipping cream, and place in pie shell. Add 2 cups blueberries and the rest of ingredients into a saucepan, cook into thicken. After thickening, add rest of blueberries, and chill. Once blueberries are chilled add to pie. Chill.

*I suggest maybe doing it overnight. I did it all in one day and it is very time consuming, but well worth it. The pie needed to set more, before we cut into it, but it didn' take away from the taste. It just made a finger-licking mess.
*This not only was made for my father but for Weekend Cookbook Challenge #18!

Taking on Mountain

2007-07-05T14:22:00.000-04:00

For several months I've debated whether or not to host a challenge. I mean there are tons out there and I'm one meager college student with lots going on, but how would I know if I could handle it, if I didn't try. So here it goes ladies and gentlemen. If all goes well this might become a monthly thing.

Summer Flavor
As HOT days come upon us, markets open and bring in fresh produce. Nothing is better than a peach from the farm or a watermelon from the garden. There is no limit to your imagination from ice-cream to cupcakes to grilled fruit. Whatever makes you salivate you can post. However, it must be local and it must be fresh produce. Here's general guidelines.
1) One must be centered around some local fruit (veggie if you really like) from your farmers market or own garden.
2) It must be a dessert!
3) Must be posted by July 21st and there will be a round up on July 22nd on this here website. Send me information with name, blog, and dish. And don't for get pictures!
Good Luck and I'll be picking a winner and sending a goodie!

Send all entries to fallenphotoangel {at} msn {dot} com

"Anyone Can Cook."

2007-06-30T17:53:00.000-04:00

Can they? Well, yes, but will it taste good? Will it be edible?
I don't know. I just know that I'm told to cook, bake more often than I do. Which is strange because I cook almost every night and I bake at least 2 a week. Shouldn't they be cooking more? Was that the message of Ratatouille?
I planned all week for this. Well, not really. I found a recipe yesterday for French Toast and adapted it to my tastes, and local produce. But still, I've been psyched for weeks- no monthes- about Ratatouille- the new Pixar film. (Of course, if you are reading this you've already seen it.) So I planned a French Brunch and an outing to the movie with a group of friends.
With the adapted recipe in my head, (still needs a little tweaking), I began this morning letting the bread absorb the custard. Going out to my usual errands like there was no party planned. Spent way too much money at the Farmer's Market, as usual. Came back made lemonade and waited for the guests to arrive.

My girlfriends showed, and we waited for the boy but to no avail, he did not show. We were hungry, so I made the Toast and the syrup, which was delicious. It does need tweaking. I mean really how can you taste French Toast to see what you need to add until after?
So with France in our stomachs, we went to the movie. Just wish we had some gondolas.
The movie was great! Remy gave a good performance. His passion for food was incredible. The way he smelled the produce, tasted things, and produced food was amazing. Pixar really did their homework and of course hired Thomas Keller. Oh and the brutally honest Bourdain. Did anyone else see his credit in the film?
So what did Ratatouille do for me?
Well, it made me want to cook. It made me want to open a restaurant. It made me hope that kids watching it would want to cook.
We all may not be chefs, but as long as we make good food for ourselves then I think everything will be alright. And I think that's what's Ratatouille is about. It's about passion.

I'm Late, I'm Late, Oh Wait!

2007-06-27T14:07:00.000-04:00

"I'm late, I'm late for a very important date!" rang in my head during my lunch walk. Had I missed the bagel post? Was I a bad Daring Baker in my first month of becoming one? Would I shamelessly apologize like crazy to post late? Would my nervous breakdown finally come to tears flowing down my face?
Of course I came back to my cube and found that today was the post. A sigh echoed through my lips. Safe, but my pictures were at home. Well, you can't win them all can you. (They'll be up tonight I swear.)
Thankfully when I was making bagels, I wasn't in my current mood because I'm sure I would have cried.
To me bagels = Breakfast, or snack.
They are the one thing that I miss about NYC on a weekly basis because honestly Einstein Bagels are a poor substitute for real bagels.
In January, I was able to get NYC bagels in Phoenix, and I so wanted to take a bag home. Especially there Sun-Dried Tomato bagel. My ultimate favorite.
When I first read the challenge of the month, I was saddened that we couldn't do flavored bagels. That is because Sun-dried Tomato is inside the bagel and not outside. Of course my 2nd favorite is Cinnamon Raisin, so that was out, too. However, I was not going to be persuaded not to bake.

I began with a brainstorm. Savory bagels, savory bagels. Well, I could try an Italian bagel, a garlic, a plain, sun-dried tomato on top. So after the trip to the store I came and begun my quest for a bagels. An adventure into yeast and back.
The recipe recommends using your hands to mix the ingredients I did. Which honestly was fun, but a little gross. It was sticky! And took several minutes to get off my hands. I let them rise. Then took batches, poking holes in them. I found with this that they had a tendency to close the whole. I tried reshaping, but like chocolate and peanut butter, the sides came together.
Like many other of us Daring Bakers, my bagels floated like a little boat on the water. I wasn't worried about it at the time, but I should have been.
Afterwards I dressed them with parmesan, garlic, cheddar, or left them alone. I left them bake in the oven. Of course this was done in batches. Small kitchen doesn't lend well to eighteen bagels. My pot could only hold three at a time.
Oh and some didn't boil properly. I don't even know went on there. I also, learned that the shelf life on them was short as well. However, I enjoyed destroying my kitchen and thankfully there were no fires or smoke filled rooms with this adventure.
To see the recipe please visit http://www.jewish-food.org/recipes/brea0007.htm

Desires and Cravings in Hiding

2007-06-25T16:57:00.000-04:00

For the past 2 weeks, I've been trying to figure out my craving, my muse, my desire. I found nothing. I flipped through old food magazines, my cookbooks, online blogs, and I found no inspiration, nothing that I said to myself I had to have. I could have cried, bitched, done damage to my kitchen. If I could crave Indian food, couldn't I crave something sweet?
So Sunday, I sat down again with my Nigella books, telling myself to find something. I discovered a strawberry ice cream recipe. I didn't have a pint of strawberries, but I had blackberries. Blackberry Ice Cream it was. I had my vintage ice cream maker. Surely it had to work. I followed the recipe. Got it into the machine, whirl, silence. Unplug, next outlet, whirl, silence. Maybe its the outlet. Unplug, move, plug, whirl, silence. Words surely came to mind. So I poured the cream mixture into a bowl and stirred every hour. I found that every hour, it tasted more like vanilla ice cream and not blackberry.
After having a glass of wine, I found myself craving a cookie- a chocolate chip cookie, then a peanut butter cookie. Well, I had already started making chocolate chip, when I started having the peanut butter craving. So I had to save those for another day. So I mixed the batter, did some quality control. A lot of quality control. Burned myself in the oven. And allowed my apartment to get the nostalgic smell of cookies permeating through my small apartment.
For the first time in a long time, the cookies came out chewy, puffy and delicious. The kind that go perfect with a glass of milk. The kind where you eat all the cookie dough before actually making the cookies. I could have eaten many, but I ate three.
And by the time I was done dunking my cookies in milk, my ice cream was still a soupy mess. I shrugged it off, saying "So much for cravings."

