Homemade Dried Chili Dust (aka Fairy Dust)

I know I just blogged about the fairy dust, but I can't help myself from doing it again.

Last night I blanched some brussel sprouts and then roasted them in rendered bacon fat, garlic, and fairy dust.

With braised beef brisket and mashed potatoes with roasted garlic, it was quite the Sunday feast.


What's funny is I don't usually mind rainy Mondays and work-weeks that involve teaching during the day and grading at night. But today I'm kind of bitter the weekend is over. I wanted more time to experiment with fairy dust. I have a pork tenderloin that should be rubbed in fairy dust and slowly roasted. I have a boring goulash recipe that would explode with flavor by adding some fairy dust. I want to concoct a dessert that brings together savory and sweet with some heat from fairy dust.

I just need more time.

At least another round of chili peppers are drying on the bookshelf in my office. Being enveloped in the slightly intoxicating smell makes me feel a little better. And feeling my sinuses clear out and tears well up in my eyes from their drying reminds me that there's next weekend--something to look forward to all week long.

Fairy Dust (aka Homemade Dried Chili Flakes/Powder/Dust/)

1 food dehydrator
As many chili peppers you have on hand. The more, the bigger the batch.

Wearing gloves, cut the stems away from the peppers, slice the peppers in half, keep the seeds and membranes in tact. Place peppers seeds-side down on the trays. Dry for 48-72 hours, until pepper shrivel and are dried through. Grind peppers in a spice grinder or coffee bean grinder. Store in a small jar for up to 6 months; though it's doubtful the fairy dust will last that long.

Fairy Dust: An Addiction

For my ex-wife potatoes and fairy dust addictions, I blame Sarah Lenz, my fierce friend and fantastic co-star of Spatula.  

If I end up on Intervention, she better be there too. It would only be a "I go, if you go" situation. I'm not watching her grind up Fairy Dust while I use commercial grade Cayenne Pepper. That would cause me to relapse. For sure. 

Let me back up a bit.

A couple of weeks ago, Sarah told me over lunch that she was attempting to make her own dried chili peppers. As much as I love her, I half-heartedly dismiss these projects she pronounces. It's not malicious. It's just she always has a project and is super-motivated, like me, so I see the results only days after she first mentions said-project to me. Why on earth get all fired up about the idea when within a week I can ponder the results for a long while? 

Needless to say, a couple of days later, Sarah calls to report about the dried chili flakes.  

"After I ground the dried chilies in my spice (aka coffee) grinder, they came out like dust," she said. 

"Like powder," I responded, dreamily. 

I'm telling you I could be on Intervention. I'm thinking about how to get a cut of this stuff. How to divy it up. How to parcel it out. Without getting caught. 

Dried Chili Dust = Foodie Cocaine. 

What's weird is, I don't remember tasting it with Sarah. I remember her telling me about it. And then suddenly her dryer was in my house. Trays of halved peppers drying, with their seeds and membranes intact, widened our nostrils and awoke our lungs. Sarah warned me to dry the chilis in the basement; I kept them in the kitchen. After 2 days of drying, I put the shriveled peppers in a coffee bean grinder, like Sarah told me to, and ground them, in several different rounds, into fairy dust. I put the dust in an washed pimento jar. Then I feel as though I woke up and remembered my life, again.

The most mind-blowing result of fairy dust is forthcoming in a BG News article (click on the "YourNews" tab), but I have to admit that I put them in/on/over almost everything I eat. 

I've mixed the fairy dust with butter and put it on steak. 

I've swirled it into mayo and used it as a dip for my ex-wife potatoes. 

I've sprinkled chicken breasts with it before a good sear and bake. 

I've even added it to my olive oil before massaging it into a whole chicken's skin--above and just beneath its surface.

Tonight, FD added it to his venison chili, a fall dish I live for. 

Rich with umami, FD's chilis are always acidic in a good way, complex in mouthfeel (the beans always stay firm and he always finds a chip or Nut Thin to add crunch while serving it), and hot(!!!) with chilies. The fairy dust just took it to a whole new level. Though, I have to admit that I almost put a few sprinkles of fairy dust on top of bowl just before my first spoonful. 

