Thanksgiving--Oh Yeah, It's That One!

Although there are a lot of people out there who like to call the upcoming holiday "Turkey Day", I still like to call it Thanksgiving. I am always thankful for those who are coming together, the ability to entertain and give back to my loved ones, good food, and a husband who is really good at doing the cleaning part! I like to cook, and I like to cook BIG for this holiday. Thankfully, Josh doesn't mind cleaning big.

This will be a smaller celebration, the two of us and three friends, but the spirit will be the same, and the food won't be much different from the last few years. We won't be serving it in the backyard here in Colorado this year, but we will relax, enjoy good friendship (and more football than I want to, I am sure) and eat our little hearts out.

For someone who used to dread most of the food at Thanksgiving (I didn't like turkey, green beans, sweet potatoes--yuk!), I have come a long way, and really enjoy making all the classic Thanksgiving foods with a twist. This would have been the fourth year of the Turducken, but I am changing course slightly. I can take-or-leave the chicken in a Tur-Du-cken, so this year I am replacing it with a Pheasant. That's right folks, I am making a Tur-Ph-uck. A turkey stuffed with a pheasant, a duck, and two kinds of stuffing. No bones--all succulent, mouth watering bird and stuffing.

Alongside the birds, I serve Sweet Potato Balls, garlic-mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry relish, green beans, salad, Stuffin' Muffins, and the Rice and Sausage dressing that doesn't make it into the birds. I think I am leaving off the salad this year--with all the other food, no one ever really wants salad. I usually put out some kind of appetizers, but I am leaving those off this year also, opting for passing out Cranberry-Orange-Lime Finger Jello squares instead. I will make a pumpkin pie and an apple pie to finish, and my friend Melanie is bringing a Pumpkin Roll for dessert as well.

I think the only traditional, family recipe I make is the Rice and Sausage dressing. But, the truth is, this family can't pass it up. It is, absolutely, the best dressing ever. And my mom makes it the best--no doubt!

Cranberry-Orange-Lime Finger Jello squares (for grown ups)

Make cranberry finger jello according to manufacturer's instructions, substituting vodka for half of the water. Pour into 9x9 pan and put in fridge to set. When set, make orange finger jello, pour over top of set cranberry, and put in fridge to set. Repeat with lime and put in fridge until ready to serve.

Fill sink 2" with hot water. Hold bottom of pan in water for 15-30 seconds, until you can easily invert mold onto a plate. Cut into 16 squares and serve.

Cranberry Relish

1 can whole cranberries
zest of one orange
juice from one orange
3-4 slices fresh ginger
1/2 c water

Put all ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer on low for 30 minutes. Remove ginger and pour into bowl to serve. Any citrus works nicely with this--use your own taste preference.

Tur-du-cken (Tur-ph-uck)

1-18 lb turkey
1-4 lb duck
1-5 lb chicken

1 recipe Sausage and Rice dressing (see past blog post)
1 recipe Bread dressing (recipe follows)

Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder

4 tbls butter softened
8-10 slices of bacon

4-5 needles pre-threaded with upholstery thread, button thread, or Hymark
4 pieces butcher's twine cut to 30" lengths

Bird preparations: Duck and chicken--remove wings, split back, remove all bones from body, thighs and legs. Remove skin and excess fat from chicken. DON'T remove the fat from the duck--trust me! Save the wings that you cut off, and toss the bones, etc.
Turkey--Split breast and remove bones from body and thighs only. Leave wings attached and leave bones in the drumsticks. Do not remove skin.
Note: This takes hours, even if you have done it more than once. Either buy fresh birds early, remove bones and freeze until needed, or plan your defrosting to be done by the night before Thanksgiving. Don't try to do this Thanksgiving morning, or you will need to be up at 3 in the morning.

Dressing/stuffing--make the day before and refrigerate it so you are ready to go in the morning.

Turducken prep!!!

Mix salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a small bowl--enough to season each bird completely. By mixing it in the bowl, you don't have to put your foul (fowl) hands all over the salt and pepper mills--eeeeewwww!!! Mix more than you think you will need, you can toss the rest when you are finished.
Lay out butcher's twine, each piece a few inches from the other. Lay turkey, skin side down on top of twine. Sprinkle seasoning liberally over expose flesh side. Spread a thin layer of rice and sausage dressing over turkey, making sure you cram it into the thigh where you removed the bones. Lay the chicken down on top of dressing and sprinkle liberally with seasoning. Spread a thin layer of bread dressing onto chicken, carefully shoving it into the thigh and drumsticks where the bones were removed. Lay the duck down on top of the chicken--What! Your duck is in a bunch of pieces and not like a whole duck!?! Yeah, that happens. Just lay down the pieces, season it, and layer the rice and sausage dressing on top of it.

Here is where you need another set of hands. Have your helper fold the sides of the turkey together, and tie each string around it to hold it together. (Okay, in 3 Turduckens, I have never used the twine, but I am thins year because I know it will be WAY easier!) Take a needle and begin stitching your turkey back together using a whip stitch or the kind of stitching used on a baseball. Make sure you go through the meat of the bird when you can, not just the skin.
Lay bird, stitching side down on rack in roasting pan. Rub softened butter over entire bird and sprinkle with more of the seasoning. Lay the strips of bacon across the bird and put into a 225 degree oven and roast for 9-10 hours. Your meat thermometer, inserted all the way in so it gets to the duck, needs to read 165 degrees. Baste your bird every hour, and at about 4 hours in, remove the bacon. If he starts to get too brown too soon, tent foil over the top and remove for the last 15 minutes to crisp up.

Let bird sit for 15-20 minutes--if you can stand it!--before cutting in.

Note: It doesn't matter what size your duck and chicken are (or pheasant), just put them into turkey in descending order of size.

Bread Dressing

3 tbls butter
1 onion chopped
1 stalk celery chopped
1 small apple, cored and chopped, skin on
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup craisins or golden raisins
1 tsp dried sage
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp dried tarragon
4 cups dried or day old bread cubed
1/3 c apple juice 1/2-
1 c vegetable stock

Melt butter in large pot or skillet and saute onion and celery for a few minutes, just until they are translucent. Add apple, nuts, craisins and herbs and toss together, cooking for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add bread cubes and toss with apple juice and enough stock to make moist. I like quite a bit of moisture in mine, as I like to cook what doesn't go into a bird in a hot oven and make the top super crispy!! If it is going into a bird, less moisture is needed, since it will draw it from the bird. If it is not being cooked in a bird, spoon into a pan and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. My favorite way to do it--spoon it into a cupcake pan and make individual "stuffin' muffins". I got that idea from Rachel Ray, and we love it. Everyone gets there own crunchy part!

Sweet Potato Balls (I know! I didn't know they had them either!)