Original Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Of course, I wouldn't go with any other cookie recipe. When it comes to chocolate chip, you don't stray from Toll House.)

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) chocolate chips (semi-sweet, preferred)
1 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375° F.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

The Gold Standard

2007-06-22T09:54:00.000-04:00

"You'd walk in and see the pit and you had dirt on the floor. The meat would be on butcher paper and you had a choice of bread or crackers, but you were probably to small to remember. I don't think you were even eating meat then."
A memory into something I don't remember, as my dad described it to me. I wish I had in me, but I didn't. I didn't remember the place at all. Despite the fact that I had been there. What I can only imagine was around the age of 4, when we were living in San Antonio.
But yesterday made my own memory of a place that will become a place to visit if I ever move away from Texas.
Yesterday created my own memorization of the market, of what I was told was "gold standard of Bar-B-Que." Kreuz (Krits) Market.
A couple of weeks ago, I told my grandfather of my plans to eat through central Texas Bar-B-Que. He told me that I have to go to Kreuz, me not knowing that I had actually been there. So he told me he would talk to his friend and we could plan a trip out there. I thought O.K., it won't be anytime soon that I actually go. Boy was I wrong, within a week, I got an invitation about going. The guys were psyched, any reason to go out to Lockhart was a reason for Bar-B-Que.
So yesterday the three of us got in an Avalon and took the scenic drive to Lockhart, Texas. Along the drive, I got asked, "Do you know the story of Kreuz?"
"No," I replied, thinking theres a story to this place.
One of my companions, began the tale. "A couple of years ago, people were worried about what would happen to the market after the father died. This is because in his will, the father left the Bar-B-Que coals and other equipment and the original building to the daughter. Supposedly this is because the two didn't get along very well, so the father knowing this gave the son control of the meat. The daughter and son fought over the will, with the son then deciding to move to a different building down the street. When the restaurant was about to open, the brother walked down the main street with the coals."

I laughed. Of course. Brother and sister not getting along. So I got to see the original building that was built in 1900, which is now a meat market ran by the sister named Smitty's Market. It was an old brick building. With Market on a smokestack. We then turned around and went to the newer building up the road about a half of a mile. It looked like a barn, read with brick smokestack in the middle. Upon entering, I thought I was in a different time. It had old relics from the early 1900s. There's two entrances, one for meat eaters and one for vegetarians. Thankfully, I'm no longer a veggie.
Above me was the menu. Of course there was the usual-brisket, spare ribs, and sausage. Then other meats I'd never seen on a menu- pork chops, ham, beef shoulder. There was no chicken or turkey. And turkey is only there in the fall, when its in season. It was a difficult decision-brisket or ribs. Then I smiled, knowingly. "Ribs and jalapeno and cheese sausage," I said, when the lady asked what I wanted.

The vegetarian room was were there were the "veggies and sides." I do use the term loosely. Kreuz has no coleslaw or potato salad. There's German potatoes, onions, pickles, sauerkraut, tomatoes, avocados, cheese, beans, and chips. I was stunned.
Then of course is the sign. "No Bar-B-Que sauce." Nope, none, zero, nada. Oh and you don't bring your own either. This is dry Bar-B-Que. And honestly there is no reason for it. The seasoning was enough to make you crave more. My ribs were peppery and spicy, the meat from them was juicy and tender. The first bite and I was in heaven. The sausage was spicy, but not too hot that you constantly needed water.
After our bellies were full, we took the 30 minute drive back, where pie was awaitin'. A peach pie. It was tasty with a scoop of Blue Bell. A fabulous way to end a great trip in the name of Bar-B-Que.

Rotten Tomatoes

2007-06-19T09:50:00.001-04:00

I'm pissed. No let me rephrase that I'm beyond pissed. Dirty rotten thieves! I guess I should explain.
In March I went out bought, tomato and herb seedlings, pots, dirt, and other gardening supplies. I placed them on my deck of my apartment building to grow and ripen, producing lovely fruit for me to eat.
My plants have been slow, (I blame the fact they are in pots) and are producing barely any fruit. It takes them a long time to turn from green to red, usually about 2 weeks. I've been patiently waiting for this wonderful organic, homegrown tomato for
the PERFECT tomato-basil sandwich.
Well, the first tomato I picked was nice a juicy. The next attacked by the birds. Of course, these were by cherry tomatoes, so I wasn't too upset. Then last week, my very first celebrity tomato started to turn. I was excited. A really good sandwich awaited me. Saturday morning I checked on the tomato, waiting until the afternoon to pick it. I went out to pick peaches, came back and to my amaze it was gone.
IT WAS GONE! SOME NEIGHBOR HAD STOLEN MY TOMATO!!!
I breathed. Blamed myself for leaving my tomato plants out by the courtyard and moved them to my patio. Looked at the two turning, and told myself they needed one more day. So I left them alone.
I checked them before my run in Sunday morning and they were fine. I ran, ate breakfast, showered, yoga, cooked, and checked on my tomatoes. Only to find!!!
THAT THE TWO WERE GONE!
Now I was pissed. Really beyond it! Within 5 hours the tomatoes were gone. I could have cried. Who in there right mind steals 2 tomatoes that aren't really producing? Were they thinking I wasn't going to notice?
Oh I noticed! And this girl is prepared with an iron skillet to take names! Of course I could be arrested for it, but they are STEALING my tomatoes!
Monday I had 4 unripened tomatoes. No way are they going to steal them.
Wrong again!
After work 2 unripened ones were gone and an empty water bottle that I used to water them. The thesaurus doesn't even have words to describe the outrage I have.
So what do I do? Right now I don't know. I could move them to a friends, but they need daily attention. Some have suggested a webcam, but that may cost me money. Maybe an electric fence? Highly doubtful. Maybe I just have to live with the scum, stealing my tomatoes. But I will catch him and when I do, there is HELL to pay!
Two actual tomatoes are left with blooms and little tomatoes growing. Of course now I have to worry about them destroying my herbs and breaking into my apartment. Now I need a bodyguard for me and my plants.

I'm not a good honey

2007-06-08T21:22:00.001-04:00

Arriving in California, I feel in love before I even walked out the airport. When I did, I wasn't persuaded by the weather. I knew I found a new place on my list to move to.
Then arrived at the house. A little quaint craftsman house painted brown with green shudders. A green fence, with a beautiful garden. I was awe struck. The thought was could I be adopted?
Then I saw the kitchen. That was the moment I defiantly didn't want to leave. It wasn't huge, but it was intimate. Two people could defiantly cook without a problem. There was a breakfast knook. It was tiled, had the original stove, white cabinets, several draws, a window overlooking the patio. I was set. Give me food and I was ready to cook. It sealed the deal. I want a craftsman style house, when I can afford it. (If that ever happens.)

