Guilty pleasure

Seriously, I love Cup of Noodle.

In just 5 days the semester will be over but... Before than I have three tests that will decide my grade in their respective classes (Nutrition education and communication, Experimental Foods and Clinical Nutrition) and one loong paper to write.

Expect nothing but Cup of Noodle till Sunday.

King Corn

It has been cool and dreary in N. California, perfect for a movie. Go see:

Jenny Z Showing-it all off

A week ago tomorrow, we went to check out a friend's (Jenny) photography show. If you're in San Francisco, I recommend stopping in for a glass of wine and a gaze at the photos.
It's at:

Jen's work can also be seen on her website.

Pumpkin, Sage Ravioli

This one my my favorite things I have made recently.
I absolutely LOVE it.

Roast at 350 F, for 35 - 45 minutes:2 small sugar pie pumpkins (You could also use butternut squash), halved, cut side down.

Remove from oven, and allow to cool enough to handle. Scoop the flesh into a large bowl, discard the skins. Mound the flesh, create a well in the center. Allow to drain and cool. Meanwhile,

In a small skillet over medium-low heat melt,
2 tablespoons of butter
Add,
1 tablespoon of ground sage
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
Sprinkling of cinnamon and nutmeg
Allow to brown, remove from heat.

Any accumulated liquid in your pumpkin mound should be blotted away with a paper towel. Add the contents of your skillet and
3-4 oz of soft goat cheese (Chevre) (About 1/2 of a large log)
Combine/mash well with a fork.

Use:
Won-ton wrappers
Mound about 1 teaspoon of the pumpkin mixture in the middle, fold on the diagonal (So, you get a triangle) and seal the edges by "gluing" with water. Set to the side, while you finish a bunch.

Bring a large pot of salted water to an almost boil. Boil ravioli in batches (You don't want them crowding each other) for 4-5 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon. Hold in a warm oven, till you're done.
Yields: 3-4 serving
Accompaniments: I ate them with a bit more sage butter (melted butter with sage). I also think a basic cream sauce would work well.
I also want to experiment with using the filling inside a basic crepe recipe. Frankly, I wasn't totally satisfied with the wonton skins (too thin and flimsy) but loved the overall flavors of the dish.

Rosemary, Butternut Squash Risotto

Rosemary and Butternut Squash Risotto

4 cups of dilute broth, warm (I use Better than Bouillon and the microwave)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

In a large heavy, bottomed saucepan over medium-high, heat the olive oil. Add the shallot, saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until the shallot begins to turn golden brown. Add the rice, stir until well coated with shallot and oil. Add the squash and a splash of broth, cover and allow the cook for 4-5 minutes (to give the squash a head start).

Lower the heat and begin to add the broth, 1/2 cup or so at a time. Stir often and allow the rice to almost completely absorb the broth before adding more broth. Continue stirring and adding until the all the stock is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 30 minutes. You'll have thick, creamy pan full of rice and gravy-like stock.

Remove from heat and stir in:
1 tablespoon of butter
2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, grated
1 - 2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary, finely chopped (Use caution rosemary can be very strong, you can always add more but its impossible to get it out)

1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola
1/4 toasted chopped pecans

Place in large shallow bowls and top with Gorgonzola and pecans.

Yields: 4 generous servings
Time: 45 minutes - 1 hour

Possible accompaniments: Spinach salad with cranberries or pears

I served it this week tri-tip and wilted spinach.

It was just my birthday

Homemade Pasta Noodles

Recipe and procedure to follow.

Photos to start!

Pasta making

Real Caramel Sauce

This started as a dally into cake making but ended with unfortunate results (in regards to the cake at least). However, I DID create a fantastic recipe for real homemade caramel sauce.

Real Caramel Sauce

2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup of water

1 cup of water

Combine in sauce pan with high sides (the higher the better) sugar and water. Make sure you're wearing long sleeves and have a bowl of ice water available (in case things go badly). Turn the heat up all the way and stir occasionally. The second cup of water is for "stopping" and should be close to the the stove. The mixture will go through a variety of stages as it boils and reduces away. Watch in wonder, stir occasionally and wait until the mixture has thickened up, about ten minutes. It will start to turn from a light brown blush to a deep caramely brown. Turn the heat off, wait a few seconds and add half of the "stopping" water, when you have reached the shade of caramel that makes your heart sing AND stand back. There will be hissing and bubbles and lots of opportunity to get burned. Wait a few seconds and than whisk,whisk, whisk the mixture. Voila - caramel syrup.