I told you I have a problem. 

To take some of the heat (pun intended) off me, I think Sarah should post the recipe. But if you read between the lines here and are feeling the itch from some fairy dust, you could easily put together the recipe from my post alone. 

I'm not one to leave food junkies hanging. But be warned: THIS SHIT IS HIGHLY ADDICTIVE!

I seriously will never buy dried chili flakes or chili pepper for my pantry ever again when it's so easy to make my own. 

...See, wouldn't Jeff have a field day with me? 

Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup with Kale

Sis

Yesterday FD and I went to my parents' to celebrate my sister's birthday.

She turned 37 but looks only 12. Her life is a testimony in so many ways I still am unable to articulate yet, but I try.

The two things that are constant about my sister: pizza is her favorite food and five is her favorite number.

Needless to say we had pizza on her birthday, and she got 5 new nail polishes and more than 5 new puzzles. And when she opened her present from K. & Z., a necklace with a star-shaped pendant with a pink gem, I thought she was going to pass out or end up on YouTube.

It was a super cool birthday for her, and I was thrilled to be there to celebrate it.

While I was home, my Pops told me something I had forgotten. When I graduated from high school, I applied to Kent, BGSU, and a few other schools in addition to culinary school. It came down to Kent and culinary school. My love of writing won, and I went to Kent, became an English major, and "the rest is history," as they say. But my Pops said, "I think it's funny you're still so into food. It's like you went to culinary school after all."

Sometimes the best education is the one you give yourself.
Even if it's unintentional.

I totally forgot I had applied to culinary school.
I totally forgot I loved cooking in high school.
I totally forgot how food bonds me to everyone I love.

I totally forgot I forgot years of my life.

A great reminder was when Hons, my step-mom, gave me two of her America's Test Kitchen cookbooks last night.

Immediately upon getting home, I poured a glass of wine and devoured The Best Simple Recipes cookbook.

Knowing full well I needed a soup for the week and that I had some chicken breasts de-thawing in the fridge, I went right for the soup chapter and found their version of Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup.

What's funny is I wouldn't call it "simple." There are a lot of steps and a lot of ways to fuck it up. But the ingredients are simple. So I wonder if it's the ingredients that determine the "simple" adjective.

What I can say about the finished product? It is divine. Cook's Illustrated and Christopher Kimball never let me down.

The egg yolks (mine came from our local farmer Luginbill Family Farms) added great body, texture, and color to the soup. A total must. (And the leftover eggs whites are perfect for an omelet tomorrow morning.) Yet the procedure was not simple. There were several steps, and it took about an hour. It isn't the weeknight dinner that it had pronounced itself to be in the cookbook...but I do get home from teaching about 7:30 every night, and anything that takes longer than 10 minutes is far too long for me.

Texture and taste wise, the soup was amazing. I added kale to it, while the chicken rested, as well as magic pepper dust. (More on that soon, I promise!) The magic pepper dust made it probably a thousand times more awesome.

But what's even more awesome?

Knowing my decision to go to Kent rather than culinary school was the most awesome decision I ever made (i.e. FD, friends, poetry, job, etc.).

A Night of Leftovers

The harmonica of Neil Young's "Natural Beauty" croons.

Through the kitchen, dining room, living room, my office.

We're in the moment of flow. FD in the dining room, me in my office.

Working on creating, sipping red wine, finding words for things.


Dinner was at the table. Us relaxing, lingering on things,


much of which was art, the act of creation--from poems to eggplant gratin to Earth to turnip soup.

Long after forks toasted their plates in a last bite, we sat, talking, the rain

a mere percussion for the guitar and harmonica.

Goodbye Summer & Picnics at the Quarry

Tomorrow  the semester starts and summer ends.

While I really excited to get back in the classroom with my students, I'm a little sad too. It means I'm going to have a lot less time to cook.

One of my favorite summer activities has been going to the Portage Quarry with our friends N & I. They are as food obsessed as me.

So really, while swimming was totally fun, what was even more fun were our picnics. All of us brought A game to every meal. We're talking spreads that would shame wedding buffets. And what a better way to use up all that fresh produce that was overtaking our refrigerators' crisper drawers?

