Catching up

Ok, I'm sorry.  I told you I would have the leftover recipe posted by now.... Surprise to those who know me (sarcasm) I forgot to write it down.... I do remember it, I just have to test it one more time to make sure I get the measurements accurate.

On the up side, you may have noticed some changes I my blog. I'm trying to post calorie counts for all of my recipes. There are a few that I have not done yet, I have to retest the recipes to see exactly how many servings it will make. I hope this helps out those like me and Paul who are trying to be conscious of what we eat. In my cooking, I always try to focus on flavor, but also trying to only add as much butter, oil, sugar etc as needed. But still, some recipes are healthier than others, this will just be a way to help sort them out!

Also, I made risotto for Paul and I a couple days ago, and I retested my recipe.   I realized that I needed to make some changes to what I originally wrote.  Nothing was completely wrong, some things just needed better clarification.  Learning to write down a recipe is a learning process. I am committed to continue improving it.

Now that summer is coming to a close, I am excited to have the time to share more of my food with you, and create even more! Future posts will include, duck, fish, beer bird, fruit crisps and more. I'm finishing up my busy work schedule now, so still have quite a few no cook dinners like this one.  Mixed bag lettuce (butter lettuce and dark greens mix), Trader Joe's pear vinaigrette, and some meats and cheeses.  Very satisfying and feels more indulgent than it is. 

I have a close friend that loves layer dips and horseradish. Right now my biggest creativity project is trying to come up with a way to change a Mexican style 7 layer dip into a healthy dip with horseradish. That one is still a long way from a completed recipe, but something to look forward to if you like horseradish like I do!

More posts soon.  I am so excited by the response I have gotten by this blog.  Thank you guys for your interest.  It's so cool to hear that I have people I've never even met checking in to see the new recipes.  Friend or stranger, leave a comment and tell me what kind of food you like.

Not your average chicken soup

I have a friend from Venezuela.  She is an amazing cook.  She cooks the dishes that she grew up making all the time at home. What is simple everyday food to her is very exciting often complex tasting food for us here in the states. She made this great soup the other week with chicken and vegetables in it.  I asked her how she made it and the "recipe" she gave me was pretty similar to how she talks about any dish she makes.  It went something like, you use veggies, onions, leeks, peppers, green onions, potatoes, you cook the veggies with the chicken, then blend the veggies. Now when she does that it turns out great, I however need a little trial and error to turn her recipe into a dish.

Instead of trying to follow her vague but great recipe, I decided to make my own soup, similar to hers, but more spring like with fresh favors of the season. It did not turn out to be anything like my goal, so I will have to keep working on a recipe for the soup idea in my head but, what I did get though was a very happy accident. I got a soup filled with vegetables, that is super tasty and healthy.

The chicken and potatoes make it a hearty meal, while all the veggies make it taste fresh enough for spring and summer eating. You can really taste the peppers, but since the broth is blended, it makes eating your vegetables a easy and fun thing to do! Here is what I did.


 Summer vegetable chicken soup

2 chicken breasts, skinless bone in
5 green onions whites and greens roughly chopped
1 lbs peppers, mixed colors ( I used bagged frozen because it was cheaper that week)
1 sm- med onion cut in half
3 leeks, thoroughly rinsed and chopped
1/2 -1 jalapeño seeded
3 small- med baking potatoes (whole)
2-3 ears of corn cut in half or thirds, but corn still on hull
4 cups of water
Salt and pepper
Small pinch red chili flakes
1 pinch oregano

 Place the chicken and potatoes on the bottom of a large stock pot to ensure they get cooked evenly. Add all other ingredients except for corn.  Add about 4 cups water, it should just completely cover all ingredients in pot.   Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Simmer about 20-30 minutes, until chicken is cooked, and potatoes are tender. Remove chicken and potatoes from pot let cool slightly. Blend remaining ingredients until smooth with a stick blender, or move to blender and blend. When broth is smooth add it back to pot and add corn. Let simmer. When chicken and potatoes are cool enough to handle, shred chicken, and chop potatoes into about 1/2 inch cubes and add back to pot. Soup will be ready to serve immediately or kept warm on stove until serving time.

The great thing about this recipe is that it is so flexible.  If you don't have leeks, or don't want to buy them, leave them out.  If you have some carrots and/or celery sitting in your fridge that you need to use up, toss them in too!

This makes a lot, I know, but the leftovers are great.  Later this week I will post what I did with some of the leftovers I had, personally, I think it was even better tasting than the initial soup!


oh..... and about the corn.  So when I first had this dish, it was with a large group of people.  None of us seemed to know what do do with the large chunks of corn, most of us scooped around them.  Finally someone braved picking it out of the soup broth and eating it like corn on the cob.  A little messy, yes, but oh so good!  Now I get as many pieces of corn in my bowl as possible!

