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!

Anyone want to Hula?

Okay, I need to get in one more post before I head over the Rockies, back to sunny San Diego. I think it will be odd if this blog is left with only one post until after I am moved in start work, and get myself settled. But, the post after all that happens will deal with the unending dilemma I face with having to set up a kitchen every few months, so it should be interesting. Hah, hah--it will be interesting to me anyway!

A couple of weekends ago I flew back to Huntington Beach for my aunt's birthday party. It was a great day of family and, of course, food. I come from a family FULL of people who enjoy cooking, and enjoy getting together and eating. Right, we're a bunch of Sicilians, what are you going to do? I wish I could put photos in with this post, but, oh right, I didn't take any. Hey, having the camera in the purse all the time is a good FIRST step.

So, you would expect that in my family, the Italian food is to die for. It is. No doubt about it. All of the cousins--by which I mean those in the family who are of my generation--have at one point or another brought friends along to family parties. Mostly these have been holiday parties and we brought those friends who could not be with their own families. Sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming. I mean come on, get 40 loud, happy, wine drinking, face-stuffing, joke-telling Sicilians in a small house, and those not of the Scarminach variety may get wide eyed. But, they always leave happy, well-fed, and ready to return. Two years ago my in-laws came to Christmas Eve dinner and they still mention it everytime I see them. Good food and friendship abounds.

But, back to the party, there was no Italian food to be seen. My aunt loves Hawaii, and we thought it would be fun to have a Luau. My mom and her other sisters organized it, got everyone involved, and we had great food. My assignment--and for those of you who know me well will laugh--was a coleslaw. Not particularly Hawaiian, right? Actually, it was.

I HATE cabbage and mayonnaise. Really, I have tried, but the only things I like less are Brussels sprouts and bacon-flavored jelly beans. So, I was on a quest to make a coleslaw that even I would enjoy. What I found is a great variation on it that ties it in perfectly to the country-style pork ribs (come on, Coleen was NOT going to let us dig a huge whole in her backyard and roast a pig--it would screw up the Bocce court), Hawaiian style sweet potato salad (that I will share if I get permission from my aunt--so good!), fruit platters and veggie skewers. I am also going to share my "Pacific-style" pork ribs that I made the other night, as they will go really well with the coleslaw, and are simple to do if you do not have a smoker.

Pacific-inspired Coleslaw

1/2 head cabbage, cored and sliced thinly (very thinly, no, no, as thin as you can make it!)
1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
1 carrot, grated
1/2 jicama, grated (I know, they taste like dirt. But really, it is great in this recipe)
3 green onions, sliced on the bias

Dressing
3 tbls soy sauce
3 tbls rice vinegar
3 tbls oil (I think I used canola--don't use olive)
1/2 teas sesame oil
1 1/2 tbls sugar
hefty dash of red pepper flakes

toasted slivered almonds

Mix all the veggies in a large serving bowl. Whisk all dressing ingredients together in small bowl, and pour on top of veggies. Toss well to distribute the dressing onto every piece of cabbage and jicama (this helps hide the fact that on their own they aren't so great). I like to use my hands to do this. One reason is that once you get that cabbage sliced, it is rather voluminous. The other reason is that I like to chase my nephew around with my icky hands afterwards.

Once tossed, sprinkle the toasted almonds on top and serve.

I made this early in the morning, leaving the veggies in one bowl and the dressing in another. I tossed them together right before I served them so it wouldn't get soggy.

Pacific-inspired Pork Ribs

8 country style pork ribs--excess fat trimmed off
Suzy-Qs seasoning (don't have it in your store? call my mom)
1 1/2 oranges sliced

1/2 c Plum sauce from your local Asian Market
1 large clove fresh garlic, grated finely
1 teas sesame oil
juice from 1/2 orange

Season ribs with Suzy Qs seasoning (basically, salt, pepper, garlic powder)--I use it fairly liberally. Place in one or two roasting pans and lay 2-3 slices of orange on top of each rib. Roast in 350 degree oven until the pork is just slightly pink in center. I am not going to give a time, because it really depends on how thick your ribs are and whether or not they have bones. When they are 5 minutes from being done, get your grill going on high heat.