My vacation was spent with fabulous food, time, and people. Besides the house I visited the Zoo, the beach, restaurants, foodie supply stores, and farmers' markets.
Really was I not going to visit the market?
That would be blasphemy! The first one I visited was the OB market on Wednesday. It was a mixture of farmers, food vendors, and artists. Everything looked so tasty especially the cherries. I asked the vendor if I could have half Rainer and Bing cherries. He said, "I will for you."
Now that's what I love to hear. Oh and fresh cherries kick better than store bought cherries, go figure. We bought strawberries, beets, blueberries, squash, and many other things. We even bought succulents. One was a cactus with two antennas which bloomed to be flowers. The market was packed with people and it was a fabulous experience.
One morning after a run around Coronado, I want to a pastry shop, and asked, "What do you recommend?"
The pierced, young, tattooed man replied, "A pineapple, coconut muffin, if you like coconut, but maybe you don't."

I hesitated, Pineapple and coconut, the two tropical fruits I love. "I'll take one."
Ladies and gentlemen it was tasty, I only wished it had a more pineapple tart taste, but never-the-less, I'd eat another.
While we did not go out often, I was never left starving. The couple who I stayed with produced tasty, tongue wagging food. A marinated oregano chicken, cilantro pesto pasta with lime marinated shrimp, and ginger-soy pork chops. All were very good. I was always going for seconds.
Of course I ran my marathon. 4 hours and 30 minutes of grueling pain and agony to the finish. Well, it really wasn't that bad. Next time, I need to remember my Ipod.
Rain, a cancelled flight led to an extra day and a price of a ticket home. But that morning before leaving my hostess made me a berries with half and half and powdered sugar. I had been wary of it all week, because it was her breakfast every morning, but I refused to turn down an already prepared meal. So with my first bite, I feel in love with berries and cream.
A lot of falling in love with that trip and hopefully I will be able to visit once again.

Stuck in Loma

2007-06-04T20:41:00.000-04:00

Hello All,
Not like ya'll know I'm missing or gone. But this little marathoner is stuck in Cali. Not that I'm complaining. I love it here. I could pick up and move here. But part of me wants to be back in A-town with Bar-B-Que, root beer, and peaches. I've had a great time here in Cali. I'll blog about it in the upcoming week. Still too tired to write.
~J

Lucky Number 7

2007-05-27T21:51:00.000-04:00

Ms. Leftover Queen challenged us to think of 7 random food facts about ourselves. So here I go on a whim without much thought.

1) Last week at Salt Lick I had my very FIRST rib. Now I must say my dad has been making ribs forever! And I never had one. Why? Eating something that is off of a bone from an animal seemed grotesque. However, I broke that rule with lamb chops, and if I could eat meat of a lamb chop, why not a pork rib? Let me say, it is the MOST tasty thing ever! I feel in love. Like Lauren said last week, "I don't need a man, all I need is really good food." I agree Lauren. Completely!

2) I've never had lobster, crab, clams, mussels, and most sea faring creatures. I've always grown up in the interior of the U.S. Seafood was never presented to me until I was about 12 or 13. It was salmon in Seattle and it was tasty. Very tasty. (Wow, I need a new word) But I have a fear of eating something that can stare at me while I eat it. It would seem like its mocking me, "Jerry, look you killed an innocent creature." However, I plan on overcoming that fear, when I go to D.C. in August.

3) I don't like coffee except the smell. I've tried a couple of sips, but never really like it. It has an earthy flavor, too earthy. However, the smell reminds me of Sunday mornings, when my dad was home from flights. It was always coffee, muffins, and Fox News. The simple things that didn't seem important at the time, but now you cherish.

4) I was a vegetarian for 18 months and it almost killed me. Marathon running and lack of protein are never a good idea. And of course in Texas being a vegetarian is shunned upon and I respect vegetarians, but like the shirt says "I did not get to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian."

5) My favorite sandwhich is a baguette with tomato, basil, and goat cheese. Why? It reminds me of summer. The tomato rippening of the vine and you can go pick it out of the garden. Take a parring knife, cut into slices place it on the bread, then basil, spread goat cheese on the top piece and you have a sandwich. A nice ripe tomato from the garden gives you the best taste. The goat cheese gives it a bite, with the subtle taste of basil in it. And you can get messy with the tomato juices.

6) I believe in farmer's markets not grocery stores. I believe in entrepreneur's not restaurant chains (except Starbucks). I believe in the grower not the mass producer. Because they have the best product. The farm has been in the family for years and they know what they are doing. The restaurant gets fresh, local ingredients and produces a menu that rises to the occasion. The market brings different products together for a close bond of friendship and knowledge.

7) Dessert is the best meal of the day. Life would be a crime without it. Chocolate, cake, cookies, ice cream. If I could stay thin and eat it all day, I would. (I think most people would.) People who don't indulge in dessert occassionally, aren't living. Because the best smells come from the oven. You can never capture it in a perfume, or in a can. You can never say that cardboard chocolate carob cookie tastes as good as the real thing. So give me dessert with a little more whipped cream and don't think I'll share, cause I won't. Oh and don't be in the middle between me and ice cream!

A Request for Potatoes

2007-05-26T17:09:00.000-04:00

Well, I didn't think the potatoes in the picture would entice anyone, but I got a request from Paul. So I'm going to assume someone else might want it too. So here you go.

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Red Potatoes (any potatoo really, I just use small red potatoes)
Olive Oil about a 1 Tbspn
Salt
Pepper
Rosemary

Heat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Cut the potoatoes in to small pieces or whatever cut you like. Drizzle olive oil over it. With the spices it is again guess work. I like mine really peppery with the rosemary. So sprinkle how much you want on the potatoes then toss together. I use my hands. Don't be scared to use them. Then place them on a metal pan. Cook them for 10 minutes then turn them over, cook again for another 10 minutes. Keep turning about every 5 minutes until a toasted brown. They will be crispy and oh so delicious.

Rebel! Blend your Meat!

2007-05-24T21:15:00.000-04:00

"You can't grind meat in a blender, you'll need a food processor."
-What does Big Daddy say when he's angry? He says Bull, Big Mamma.-
So I say Bull. You can grind meat to make ground meat in a blender. You pulse it until you reach a ground meat consistency.
What led me to hamburgers?
Partly to the Minimalist article in the NYT about the "perfect burger" and my not so good burger on Sunday. This combination causes a girl like me to crave- a burger, fries, and a milkshake. I had all but the latter.
Online definitions describe a burger as a meat patty with a round bun with condiments. The Minimalist describes the burger as a piece of meat overwhelmed by condiments. Americans do like their ketchup and mustard, and if you put mayo on the burger it automatically means you're Canadian. (I learned that this week.) One even described it as a "fried" patty. Fried burger? Have you fried a burger?
Grill is the most often method I use. It's the Texan in me. Or maybe the pyro. But a non-grilled burger doesn't taste right. Charcoal does something to the burger.
So with my craving intact. I decide how to flavor my burger. Hmmm. I have fresh basil from the garden. An Italian burger? Yes.
So I go to Whole Foods, look at the meat counter. Overcome by meat I ask the wonderful meat man, "What is the best for grinding meat for hamburger?"
He picks out three- sirlion, chuck, and rump roasts. I thought what did the Minimalist say about cut? Cursing myself, I choose the rump. Two pounds later I have my meat. Way to much, but will last me for at least 2 months, if not longer. I never share meat.
Pick up my oregano, shop and talk, before coming home.
I cut my beef into strips, save 2 for steaks later, before cubbing and blending my meat. A friend told me that I had to use a food processor. I am a college student and a foodie, but I don't have the money for all the cooking toys I want (right now I don't have a mixer and I bake at least 2 a week). I told him I was going to blend it, he told me it would puree my meat. It didn't. It made a nice grind of the roast. You just had to watch it.
So I made a patty because I was eating alone. Meat was all over the kitchen, but it worked. You can make ground beef, by blending. Ah at least one accomplishment this week, proving someone wrong.

