Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts & Figs

When Alex and I were picking up our Christmas tree, the farm had Brussels sprouts on the stalk for $1.99. Less than a dollar a foot, these things were huge and looked so yummy I had to buy one! Mom sent over this recipe and I served a dish at both Christmas Eve dinner and on Christmas day.

This recipe comes from the Christian Science Monitor and aims to introduce non-Brussels sprouts eaters to something new. Unlike the article, even this didn't win everyone over: Alex still isn't a fan, but he did try one! So I'll count this as half a victory. And for those who do like Brussels sprouts, this is a great way to serve them!

1 lb. (4 c) Brussles sprouts, trimmed, halved or quartered
1 T olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1/2 c dried figs, diced
1/2 c vegetable broth
1/4 c maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or alumnium foil.
2. Toss halved Brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt, pepper, and walnuts. Spread into baking pan and roast for 15-20 minutes until tender and edges just begin to brown.
3. Meanwhile, combine figs and broth on the stove top and bring to a boil. Simmer until reduced. Add maple syrup and reduce again until mixture thickens.
4. Pour over roasted Brussels sprouts. Serve immediately.

The original recipe calls for Parmesan cheese as well, but it's really not necessary. I had all intentions of adding the cheese both times before serving, but by the time I remembered everyone was contently munching away on the sprouts without Parmesan.

Corn Pudding

This is a recipe from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, a book by Barbara Kingsolver (and family). Martha let me borrow this book last year and I finally got around to reading it this fall. Fantastic book on one family's journey to only eat locally for one full year; I highly recommend it. In particular, this recipe for a "holiday corn pudding a nine-year-old can make" stood out for me and was both a hit at our family Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. Incredibly easy and tasty. Enjoy!



3 c corn kernels
2 eggs, beaten
1 c milk
1 c grated Gouda cheese
2 T parsley (dried)
1 T marjoram (dried)
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine ingredients and pour into greased baking dish. Bake 45
minutes or until top is puffy and golden.

If you don't have marjoram or can't find it in store, sub 1/2 tablespoon oregano. Also, each time I've made this it's never been done in 45 minutes, more like an hour or a little more. Although that might be because I don't typically measure the cheese, I just add what I think looks like a cup and then a little more. It's amazingly cheese-y. ;)

Super Fudge

This is the fudge recipe I've been using for awhile now, it's fantastic!

4 1/2 c sugar
12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 c (2 sticks) butter
18 oz. chocolate chips
7 1/2 oz. fluff
1 t vanilla

1. Mix sugar, evaporated milk and butter in large pot. Bring to a hard boil, and stir constantly for 8 minutes.*
2. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips, fluff and vanilla.
3. Blend* and quickly pour fudge into a 9x11 pan to set.**

*These are parts where this super fudge becomes a two-person job for me. I typically do all the measuring and pouring and Alex will do the stirring and blending. It's tiring to do by yourself, but not impossible.
**I pour half then add a layer of mini marshmallows and then pour the rest. You have to wait a minute otherwise the marshmallows will melt and you'll see the fudge wants to set right away, so while you're waiting, stir the remaining in the pot to keep it from setting.

You can also pour two 9x11 pans with the first layer, add marshmallows (or nuts!) and make another batch of a different fudge for the top. We like peanut butter & chocolate layered. You can use any chips you want for the chocolate chips called for in the recipe: peanut butter chips, butterscotch, dark chocolate... etc. I also cut the sugar down a bit if using anything other then chocolate chips since they're already so sweet, to 3 1/2 cups or 4 cups. Can be made in any pans too: I use those little foil ones and give as gifts. Enjoy!

EDIT: We recently made these with 10 oz. Reeses' chips and 8 oz. chocolate chips. It turned out absolutely fantastic, a definite favorite we'll be making again!

Honey Baked Chicken Drumsticks

I’ve made this recipe a couple times and it’s always better when you leave the skin on the drumsticks: it ends up being crispier. You may also use chicken wings or thighs. Alex and I have gotten in the habit* of breaking down a whole organic chicken and this is a great way to use all the “non-breast” pieces. Enjoy!

2 lbs chicken drumsticks
2 T butter
2 T olive oil
1/2 c flour
1 1/2 t seasoned salt blend
1/3 c honey
1/4 c brown sugar
4 T lemon juice
2 t soy sauce

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Wash chicken and pat dry. Toss in a food storage bag with the flour and seasoned salt.
3. Melt butter with olive oil; pour into an 11″ x 7″ baking dish. Arrange chicken in the baking dish, turning to coat with the butter mixture. Bake for 30 minutes, turning halfway through.
4. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat honey, brown sugar, lemon juice, and soy sauce, stirring to blend.
5. After 30 minutes, pour the honey mixture over the chicken pieces and return to the oven. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes longer, turning the chicken pieces every 10 to 15 minutes until golden and skin is crispy.