Jalapeño Popper Grilled Cheese

Paul has been out of town a couple times for work lately.  I miss him when he is gone, but I often make it a special time for me. Time to watch a chick flick, to get things done at my own, slower pace, and especially, to eat something special.  I eat something that either he doesn't like, or something he can't eat with his allergies. And well, he doesn't like jalapeños... Crazy, I know.  I love jalapeños!  More than just jalapeños I love jalapeño poppers! I like that crispy outside, with the creamy cheesy inside, and that really spicy kick. They just might encompass everything about a perfect food!


Here's my problem with jalapeño poppers. One, I don't really deep fry foods. Once every couple of years for a special occasion, but it's a lot of work, mess, and hot oil, not to mention not the most figure friendly. There are so many good foods that don't require frying, I just stick to eating to occasional fried food at a restaurant. Two ( that was a long one) you can't really make a meal out of just the poppers. I have found the solution!  Jalapeño popper GRILLED CHEESE!

Ok, so I cannot take credit for this recipe, I got the idea watching Jeff Mauro on Best Thing I Ever Made on Food Network. He made this sandwich, but with mascarpone cheese. I love mascarpone, but I didn't want to buy a whole tub just for a sandwich, and it is pretty rich, not an everyday food for me.   My solution, goat cheese! So here it is. You can easily make this gluten free by using gluten free bread.   Paul likes Udi's.


Jalapeño Popper grilled cheese 
Quantity per sandwich

2 slices good hearty bread, your choice 
1/2-1 roasted jalapeño seeds removed, chopped 
About 1 oz goat cheese 
Small handful grated cheddar cheese 
Butter 
Olive oil 
Salt 

Toss peppers with olive and salt and roast in 450 oven for 5-10 minutes until charred and softened.  Let cool.  When cool enough to handle, peel off some of the skin (you don't need to get all of it, some left on is fine.)  If you want to make it easier to take off the jalapeño skin, you can put it in a ziptop bag, or in a sealed bowl while it is cooling.  It does make it easier, personally, I think it created more dishes/mess than it helps out.  Take out seeds and chop.  Be careful of the heat from the oils on your hands, wear food grade plastic gloves, or just make sure not to touch your eyes for a while afterwards.  Use 1/2 to one whole pepper per sandwich depending on the heat of the pepper, and your preference.  After prepping the jalapeño, it goes together just like any other grilled cheese.

Spread the goat cheese on one side of the bread, top that with the jalapeño pieces, a handful of cheddar cheese, and you top slice of bread.  You can butter the bread before putting it in the skillet, or sometimes I just butter the skillet, then put the bread down right away.  It's my I'm feeling lazy version...  I've also found I can use less butter that way, if I put just enough down so the bread doesn't stick to the pan.

The finished product will get you wanting to make another sandwich right away.  It did for me, and a second sandwich is what I had.  The goat cheese makes a really creamy rich texture to contrast the spicy charred jalapeño.  The buttery toasted bread adds that crunch, and everything together really does taste like a jalapeño popper.  Enjoy!

Alison 


For those like me watching what and how much they eat, I'm working on calculating calories per serving for my dishes.  The calories will depend on the amount of cheese and butter used, but mine calculated out to 405 calories per sandwich.  

Bit off more that I could chew.....

A picture of my kitchen in the middle of cooking a celebration dinner.

Paul and I had a celebration dinner for an accomplishment he had at work.  I made a marinated flank steak, caramelized pearl onions with mushrooms, mashed red potatoes, and a gluten free strawberry blueberry crumble for dessert.  It was fun to make, great to eat, but hard to juggle all the dishes at once!

Making all those things at once though is kinda how I'm feeling in life right now.  I'm working a full time job, and two other part time jobs that take several hours a week.  So between working, family, and church, when I think of blogging, I think, Ahh!  where will I get the time?!  This craziness is only temporary, and I will go back to my preferred schedule when the school year starts back up in the fall.

I will try to keep posting recipes about once a week, until then.  So know that I haven't quit or given up, just slowing down my posts for a couple months.  When August comes around I'm looking forward to posting more frequently.  I'll have plenty of quick and easy meals I used to get me through the summer to share when this craziness is over.

One Pot Rice and Beans with Veggies

I grew up familiar with rice and beans, it is a food I really enjoy.  I have discovered my new favorite way to prepare it.  It’s quick, healthy with added veggies, and has great flavor.   I got the idea for this while watching an episode of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives on the food network.  Instead of cooking plain rice, you cook it with the beans and veggies right in the pot!  It makes the rice very flavorful with the richness of the beans.  I also enjoy the freshness of the added veggies.  You can add whatever vegetables you want, fresh or frozen.  My favorites are yellow squash, bell peppers, and sometime zucchini, but add whatever sounds good to you!  I also added canned green chilies.  The chilies I get are New Mexican chilies, so they are not very hot, but I realize that sometimes canned green chilies are very hot, so you may want to cut down the amount depending on the heat. 