Blended Italian Burger
1 lb meat (rump, chuck, or something with good marbling)
basil
oregano
salt
pepper
garlic
bread crumbs
parmesan

I guessed worked the spices and others ingredients for one patty. So I say guess work for you too. The parmesan helps to keep it moist.

Condiments-tomato, onion, and a bun if you wish

Creamy Italian White

2007-05-17T19:35:00.000-04:00

Some countries wear white to funerals. Others wear white to symbolize purity, innocence, or peace. You can see why I don't wear white. But when seven spoons author, Tara posted the Shades of White theme for a dessert post of the month. I literally jumped out of my chair at work and went over to Bob, immediately babbling about the round-up. He sat there with a smile on his face while I went a mile a minute.
I started making a list of things to make-cake, ice cream, frosting, and the lists goes on. I realized afterwards that my bank account could not take a hit like this. It would greatly hurt my summer money. I paused. Wait a minute. VERONIKA'S BIRTHDAY/GRADUATION CAKE!
The smile reappeared on my face. Veronika's favorite cake is Italian Cream Cake, which is a shade of white. I began my search for the perfect recipe for the perfect lady. The internet gave me many millions of choices. Most of them with cream cheese frosting with pecans in it. Well, that wasn't white was it.
Then I was stumped, how to get it white? I read the ingredients- sugar, shortening, butter, eggs, levening agents, coconut- wait what. Coconut. Instead of pecans I would do coconut. Probably not my own idea, probably been substitute for pecans before, but it solved my problem.
Tuesday night I made the cake. Successfully beating my egg whites unlike the dulce de leche cake. I didn't make them stiff enough meaning a suken cake, but I was still happy. However, during baking, I read the reviews. "Double frosting on cake or won't have enough." I cursed. I only had one brick of cream cheese. I got off work at 5 p.m., farmer's market, Veronika at 7 p.m., when did I have time for another brick.
Sadly, I called Veronika Wednesday afternoon, asking if she could pick up cream cheese and powdered sugar. I felt horrible. Asking the birthday girl to pick up ingredients is not the thing to do. (Veronika, I love you!) So I beat the cheese with butter and sugar, sprinkling it over the stove. It came together and I started eating it, while icing the cake.
Veronika knocked and I yelled to come in. Opening the door with messy hands is not a good idea. She came and said hello, putting her finger in the bowl. I caught her and glared. Dinner was cooking and we caught up. Once again, realizing, she's leaving me for grad school. We ate pizza and watched Bones, drooling over David Boreanaz. In between, I beat more frosting.
Then I got, "Is the cake ready yet?"
I looked at her. Her face had a big grin. "Almost."
She got up and came for more icing. I said nothing because I was engrossed in the frosting process, which I royally suck at. I have a tendency to take the crumbs of the top. It makes a big mess and not a pretty cake. The coconut would perfect where I would fail with the frosting. However, pressing coconut became a task, but then it was done. Perfecto.
"Take a picture so I can eat it," I heard.
I cut a slice giving it to her, while I took photos.
"Is it good?" I asked.
"It's great," she answered.
Now the first time I had Italian Cream Cake, I had it in a restaurant. It compared to carrot cake without the carrots. I was told that I had bad cake and must try it again. Veronika gave me that chance. I must say that the cake was excellent. Next time more coconut.
Veronika is a special lady. Full of happiness, spirit, and spit. Ask her about getting dessert and she's always game. She gives in to indulgence. A small slice will never do, it's always larger than life. Like her heart and spirit. I'll miss her, when she's gone.

Epicurious Italian Cream Cake
For cake layers
2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable shortening, softened
1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine, softened
5 large eggs, separated
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

For frosting
an 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
a 1-pound box confectioners' sugar

Make cake layers:
Preheat oven to 375°F. and lightly butter and flour three 9- by 2-inch round cake pans, knocking out any excess flour.

In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together sugar, shortening, and margarine until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Into another bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat flour mixture into egg mixture in 2 batches alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, until combined. Beat in vanilla, coconut, and chopped pecans. Beat egg whites in another bowl until they just hold stiff peaks and fold into batter gently but thoroughly.

Divide batter among pans, smoothing tops, and bake in upper two thirds of oven, switching position of pans in oven halfway through baking, until a tester comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cake layers in pans on racks 10 minutes and invert onto racks to cool completely.

Make frosting:
In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together cream cheese, margarine, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, beating until creamy.

Stack cake layers on a cake plate, spreading about 1/2 cup frosting between each layer. Spread remaining frosting on top and side of cake.

*Note: Coconut works well to cover frosting mistakes. Oh and definitely double the frosting.

Tickling of the Throat

2007-05-16T11:16:00.000-04:00

I am not a fan of bar-b-que sauce. I like my meat, moist and tender, no sauce. I like dry rub, marinating, no sauce. That may make me fickle, but I know what I like. I don't know why. I don't mind it, if the meats cooked in it, but I'm not going to spread more on after the meat is cut. Maybe it is because I like my sweets in forms of chocolate, cakes, and cookies. But I was willing to try again, maybe after years of not eating it, I could find love in Rootbeer Bar-B-Que sauce.
Why rootbeer? I have tons of it. I have found a great local rootbeer-Maine Root. It is based out of Austin. The guys are great, Mark and Matt. I decided to do a project on them for my final video journalism project. They make a saspirilla, ginger root, and a root beer. They only sell root beer in Austin, but are trying to move production from Maine to Austin. They aren't famous, very down to earth.
My dad loves the root beer and so do I. It is something you can sip for awhile and enjoy. Its great for some of us who don't drink a lot of alcohol. (Is this an advertisement or what?) Me being so little cannot drink a whole jug in a week. So I've searched created recipes to go with this rootbeer. There weren't many, but I found some.
One of which is this root beer sauce. It is tangy compared to other sauces. Not sweet. It is sticky compared to others due to the stickiness of the soda. I like it though. Would be good with a steak, too. I tried it with chicken, it was yummy. The chicken was kept moist by the sauce. As a Texan, I'd probably spice it a little more, but for others it would be good as is.

Epicurious Root Beer Barbeque Sauce
1 cup root beer
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon mild-flavored (light) molasses
1 teaspoon liquid smoke*
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Combine all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Cool slightly. Transfer to bowl. Cover and refrigerate. (Can be made 2 weeks ahead; keep refrigerated.)