While the ribs are roasting, mix the ingredients for the sauce together. When you take ribs out of the oven, remove orange slices and discard, and liberally brush tops of ribs with sauce mixture. Place sauce side down on grill and leave 4-5 minutes. You'll get those pretty grill marks and cook the sauce. While they are on that first side, brush the other with sauce. Flip and grill for 4-5 more minutes, remove from heat, and let rest for 7-8 minutes off heat.

When we had the ribs the other night, we ate them with oven roasted small tomatoes and asparagus. We also drank a bottle of Brunello (thanks to Sarah for the Christmas gift she sent). If you have them with the slaw, try a potato salad and/or Hawaiian bread along with it.

Done and yum!

Why not me

I love to cook, and as people often ask me about what I cook and how to do it, I thought I could make that available here. Mostly though, if I feel the need to right it down here, I probably liked it a lot, and it will be available to me! Since I don't usually follow recipes, and seem to have next to no memory anymore, it is so easy to forget what I did, and not remember the little things that I put into a dish to make it great.

"Rice-and-salt days" refers to that time in a woman's life when she has left her family and is making her own home and family--between the "hair-pinning days" of a young woman's life, preparing to be married, and the "sitting-quietly days" of the older woman, the widow. These terms come from traditional Chinese culture, but reflect the trajectories of many women's lives, all across the world.

In that vein, I would like to share a variation on a recipe my family uses every Thanksgiving. I just made a bunch of it, divided it into containers, and left it in the freezer for my husband, Josh, so he can have it when I am gone.

Rice and Sausage Dressing

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
leaves of 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme
1-2 leaves of fresh sage, finely chopped
1 lb. andouille sausage, casings removed
1 c brown rice medley--I like the one from Trader Joe's, but any will do
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten

Cook rice as instructed by package. While the rice is cooking, in a medium sized skillet, saute the vegetables and herbs in oil over low/medium heat--just until translucent--adding a touch of salt to help veggies release their water and soften. Scoop veggies into a large bowl and set aside, return the skillet to heat. Crumble sausage into pan and cook all the way through. Gently scoop cooked sausage into bowl with veggies, leaving excess fat in pan. Once the rice is finished cooking, add to sausage and veggies in bowl. Mix the ingredients together and let cool a bit. Note--if you are in a bit of a hurry, put it in the freezer, and pull it out and mix every couple of minutes. It does not need to be cold, just cool enough that the egg will not turn into scrambled eggs when mixed in!
Once mixture has cooled, add Parmesan, salt, and pepper to taste. Combine well, add egg and combine again. At this point, it can be put in pan and baked at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. When I do it this way, I like to sprinkle a little extra Parmesan on top to give it a nice crust. This can also be used to stuff a bird--turkey, chicken, turducken, etc., or can be frozen before it is cooked. Just thaw and cook through when you are ready for it.

This is a great recipe to make if you have leftover rice and some sausage in the house--I mean, who doesn't just have sausage hanging out, right? I made this last week with Cornish game hens, and served it with a salad of spring greens. We ate at the theater on Josh's dinner break, but I would think a non-oaked Chardonnay would go really well with it if one didn't need to return to work and use heavy machinery. Yum!

Cornish Game Hens

2 Cornish game hens-butterflied or cut completely in half
olive oil
salt and pepper
4 sage leaves
8-12 sprigs fresh thyme

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 1 1/2-2 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Salt and pepper both sides of all hen pieces. Before oil begins to smoke, put hens in skillet, skin side down, and brown for 4-5 minutes. If you have a press or weight, put it on top of the birds, as this helps get the whole thing browned better. When the first side is brown, turn over, press birds down with spatula, and remove pan from heat. Lay one sage leaf across the top of each hen half, and 2-3 sprigs of time to each. Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes or so--until juices run clear when you poke it in the meatiest part of thigh.

This is crucial--when you remove hens from oven, place on serving platter and LET SIT for 5-10 minutes. The hen stays super juicy this way.