Pour off and reserve for another occasion about 1/2 the caramel syrup. Return to low heat and add,
2 tablespoons of butter

Whisk and add,
1/3 cup of heavy whipping cream

Whisk, whisk, whisk and add,
1 tablespoon of corn starch.

Continue to whisk over low-to-medium heat until the sauce reaches a thickened, delicious consistency. Do not fret if its a little thin, it will thicken a lot as it cools. Allow to cool a bit before drizzling onto or into whatever you like caramel sauce on. The sauce can be re-warmed in the microwave for a few seconds if it get too thick.

Fall Preview

The end of summer is just around the corner. It hardly seems possible that in just a week, I'll be back in classes and all my free time will be claimed. This will be my last year at San Francisco State and my entire schedule is filled with classes that I have been taking pre-requisites for, for two years: Experimental Foods, Clinical Nutrition, Advanced Nutrition, etc... The tangible applications of Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics. For the first time in my academic career I will be immersed in the subject I have chosen for my work's focus. It is simultaneously exhilarating and scary-as-all hell.

I am also looking forward to the busiest social calendar I have seem in months. Visits from friends from Utah and Canada, family from Seattle; two weddings and a big, 50th-birthday blow-out.

Farther out, close friends are planning a spring wedding in which I may act as an assistant baker. In order to be prepared I am researching and practicing my cake baking skills. So, look forward to cakes, cakes and more cakes!

Orange-Soy Marinade

In a small bowl combine:
1/2 cup of orange juice
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
1 inch section of smashed/grated fresh ginger
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
1 tablespoon oh honey

Great marinade for chicken (several hours) or salmon (about an hour). With boneless, skinless chicken pieces I bread in panko and pan fry. With salmon, I grill.

Extra marinade can be brought to boil for a minute or two and used as a glaze to finish the dish.

Peach Ice Cream

4 fresh peaches (2 very ripe, 2 ripe but firm)
1/4 sugar

Lemon juice

Turn on your broiler and position rack approximately 4 inches from the top. Cut the peaches in half, remove the pit and sprinkle the cut side with sugar. Place on a baking sheet and broil until brown spots start to appear on surface, approximately 5 minutes. If the skins easily slip off the peaches, remove them. If they do not, don't worry about. Cut the peaches into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl. If your some of your peaches are mushy enough, macerate with a fork or hand. If they are not, don't worry about it. Sprinkle with lemon juice (to prevent discoloring). Set to the side and allow to cool.

1 1/2 cups milk (1 or 2%)
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large sauce pan, over low-medium heat, warm the milk, and cream until steam starts to rise. Do not allow to boil.

2 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1 - 3 tablespoons of water
Combine yolks and sugar in a small bowl. Mix to combine. Add enough water to make if just barely pourable. Add several tablespoons of the warm milk-cream to the eggs, stirring constantly to temper. Pour slowly into the saucepan, stirring constantly to avoid cooking the egg. You can slowly raise the temperature but be very careful to avoid boiling the mixture. Stir constantly until mixture thickens (think think pudding). If you think you have cooked the egg, you can strain to remove bits. Transfer to a bowl, stir in vanilla and refrigerate until completely cool.

Once cool, add peaches and freeze according to your ice cream maker's directions.
Towards the end (about 20 minutes), watch your bowl to avoid over-flowing and making a mess. The addition of the peaches was at the the limit of what my ice cream maker could accommodate (but worth it).

Time: More than an hour (I forced the custard to cool in the freezer), less than two
Yield: Generous quart

Simple Lentil Salad

This recipe uses Better than Bouillion, a product that I love. It allows you to easily make dilute broth, adding extra flavor but avoiding excess salt. I only buy it at Trader Joe's where it is $2.99 a jar vs. any place else where it is at least $4.

1 cup of brown lentils
1 1/2 cups of water
1/2 teaspoon of Better than Bouillon, chicken flavored
1 garlic clove, smashed

In a sieve under running water rinse lentils, removing any small rocks. In a medium sauce pan, over medium heat, bring water to a boil. Add lentils, Better than Bouillon and garlic clove. Reduce heat to simmer, cook approximately 20 minutes, covered until the water is absorbed and the lentils are still firm.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Add:
2 tomatoes chopped, including their juices
1/2 cup of chopped parsley
Juice of 2 lemons
Drizzle of olive oil, approximately 2 tablespoons
Salt and pepper to taste

Gently stir to combine.