Also, what picnic days taught me was how to think outside the box of what was picnic food, and they forced me to experiment more with grains, chilled salads, and sides, most of which could easily become main dishes.

I had a blast spending the whole day before our outings scouring through online and magazine and cookbook recipes, creating various flavor simple syrups, testing adult lemonades, finding plastic containers with tight fitting lids, and cooking.

Thanks to our picnics I've learned to love lentils even more, and I feel much closer to N & I (and our friend J who joined us once too!), who were rad to begin with but who are even more rad after I got a chance to chill, swim, and eat with them.

As homage to the last of our picnic days (and summer, in general), here are photos from our summer of good eating, good swimming, and good friends.

Homemade grape leaves, homemade hummus, egg salad, chicken salad, coleslaw with beets, beet salad, etc.

N & I made their own pickles. True love at first bite.

A lot of our produce came from the community garden and farmers markets.

N's baking is divine. This is her cupcake with mint (or basil?) frosting. It's hard to remember everything...

Lentil wraps, fried chicken, bbq chicken & tofu, pasta salad, kale salad, roasted potatoes, peach crisp, etc.

Green bean and cherry tomato salad with onion--produce from my friend Sarah's garden.

Stuffed, Part II

After making my Hot Pigs in a Summer Couture Wrap, I had about 4 cups of the filling leftover and one huge zucchini that was a gift from my friend Sarah.

Even before all the storms last week and this weekend, I saw a flash a fate-lightning that led me to this recipe: Stuffed Zucchini.

For my Stuffed Zucchini, all I did was cut a LARGE zucch in half, lengthwise, spoon out its seeds, add my filling from the Hot Pigs in a Summer Couture Wrap, drizzle a little local tomato sauce in the pan before and after putting the stuffed zucch in it, grate some of CJ's Farmstead Cheddar on top of the stuffing, and cover the pan with foil.

Again, I baked it on my grill for about 40 minutes on indirect medium heat. (Please see the note from my previous post.) And it turned out AWESOME.

Truthfully, the BIG zucchs are perfect for stuffing but they are a bit overwhelming to eat. I want you to know it's okay to eat half a half and then the filling from the other half and then see how full you are. If your stomach is full, you can grate its leftovers into a lunch salad or grate it and put and freeze it. No worries.

What's awesome is zucchinis have fed us two solid meals in two days in a row with abundant leftovers.

I can't complain.

Stuffed, Part I

"Turn your back on the little zucchini for just a few minutes and they grow into baseball bats," said Epicurious recipe review A Cook From NH.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

This growing season there so many summer squash I can barely grate it and freeze it enough before some more finds its way into our kitchen again. Be it from the community garden, a friend's garden, the farmers market, or the local farmer we order produce from, zucchini has aimed its target at me. And like a good cook, I'm up for the challenge.

On the Epicurious website, I found this recipe for Cabbage Stuffed with Beef, Zucchini and Herbs. While all the ingredients sounded like a perfect fit for my crisper drawers, the recipe reviews were something left to be desired.

But I braved it and tweaked this so-called bland recipe into a keeper. At least I feel confident saying that after getting the approval from our gracious neighbors and friends A & J who dedicated their Saturday night as taste testers.

What follows is the very revised version of the recipe from Self magazine using quite a bit of the comments from A Cook from California. I also must thank my mum-in-law Sally for giving her original pigs-in-a-blanket recipe that I used as a foundation.

Note: The baking instructions are clearly for summer. Being this last week Bowling Green only saw temps in the higher 90s, there was NO way I was going to turn on the oven. So I turned to my grill. I baked the cabbage rolls over indirect medium heat for 50 minutes. To get indirect heat on a charcoal grill, place a disposal aluminum pan in the middle of the charcoal tray. Fill the open space around the pan with 2 layers of charcoal. Bake the rolls in another disposable pan. (After cooking you can either recycle the pans or wash them for re-use. It's up to you.)

Hot Pigs in a Couture Summer Wrap (aka Pigs in a Blanket--Summer Style)

Suggested albums while cooking: The Beatles White Album, especially "Piggies" and Jay Farrar and Ben Gibbard's One Fast Move Or I'm Gone.  (Thanks, Jenn!)