Rice and beans with vegetables

4 oz canned green chilies

about 2 lbs vegetables chopped (I like just yellow squash but use what looks good)

2 cans black beans

1 ½ cup rice  long or medium grain

2 cups water

1 tb cumin

Heat pan at medium high with 1 tb oil or butter, add rice and cook for 1-2 minutes, add veggies and cumin and stir.  Add beans and top with the 2 cups water.  Cover and cook for 20 minutes on low.  Because of the water in the veggies, cooking the rice will not be an exact science with the proportions, but it my experience, this dish is hard to ruin, so don’t worry if it seems to wet, stir and cook it a little longer, if too dry and not cooked, add a little liquid and cook 5-10 minutes more.

This is a go to dish at our house, because the prep work is easy and fast with very little hands on time.  We always have rice and beans in our pantry, so it works as a way to use up veggies, and it is a pretty cheap meal to make.  And it tastes great!

This recipe makes a lot for leftovers.  You can cut it in half, or just enjoy the leftovers, they reheat well.  Check back Tuesday, and I will have a list of things you can do with these leftovers to make new meals out of it!

Truffle Fries

A couple months ago, Paul and I went to a restaurant we hadn't tried before.  On the appetizers list was an item that sparked my interest.  Truffle fries.  Being the foodie that I am, I had heard about truffles, but never had the chance to taste them or anything flavored with them.

When they got to the table, I could smell the pungent aroma of the truffles.  A unique smell I had not experienced before.  To describe the taste of them, the only word I have is pungent.  I feel like I need the help of someone who writes labels for wine bottles to truly describe the taste.  You know, on a red wine, when it has descriptions like "earthy, tobacco, cherry, leather" and such.  They had a strong pungent taste.  At first, I wasn't sure I liked the fries.  But I eat fried food so rarely, I kept eating them enjoying the crunch.  Then about halfway through, I started to really like them.  By the end of the basket it became a flavor I crave!!  That truffle smell and taste is something unique, nothing else like it.  You just have to try it to experience it.  Now I make it at home so I can satisfy that unique craving. 

I bought truffle oil and use it to make these fries.  I bought it from TJ Maxx from all places, but they have some interesting unique foods well discounted. I found truffle oil for about the same price as a regular olive oil, and it works great. I'm sure you could find it at just about any food store.  Because  I want that great crisp texture on the fries, I use store bought.  I like the fries from Trader Joe's because they are natural, don't have any other seasoning on them, and really as cheap or cheaper than buying the potatoes and making them from scratch.

Truffle Fries

Frozen french fries, 2+ servings worth

1/2 -1 Tablespoon truffle oil

salt

Pepper and Parmesan cheese if desired 

Cook the fries as directed by package.  While still hot on cookie sheet, toss with oil and salt.  Top with cheese or pepper if desired.

There may be people out there thinking, "That's a lot of truffle oil!  It will overwhelm the fries!"   One, for me it's kinda the purpose of the fries to enjoy the truffle taste.  But two, I am assuming that truffle oils may vary, so you may want to add 1/2 Tablespoon, taste, and then add more from there if you want.

If you have never had truffles, or have and liked them, fries are a great canvas to taste them with. 

Enjoy!

Alison

Procrastination and moods...

So, I know I haven't added any recipes lately.  They are currently scribbled on the white board on my fridge, and on some various note paper.  Writing has never been a strong passion of mine, funny, now that I'm blogging, but there will be new posts soon! From french fries, to apples, to lasagna, I will have some time to sit down and write them out in the next day or so.  In the mean time this comic seemed to explain me pretty well!

Not your everyday popcorn!

I have a very close friend of mine who said she didn’t really like popcorn.  I was shocked!  You don’t like POPCORN?  After talking a little longer, I found that the only real experience she had with popcorn was the bag of stuff that comes out of the microwave.  That’s not the kind of popcorn I’m talking about.  I’m not saying I don’t eat it.  I’ve got some in my pantry right now.  But if you want to really experience popcorn, you have to think outside the bag!

I don’t know about you, but I grew up with my mom making popcorn on the stove in a pot.  I am incapable of making popcorn on the stove top.  It is my cooking kryptonite.  Any time I make it, it is simultaneously burned and half un-popped.  I don’t know why, but I can’t make it that way.  I have given up.  I like to use an air popper.  It is a really healthy way to make it, and super easy.  If you possess the ability to make it on the stove, I am extremely jealous.  Also, you can use that in these recipes too.  I would still recommend the air popper if you have it though.