Yields: 3 - 4 servings
Time: 1/2 hour

Baba Ganoush

2 eggplants, whole

Heat oven to 400 F. Poke 10-12 holes in each eggplant with a fork. Place eggplants on a baking sheet and bake for 30 - 40 minutes until skin has blackened in spots and eggplants are collapsing in on themselves. Allow to cool enough to handle. Remove the top and slice lengthwise. Remove inside flesh with a spoon, transfer to a colander and allow to drain for
10 - 15 minutes. Discard skin.

Combine in bowl (big enough to add the eggplant to)
2 garlic cloves, smashed
Juice of 2 lemon
2 - 4 tablespoons of tahini, to taste
1/2 cup of chopped parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste.

Add drained eggplant, mix to combine and smash with a fork (think guacamole).

Get over the color and serve with toasted pita "chips" or vegetable crudites.

Time: About an hour, some unattended
Yield: 4 - 6 appetizer servings

I don't know when...

I'll be able to eat chocolate again... Seriously.

www.sfchocolatesalon.com

Milestone Birthday

My mom's birthday was Sunday, we started the celebration with great meal (prepared by me and the folks at Everett and Jones BB-Q) and will finish it next weekend with dinner at Chez Panisse. Here's what I prepared:

Flatbread with Oven-Dried Figs, Caramelized Onions and Blue Cheese

1 green basket bursting with figs
1 tablespoon of olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 F. Cut figs length-wise into quarters, toss with olive oil and spread onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast, stirring occasionally for about 45 minutes until the figs have cooked down and "jammed" up a bit. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

2 3/4 cups four, divided
2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast
1 teaspoon of honey
1 cup warm water, divided
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 -2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, divided

Combine 1/2 cup of flour and yeast in a large bowl. Whisk in 1/2 cup of warm water and honey, let stand 30 minutes. Add remaining 2 cups of flour, olive oil, remaining 1/2 cup of water, rosemary and salt. Stir until a soft dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly, floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (5- 8 minutes), adding enough flout to prevent dough from sticking.
Allow dough to rise in oiled bowl, in a warm place for about an hour (until its doubled in bulk). While the dough rises work on the toppings:

1 large onion
1 tablespoon of olive oil

In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Add onion cook 15 minutes or until very brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 425 F.
Punch down dough, forming into a disc. Roll into a large rectangle (dough should be 1/4" think) and transfer to a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal to prevent sticking.

1/4 cup of walnuts
1/2 cup of crumbled blue cheese

Arrange onions, walnuts and figs evenly over dough, leave a border for easier eating. Sprinkle with blue cheese and press toppings into dough to adhere. Bake at 425 for 20 minutes until flat bread is golden brown and the cheese melts.

Yields: 12 - 14 appetizer sized slices

From Cooking Light


Zucchini Gratin

1 lb smallish zucchini, thinly grated/sliced on the diagonal into small chunks
1 teaspoon+ salt, to taste
2 tablespoons of cream or milk
2/3 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
1/3 cup of chopped walnuts
Dash of nutmeg
3/4 cup of Panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons of butter

Place grated zucchini in a colander over a bowl or in the sink and add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Allow to macerate 20-40 minutes, rinse and allow to drain. Squeeze as dry as possible.

Heat oven to 375°. Spray a shallow gratin dish with nonstick spray. Combine zucchini, cream, walnuts and Gruyere in gratin dish. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Combine the Panko and Parmesan in a small bowl. Add the butter and rub into Panko until it forms large crumbs and spread on top of zucchini. Bake on middle rack of oven until bubbly and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Yields: 4 servings

From: San Francisco Chronicle

Fresh Corn Johnnycakes with Green Onion-Herb Sauce

Sauce
Whirl around in blender, or food processor:

4-5 green onions, white and green sliced
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons of mayo
2 tablespoons of sour cream
1 tablespoon of Dijon-style mustard

Cover and chill until cakes are ready.

Cakes
Combine in a bowl:

1 cup of cornmeal
2 table-spoons of flour
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
Dash of salt
Dash of red pepper flakes

Add
1 1/4 cups of buttermilk
1 egg
Stir until well combined.