* When I say “gotten in the habit” I mean we’ve done this a handful of times: we really don’t eat meat much these days. So when we do, it’s high quality, local, free range, organic. Yeah, there’s a long list of criteria, which is why we don’t eat it often. But being winter, we’ll likely have more meat in the near future. This is just perfectly okay with Alex (and probably Tula too, although she prefers sugar cookies right now…).

What's Cooking Uncle Sam?

Yesterday, Alex and I returned from a long weekend spent in Washington DC with good friends, Scuba Steve and Nula. We made plans to visit DC after I heard about an exhibit at the National Archives entitled "What's Cooking Uncle Sam?", the government's effect on the American diet. Over the past year I've been incredibly interested in food policy and regulations concerning the food that ends up on our tables. It was exciting that this exhibit appears at a time when I'm most interested in knowing more. And the exhibit did not disappoint.



The exhibit was an informative walk-through featuring legislation and food marketing and their effects on the American diet. It began with farming and how we came to farm the varieties we do today; then moved onto industrialization and the new food products this was able to bring us (like ketchup). It talked about the evolution of the food pyramid, including guides for moms how to cook by the government regulations (and on different budgets): promoting variety and essential nutrients. The exhibit showed different company and government marketing used throughout WWI and WWII dealing with shortages and trying to entice the public to eat less processed food (so it could go to the troops) and grow "freedom gardens" (even in cities). They government even handed out seeds to promote diversity, giving out recipes and instructions what to do with new varieties of food. The exhibit ended around the 1950's with how the government was influencing school cafeterias [and when big business takes over influencing what ends up on our tables]. (The exhibit was sponsored by Mars, Inc. who makes M&Ms, Wringley's gum, and Uncle Ben's rice, among other things.)

I think one of the most interesting points was how the modern American plate literally looks: We don't like our food touching. This started in the 40's with WWII and how the troops were fed. Nutritionists determined the optimal menu (about 3,000 calories a day) and served meals separated trays, a place for each item: protein, vegetable, starch, etc. When the soldiers returned home, this is what they expected from their wives. And that is why even today, many Americans don't like their food touching. I always make fun of Alex for this. I'm a big fan of soups and stews where it's a one-dish meal and could care less if my vegetables are served over the starch. Alex, like most typical Americans, does not. It's interesting to know the origin of this now.

The rest of our time in DC was fantastic as well. We started with a trip to the Spy Museum, a must see if you haven't been. It's really well done and has displays and interactive material that appeal to all ages. It covers the whole history of spy from early humans to modern day. When you first arrive you have to memorize an identity and there are two checkpoints within the museum where you can test your knowledge of your adopted identity. That was also a fun part. (I failed my mission in the end, Alex didn't.)

We also have a lot of friends (and some family) in DC, so we had a lot of lunch and dinner dates while we were in town. DC really isn't too far for us, and it was great to see everyone we met with, including Alex's cousin, Henry, and his girlfriend Kathy, who are fairly new DC residents.

Of course we stopped at most of the major tourist areas: the White House, the Washington Monument, Lincoln memorial, etc. And we visited two Smithsonians: the Air and Space museum and the museum of Natural History. We grabbed some virtual geocaches while in DC as well.

Overall, it was a fantastic long weekend with great friends and lots of awesome things to see. I really like DC, it's a clean city that's pretty easy to navigate. Definitely wouldn't mind going back anytime soon. There's so much we didn't get to see! =)

Schneeflöckchen/Snowflake Cookies

Mom, Kate and I have been baking Christmas cookies together as long as I can remember. My favorites were always ones called Snowflakes (Schneeflöckchen in German), so it was my duty each year to bake the Snowflakes. Mom and I had our baking day last Monday and not even two weeks later, Alex and I have polished off quite a bit of them, including all of the Snowflakes. So I made more. I misplaced my recipe from mom, but a quick Google search resulted in this awesome blog: Islaborg. This is a little different from the recipe mom has since her schooling and the yield is slightly lower, but the taste is perfect. Islaborg does a good job explaining why they're called Snowflakes: not because of their looks, but because of their melt-in-your-mouth quality. These cookies truly are addicting- enjoy!



1/2 c flour
1 1/4 c cornstarch
1/2 c + 1 t powdered sugar
3/4 c butter, softened
1 t vanilla sugar (or 1/4 t extract)*

1. Combine sugar, butter and vanilla to a slightly fluffy paste.
2. Sift in flour and cornstarch and and knead to a smooth dough.
3. Wrap the dough in tinfoil and let it rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet or place a sheet of baking paper on it.
5. Take the dough out, unwrap and use approximately 1 tbs of dough to form a small ball, place on baking sheet and continue with the rest of dough until you've filled the baking sheet. These cookies will spread a little when they bake, so leave some room in between cookies.
6. Use a fork dipped in powdered sugar to flatten the cookies, this will create a pattern that is characteristic for Snowflake cookies.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Make sure they don't brown, they're supposed to be white and somewhat flaky.
8. Let cool and store in an airtight container in a cool place.