In this post, I have recipes for caramel corn, popcorn with pepper and cheese, and chocolate popcorn.  They are all just basic ratios but flexible, but you can always increase the toppings.  I make my popcorn with more limited toppings, because I try to make it more a healthy snack.  For a treat, feel free to make a bigger quantity of the toppings for the popcorn.  
Each bowl makes 2 servings, if you feel like sharing...

Salted Caramel Drizzled Popcorn

popcorn (about ¼ cup kernels before popped)

1 ½ tb brown sugar

1 ½ tb butter

1 tb corn syrup

kosher or sea salt

While corn is popping, microwave sugar, butter, and corn syrup with small pinch of salt in glass microwave safe container (will get too hot for plastic) until just bubbling, about 30 seconds depending on microwave.  Drizzle over popcorn and mix, top with plenty of salt.

When my mom made caramel corn, it was a big undertaking.  She made the caramel on the stove, put the popcorn and caramel into a paper bag and shook it until it was all mixed.  This is an easy quick microwave version with less clean up.  It’s not completely covered with caramel, but I like it that way, because then I don’t feel bad eating more!  It’s got the rich buttery caramel taste, with the combination of salt, which I love.  I think popcorn in a perfect canvas to enjoy those tastes!

230 calories per serving when using air popped popcorn

Black Pepper and Cheese Popcorn

popcorn (about ¼ cup kernels before popped)

1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

about ¼ cup grated Cheese (Toscano, or your preference)

Drizzle popped popcorn with the olive oil, and toss with cheese

 This popcorn with pepper has some spice to it, but is oh, so good.  It is strangely addicting, and a great way to enjoy the unique heat of pepper.  Cheese, of course, makes everything better.  I used Toscano for this one, but any hard, somewhat strong cheese would work.  Parmesan, Romano, Gruyere, Asiago, would all be great choices.  Use your good olive oil for this, one, you will really be able to taste it.

220 calories per serving when using 1 1/2 tb olive oil and air popped popcorn

Chocolate Popcorn

popcorn (about ¼ cup kernels before popped)

2 tb powdered sugar

3/4 tb cocoa powder

2 tb butter

salt

Mix cocoa powder and sugar.  Drizzle popped popcorn with butter, then toss to coat with sugar mixture and sprinkle on salt to taste.

The first time I tried to make chocolate popcorn, I drizzled it with melted chocolate.  It tasted great, but was really messy!  Everyone who ate it ended up with chocolate covered fingers.  This was my solution.  It is great for satisfying chocolate cravings, and crunchy snack cravings!

225 calories per serving when using air popped popcorn

Polenta!

I discovered polenta about a year ago.  I had never eaten it before.  I bought a premade hard polenta from the store that you just had to warm up...  I really didn’t care for it.  Thankfully I didn’t give up on it either.  I tried making creamy polenta months later, and our house has never been the same! 

It has become a staple food for our family.  It’s fast to make, cheap, and really tasty.  It’s also very versatile – polenta is a blank canvas you can add any flavor to.  You can make anything from plain polenta, to mushroom and herb, to chorizo.  And I like all of them!

If you are not familiar with polenta, it is a starch made of cornmeal.  It is a great side to pretty much any meal.  It is basically the Italian version of grits, and eaten for dinner instead of breakfast. (don’t tell the Italians that though… they think it’s special. …sorry mother-in-law) It’s smooth, kinda creamy, and can take on a lot of different flavors.  It’s also very hearty and satisfying, which I really like about it.  Here is a basic one.  I will post some of my favorite variations throughout the next month or two. ( I kinda forgot to write them down!  Oops!)

Basic Creamy Polenta

4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 cup fine ground corn meal*

3 cloves garlic finely chopped

Salt and pepper

Bring the stock to a boil and add the garlic cloves.  Add salt to the stock if it is reduced sodium.  When the stock is at a boil, whisk in the cornmeal, adding it slowly to avoid lumps.  When it starts to thicken, switch to a spoon and stir until cooked, 5-10 min usually, depending on your cornmeal.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 

*I use fine ground cornmeal that I bought in the international section.  I buy it in bulk, and it is super cheap.   I really like the outcome with that product.   I have not made polenta with a medium or rough grind.  I know the cooking time would be longer, and I am assuming the consistency would be different.  Do not substitute the pre cooked cornmeal, because it will not turn out the same.

Boring chicken? Not anymore!