Gently fold in
1 cup of fresh corn kernels (cut from 2 large ears)

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat with olive or canola oil. Spoon batter by heaping tablespoons onto hot pan (2 - 3 cakes should fit in the pan at a time). Cook until there are many bubbles in the middle of the cake and the edges seem to hold together (3 minutes or so). Flip and cook and additional 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pan, cover and keep in a warm oven until ready to serve. Repeat with additional oil, if necessary and additional batter. Serve warm with sauce.

Yields: 8 - 12 cakes

From: Cooking Light

Turnip and Potato Patties

I searched my favorite food blogs for turnips and this is what I had for dinner tonight (on a bed of lettuce greens). Heavily adapted from this recipe at Simply Recipes. I think they would be great as a breakfast potato substitute.

Turnip and Potato Patties

1/2 pound turnips, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 1 1/3 cups)
6 oz potato cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
2 medium sized carrots, grated
2 green onions, chopped
1 egg, beaten lightly
1/4 cup all-purpose white-wheat flour
Grapeseed oil, peanut oil, or canola oil (high smoke point vegetable oils)
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon of curry powder or gram masala

In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the turnip and potato cubes for 12 to 15 minutes, until they are tender, and drain them. In a bowl, mash them with a fork and stir in the scallions, the carrots, the egg, flour, and curry powder, salt and pepper to taste.

Coat the bottom of a large, heavy bottomed skillet with about 1/4-inch of the oil. Heat the pan on medium high heat until the surface of the oil begins to shimmer, but not smoke. Spoon 1/4-cup mounds of the turnip potato batter into the pan, flattening them into 1/2-inch thick patties with the back of a spatula. Fry the patties until they are golden, turning them once, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the patties to paper towels to drain off excess oil.

Yields: Six patties

Time: 1/2 - 3/4 hour

Recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine, January 1985.

Ps. I think Andy took the memory card reader to Italy (I need to check at his house to be sure). It that's the case, no photos for a while (I am taking them I just can't get them off my camera easily). You'll have to imagine and I'll add them in a month or so....

AB's Unbirthday Cake

So.... a certain someone left for Italy today....for a MONTH. His birthday is next week while he's away so I made this unbirthday cake for him early and we ate it during a fierce game of twelve-letter Scrabble last night.

I combined two recipes into:

Chocolate Mint Ice Cream Sandwiches
from Fresh Mint Ice Cream via Orangette
This ice cream is the best mint ice cream you have ever had. Very minty without being artificial in any way. I described it as "floral", Andy said "it's just goood".

1 cup 2 % milk
¾ cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
Pinch of salt
2 cups lightly packed fresh mint leaves
4 large egg yolks

Warm the milk, sugar, 1 cup of the cream, and salt in a small saucepan. Over low heat, warm until small wisps of steam are visible but not bubbles in the liquid. You do not want the liquid to come anywhere near a boil. So, go slow. Once steam is seen, turn off the heat and add the mint leaves. Stir until they’re immersed in the liquid. Cover and let steep at room temperature for about 1 hour.

Strain the mint-infused mixture through a mesh strainer into a medium saucepan. Press on the mint leaves to extract as much of the flavor as possible, then discard the mint leaves. Pour the remaining 1 cup heavy cream into a large bowl, and set the strainer on top.

Rewarm the mint-infused mixture. Again go slow with the heat. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly add the warm mint liquid into the egg yolks about 1/4 cup at a time, whisking constantly; then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over low-medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. You do not want to scramble the egg mixture so its essential to go low on the heat and constantly stir. It’s done when your finger leaves a definite trail that doesn’t flow back together. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the remaining cream. Stir until cool over an ice bath.

Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator, then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. In the last 2 minutes in the ice cream maker I added a 1/2 cup of chopped semi-sweet chocolate chips.

AND

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
from Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Vanilla Cream filling via Nosheteria

1 1/4 cups all-purpose white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room- temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

Set rack in the middle of oven and pre-heat to 375 F.

In a bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. On low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue mixing until dough comes together in a mass. (I was skeptical that the dough would come together but it did perfectly without any finessing)

Roll small round teaspoons of dough between your palms and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart. With palm, slightly flatten the dough. (The cookies will spread a lot. Even for ice cream sandwiches make the initial balls slightly smaller than a ping-pong ball.) Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Due to the dark nature of chocolate cookies be careful not to burn the edges. Check quite frequently if you add any minutes to the baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool. Wait a few minutes to let cookies set before removing from sheet.