2 sweet potatos
2 yams
3 tbls butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
dash of salt
8 large marshmallows
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
3 tbls sugar
3 tsp cinnamon

Peel potatos and yams, cut into chunks and boil until tender. You could also roast them in an oven until tender, split the skin, and scoop the flesh out, but that is messy and takes MUCH longer. Just boil them.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mash potatos with butter, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. On a medium sized plate, mix coconut with cinnamon and sugar. Using your hands, form into 8 equal size balls, carefully stuffing a marshmallow into the center of each and sealing it in. Roll balls in coconut mixture and place on baking sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes, until coconut is golden brown and crunchy.

**For a savory option, mix coconut with 3-4 tsp yellow curry powder and a tsp of powdered ginger, leaving off the sugar.

These are fun to make with your kids--even if they are in their 20s. Just ask Belinda!

Green Beans with Bacon

1/8 pound slab bacon, diced
1 tbls olive oil
1/2 onion, minced
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt
1/2 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 1/2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground pepper

In a large deep skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until golden. Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate. Clean skillet and add olive oil and the onion to the skillet and cook, stirring, until softened. Add the beans, pepper flakes, and salt and saute over moderately high heat, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Add the boiling water and cover the skillet immediately. Steam the beans, shaking the skillet occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until just tender. Add the butter, vinegar, and salt and pepper and toss until combined. Sprinkle with the bacon.

Pumpkin Pie

I make the recipe off the back of the Libby's pumpkin can. I just put loads of cinnamon, cloves and ginger in, with just a little nutmeg. That's how we like it.

What a great day of GREAT food! Oh right, if you have vegetarian friends coming over, all of the sides, except the Sausage and Rice Dressing, are made without meat. When I make the green beans, the bacon can be sprinkled on top of the individual servings rather than over the whole dish.

Comfort food rocks!

With our snowstorm dumping 18" of snow on us last week, we were all enjoying warm nights inside with the heat turned way up. It is generally impossible for my feet and derriere to be warm during the months between October and April, but one thing that really helps is good hot food and drink.


The right stuff can warm you to the tips of your fingers and toes, and make you feel toasty and comfy while storms rage outside. See, it is true--food can solve all woes. And why not start with a yummy hot drink while working in the kitchen.

One of our favorites is hot spiced wine, which we have found is the same, or at least similar, in many countries of the world. Our other favorite is hot spiced cider. I make this anytime we have college football parties. Most people who want to come over and watch games drink beer or soda, but I have found that for autumn football games, people really get into the hot cider. The nice thing is, it offers a non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated beverage to those who don't want one or the other. The beauty of both of these drinks is that you can make both with the same ingredients--just swap out the liquidy part!



Hot Mulled Cider (Wine)



1 bottle apple juice, cider, or full-bodied red wine
1 orange sliced 1/4" thick with rind attached
1 apple sliced 1/4" thick with peel still on
2 tbls mulling spices in tea infuser or wrapped in cheesecloth
1/3 to 1/2 c sugar for wine only

Put all ingredients into a stock pot and simmer for about 20 minutes. Ladle into mugs and serve with a cinnamon stick.



Option: to kick up the cider a bit, add 1 oz of Meyer's dark rum to the mug before ladling in cider.



Mulling spices:

You can find these already put together in most food stores (we get ours from Williams Sonoma--vastly overpriced--or at World Market). Or you can easily make your own using whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, dried orange rind, allspice, cardamom, or any spice flavors you particularly enjoy.



So, how about some comfort food to go with your yummy drink starter? Chicken pot pie is a warm, filling and comforting meal that is really pretty simple to make, and so much better than any you can buy in the store. I made this recipe with leftovers one day, and it is truly easy and truly yummy. I actually made it while Josh was at a hockey game, and considered eating the entire thing that night--by myself. But, I saved some for him, and he agreed it was great! Seriously, everything I put into it was leftovers. I cleaned out the fridge quite nicely. You can also make it fancier for simple dinner parties by making individual pies in ramekins, and giving one to each guest.


Chicken pot pies


3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 1/2 c milk, room temp
1 c shredded cheese--white cheddar and provolone
warm vegetable or chicken stock
1 1/2 c grilled chicken chopped
6-12 stalks grilled asparagus chopped
1/2 c pickled cherry peppers chopped
1/4-1/2 c cooked carrots chopped
2 tsp marjoram finely chopped
2 tsp thyme finely chopped
single crust recipe of pastry


Melt butter in medium sized saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook about 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly, to cook out raw flour taste. Add milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly until all milk is incorporated. Bring to a low simmer and begin adding cheese, small handfuls at a time. Once cheese has melted in, add stock until it is the consistency you like. Remove from heat, stir in meat, veggies, herbs, salt and pepper to taste. Pour into oven-proof dish. Roll pastry to fit over top of dish, about 1/4 inch thick. Drape over dish, seal edges, and prick top several times with fork or knife to vent. Cook in 400 degree oven about 15-20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.



What, you're a vegetarian? Fine, leave out the meat and beef up (no pun intended) the veggies. You had pot roast for dinner last night? Use the roast, potatoes, carrots and onions to make a beef pot pie. Better than Swanson's ANY DAY!!! And, no preservatives or weird stuff you don't know about.

Let's all stay healthy

A couple of weeks ago, a recipe appeared on the kitchen counter at work. Someone had found it online, printed multiple copies, and left them for everyone. The recipe was entitled "Special Recipe: Chicken Soup To Fight Flu"--from Dr. Stephen Rennard, Chief of Pulmonary Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center.

It started a conversation about how well this idea really works. Now, the smart way to go about this would be to do the research, then, if the research proves positive, make the soup and try it. Well, I didn't do it in that order. I thought, "Hey, that sounds like good chicken soup--a load of root veggies I would never have put into it. Why don't I try it?"

This past Saturday, I made the soup. I made it in a large stock pot, cooking it for a good part of the day. If the idea of that is enough to turn you off, along with having to deal with a whole chicken, let me say right now that two other women in my shop made it in a Crock Pot using boneless chicken breasts.

It is quite a delicious soup, and I thought I would share the recipe here. Then, I started to wonder about the validity of labelling it as something to "fight the flu". So, I researched Dr. Rennard and found out who he is and what he had to say about it. From a University of Nebraska newsletter--"Dr. Rennard is widely recognized as a leader in the study of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. His groundbreaking research in the progression of lung disease has led to a better understanding of the disease and the development and testing of many new therapies. In 2006, he was selected as the first UNMC Scientist Laureate, the highest award given to a UNMC scientist, in recognition of his research in COPD, smoking cessation and lung tissue repair and remodeling."

Here is an excerpt from an online article written by Chet Day for Health & Beyond Online.

Another theory, put forth by Stephen Rennard, M.D., chief of pulmonary medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, is that chicken soup acts as an anti-inflammatory. The soup, he says, keeps a check on inflammatory white blood cells (neutrophils). Cold symptoms, such as coughs and congestion, are often caused by inflammation produced when neutrophils migrate to the bronchial tubes and accumulate there.