1 large head of local cabbage
1 medium local zucchini
1 medium local summer squash
1 small local eggplant
1/2 bunch of kale
1 can diced tomatoes (local), drained (reserve juice)
2 medium local onions (red or white or mix)
3 local garlic gloves, minced
1 lb local, grass-fed ground beef
1 T each fresh local basil, parsely, thyme, & oregano
2 T organic olive oil, divided
1 c cooked rice
pinch of cloves
pinch of nutmeg

Sauce:
1 can zesty tomato soup (local) with 1/2 water, mixed well, and all of the herbs with some leftover for sprinkling.

Begin by cooking rice. Use wild grain rice, jasmine, minute brown rice, etc. Whatever you have on hand that floats your boat.

While rice is cooking, blanch cabbage. From the top of the head cut a straight incision that goes through the head (so surgical, I know) but that does not cut away any leaves. Blanch for 5 minutes or until bright green. If inner leaves aren't blanched enough, you can always re-submerge. Of course, you'll have ice cold water on hand to stop the cooking immediately after the head has been blanched. Set aside to drain and cool after ice bath. After cool, half and core cabbage, carefully tearing away leaves. Set leaves aside to dry and drain.

In an large non-stick skillet, brown ground beef with 1 T olive oil, salt, and pepper. Drain. Set Aside.

Saute onions and garlic until soft. Add squash, zucchini, eggplant, diced tomatoes, cloves, and nutmeg with a little of the diced tomato juice (I'm sorry I'm not technical like Cook's Illustrated). Cover and cook until soft. Add kale for last two minutes and cover again.

Stir in meat and cooked rice with veggie mixture.

Trim cabbage leaf veins so they are easier to fold. Be sure not to cut leaves.

Hold a leaf with the core side towards you. Add a bit of meat in its cup. Roll once, then fold in the sides and roll until it's covered. Place seam side down in a pan where the bottom is lightly covered with sauce.

Repeat until cabbage leaves are gone. (Recipe can be doubled and frozen, if you so wish.)

Pour remaining sauce over the rolls before covering with the pan with foil. 

Bake on the grill according to the above note. If baking in the house, preheat the over to 350F and bake for 45-60 minutes.

When done, as the French say, "Mange!"

For dessert, consider homemade brownies! Our friends made-from-scratch their brownies using a recipe from How to Boil Water.  As a brownie fanatic all I can say is that they were AWESOME, especially after they added whipped cream and Baileys to them.

Cheers to a fantastic dinner party!

Who In Their Right Mind Craves Lasagna In the Middle of July?

So begins the season of summer squash, and this year I'm devoted to trying to doing more with it than the run-of-the-mill zucchini bread. (Though I am trying to find a new recipe for zucc bread, if you come across one...)

In the meantime, I made Vegetable Lasagna from the Cook's Illustrated Light Cookbook, and it was divine. I recommend, though, carving out a lot of time to focus on this recipe. You begin it by making your own sauce (make a double batch!). It's time consuming and worth it, especially if you're trying to use up some of those endlessly harvested summer crops.

Postscript confession: I used Canal Junction's Gruyere cheese with a bit of mozz, but I did use a "light" ricotta and cottage cheeses. The WW exchange points are a 7, if you stick strictly to the recipe. I gauged my revisions would be 10 points.

Another consideration: Only make this if you have A/C; otherwise, the kitchen could get a little hot.

I promise "cool" recipes for summer squash in the near future.

Serves 6 to 8. Published September 1, 1997.

Smoked mozzarella, Gruyère, or Fontina can be substituted for the mozzarella and Pecorino Romano for the Parmesan. Also, three and one-half cups of your favorite prepared tomato sauce can be substituted for the sauce in this recipe. Because no-boil noodles come twelve to sixteen in a box, we suggest buying two boxes to ensure that you'll have the fifteen required for this lasagne.