ASSEMBLY
Once the two component have been made and respectively frozen and cooled. Remove the ice-cream from the freezer and allow to soften for about ten minutes on the counter, assemble into sandwiches and re-freeze.


Pictures... you ask?? We ate them too quick!

Eatwell Farms

I am sure many of you are not only aware of the Community Supported Agriculture (commonly referred to as CSA) movement but are active participants. A direct partnership between eater and farmer this movement supports smaller often organic family farms, lowers oil/gas consumption of transit and improves the tastiness of dinner. If you are not, I encourage you to look for such an operation that appeals to you in your neighborhood.

This week I picked-up my first delivery of produce from Eatwell Farms. I could not have been more impressed with my share. In my first box, I received:

• Bing cherries
• Strawberries
• Lettuce
• Garlic (for drying)
• Onions
• Summer squash
• Green beans
• Yukon Gold Potatoes
• Turnips
• Carrots
• Mint

Let me tell you the strawberries were the best I have had this summer AND we have them growing in our own backyard; the mint is brewing right now for a tasty tea in the morning and the carrots are just the cutest carrots you have ever seen and super crisp and sweet. Eatwell also has organic eggs available. I did get a 1/2 a dozen but haven't tried them yet, can't wait for an opportunity.

Seriously, I am swimming in produce. It's great!

Ps. Does anyone know what to do with turnips?? I have never had them let alone cooked them.

Caesar Salad Dressing

Into a food processor goes:
2 egg yolks
4 cloves of smashed garlic
3 T of Dijon mustard
1/4 cup of lemon juice (juice of approx. 1 1/2 large lemons)
zest of 1 lemon
2 T red wine vinegar
1 T of Worcestershire sauce
Whorl around until very well blended. Then add:
1 can of chopped up anchovies (but not the oil they are packed in)
Whorl just a few seconds. Slowly drizzle in:
1 cup of olive oil

Voila! Caesar salad dressing.

Time: 10 minutes
Yields: 1 1/2 cups of dressing, enough for 2 large salads
Due to the raw egg yolk the dressing should be used or tossed in a few days, and always refrigerated.

I make Caesar salad with 2 chopped romaine hearts, a generous cup of garlic croutons and 1/4 cup of shredded Parmesan. You can always add grilled chicken breasts or shrimp for a full meal.

Banana Bread

This banana bread recipe never fails me. Its quick and very good. You can also add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips for a sweeter treat

1 3/4 cup of whole-wheat white flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
3/4 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of veggie oil
2 eggs
3 very ripe smashed bananas
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda mix in a large mixing bowl. Combine sugar, eggs and oil and beat till frothy. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add mashed bananas and nuts stir until combined. Place in a 5" x 9" loaf pan. Bake at 325 for about an hour.

Really-good Chinese Chicken Salad

Over the weekend, I roasted 2 chickens (I rarely roast just one chicken. 2 takes just a few minutes longer and the cooked meat is called for in so many recipes). I made chicken pot pie on Sunday for nine, this fantastic salad on Monday and nachos with remaining meat last night.


About 1 1/2 cups of veggie oil
10 wonton wrappers, cut into 1/4 inch wide strips

Pour the veggie oil into a 3 to 4-quart pan (the oil should be about 1/2 inch deep), heat over medium-high heat. Do not allow the oil to smoke, remove from heat if it does. Add the wonton strips in a single-layer and fry, flipping very quickly, until golden brown on both sides, less than a minute total. Lift out with a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towel to drain.

1/4 of a small cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
1/3 cup of cilantro, chopped

In a large bowl toss the cabbage, romaine and cilantro.
1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces
1 orange, peeled, sectioned and most of the pith removed
2 green onions (including tops), chopped
3-4 carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal2-3 cups of cooked chicken, shredded

In a 2 to 3-quart pan over high heat, bring about 1-quart of water to boil. Add the asparagus and cook until crisp-tender, not more than 3-minutes. Drain, then plunge asparagus into ice water to halt cooking. Drain and set aside. Add cooked asparagus, orange, green onions and chicken to salad. Toss.

Spicy soy-ginger dressing:
In a medium bowl, whisk together:
2 Tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons of brown sugar
1 shake of Tabasco
1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
Slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup of veggie, grapeseed or olive oil (or combo of all three).

Dress salad 30 minutes before serving and refrigerate. Garnish with wonton strips.