In his lab, Rennard tested chicken soup made from the recipe of his wife's Lithuanian grandmother. He demonstrated that neutrophils showed less tendency to congregate - but were no less able to fight germs - after he added samples of the soup to the neutrophils. Diluted 200 times, the soup still showed that effect.

Rennard based his chicken soup research on a family recipe, which he referred to in his article as Grandma's Soup.

When Rennard set out to determine whether there was any truth to the tales that chicken soup has medicinal qualities, he used an old family recipe - and found encouraging results. But he also found that some store bought soups fared even better.

It must be stressed that Rennard did only the one study. He concluded that to draw any definite scientific conclusions, further study would be needed. However, that's unlikely to happen because there's no money to be made with chicken soup.

So, draw your own conclusions. I just know that the soup is good, but I would definitely add a great sprig of fresh Thyme, a bay leaf, and a boat load of garlic. Unless you are a family of 5 or more, don't make more than half a batch. Josh and I will be eating chicken soup for the rest of the winter...and that is after giving a large container to my friend Belinda!

Special Recipe: Chicken Soup To Fight Flu

1--5 lb chicken
3 lg onions diced
1 lg sweet potato
3 parsnips peeled and chopped
2 turnips cut into 8ths
12 lg carrots
6 celery stalks
1 bunch parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Clean chicken and put in a large pot of cold water. Bring to a boil, add onions, sweet potato, parsnips, turnips, and carrots and simmer for 1.5 hours.
Add celery and parsley and cook for an additional 45 minutes.
Remove the chicken and veggies. Shred chicken and add back to broth. Put veggies into food processor and chop until very fine (or mash with a potato masher like I did) and add back into broth. Adjust seasoning and serve hot.

Stay healthy all my loved ones!!!

A HOT time in high country

A couple of weekends ago, Josh and I attended the 1st Annual Denver Chile Festival at a fireworks warehouse. With about 12 other people.... Okay, there were more than that, but not many. Perhaps the 2nd annual festival will have a better attendance. The festival centered around the Hatch Chiles, the popular chiles which come from Hatch, New Mexico and apparently no where else. I was excited to go because I know of these chiles from my Aunt Vicky and Uncle Jack. The years they spent in New Mexico introduced them to this culinary delight, and they are lucky enough to be able to get them a couple weeks a year in Houston.

At the festival, there were salsa cookoff samples, pork and gren chile samples, smoked ribs and brisket sliders outside. There were also about 8 large chile roasters on the side of the building with young men in t-shirts and tank tops roasting your chiles right in front of your eyes. When you walked into the building, there were hundreds of bushels of chiles for purchase by the bushel, half-bushel, or double bushel. There were many varieties including Poblano, Anaheim, and Hatch chiles ranging from mild to XX hot. I appeared to be the only person who thought it was odd to have propane torches going like crazy outside the fireworks warehouse--HELLO!?!

We chose a half-bushel of Hot Hatch Chiles, paid for them, and by the time we got outside again, our chiles were in the roaster, going round and round, in a beautiful chile roasting dance. When the skins were blackend from the huge propane torches, they were dumped into large, super thick plastic bags with images of dancing chiles with sombreros on, and tied shut.
We didn't go straight home, choosing instead to swing by a grocery store on the way home. FYI--my car STILL smells like roasted chiles. When we got home, we sorted the chiles into bags to freeze. We opened the bag and I took each chile out one-by-one, pulled the blackened skin off, removed the hard stem end, and put it into a freezer bag with about 10 of its friends. One bag we set aside specifically to be "stuffing" peppers. These were the largest, most perfect of the peppers which I cleaned the seeds out of also. We got 8 quart size freezer bags out of that half bushel, and as much as I would have loved to have twice that amount--since they are only available one time a year--it would have taken FOREVER to clean them all.

One suggestion about the handling of these things--DON'T TOUCH YOUR EYES!!! Even after you have washed your hands. Don't do it! No I mean it! You will regret it!!!

Anyway, once I had all these chiles, I felt the need to put them into everything that weekend. Josh and I like spicy food on the hot side. Not so hot that you can't taste the other ingredients, but heat is good! When adding the heat in any of these recipes, you know your own tastes best, so go with that. Canned and frozen Hatch chiles tend to be the mild variety, so can be used quite liberally, and these are the ones most often found in supermakets all over the country. If you have fresh chiles you want to use, no matter what variety, remember that the hottest parts of the chile are the seeds and veins. If you want flavor instead of high heat, remove those bits and just use the flesh.


Hatch chile and sausage chili

1 lb. Italian sausage
1 medium onion diced
3-5 cloves garlic minced
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1 can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp cumin
1 tbls chili powder
1 bay leaf
3-5 Hatch chiles diced

Saute onions and sausage in skillet on medium heat, until sausage is cooked through. In the last few minutes, add garlic so it cooks but does not burn. Put skillet contents and all other ingredients into a crockpot set on low, and let cook for 6-8 hours. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Chili pie

1-1 1/2 lbs pizza dough
3 c prepared chili
sliced or shredded cheddar cheese
shredded Parmesan cheese

Roll out 2/3 dough and fit into pie plate or casserole. Pour chili into bottom crust and cover with cheese. Roll out remaining crust and place on top. Seal edges and cover top with Parmesan--press cheese lightly into crust. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool a little before serving.


Hatch Chile Queso

3 tbls butter
3 tbls flour
1 1/2 c milk at room temp
1 tsp cayenne powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 c shredded jack cheese
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
1-3 roasted Hatch chiles, diced

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low/medium heat. Add flour, stir until completely incorporated and cook for 5 minutes to cook out raw flavor of flour. Slowly whisk in milk, cayenne and garlic powder, and heat until thick, stirring regularly. Add cheeses in small handfuls, stirring each addition until completely melted in. Add chiles, make sure it is hot all the way through, and then enjoy.


Hatch Chile Chicken

Chicken thighs skin removed
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 med onion sliced
3-5 cloves garlic minced
2-3 Hatch chiles diced
2 tsp cumin
1 tbls crushed dried oregano
salt and pepper

Put all ingredients in a slow cooker (Crock Pot or otherwise) and cook on low all day while you are at work.

Heat a can of pinto or black beans with some garlic powder and chopped Hatch chiles.
Place a chicken thigh on a plate, smother with tomato/onion sauce and serve beans on the side. Eat it all using your hands and fresh tortillas.

Slowing it down a bit

I LOVE the autumn!!! I really do. This is my favorite time of year, and here in Colorado, it is easy to see coming. Leaves start to turn and fall from the trees, the air gets a chilly zing to it, and that wonderful scent of damp and decaying leaves mixes with smoke from fireplaces to remind you that the holiday season is starting.

This is my favorite time of year for cooking also. I don't know if it is due to the fact that it is no longer a million degrees in the house, thereby making it comfortable to have the stove and oven on, or if the cooling weather is telling my system that it is about to be cold and I need to fatten up so as not to waste away during the cold winter months.... Right.

