tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64301783659407728822024-02-20T01:08:17.071-08:00Stay@HomeChefRifts, Recipes, Research & Rantings of a Sardonic Chef in MommyworldStay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-1077451578224339552011-02-17T17:52:00.000-08:002011-02-17T17:54:50.095-08:00Fresh Market Haul No. 01 & Photog Practice<center>Well, since yesterday I actually set up my new lighting equipment to shoot for a blog entry (and btw, I snort @ myself when I say “shoot” like I’m some DLC ovah here, haha), I thought I’d practice by capturing some of my other Fresh Market haul that day.. I am always a happy little bug after a solid hour in TFM. <br /><br />I got these “Little Hands” organic gala apples for the kid’s lunchboxes, since it takes Drake a whole lunch period to eat a regular one. These aren’t really all that much smaller but they aren’t as large as conventional apples. <br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=vhyp04" target="_blank"><img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/vhyp04.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />I also got a Granny Pounder – This mammoth Granny Smith weighs a pound in and of itself and it dwarfs a Little Hands apple<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2nrde89" target="_blank"><img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/2nrde89.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=x1dcag" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.tinypic.com/x1dcag.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />This guy is destined for some caramel dip.. <br /><br />I also got for Drake, some behemoth Navel Oranges<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=33b32tc" target="_blank"><img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/33b32tc.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Then something else caught my eye, while in the citrus section.. The ugliest citrus I had ever seen. Indeed, it was called “Ugli Fruit”. As I was tossing it around, analyzing it’s weight, some old bitties walked past me with their noses crinkled up and asked me “What’s that?!”. “It’s Ugli Fruit”, I replied. “I’d say so..”, they returned. Then they scampered off to the salad counter. <br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2qx9e05" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/2qx9e05.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />Apparently, this Ugli fruit originates in Jamaica, where it was found growing in the wild. It is described as a cross between a grapefruit and a tangerine and is reported easy to peel. <br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2i907ys" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/2i907ys.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2i1i29w" target="_blank"><img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/2i1i29w.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />Indeed, it is quite easy to peel. And the flavor of it is spot on. I say, I could and would eat it in a box with a fox. My only complaint is that the membrane on the thing is sooo thick. I simply peeled off as much as it as I could. The pulp is quite large as well..<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=ran28o" target="_blank"><img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/ran28o.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Lastly, I picked up some of this..<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2useh5i" target="_blank"><img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/2useh5i.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />It’s called Vivaloe and it’s peach flavored aloe juice. It’s clear for the most part, aside from the transparent pulp. Much more appetizing looking than the green funky stuff I found in the local tienda. Aloe juice is purported to assist with digestive issues and help skin look more radiant and hydrated. Had some apprehension about tasting it but I was pleasantly surprised. It tastes like peach propel water with chunks of watery refreshing pulp. I give a thumbs up. <br /><br />And this is the lighting set I got for Christmas. Not sure I’m using it correctly. Sorta just winging it but I’m slowly figuring things out. Tanks Mawm!<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=15qs1s5" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.tinypic.com/15qs1s5.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a></center>Stay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-56272611867408318042011-02-16T19:07:00.000-08:002011-02-17T18:00:54.063-08:00Blackberry Ale Glazed Pork Loin & Scallion Spoonbread<center>Tried an experiment today.. Turn out was fairly lucrative, I’d say. Further rifts can be made off of this one. Pork plays extraordinarily well with many fruits, especially red and tropical fruits. If you don’t fancy the idea of using beer, you can always use juice and jams/marmalades instead. Figure those ones out by internet searching and trial and error. This is my satisfying reward born of curiosity..</center><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Blackberry Ale Glazed Pork Loin<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span><br /><br />2-3 # Pork Loin<br />Olive Oil<br />1 Bag Frozen Blackberries<br />1 Bottle Ale (I used Sam Ad’s Blackberry Witbier (whitebeer) here)<br />1 c. Brown Sugar<br />** And after talking with one of the souschefs @ work, a tablespoon or two of light vinegar would be the extra oomph I think this dish was lacking - although it was good enough as is. Needs a little acid to stretch the flavors out<br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 350*F. <br />2. In a large saucepan, combine blackberries, ale and brown sugar over high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a rigorous simmer. Reduce this down for about 20 minutes.<br />3. Coat a large sauté pan with olive oil and set over high heat. Season pork loin with salt and pepper on all sides. Sear all 6 sides of pork loin in the sauté pan, approx 2 minutes each side. <br />4. Place seared pork loin in a roasting pan and pour the blackberry ale reduction over the loin. **Bake in the oven for approx. 18 minutes per pound. Baste the loin with the reduction liquid about every 20 minutes. <br />5. When loin is cooked to desired doneness, remove from pan and let rest on a cutting board for 10-15 minutes. In the meantime, pour liquid from the pan into a saucepan and heat to a boil. Reduce this mixture further as your loin rests. <br />6. Slice loin, pour reduced glaze over top and serve immediately. <br /><br />**Some people prefer a loin that is more well done that it needs to be. A pork loin is safely done when it reaches an internal temp of around 150. You may choose to cook the meat a bit longer until it hits 160 but I don’t suggest going any higher than this. Pork loin is a lean meat, that dries out easily if you aren’t careful with it. <br /><br /><center>(There is a double batch here because I feed a crowd..)<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2uo28ia" target="_blank"><img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/2uo28ia.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=30lcps0" target="_blank"><img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/30lcps0.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=167uu5e" target="_blank"><img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/167uu5e.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2d94lqe" target="_blank"><img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/2d94lqe.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2q17z28" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/2q17z28.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />Btw, I just love how this picture came out ☺<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=fdc7eh" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/fdc7eh.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />We’re goin’ in.. <br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=zx7861" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/zx7861.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=9hm1d2" target="_blank"><img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/9hm1d2.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />I served this with Scallion Spoonbread and a side salad of Spinach, Shredded Carrots and Heirloom Tomatoes<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2jvebt" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/2jvebt.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />See mah tomatoes? Aren’t they booootiful?!?<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=f0uj9u" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/f0uj9u.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=ddom4p" target="_blank"><img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/ddom4p.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=6gklli" target="_blank"><img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/6gklli.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />And the super easy spoonbread I made tonight.. It was a little dry because I fear I overcooked it. It also needs the addition of maybe 2/3 c. half and half or light cream. And to anyone about to be horrified by my masterful use of jiffy cornbread mix..<br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=v6hjpz" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/v6hjpz.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a></center><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />In-A-Jiffy Spoonbread<span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span><br /><br />2 pkgs Jiffy Cornbread Mix<br />2 c. Sour Cream<br />4 Eggs<br />1 C. Butter – Melted<br />2/3 c. ½ & ½<br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease a 9x13 casserole dish<br />2. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients til most of the lumps are gone. Add in shredded cheese or chopped scallions if you so wish. Pour into greased casserole dish. Bake for 30-40 minutes until firm (not jiggly anymore). Serve hot with butter. <br /><br /><center><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=efowgk" target="_blank"><img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/efowgk.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=4tsqog" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.tinypic.com/4tsqog.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2ns16vt" target="_blank"><img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/2ns16vt.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />‘Tis All ☺</center>Stay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-17795438876249867542011-02-15T19:49:00.000-08:002011-02-15T19:51:55.528-08:00Ropas Viejas Mio<center>Spanish for “Old Clothes” – what this robust tomato beef stew is meant to resemble, the braised strips of meat and vegetables turn out looking like a mound of colorful rags. <br />Ropa Viejas is known as a classic Cuban dish, and very popular throughout the Caribbean. This is a dish I first learned of through my MIL. She does a darn good version but this is my own according to my tastes and the things I like best about the stew. For instance, she prefers to use green bell peppers, which I can’t stand in the least. She doesn’t use annatto either, to my knowledge. I feel it lends a nice mellow peppery-ness to the dish versus using chilies, which I’ve found detracts from the dish. Of course, should one find they prefer a little more kick in their stew, by all means, hot sauce it up. <br />My version also uses beer. Not really particular about the kind of beer. I mean, keep it light. Here I used some Red Stripe, a Jamaican Lager (trying to keep things Caribbean). <br />I’ve seen a good many bastardized versions of this recipe. Hopefully actual Cubans won’t scorn me for my own.. </center><br /><br /><br />Ropa Viejas Mio<br /><br />¼ c. Olive Oil<br />¼ t. Annatto Seeds<br />2 Yellow Onions – sliced thin<br />2 Bell Peppers – sliced thin (color of your preference. I favor orange ones)<br />Several Garlic Cloves – crushed<br />2-3# Flank Steak (preferably – I often use milanesa, as I have here)<br />2 cans Fire Roasted Tomatoes<br />1 small tin tomato paste (I prefer sundried tomato paste)<br />3 c. Beer<br />1 Lime – Juiced & zested<br />1 Bay Leaf<br />1 t. Cumin<br />Salt & White Pepper TT<br /><br />Garnish:<br />Sour Cream<br />Sliced Scallions<br />Sliced Avocado<br />Shredded/Crumbled Cheese<br /><br />1. In a (preferably heavy cast) dutch oven, over med-high heat, pour in olive oil and annatto seeds and stir for 1-2 minutes to let the seeds infuse the oil with their color and flavor. Add sliced onions and bell peppers – sauté 10 minutes.<br />2. Meanwhile, if using milanesa steak, cut the meat into strips<br />3. Add crushed garlic, canned tomato, meat, tomato paste, bayleaf, cumin, lime and beer to the pot. Stir just to mix, bring to a simmer then cover and let everything braise for about 1.5 – 2 hrs. <br />4. Adjust seasonings. (If you used flank steak – transfer the meat to a cutting board and shred with two knives, then return to the pot). Serve with yellow rice, beans and fried plantains<br /><br /><center>This stew is at it’s most magical if made a day ahead and left to consummate overnight. <br />Perhaps the most unfamiliar ingredient in this whole thing is the annatto seeds. You should be able to find these in the spice section of the latino aisle in your grocery store. If you can’t find it there I suggest either heading to a tienda in your area or hitting up amazon.com’s grocery section. <br /><br />Annatto (also known as achiote) is the edible seed of the achiote/lipstick tree. These seeds are used to produce “annatto coloring”, which is used in many food items such as cheeses (cheddar, for instance), soups and rices. Depending on how much is used, it can tinge things in ranges from pale yellow to deep orange. <br />The plant flourishes in the south Americas, where natives have long used it in cooking, painting, treatment of heartburn and stomach pains, as a sunscreen and insect repellent and for make up. <br />I kind of view it as the poor man’s Saffron. It has it’s own flavor – as mellow yet pronounced as Saffron does – and it colors food the same way. It’s just hella cheaper, and that, me likey.<br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=ruqn89" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/ruqn89.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Pretty Pepper<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=mn2rcx" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/mn2rcx.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=auh6ig" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/auh6ig.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=wb54l4" target="_blank"><img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/wb54l4.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=23lz8ch" target="_blank"><img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/23lz8ch.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2lb0q38" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/2lb0q38.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a> <br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=6j0hgg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/6j0hgg.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />After it’s all said and done<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2us9bpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/2us9bpg.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2e2gugy" target="_blank"><img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/2e2gugy.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />With Ropas Viejas, I like to serve it with a garlicky rice pilaf and blackbeans and smother it in crema. I used annatto seeds to flavor the rice as well.<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=10sdks6" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/10sdks6.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br /><br />To see more pictures of the achiote plant, there is a great set of photos here<br /><br />http://www.maya-archaeology.org/pre-Columbian_Mesoamerican_Mayan_ethnobotany_Mayan_iconography_archaeology_anthropology_research/achiote_Bixa_orellana_annatto_cacao_drink_red_dye_coloring.php<br /><br /></center>Stay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-84327950235528006092011-01-23T20:11:00.000-08:002011-01-23T20:15:09.924-08:00Rat Patootie<center>I didn't take any full on mise pix of this set up but told a pal I'd put this recipe up for her. Who doesn't love Ratatouille?? :D</center><br /><br />3 T Olive Oil<br />2 Cans Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes<br />1 Sweet Yellow Onion, sliced thin<br />3 Garlic cloves, minced<br />1 T. Balsamic Glaze (see note)<br />1 t. Herbs de Provence<br />2 Zucchini<br />2 Yellow Squash<br />2 Baby Aubergine (Eggplant)<br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Use 1 T of the olive oil to coat a large casserole dish. <br />2. In a large sauté pan over med-high heat, sauté onion in remaining olive oil for 5-7 minutes until starting to caramelize. Add in minced garlic and sauté one minute more. Add fire roasted tomatoes and balsamic glaze to the pan and stir the bottom well. Bring to a low simmer and cover. Let simmer for 15 minutes.