*Smoke-flavored liquid seasoning is available at specialty foods stores and many supermarkets.

Makes 1 1/2 cups.

The basic

2007-05-09T11:25:00.000-04:00

The simple dishes that most people begin with, I have a tendency to avoid. I shoot for the hard dishes- risotto, pie, and others. Of course these dishes don't always come with success, but more often than not they are edible.
Recently I told a friend that I had only had scrambled eggs. His mouth dropped. He was shocked. I grew up on scrambled, I don't remember another choice except the occasional omelet. I saw other egg dishes, but had no clue what they were. Sunny side up, over easy, boiled, fried egg, poached. Dishes I had never tasted or experimented with.
Along with this recent discovery, I found out that my dad didn't really like scrambled eggs. He ordered sunny side up, which I learned was his pick of style of eggs. I sat at the restaurant table stunned. Had I been living a life full of contradictions and lies to get girls to eat their breakfast?
I don't know. Maybe its the shock. But last week I decided it was time to break my innocent lack of experimentation with egg dishes. Time for eggs over easy with biscuits. I tried flipping them with my wrist, but they didn't move. So I flipped them over with the spatula. (Really need to work on my wrist action.) I sat down at the table delicately, sprinkling salt and pepper, before cutting into the yolk and watched it flow out.
As not having experienced an egg like that before, I found it odd. The yolk has a weird taste. It's creamy liquid, really just taste like salt and pepper. But it goes well with biscuits.
Then I tried sunny side up. I like cooking it because one egg takes over the whole pan like a the English taking over the Scottish. The yolk just stays there like a bright sun in a white cloudy day. It's happy dish, perfect for a rainy day.
Once again, I ate the egg with biscuits. (I have this obsession with biscuits currently, I'm trying to get them to become flaky.) The yolk is a perfect companion to the flaky biscuit. Swip the soft bread across yellow liquid and it marries together like apple pie.
This time the burst of the yolk brought a smile to my face. It just oozes out. Like lava flows out a volcano. The taste was sweet and savory. It reminds me of the mornings that I had a fancy breakfast, not cereal or pop tarts, but of bacon, biscuits, sausage. It's what I imagine that my great grandfather, grandfather, and father had for breakfast before working a day on the farm.
I haven't tried all the style of eggs in the world, but I'm working on it. Not only different styles, but different dishes. There is still poached, quiche, tarts, or fried eggs left to try. There's still a whole world out there. I got a lifetime to experiment with life.

Lack of Culture

2007-04-30T21:09:00.000-04:00

I miss Europe. It's been 3 years since, seeing the "homeland." I feel more of a connection than in the U.S. I dream of moving there, but all I have is photos, movies and books to pull me through until the next visit.
This comes because I was watcing the "No Reservations" marathon on the Travel Channel. I saw Anthony Bourdain in Mexico, Russia, Paris, the U.S., causing me to crave a vaction. One can only take school and work for so longing before needing relaxtion or culture.
My roomie is going to Costa Rica. I wanted to visit my friends in Paris, but that was a no go with the parentals. So I visit San Diego, Washington D.C., and my closest European town that supresses my need-New York City.
Ah, New York, the hustle and bustle town, where you can tell I'm not a city girl. My Southern heritage shows itself. In NYC I don't rush like New Yorkers. I admire the buildings, the food, and the life. And the Greenmarket. I love walking trying the different produce, the vendors, the daily supply of fresh food. Last year, I tried so many new fruits-sour cherries, gooseberries, argula, and New Jersey peaches- all of which were delicious.
Besides my dreams, what takes me to Europe is food. Although, I mainly stay in Mexico and Italy, my goal is to branch out. Expand to Spain where I hopefully will visit in December. I have the summer to travel through Europe through food and eventually I'll actually be able to taste the authentic dish. Maybe staying in the U.S. will bring a new experience. One in the kitchen.

Velvety white soft pearl

2007-04-27T20:45:00.000-04:00

I'm very hesitant to try new meats, seafood, or anything with an odd texture, shape or name. I can be adventurous with produce, its cheap, but meat, seafood, and others are fairly expensive and I am very wary on wasting money on food. Except that is not the nature of a foodie. Cavier, Foie gras, or lobster. Raw salmon eggs, goose liver, or a water bug. It is the delicate food that is hard to find, or expensive to make. I for one have never had these things. Out of that list the only thing that appeals to me is lobster. It is suppose to be amazing. I wouldn't know. I have a fear of eating a meat that can stare me in the face. I feel ashamed then, that I am eating a living thing. Yes, I understand that the food is massed produced for humans, but its not ecologically sound.
I make sure to buy the vegetarian eggs, hormone and antibotic free poultry and meat, and self sustaining seafood. Why? Because I believe in global warming. I believe in sustaining this planet for the future. You can scoff, argue, and laugh, but that is not changing my mind. I'll do my part, no matter what anyone else does. It means more money, but it is my way of support. It doesn't mean I can't give up the food I love or haven't tried. It's just being conscience.
It's why I shop at Whole Foods. (No I'm not going on a "Go shop at Whole Foods," shpeal.)And by shopping at the store, I've made friends with almost everyone. One in particular is "Jack." He is one of the best people I have in Austin. He brings a smile to my face constantly, whenever I see him. Unfortunately, recently he's been ill, and I have not seen him until this week. And the moment I saw him, I brighten up. I had missed him, and didn't know it. I have a tendency to loose contact with people. If people don't call me, I live a life of solitude.
Jack's my produce guy though. I always ask what is in season. And I get samples of what ever he feels like is in season. Yesterday I asked if the blueberries were good, (it's beginning of its season in Florida), I got a yes. Corn? Yes. Strawberries? Yes.
The conversation some how moves to rabbit and I reference Homesick Texan's rabbit recipe from Robb Walsh. I explain that I was hesitant and he said he loved rabbit. I promised to make it in May after school report. I then listed things I had never eaten, lobster, rabbit, shark, cavier, scallops. The last shocked "Jack," he said he'd be right back. I looked around the produce department, he sooned returned with scallops. He proceded to tell me a recipe on how to cook them. I smiled.
"I expect a full report on Saturday," Jack said.
I cooked them this evening. They are like "velvety white soft pearls." I cooked them, shot photos of them and proceeded to eat them. After cutting into them I realized that they were not fully cooked. How do you tell if a scallop is done? They weren't translucent. I've been told they need to be fully cooked. I don't know how to describe the taste because my palate is tainted with popcorn. They were chewy, but smooth. It had a peppery taste.
I didn't hate them, but I'll need to try them again. Maybe this time I'll let "Jack" cook them for me.