*Cookies are supposed to be white, using vanilla extract over vanilla sugar will slightly color the cookies.

Cranberry Sauce

Hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving! I know I did! =) Here's a recipe for my favorite part of the traditional Thanksgiving meal: Cranberry Sauce. I've been using this Alton Brown recipe for a couple years, spicing* it up a little myself. It's classic and perfect and sooo easy! Enjoy!

1/4 c freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 c 100% cranberry juice, not cocktail
1 c honey
1 pound fresh cranberries, approximately 4 cups

1. Wash the cranberries and discard any soft or wrinkled ones.
2. Combine the orange juice, cranberry juice and honey in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Add cranberries and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens. (Do not cook for more than 15 minutes as the pectin will start to break down and the sauce will not set as well.) Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
4. Carefully spoon the cranberry sauce into a 3 cup mold. Place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
5. Remove from the refrigerator, overturn the mold and slide out the sauce. Slice and serve.

*I add what's called "German Christmas Spice" to my mix, but it's basically just a mix of cinnamon, cardamon, clove, etc. You can be creative and add what you wish. Watch the video of Alton Brown making this recipe using the link above for ideas!

I don't usually make this recipe in a mold. This year I started canning a batch or two, which came out pretty well if I do say so myself! I typically just place the sauce in a container and stir it up to serve in a nicer bowl.

Also, if you prefer a smooth sauce, once you remove it from the heat, just run the whole batch through a strainer. This will remove any peels and pulp.

Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Yes, I am clearly on a squash kick. I love how local and available winter squash is these days. It’s so fresh and tasty! This recipe is no exception, super easy and very versatile. I got the idea from this Google-search result. Enjoy!



1 acorn squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

1 T butter

1 c quinoa

2 c water or vegetable broth (to cook quinoa)

1 T olive oil (for sautéing)

1/2 onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c mushrooms, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 T parsley, chopped

1 T fresh lemon juice

1/2 c crumbled feta cheese

salt & pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Place squash cut-side up on a baking sheet and place 1/2 T butter into each half. Sprinkle with salt and paper and bake for 45 minutes, or until tender.

3. Meanwhile, cook quinoa with water or vegetable broth according to directions.

4. Use olive oil to sauté onion, garlic, mushrooms, carrots and celery about 10 minutes until slightly brown.

5. Add sautéed vegetables to quinoa and season with parsley, lemon juice and salt and pepper, to taste.

6. Once squash halves have cooled, spoon quinoa mixture into each half. There will be leftovers. Top with feta, serve warm.

The squash I used was on a small side, it still took 45 minutes to cook, but I served more of the “stuffing” on the side (there are still leftovers). You can sub all kinds of cool stuff as well. If you follow the link to the recipe I emulated, they used a couple different items, and the recipe they revised also has different ingredients. Be creative, use what you have in the house! And let me know how it goes.

Beer Bread

Last month, mom and I went to a Tastefully Simple party and ate more than our share of their beer bread mix. We each purchased a mix to make at home, but at $5.49 + tax a box, plus the beer and butter, I figured there’s got to be an easy at home recipe. So I found one on food.com (link), and it’s fantastic!



3 c flour, sifted
3 t baking powder (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
1 t salt (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
1/4 c sugar
1 12 oz. can/bottle beer
1/4 – 1/2 c butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix dry ingredients and beer.
3. Pour into a greased loaf pan and pour melted butter over mixture.
5. Bake 1 hour, remove from pan and cool for at least 15 minutes.

According to the link, sifting the flour is the key. I used sifted whole-wheat flour and didn’t have any issue. I also only used 1/4 cup of butter, a half cup seems a little excessive to me! This recipe is really easy to make and the product is a very hearty satisfying bread. Yum!

Spaghetti Squash

Our friend Steve introduced me to this recipe for spaghetti squash. I’ve made a couple variations of this, and never the recipe as it is below. It’s just a really good starting point. Enjoy!



1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 t vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 c tomatoes, chopped
3/4 c crumbled feta cheese
3 t black olives, sliced
2 t fresh basil, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place spaghetti squash cut sides down on a lightly greased baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes or until a sharp knife can be inserted with only a little resistance. Remove and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled.
2. In a pan over medium heat, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic, and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, and cook only until tomatoes are warm.
3. Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash into a medium bowl. Toss with the sauteed vegetables, feta cheese, olives, and basil. Serve warm.