So I was at the grocery today, a wonderful cut of pork in hand.  There is nothing wrong with pork, we enjoy eating it regularly.  Pork tenderloin is also a lean cut of meat, a great addition to a healthy diet.  I, on the other hand was not looking at tenderloin.  I was looking at a cut of meat where I could see the fat throughout the meat, that fat that makes it so juicy and flavorful.  I then had to make a choice, cook pork and have Paul and I eating leftovers of that for the week, or cut calories and go with chicken for the next couple days.  Because I have been going with pork more often lately, I felt the need for some more lean eating.  I had to go with chicken.  I was, however, not willing to give up on the flavor.  Which is why I made this!

Chicken with an Israeli spice rub, polenta, and green beans.  I will post a polenta recipe tomorrow, but it is the spice rub I wanted to share with you today.  The rub I cannot completely take credit for, I got most of it from Rachael Ray.  I changed it a little to fit my tastes and the current contents of my spice cabinet, but the original idea came from her.  I wanted to share it with you anyway, because it is just so good! 

It's spicy!  I'll say that up front.  But it's not just hot, its also very flavorful.  It's a little smoky, a little exotic tasting, and a lot of spicy.  And it makes for chicken that is nowhere near boring.  So if you are tired of cooking chicken that is getting bland, or looking for a lighter substitute like I was, this is really worth a try!

Mix a batch of this rub, and you can keep it in your spice cabinet to put on chicken at a moments notice.  I think it would also go great with turkey or pork if you wanted, or even beef I suppose.  You can easily double or triple the recipe, its just the proportions that matter.


Israeli Spice Rub

2 tsp paprika
1 tsp coriander
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

This is great for chicken on the grill, or cooked in a skillet.  I prefer chicken thighs for cooking like this, because they stay moist.  I use chicken breasts more for braising.

About 170 calories per chicken thigh when cooked in skillet with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil per thigh

Disney! …..I mean Jungle Jim’s

So, If I have a food happy place it is Jungle Jim’s in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Paul and I went on a day road trip there this last weekend.  It is a place for those who like all things food.  Think Disneyland for foodies.  It is an international market.  They have all kinds of groceries from all sorts of countries.  A HUGE selection of everything from produce to meats and cheeses to candy. 

The first time I went, I was in information overload!  I was trying to read each package in each aisle.  I think I drove Paul crazy, but I loved it!  I still try to see everything, but I have learned that it is humanly impossible to see every product in the store, that is just how big it is. 

The reason I get so excited to go, is to get the chance to buy and try foods that I can’t get at the regular grocery store.  Middle Eastern spice blends, to authentic Japanese noodles, to chocolate from Russia, rice from South America, chilies from all over!  …..The list keeps going.  Some things taste unusual to me, like the chocolate from Russia, Paul LOVED it, but I didn’t really like it, but it is all part of the experience.  Same thing with getting unusual cheeses from all over the world to try.  I bought a duck this time.  I’m really excited to try and cook it soon.  I will have to let you know how that goes.  I’m hoping it’s not a complete flop, because I really like duck, but I’ve never tried cooking it myself before. 

I forgot to get pictures from the inside of the store, but I’m sure if you go to their website you can see some of it.  The store is broken into sections my country.  They also have fun things along the way, like a talking Robin Hood in the Great Britain section, and I believe it is singing corn in the entrance.  That may sound really stupid to you, but I find it very entertaining!  I do kinda feel like a kid at Disney when I am there. :-)

Paul and I go a couple times a year probably, and there are a couple things I always look for.  I like getting the Asian noodles, because they are a great gluten free option.  I also like getting the cornmeal from South America, because it makes great polenta.  (more on polenta soon in a future post).  A new staple in my kitchen is parboiled rice.  A friend from Venezuela introduced me to it.  It’s great!  You cook it like regular rice, but it seems to turn out perfect every time!  The grains stay separate, never sticky, so it isn’t good for risotto or sushi rice, but for so many other things, it is just great!  I know that sometime it can be found in other international food shops, so if you ever come across it, it is worth trying!

 

I also like to go to get new spices and sauces.  Some are authentic from other countries, and some are made for the grocery, but all are interesting.  I’m really excited to try Harissa paste in my cooking soon.  It is a North African spice mix with chilies, garlic , and spices.  I’m also really excited to use authentic paprika, that’s the box labeled Pimenton.  I think some of the paprika in regular groceries don’t taste like much at all.

If all this talk about food has gotten you excited and you live no where near Cincinatti, I’m sorry, I do think they ship some of their things though.  I’ll stop going on and on about food now.  I just wanted to share this with you in case you were in need or a road trip like I was.  It’s worth it!  I’ll stop talking about it and let you check it out!  http://www.junglejims.com/index.asp 

Enjoy!

Alison

Craving noodles?