Warm autumn spices, hearty soups, hot satisfying meals have been abounding in our house, partially because it is the fall season, and partially because I have been working some crazy hours from home. One of my favorite things has been to throw things into the slow cooker in the morning and let it do its own thing, enjoying the tantalizing smells emanating from the kitchen. Everything gets cleaned up in the morning after chopping and dicing and slicing, and I just have to serve what comes out of it when I am ready.

A couple of recipes from the Hatch Chile post were done in the slow cooker, and I mentioned quite a while ago that the pasta sauce I make can be done that way also, leaving very little chance of setting your house on fire should you feel the need to leave in the course of the many hours it takes to make it. I think there are probably a lot of recipes that can be adapted for the slow cooker, and in a world where everything is speeding up constantly, it is nice to be able to sit, relax, and enjoy food that took a long time to cook, but didn't really impede your day much. Talking with my girlfriend Cara yesterday, she spoke of her Crock Pot with the reverence that only a mother of 5 could have.

If your proteins and veggies are done in the slow cooker, it is a simple thing to make a pot of rice, pasta, or some quick potatoes to round out a meal. With the pea soup below, throw a rustic loaf of bread in the oven to warm while making a quick salad to go along with it. For an interesting salad, I like to use the produce that is harvested this time of year. A bed of spicy arugula topped with chopped apples, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries and sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese (which you have on hand because you want to put it on your soup) is great with a little olive oil and vinegar drizzled over the top.


Spilt pea soup--the meaty kind

1 small bag split peas--approx. 2 1/4 c
6 1/2 c water
1 onion chopped finely
2 stalks celery chopped finely
4 cloves garlic minced
2 smoked ham hocks
1 bay leaf
2 teas dried thyme
salt and pepper

Sort through the peas and remove any weird crap that does not resemble a pea. Rinse them well. Put all ingredients into a slow cooker and press GO. I like to add just a little salt and pepper at the beginning, and once it is finished cooking and ready to serve, add more to my personal liking. I also remove the ham hocks at this point, pull the meat of the bone, shred it and put it back in the soup. Even if the soup looks a little watery when you think it is done cooking, give it a good stir to break up the soft peas, and it instantly begins to thicken.
Ladle it into bowls and sprinkle some grated parmesan on top. Quite literally, easy-peasy.

Now, this recipe makes enough to feed Cara's family, or myself and Josh on the day when we wind up with three unexpected guests. On the days when we don't have unexpected guests, some of the leftovers go to work with Josh for lunch, and some of it winds up in the freezer for another day. Honestly, is there anything better than curling up with a book and a steaming bowl of soup on a chilly day? Oh yeah, doing it in front of a fireplace.

Using what is left

I am on my way back to Denver!! I had a really great summer, working with really lovely people, and enjoying beautiful San Diego. But on Saturday, I finished packing my apartment, cleaned up, and drove away. I was sad, having to say goodbye to my friends, but looked forward to getting on the road and heading back to Denver.

I don't move with a lot of things. One can only fit so much into the back of a MINI Cooper, right? And to be honest, cleaning an apartment in which one has only lived for a few months is not difficult or time-consuming either. The difficult part of moving is, in fact, dealing with the food. I really do not like throwing perfectly good food out, so about a month out from moving, I have to start thinking on how to whittle down the food supplies.

The really difficult part is when I get to an evening where I have one nice ingredient, and would like to make a nice dinner. I have to get creative in how I use what is left to make something that tastes good, and not like I put weird things together and called it dinner. Last Saturday night, I opened my freezer and said, "Oh right, I have a Cornish game hen I have to eat." I stuck in the fridge to thaw and got it out Monday night to cook. I had made a pasta sauce the night before using the last of the tomatoes, olives, capers, frozen peppers, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic and onions. I decided I would roast the bird and eat part of it with the sauce and the last of the pasta in the pantry.

I had some fresh rosemary and sage left over, and thought I would use those and some citrus and garlic to flavor the hen. As it turned out, however, the only citrus I had left was a small sliver of lemon, and I had just used the last of the garlic in the sauce. I had also used the last of my salt the week before, and in a fit of stubbornness, refused to spend the $0.99 to buy more. The solution? Orange Marmalade and garlic powder.

Game Hen a l'orange

1 game hen, rinsed and patted dry
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
3-4 leaves fresh sage
garlic powder
pepper
lemon slice(s)
2 tbsp orange marmalade

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Stand hen on end and liberally sprinkle garlic powder and black pepper in the cavity. Shove the rosemary, sage, and lemon slice(s) inside. You don't need to close the end, just shove it in there well and it will stay. Rub the entire outside of bird with a mixture of the garlic powder and black pepper. Lay in a roasting pan, back side down, and spread marmalade on breast side, legs and wings. Roast for 35-40 minutes, or until juices run clear when you pierce thigh with fork. Remove from pan and let sit 10 minutes before cutting into it and serving.

I know, I know. How can it be good without salting it. Even though none of the ingredients used contained any amount of salt to speak of, the herbs, spices and slightly sweet and tangy flavor of the marmalade made this delicious! The sugar from the marmalade also made the bird turn a beautiful golden brown.

This is something for me to think of, longingly, as I spend two days driving back to Denver, eating bad food along the way. So sad.

Everyone loves (an) Italian

This past Thursday night was a GREAT night! Six people came to my apartment and joined my room mate and myself for an evening of good food, good drink, and good friendship. I have to say, it is amazing how even a tiny kitchen like the one I have here, becomes the ultimate destination for everyone at the party. Uh, this kitchen was kind of like a clown car.



Between 8 people, we used every single dinner plate, salad plate, bowl, platter, saucer, knife, fork, and spoon in the house. Oh right, every water glass and juice glass also. Thankfully, one of the people who came over was tall and could reach the upper shelves to get things down for me. I wasn't looking forward to hefting myself up onto the counter in order to get things down, and Sean made sure I didn't need to.



So, what did we eat? Well, what do you think? This is the post that several people have been waiting for. Anitpasto selections as appetizers--marinated artichoke hearts, Kalamata olives, green olives, roasted red peppers, Ciliegine mozzarella with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Main course--Mostaccioli with sauce (traditional Scarminach recipe and a spicy Sicilian variation on it), meatballs, sweet Italian sausage, hot Italian sausage, and Bracciole. To finish off the meal, a simple salad at the end with an ingredient that makes everyone say "Mmmm..." Il Torrone and an apricot-almond tart ended the evening on a light note.



And what did we drink? One of my friends, Anna, came over with her boyfriend and a big pitcher of lemon-basil Italian soda. It was fantastic! My friend Gwen brought, as a gift, a bottle of Amaro Ramazzotti. It is a liqueur from Milan with an anisette-type of flavor. We discovered that it mixed well with the lemon-basil soda.