The first time I made this, I did it almost to the recipe, except I omitted the basil and went with a raw cheddar over the feta since it’s what I had. I also added a can of peas and carrots (because I was cleaning out the pantry…). It was tasty. The second time I made with chickpeas instead of black olives (and a whole lot of chickpeas at that) and parsley instead of basil and again with raw cheddar. I really liked the variation with chickpeas, the textures went well together. Chickpeas and feta cheese would probably be a perfect mix.

Black Bean "Chili" with Winter Squash

It’s winter squash season! I found a recipe for “black bean chili with winter squash” on vegetariantimes.com (link) and created my own variation. It’s more of a stew with everything than chili, although you can add some kick to make it spicy like chili.

3-4 medium potatoes
1 medium acorn or butternut squash
1 onion
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 16oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 32oz. can diced tomatoes
1 16oz. can corn, drained and rinsed
1 t ground cumin
1 t cayenne pepper
salt & pepper

1. Peel and dice potatoes. Boil until easily pierced with a knife, drain and set aside.
2. Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds, and place in a microwave-safe container with 1/4 inch of water. Cover and microwave until tender, allowing 2 to 3 minutes per squash half. Remove squash and let cool, then peel and cut into chunks.
3. In a large pan, cook onion and garlic approximately 5 minutes over medium heat. Add black beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cooked potatoes and squash chunks. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve warm.

I’ve made this once with acorn squash and once with butternut. Both are fantastic, but acorn is definitely more time consuming peeling since it’s such a weird shape. Just something to think about.

Banana Bread!

I had in the past mused about how poorly I was making banana bread. Well, after countless over-ripened bananas forced me to try various recipes I FINALLY discovered my favorite, which has become a favorite among friends and family I've shared my skill with. This recipe comes courtesy of Cathy Lowe listed on the Food Network website (link).

2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
2 eggs
1 c sugar
4 very ripe bananas*
1 t vanilla
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 t cinnamon
1/2 c chopped walnuts, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and powder, salt.
3. In a large bowl, cream together eggs and sugar. Stir in mashed bananas, vanilla, oil and cinnamon.
4. Stir in flour mixture into wet ingredients, a third at a time, until just combined.
5. Divide batter into two 9x5 loaf pans. Bake for about 1 hour.

*I have at times only used 3 large bananas without issue.
I've also added chocolate chips and/or walnuts with tasty success.

Apple Crisp

This recipe is from the Betty Crocker Cookbook (link). I think it's best when you add a handful of raisins or walnuts, but this recipe really is fool-proof and classic. Enjoy!

4 medium tart cooking apples, sliced (4 cups)
3/4 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c flour
1/2 c oats
1/3 c butter, softened
3/4 t ground cinnamon
3/4 t ground nutmeg
Cream or Ice cream (optional)

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Spread apples in 8" greased pan.
3. In medium bowl, stir remaining ingredients except cream until well mixed; sprinkle over apples.
4. Bake approximately 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Serve warm with cream.

Mom's Cocoa Brownies

This recipe isn't actually mom's, but she makes them fantastically and I got the recipe from her, so the credit goes to mom. We had these in place of birthday cake for my party yesterday.

3/4 c butter, softened
3 eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla
2/3 c cocoa powder
1 1/4 c flour
1 c sugar
3/4 c packed light brown sugar
1/2 c walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 t baking powder
1/4 t salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine all ingredients and pour into 9x13 greased pan.
3. Bake 20-25 minutes, until brownies spring back when lightly touched. Do not over bake (then they're no longer gooey!).

Our Balcony Garden

With much help from my wonderful mom, Alex and I have a nice assortment of plants and vegetables on our balcony this year. Last year we had tomatoes, LOTS of them, and some herbs, including chives, parsley, dill and basil. So far this year we have tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, snap peas, a fig tree, cat nip, leaks, and herbs (parsley, chives and dill). I still would like to get some basil out there this year and once the lettuce is done mid-month I'll have an empty plater for something else.

Last year the tomatoes (and one pepper plant that didn't fruit) were in a large planter with mostly composed soil. This spring all the weeds in the composted soil started to grow and since I didn't have new tomato plant yet, I let it grow. Every time we opened the balcony door our cat, Tula, would race outside and into the planter and aggressively eat the grass. When it came time to clear it out and plant this year's crop, Tula was so angry, she jumped into the planter when I was half-way through and started chomping away. Alex tried to pull her out and she meowed like she was dying. I realized then that there was a cat nip plant growing in the weeds! NO wonder she was so drawn to this planter. I transplanted some grass and the cat nip into a cat sized pot, just for her. She nearly ate the cat nip to nothing that day. It's doing okay now and mom's provided some more plants for her entertainment. At least it keeps her from the real edible plants. =)

We have been enjoying the lettuce for about a week now, we planted it a little late. It's growing back in fast where we've harvested already, so we'll get a couple more weeks out of it. The peas will go well in a salad once they're a little bit bigger. We have tiny figs growing now too! I'm so excited mom brought me one of her trees, they are just one of my favorite summer treats! We'll also be overrun with tomatoes before we know it. I'm so excited to try some new salsa and tomato sauce recipes (posted then, of course!).