Strawberry Ice Cream

I have lived in a house with an ice-cream maker for almost three years and haven't made homemade ice-cream till now. To be honest, I thought it was difficult to make ice-cream, it is NOT. However, it IS delicious.

Simple Strawberry Ice-cream

about 1 lb of fresh strawberries, hulled and cut into large chunks
8 oz of cream cheese
3/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of milk
1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
dash of salt

1/2 cup of cream

Into a large, somewhat powerful blender hull and quarter the strawberries. Add cream cheese, sugar, milk, lemon juice, and salt. Blend until thoroughly combined, check the strawberry chunks, stop when pleased. Stir in the cream.

Transfer liquid to ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's directions.
Basically, after freezing the metal bowl at least over-night, add the liquid, insert the paddle and turn it on. I found this on-line resource for real manufacturer's directions. About twenty-five minutes later, voila, soft-serve ice-cream. Can be placed in the freezer till desired hardness. Careful, it gets really hard!

From Epicurious

Jambalaya

Sausage, Shrimp and Chicken Jambalaya

Olive oil
2 - boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 lb - Andouille sausage, cut into 1/4" rounds
1 onion, chopped/diced whatever
1 red bell pepper chopped/diced/whatever
2 ribs of celery chopped/diced/whatever
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
Tony's Creole seasoning or other Cajun style seasoning
Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups of uncooked rice
6 cups of dilute chicken broth (1/2 strength Better than Bouillon)
Worcestershire sauce
Hot pepper sauce (like Tabasco)
1 lb (less is fine) ;large, whole deveined, shelled shrimp

Very lightly coat a stock pot with oil, over medium-high heat, lightly brown sausage on all sides, 5 - 7 minutes. Remove from pan, retain drippings and add whole chicken breasts to pot. Season with salt, pepper and brown on both sides, 8 - 10 minutes. The chicken does not need to be thoroughly cooked, but pretty close, it should only be slightly pink in the center. Remove from pan, let stand 5 minutes and cut into bite-size pieces. Retain with sausage.

Add a small amount (less than a tablespoon) of olive oil to pot. Over medium heat saute until translucent onions and garlic, about 5 minutes. Add celery, bell pepper, continue cooking, 5 minutes. Season to taste with the Tony's (Be careful: It is both spicy and salty). Add the broth and the retained sausage and chicken, cover and bring to boil. Drizzle in the Worcestershire and Tabasco, to taste. Add the rice and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer about 20 minutes, covered if you're happy with the "stuff" to liquid ratio. Uncovered it you want less liquid. Just prior to serving stir in shrimp and allow to cook, no more than 4 minutes.

Time: 45 minutes - 1 hour

Yield: 6 - 8 servings

Finest form of flattery

I never believed that "copying" was a form of flattery as kid. Obviously, it is....

This quick post came from a new blog I discovered this week.... Food Musings.

What's in your fridge??

The peanut butter with my name on it... It was at work for a little bit and everything has to be labled there.







Somethings in there that I LOVE: Trader Joe's Organic Breakfast Blend Coffee and Orange Juice (even thought the price has gone up still great deal); Strawberries - seasonal fruit, high in Vitamin; bell peppers - I really like them in just about anything or all by themselves.

Something I wouldn't get again: Wolvaer's Pale Ale - Yummy! and organic but not good enough to ship across the country from Vermont.

And why the cereal, mac and cheese box (Damn, I can't eat that now!) and croutons in there. I have been fighting a moth infestation for months. I have nearly eradicated them but anything with wheat in it goes into a plastic tub in the cabinet or the fridge.

There is something generally lacking these days in my fridge...
Dairy. After several very uncomfortable days, I have eliminated dairy totally, for a bit. All uncomfortableness--- gone. Oh- No! I have been thinking.. it might be true: Lactose intolerant. We'll see!

What does the inside of you of your fridge look like?? No rearranging allowed.

Pizza Dough

I am constantly inspired by the things that other people are making/eating. One of the newest blogs that I am following is A Year in Bread. I love the individual blogs of each of the contributors too. So, inspired in fact that we're having homemade pizza for dinner.

Pizza Dough
Measure 3 cups of flour, add 1 teaspoon of active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of each dried parsley, oregano, thyme and/or rosemary. Thoroughly combine with a fork. Add a generous 1 1/3 cup of warm water. Stir until combined, starting to have a ball of dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead three to five minutes into a stiff ball. Oil a large bowl, add dough and allow to double in size in a warm place (I turn my oven on and than off after a minute or two.) for an hour or so. Punch down and allow to rise for at least 15 more minutes. Roll out.
Add your favorite toppings.
Enjoy!