<br />3. Wash vegetables and slice them all thin on a mandolin (or cut them by hand if your knife skills are up to par). Try to keep them 1/4” thick and uniform. Layer vegetables in the oiled casserole dish. <br />4. Toss herbs de provence into tomato sauce, stir, season with salt and pepper and pour evenly over the top of the sliced vegetables. <br />5. Bake for 45 minutes. Top with shredded Parmesan if you like. <br /><br />*Note: You can make your own balsamic glaze by reducing at least 1 cup of balsamic vinegar (or more) by half in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmering is the key here. This reduction can then be stored in an airtight container in your fridge for at least 2 weeks. <br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2w3n6tf" target="_blank"><img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/2w3n6tf.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2nbfz9g" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.tinypic.com/2nbfz9g.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a></center>Stay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-66569000659591185092011-01-23T19:48:00.000-08:002011-01-23T20:10:39.914-08:00Some of What I've Been Bizzy Doin'<center>I've really let this thing go eh? Wow.. Okay. Well I'm back. Or.. at least I'm trying. School and work have been kicking my butt, royally. Until I get the chance to work on my christmas baskets I did this year I thought I'd add some things that I've been doing at work. It's a real feat for me to remember to remember to take any pictures at all with my phone, let alone remember to bring my camera to work, so I apologize for the quality of some of these. It'll be something I plan on working on soon here once banquets pick back up.. <br /><br />These are belgian endive spears with lobster salad<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=24evpew" target="_blank"><img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/24evpew.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Creamy Lemon Dill Potato Salad<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=155rzva" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.tinypic.com/155rzva.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Wild Mushroom Salad<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=ftmz9g" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.tinypic.com/ftmz9g.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Black-eyed Pea Salad<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2m6lav7" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/2m6lav7.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Canapes of Coconut Cornbread with Huckleberry Cream and Smoked Chicken<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=11vksqq" target="_blank"><img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/11vksqq.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Canapes of Sesame Rounds with wasabi cream, seared ahi tuna and pickled ginger<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=r0wpi9" target="_blank"><img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/r0wpi9.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Garden Salads<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=21obmvt" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.tinypic.com/21obmvt.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Crostini with Saga Bleu Cream and Cabernet Poached Pears<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=15x31x0" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/15x31x0.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Brushetta of Marinated Slow Roasted Romas and Fresh Mozzarella drizzled with Basil Oil<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=wclrap" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.tinypic.com/wclrap.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Large Cheese Display<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2lswj14" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/2lswj14.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2rruwbo" target="_blank"><img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/2rruwbo.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Mini Cheese Display<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2iu3ybn" target="_blank"><img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/2iu3ybn.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Antipasto Display of Grilled Vegetables<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=35bxzlg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/35bxzlg.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Aaaaaand.. the chick who did it all. I like my new work jackets :)<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=35mqwiv" target="_blank"><img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/35mqwiv.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Okay, so enough messing around.. I'll get on some stuff here soon. Adeiu! </center>Stay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-48835015915478809522010-09-05T19:10:00.000-07:002010-09-06T17:33:04.523-07:00Mexican Banana Bread (Pan de Platano)<center>So these plantains are taking fuh-ever and a day to ripen.. I would have waited til they were mostly blackened but I got all antsy in my pantsy and went ahead and made my Plantain Bread anyways.. <br />I happen to think it turned out well for being a first run and it was fun putting together some flavor combos for compound cream cheeses to accompany said plantain bread. Mmm…</center><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Mexican Banana Bread (Pan de Platano)</span><br /><br />2 c. AP Flour<br />1 t. ea. :<br />Baking Powder<br />Baking Soda<br />Salt<br />Cinnamon<br />2 Ripe/Over-ripe Plantains - diced small<br />1 c. Brown Sugar<br />1 stick Unsalted Buttah - room temperature<br />2 Eggs<br />1 T. Bacardi Solera Rum<br />1 t. Mexican Vanilla Extract<br />1 t. Cider Vinegar<br /><br />~ Preheat oven to 325*F and prep a loaf pan by greasing and flouring.<br />~ Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Set aside<br />~ In a mixer, cream together sugar and butter 2 minutes - til fluffy.<br />Add in eggs one at a time. Add in rum, vanilla and vinegar. Mix in<br />flour until just combined.<br />~ Fold in, by hand, the diced plantains. Pour batter into prepped loaf<br />pan and bake for 1 hr - 1 hr 10 min until a knife inserted comes out<br />clean. Let cool then unmold and slice. Spread on butter or a flavored<br />cream cheese (like the ones to follow). Enjoy :)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=532wc5" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/532wc5.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />I forgot the eggs here so just imagine I added them <br />How I prep a plantain (whose skins can be thick and may take some finangaling to get off)<br />Trim ends<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2s16sk8" target="_blank"><img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/2s16sk8.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />They are long so, cut in half and score the skin longwise. Make sections if you must, but this plantain was easy to peel. <br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=1411pnt" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/1411pnt.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=fkm8fd" target="_blank"><img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/fkm8fd.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />Oh God.. working has turned my hands into wrinkly old lady hands.. <br />Err.. back on track.. Yeah, dice these up. After having tasted the end product, I would dice this much smaller than I did here – since plantains are more solid and starchy than bananas.<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=256rcxj" target="_blank"><img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/256rcxj.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=161j6hc" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/161j6hc.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2usah3m" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/2usah3m.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />And through the magic of television… Voila!<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=30sk286" target="_blank"><img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/30sk286.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />I did 4 different combinations of flavored cream cheese to have with this plantain loaf. Get creative, add your own nuts/spices/extracts/oils/herbs/zests/juices (you get the idea ). </center><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Pepitas y Canela Creamcheese (Pumpkin seeds & Cinnamon)</span><br />8 oz. Cream Cheese<br />1 t. Ground Cinnamon<br />2 T. Powdered Sugar<br />2 T. Chopped Pumpkin Seeds<br />~ Mix creamcheese, cinnamon and 10x sugar with an electric mixer. Fold in pumpkin seeds. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Nuez el Clavo Creamcheese (Pecans & Clove)</span><br />8 oz. Cream Cheese<br />2T. Powdered Sugar<br />¼ t. Ground Cloves<br />¼ t. Vanilla Extract<br />2 T. Chopped Pecans – toasted<br />~ Mix creamcheese, ground clove, extract and 10x sugar with an electric mixer. Fold in pecans.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Cocoa Chile Creamcheese</span><br />8 oz. Cream Cheese<br />½ t. Ancho Chile Powder<br />1 T. Cocoa Powder<br />2 T. Powdered Sugar<br />¼ t. Vanilla Extract or Rum<br />~ Mix creamcheese, chile powder, cocoa powder, extract and 10x sugar with an electric mixer.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Mojito Creamcheese</span><br />8 oz. Cream Cheese<br />2 T. Powdered Sugar<br />Few drops of Lime Oil<br />1 T. Fresh Mint – minced<br />~ Mix creamcheese, 10x sugar and lime oil with an electric mixer. Fold in minced mint. Serve soon after making. <br /><br /><center><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=aax1li" target="_blank"><img src="http://i53.tinypic.com/aax1li.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2eph4d4" target="_blank"><img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/2eph4d4.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />Mexican Vanilla from Nielsen-Massey – Some of the best stuff on the market. I get mine through either <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/mexican-vanilla-extract-4-oz" style="color: #f5e100; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana;" target="_blank">King Arthur Flour</a> or <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/world-vanilla-set/?pkey=x|4|1||4|mexican%20vanilla||0&cm_src=SCH" style="color: #f5e100; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana;" target="_blank">Williams Sonoma</a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=jhfqtd" target="_blank"><img src="http://i54.tinypic.com/jhfqtd.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=29qf41z" target="_blank"><img src="http://i52.tinypic.com/29qf41z.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />I got this Boyajian Lime Oil from King Arthur Flour too. A 1 oz. bottle has the equivalent of like 80 limes or some crazy mess like that. So use sparingly!<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=24o4ndj" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/24o4ndj.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />Psst! I also added a smidge of this. Not too much, don’t want the cream cheese to be soupy and yuckers. <br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=10gcqr6" target="_blank"><img src="http://i55.tinypic.com/10gcqr6.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2ln7swg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i56.tinypic.com/2ln7swg.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2pr7k8p" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/2pr7k8p.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />Ugh, and with that.. Goodnight! </center>Stay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-19763722477886800252010-08-27T20:27:00.000-07:002010-08-27T20:36:31.804-07:00Platanos Fosters<center>I’m giving away the ingredient I plan on using for a 3 part series tonight but at the rate my free time is being eaten up, I’ve got to post whenever I have the spare moment or things’ll start to build up on me! <br /><br />Well these next few entries, you can surmise have all to do about plantains. Plantains are a tropical fruit that is kin to bananas – there is no “formal difference” and plantains are occasionally referred to as bananas but anyone who’s eaten both a banana and a plantain can tell you there is a marked difference. Bananas are most oft eaten raw from the peel while plantains, being much starchier and less sweet, are usually cooked in some fashion. <br /><br />Plantains are a global fruit, known and used all the way from Cali to Mexico to the Caribbean islands to Portugal, Africa, the Mediterranean, Thailand and all the way over to Australia. They can be used both in their green un-ripened state and also in their near-blackened over-ripe state. <br /><br />The way I am most accustomed to having plantains is when my Mother In Law either makes Tostones (double fried and flattened green plantain sprinkled with salt) or Platanos Maduros (frying an over-ripe plantain to either eat alone as a dessert or as a side dish). <br /><br />I have a couple that I’m waiting on to ripen, because my favorite way to eat plantains is in their sweeter form. I also had a couple that were already ripened and were at risk to spoil if I kept putting them off. So.. me being the day late and dollar short kind of person I am thought “Hey! What if I made a bananas foster type thing but with plantains!”. Ugh.. yeah, so original.. Google confirmed this – haha..<br />ANYWAY! I still wanted to do it up my way and this is what became of it..</center><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Platanos Fosters *said in a Nacho Libre accent*</span></span><br />2 Over-ripe Plantains – sliced on the bias about 1/4” thick<br />½ Stick Butter<br />2 T. packed Brown Sugar<br />Ground cinnamon (for sprinkling)<br />1.5 oz Banana Liquer<br />1.5 oz Bacardi Solera Rum <br />4 c. Oil<br />4 small flour tortillas<br />Dulce De Leche Ice Cream<br />Cinnamon Sticks<br /><br />~ In a small/medium saucepan (or conversely, a deep fryer) heat the oil to 350-375*F. Drop a tortilla in the hot oil and press down a metal ladle/spoon in the center so that the tortilla takes the shape of a shell around the ladle. Fry until lightly browned and place on a plate lined with papertowels to drain. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon while still warm. <br /><br />~ In a sautepan over med-high heat, melt butter til frothy – add sliced plantains to the pan and let fry for about 2 minutes. Add brown sugar to the pan and a sprinkle or two of cinnamon. Cook for another minute. Add liquors to the pan and set alight with a long match or long lighter *take extreme care at this step and be prepared for a big flame* - shake the pan a bit as the flame goes down and the alcohol burns off. Once extinguished, take the pan off the heat. <br /><br />~ Place a tortilla cup on a plate or in a bowl, spoon a scoop of dulce de leche icecream in the middle of the cup and top with 4-5 plantain slices and a few spoonfuls of the rum sauce. Garnish with a stick of cinnamon and enjoy immediately <br /><br /><center><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=w84709" target="_blank"><img src="http://i36.tinypic.com/w84709.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />You can use just about any rum you’d like for this recipe but I used a special Bacardi 1873 Solera if for no other reason than it’s a Bacardi that is made in mexico and my plantain series is meant to have a hint of Mexican flair about it :D<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2v80ajl" target="_blank"><img src="http://i35.tinypic.com/2v80ajl.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Frying the tortilla shells<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=25yx3dc" target="_blank"><img src="http://i35.tinypic.com/25yx3dc.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2z5ljco" target="_blank"><img src="http://i37.tinypic.com/2z5ljco.