Here are some pictures of our balcony garden:


Our fig tree.


Little figs coming in!


Snap peas, hanging on!


Baby snap pea!


The peas hanging off the balcony.


Tula with her pot.

Black Bean Veggie Burgers

Yesterday I made my first attempt at homemade veggie burgers with guidance from a recipe on the Whole Foods Website (link). They came out so well, my meat-loving fiance even had seconds!! This is a quick easy recipe that allows for a lot of customization. Check it out:

1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 egg
1/2 onion, chopped
1 c bread crumbs
1 t dried oregano
1 t dried basil
1/2 t garlic powder or granules
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste
olive oil (for cooking)

1. Mash beans with a fork in a large bowl.
2. Add egg, onion, bread crumbs, spices and hot sauce and mix together thoroughly.
3. Form into 6 patties.
4. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat and cook patties in single layer until brown on both sides and cooked through (approx. 10min total).
5. Transfer to buns and dress as desired.

I actually didn't have an onion when I made these, so I cut celery really fine for crunch and added onion powder to the mix. I do plan on using an onion next time though! I also used some seasoned salt, pepper, oregano, chili powder and hot sauce instead of what was suggested. I went a little heavy on the hot sauce and it was pretty amazing. We dressed them with some lettuce from our balcony garden, pickle relish, ketchup and mayo. Mmm!

Pretzel Salad

So, Pretzel Salad isn't really anything like it sounds: it's not a salad made with pretzels. It's actually a dessert featuring gelatin and cream cheese. Yum! My co-worker, Diana, introduced me to this dessert recently and provided me with a copy of the recipe. This was something I knew my family would love! I was in Shop Rite a couple weeks later when everything I needed to make Pretzel Salad was coincidentally on sale, seriously, Cool Whip was 99cents, cream cheese 2/$3, fresh strawberries $1.99, gelatin 3/$2... So I quick Google'ed the recipe on my phone and made sure I had everything. I decided to make it for Easter dessert at my parents house, and although I tweaked the recipes a little (the one from Diana and Paula Dean's I found online were a little different), and didn't even follow directions at all at one point (not on purpose, oops!), my dessert got rave reviews. Hope you will have the same reaction. This seriously is an amazing dessert!



2 c crushed pretzels
3/4 c softened butter
3 T & 3/4 c sugar
8 oz (1 pkg) cream cheese
8 oz (1 pkg) whipped topping
6 oz (2 3 oz pkgs) strawberry gelatin
10 oz (1 pkg) fresh or frozen strawberries*
2 c boiling water
extra fresh strawberries and/or whipped topping for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

For the Pretzel Crust:
1. Mix the pretzels, butter, and 3 tablespoons of sugar.
2. Press this mixture into a 9 by 13-inch pan and bake for 7-10 minutes, until crisp.
3. Set aside and allow to cool completely.

For the "Salad:"
1. In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and 3/4 cup of sugar.
2. Fold in the whipped topping.
3. Spread over the cooled crust. Refrigerate until well chilled.
4. In another bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water. *If you're using fresh strawberries, add about 10 ice cubes to the mixture. Then allow to cool slightly (10-15min in the fridge).
5. Add the strawberries, and let set for approx. 5min. Mixture should be cool but not set, chunky when mixed is okay.
6. Pour gelatin over the cream cheese mixture. (At this time I had extra slices of strawberries cut, so I covered the top with them for garnish.) Refrigerate until serving time.

To serve, cut slices and serve with whipped topping.

Alex vs. Chicken

Last week Alex and I finally got around to breaking down a whole chicken. I'd learned how in cooking class, but hadn't gotten a chance to do it on my own. ...And actually I still haven't. Alex did it. =) I supervised. It went very well, Alex did an excellent job. We cooked up the chicken breasts and froze the rest for another day. Tula really wanted in on the action...



She nearly climbed up the cabinets for a mouthful of chicken. But all she got was a crinkle ball and a cat treat to go away. =)

Now I just need to find some recipes for different chicken pieces...

Banana Bread??