I made the sauce and meatballs on Monday. I know, we didn't eat until Thursday, but left alone in the fridge for those couple of days, the flavors of the sauce really come together and develop. The key is keeping it refrigerated properly, and re-heating it properly. Thursday evening, after work, I ran home and popped the sausage in the oven to cook, and made the bracciole. I think I saw eyes bug out of people's head when the bracciole came out of the oven. And why not? It had co-operated beautifully by splitting down the middle of the top, revealing the beauty of the stuffing. I was asked what it was--as no one attending had ever had this dish--and when I told them it was meat stuffed with meat, egg and cheese, I swear I heard stomachs growling in stereo.

So, the recipes will follow below. Please keep this in mind. Everything I make is made without using actual measurements. I will try to approximate it as closely as possible, but make it to your own taste. Also, I make enough to feed a small army. Either scale it down for your needs, or divide it after it is cooked and freeze it in appropriate portions. It freezes beautifully and lasts forever (as if you would let it last that long in the fridge!)

Basic Sauce

2-29oz cans tomato sauce
1-29oz can crushed tomatoes
1 large onion--top and bottom cut off and skin removed
a small handful dried parsley
8-10 cloves of garlic peeled and lightly smashed but left whole
3 tbsp dried basil (If I have fresh, I usually add a couple tbsp finely chopped as well)

Put all ingredients into a large pot and heat to simmering over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, add lid but leave vented, and cook for 7-8 hours. Yup, that's right. It does actually take this long. One thing I have started doing if I don't want to be in the house for that amount of time, is making it in the crock pot. Don't tell my mom, but it works. When the sauce is finished, let it cool on the stove, remove the onion and put it in the fridge until you plan to eat it. Of course, you can also eat it immediately with pasta, or bread, or with a spoon.

Meatballs

2 lbs ground beef (I buy 85% lean as much of the fat cooks off as they bake and I think it makes for a more tender meatball. But, buy what you like--you're going to anyway!)
1/2 c bread crumbs
1/2 c Parmesan cheese grated
2 eggs
3 tbsp milk
3 cloves garlic crushed finely (if I have roasted garlic I like to smash a few cloves of that instead)
any combination of dried or fresh basil, thyme, and/or tarragon
salt and pepper

Put all ingredients into a bowl and mix with hands (no, really--use your hands only) just until combined. Overworking it will make for hard, heavy lumps that you might call meatballs, but that will sit like lumps of lead in your belly.

Roll into balls. I don't care what size--I don't personally think it matters. What matters is that they are all approximately the same size, so they will all cook the same. Put on cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven (it is okay if they are not fully cooked, as they will finish in the sauce) and put each one gently into the sauce.

Sausage

To make sausage--yah, right! I don't make sausage. I buy it and cook it. I like to do a combination of sweet and hot Italian sausage. Cook it in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes and then put it into the sauce with the meatballs and let it cook along.


When I make all of this, the order is usually as follows. Get the sauce going. As soon as it is all in the pot and heating up, put the sausage in the oven and get it started. Then start making the meatballs. By the time you get them rolled into balls and ready for the oven, the sausage is ready to come out and go into the sauce. Put the meatballs in the oven and when they are done, add them to the sauce. Let it all cook together, stirring occasionally for the rest of the time.

About an hour and a half before you are going to eat, get the sauce with the meats out of the fridge and start to heat it up. Once you get it going, make the Bracciole.

Bracciole

1-1 1/2 lbs of meatball recipe
7-10 leaves fresh basil
2 hard boiled eggs roughly chopped
1/8 lb. each sliced Provolone, Capacolla, Soppressata

Make the meatball mixture and turn it out onto a cutting board, patting it into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick. Layer the basil leaves, egg, cheese, and meat. Roll into a loaf, sealing off ends and long edge. Carefully place in a baking dish. You want one with high sides as there will be liquid that will come off of it, and it is possible that it will split, with some of the cheese running out. If you put it in a shallow pan, it could run off, spill on the bottom of the oven and catch on fire. Uh huh, personal experience. I am AWESOME with a fire extinguisher, just ask my mom and dad. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size your bracciole ends up. Remove from oven and spoon some sauce over the top.

This is how I make it. Traditionally, it is made with a single piece of meat like a flank steak. It is also made with different ingredients as filling. I happen to like this recipe and so does Josh.

Once you get the bracciole in the oven, move on to the spicy sauce. This is typical of southern Italy and Sicily, with the spice and tang of the added ingredients. This isn't something my family makes, just something I like to make sometimes.

Louise's Spicy Pasta Sauce

2 links spicy sausage
3 cups basic sauce
1 cup olives roughly chopped (I use pitted Kalamatas and pitted green)
1/4 cup capers--rinsed twice
1/4 cup sliced sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
2-3 whole roasted red peppers sliced
3 cloves fresh garlic sliced thinly
1-3 tbsp dried red pepper flakes (depending on how HOT you like it)

In a large skillet, crumble and brown sausage until almost cooked through. Add sauce and remaining ingredients and simmer until ready to eat. This doesn't have to cook for a really long time as the sauce is already cooked. You just need to heat the ingredients through and let the flavors meld for 20 minutes or so.

Serve your sauce and meats with your favorite pasta. We eat Mostaccioli--I think my mom makes it because it is my dad's favorite. That is what I made and it works well with the sauces. Just make sure it is cooked al dente. DON'T MAKE OVERCOOKED PASTA. It can ruin the whole thing.

Enjoy!

Fast and Easy, Cheap and Sleazy wins the day!

This has been a couple of very exhausting weeks at work. Thankfully, I have had some time, the last couple of weekends, to spend with my family. Each of the last two weekends I have headed up to Danny's to spend time either with his family, or with them as well as my parents and Josh.

The days in between have been a combination of In 'n Out, Fast-and-Easy-Cheap-and-Sleazy-meals, or popcorn for dinner. Not the healthiest way to be, I will admit, but it has worked out. Saturday night, however, I got to sit at home (after leaving work at a normal time) and watch game 5 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. I even made dinner for real. It was a lovely night of cooking and relaxing. After cleaning the kitchen (I do not think my roommate has ever wiped down a counter top in her life--and if you think that is strange, she is the second roommate in as many years in San Diego to have failed in developing this essential life skill) I set out to make pasta with a fresh sauce, which I enjoyed with a nice glass of $2-Chuck and some Kalamata olives.

Ravioli with Roasted Tomatoes and Sausage

Olive oil
approximately 1 lb. small tomatoes (grape, mini Romas, etc.)
1 tbls each fresh Basil, Rosemary
2 sprigs fresh Thyme
salt and pepper
1/3 c white wine--Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio

2 hot Italian sausages

2 servings cooked cheese filled ravioli (I like the mini ones from Trader Joe's)

shaved Grana Padano cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small roasting pan, pour about 1 1/2 tbls olive oil over tomatoes. Finely chop herbs and sprinkle over tomatoes. Lay sprigs of Thyme nested amongst tomatoes, and liberally sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 25 minutes. At about the 15 minute mark, pull tomatoes out, stir, pour wine over the top, and put back into the oven. While they finish roasting, crumble sausage into a large skillet over medium heat. Stirring often, cook until almost finished, and drain excess fat. When tomatoes are done, take from oven and pour into skillet with drained sausage. Roughly smash tomatoes with the back of spoon or with a potato masher. Add about 1/2 c of pasta water, and simmer until pasta has finished cooking. Drain and plate pasta, scoop sauce over top, and sprinkle with Grana Padano cheese. Toss a couple of Kalamata olives on the side and serve it up.