So, for a couple weeks in a row, I was craving noodles.  I just wanted to sit down and enjoy a big bowl of hearty, chewy, carby, goodness.  I set out to make some Thai peanut noodles to satisfy my craving.  In the middle of cooking I changed directions into a happy accident!  I had seasoned my ground beef with soy sauce and garlic.  It tasted so good, I had to make a whole dish of those flavors!  

The salty savory richness of the soy sauce, with the spicy bite of garlic combined with the heartiness of beef and noodles is a dish that I now want over and over again!  What I ended up with is super quick, easy, and just a couple of ingredients, but oh so good!  It even has veggies, so you can feel good about eating it!  This is nothing spectacularly fancy, but it may be the recipe I am most proud of, because it is my favorite thing to eat that I make!!   

This makes a lot, but can easily be cut down by half.  It keeps well in the fridge, and can be reheated easily, or eaten cold as a salad.  Or for variety, heat it up and but it in lettuce leaves for lettuce cups!  This is also a recipe that can easily be made gluten free by using your favorite gluten free spaghetti (I recommend not using Asian rice noodles, those are great in a lot of applications, but not for this dish) and gluten free soy sauce. 

Asian Soy Sauce and Garlic Noodles

2 lbs ground beef

4 garlic cloves lightly smashed, not chopped

12 oz bag broccoli slaw

½ lb pasta (spaghetti or linguine)

5 Tb rice wine or mirin*

4 Tb soy sauce

¼ tsp red chili flakes

¼ tsp sesame oil*

Brown the ground beef.   When beef is starting to let out some fat, add smashed whole garlic cloves.  Wait until there is some fat in the pan so you do not burn the garlic. 
After draining the fat from the pan, add 2 Tb each of soy sauce and rice wine and the ¼ tsp chili flakes and stir.  
While beef is cooking, cook the pasta to package directions. 
When pasta is almost finished add veggies to beef and cook for only 1 or 2 minutes.  You want them slightly softened but not limp. 
Drain pasta and add to beef mixture along with remaining rice wine, soy sauce and sesame oil.  Combine and top with an extra drizzle of sesame oil and sesame seeds if desired.

*Rice wine can be found at regular grocery stores in the Asian section.  Mirin is a sweetened version.  They are good to keep on hand for any Asian cooking, but do not substitute it for rice vinegar, it won’t have the same taste.  Sesame oil can also be found in the Asian section.  It adds that little extra something that you taste in most any Chinese food.  I little goes a long way!  It is really good, and if you don’t have it, I think it is worth getting and adding to just about any Asian dish.  Keep in it the fridge so it lasts longer.

 

How I Learned To Cook

I love food!  I love trying new recipes, flavors, ingredients.  But unlike what many people think, I didn’t grow up knowing about gruyere cheese, chipotle peppers, prosciutto, or anything leafy green, (see Kale, Swiss chard, spinach etc).  I remember the first time I went out to a restaurant with a friend and they ordered a steak.  When I saw it was pink inside, I was convinced they were crazy and going to get very sick! (if my parents read this… sorry)

I started really getting into food in college.  I was introduced to things like homemade alfredo sauce, authentic Latin cuisine, and chocolate mousse!  I had to learn more.  I started watching the Food Network. Okay, I started watching the Food Network a lot.  I learned about Thai food for the first time.   I learned real Italian food was more than spaghetti noodles with a jar of sauce on top, and that over well done is not the proper way to cook a steak.  And then, I started to cook.

There was a lot of trial and error, emphasis on the error.  I never really liked following a recipe completely (my husband says it’s something about control), so it may have taken me some extra time and errors, but I finally feel like I’m starting to get a handle on some things. I love recipes and there is nothing wrong with them, I just enjoy tailoring them to my specific tastes.   I still have the errors at times, which taught me not to try something new and adventurous for the first time when friends are coming for dinner.  But I was watching the food network one day and Guy Fieri said something to the effect of, if you aren’t making mistakes in the kitchen, you aren’t trying enough.  That has become very encouraging for me.

What taught me the most was watching Good Eats.  It is a 30 minute cooking show on the Food Network by Alton Brown.  What is unique about this show, is it actually goes into the science of cooking. Things like why you should brown meat first, why you shouldn’t over stir mashed potatoes, why salt is important, and many more.  I’m a bit of a geek, studying science in college, so I could really relate to these shows.  If you have never seen an episode, you should really check it out.  It’s quirky, entertaining, and you learn a lot.  Watching these episodes, are reading his books taught me HOW to cook.  I was also watching Rachel Ray, and still do.  Her cooking shows often have interesting, inventive ingredient combinations.  She showed me WHAT to cook when I wanted to be creative. 