In the last couple weeks I've tried three different banana bread recipes. The first time the bananas weren't overly ripe so the bread was a little dry. I know banana bread still is bread and bread is dry, but it just wasn't the texture I was looking for. I had a little more luck the second and third times with super ripe bananas, but still not exactly what I was looking for. I undercooked one loaf by accident, it was more moist, but not really in a good way, more gummy than anything else. Either way, none of the loaves were bad, they just weren't exactly what I was looking for. None of them tasted like mom's.

And then I realized: I'm not remembering mom's banana bread. (Does she even make banana bread?) I'm thinking of ZUCCHINI BREAD! Well, that explains that. Banana bread does not equal zucchini bread.

Can't wait for zucchini season!

I'm Engaged!!

Okay, yes, this is completely unrelated to food in any way (okay maybe in a small way), but I wanted to share big personal news:

I'M ENGAGED!!!
This relates to food in a small way: updates on wedding/reception food, coming soon [but not too soon]!! =)



We celebrated at Rat's Restaurant (website). It was almost as fabulous as my ring. ;)

No More Hamburgers For Me

I read too much. The information in Fast Food Nation isn't new to me, but reading it again just drills home all the facts of the American meat industry. The sad life the animal lives in a factory farm, the inhumane killing at the slaughterhouse, the poor and unsanitary working conditions in the processing, the migrant workers, the corporate greed. It's so incredibly frustrating. I am absolutely not purchasing meat in the grocery store anymore. I don't order it out. I'm not going vegetarian completely because there are sustainable, humane options; but please, don't offer me a hamburger.

Potato Pancakes

A woman in my cooking class Emailed me last night asking about the potato pancake recipe I mentioned in class. I thought about it all day since I know how to make potato pancakes, I make them all the time, but I've never made them from a recipe. I just have a list of ingredients I mix together to make what I think is enough for the boyfriend and myself. So here's my attempt at a [large] four serving recipe:



4 large potatoes, washed, peeled & coarsely grated
1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped OR 1/4 t onion powder
1 egg
3 T flour OR corn starch (for gluten-free version)
salt & pepper
cooking oil (for frying)

1. Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl.
2. Heat cooking oil on a griddle or large non-stick pan on medium heat.
3. Spoon palm sized potato mixture onto griddle and flatten to about 1/4" pancakes. Cook until mostly white (2-3min), then flip pancake and cook another minute or so. Repeat with the rest of the mixture.
4. Serve with sour cream and applesauce (and/or maple syrup).

The best way to grate the potatoes is with a food processor add-on. I don't have one of those, so I do it by hand. It's a little more hazardous- I typically lose a fingernail or two in the process (not in the potato mixture, just to be clear). =) I also use typically a little more than half quantity when I make this for two people (I like to make a little extra for lunch the next day). When I do this I crack the egg into a cup, scramble it with a fork and only pour half in the mixture. (Save the rest for scrambled eggs for breakfast!)



Let me know if you try this and how it came out so I can adjust ingredient quantities! Enjoy!

Irish Soda Bread

This St. Patrick's Day I hosted friends for dinner. I made the traditional corn beef, cabbage and potatoes. I meant to serve it with this amazing Dijon Mustard I purchased at Trader Joe's, but I completely forgot and only realized its absence the next morning when I saw the mustard in the fridge. Oops. I did however serve dinner with Irish Soda Bread, and instead of serving store bought bread, I decided to make it myself! I found a dozen recipes online and picked one I thought was closest to my favorite store bought brand: Katie Reilly's (sold ready-made at Shop Rites in the area, but you can also buy the mix online here). Or you could just use mine:

3 c Flour, sifted
3 t Baking Powder
1/4 t Salt
1/2 c Sugar
1 c Raisins
1 Egg
1 1/4 c Milk
2 t Unsalted Butter, softened

1. Preheat oven to 375* (350* for glass dish).
2. Mix (by hand) all dry ingredients together in one bowl.
3. Mix egg and milk in another bowl.
4. Mix wet and dry together, then add butter.
5. Pour into a greased 8" baking dish, sprinkle sugar on top.
6. Bake 40 – 60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

I used King Aruthor Whole Wheat Flour and sifting it was lots of fun since I don't actually have a sifter, just one of those little handheld strainer thingys- but I did notice the final product before baking was significantly smoother. I'm sure the whole wheat flour gave the bread the hearty taste and texture I was looking for. I also used organic raw sugar in and on top of the bread which makes a difference over processed granulated sugar. Overall, all my ingredients were organic except the Baking Soda, which cannot be organic as far as I know, and the "natural sea salt" I used. Here's a picture of my finished product:




The first time I baked this, it was perfect after 42min, the second time I didn't allow the butter to soften properly and baked it for 47min. I have an electric oven so it's quite inpercice. Both breads came out pretty amazing and not dissimilar. Enjoy!