Fast-and-Easy, Cheap-and-Sleazy Eggplant Parm

1/2 pkg. Eggplant cutlets from Trader Joe's
1 tbls Olive oil
1/2 jar Marinara Sauce
sliced mozzarella or pepper jack cheese
grated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook cutlets in olive oil until crunchy on outside--inside will not be cooked, but they will finish in the oven. In a 9x9 pan, spread 1/4 c sauce to cover bottom. Arrange a single layer of eggplant, spoon more sauce over top, and add a layer of mozzarella or jack (mozzarella is more traditional, pepper jack is spicy and a fun alternative). Repeat layers until eggplant is used up, ending with the layer of cheese. Cover pan with foil, and cook for 25-30 minutes. After about 15 minutes of cook time, remove foil and sprinkle Parmesan or Grana Padano over top.

This can be served with pasta or a nice salad, something else quick and easy to prepare. It goes together fast and easy, but tastes great and is very satisfying. The Trader Joe's Eggplant Cutlets are perfect for it, and are seasoned really well.

Game 4--happily at home for this one!

So here I am at home, watching the fourth game of the NHL Stanley Cup Semi-finals. For those of you who know me and Josh well, this is putting a strain on our marriage. Thankfully, hockey season will be over soon, and things will be put right with us again. The other good thing about that is that I will not have to endure another evening of sitting in a Hooters restaurant being asked by creepy guy #3 if I want to attend a Hooters swimsuit competition with him. Thanks but no!!!

I am enjoying the cool breeze of the evening coming in from the open slider that leads out to the balcony and drinking a glass of Two-Buck-Chuck with my pizza. Mmmmm...pizza. And no, it is neither delivery nor DiGiorno.

Mama Louisa made this pizza herself. Josh and I do this once in a while. It is a lot of fun, i is healthy, and it doesn't really take long to do. You can make pizzas with just about anything you have in your fridge/freezer. I didn't specifically buy anything for my pizzas, except the crust. And these days, Trader Joe's and Sunflower markets have ready made pizza dough on hand everyday. Trader Joe's has three kinds of pizza dough too, so you have choices for that.

Just remember to be creative and put flavors that you know you like together on one pizza. You'll wind up with a yummy, fun dinner. I usually get all the toppings together: Jars opened, cheese shredded or crumbled, meat products cooked, veggies cut up. Then it is super easy to assemble, and 20 minutes later, you've got dinner!

These are the ingredients I used tonight--just things I had and grabbed, ready to go. The only big prep thing I did was cook the chicken and onions.

1 portion of pizza dough (this is easily enough for 2 people--I quarter it and make 4-6" pizzas)
olive oil
fresh basil
dried basil
fresh rosemary
dried oregano
granulated garlic
red pepper flakes
jar pasta sauce *see my note below about this*
Grana Padano cheese
plain goat cheese
1 boneless chicken part of your choice--no skin
1/4 onion sliced thinly
Mixed Olive Bruschetta--Trader Joe's

Let dough sit at room temp for 10-15 minutes, remove from packaging, and portion out. Heat oven to 450 degrees. The hotter your oven, the better for cooking pizza. I learned this in Cooperstown watching the cute Italian boys cooking pizza in a VERY hot brick oven. If you have a baking stone or pizza stone, put it in the oven cold and let it heat up with the oven. If not, use a cookie sheet and do not heat it. Instead, brush it with olive oil or liberally sprinkle with cornmeal/polenta. I like the polenta--it gives the crust an extra crunch.

Roll or pull the pizza dough to your own desired thickness. Remember, it will rise as it cooks, so go thinner than you think you will like. Place on cookie sheet, or peel if you are using a stone, and brush top with olive oil. Add your toppings, put in oven, and bake 15-20 minutes. You've got pizza.

This is what I did for toppings. I sliced the chicken very thinly and sauteed it in olive oil with the onions, finely chopped fresh rosemary--about a teaspoon--salt, pepper and a pinch of granulated garlic until almost cooked. It will finish cooking in the oven.

On one pizza I spooned half of the chicken mixture onto the dough, sprinkled it with dried basil, tore up 3-4 leaves of fresh basil, and liberally sprinkled the top with Grana Padano.

On another, I spooned some of the jarred sauce on the dough, sprinkled it with dried oregano and red pepper flakes, then dropped the mixed olives and goat cheese alternately in clumps on top of it all.

On the last, I spooned the last of the chicken mixture on top, added 3-4 leaves of torn fresh basil, clumps of the mixed olive bruschetta, and topped it all with the Grana Padano.

These were very good. The flavors were all complimentary to each other and combined well. Sometimes we like to use crumbled Italian sausage, prosciutto, artichoke hearts and fresh buffalo mozzarella. Bell peppers, roasted peppers, and mushrooms are great too. Use those flavors you like best, and you will enjoy your pizzas.

**Pasta sauce in a jar. I love to make my own sauce and do frequently. But, when I can't there are a couple of brands of sauce out of a jar I will use. I do read labels, though, and am very careful to buy ones that have no sugar or high fructose corn syrup in them. Most of these sauces have either no oregano or not enough to make it taste like "pizza" sauce. That is why I add it to the pizza that had red sauce on it.

Well that is it. I am done, and the game is over. The stupid Redwings won, so I am off to cry myself to sleep. Good night!

Ice Hockey

I love ice hockey, and most of all, I love the Anaheim Ducks. In fact, I recently got a chance to meet them all--one-on-one--take a few pictures, and have Scott Niedermayer sign my jersey. I was on the edge of my seat at the end of March/beginning of April, wondering if they would make the playoffs. Thankfully they did, and here I am in southern California to enjoy the playoff games.

Scott Niedermayer and I outside the Honda Center!

One would think that with Anaheim being an hour and a half away, the games would all be on tv, guaranteed. Well, as it turns out, Cox cable company here in SD doesn't carry Prime Ticket, the channel that half of the games are broadcast on. Tonight's game is on Versus, so I get to watch it at home, but Thursday night's game was not, and I wound up at Hooters.

I'm sorry, did you say Hooters? Oh yes, there I was, sitting at the bar in Hooters watching the hockey game. I went alone, but considering my moving around so much, I do that a lot. Generally I try to avoid places where single men flock to watch sporting events and gawk at cute girls with huge boobs in tiny tops. But, I really had no choice. So I bellied up, ordered a black-and-tan, and watched the game.

I hadn't eaten dinner, so as the first period was ending, I ordered. They had some nice salad options, and some great sounding grilled seafood. I ordered the Western BBQ burger (topped with cheese, onion rings and bacon) and curly fries. NOT exactly low-calorie. It tasted good, but my system was not happy with the onslaught of artery corroding fat and cholesterol.