Blueberry Muffins

Andy is teaching a course this semester, he has two T.A.s that are responsible for running the lab associated with the class AND grading mid-terms over spring break. So, to sweeten the task, once they're done grading they can trade their tests for baked goods. They'll have a choice of these or banana bread (upcoming post).

1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 1/4 cup low-fat yogurt, Greek style (very thick)1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/ 8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups blueberries (leave in freezer until you are ready to use them)

Preheat oven to 375°. Have all ingredients, except frozen blueberries, at room temperature (this takes at least an hour). Prepare muffin pan with paper cup liners.

1. In a medium-sized bowl, beat the egg briefly with a wire whisk to lighten. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until you can no longer feel any resistance from undissolved sugar.
2. Add the butter to the bowl and mix briefly to combine, then add sour cream and vanilla, whisk until mixture is very smooth.
3. In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly to mix and eliminate lumps.
4. Add the blueberries to the dry mixture, toss gently for a few seconds to coat the berries.
5. Add flour mixture to the liquid mixture and combine with a few quick folds.
6. Scoop batter into muffin pan.
7. Bake for about 25 minutes.

Once they come out of the oven, brush with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Yields: 12 muffins

Time: 45 minutes, once all ingredients are at room temperature

Super Natural Cooking - Swanson

I bought this cookbook a couple of weeks ago. I have been following Heidi Swanson's blog for about year. If you haven't seen it you should check-it out. The photos alone are enough to make you drool.

Nothing but a down to earth approach to cooking and eating, whole natural foods comes across in both the blog and book. Without seeming like a "food-elite" Swanson sings the praises of alternative grains (think Mesquite flour and amaranth) and less than familiar presentations of tried and true veggies (Hedgehog Potatoes pg. 97 and Shredded Green Beans pg. 91). All around the book does an excellent job of inspiring you to not only try something new but also puts a new twist on the familiar.

Here's a quick summary of the recipes I've tried.

Roasted Tomato and Paprika Soup (without the paprika) p. 99
In a 375 F oven, roast 5-8 cored and quartered tomatoes, 1 large red bell pepper, and 3 onions peeled and quartered, 5 cloves unpeeled garlic, drizzled with 2-tablespoons of olive oil. Bake until everything starts to look caramelized and yummy. Turn if you suspect burning.

Peel the garlic cloves, dump everything into a soup pot, add about 3-4 cups of veggie broth, puree with a hand blender. Warm over medium. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste.

Yields: 4-6 servings
Time: 1 - 1.25 hours (mostly unattended)

Sweet Potato Spoon Bread p. 110

You need 3 medium-large baked sweet potatoes. (It takes about 1 hour in 425 F oven to bake sweet potatoes. I highly recommend doing baking them a day ahead. Otherwise this recipe is a bit laborious to prepare). In a small skillet, over medium heat in lots of butter brown 4 sliced thin, large shallots. Cook, until everything is golden brown, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl coming 3/4 cup of flour (whole wheat of course!), 1 teaspoon of onion powder, salt and pepper to taste. Add a splash of 1 cup of boiling water, continue to add a bit at a time till its all incorporated, never mind the lumps. Add the sweet potato flesh and blend. Stir in shallots and all that butter, then add 3 eggs one at a time, thoroughly mixing to combine.

Put 2/3 of the sweet potato mixture in a lightly greased casserole dish, dollop with 1/2 of 6-ounces of goat cheese. Finish with dollops of sweet-potato mixture and than the rest of the goat cheese. Bake 30- 35 minutes at 375 F (this is lower than the original recipe), until the goat cheese browns and the bread has set.

Yields: 6 - 8 small servings
Time: 1- 2.5 hours, depending on if you have pre-baked sweet potatoes

Catch-up

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am optimistic to a fault. When I announced this blog's exsistence in my holiday letter I hoped it keep me on track with writing and posting. Anyone who's been checking (anyone?? anyone??) knows that it hasn't.....Although I have been cooking I haven't found the time to post. I am going to keep trying.

A couple of things from the last couple of months that have kept me going through the hours school work.... In something like chronological order....


Melanie Bliss, Andy's mom sent two pairs of these great Valentine's Day socks. I love them! I wear them on days that I think might be bad. They make me smile and feel loved!