Over the past couple years, I have also read a lot of cookbooks.  I like to read them cover to cover, even though I know that’s weird.   Food magazines are good too.  I read these to get ideas.  Sometimes I will make a recipe as is (with at least one change), sometimes I just pull something out of a random place inside my brain.  Most of the time, I read it and think, oh, it would be so good if I added this, took out that, swapped this, made it into a soup, etc.  I also like looking at the pictures of recipes.  I don’t much like recipe books without them.  Believe it or not, pictures give me a lot of ideas too. 

I write all this to say, I’m not some cook who went away to culinary school to learn this. I’ve just spent time watching shows and reading about food because it is my favorite hobby.   My recipes aren’t ‘inspired’ by any means either.  I just like to compile what I read and make something I want out of it.  You won’t see me using strange intimidating ingredients.  I use what I can find at the regular grocery with the rare exception of some international ingredients.  My techniques are also things anyone can do… I learned them from watching TV.  It’s just me sharing my food, the way I like it, so you can enjoy it too!

Dress Up Breakfast

One of my favorite times of the week with my husband Paul is a lazy breakfast together on the weekend.  We try to do it almost every weekend.  We sleep in, then go downstairs and make breakfast together…..Or mostly together, I will admit I am a bit of a kitchen hog…..  He says it has something to do with me being a control freak….I’m working on that.

This last weekend I made waffles with blueberry syrup. I used gluten free Bisquick, and just followed their recipe.   The waffles turned out perfect, a little crunchy on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside!  I was surprised with the success of gluten free waffles.  They were so good, I got scared I mixed up the flours and make it with gluten instead!  I know you can make gluten free waffles from scratch, but when it comes to some gluten free baking I found that sometimes mixes just work better.

The blueberry syrup turned out great too.  And really simple.  I did it because I wanted something a little less sugar dense to top the waffles, since both Paul and I are trying to eat healthy.  Just picture warm sweet blueberries with a little added thickness of maple syrup mixed with the juices coming out of the blueberries.  Perfect for drizzling.   That makes a pretty great start to the morning for me!  It would work with waffles, pancakes, or even ice cream.  Here it is!

1 cup blueberries

3 tb maple syrup  (use the real stuff!  It’s so much better!)

Put blueberries and syrup in small saucepan, and let cook on a bare simmer for 10 minutes.  You can let it stay on the stove for longer if needed.  If it seems too runny, you can keep it at a simmer for a little longer.

You can save the leftovers.  I mixed mine with some plain vanilla yogurt.  Amazing!  It made the yogurt go from plain breakfast to a dessert like treat that reminded me a bit of a parfait.

Latte? Yes, Please!

There is barely a day that goes by that I don't have a cup of coffee, or two, or....well, I just like coffee.  Most of the time my coffee just comes from my little Mr.  Coffee machine, and it's great, but when I want something a little more special, and don't feel like spending 4 bucks on it at a coffee shop I have a solution!

I just got a new toy.  It's a stick blender.  It's great!  It makes sauces, soups, and things like applesauce SO much easier to do!  What I don't have is a milk frother, but I'm not willing to spend the money on one ($100 for steamed milk, no thanks!).  So, I heated up some milk, stuck in the stick blender, hoped for the best, and this is what happened!  Well, with a few steps in between, but it was super easy!

Here is how to make a great latte at home.  The steps for the espresso I learned watching Alton Brown, so I cannot take credit for that part.  The pinch of salt is needed, even though that sounds weird.  It helps keep the coffee from being bitter.  If your coffee is still bitter, make sure you haven't ground your coffee too fine, it should be a normal grind, and make sure you didn't steep too long.  If you don't have a french press and want one, I know there are a lot of expensive ones out there, but I got mine for under $20 and it works just fine.  With different proportions, I often prefer it for brewing coffee instead of using my coffee maker.


Grind up 2 heaping coffee scoops of coffee beans, or a generous 1/4 cup.  Or use pre-ground.


Add to a french press with a pinch of salt and pour over 10oz of boiling water and steep for exactly 3 minutes.


While coffee is steeping, heat about 2 cups of milk and microwave until hot.  Add 1-2 tablespoons of sugar, depending on how sweet you like your coffee.


Put in stick blender, turn on, and make sure it is not completely submerged, so it can work some air into the milk and sugar.  It may take a couple times to get the feel of it. (Don't fill the milk to the top and then put the blender in... unless you really like cleaning your counters, and wearing milk as an accessory.)  I use a large Pyrex measuring glass, but anything that holds at least 3-4 cups will do.


Pour in desired proportions of milk and coffee (I suggest 1/4 coffee, 3/4 milk), stir, then scoop the foam from the top of the milk into your mug!

makes 2 lattes


The morning I made it, my husband and I were really excited and liked them.  So much so that he asked for one later that afternoon.  I made it for him, and then he asked for a third!!