Men in the Kitchen

2007-04-20T23:15:00.000-04:00

I am all for men cooking. My father is a cook, a great cook. But to tell a person that he or she cannot enter a cooking class due to their gender is called "gender discrimination." This phrase is defined a "any action that specifically denies opportunities, privileges, or rewards to a person or a group because of their sex."
What am I refering to?
Whole Foods cooking classes. They have a "Men in the Kitchen" and a "Girl's Night Out." Only for those specific genders. While I agree that it can be fun to have a cooking class with the girlfriends, it does cause problems when your girl's night out includes a male friend. Or you guy's night, includes a girl friend.
What do you do in those situations?
Well, by Whole Foods standards you leave the guy or girl at home and only attend the class with your specific gender, which eliminates the purpose of the class. To enjoy food with friends and learn something new and exciting.
Now some might say I'm ranting, true I am, but why should I not be able to take the "Men in the Kitchen" class based on my gender? The class has the menu, I'd like to learn, while the women's class has things I can master myself. Does Strawberry Shortcake with Jack Daniel's Cream not excite any other woman, but myself?
I think that if Whole Foods is going to offer gender specific classes, then theses classes should contain similar menus or slight variations on the same menu to appeal to the audience. That way the woman or man who looks at the other menus gets to experience similiar things. Or at least give the chance for those who cannot attend the other class to get the recipe at the other class. There are many solutions that Whole Foods could take in effect. However, I think gender specific classes hinder the cooking experience, if a person wants to learn how to cook, why should a business tell him or her no?
For now, I'll inflitrate Whole Foods, by becoming a man for the night.

The value of a good steak

2007-04-20T09:57:00.000-04:00

When you crave something so badly for three weeks, what do you do?
You cave.
Three weeks of craving steak, I caved. Sure I've caved before with other things-brisket, enchiladas, pie, chocolate, and other foods- but I had never gone so long without eating the meal I wanted. I was even going to put it off for another three weeks, I don't think I could have survived that.
When you crave something for so long, you end up going crazy. How people can go without bread, or chocolate or other scrumptious foods is beyond me.
I might add that this was the first such craving for steak since eating meat, again. I had been worried that steak and other fatty meats would have made me sick afterwards. I found that lean brisket didn't, but would a juicy steak do the trick? I didn't know and with my school schedule didn't want to find out until this week.
After craving steak for so long where do you go to enjoy such a meat?
Well, if your craving a very good ribeye, hanger steak, or really good fries. I'd suggest Lambert's in Austin. I had photographed there before for my internship and wanted to go try their menu. It was the first time in a long time, when I couldn't decide what I wanted. Everything struck me as something I could possibly enjoy-brown sugar and coffee brisket, mustard and brown sugar ribeye, a dry aged NY strip, and many other delectables. I asked the waiter for advice, he described all in a salvating way that it did not help the choice I needed to make. Then he told me that the best meat he liked was the ribeye, so I decided to go with his expertise choice. Along with fries of course.
My friend along with me, again, had the hard time of making a decision. After minutes of contemplation over the menu and a discussion with me, he decided to go for the hanger steak and mac 'nd cheese.
Soon the "meat and potatoes" meal of America came before me. I looked at the steak, realizing once again, why meat is so tasty and delicous. I picked up my knife , cut right in and took a bite. The steak had a sweet taste from the brown sugar, but I missed the taste of mustard. No matter. I scarfed it down along with the fries. The fries were herbed and covered in paprika. Very tasty. They were crisp waffle fries that weren't soggy and no oil was to be seen on the parchment paper. The way fries should be. I scarfed them down, too.
My friend must have thought that I was ravenous. Well, one I was, but the food. The food was a dance in my mouth that I didn't want to stop. Except for the mac 'nd cheese. It was a soupy mess that had no flavor. A mac 'nd cheese should be stringy and baked through and through not just the top. After the meal was over, I looked at my plate, wishing for another steak to appear, but sadly it didn't. The same with the fries. We paid the bill, declining dessert, and walked out into the Texas sun.
How'd it feel to have a steak, again?
It was absolute freedom. As a Texan, not eating meat is considered a sin. The only exception lies in Austin. And I didn't get sick. So bring on the steak!

Warmth in a Bowl

2007-04-05T20:48:00.000-04:00

On a bad day, what do you crave?
For me it depends on the spectrum of a bad day. If it was just a hard day, I want a simple, comforting meal. Mainly of the American genre-mac & cheese, hamburger & fries or a regular sandwich. A really bad day, I crave ice cream or chocolate. Why? I'm a woman, I don't know why. A pint of beer doesn't compare to the sweet, velvetly taste of ice cream. A stressful day, means eating out, especially when money is tight. Not the best solution for a college student, but a nice meal with wine, illudes stress.
I bring this up because a friend of mine is at the breaking point. We've all had those experiences. The time when we just want to cry or say screw it. We hate those moments and would like to avoid them.
During these times, I turn to food, running and if I had one- a punching bag. The cures to a bad day. I don't know many people who have interests that allow them to destress. Maybe alcohol, but I don't believe that's a solution.
Food being one of my main ways to overcome stress, I thought my friend would enjoy a home-cooked meal. Soup is always comforting and soothing. It's the magical elixir for the flu and the soul. It's warmth begins from the inside and moves out. Is it this that brightens the day or is it the nostaligic memories?
The memories of your father making soup while you huddle in bed, shaking with a fever.
I think its the mixture of both. The warmth reminds you of the memories. Its this comfort that your stil loved even if loved ones are not around.
So the next time you have a bad day. I suggest soup, or a meal from a long lost memory.

CORN AND BELL PEPPER CHOWDER (adopted from Bon Appetit)
4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (thawed if frozen), divided
2 cups low-salt chicken broth, divided
3 tablespoons butter
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (5- to 6-ounce) Yukon Gold potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 large shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons whipping cream
paprika, salt, pepper (to taste or optional)
Chopped green onions

Blend 2 cups corn and 1 cup broth in blender until almost smooth. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add next 3 ingredients; sauté 5 minutes. Add 2 cups corn, 1 cup broth, and puree from blender. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Mix in cream. Season chowder with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with onions.

Makes 4 servings.

"I'm a fat girl at heart"

2007-04-04T13:05:00.000-04:00

I've heard a similar phrase among many of my friends, lately. I often laugh at the comment. It is not one about their weight, but on their sweet tooth.

Sweet Tooth a.k.a a woman's weakness; the moment when the waiter asks you if you want dessert and you per up and get a silly grin on your face; a person who cannot deny himself or herself when it comes to any sort of dessert

Of course all of these apply to me. I cannot deny dessert- cannoli, cheesecake, ice cream, cookies, pie and everything that is sweet and rich. The desserts that are too heavy and rich, I love. I know people who hate cannoli because it's too sweet, I find this a crime! When people offer me dessert, I take a bite and close my eyes. I've never seen it, but I've been told I get this look. My lips turn into a silly grin, I sit straighter, and I often moan. I open my eyes only after enjoying it, then I realize I'm being watched and get embarrassed. While people do comment on this "look," often it is in amazement and enjoyment not in mockery.
What struck this post into my fingers?
We can thank Harold Crick, "Stranger than Fiction." Odd, yes, but true. I watched it recently and was struck by the milk and cookies scene.
"Didn't your mother make you warm cookies and milk, when you had a bad day?"
Honestly, I can't remember. I remember cookies. Chocolate chip cookies use to be my thing every Friday night. I tried to change the recipe by trying different ingredients like tabisco or other spices. (This lead to many a scolding.) These were never bad days per-say. The cookies were given as treats, rewards, or in celebration.
Nonetheless, the movie inspired me to eat milk and cookies. Never really trying it before. I'm not a fan of milk. I always go for chocolate milk. This time I tried it and loved it. Milk and cookies make a beautiful pairing.
So in the future, I always suggest milk and cookies on a bad day.