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Ripe plantains are still pretty firm in relation to a ripe banana<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=1q5n6g" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.tinypic.com/1q5n6g.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=10omao7" target="_blank"><img src="http://i37.tinypic.com/10omao7.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />After flambéing<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=333vdj6" target="_blank"><img src="http://i38.tinypic.com/333vdj6.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Use any vanilla/cinnamon/caramel icecream you like – I like Haagen Dazs’s Dulce De Leche<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2qu2fdh" target="_blank"><img src="http://i33.tinypic.com/2qu2fdh.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Delicioso!<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=2drvx9i" target="_blank"><img src="http://i34.tinypic.com/2drvx9i.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Stay tuned.. :D</center>Stay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-90415882130697111422010-08-18T17:53:00.000-07:002010-08-18T18:01:15.463-07:00Missing In Action... :(Okay WOW.. I know! I've been gone so long! Well to explain, no, I haven't forgotten about this blog. I've just been going through some big life changes and to be honest, simply enjoying the summer with my children a bit. <br /><br />My family and I have relocated back to the USA is one big change.<br />I'm registered to start school back up in the fall for my Bachelor's..<br />And I have a new part-time job coming up...<br /><br />I reckon I won't really need this blog for my original reasons for beginning it BUT.. in the same breath I think I still need it. I still need a means of experimentation and inspiration. I will be amongst professional peers again but part of me is intrinsic when it comes to seeking out answers. <br /><br />I think I have a couple of good ideas for future blog posts but it's something I just wanted to let any readers out there know that I haven't given up on. <br /><br />So.. yeah. See you on the flipside! Will be up and writing again very soon here.Stay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-16050077610170446782010-05-28T05:03:00.000-07:002010-06-11T11:38:01.591-07:00Orange Chipotle Carnitas<center>Sheesh! It’s been a bit of a break since my last post but alas, I am back with another. I was trying out a vegetarian “fast” of sorts for a few days but am now back to carnivor-ism ☺ I had already made this dish a few weeks ago but didn’t do one of the steps that really and truly make it what it is. Any traditional-styled carnitas cannot begin to be deemed traditional if it is not fried in fat ☺. TRADITIONAL traditional carnitas (“little meats”) are fried in lard after being roasted or braised in the cook’s choices of liquid and spices. Outside of the flavor, the most crucial thing about carnitas that make them so weak-in-the-knees yummy is their texture.. melt-in-your-mouth tender yet crispy and caramelized. <br /><br />You can simplify this kind of dish by skipping the frying as an afterthought and go straight to braising the meat IN melted lard and then finishing by cranking the heat so the meat crisps up. Shred and enjoy. </center><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">My Orange Chipotle Carnitas</span></span><br /><br />3# Pork Shoulder/Butt – cut into 4 manageable peices<br />3 canned Chipotle chiles + 3 T. Adobo sauce<br />2 Oranges – zested & juiced<br />2 cloves Garlic – peeled<br />2-3 T. Lard or Shortening<br /><br />~ In a food processor, combine chipotles, adobo, zest, juice and garlic – process til well combined.<br /><br />~ Lay pieces of pork in a medium sized crockpot – pour orange chipotle mixture on top of meat and let cook on low for about 8 hrs (or dutchoven @ 300*F for 3 ½ - 4 hrs).<br /><br />~ Remove meat from liquid (set liquid aside). Shred meat with a fork or by hand and set aside. <br /><br />~ In a large sauté pan, heat left over liquid to a simmer & let reduce for about 5 minutes. Add shredded meat to the pan and toss to coat meat in the liquid. Let the meat brown for a minute before tossing a few more times until there is barely any liquid left in the pan and the meat is uniformly browned. Serve warm with desired accompaniments.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Accompaniments:</span><br />Warmed corn tortillas<br />Sliced onions<br />Diced tomatoes<br />Chopped Cilantro<br />Sliced Avocado<br />Sliced Radishes<br />Sour Cream<br />Rice<br />Refried Beans<br /><br /><br /><center><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/k49dp4.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/5xiesl.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />I used an extra orange (clementine) here for shits’n’giggles – who knows if it actually imparts more flavor? Lol<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/nxrl9l.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />See all the leftover liquid? A mix of rendered fat from the meat and the orange/chipotle liquids<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i50.tinypic.com/2rwnqqx.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />Shredded meat<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/jug192.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />Rendered liquid reduc.<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/ddlt85.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/jij66e.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />Finished “frying”<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/2a69ojs.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />Heating my tortillas for tacos – Double the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comal_%28cookware%29" style="color: #e8e815; font-size: 12px; font-family: Verdana;" target="_self">comal</a> , double the fun!<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/e0gbxl.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/jkhp4h.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i46.tinypic.com/igdbep.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />So that’s that. So simple. So satisfying.. You may see recipes out there that call for coke or pepsi, etc. I believe they even use soda for carnitas in mexico! Those are alright but I’ve made it that way and it produces a very sweet meat – something I didn’t much care for as a taco filler. (And that’s SUPER weird coming from me, the gal with the insatiable sweet tooth). I find the orange juice lends juuuust enough sweetness and won’t overpower any kind of chili/spice you put in there. I’ve seen a recipe floating around online that uses pineapple juice and soysauce, smh. Just say NO yall.. </center><br /><br /><br />Source(s):<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnitas<br />http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/search?query=carnitas&submit.x=0&submit.y=0&submit=submit<br /><br /><center><a title="Orange on Foodista" href="http://www.foodista.com/food/6SR73T8L/orange" style="display: block; padding: 5px; border: 5px solid #FFAD00; -moz-border-radius: 2px; -webkit-border-radius: 2px; background-color: #fff; width: 100px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0;"><img alt="Orange on Foodista" src="http://cf.foodista.com/static/images/widget_logo_md.png" style="border: none; width: 84px; height: 18px; padding: 0; margin: 0;" /><img src="http://dyn.foodista.com/content/embed/z1.png?foodista_widget_6SR73T8L_AAAAAAAA" style="display: none;" /></a></center>Stay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-81628644520305670532010-05-19T01:25:00.000-07:002010-05-19T09:40:37.851-07:00Chili-Spiced Dark Fudge Brownies<center>Not really chipotle, but still chili related.. My recipe for rich dark fudgey brownies with delightful undertones of spice (in the flavor sense, not in the heat sense – these aren't hot brownies but they have lots of sensuous spicey flavor). I fashioned this one from a few recipes I'd found but decided to make the flavors more intense by using not only the chili powder but also brown sugar, freshly ground cinnamon & organic dark chocolate (the really good stuff, not the generic baker's chocolate). <br /><br />The kids wanted so badly to bake something and I'd been meaning to re-do a batch so to the chefcave we went..</center><br /><br /><em><strong>Chili-Spiced Dark Fudge Brownies</strong></em><br /><br />6 oz. Bittersweet/Dark chocolate – chopped<br />1 c. Butter – cut into pieces<br />1 ½ c. Brown Sugar<br />2 t. Vanilla Extract<br />4 Eggs<br />1 ½ c. Flour<br />1 T. Pasilla/Ancho Chili Powder (you can try chipotle too, but I'd add just a smidge less)<br />1 t. Cinnamon<br />1/2 t. Salt<br /><br />~ Preheat oven to 350*F and grease a 9x13 in. baking dish. <br /><br />~ In a microwaveable bowl, melt chocolate and butter in the microwave just until smooth. Mix in sugar to the melted chocolate and let this mixture cool a bit. <br /><br />~ Whisk eggs into chocolate mixture, 1 @ x – blend well before each addition.<br /><br />~ Whisk in flour, spices and salt. Pour the brownie batter into the greased dish and bake for 30-35 minutes – until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before serving (better the next day though IMO). <br /><br />Makes 12 brownies. <br /><br /><center><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/2tvmv.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i50.tinypic.com/6h2ru9.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/30hq3v4.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/n4ik9h.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Cuttin' the buttah<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i50.tinypic.com/11llwms.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i50.tinypic.com/90sy81.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Mixin'<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i50.tinypic.com/2hd36on.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i47.tinypic.com/28hmko5.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i45.tinypic.com/30lmmgi.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />The fudgey finished result<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/20penp1.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Feel free to make this with standard baking chocolate and whatever have you. Also, feel free to make it as organic as possible. Organic eggs, sugars, flour.. After writing that piece on child labor in chocolate production I decided to use organic chocolate as often as I possibly could. I would like to start becoming a more responsible consumer – an extraordinary feat in this day and age of mass production and bountiful sweatshops. But.. <em><strong>I'm</strong></em> going to do as much as <strong>I</strong> can and that's all anyone can do..<br /><br />I was worried about the kids taking to the dark chocolate. They don't have chocolate much to begin with and when they do it's usually that toned down milk variety we're all used to, thanks to umpteen sugar-laden Halloweens and Easters.. BUT! They scarfed them down in no time flat. True, not the savoring approach I take and would like them to emulate BUT.. they ate them and liked them so I consider it ground covered in the battle of refining our tastebuds :)</center>Stay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-70397648957706400842010-05-13T22:32:00.000-07:002010-05-14T05:57:32.738-07:00Roasted Mango Chipotle Shrimp w/Rice & Chilled Blackbean Salad<center>Second entry in my “Chipotle Theme” week. I can't rightly remember how I got the idea for this one, surely a rift off of something but I made it my own. Roasting the mangoes added a sweet complexity to the sauce in this dish, exactly what I was aiming for. <br /><br />I really would have rather used raw fresh shrimp for this dish, and certainly will the next chance I get but.. the only shrimp I had available was pre-cooked frozen or arabian gulf shrimps. And if you've heard anything about Kuwait's recent-ish leaky sewage issues, you'll understand why I bolted for the frozen. But I believe the sauce would have penetrated the raw shrimp much better, making for a more comprehensively flavored dish. </center><br /><br /><em><strong>Roasted Mango & Chipotle Shrimp</strong></em><br /><br />2 dz. Jumbo Shrimp – peeled & deveined <br />2 med. Mangoes – cut into strips<br />4 canned Chipotle Peppers + 2 T. Adobo sauce<br />1 Lime – juiced<br />¼ c. Olive oil<br />Salt – large pinch<br /><br />~ Roast mangoes under a broiler for 10-15 minutes or until they just begin to char – Combine these in a blender with the chipotle + adobo, lime juice, olive oil and salt. Puree til smooth & let cool to room temp. <br /><br />~ In a shallow dish, coat shrimps with mango/chipotle puree, cover and let marinate in the fridge for at least an hour. In the meantime, soak 8 bamboo skewers in water. <br /><br />~ Skewer 3 shrimps to a bamboo skewer & grill shrimps for 2-4 minutes on either side or until the flesh turns milky white. Serve with Garlicky White Rice Pilaf.<br /><br />Serves 4<br /><br /><strong><em>Garlicky White Rice Pilaf</em></strong> (per Rick Bayless)<br /><br />1 ½ c. med. White Rice<br />1 small White Onion - diced<br />Olive Oil<br />2 Garlic cloves – minced<br />1 ¾ c. Chicken Stock<br />1 Lime – juiced<br />Salt TT<br /><br />~ Preheat oven to 350*F<br /><br />~ Heat an oven proof 3qt saucepan over the stovetop - saute rice and onion in a swirl of olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic to the pot and saute another minute. Add in stock & cover with lid. Place the pot in the oven and cook for 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before seasoning with lime juice and salt. Fluff with fork. <br /><br /><br />In addition to this I made a chilled blackbean salad. It's got a few things going on in it but for simplicity sake, I'm just going to call it a blackbean salad. <br /><br /><strong><em>Chilled Blackbean Salad w/Lime Cilantro Dressing</em></strong><br /><br />2 cans Blackbeans – drained & rinsed<br />1 c. fresh Corn off the cobb<br />2 vine ripe Tomatoes – diced<br />1 med. Chayote – diced<br />1 small Red Onion – thinly sliced<br />1 Bell Pepper (yellow, orange or red) – diced<br />2 lg Limes – juiced & zested<br />1 lg Jalapeno – seeds & membranes cut out & diced<br />½ c. Cilantro<br />¾ c. Olive Oil<br />Salt TT<br /><br />~ In a large bowl combine blackbeans, corn, tomato, chayote, onion & bell pepper.<br /><br />~ In a blender, process the lime, jalapeno, cilantro and olive oil til smooth. Toss with the diced vegetables and blackbeans and season with salt. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least an hour. <br /><br /><br /><center>Mise – I love these indian alfonso mangoes. They have a certain creamy quality to them that I think make them stand out from other varieties. However, do with what you have. Any mango is a good mango in my book! Look for mangos that give a little when you squeeze them, to denote their ripeness. And generally when they begin to yellow and/or redden a bit like the ones pictured, that's another indicator of ripening (though not true for every type of mango). <br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/91glg0.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/309rk74.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Roasted mango slices<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/ie128p.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Sittin' happy – drinking up that spicy mango-ey goodness<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/2empl5e.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Let ch'ya see my grill..<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/2q2mm4j.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />What you need for Garlicky Rice – tres simple<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/2lmnihl.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Mise for Blackbean Salad<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/j6rf9y.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/52donn.