So, I am happy to be home tonight watching the game. This doesn't mean I am eating like a saint, but I am eating much healthier, and to be honest, better tasting food. If you read the last posting, here is another option for that left-over cilantro.

Black bean dip

1 can black beans
1 small can Hatch green chilies-chopped
2-3 teas cumin
1 teas dried oregano finely crushed
2 cloves garlic minced
1/4 c grated onion
juice of 1/4 lime

1/4 c grated cheddar or jack cheese
1/4 c cilantro leaves chopped roughly

Combine first six ingredients in skillet over medium heat. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low simmer, and mash beans to desired consistency with potato masher. Simmer for about ten more minutes to reduce liquid and meld flavors. Remove from heat, stir in cheese until just melted and toss in cilantro. Spoon into a bowl and serve with chips.

**If you want it completely smooth, pour into food processor, and process until smooth after reducing liquid a bit.

You'll notice that I did not add salt. The canned beans and canned chilies each have salt in them, and when combined with the cheese, it seems to be salty enough. This is a much healthier alternative to cheese dips at restaurants, and is really quite simple to make.

This was my appetizer that I ate during the first period of the game. The second period, I had my dinner which was a version of the Rice and sausage dressing recipe. I used the Trader Joe's brown rice medley (1/2 cup) and pork Cajun sausage (2 large sausages) and upped the eggs to 2. This made it more like a casserole than a dressing. I also added red pepper flakes and tarragon. Spicy and tasty!

Well, Cara, you asked what was for dinner, and there it is. Not particularly balanced, I know, but it is Saturday and I did not feel like having a salad, or any veggie other than the onion and celery in the casserole.

What will I eat during the third period? I'm thinking a mint Skinny Cow--the only ice cream I like.

Mmmmm...herb! Not that kind!

Well, Colorado is the GREENEST state I know, but the kind of herbs I am talking about you don't smoke. I was asked about this in a comment made about my last posting, and as it was going to take too long to explain in a response, I thought I would post my thoughts here.

My cousin Katie wrote:
And on the subject of seasoning, how do you handle your fresh herbs? I have sorta tried to do the Rachael Ray thing and wash, dry, and store my fresh herbs as soon as I get them home from the store, but I must have been too impatient or something because I think they were still a little wet: they still wound up slimy and black before I could use them up. It's impossible for me to use up a whole bundle of cilantro unless I'm making Guac for England.

Now, you guys don't know how often Katie actually makes guacamole for the whole of England! But, I know there are days when she doesn't, and I have some suggestions for fresh herbs.

Cilantro can be really dirty and gritty when you buy it, so washing it is a good thing. Getting it washed as soon as you get home so that it is ready to go is totally a timesaver, but if you aren't careful, it does get slimy and nasty. When I get home, I usually wash it and fan it out on paper towel to let it dry. Once it is dry, wrap it up in the paper towel and put it back into its bag and put it in the fridge. This will keep it nice for quite a while. But, the best thing to do with it after it is washed, is to cut an inch or two off the stems, and store it standing up in a container with water in the bottom--like flowers in a vase. Just keep the leaves out of the water. If this still doesn't keep your cilantro long enough, I say you aren't using it enough! I will put a recipe below that I LOVE and use often. It takes quite a bit of cilantro.

FYI--this works well for asparagus and celery also.

Honestly, I buy potted basil and rosemary if I am going to be somewhere for 3 months or longer. I use an awful lot of those two, and even if I only used it once or twice a week, it is SOOOO much better when it is picked fresh. If you have a window that gets morning or afternoon full sun, they will grow well inside. I currently have them sitting on my balcony, and as long as I keep them watered, they do really well. If you are not moving often and want to buy them, let them get acclimated to their new home for a week or two, and then re-pot them in something larger with good potting soil. One warning about rosemary: My dog loves rosemary and if it is planted in the ground, seems to think it is the BEST place to pee. I recommend keeping it in a pot if you want to eat it!

When we lived in Santa Maria, Josh and I had quite the little garden going. He grew all the bell peppers, chilies, eggplant, and "pee" rosemary for Scottie. I had an incredible potted herb garden on the patio. That is a good way to keep the herbs under control, and it is easy to monitor watering, re-seeding, etc. I grew:

Basil
Rosemary
Dill
Cilantro
Chives
Thyme
Tarragon
Chocolate Mint
Sage

hmmm...I'm forgetting something. Oh well, you get the idea. But, I don't grow all those now, since I move so much. When I need them, I buy them. At Trader Joe's, Sunflower, and Whole Foods, you can get any of those now. At a lot of grocery stores, you can find a fair number of them, and they generally come in little plastic boxes. Chives go bad fairly quickly, and dill can also. But, I think that there is no equal to them fresh. Tarragon and sage I usually use in the dried form, although there are times when I buy fresh sage leaves.

Thyme is a great herb in so many things. It has a light citrusy taste and I put it in everything. I use it when I roast garlic if I do not want an overpowering taste of rosemary with it. I like this one fresh too. Hmmm...maybe I will go pick up a potted one. If you buy it in the little plastic box, it is very hardy and will last quite a while.

I didn't mention parsley. I hate parsley. I think it tastes like alfalfa, and honestly, I am happy leaving that for the horses! I only use it in the dried form and I only use it for one thing--sauce. It helps take the acidity away from the tomatoes, and is, therefore, a necessary evil. I made parsley dumplings once--OMG! Nasty!

And Chocolate mint. Yum! You will love how this smells. It is great to chop up and use with fresh berries for a nice summer dessert, but I like it for Mojitos! Mmmmmmm!

Chocolate Mint Mojito

small bunch chocolate mint, fresh, leaves only
1 teas sugar
ice
light rum
club soda
lime wedges

Put mint and sugar in the bottom of a double/rocks glass. Crush together with back of spoon to release oils from mint. Pack ice over top of crushed mint about 3/4 to top of glass. Pour rum over ice to about 1/2 inch from top of glass, and add a splash of club soda. Squeeze the juice from a lime wedge on top and toss wedge in for good measure. Stir and enjoy.

**Note** This can be made as a "virgin" drink by just using club soda. Minty and refreshing.


Cilantro-walnut pesto

1/2 bunch cilantro, washed
1/3 cup walnut pieces
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
olive oil
salt and pepper

Chop leaves off of the larger stems. Remember that the thinner stems are totally edible, so you don't have to waste your time pulling individual leaves off the small stems. Put the cilantro in food processor with walnuts and cheese. Process on low, drizzling oil in until it is the consistency you prefer. As far as I can tell, this is a very personal thing. Some people like pasty pesto, some like it runny. Sometimes it needs to be a certain consistency for a specific recipe. I don't care. Make it how you like. Pour it into a container, add salt and pepper to taste. I like to put it away for at least an hour to let the flavors meld together, but it will keep for a while in the fridge in a sealed container. I don't really know how long, because I just eat it really quickly.