One is the loneliest number

2007-04-02T09:22:00.000-04:00

Oh my! Almost a month since my last post. A horrid sight indeed. Not like I haven't created concoctions or been trying out recipes. Or even creating recipes! I've tried new food, too. Alas, the posts I want to post are lost in notebooks. I must search them out and then upload the photos to go with them. So hold tight. I swear I'll have a riveting post tonight or tomorrow.

Southern Bar-B-Que

2007-03-11T14:06:00.000-04:00

"Have you tried Mesquite?" I asked.
"Yes and nobody liked it. Hickory is sweeter and mesquite can have cresote taste if you don't watch out," was the reply.
Was it from some Bar-B-Que God that this came from?
No. Well, let me rephrase that. Yes to me, he has the best. My first post on this discussed Bar-B-Que, but that was not from my father. No. That was from Buster's Bar-B-Que.
Tonight I had my dad's Bar-B-Que. Nothing has compared to my Dad's ever. Every slice of brisket doesn't taste right. Why? Maybe because in Texas they use Mesquite wood instead of Hickory, which my Dad uses. Or maybe its because he trims the fat. Or maybe because it was the first brisket I remember ever having.
I can never tell you a palate reason why I don't like Bar-B-Que establishments brisket. I have no valued reason. And no I'm not saying it's bad either. I just am biased. Its the fact that I've made a connection between my father and brisket.I don't remember, when exactly happened. Back in public school, I remember about getting in car and the comment from my father would be, "Jerry, I made your favorite tonight for dinner."
I'd light up. That meant brisket. That meant a good dinner. And at least a day worth of brisket in the fridge.
Nigella Lawson talked about nostaligic meals today on "Nigella's Bites," where she discussed foods that remind her over her family. For her it was bread pudding, soft-boiled eggs with asparagus spears, whitebait, and italian sausages with lentils. Which besides the bread pudding, I'd like to try. She had cooking journals from her grandmothers and mother. I was intrigued by this.
"You need to get your grandmother's recipe," my mother often suggests, when I tell her of my new endeavor.
Watching this episodes, made me think that maybe I should. My grandmother can make great pie crusts, rolls, and baked goods. Her recipes come from the grassroots, growing up on the farm and coming out of the Depression. She knows how to make egg noodles and I know how to make pasta. Really I should think about what my mother has suggested to me. Because my father learned things from my grandmother and I learned from my father.
But I hope, I can continue my dad's food legacy. With friends and neighbors, of course.
So what's your favorite home-cooked meal?

Happy Birthdays

2007-03-08T18:44:00.000-05:00

Birthdays should be celebrated. At least this is what my mom tells me. Most of my life was spent with birthdays alone, especially in high school. This all changed this year with a wonderful outing with friends. With that experience and memory, I promised to share that with others on their birthday. And yesterday was no different.
Marcy has always given on her birthday and often not received. I told her that this is not how birthdays work. It is the birthday person who should receive. So I told her to come over Wednesday and I would cook dinner and dessert.
Was I in over my head? Yes.
I was to make Mexican fair. Ok not real Mexican, Tex-Mex. Enchiladas, Jicama Salad, and Tres Leches Cake.
A must stress the Tres Leches Cake. I'm not a fan. Sponge Cake of any kind to me have no flavor, but it was what Marcy requested and I was terrified. I was worried of the mess it would make with the liquid. However, I was determined to make it.
And the cake caused me problems on Tuesday night. One thing is it calls for soft peaked egg whites folded in. I had never made a light meringue before, but I know what it would look like from TV and my dad's lemon meringue pie. It didn't happen. No peaking. After 15 minutes, it was foaming, but nothing. What to do? Call the iron chef, my dad.
"Was the bowl clean?" he asked.
"Yes, Dad," I replied.
"Was there any yolk in the whites?" he asked, again.
I paused, thinking. 'Sure there was some.' I hesitantly replied, "Yes."
"Jerry, there can't be any yolk in the cake," he answered.
There were cuss words going off in my brain. He told me to toss out the whites, use hot water to clean the bowl, and try again.
I didn't. I was not wasting another 9 eggs for whites. No, no. So i folded the foaming whites into the cake, praying that it rose and didn't taste horribly. And if I failed there was always HEB.
But it rose and I was relieved. I cut it in half, poured the milk (which by the way makes a huge mess, make sure your using a large plate), covered the cake with whipping cream and let it set. I must say there is nothing better than icing a cake with whipping cream. (Then again, I could say that about chocolate mousse, lemon curd, raspberry sauce, ganache, etc.) My fears of a liquid mess in the fridge disappeared in the morning, when I saw that it solidified.
The evening came and everyone filed in. Before dinner, I mentioned the cake to Marcy. Her eyes got big and she asked if she could have it before dinner. I laughed and declined.
All in all it was a success. Was it the best cake? No. Will I try again? Yes. I haven't made great things this week. I promise Marcy to make you a better cake.

Tres Leches Cake From Cafe Central, El Paso (from Texas Monthly)

Cake

9 eggs (room temperature)
11/2cups sugar
12 tablespoons butter (softened)
2 cups all-purpose flour
11/2teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Separate egg yolks and whites, keeping whites at room temperature. (Make note - DO NOT GET ANY YOLK WITH THE EGG WHITES, THEY WILL NOT PEAK!) In bowl of an electric mixer, cream sugar and butter together until pale yellow and fluffy. Add egg yolks and beat until fluffy again, 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high speed. In a separate bowl combine flour and baking powder. In a third bowl mix milk and vanilla. Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk mixture to the butter mixture (a fourth at a time) until all are combined. Beat until smooth after each addition.

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks form and, using a large spatula, gently but thoroughly fold into flour-and-butter mixture. Grease bottom of a 9- by 13-inch metal baking pan. Pour in batter and bake for approximately 25 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool. (May also be baked in an 11.5- by 17.5-inch sheet pan for 20 minutes; this size rises very evenly, helpful for inexperienced cooks.)

Three Milks

2 cups heavy cream
1 five-ounce can (5/8cup) evaporated milk
1 fourteen-ounce can (7/8cup) sweetened condensed milk

Stir the milks together thoroughly; do not beat. Do not refrigerate canned milks before using.

Cream Icing

2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar

Whip cream and sugar together until stiff. When cake is cool, slice or peel off the thin top crust. Ice sides first, creating a small lip on top to catch milk mixture. Pour milk mixture evenly over top of cake (if necessary, poke holes in cake with a knife or toothpick to facilitate soaking; you will probably need only 3/4of mixture). Finish icing top. Refrigerate. (If using an 11.5- by 17.5-inch pan, cut cake in half to make 2 equal pieces. Soak first layer, ice top if desired, and place second layer on top of it. Proceed as above.) Serves 12.