Basic Skills Cooking Class

Last night was the last of a 5-session basic skills cooking class I took through the Princeton Adult School. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect considering I hadn't taken a cooking class since it was mandatory for a quarter in middle school. But compared with the descriptions, price, and actual class time of comparable beginner courses at the local community colleges and through the township, it seemed like a sure bet I was going to pick up some skills and tips over a span of 5 weeks time and at a decent price. The chef also seemed considerably skilled and, after a brief Google search, my assumption was confirmed. Check out Chef Davide Ercolano's website here.

Chef Davide and I share a common interest in cooking and promoting locally grown and organic food and the beginning of the first class was a little bit like an Alton Brown episode, to which Chef David stated "if you know Alton Brown's show, this class is going to be a little bit like that." Yup, this was going to be an awesome class.

And it was. It was a great class because I feel I learned some very useful basic skills; because the chef was great, talented and enthusiastic; and because the other members of the class itself were great too. Everyone in the class was friendly and engaged and I am particularly grateful to have made some connections with like-minded aspiring cooks. It was just a very fun, educational, and tasty experience. I cannot wait to take another cooking class!

As for the skills I learned in Basic Cooking Skills with Chef Davide:

- To heat the pan first before adding any fat (butter, oil, etc.)
- How and what to blanch, why
- That kale is tasty cooked or raw and very nutritious
- How to make a vinegarette
- What the difference between broth and stock is
- To cook potatoes in boiling water (not start them in cold) to make smoother, lighter mashed potatoes
- To cook pasta in 4 times as much water
- How to break down a whole chicken
- How to break down a whole fish
- The importance of a well [properly] stocked pantry
- That a Japanese knife only has one sharp edge
- That 8" is standard for a chef knife
- What marjoram is
- How to make gnocchi

What, you want more details? Better take a cooking class. ;) Of course there's probably more, but I've already implemented them so heavily into my own cooking I don't think I just learned them. And some things I already knew, like canola oil is made from rapeseed and only called canola oil since it comes primarily from Canada, Canada Oil/canola oil, get it? Either way, I learned a lot of useful tips and ate a lot of awesome food and highly recommend anyone take a basic skills cooking class- even you experienced cooks will learn something, I promise!


Chef Davide and the black bass we enjoyed in our final class.

Advertising in Song Lyrics?

This thought of advertising in song lyrics hit me this morning when Fabolous's "You Be Killin' 'Em" came on the radio. What caught my attention was right in the first verse, he raps about her Louis Vuitton shoes causing "shoe-icide" and "iPhone 4 Face Time." Looking up the rest of the lyrics, he also raps about having a donkey with Juan Valdez (yeah, I googled that one), playing green as long as Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics player since 1998- yes I googled that too), wearing Timbos (Timberland boots) and rocking a "BBM Pose," which according to Urban Dictionary is "Usually a sexy mirror photo, stomach photos, thongs , big boootayyyss! Most people default it for there BBM." (BBM = BlackBerry Messenger.)

There are 6 brands mentioned in this one song: Louis Vuitton, iPhone 4, Juan Valdez/Columbian Coffee, Paul Pierce/Boston Celtics, Timberland, and BlackBerry.

And what does this have to do with food? Well, it reminded me of something I read in "Chew on This," that in March 2005 McDonald's offered to pay rappers for mentioning "Big Mac" in their songs. Research I've been able to do shows that McDonald's was in talks with a Massachusetts marketing firm recruiting rappers to "do what they do best" and let them "creatively bring to life the product in their song." The rappers would get anywhere from $1 to $5 every time the song is played on regular or satellite radio. McDonald's seemed to think this was the solution to "culturally relevant" advertising at the same time they started promoting salads as healthy alternatives. Fortunately, eight months after the March announcement, bad press and public outcry caused McDonald's to stall their plans because, they say, they couldn't find suitable lyrics.

So while rappers aren't rapping about Big Macs, they're providing lots of other "hidden" advertising for products starting with Adidas, with a song by Run-DMC called "My Adidas," in 1986. Although originally the song was just about their favorite shoes, Adidas saw it was a golden opportunity and made a deal with the band for around $1.5million to promote Adidas. Since then it's become kind of the norm to advertise in songs or videos. I'm not sure why I didn't see it sooner.

Food, Inc. Reading List

So early January I finally got around to watching Food, Inc. which speaks to the status of the food industry in American today. I'd been making small changes in my diet and food habits for awhile now, keeping an eye on the news and hearing reports from friends and family, many of whom had seen Food, Inc. previously. So while not all new, the information in Food, Inc. basically changed my life. Basically it left me wanting more, I needed to know more, I needed to be involved in this local, organic movement- away from factory farming and big business. I got on the Food, Inc. Website, took the survey, read some articles, followed "Take Part" on twitter and checked out the reading list.