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Not a bad meal at all if I do say so.. This meal was made only for adults so I didn't skimp when it came to the spiciness of the chipotles. Went full strength on that. Admittedly though, the heat punch of a chipotle/jalapeno is not that hot. And funnily enough, I am one of those kinds of people who don't enjoy a very high level of heat in their food but I looove chili peppers and their flavors. So much so that they're the theme of my home kitchen. <br /><br />But back to what I was saying about chilies and their heat, and I was talking with a friend about this a bit today.. Most chilies hold the hardest-hitting part of their heat in the seeds AND the white membrane/ribbing that anchors the seeds to the flesh of the chili. Some level of heat IS present in the flesh but for the most part, you can really cut down on the heat by discarding the innards of the chili. <br /><br />And that “heat” I keep mentioning has a proper chemical name – Capsaicin. This was discovered by Christian Friedrich Bucholz in 1816 - and almost a hundred years later, in 1912, a man named Wilbur Scoville created a “scale” by which we could measure the spiciness of every variety of capsicum (pepper) family member known to man. <br /><br />Mr. Scoville's test's accuracy however, is subject to the human palate as this is the medium by which his test registers heat. Some found this to be in error – not illogical since as humans we are apt to inaccuracy. Another unit of measurement was created by the American Spice Trade Association, using something called “High-Performance Liquid Chromatology”. Basically science science science and hey, I majored in food not chemistry so you're on your own figuring out the rest.. But essentially, Scoville's unit of heat measurement is still used in conjunction with the ASTAHU – they multiply their findings by 15 and come up with a number very close to what would be found on that pepper according to the Scoville Heat Unit (SHU). <br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/15mju3o.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Just how I was saying I'm not a fan of spicy heat, some people are actually hardwired to enjoy the pain that is inflicted by capsaicin via consuming hot peppers/sauces. It is thought that the pain induces release of the euphoria-inducing hormones called endorphins. These neurotransmitters, oddly enough, help reduce pain so it's like this chemical paradox – consume, cause pain, release hormone that dulls pain, repeat. Ahh the human body..</center><br /><br />Source(s):<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoville_scale<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsaicin<br />http://health.howstuffworks.com/human-nature/emotions/happiness/science/endorphins.htmlStay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-83098868263277439782010-05-11T11:16:00.000-07:002010-05-12T08:31:14.765-07:00Raspberry Chipotle Lamb Chops w/Cilantro Lime Couscous<center>In honor of my great love for "sweet dinners" and piquant Mexican flavors, I've decided to do a 3 part blog on dishes using a fruit/chipotle flavor coupling. First in my series is a Mexican/North African fusion of Raspberry Chipotle Lamb Chops with Cilantro-Lime Couscous. I had found a delectably robust raspberry/chipotle barbecue sauce in the Sultan Center many months back and paired it with Lamb Chops (one of my husband's favorites). It came out so exquisite that I told myself I should try a “from-scratch” version of my own someday. With the abundance of canned chipotles stocked up in all markets here, I figured someday should be today..</center><br /><br /><em><strong>Raspberry Chipotle Lamb Chops</strong></em><br /><br />2 dz Lamb Chops ½ in. thick – frenched<br />1 bag frozen Raspberries - thawed (or 2 cups fresh if you can afford/find them)<br />4 canned Chipotle peppers + 1 ½ T. Adobo sauce <br />1/3 c. Raspberry Vinegar (or red wine or a flavored balsamic works well too)<br />2/3 c. Vegetable Oil<br />2 T. Brown Sugar<br />2 cloves Garlic<br />Salt TT<br /><br />~ In a blender, combine all ingredients aside from the chops (I remove the hot seeds from the peppers when cooking for the kids - otherwise the kick is rawther nice). Puree til smooth. <br /><br />~ Divide chops between 2 large ziploc baggies or place them in a large container so that they can be arranged in a single layer. Divide puree between the 2 bags or coat the single layer of chops and cover with clingwrap. Set in the fridge to marinate overnight. (When ready to cook, grilling will be the best option but you may also use an indoor griddle or a cast iron pan. Ensure whatever you'll be using is screaming hot, in order to get a good sear).<br /><br />~ Preheat oven to 350*F – On a white hot cooking surface, sear chops for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Season with salt, place chops in an oven-safe dish and slide into your preheated oven for 8-12 minutes until desired doneness (I like most of my meats on the medium side so around 8 min for me, longer for the kids obviously).<br /><br />Serves 4-6<br /><br /><br /><em><strong>Cilantro Lime Couscous</strong></em><br /><br />1 ½ c. Quick cooking Couscous<br />2 ¼ c. Water<br />1 Lime – zested and juiced<br />½ c. Cilantro – chopped<br />1 T. Olive Oil<br />Salt TT<br /><br />~ In a medium sauce pan bring water and lime juice to a boil then turn off heat – add couscous to the pot and cover. Let stand for 5 minutes to let the couscous absorb all the liquid,<br /><br />~ Fluff couscous with a fork and mix in cilantro, lime zest, olive oil and salt. Serve in a warm dish. <br /><br /><br /><center>Mise – don’t forget the garlic cloves. I did and I know they would have made the marinade that much better. <br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/650469.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/4tpyj7.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />Frenched/French-style simply means that the rib bones have been scraped clean <br /> <br />That sauce came out smooth – who knew a cheap black & decker blender could be so craptastic and so good @ the same time (R.I.P my beloved red beehive Oster)<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/16bei2q.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/2s8jr6p.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /> <br />It’s too hot out to grill and I just wanted to get dinner done so I didn’t bother doing batches on my griddler. Cast iron it was!<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/2cei1yq.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/o70uc3.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /> <br />Couscous mise<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/wh1onl.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /> <br />And eet is done!<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/1z1h09g.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/d5uz9.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /> <br />The sauce didn't come out looking anything like the bottled one I had bought, and was less intense on the heat and sweetness but this recipe still made for a nice juicy chop.. The kids went YUM for them!<br /><br /><br /><br />Chipotle Peppers<br /> <br />Chipotles are a traditional Mexican ingredient that is wildly popular in the US, especially the southwestern region that has easier access to the good stuff. Majority of us know their spicy smoky goodness, and we know that they’re peppers, but not everyone I’ve met seems to know that they are the smoked & dried version of jalapeños. (Jalapeños are medium sized chilies (2-3 ½ in.), ranging in color from deep green to bright red and have a medium spicy heat (2500-8000 SHU) according to the Scoville scale). <br /> <br />The ancient Aztec peoples would smoke-dry jalapeños because traditional sun-drying would take too long to thoroughly dry the thick-skinned pepper before it rotted. The drying process has little effect on the heat of the chili. <br /> <br />The product most US consumers are familiar with is the chipotle morita – morita, meaning “little blackberry”, is a description of the black/dark-red/purple dried jalapeño that is produced in the Mexican state Chihuahua. <br /> <a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/1213aip.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Most Mexican consumers use chipotle meco (a.k.a ahumado, tipico), produced in south-central Mexico. These dried chilies resemble cigar butts, are tannish-grey in color and have a smokier flavor than their US preferred counterpart. It is known as the “authentic” chipotle pepper. <br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/i3fol4.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />*Side note, I tried getting a definition on “meco” out of the husband. He thought I was asking about “mecco”, which I won’t even mention the definition here but it was funny. Worth a mench.*<br /> <br />Chipotles are sold either in whole dried form, ground into powder, pickled, as a paste or canned in adobo sauce. They can be used in numerous ways – in salsas/sauces, rubs, salts, marinades, soups/stews and even in some creative desserts for those willing to step outside of their preconceived sweet comfort zone.<br /><br />..More to follow :) </center><br /> <br />Source(s):<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chipotle<br />http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Chiles-1024/chipotle.aspx<br />http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-chipotle-pepper.htmStay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-37424995865102497942010-05-04T09:20:00.000-07:002010-05-12T01:58:49.208-07:00Orange Mascarpone Crème studded with Cocoa Nibs & a Foodie Cause<center>Here's a new creation I made this week after looking through my pantry and noticing the pack of cocoa nibs I'd bought from <a href="http://www.deandeluca.com/" target="_self" style="font-size:14px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">Dean & Deluca</a> a few weeks back. I immediately thought they'd be great mixed in with a tiramisu-type dessert, except my husband hates coffee so I had to back peddle a bit. Of course I've already shared my love of mascarpone, so that was alright as it was. I made a dinner the night before utilizing some clementines and thought that orange, chocolate and cream would be an attractive combination (there aren't a lot of fruits that don't pair well with chocolate, if any).<br /><br />What ended up happening..</center><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Orange Mascarpone Crème studded with Cocoa Nibs</span></span><br /><br />1 8 oz. Tub Mascarpone <br />1 8 oz. Tub Cream or <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/search?query=Neufchatel+&submit.x=9&submit.y=4" target="_self" style="font-size:14px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">Neufchatel</a> Cheese<br />1/2 c. Sugar<br />2 small Oranges – 1 zested & juiced<br />1/2 c. Heavy Cream<br />¼ c. Cocoa Nibs<br />2 oz. Dark Chocolate – broken into small bits & put in microwave safe bowl<br />4 delicate long Cookies (like pirouette, lace, tuille etc)<br /><br />~ With an electric mixer blend mascarpone, cream cheese, sugar, orange & heavy cream on medium speed for 3 minutes until smooth. Fold in cocoa nibs by hand then transfer this mixture to a large plastic ziploc baggie or pastry bag. Place the bag in the fridge to chill for 2 hours. <br /><br />~ Gently melt the chocolate in a microwave, in small 10 second increments, until almost all the chocolate bits are melted. Stir continuously until completely smooth and let cool for a few minutes. Take a chilled glass (wine, parfait or other) and drizzle melted chocolate along the sides of the glass. Place the glasses in the fridge.<br /><br />~ Cut remaining orange into decorative wedges<br /><br />~ Snip off one corner of the baggie holding the cream mixture and pipe into chilled glasses. To serve, stick a long/thin cookie into the glass and garnish with an orange slice. Top with a few more cocoa nib<br /><br />Serves 4<br /><br /><center><br />********************<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/25u5pgh.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />Cocoa nibs.. <br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/29feecj.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />Chocolate Pirouette Cookies<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/2ilc84o.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/24wx1kj.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/103sdx5.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/wvby9d.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />This is an incredibly easy dessert that you can prepare in less than 10 minutes (mascarpone is wicked awesome like that). You can dress it up with different flavors, types of chocolate and kinds of cookies like.. keylime, melba (raspberries/currants), blood oranges, meyer lemons, coffee, caramel, balsamic strawberries, figs, pistachios, almonds, mint, mangoes, white chocolate, tuille cookies, lady fingers.. A lot of possibilities. Ooh, I think next time I'm going to go with a white chocolate/melba combo!<br /><br />Now I'd like to discuss for a bit, a new social issue that is very concerning to me as both a chef and a mother especially.. Child slave labor in chocolate production. <br /><br />I think it's relatively safe to say that not many of us give a second thought to where that hershey bar/ kit kat/ butterfinger that we're in the middle of enjoying originated from. The United States is the top importer of chocolate in the world (worth $80bn!). And the top 2 cocoa producing countries lie in West Africa – Ghana & the Ivory Coast (together producing more than ½ the world's supply of chocolate). Both are known for their huge child labor trafficking problems. <strong>Over a quarter of a million children, some as young as 10,</strong> work the cocoa fields of Ghana and the Ivory Coast. They often do this in lieu of attending school and are frequently stolen from their parents and/or sold by family members to cocoa farmers. To learn more about this disconcerting issue, I recommend watching the BBC documentary “Chocolate - The Bitter Truth” (available for viewing as a 6pt series on youtube).<br /><br />It's a pretty demented reality that while our children are enticed to sell candybars as a means of school fund-raising, it comes at the cost of another family giving up on their own children's education. <br /><br />I know what you're thinking. How on earth am I supposed to know what products are child labor-free? I know... a lot of producers don't readily market the means of acquirement on their packaging. Luckily, modern consumers are starting a revolution. <a href="http://www.globalexchangestore.org/Articles.asp?ID=135" target="_self" style="font-size:14px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">Fair Trade</a> farming is making a splash – a concept meant to give farmers fair opportunity to sell their goods and fair payment for said goods. The hope is that if these farmers are paid an honest wage, they'll be less likely to need to drive down costs by using slave labor and if they do use children on their farms (which in some instances is completely socially acceptable) that they will compensate these families for their children's work monetarily or by providing them an education. There is a lot more to understand about the issue so I urge you to read through the link. <br /><br />So when looking to buy chocolate, keep an eye out for fair trade labels on the packaging (reading labels is our most important resource as consumers). Chocolate is also one of those items that are smart to buy organically. West Africa doesn't really grown organic cocoa so, more than likely, chocolate marketed as such is child labor-free. <br /><br />Let's start saying no to this..<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/286r4f4.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /></center><br /><br />Source(s):<br />http://news.bbc.co.uk/panorama/hi/front_page/newsid_8583000/8583499.stm<br />http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=12754<br />http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/02/the_bitter_trut.php<br />http://www.takepart.com/news/tag/child-labor<br /><br />Activism:<br />http://vision.ucsd.edu/~kbranson/stopchocolateslavery/main.html<br />http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/cocoa/actnow.html<br /><br />Where to buy Fair Trade Chocolate and other FT items:<br />http://www.globalexchangestore.org/SearchResults.asp?Cat=38Stay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-54008326035424994052010-05-03T10:00:00.000-07:002010-05-12T01:59:12.080-07:00Mexican Potato Salad<center>Months ago, I'd made a “mexican” potato salad to bring to a friend's BBQ. My husband, who likes to share my blog with his co-workers, told me that someone who had attended that BBQ had asked if I'd put the recipe up on my blog. I was so pleased that someone had remembered my cooking so well that I thought the occasion deserved an entry :)<br /><br />I thought I was so slick, dreaming up a “mexican” rift of potato salad. I googled it as soon as I'd thought it up and not surprisingly, I was not the first person to ever stumble upon the notion (I get that alot). However, I had something punchier in mind. Most recipes I saw included use of pickled jalepenos (blech!), carrots, peas (wtf over?). I wanted big mexican flavors but still wanted cool tangy creaminess. Behold!