Ingredients

Lasagne
2	tablespoons olive oil
2	medium cloves garlic , minced
	petite diced tomato
2	tablespoons chopped fresh basil or parsley leaves
15	no-boil lasagna noodles (dried, 7-by-3 1/2-inch)
3	cups vegetables , cooked and seasoned (see below)
1	pound mozzarella cheese , shredded (about 4 cups)
5	ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 2/3 cup)
	Vegetable cooking spray for foil
Vegetables: Toss with enough olive oil to coat them lightly before roasting or sauté them in a few tablespoons of olive oil.
	asparagus spears - trim tough ends, slice in half lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces; blanch until crisp-tender, drain well, and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes
	broccoli or cauliflower - cut into florets, blanch until crisp-tender, drain, chop into 1/4-inch pieces and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes
	eggplant - cut into 1/2-inch dice, roast until tender, about 35 minutes at 400 degrees
	fennel - cut bulb into very thin strips; sauté until tender, about 15 minutes, or roast until tender, about 30 minutes at 400 degrees
	mushrooms - trim and slice or dice; sauté until golden, about 5 -7 minutes, or roast until tender, about 20 minutes at 400 degrees
	onions - peel and cut into thin slices; sauté until soft and golden, 5 -7 minutes, or roast until soft and golden, about 20 minutes at 400 degrees
	spinach or Swiss chard - wash, stem and chop; sauté until wilted, about 5 minutes
	zucchini - cut into 1/2-inch dice; sauté until tender, about 7 minutes, or roast until tender, about 35 minutes at 400 degrees
Vegetable Seasonings
	minced garlic (optional)
	minced fresh herbs (optional)
	red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

1. 1. Heat oil and garlic in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes; simmer until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in basil or parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into large measuring cup. Add enough water to make 3 1/2 cups.

2. 2. Spread 1/2 cup sauce evenly over bottom of greased 13-by-9-inch lasagne pan. Lay three noodles crosswise over sauce, making sure they do not touch each other or sides of pan. Spread 3/4 cup prepared vegetables evenly over noodles, 1/2 cup sauce evenly over vegetables, and 3/4 cup mozzarella and 2 generous tablespoons Parmesan evenly over sauce. Repeat layering of noodles, vegetables, sauce, and cheeses three more times. For fifth and final layer, lay final three noodles crosswise over previous layer and top with with remaining 1 cup tomato sauce, 1 cup mozzarella, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. (Can be wrapped with plastic and aluminum foil and frozen for up to 1 month. If frozen, defrost in refrigerator).

3. 3. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Cover pan with large sheet foil greased with cooking spray. Bake 25 minutes (30 minutes if chilled); remove foil and continue baking until top turns golden brown in spots, about 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven and let lasagne rest 5 minutes. Cut and serve immediately.

If Only I Was the Love Child of Jamie Oliver and Alice Waters...

My obsession with Alice Waters is getting out of hand.

I tried to find her biography on the internet today while thinking to myself, "God, if she was just in Us Weekly and on Perez Hilton, my life would be made."

Alas, the best I have is Waters' recipes, which I am more than grateful for.

And so my obsession with Alice Waters keeps growing and my obsession with Jamie Oliver is as solid as ever. So tonight for dinner, I consummated my "food parents." I planned the meal entirely around what I had on hand and recipes only from Jamie at Home and The Art of Simple Cooking.

No, I'm not that bored, just that crazy.

Oliver's Grilled Lamb Kofta Kebabs with Pistachios and Spicy Salad Wrap are the BOMB! Instead of using the food processor to grind up a neck fillet of lamb, I used ground lamb I had bought from Luginbill Farms at the Perrysburg Farmer's Market two weeks ago. I finely chopped the thyme and pistachios by hand and then mixed, by hand, them with all the spices and lemon zest (in place of sumac) with the lamb. The nutty spicy smell had me under a spell so much so I was considering eating the lamb tar-tare.

Oliver's spicy salad was easy too. I didn't have red onions on hand, but the spring onions that I had just gotten from Homestead Gardens were more than perfect substitutes. And we didn't have flat bread on hand, but we did have tortillas, which worked just as well.