My favorite boyfriend (okay my only boyfriend, who still happens to be my favorite), Alex, got me a Kindle for Christmas, easily my favorite gadget these days. But really, since I've gotten it, I haven't put it down, so with my newfound love of learning where the food I eat comes from, I added the reading list from Food, Inc. to my Amazon wishlist. I even made a Listmania List, so you can add all the books to your cart in one step. ;) There's 12 books on the list from authors like Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser as well as one from Farmer Joel Salatin. I can only read one book at a time (meaningfully, I mean, I can read more than one book at once, but I typically get sucked in and confused if I am following too many stories- like reading the Sookie Stackhouse series and watching True Blood in season... I don't recommend it). Either way, I'm on book 3 on my Food, Inc. reading list.

First up was "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan. I choose this first because it was showing up on everyone's Kindle library more often than any other book on the list and has an astonishing number of reviews on Amazon (668), resulting in a 4.5 star rating. It was a great read chronicling the authors journey through the industrial food world, the organic, the industrial organic and the pastoral. The information in it was fascinating and created great arguments for and against different ways of producing and eating food. I particularly enjoyed his thoughts on vegetarianism and veganism and have personally come to the conclusion that neither is sustainable nor natural. Not to say that the inhumane slaughter of animals is, it clearly isn't, I just think there are ways to maintain a well rounded diet locally and organically. Pollan's week at Polyface Farm with Joel Salatin shows me that it is possible. (Joel and his farm are also featured in Food, Inc.) I really wish there were more farms like his around here.

Next up was "Chew on This" by Eric Schlosser & Charles Wilson. It breaks down the dangers of the fast food industry in a way that appeals to adolescents, the ones who are effected most by big business advertising and who are feeling the weight of its propaganda (literally). It's detailed about how the fast food industry came to power and stayed in power, what decisions were made that lead America to its current massive state of obesity. It speaks to what's in the food we eat, why this food is not good for us but tastes sooo good: "natural and artificial flavor." I've always wondered what these "natural flavors" were on a food label. Turns out it's a way of hiding a long list of additives (derived naturally, from nature, or synthetically, in a lab) that make our food taste and smell better. And most of the companies who manufacture these additives are right here in New Jersey, which explains why my exit on the Turnpike always smells like cake or popcorn (seriously, IFF is headquartered on my exit). I guess the most eye opening things in this book are the descriptions of working conditions in the fast food industry and in the slaughterhouse industry, which is largely producing for the fast food industry. After a glimpse of this in Food, Inc. I can safely and happily say I no longer consume fast food. Not that I did much before: I've been counting calories for awhile (not really watching my weight, but paying attention to what I consume and if the food I'm eating is worth it- a Dunkin Donuts vanilla bean coolatta is nearly 1,000 calories!) It's just completely unnecessary.

"Chew on This" was fairly graphic for a teen book, so I'm on a little break right now, reading "The Unadulterated Cat" by Terry Pratchett. I plan on (again, finally) watching Supersize Me soon and then following up with more reading from the reading list. I'm thinking I might need to keep going with the fast food kick and read "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser next.

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili

I created this recipe to serve as dinner for the Super Bowl this year. It came out pretty well, if I do say so myself. But that's the great thing about chili: it can be customized to any cook's taste. Reading about conditions and practices in CAFO's (confined animal feeding operations), I decided to skip the meat in the traditional chili recipes and double up on the beans. Enjoy!

2 cans black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
4 tomatoes, diced (or 2 cans diced tomatoes)
1/2 onion, diced
4 celery stalks, chopped
4 carrot sticks, peeled & chopped
1/4 c brown sugar*
tomato juice (or V8 juice, or bloody mary mixer, or water, or any combo thereof)
2 t chili powder*
1 t onion powder*
1 T EVOO
salt & pepper

1. Sauté onion, celery, and carrots in EVOO.
2. Drain & rinse beans, add to slow cooker with tomato and sautéed vegetables. Cover with tomato juice (or substitute). Add brown sugar, chili powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper.
3. Cook on high 3-4 hours. (Can also cook on low 6-8 hours.) Season to taste. Serve hot. Makes a full crock-pot: leftovers can be frozen.


* Measurements approximate, season to taste. This recipe makes for reasonably sweet chili with a little kick.

Introduction

I love food and I love eating food. I've also recently discovered that I love cooking food. I'm not so keen on growing food yet, but my mom was asked by a neighbor to help tend a large sunny plot in their yard this summer, so I've been recruited to help there, in addition to tending my balcony planter of peppers and tomatoes.

Recently, I've been reading a lot on the food movement (local/organic, inspired after watching Food, Inc.) and have been experimenting with some recipes of my own and have decided, following in my sister's footsteps, to create a food blog to keep track of recipes, my garden, and generally my thoughts on the food world.

Enjoy!