**Note** For those people who don't like walnuts, it can be made with pecans, but I personally find the flavor lacking. Eh, to each his/her own.

What do you do with this recipe? Well, I like to grill thin slices of marinated eggplant, spread the pesto on a French roll, and then layer the eggplant with slices of jack cheese and carmelized onions. Tasty lunch on a weekend or light dinner anytime.

Roasted garlic

1 head garlic
2 teas olive oil EVOO is good here--lots of flavor
1 sprig rosemary or thyme (heck, why not use both!)

Leaving the garlic wrapped in its own skin, cut the top of of head. Center it on a piece of foil (Reynold's Wrap makes one that is from 100% recycled aluminum) and pour oil over top of exposed garlic. Place herb sprig(s) on top and carefully wrap entire thing with the foil. Then, place that on another piece of foil and wrap a second time. Place in 250 degree oven for about an hour. Garlic is done when you can squeeze it, and it starts to smush out the top.

This can be done using a clay garlic roaster instead of foil, just remember to soak roaster in water for 20 minutes before using it, otherwise the garlic will dry out.

One last thing. If you are going to be making enough guac for the whole of England, remember that most of them probably won't like cilantro anyway. It seems to be an acquired taste if you don't grow up with it. We in the Southwest are lucky in that regard. On the other hand, give them enough of the Mojitos, and they will probably like anything!


**Update--4 May 2009

As my mom and I are sitting here watching FoodTV, I was searching for the recipe we just saw, and remembered that I have a folder on my desktop with recipes that I have created and liked. I found this one, and realized it would go well with this post. I made it up while working in San Diego. So here it is, and I am going to add an alternative way of making it at the bottom of the recipe that I tried and enjoyed in Houston. It is kind of a Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee, with out the huge blond hair and boobs hanging in my food!

MUSHROOMS WITH SAUSAGE AND PESTO

2 PORTOBELLA MUSHROOMS
1 SAUSAGE LINK (ITALIAN, CHIPOTLE CHICKEN, ETC.)
1 RECIPE CILANTRO WALNUT PESTO (BELOW)

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES.

REMOVE STEMS FROM MUSHROOMS AND OIL CAPS. LAY CAP SIDE DOWN IN BAKING DISH.

REMOVE SAUSAGE FROM CASING AND COOK AS CRUMBLES. IF SAUSAGE IS PRECOOKED, REMOVE FROM CASING AND CHOP INTO SMALL PIECES. DIVIDE SAUSAGE AND PLACE HALF INTO EACH MUSHROOM CAP.

PLACE 3 TABLESPOONS OF PESTO ONTO TOP OF SAUSAGE IN EACH MUSHROOM AND SPREAD OUT.
BAKE FOR 17-20 MINUTES DEPENDING ON SIZE OF MUSHROOM

I made a version of this, which wound up being fun for a quick breakfast, or snack when I got home from work--a little appetizer.

Instead of Portobella mushrooms, buy the Baby Bellas. You also need one canned biscuit can. (That sentence seems redundant) Here's what you do.

Roll out one canned biscuit so it is no more than 1/4" thick, and place a mushroom--stem removed--cap side down in the center. Take a teaspoonful of pesto, place in cap, and top with a small spoon of sausage. Wrap biscuit around the whole thing and seal. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-17 minutes.

Let them sit for a while--THEY ARE HOT!!!

A new kitchen...again

I travel a lot for work. Not like most people do where they are in one city or another for a couple of days at a time. I move to a city for 1-6 months at a time. It is a way of life that most people aren't familiar with, and if they were, would make them run far in the opposite direction. I enjoy it--a new city, new company, working with people I have worked with in the past once again--and look forward to each new adventure.

Moving sucks! Packing, loading, hauling, unloading, unpacking, finding enough hangers (where the hell do they go!?!), getting settled. Some rooms are easier than others. Bathrooms not so bad, even bedrooms are relatively simple. Living rooms take a little longer, but really, this is all pretty easy when you are given a furnished apartment.

But, what about the kitchen? This tends to be my personal hell. For whatever reason, almost no kitchen is ever furnished properly. I mean, how difficult is it to have a cookie sheet or a cheese grater ready to go? So, what do I do? I pour myself a glass of wine (because there is inevitably a corkscrew in each kitchen, and if not, there is one in my luggage and one in my glove box) and start to unload my own personal stash of kitchen gadgets, glasses, and bakeware that I take with me to each place. I buy a few new pieces each time I go somewhere, and if it is not precious to me, I leave it for the next person. But anything I really invest in, or find that I really like, I take with me from place to place.

So, that makes it easy to have the gadgets, dishes, etc. that I need to be able to cook with. But, there is one other big part of this equation--the ingredients. Most furnished apartments have furniture, linens, etc. But the most I have found in the way of food is usually a basket with coffee, powdered creamer, sugar, and a tea bag. That means that each time I go somewhere I have to buy ALL the things I need to make meals with. This probably doesn't seem too difficult, but think about all those things you have in your fridge and pantry that make it easy to make a meal. All the basics, they have to be purchased along with all of the weekly items that I pick up. Besides needing to remember everything, it gets EXPENSIVE.

By this time, I should have a list of the things I need, aside from the fruits, veggies, and meats that I pick up depending on my mood. Well, I guess this will serve as that which I need, from here on out. I've been here in San Diego for 4 days, have been shopping 3 times, and I have a list on the fridge of things I have still forgotten.

So, here it goes. I will break it down by "type" of food, and may update it several times within this next week.

Dairy
butter
milk
sour cream
eggs (I know they aren't "dairy", but where else should I put them?)
yogurt
cheddar
goat cheese

Baking
flour
sugar
oil--I do olive and vegetable
salt and pepper (I add no more spices here because I take spices and dried herbs with me)
baking soda
baking powder
pancake mix, syrup

Pantry
brown rice
canned beans--black, pinto
canned tomatoes
pasta--a variety
coconut milk
olives--black, green, Kalamata
roasted red peppers
vegetable broth
canned Hatch chilies

Condiments
mustard
salsa
salad dressing
soy sauce
vinegar--red wine or balsamic
mayonnaise--gross, but sometimes necessary

Freezer
pizza (for the nights you just CAN"T cook)
pork chops
eggplant cutlets
sausage--Italian, Andouille, Bratwurst, etc.
Menage a trois frozen bell peppers--Trader Joe's
Frozen corn (good for tossing on salads, in curries)

Beverages
Good Earth tea
coffee
decaf coffee
Diet 7-up
red wine
white wine

Fruits and Vegetables
garlic--lots of it
onions
lemon
lime
salad greens
carrots
mushrooms
cilantro
basil
rosemary
celery
potatoes

Bakery
bread
tortillas

THIS IS MY LIST!!! These are the things I have had to buy in the last 3-4 days. I do this every time I move--it gets tiring. I mean, really, my arms get tired carrying all this crap. And like I said, it is pretty pricey too. Thank heaven for places like Trader Joe's.

Okay, I am going to go make myself some dinner. I hope yours is great!