</center><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Mexican Potato Salad</span><span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span><br /><br />3# Red Bliss Potatoes (or any other thin skinned potato you prefer, yukon golds are always a favorite alternative)<br />1 c. Sour Cream<br />½ c. Mayonaise<br />2 Chipotle Peppers - seeds scraped out & minced + 1 T. of the canned adobo sauce<br />1 Lime – zested & juiced<br />1/2 of a Chayote – small dice (cut out & discard the pit/seed)<br />1 small Red Onion – small dice<br />2 ribs Celery – small dice<br />Sea Salt – To Taste<br />½ c. Cilantro - chopped<br />Apple Cider Vinegar (for taste adjustment)<br /><br />~ Pick potatoes of the same general size. Scrub clean. Place in a large pot and fill with water to cover. Bring water to a boil, then bring to a simmer and cook potatoes for 15 minutes or until barely fork tender. Drain potatoes in a colander, then cover with a clean kitchen towel so the potatoes continue to steam and cook (for 20-30 more minutes)<br /><br />~ Meanwhile, dice the celery, onion and chayote<br /><br />~ After the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut into 1 in. cubes. In a large bowl, combine potatoes with the sourcream, mayo, chipotle + adobo, lime, diced vegetables and large pinch of salt. Mix til combined. Taste and add more salt and acid accordingly. Cover and place in the fridge at least 3-4 hours. <br /><br />~ Just before you plan on serving, toss in chopped cilantro and mix<br /><br /><center><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/2q179mt.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />Ta da! Wasn't that fast?? Haha, how exciting is the process of potato salad making?<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/24pmqkl.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />What would take this potato salad up to another level would be some diced dried chorizo! I sorely wish I had some on hand and am pretty sure I had put it in my original concoction when I had some in my pantry stores. If you can't seem to find any good quality chorizo in any of the markets in your area, I highly suggest a special order from <a href="http://www.tienda.com/" target="_blank" style="font-size:14px!important;color:#FFFF33!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">tienda.com</a>. These people KNOW their chorizo and have umpteen varieties to choose from, including different kinds of fresh. <br /><br />Now comes the section where I research the most obscure ingredient in my recipe list, should there be one that is not too common. I suppose in this instance, that would be the chayote.. FUN! <br /><br />Chayote is the Spanish version of a Nahuatl [Aztec] word “chayotli”. It is a green, pear shaped plant belonging to the gourd family. It is often labeled “Chayote Squash” in supermarkets but I see there is some debate as to whether that is botanically correct. I searched for a good hour to differentiate between gourd and squash and basically what it seems to boil down to is that all squash are gourds but gourds are not always squash.. or some such bullshit.. <br /><br />Moving along.. Chayotes are a rather bland, yet still nutritionally lucrative fruit that was first cultivated in Mexico and Central America. The entire plant is edible; from it’s roots to its leaves and shoots. It is rich in amino acids and Vitamin C and can be eaten both raw and cooked (boiled, sautéed, mashed) although is best prepared heavy on the seasonings. <br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/jr2srb.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />Personally, I rather like it raw and enjoy mine in salads. It has the firm starchy texture of a potato or water chestnut and tastes much like cucumber or aloe. The seed in the middle IS edible but most people cut it out and discard it, as it’s a bit tough. Look it up on youtube for some preparations and try it! </center><br /><br />Source(s):<br />http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Produce-638/chayote.aspx<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chayote<br />http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/vegetables/a/squash.htmStay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-8439173437310405012010-04-23T15:03:00.000-07:002010-05-12T01:59:36.757-07:00Pozole Rojo<center>Now this is closer to the version I’ve long known to be pozole. I would say it’s really non-fuss but I hate straining the chile puree. But in just a few relatively uncomplicated processes, you can bring forth history in a pot. <br /><br />Its the stuff that ancient Aztec kings feasted on for special occasions (but you know.. like, <span style="font-style:italic;">sans</span> the left over meat from your human sacrifices - cause like Willy Wonka says, “that is called cannibalism my dear children, and is in fact frowned upon in most societies”). <br /><br />I checked into what my “Savoring Mexico” book had to say on red pozole and found a version the author took from a friend that resides in the state of Sinaloa. Her recipe used all manner of pig from the ribs to the feet to the head (of which the ears are a delicacy). Pig head is hard to come by in the commissary so pork shoulder will do me just fine and isn’t really a deviation at all, traditionally speaking. <br /><br />I mentioned before that pozole can differ a bit from state to state but you can find any mix of preparations anywhere you turn. I’ve mapped out a few of the states that are known more for one addition or another. (My Mother In Law is from Guerrero – which is why I’m surprised I’ve never seen her serve Pozole Verde, for which they are known. She’s hiding secret recipes from me! lol)<br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/28qihh.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a></center><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Pozole Rojo</span><span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span><br /><br />4 qt Water<br />2# Pork Shoulder – fat trimmed and cut into large chunks<br />1-2 Heads Garlic – tops trimmed off and papery skin removed<br />1 Onion – peeled but left whole<br />½# Dried Chiles (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chilaca" target="_self" style="font-size:14px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">Ancho/Pasilla</a> or <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/search?query=guajillo&submit.x=0&submit.y=0&submit=submit" target="_self" style="font-size:14px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">Guajillo</a> or preferably a mix for more complexity)<br />- de-stemmed and de-seeded<br />4 c. Hot Water<br />2 corn tortillas – flash fried & torn into small pieces<br />2 lg cans Hominy<br />1 T. Mexican Oregano<br />1 Sprig <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/search?query=epazote&submit.x=18&submit.y=11&submit=submit" target="_self" style="font-size:14px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">Epazote</a><br />Sea Salt<br /><br />~ In a large stockpot put on water, pork shoulder, garlic head(s) and onion to a simmer and continue this way for at least 2 hours. Remove solids when this time is up, setting aside the meat for shredding. Skim the fat and other little extra bits off the broth<br />~ In the meantime, prep the chiles by trimming the stem off with kitchen shears, cutting the pod open and scraping out the seeds – from here you can either place chilies in a large bowl and cover with hot water or put them in a stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Steep the chilies in hot water for an hour<br />~ Put chilies in a blender along with the onion and garlic from the pork broth (squeeze the garlic out from the skins) and the bits of fried tortillas. Blend with 1 c. of chile steeping water to make a puree. Strain this puree through a fine mesh sieve and add to the stockpot of broth<br />~ Add shredded pork, hominy, oregano and epazote to the pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and serve hot with favorite condiments.<br /><br /><center>Mise<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/2rgfbys.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />As I said, I used 2 different chiles for added depth to the stock. The slender smooth skinned one is a guajillo and is very common for use in mild salsas. The wrinkled one is an ancho (also falsely called an pasilla by some Americans – anchos are dried poblanos where pasillas are dried chile negros – both are similar in heat and have sweet raisin-esque qualities when in dried (seco) form)<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/9pmhw3.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Very simple to de-seed. Just trim the top off and run your shears along one of the folded edges and open the chile pod like a book.<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/10gw9cg.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/209rqfo.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />After steeping, nicely reconstituted and color is perked back up<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/fdhitu.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Here is where the elbow grease comes in, but it isn’t all that bad. Just strain the chile puree through a fine sieve until all you’re left with is a lump of bits in your strainer and a bowl of nice smooooth sauce<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/29qipky.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/2la9fux.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/24fad5w.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br />Guajillos aren’t terribly hot on their own so if you want heat in your soup I suggest adding a spicier pepper, like a chile de arbol or serrano, to the puree mix.<br /><br />Now the chile salsa is added to the pot along with the hominy and shredded pork - all this is left to simmer, reduce and meld<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/dos5df.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/6p1c2q.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Showing the viscocity of the soup – a bit thicker than I bargained for but it wasn’t a bad thing at all. Add more water to you pot if you want it really brothy. <br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/5b92fp.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Now that’s good eating!<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/2r70swy.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/10hspdh.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />And that would be my gringo attempt at pozole, which serves this family just fine. Besides, I don’t think I’m not far off. I seldom make this soup due not only to the dread of cleaning my sieve but also the lack of ethnic ingredients required and that are mostly never in stock on Kuwait supermarket shelves. It was good though that I had decided to make en entry on it and research the background of the dish a bit more. Food’s synergetic history and undertones never cease to amaze me. <br /><br />So do me a favor one leisurely weekend and busy yourself with creating a pot of this fantastic brew – and pay never-no-mind to the Aztec/Willy Wonka quip as you do so :D Oh! And be sure to include the radishes! They might look strange to the American palate to have in a soup but they truly are a perfect condiment!</center><br /><br />Source(s):<br />http://www.explorandomexico.com/about-mexico/5/212/<br />http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/2408-red-white-or-green-warm-up-the-winter-with-pozole<br />http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/howtocook/cuisines/oaxacan<br />Savoring Mexico pg. 92 – Marilyn TausendStay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-83461649347417773242010-04-22T09:51:00.000-07:002010-05-12T01:59:51.627-07:00Pozole Verde<center>Pozole, posole, pozsole... However you find it spelled you will still find a hearty bowl of steamy, spicy, fragrant goodness. Pozole is a traditional soup of Mexico - one that has many variants but one constant being the presence of tender lime-treated corn. Pozole translated in English means “foamy” - meant to describe the fluffy appearance the corn kernels have once the hull [and germ] has been removed. (I’ll touch a bit more on this later). [Hominy is another name by which pozole kernels are known in the U.S. - They are usually sold in tin cans in most grocery stores but can also be found bagged in Mexican tiendas/mercados.]<br /><br />My first experience with pozole was in sampling my Mother In-Law’s version with red chilies and chicken pieces (pull the meat from the bone yourself). Since then I was totally under the impression that this was all that pozole has ever been. However, I have recently discovered that while pozole may be a national dish of sorts, many different areas/states have their own take – the commonality, again, always being the inclusion of those meaty puffy maize kernels. <br /><br />Today I present a new (to me) preparation of pozole, utilizing tomatillos and green chilies. This particular recipe I swiped from my Savoring Mexico cookbook (omitting the use of mushrooms in the original ingredient list. I can just hear my husband now.. “My Mom never used mushrooms in pozole!”).<br /><br />This soup, in addition to being a green version of pozole, is a vegetarian soup and has a unique method of thickening that I’ve seldom seen. First, it includes ground pumpkin seed - a traditional thickener in Mexican soups and sauces. Then it also includes a puree that has broken bread & tortilla bits blended in. So we’ve got thickening by pumpkin seed and bread puree. Beats roux IMO!</center><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Pozole Verde</span><span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span><br /><br />Soup<br />3 T. Vegetable Oil<br />1 Corn tortilla<br />2 thin slices day old Baguette/Bolilo<br />7-8 c. Water<br />1# <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/search?query=tomatillo&submit.x=0&submit.y=0&submit=submit" target="_self" style="font-size:14px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">Tomatillos</a> – chopped<br />1 sml Onion – chopped<br />4 cloves Garlic <br />2 Serrano Chiles – chopped<br />1 c. Cilantro sprigs<br />3 T. Sesame Seeds<br />3 T. Pumpkin Seeds - toasted<br />1 Stick Cinnamon<br />1 Sprig <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/search?query=epazote&submit.x=18&submit.y=11&submit=submit" target="_self" style="font-size:14px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">Epazote</a><br />4 Whole Cloves<br />Favorite Stock Cubes<br />2 c. Hominy <br />Salt<br /><br />Condiments<br />Thinly sliced Radishes<br />Avocado Slices<br />Fine minced onion or pico de gallo<br />Fried tortilla strips<br />Shredded White Cheese<br />Shredded Cabbage<br />Lime Wedges<br /><br /><br />~ Heat oil in a frying pan and flash fry the tortilla and bread slices for 1-2 minutes. Drain them on paper towels. Tear into small pieces once cooled. <br />~ Make a spice bundle by placing the cinnamon, epazote & cloves in a piece of cheesecloth and tie off with some kitchen twine<br />~ In a blender combine tomatillos, onion, garlic, chiles, cilantro, and bread/tortilla pieces with ½ c. water and puree til smooth. In the same frying pan used for the bread/tortilla, fry this sauce on high heat for a few minutes and then let simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes.<br />~ Use a spice mill to finely grind the sesame and pumpkin seeds. Place this mix into the unwashed blender with 1 c. water and blend<br />~ In a large stockpot combine 6 c. water, the tomatillo mixture, the seed puree, the spice bundle, the hominy and stock cubes – bring to a simmer and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Season with salt and ladle into hot bowls. Serve with bowls of favorite condiments so that everyone can add to their soup as they like.<br /><br /><br /><center>Mise – just add water<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/30j780h.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Tomatillos are a mild green tomato that proliferates in Mexican cuisine. It has thin papery husks and is related to gooseberries.<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/1253vqt.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />This smelled fantastic while it was frying. It was like the aroma of salsa verde amplified by 10.<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/snklts.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />I can’t find fresh epazote here but was able to score some dried from Dean & Deluca – it’s a wonderful little herb that I find to be reminiscent of dill<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/vfc9iq.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Making the spice bundle – I didn’t have cheesecloth or twine on hand so I improvised with some medical gauze and dental floss, haha<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/55oufn.