*Suggestion: Caramel Sauce or syrup would be a great drizzle overtop.

Failures

2007-03-06T20:22:00.000-05:00

Not everything I cook comes out... well... good, tasty, or actually edible. I know. SHOCKING!
Today I made rice WITHOUT setting it aflame. Thankfully. I'm mastering rice. No more microwaving. However, the eggplant and green bean curry was soupy, spicy, and nothing like a curry. Sad really. I was looking forward to curry. Does that mean I won't try it again? God no. I feel that since it did not come out well this week means that next week I will learn from my mistake and enjoy it. I think that is how I will continue to do recipes. If at first you don't succeed try, try again.

Saturday Fish Eye

2007-03-03T21:47:00.000-05:00

Well, this Saturday has been a culinary experience.
The day began with no heat, which called for pancakes. Something about cold weather calls for pancakes. Or maybe it calls for oatmeal. Well, it calls for one at least. So I made whole wheat buttermilk pancakes. Slightly healthy, but still ubber good. Yummy.
Lunch not so fancy, a turkey pita.

Snack, chili. Unconventional yes. But was it good? That is the more important question. Background information. Yesterday was Texas independence day. So to celebrate, Whole Foods had a chili cook-off. I went and documented it for fun because I could. I had permission, which as I was told very rare. So I took advantage of it. I'm going to add the photos to my website. (Which will be changing soon. Maybe tomorrow?) Anyways, best chili, (the suspense) Jim's. Oh yummy. One had buffalo and Guinness in it. Umm? Chili shouldn't taste like beer. Seven Alarm Chili was more like 2. The Turkey Chilis were definately missing flavor. The Vegitarian Chili had no taste. No I didn't try the one that said Texas Road Kill Chili. I was very much afraid. Venison. Never had it. Plus by the time I was able to fight through the crowd, after taking pictures, I felt like throwing up. So Jim's 5 and 3 Chili, the BEST! Why? 5 different kind of chiles and 3 beans. Meat was a mixture of pork and beef marinated for a very long time. As Jim called it, the chili was meditterean. A mixture of Spain and Italy. The mix had a very good courtship and ended in marriage.
Dinner was spent with a very lovely girl. She loved my cooking. (Who doesn't?) Made a pasta primavera with red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, zuchinni and fusilli pasta.
Then, my date suggested Amy's. Now how could I resist? Haven't been in about a month. Sad really. It's like bad withdrawl. Oh how I've been craving it. So we go, see Joel, who is the ice cream extrodinar. Order Strawberry Ice and Dark Chocolate ice cream mixed with dark chocolate bits. Yummy! My date and I look at our bowls, wanting more, but know that I shouldn't.
The night ends with popcorn and Merlot. A very good Merlot and I don't like Merlot. Actually, I usually despise red wine. However, this Merlot was exquisite. Veronika has a great taste in picking a good wine without any help or knowledge. I highly recommend it. It is Fish Eye and it is under $10.
Now I must waddle to bed.

Mix in cabbage, pecans, and apples

2007-02-28T16:51:00.000-05:00

As a runner, your told salads are too much roughage, AVOID. It saddens me really because I crave salads the most the day before I run. I guess its the whole warning. So I try and arrange my salads on days I don't run the next day. That's what I did yesterday.
I was reminded last week that Bon Appetit had a napa cabbage salad I wanted to try. So I put it on my Menu and made it. Oh was it yummy! Napa cabbage, red cabbage, braeburn apples, spiced pecans, and a mustard vinigrette. Who could resist?
It was definately crunchy. I liked the spiced pecans. Sugar mixed with spice. Sounds like me?
The vinigerette wasn't impressive. For me it tasted too much like olive oil. I'll need to create my own.

RED AND NAPA CABBAGE SALAD WITH BRAEBURN APPLES AND SPICED PECANS

2 teaspoons butter
1 cup pecan halves
2 tablespoons golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon (scant) cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar*
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil

2 medium unpeeled Braeburn or Fuji apples, quartered, cored, thinly sliced crosswise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
2 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage
3/4 cup dried tart cherries (about 5 ounces)

Melt butter in nonstick medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add pecans and stir 1 minute. Add brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne; stir until nuts are coated, about 1 minute. Transfer nuts to foil sheet and cool.

Whisk both vinegars and mustard in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Do ahead Spiced pecans and dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Store pecans airtight at room temperature. Cover and chill dressing; bring to room temperature and rewhisk before using.

Toss apples with lemon juice in large bowl. Add cabbages and dried cherries; mix. Add dressing and toss. Stir in pecans and season salad with salt and pepper.

All in the Dough

2007-02-27T18:28:00.000-05:00

One thing you must not do is kill the yeast.
It is a very sad occurence, when you do. It falls to the bottom of the water and looks limp and lifeless. The water looks dirty with specks of bottom dwellers.
Sadly, this happened to me Saturday, when I was making pizza dough. I heated the water for 2:30 minutes. Major mistake. 60 seconds is problably enough. I didn't take the temperature, just add the packet of yeast. About five minutes later, I see that the yeast is at the bottom. Whom did I call? My father. He said that I need to make sure the temperature was less than 120 degrees. So I drove to the grocery store and bought another packet of yeast.
The next batch I tested the water with my candy thermometer. The yeast bloomed. It grew. It foamed.
The pizza came out crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. From now on I check the water before adding the yeast. I can't have too many deaths on my conscience.

Bar-B-Que

2007-02-26T12:17:00.001-05:00

The parking lot is always full. You bring your own alcohol. The line winds around the brick building. The wait is sweet and there is a reward at the end of the line.
Bar-B-Que.
It’s distinctively Texas.
Sure there’s Bar-B-Que in other states, mostly throughout the South. It’s what makes the South- the South.
But Texas has the best.
Now I’m not making the claim because I’ve lived here for 16 years. I’ve had the pleasure of traveling throughout the South. I’ve tried Bar-b-que in Georgia, South Carolina, and Arkansas. Ok, so it’s not many, but still I always go for Texas.
Why?
Close your eyes and imagine.
You smell the burning smokey smell miles away. The sweet smell of burning wood. It tickles the nose making you salivate, but you don’t know where it’s coming from.
As you draw closer, you smell a sweet smell mixed with a bit of paprika and pepper. Your stomach growls. You see the Bar-B-Que sign and pull in.
There you’re meet with a long list of choices. Sausage, Brisket, Ribs, Turkey, Chicken. And that’s just the meat.
I never go for the ribs. Ever. Gnawing on an animal’s bone, freaks me out! Sausage- occasionally, Turkey- sure near Thanksgiving, Chicken- I can cook at home. No for me. There’s only one main star on this menu- Brisket.
The sweet tender piece of meat. The velvetly look that meets the eye. The chewy bites your mouth enjoys. Yes, there’s no other cut.
No sauce. Nothing. Just a bite with pepper and salt with the spices it was smoked in. Dry rub all the way.
Where to go?
Salt Lick, Iron Works, Rudy’s, Buster’s Bar-B-Que. Sure they got good Bar-B-Que.
But for me, I go home.
There is nothing better that my Dad’s brisket.