For a couple variations, consider adding a small amount of vanilla extract to your milk, or mixing in a little chocolate syrup or sprinkle with cinnamon.    

135 calories per latte (may not be an everyday indulgence, but certainly lighter than Starbucks!)

Kale Chips...you've got to try these!

Ok, I know they sound weird, but they are super easy and super good!  I will warn you, they are really addicting, so don’t be surprised if you start craving them.  But hey, it’s kale, so it’s a good craving! :-)   When my mother-in-law first told me about them, I was really skeptical, it took me like 6 months to try them, but now I am so glad I did!  I watch a little 11 month old baby in the mornings.  I told her mom about these, she loves them, she fed them to her daughter and told me that they are the only vegetable that her daughter will eat without a fight!  I thought that that was pretty funny!

Use a good olive oil, because you can really taste it on these.  I like to buy a bunch of kale, wash it, and keep it prepared in my fridge.  It keeps for at least 4 days depending on how fresh it is from the grocery.  Then I just take some out, toss with oil, and bake to have with lunch or dinner!

Heat your oven to 400°.   

Wash a bunch of kale leaves, and tear or cut out the middle stem.  Tear leaves into pieces, and dry thoroughly.   I use a salad spinner.  

For about every 8 cups of kale I toss with a generous tablespoon of olive oil.   

Spread on a cookie sheet and salt.   

Cook for about 15-20 minutes.  Tossing occasionally so they cook evenly.   

They should be dry and crackly, but not burnt. If you take them out while they are still a little soft, they will be kind of chewy, and not very good.   

I’d say 6-8 cups of leaves not packed will be a serving for 2 or 3.  They shrink down a lot as you can see! I will admit to eating that much all by myself though….. :-) Enjoy!!

If you try these leave a comment and tell me what you think! 

Risotto!

Ok, I promise it’s not as hard to make as you may have been told!  Honestly I think I like making it better than regular rice, because you just keep adding liquid until it is right, instead of plain rice where you add rice and liquid at the beginning, close the lid and hope it turns out right.  As long as you are careful when buying sausage and stock, it's gluten free too!  
A couple things about my risotto.  1.  I used a very dry, not sweet white wine.  I don’t care for the taste of it otherwise.  2.  I think Parmesan is traditional, but I used Gruyere instead – mostly because it is what I had in my fridge at the time, but I really liked the taste of it.  You could absolutely substitute Parmesan if you wanted. 3.  I know there is no salt in my recipe, except with the mushrooms.  I did that because the stock and the cheese added all the needed salt.  You may find you need to add some yourself though.

Risotto with Mushrooms and Sausage

Ingredients 

2 cups Arborio rice

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 cups dry white wine

1-2 Tb butter

1 lb spicy Italian sausage (I used lean turkey sausage)

16 oz mushrooms sliced

4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

¾ cup gruyere cheese grated (any favorite hard cheese would work, Parmesan,Tuscano, Romano etc)

salt to taste

optional: red pepper flakes, black pepper

Heat stock and wine together in a saucepan and bring to a bare simmer. Melt 1/2 Tb butter in another saucepan over medium heat.  Add rice to butter and toast* for 2 minutes. Add a couple ladle-fulls of broth mixture into rice until it covers the rice, and stir occasionally.  Keep the rice at a bare simmer.  Every 5 minutes or so when the liquid no longer covers the rice, add a couple more ladle-fulls of broth mixture and keep stirring occasionally.  After about 20 minutes start testing the rice.  It will be done when it is tender all the way through, about 30 minutes. 

While the rice is cooking, cook the sausages through. I like to take them out of casings, and crumble meat, but you can leave the whole and slice after cooking if desired.  I like lean italian sausauge, but I cannot always find it in the spicy variety, so I add red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste (1/4-3/4 tsp depending on taste and desired heat). Remove sausage from pan and leave about 1 Tb of liquid from sausages.  If they did not give off any fat, add 1 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Add mushrooms and a pinch or salt to pan on med-high heat, they should sear and cook through. Slice the sausage and add back to mushrooms when they are cooked.  

When rice is cooked stir in cheese to combine. Stir in 1 additional Tb butter if desired for silkiness.  Add mushrooms and sausage to pan with rice.  Stir until the rice soaks up the liquid from the mushrooms and sausage. Fold in spinach until just wilted and serve with grated gruyere on top.

                                                                                        

*To toast rice, just cook over medium heat with butter stirring frequently.  It will become translucent; just make sure that it does not start to burn.

Makes 4 generous 2 cup servings.  748 calories per serving