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/2m2tdds.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Grinding the seeds. I have yet to buy a mill for this purpose and thought that I didn’t have these ground fine enough but they turned out okay in the soup. No grittyness.<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/2aiplwh.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Condiments - I found an awesome cumin seed gouda in the market the other day..<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/2rnwowo.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Spoons Up!<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/w8nhir.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Drake’s creation ☺<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/34iftj9.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Tatum’s ☺<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/69dk0m.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Now to briefly explain the process by which pozole is created.. Simple and ingenious really. First, dried white corn is boiled/cooked with an alkaline solution (the lime I referred to in the beginning of the blog is one example of an alkali product - but it’s not the thing we know as that green punchy citrus. We’re talking about calcium hydroxide, which is created by mixing calcium oxide (quicklime) with water ( CaO + H2O = Ca(OH)2 ). For chemistry’s sake, we’re just going to say it’s a mineral and call it a day).<br /><br />Once the corn is cooked through it is rinsed and [traditionally] hand rubbed to remove the hulls. The by-product of this process is now called nixtamal (and the process itself is called nixtamalization). From here, the corn can be eaten in a soup/stew or it can be ground for <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/search?query=masa&submit.x=25&submit.y=7&submit=submit" target="_self" style="font-size:14px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">masa</a>.<br /><br />I’m sort of amazed that ancient peoples even thought to do this. One of the original ways they performed this process was with ashwater. By removing the hull they’ve made the corn more nutritious (by un-binding the niacin it contains), easier to digest (we can’t process the hulls) and have made it more malleable (tortillas, tamales & grits! yum!). <br /><br />Additionally, the alkaline treatment reduces toxic molds (mycotoxins) that often plague maize (and are carcinogenic!).. AND the alkaline solution infuses the corn with minerals like calcium, zinc and iron. Not too bad for a people convinced that humans were fashioned from cornmeal.. (haha, I guess dust isn’t much more “logical” but moving on).<br /><br />Anyway.. This soup came out spectacular IMO. It’s completely vegetarian but was so filling. Mine came out a bit paler green than I thought it would but I think that was because the pumpkin seeds I bought were very white. The husband was impressed and told me about 5 different times throughout dinner about how much he’d missed pozole verde – that his mother seldom made it due to how “time intensive” it is and that mine was spot on.. *dusts shoulder off* :D </center><br /><br />Source(s):<br />http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Food-History-994/mexican-food-cooking-history.aspx<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixtamalization<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posole<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkaline<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_hydroxide<br />Savoring Mexico pg 98 – Marilyn TausendStay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-19807974972082432292010-04-10T11:06:00.000-07:002010-05-12T01:54:46.107-07:00Rosemary Crusted Lamb Chops and White Bean Cassoulet<center>OMGoodness! Really easy dinner tonight. Had to share, it was too flippin' good. <br />I did an easier rift of <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lamb-Chops-with-White-Beans-and-Gremolata-13447" target="_blank" style="font-size:16px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">a recipe I got off epicurious</a> having to do with lamb chops, white beans and <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/search?query=gremolata" target="_blank" style="font-size:16px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">gremolata</a>.<br /><br />Again, I didn't plan on blogging about this one so no mise, but here's the recipe all the same. </center><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><strong>Rosemary Crusted Lamb Chop and White Bean Cassoulet</strong></span><br /><br />2 dz Lamb Chops - <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/entry?id=2606" target="_blank" style="font-size:16px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">frenched</a><br />Sea Salt<br />1 t. Rosemary (fresh would be best, just chop it, but dried is fine)<br />Olive Oil<br /><br />1 med Yellow Onion – bite sized <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/search?query=julienne" target="_blank" style="font-size:16px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">julienne</a><br />3 cloves Garlic – minced<br />2 cans Chopped Tomatoes<br />3 cans White Beans (cannellini, flageolet, navy etc.) - drained<br />1 c. frozen chopped Spinach (or 2-3 c. fresh if you prefer)<br />2 Lemons - zested and juiced<br /><br />~ Pre-heat oven to 350*F<br /><br />~ Sprinkle chops with rosemary and salt and then in a large oven proof pot (or pan) with lid, add a swirl of oil to pot over high heat. Sear the seasoned side for 1-2 minutes. While this is happening, season the other side and sear. Take chops out of the pan, place on a plate and set aside (do in batches if you must).<br /><br />~ Add another swirl of oil to the pan you've been using and add the onions to saute for a few minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and saute another minute. Add canned tomato to pot and let simmer for 5-7 minutes to let the tomato juices reduce a bit. Add beans, spinach and lemon to the pot and stir.<br /><br />~ Place seared lamb chops over top of the <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/search?query=cassoulet" target="_blank" style="font-size:16px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">cassoulet</a> mixture, in a single layer. Cover the pot and place in the oven to “stew” for 25-30 minutes. <br /><br />~ Serve lamb chops over the <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/search?query=cassoulet" target="_blank" style="font-size:16px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">cassoulet</a> and garnish with a lemon slice. Serve with a side salad and some yummy crusty bread!<br /><br />Serves 6. <br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/20rw9c3.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/20qnhqb.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/1erqk7.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />I used fagioli cannellini in this recipe and oh! The beans were so creamy and tender.. Not to mention the chops with their nice brown sear, tender pink (but thoroughly cooked) meat and lovely rosemary fragrance. My husband especially loved the punch of lemon throughout. <br /><br />For some information on nuances of beans I highly suggest checking out the article <a href="http://www.chow.com/stories/12048?tag=main_body;feature_story" target="_blank" style="font-size:16px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">"Know Your Legumes"</a> on Chowhound. You will be surprised at how characteristically different beans can be. <br /><br /></center>Stay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-10195934494427123032010-04-05T07:13:00.000-07:002010-05-12T02:00:51.683-07:00Sweet Potato & Coconut Milk Soup<center>I don't have many pics for this entry because 1.) I hadn't really planned to blog about it in the first place but am just getting into the habit of taking pictures when I'm cooking and 2.) after I made it I figured a better and less work intensive way of making it is in the crock pot so.. that's the kind of recipe I'll give.<br /><br />ANYWHO!<br /><br />I love quirky soups like this one I stumbled upon, and the fact that it contains some form of coconut endears it to me twice fold. It's got a lot going for it.. Multi-faceted in flavor, spiced, rich, vibrant, healthy and cheap if you play your cards right. <br /><br />I'm not sure how much sweet potatoes proliferate in Thailand (Although I know they are used - I've already admitted once or twice my weakness in asian cuisine) but this soup is at the very least a thai-fusion dish with the coconut, chiles, spices and lime. <br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/wuf7mv.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />The way I will make it next time is pretty much entirely in the crock. And I will give a vegetarian recipe although there are many variations online that use diced chicken (I myself used diced ham but realized this soup would be every bit as fulfilling sans meat). </center><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">Sweet Potato & Coconut Milk Soup</span><span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span><br /><br />2 med. Sweet Potatoes – large dice<br />2 med. Carrots – large dice<br />2 apples – peeled, cored & large dice<br />1 lg. Yellow Onion - diced<br />2 green chiles (I used jalepenos) – seeded, de-ribbed & minced<br />2 garlic cloves – minced<br />1 t. fresh ginger - minced<br />2 t. ground cumin<br />1 t. coriander<br />1 t. turmeric<br />1 can Coconut Milk<br />4-5 c. Vegetable Broth (start w/4 – add more after puree step to adjust consistency)<br />1 lime – zested & juiced<br />Salt to taste<br />Minced fresh Cilantro for garnish<br /><br />~ Add all ingredients except the lime to a large crock pot and cook on High for 3-4 hours (until potatoes are tender)<br /><br />~ If you are fortunate enough to have an immersion (stick) blender, use it at this time directly in the crock to puree the vegetables to a desired consistency - **If you do not have a stick blender, feel free to transfer the contents of the crock to a blender and puree in batches if you must<br /><br />~ Stir in lime juice and salt to taste – garnish with cilantro<br /><br />(If you want to add in diced meat, just saute the meat and add to the crock after you have pureed the soup for ½ hour more on low setting)<br /><br /><center><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/ok1vd2.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Well that's it! I didn't really research anything but rather just wanted to share a dish that had a pleasing turnout for me. Ciao now!<br /></center>Stay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-547628183911213712010-04-01T23:56:00.000-07:002010-05-12T02:02:53.513-07:00On a Lazy Weekend Morning.. Can't Beat Beignets!!<center>Known in some shape or form all over the globe, deep fried dough looks to be an universal language. From Spanish churros and buñuelos to European crullers and zeppolas to Chinese you-tiaos and all the way back to the United States' 200+ year amour for the hot, fluffy, powdered sugar-crowned beignets, everyone seems to have an innate love for choux pastries.<br /><br />Choux is a traditional french dough that has a high moisture content in which steaming is the method by which the dough rises. It's the dough by which we make creampuffs (profiteroles) and eclairs. It doesn't need a leavening agent, but sometimes yeast and other leavening ingredients are added to a recipe. Such is the case with the lovely puffy, fluffy, slightly chewy beignets. But differing from the classic method of baking choux dough, beignets are fried. <br /><br />The verdict seems to be out among food historians as to by whom and exactly when the delicious fritter was brought to us yanks from the European motherland - but a general consensus seems to lie with french colonists who came to the port of New Orleans, Louisiana in the 18th century. Since then, beignets have been nationally associated with the city, and in 1986 were deemed the “official doughnut” of Louisiana. And when you're in Louisiana, you eat your beignets with a piping hot cafe au lait made with coffee, milk and chicory (chicory was used back in the day as a “filler” for expensive coffee but it actually lends itself extraordinarily well to balancing and smoothing out the bitterness of dark roasts). <br /><br />So I got this recipe, which is actually widely distributed online – It's such a cinch to make, and you do up the dough the night before so you have something in the morning that you can roll out fast and fry quickly. </center><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Beignets (yeast dough recipe)</span><span style="font-weight:bold;"></span></span><br /><br />1 ½ c. Warm water (looking for between 105-110*F)<br />1 pkg Active Dry Yeast (or 2 1/4 t. from jar)<br />½ c. Sugar<br />2 Eggs<br />1 c. Evap milk<br />1 t. Salt<br />¼ c. Shortening or Butter, softened<br />7 c. Flour<br />Oil for frying<br />10x Sugar for topping<br /><br />~ In a bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water for 5 minutes – Blend in sugar, eggs, milk, and salt <br />~ Mix in ½ flour until smooth - Mix in shortening and then add remaining flour til just combined<br />~ Cover and chill for 4 hours or overnight<br />~ On a floured surface, knead the dough a bit and roll out to 1/8 inch. Cut into 2 in squares and fry in 360*F oil (or in a deep fryer) for about 2 minutes on each side or until puffed and golden brown. Keep warm in a low oven<br />~ When serving, pile on the powdered sugar and don't skimp! Serve with hot coffee<br /><br /><center>Now this recipe will get you a buttload of beignets so for your average family of 5, you can use about half this amount and chill/freeze the rest.<br /><br />Beignets can be adapted to a number of flavors and can be filled with both fruits and savory items (vegetables, meats, cheese). I saw a sweet potato beignet recipe that looks very interesting.. Just another new thing I learned about beignets today.<br /><br />MISE (left out the shortening but you need that too – pretty simple though eh?)<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/14142oj.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Dough chilled overnight<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/11gi04l.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/4drwl.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Rolled and cut into squares<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/217n1k.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Frying – the dough pulled a bit when I was cutting it so they're more like rhombus-es rather than squares. Lawl.<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/2mz01nk.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Finished Product! NOM!!<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/o5t1l1.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/1z1tgsl.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />These would be just as lovely topped with a yummy fruit compote, or drizzled with honey, agave nectar or maple syrup! And some spices thrown into the dough would take them to another level I'm sure! Cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, anise.. The sky my friends..<br /><br />Bon Appetite!</center><br /><br /><br />Source(s):<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beignet<br />http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/BeignetsHistory.htm<br />http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20071116/FEATURES/711160304<br />http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Beignets/Detail.aspxStay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-16752570249220907292010-03-25T13:02:00.000-07:002010-03-25T13:21:25.709-07:00Indonesian Pork & Coconut Stew w/Wok-sauteed Bok Choy and Peppers<center>Something old and something new I thought. I needed a crockpot recipe this week so I thought I'd just throw together an old favorite of mine (not necessarily of anyone else in the family but um.. *%$k'em – lol). <br /><br />There is an stew I love that utilizes coconut milk (a big favorite flavor of mine) and some of my favorite spices (cumin & coriander). It is originally meant for beef, and that makes sense with it being an Indonesian stew, but I find that pork is a far far superior substitute. (I'm reminded of that one episode of No Reservations in Indonesia where in Bali, Chef Bourdain samples some chili stuffed, coconut basted suckling pig roasted over an open-fire spit – looks like heaven on earth! And since then, the idea of the combo of pork and coconut has had a sweet spot in my memory banks)<br /><br />This stew is best served with a side of white rice. I looked for jasmine in the market but alas, had to settle for basmati. I always seem to agonize over what vegetable to serve along side this dish. I've served peas and whole green beans but none of that ever seems right. Unfortunately, one of my weak areas is Asian cuisine :(<br /><br />But then I remembered seeing bok choy and recalled my one instance of preparing some back when I was at the CCVA. Yeah it's a Chinese vegetable but Indonesia isn't far off, they're both Asian so foo! It's the best I could come up with on the fly!