Grilling the kebabs was stressful, though. First of all, watch for flare ups. Lamb is more fatty than most meat. Also, they wanted to slide right off of our metal skewers, so it was sometimes difficult to turn them, and they cook FAST! I was worried when a few of our kebabs (and we got 6, not 4 from a one lb of meat) started blackening. We pulled them off right away with silicone tongs. (Grab them in the middle of the meat. Oven mitts just don't work.) All the kebabs were on the grill for no more than 5 minutes. It was whirlwind well worth it. The charcoal flavor perfectly compliments the game-ness of the meat, the spicy salad, and the cool yogurt. All the stress is forgotten after the first bite, especially if you and/or guests love Middle Eastern food; just be ready to cook FAST.

Knowing I had my Jamie Oliver recipe all ready to go, I needed to pick an Alice Waters' one that would suit the Middle Eastern theme. I knew exactly what recipe I had to try in The Art of Simple Cooking: Lentil Salad.

Waters' Lentil Salad is absurdly easy and beyond flavorful. The red wine vinegar gives it a tang while the onions (I used my green onions from Homestead Gardens) add a little kick. We added diced cucumber to ours because I had one I had to use that I got from the BG Farmer's Market last week.

I made the salad in the morning and served it cold, and it was fantastic. I just added the cuke right before I served it.

What I'm learning to love about lentils is their versatility. They can be the main course. They can be a side. They are crunchy or can be mushy, if the recipes calls for so. They are sweet and sometimes spicy. They remind me of tofu's ability to take on any flavor well, but lentils have their own distinct flavor nutty, grainy flavor and texture.

I've been in a hormonally pissy mood the past two days (thanks to FD for putting up with me!), but I must say after eating this meal all feels right with the world, my body and my hormones again.

I'm sure that's strictly because my "food parents" are always looking after me and providing me with exactly the right food and nutrients I need.

Now if only I could say the same for Bella and Edward or Bella and Jacob.

Father's Day

I'm not sure if I would be the cook I am without Cook's Illustrated. I learn a lot from their testing narratives and their step-by-step instructions.

For Father's Day, I relied almost fully on the Cook's Illustrated's 2009 Summer Entertaining issue, and, not to brag, but the meal was huge hit.

Seriously, no one can go wrong with a Cook's Illustrated recipe.


The Menu:
Slow-Cooker North Carolina Pulled Pork
Grass-fed Burgers
Cool and Creamy Macaroni Salad
Buttermilk Cole Slaw
Root Beer Baked Beans (Food and Wine July 2010)
Strawberry Poke Cake

While the whole meal was easy to make, I feel like the pulled pork yielded the most flavor of all the dishes. And what was really great was I didn't have to worry about grilling it all day with temperatures in the 90's. Using the slow-cooker let me forget about it and get to my other dishes. And the flavor was AWESOME. Because the recipe calls for ham hocks, a rich red color emerged as well as a smoky, cured flavor. The meat was perfectly moist too. My Pops couldn't stop praising it, which made me feel good because I made it special for him on Father's Day.

The Macaroni Salad and Cole Slaw were fantastic. Perfectly easy make-ahead recipes, which made my cooking life extremely simple. And again great flavors, and, if there are leftovers, they keep for a couple of days.

I had higher hopes for the Root Beer Baked Beans. They were good, but I thought they needed less molasses and more smokiness. I think next time I will add coriander, cumin, and liquid smoke, and I'll cut down on the molasses.

Out of all the dishes, the best was the Strawberry Poke Cake. I was extremely worried about making the cake from scratch but it came out light and moist with a perfect crumble. I tweaked a few ingredients for this recipe, though, which I think made a difference. Cook's Illustrated calls for store-bought frozen strawberries, but I bought 2 quarts of homegrown strawberries, sprinkled them with a little sugar and froze them. Then I cooked them down to get the juice for the pokes and the puree for the jam filling. (I didn't want to use the fresh berries because Cook's Illustrated said the flavor was a bit inconsistent.) Instead of Strawberry Jell-O I used a plain gelatin. In my opinion the berries had enough flavor; I didn't want to cover up their natural sweetness with artificial flavoring. Finally, for my fresh whipped cream topping, I added vanilla to intensify the flavor.

My brother, one of the world's most picky eaters, had three pieces of my Strawberry Poke Cake. In other words, I never got a chance to photograph it. It was that good.