Two weeks ago, on a random Tuesday this man made me Molten Chocolate Baby Cakes from this book. What can I say?? Andy should be cloned as the ideal boyfriend.


I love my cat. Even when she steals the covers.


I think these might be my favorite flower.

Lemon Curd

From 1 or 2 Photos

In a medium size, heavy-bottomed sauce pan over low-heat, whisk together 3/4 cup of lemon juice (I used wonderfully flavorful Meyer lemons), 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, 3/4 cup of sugar and 3 eggs. Cut 1 stick of unsalted butter into small bits and add. Cook stirring very regularly until quite thick like pudding, about 10 - 12 minutes. Resist the urge to raise the heat past medium, you do not want cooked egg in the finished product.

I have double this recipe on more than one occasion, substituting some of the juice for orange juice, the same with the zest.

You can use the curd to sweeten yogurt, as a decadent treat on toast, in a layer cake or with just a spoon.

Time: not more than a half-hour

Yields: 1 2/3 cup of curd

From this recipe at Epicurious.

Chicken-Chile Mango Pizza

From 1 or 2 Photos

Note: This is my attempt at a pizza that Andy had (and loved) in New Zealand after returning from Antartica in 2003. He can't remember the name of the cafe where he had it but he highly recommends both the pizza and Antarctica.

- Over medium heat in a small sauce pan, saute 1/2 chopped onion till tender, add red pepper flakes* to taste. Add 1 cup of prepared Mango Sauce from Trader Joe's (it can be found with the apple sauce), reduce heat and allow reduce to very thick, 10 - 15 minutes.
- Over medium-high heat in a medium sized skillet, brown 1/2 lb of boneless, skinless chicken tenders or breasts. (In lieu of this step, use any cooked chicken on hand). Season with salt, garlic powder and chili powder to taste). Once thoroughly cooked remove and chop into strips. In the same skillet, brown one thinly sliced onion and one thinly sliced red bell pepper for garnish.
-Pre-heat oven to 450 F. The oven should be very hot for a crisp crust.
- Roll out prepared pizza crust (also available at Trader Joe's. You'll find it with the prepared salads and sandwiches). Keep the crust on the thick side (1/4 inch thick or so) to avoid a soggy center. Place on a cookie sheet dusted with coarsely ground cornmeal to avoid stickage.
- Cover the pizza crust with a thin layer of shredded mozzarella cheese (low-fat mozzarella is fine), a thin layer of mango sauce, chicken, red bell peppers and onions. Finish with a thin layer of cheese.
-Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Allow to sit for a few minutes before cutting.

*In order to balance the sweetness of the mango, you want to add some type of chile to the recipe. This can be in the form of red pepper flakes, chili powder or even actual chiles (fresh or dried and re-hydrated). Feel free to experiment. The mango is very sweet, so you can add quite a bit without burning your tongue!

Time: 45 minutes

Yields: about 3 servings

Chile Verde

- Remove the "silver skin" of 2-lbs of pork tenderloin, trim and cut into 1-inch cubes. Into a large zip-top plastic bag place 1/3 cup of flour, salt and pepper (to taste) add pork cubes. Shake to evenly coat cubes.
- Over medium high, heat 2 tablespoons (enough to lightly coat) olive oil a large stockpot. Add pork and brown on all sides. Remove pork from pan, place to side.
- Add to stock pot 3 peeled and chopped onions, and 6-8 crushed garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons of oregano, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 bunch of roughly chopped cilantro. If necessary, add 1/4 cup of water to avoid sticking. Allow to soften.
- Add 2-lbs roughly chopped small tomatillos (remove husks prior to chopping, rinse well) and 3-4 Anaheim or poblano chiles (carefully slice through the center, remove seeds and white pith) roughly chopped; saute 8-10 minutes till tender.
- Add pork (and any drippings from plate), 4 cups of water; bring to low simmer. Cook at least 2 hours or until pork is very tender, stirring occasionally. Leave pot uncovered to allow liquid to reduce, once reduced by 1/3 cover. The longer the Verde simmers, they yummier it will be.
- Prior to serving, flavor to taste with salt, pepper, lime juice and/or more cilantro.

Accompany with tortilla chips, guacamole, sour cream, jack cheese, lime wedges

Time: 4 - 12 hours (45 minutes active)

Yields: 6 - 8 servings