<br />So after perusing some recipes I decided to do a wok saute of sliced bok choy and bell peppers. Simple and exactly what I'm looking for to go with an A) Slow cooker meal and B) Asian meal in need of vegetable side. <br /><br />So enough yappin'. Down to the nitty gritty. <br /><br /><strong>Indonesian Beef Pork Stew</strong><br /><br />¼ c. Vegetable Oil<br />3 # Boneless Beef Chuck OR Pork Shoulder/Butt – cut into 2 in. cubes<br />1 Yellow Onion – chopped<br />2 c. Shredded Coconut (preferably unsweetened, but if sweetened is all you can find that's fine. I've never had a problem with it)<br />1 T. Brown Sugar<br />1 T. Ground Coriander<br />1 T. Ground Cumin<br />2 cans Coconut Milk (shake cans well before opening to re-emulsify the cream and watery milk)<br />Salt and White Pepper TT<br />Steamed White Rice for serving<br /><br />~ In a large frying pan, heat the oil and fry meat chunks til seared on all sides (about 5 minutes). To avoid crowding the pan and to get a good sear, do this in batches if you must. <br />~ Add the onions, shredded coconut, brown sugar, spices and 1 t. of salt and pepper to the pan (along with the rest of the meat) and saute until everything is nicely browned and fragrant (about 7 minutes). Transfer this mixture to the slowcooker.<br />~ Add the coconut milk to the frying pan and raise the heat to <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/search?query=deglaze" target="_blank" style="font-size:16px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">deglaze</a> the pan and scrape up all the yummy brown bits. Bring the milk to a boil and then pour over the mixture in the slow cooker.<br />~ Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8. Season the finished stew to taste with salt, pepper or a touch more brown sugar. Ladle over steamed rice. <br /><br />MISE!<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/2m6v4ig.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />As always, when cutting into particularly tough cuts of meat you are going to want to <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/03/why-should-you-cut-meat-steak-against-the-grain.html" target="_blank" style="font-size:16px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">slice against the grain</a>. To not do so will produce a tough piece of meat and waste all that tender potential. <br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/2elrpl5.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/142c18y.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />After all seared and fragrant – smells so good.. Spicy and sweet like I like it!<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/1g5341.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Deglazing the pan<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/fzbwic.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/zxpvo0.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />After it's time melding in the crockpot<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/2exakya.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Basmati Rice – so easy to prepare! Really.. just boil it in a generous amount of water for 10 minutes, drain, let sit for about 3 minutes and fluff!<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/adgp40.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br /><br /><strong>Garlic Wok-fried Bok Choy and Peppers</strong><br /><br />Vegetable Oil<br />1 Yellow Bell pepper – <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/search?query=julienne&submit.x=15&submit.y=5" target="_blank" style="font-size:16px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">julienne</a><br />1 Red Bell pepper – <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/tools/fooddictionary/search?query=julienne&submit.x=15&submit.y=5" target="_blank" style="font-size:16px!important;color:#FFFF00!important;font-family:Verdana;text-decoration:none!important">julienne</a><br />2 Heads Bok Choy – slice and separate the leafy part from the white stalk (the stalk needs more cooking time than the leafy part so prepare and keep separately)<br />2 Garlic Cloves – minced<br />1 t. Soy Sauce<br />Salt TT<br /><br />~ Heat oil in a hot wok and saute peppers and the white part of the bok choy. Cook for about 5 minutes. <br />~ Add in leafy part of bok choy and garlic to the pan and saute for two minutes more until the greens are wilted. Splash soy sauce all over and serve immediately. Salt to taste. <br /><br /><br />Wash your bok choy at the last minute, under cold running water. Remove the root stem as it is inedible.<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/n5ookj.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br /><strong>Wok-in' out with my bok out!</strong><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/c83k3.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Pretend I'm saying “Let's Eat!” in Chinese right here.. Maybe Cantonese?<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/24lq5cj.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a></center><br /><br /><br /><strong>Bok Choy</strong><br />Bok Choy, also known as Pak Choi (literal meaning of “white vegetable”), is a leafy dark green variety of Chinese cabbage. Indeed, there are about 3 dozen Chinese cabbage varieties but bok choy is quite distinguishable and is becoming very popular in Western cuisine and markets. Bok Choy was first introduced to Europe in the 18th century, and later in North America during the gold rush of the late 19th century.<br /><br />Bok Choy is sometimes described as bitter but mostly as a mild and slightly sweet vegetable. It is part of the brassica family of vegetables (cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, brussle sprouts) and resembles a cross between celery and swiss chard. It is utilized by a myriad of cooking preparations (eaten raw (sometimes marinated), stewed, sauteed, braised, steamed..). This vegetable is also a wonderful source of vitamins A, C, B6, potassium, folic acid, calcium and iron<br /><br /><br />Source(s):<br />pg. 25 Food Made Easy (Slow Cooker) – Williams Sonoma<br />pg. 104, 105 The Visual Food Encyclopedia – Wiley Publishing, Inc.<br />pg. 84, 122, 185 The Flavor Bible – Karen Page & Andrew Dornenburg<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_cuisine<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_cabbage<br />http://chinesefood.about.com/od/vegetablesrecipes/a/bokchoy.htm<br />http://www.produceoasis.com/Items_folder/Vegetables/BokChoy.html<br />http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/03/why-should-you-cut-meat-steak-against-the-grain.htmlStay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-86179245992691578562010-03-10T05:06:00.000-08:002010-03-10T06:33:19.119-08:00Birthday Party BBQ Buffet! *Recipes*As promised, here are the recipes:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">BBQ/Baked Beans</span> (the recipe I *should have used – only by these suggestions did I get mine to taste somewhat similar to the traditional)<br /><br /> * 1 large onion, diced<br /> * 2 (16-ounce) cans pork and beans<br /> * 3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard<br /> * 1/4 cup maple syrup<br /> * 1/4 cup light brown sugar<br /> * 4 tablespoons ketchup<br /> * 1 tablespoon lemon juice<br /> * 1/2 pound bacon strips, cut into 1/2-inch pieces<br /><br />~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.<br /><br />~ In a Dutch oven, mix onion, pork and beans, mustard, maple syrup, light brown sugar, ketchup, and lemon juice. Top with the bacon pieces. Bake, covered, for 45 to 60 minutes.<br /><br />Serves 4 (definitely double this recipe!)<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip</span><br /><br />1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese,<br />softened<br />1/2 cup mayonnaise<br />1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese<br />1/4 cup grated Romano cheese<br />1 clove garlic, peeled and minced<br />1/4 teaspoon garlic salt<br />salt and pepper to taste<br />1 (14 ounce) bag artichoke hearts,<br />thawed & drained <br />1 bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed<br />& drained<br />1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese<br /><br />~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a small baking dish.<br /><br />~ In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, garlic, basil, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach.<br /><br />~ Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.<br /><br />Serves 12<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Baked Potato Salad</span> (by Pampered Chef)<br /><br />6 medium baking potatoes (about 2 pounds)<br />3/4 cup sour cream<br />3/4 cup mayonnaise<br />8 slices bacon, crisply cooked, drained and chopped (about 1/2 cup)<br />1/2 cup chopped red onion<br />1/2 cup chopped celery<br />1/2 teaspoon salt<br />1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper<br /> Thinly sliced green onions with tops (optional)<br /> Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)<br /><br />~ Preheat oven to 425°F. Scrub potatoes thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Brush potatoes with vegetable oil. Prick potatoes all over with a fork. Bake 50-60 minutes or until tender. <br /><br />~ Meanwhile combine sour cream and mayonnaise in small bowl. Add bacon, red onion and celery to sour cream mixture. Stir in salt and black pepper and cover tightly with cling wrap. Refrigerate until ready to serve.<br /><br />~ Remove potatoes from oven; cool completely. Coarsely chop potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in a large bowl; fold in sour cream mixture. Cover & refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight. Garnish with sliced green onions and cheddar cheese, if desired.<br /><br />Yield: 12 servings<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">7 Layer Dip</span><br /><br />1 can Refried Beans<br />2 Avocadoes – mashed<br />1 Lime – juiced & zested<br />Salt TT<br />1 jar medium Salsa<br />1 Large Yellow Bell Pepper – diced<br />1 lg bunch Cilantro – chopped<br />1 16oz. tub Sourcream<br />1 bag shredded cheese (Mexican style, Colby jack or Monterrey Jack)<br /><br />Just add the lime juice and salt to the mashed avocados and then layer ingredients, in order, into a small-medium pyrex dish. You can make this the day before, it will be fine. <br /><br />Also, it would be prudent to add any desired spices to the refried beans before layering them. Next time, I’m going to add some southwestern seasoning to mine!<br /><br />Serves 8-10<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Fruit Skewers with Yogurt Honey Dip</span><br /><br />Simply assemble your favorite fruits onto wooden skewers. I used globe grapes, strawberry, pineapple and banana (although you’ll want to assemble this as close to serving time as possible if you don’t want your banana to brown). <br /><br />The dip simply consists of an 8oz tub of yogurt (preferably greek) with as much honey drizzled in to fit your tatstes. <br /><br />I made enough for 40 skewers in my picture. <br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">“Chopped”/Mixed Green Salad</span><br /><br />Romaine Lettuce<br />Red Onions – thinly sliced<br />Cherry Tomatoes<br />Bell Peppers – julienned or diced<br />Cucumbers – sliced or diced<br /><br />Serve with any desired cheese, crumbled bacon and/or croutons<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Buttermilk Dressing</span><br /><br />I short-cutted here by using Hidden Valley’s Buttermilk mix with real buttermilk and mayo. /shamed face. Lol<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Avocado Dressing</span><br /><br />See <a href="http://stayhomechef.blogspot.com/2010/01/empanadas-arroz-rojo-chimichurri.html" style="font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial Black;" target="_self">this entry</a>.<br /><br /><br />Cupcakes:<br /><br />For the Chocolate, I used a Paula Deen recipe for “Chocolate Dirt Cups” but omitted the frosting and topping. I also used DECAF coffee knowing it would be served to kids, haha. It worked perfectly, SO moist!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Chocolate Cupcakes</span><br /><br /> * 8 ounces sour cream<br /> * 1 tablespoon vanilla extract<br /> * 2 cups all-purpose flour<br /> * 2 1/4 cups sugar<br /> * 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder<br /> * 1/2 teaspoon baking powder<br /> * 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda<br /> * 1/2 teaspoon salt<br /> * 1 cup strong brewed coffee<br /> * 1 cup vegetable oil<br /> * 3 large eggs<br /><br />~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 3 cupcake pans with cupcake liners.<br /><br />~ In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into cupcake liners about 2/3 full. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.<br /><br /><br /><br />My daughter asked me to make “pink” cupcakes so I wanted to try out a strawberry kind to have a good reason for the “pink” (which I did have to add a few drops of FC to, to make the color vibrant). I got this recipe from the Sprinkles bakery. I found them to be a bit dry, or drier than I expected. I’d say you can up the strawberry puree in these to a full cup and be able to get away with it. I will try them again and work on that. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Strawberry Cupcakes</span><br /><br /> * 2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed<br /> * 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted<br /> * 1 teaspoon baking powder<br /> * 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt<br /> * 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature<br /> * 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract<br /> * 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature<br /> * 1 cup sugar<br /> * 1 large egg, room temperature<br /> * 2 large egg whites, room temperature<br /><br />~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.<br /><br /> ~ Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.<br /><br /> ~ In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.<br /><br /> ~ In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.<br /><br />~ With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.<br /><br />~ Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.<br /><br />Makes 1 dozen. I haven’t tried their <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/candace-nelson-strawberry-frosting?lnc=38f9cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD&rsc=recipecontent_tv" style="font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial Black;" target="_self">frosting recipe</a> but plan to on my next try. <br /><br /><br />For the Pineapple Cupcakes, I couldn’t find a decent recipe completely from scratch and I didn’t want to do them upside down so, I just modified a cake-mix recipe commonly known as “7-up” Cake. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Pineapple Mix Cupcakes</span><br /><br /> * 1 pk Yellow cake mix<br /> * 1 pk Instant pudding mix;<br /> * 3/4 c Cooking oil<br /> * 4 Eggs<br /> * 1 Bottle Seven-Up (10-oz.)<br /> * 1 medium can of crushed Pineapple, drained<br /><br />~ Preheat oven to 350F.<br />~ Mix everything together with a mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes. <br />~ Prep a cupcake tin and fill 2/3 full. <br />~ Bake 20-25 minutes til golden and done. <br /><br />Voila! I will be working on a from-scratch version in the near future. I just didn’t feel like fiddling with one last week. <br /><br />And the creamcheese recipe I used, I also modified as I always do because I feel most creamcheese recipes don’t call for enough 10x sugar (I always use double whats called for). So mine is simply..<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Creamcheese Frosting</span><br /><br />1 8oz tub Creamcheese – room temp<br />1 stick unsalted Butter – room temp<br />1 tsp. Vanilla Extract (or any other extract you may have or like – get creative!)