Good enough that I just might make it all over again for 4th of July.

Countdown

Only three more days until summer.

Which means more time to cook and eat.

Until then, it's all about quick, simple, and satisfying recipes like this one from Bon Appetit.

Red-Cooked Rump Roast

We're almost out of our beef, Clementine.

Next time we're NOT splitting our 1/8. LOL!

Last year I struggled with figuring out what to do with the rolled rump roast. Today I just happened to stumble upon the Red-Cooked Rump Roast recipe in my one of my fav cookbooks, Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook.

Not only was this recipe SUPER delicious, but also it was too easy to be sooo good. With a side of mashed potatoes and a salad, this spicy and savory beef dish is perfect.

And I have a feeling the leftovers are going to make spectacular sandwiches!



Red-Cooking Liquid:
1 1/2 c water
1 c low sodium soy sauce
1/4 c dry sherry
2 T sugar
2 green onions (white and green parts), roughly chopped
Two 1/2 inch slices ginger, lightly crushed
1 whole star anise
1 stick cinnamon
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 strip (about 3 inches) orange zest, removed with veggie peeler

Directions:

Pour red-cooking liquid into slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Put rump roast in cooker and turn to coat both sides with liquid. It is okay if the liquid covers the roast completely. Cover, turn the heat to LOW, and cook for 4 hours.

Turn over the roast, cover, and cook on LOW 3 to 4 hours more.

List roast out of cooking liquid and place on a cutting board. Allow to cool a bit, then carve into thin slices (about 1/4 inch thick) and serve with a few spoonfuls of the cooking liquid drizzled over it. Or, if you wish to serve it cold, refrigerate until chilled before slicing.

Allow remaining liquid to cool a bit, then pour through a fat strainer. Discard solids. Refrigerate liquid but do not cap until liquid has cooled completely. It will keep in fridge for a week to 10 days and in the freezer for 3 months. Thaw it before using. To reuse the liquid, remove and discard the solidified fat on top. Pour the liquid into the slow cooker crock, and proceed as directed int he recipe with fresh meat. After every 3rd or 4th use, refresh liquid by adding 1/2 c of soy sauce and half of the seasonings.

Recipe will work with a whole 3-4 lb broiler chicken too. Remove innards, dunk both sides, and go at it. (I hope to try this soon and report the outcome.)

Olympics Pizza Party

In honor of the XXI Olympics we had a pizza party with our good friends J, A, and Babs.

J & A made two delicious pizzas. One with a pesto sauce with mozz and fresh tomatoes, and the other with pizza sauce, fresh peppers and tomatoes. Of course, they homemade the dough; they used wheat and white flours.

FD & I made a pepperoni, salami, blend oyster-crimini-portobello mushrooms, and kalmata olives with pizza sauce. And, of course, we homemade our dough too.

Also, I put together a salad bar of kinds: organic salad mix, cukes, carrots, onions, edible flowers, kalamata olives, and radishes (which I tamed with salt and lemon). I offered two homemade salad dressings: a white wine vinegar and balsamic vinegar. (Will do a blog post soon with the recipes.)

But the main attraction of the evening was Babs' Ed's Chocolate Cake.

As we know, I suck at baking, but I need to learn to make this cake.

It rocks my world.

Totally.

To the point, I give it a Gold Medal.

BTW, I'm enjoying the Olympics. They rock too.

Lighter Chicken Enchildas

If I could eat only one type of food for the rest of my life, it would be Mexican.

Growing up I always preferred Taco Bell to all other fast foods, and to this day it is still the only chain fast food I crave. And on my birthday when we lived in Fort Myers, Florida, my parents never asked me where I wanted to eat; they always knew I wanted Garcia's or Casa Lupita.

In Graduate school, I clearly remember one week in which I ate at Rio Grande in Saberton, WV eight times.

I'm not lying.

My biggest challenge since I started cooking and really caring about the food I eat is making Mexican myself. Back in the day I tried the box stuff, but since my palate and food values have changed, the box kits no longer appeal to me.

After testing countless recipes from the web and cookbooks, I finally found one that tested almost authentic.