<br />4 c. Powdered Sugar – sifted<br /><br />~ Cream together creamcheese and butter for 2 minutes until fluffy and well combined. Add in extract. <br />~ Add in sugar in 2 batches or keep going until you reach a consistency you like. <br /><br />Bing Bang Boom! And that’s all I got for now folks! Enjoy!Stay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-33985744890574188722010-03-10T04:53:00.000-08:002010-03-10T05:05:59.863-08:00Birthday Party BBQ Buffet! *Pix*<center>I’ve neglected my blog all week, but it was for really good reason. I was busy prepping for my newly minted 7 and 5 year old's joint Birthday Party (a perk, I must say, of having children with birthdays that fall w/in a week of each other ☺). When I plan a party, no matter how small, I tend to get a little meticulous and I really threw myself into it being that it was for my children. <br /><br />I so wished I had time to document all of my prep, but alas, I was spread thin on time per usual. I did manage to get pictures of the finished product and that’s as good as anything! I figured I’d also include the recipes I used so look out for those after this entry should you be interested. <br /><br />The party was at noon and was going to be aimed at a family crowd so I decided on a BBQ buffet and tried to stick with kid friendly foods.<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/whi7gw.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />It was a Spongebob/Tinkerbell themed party so I tried to parlay the theme in when and where I could – hence the little place cards describing what food item was before it. Here are “Squidward Dogs” and obviously “Krabby Patties”. I really wanted to make my own mince mix and press my own burgers but my dear husband talked me down from it. And true, I had a lot to do so I conceded to using <a href="http://bubba-burger.com/" style="font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial Black;" target="_blank">Bubba Burgers</a> (which are mighty tasty in their own right, and it’s awesome that they go from freezer to grill. My 3 already-packed refrigerators were thankful for that, seeing as I really had no room to properly defrost them even if I wanted to ☺).<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/e8u1kl.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/2wf1opi.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />I tried to do a vegetarian BBQ Bean dish from scratch scratch (most recipes will use canned beans). It turned out in the end but I swear I cooked those beans for a good 12 hours. That and I added and added and added things to it to try and get it to taste like traditional baked beans. I fancy calling this my “evolution beans”, haha. But I am convinced now that canned may just be best and next time will opt to use Ms. Paula Deen’s recipe. Oh, and next time I will also use bacon. BBQ beans aren’t meant to be vegetarian :p. <br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/9kcw3o.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/zivntj.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />A Chopped Salad served with buttermilk ranch dressing, avocado dressing, croutons and feta.<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/rbgklx.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />A “The Works” Baked Potato Salad<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/2uo721u.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />7 Layer Dip (vegetarian)<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/27z9fz5.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Fruit Skewers with Yogurt Honey Dip<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/ejd0sj.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />The only picture I was able to get of prep was of this awesome strawberry!<br />(I usually use gloves when handling ready to consume foods – I use a non-latex variety that I order off amazon.com)<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/27zdmpx.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Instead of doing up party favor bags, I created a candy buffet to color-coordinate with the party themes. Kids (and adults) were able to custom fill their own baggies at the end of the party. Only problem is, there was plenty left over and I find myself to be gorging on it /shamed face. Today I found that sixlets left in a hot car are much like a candy-version of caviar in that the filling is liquid once the shell bursts on your tongue /more shamed face. Haha..<br /><br />I got all these candies from <a href="http://www.ohnuts.com/" style="font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial Black;" target="_blank">OhNuts! </a>, a NY based candy store online<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/rlgs2d.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />And in lieu of serving cake, I opted for a cupcake station where kids could choose their cupcake flavor, color of frosting and pick from 20 different kinds of cupcake sprinkles (which I procured from <a href="http://www.shopbakersnook.com/173.html" style="font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial Black;" target="_blank">www.shopbakersnook.com</a> - they sell most sprinkles by either 2 cup or 1 oz tubs. I got different colors of dragees, non-pareils, jimmies and sugar sprinkles for between $0.79 and 0.99 each)<br />I did 3 flavors for the cupcakes, chocolate, pineapple and strawberry. And for functionality, I made a large batch of Creamcheese Frosting and tinted it three different colors. <br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i40.tinypic.com/10f9sgh.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i39.tinypic.com/23sayo1.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i42.tinypic.com/1gqg3p.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br /><br />So that was that! I think I am well within my lane to say that a good-time was had by all. And if anyone was like me, they crashed right when they got home from the sugar high :D. <br /><br />Recipes to follow in the above post. </center>Stay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-76333072926377006012010-03-02T05:40:00.000-08:002010-03-02T06:41:03.551-08:00Eating Out: Wasabi's<center>I figured, since I certainly don't cook every night and I do eat out a good deal that I should also take the time to blog about the restaurant scene in Kuwait while I'm here. <br /><br />It's a very strange habit for me, being a cook myself, but when I eat out I usually order the same thing over and over from a place I've been before - A habit I'm trying to wriggle out of.<br /><br />So when I ordered takeout from Wasabi's this week, I decided to try and get away from my standard spicy Cali roll. Sushi is hard for me because while I love it, sadly my stomach does NOT agree with raw fish of any kind. So I'm relegated to choosing from veggie rolls or maki with cooked meats in them. I recently found that while the menu in the Wasabi restaurants don't give very good descriptives of their sushi rolls, their menu on 6alabat does. <br /><br />Skeeeeeert! What the heck did she say?<br /><br />6alabat – www.6alabat.com – is an online take out service exclusive to Kuwait that works with restaurants in your neighborhood to make their food available for delivery straight to your door with a few clicks of your mouse. It makes my “no-cooking-on-Wednesday” nights SO much easier. <br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/xaqgy.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Well anyway, pickings were still on the slim side but I managed to choose a Bifu Roll, Tempura Shrimp Roll and a Kani Furai. I also threw in a cali roll there, just in case :D<br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/r1lj88.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />The Bifu roll is my new favorite. It came with a sweet creamy sauce and I enjoy beef and scallion pairings. The spotted wrapper was cool too, although a bit weird on the texture as it was chewy. But seaweed is chewy too so it wasn't that big of an issue. <br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/2nc40sn.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />The tempura shrimp was pretty basic and bland. Shrimp and tobico on the inside, seaweed on the out and tempura deep fried. <br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/2qizolg.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />The Kani Furai roll (Kani = Crab, Furai = Coated in breadcrumb) left something to be desired. I credit that in part to the fact that it has two hunks of sealeg in each “bite” - And yeah, a lot of sushi places employ sealegs in their rolls (sealegs a.k.a. “crabstick” = that weird imitation crab meat made of starches, pureed white fish (surimi) and food coloring). I can tolerate it here and there in small amounts (it comes in the cali roll afterall) but that much made me not even want to finish the other 5 pieces. <br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/wh1btv.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />The California roll I got was also lack-luster. Usually it's generally satisfying but the rice tasted.. old? Not what I'm usually used to from Wasabi but.. it is what it is. Next time I do order, it will def be the bifu roll. <br /><br />This reminds me, I need to try my hand at a sushi blog sometime.. Oh! And I'm open to new roll suggestions! Asian is one of my weakspots so I am not a sushi afficianado by any means and am always looking for an experienced point in an interesting direction :) </center><br /><br /><br /><br />Source(s):<br />www.6alabat.com<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab_stick<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SurimiStay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-25281774762709674902010-02-23T09:45:00.000-08:002010-02-23T22:04:57.502-08:00Violet! You're turning violet, Violet! (pt. 3)Roasted Violet Figs with Sweet Mascarpone Creme, Caramel Waffle and Balsamic Fig Honey<br /><br />Lately I just can't seem to help myself from nabbing a tub of mascarpone when I'm grocery shopping and see some on the shelf. I love eating it with fresh, roasted or macerated fruit. The mouthfeel of the butterfat coating my tongue puts me in a moral conundrum over whether food making you feel this good is right.<br /><br />And I'm not sure if they can be found on American grocery store shelves, but I've recently discovered these awesome Dutch caramel waffles, that are essentially cookies. They are thin disks and look much like an ordinary biscuit.. Until you bite into one and discover that in addition to being crispy at the moment of tooth-impact, they are chewy – with a thin caramel center. I find the large versions of these to be perfect bases for this dessert, as they can be cut with a fork and knife.<br /><br />The preparation for this dessert seems a little involved but I promise it is truly simplistic.<br /><br />3 Figs – Tops and bottoms trimmed, sliced in ½<br />4 T. Honey – divide in ½<br />8 oz. Tub Mascapone<br />1 T. White Sugar<br />½ t. Vanilla Extract<br />2-4 T. Cream<br />2 t. Fig Juice or Fig Balsamic Vinegar<br />6 Large Dutch Caramel Waffles<br /><br />* Set oven to broil and place figs, face side up, on a foil covered cookie sheet. Drizzle fig halves with 2T. Of the honey. Broil figs for approx 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. <br /><br />* Combine remaining 2T. Of honey with the fig balsamic vinegar and set aside for the last step. <br /><br />* With an electric mixer, combine mascarpone, sugar, vanilla, and enough cream to get the mixture to a “dolloping” consistency. <br /><br />* Place one waffle on a dessert plate, put a dollop of mascarpone cream in the center and arrange a fig half over top. Drizzle with some of the fig honey. Rich but yummy! Perfect served with coffee (Serves 6)<br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/33m0t8l.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/aw3ns6.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i50.tinypic.com/2hpsu41.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i50.tinypic.com/2n9kg0x.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i47.tinypic.com/2q2n7z8.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i47.tinypic.com/s2h14x.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i47.tinypic.com/2z8orv6.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br /><br />Mascarpone<br /><br />Best known for it's use in the popular dessert Tiramisu, mascarpone is an Italian triple cream “soft cheese” with a butterfat content of between 60-75%. Indeed, mascarpone isn't really a cheese so much as it is the product of combining the cream skimmed off milk and tartaric acid. It is gently cooked and then left to thicken and mature, although it does have a very short shelf life.<br />It's extremely creamy and is usually spreadable but sometimes has the consistency of butter (no wonder with that high amount of butterfat). It is very similar to commonly known creamcheese. It can be used in both savory and sweet dishes, even in drinks like smoothies and coffees (Casper & Gambinis here has a mascarpone latte *Homer Drool*). It can be used to finish soups and risottos and is awesome in cheesecakes. <br /><br />It can be made at home but is a specialty in the Lombardy region of Italy. <br /><br />Source(s):<br />http://www.ochef.com/263.htm<br />http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-mascarpone-cheese.htm<br />http://www.cheese.com/Description.asp?Name=mascarponeStay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6430178365940772882.post-36596217156347042012010-02-23T09:41:00.000-08:002010-02-23T10:03:50.166-08:00Violet! You're turning violet, Violet! (pt. 2)A juicy Smithfield Ham + Spiced Blueberry Glaze = Angels crying heavenly tears of meat, directly into your mouth. <br /><br />And since the first course is already a starch, a potato starch at that, I decided to serve this alongside some southern spoonbread (with spring onions). <br /><br />The glaze you can make ahead of time and keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.......<br /><br /><br />Spiced Blueberry Glaze<br /><br />1 bag frozen Blueberries<br />2/3 c. Brown Sugar<br />1/3 c. Red Wine (a port would be ideal but you can use whatever you have *cough cough*)<br />2 Cinnamon sticks<br />1 T. Whole Cloves<br />Dash or two of Ground Nutmeg<br /><br />In a saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool. Discard Cinnamon sticks. Done! It's that easy..<br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i46.tinypic.com/2mh6e1.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Non-Alcoholic wine! Yay!! It's “Fre” but pronounced like “free” (can you sense the written equivalent of eyerolling?). This basically tasted like sour grape juice but again.. doing my best with what I have to work with. At least it's made by Sutter Home.. Yeah, or not.<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i45.tinypic.com/33w8jk2.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Finished glaze..<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i46.tinypic.com/16anyv9.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br /><br />How to Cook a Ham<br /><br />For a bone-in Ham, cook in a 350*F oven for anywhere between 20-30 minutes per pound. A fully cooked ham should register 160*F on a meat thermometer. Glaze the ham during the last hour-30 minutes of cooking time. <br /><br />After having cooked for about 3 hours<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/2iut4sp.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Finished<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i45.tinypic.com/sb7cep.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br /><br />Southern Spoonbread<br /><br />2 c. Boiling Water<br />1 c. Cornmeal<br />5 T. Butter – plus extra for greasing and serving<br />1 t. Salt<br />2 Eggs – well beaten<br />1 c. ½ and ½ <br /><br />* Preheat oven to 375*F. Grease a casserole with butter. <br /><br />* Bring water to a boil and slowly add in the cornmeal, stirring until thickened and smooth. Add butter and salt and let cool. <br /><br />* Once cool, add eggs and ½ and ½ – beat for 2 minutes. (From here you can fold in any additions, like chives, spring onions, bacon bits, shredded cheese, corn etc).<br /><br />* Pour into casserole dish and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Spoon out while hot and pass around the butter! (Serves 8)<br /><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i46.tinypic.com/2vu0lj5.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i45.tinypic.com/2vvt06e.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i47.tinypic.com/2r7sh28.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />And do I think I have enough meat, you might ask? No.. No I don't. Ham is my Jello baby!<br /><a href="http://tinypic.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/whcjyv.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a><br /><br />Source(s):<br />http://www.smithfieldhams.com/aboutus<br />http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-specials/mom-sampsons-spoonbread-recipe/index.htmlStay@HomeChefhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14860284181476771652noreply@blogger.com0