Cook's Illustrated Lighter Chicken Enchiladas are my new food addiction. Of course, I didn't use the lighter cheese that the recipe calls for. But they still felt lighter and my scale didn't see any changes.

The best part of this recipe is the homemade enchilada sauce. It's easy, low in sodium, and incredibly tasty.

Hands down, this is the best enchilada recipe I've ever had. And the leftovers were even better!

Serves 6. Published July 15, 2008. From Cook's Illustrated.

Make sure that the cooked chicken is finely shredded, or the edges of large pieces will tear through the tortillas. Serve these enchiladas with lime wedges, low-fat sour cream, diced avocado, shredded lettuce, and hot sauce.

Ingredients

1	medium onion , chopped fine
1/2	teaspoon vegetable oil
	Salt
3	medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
3	tablespoons chili powder
2	teaspoons ground cumin
2	teaspoons sugar
	2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
1	cup water
1	pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts), trimmed of excess fat
	Ground black pepper
8	ounces 50 percent light cheddar cheese , shredded (2 cups)
	1 can (4 ounces) pickled jalapeños , drained and chopped
1/2	cup minced fresh cilantro
12	(6-inch) soft corn tortillas
	Vegetable cooking spray
1	lime , cut into wedges (for serving)

Instructions

1. 1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the onion, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions have softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water, bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

2. 2. Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the thickest part registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate; set aside to cool. Strain the sauce through a medium-mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing on the onions to extract as much liquid as possible. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

3. 3. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces. Toss together the shredded chicken, 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup of the cheddar, the jalapeños, and cilantro, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. 4. Stack the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40 to 60 seconds. Spread the warm tortillas out over a clean work surface. Place 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla. Tightly roll each tortilla around the filling and lay them seam-side down in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.

5. 5. Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with vegetable oil spray. Pour 1 cup of the remaining sauce over the enchiladas to coat them thoroughly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheddar down the center of the enchiladas. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake until the enchiladas are heated through, 20 to 25 minutes.

6. 6. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese browns, about 5 minutes longer. Serve, passing the remaining 1 cup sauce and the lime wedges separately.

Snow Leads to Soup

In an effort to use all produce and not waste any tiny bit of it, I've taken to scouring websites, blogs, and magazines for soup recipes. Soup is the easiest to stay warm when snow and wind threaten Northwest Ohio, but mostly it's the easiest way, for me, to make something out of a bunch of random seemingly nothings.

This soup adventure began with a head of cauliflower that stared at me every time I opened our produce drawer. One friend gave me the idea to mash it, but I got more excited about mashing parsnips. So when those little white florets started looking really sad this past weekend, I knew I had to find something to make with it.

I figured I'd put my iPhone addiction and the Epicurious app to work. Solution: Cauliflower, Swiss Chard, and Chicken Soup. The caraway seeds awaken what could be a sleeper of a soup. And it was easy to find substitutes and use what I had in the freezer and cupboards: brown rice, frozen kale mix from my favorite local farmers, homemade chicken broth and shredded cooked chicken from a roast I made last week. I think this soup turned out the better because of all the wonderful ingredients. (Not to mention, get my kale fix.)

FD and I both loved it, even though next time I would add a bit more broth. It was a bit thick. Soup's always an easy dish that save us during a busy week of rough-draft-commenting and general late evenings full of work of some kind. Actually this week I should thank the cauliflower for forcing me to find this recipe, which will feed us through the end of the week.

God bless you, cauliflower and cook-aheads. You rock.

Jools' Favorite Beef Stew & Mine Too!

During these sad months of longing for dinosaur kale I have turned to another vegetable.

Parsnips.

They don't compare to kale, but they're keeping me busy, happy, and quite full.

I've never really thought about parsnips. They've gotten lost in a family of other, more-popular root veggies: the baby carrots and the robust red bliss potatoes. But parsnips shouldn't be ignored. They're sweet sourness adds so many layers to simple dishes like roasted vegetables or more complex (flavor-wise) dishes such as Zinfandel Braised Short Ribs.

After making the absolutely-heavenly-so-easy-to-make-cook-them-tomorrow Short Ribs for friends on Saturday night I had a few parsnips leftover, and, of course, I turned to Jamie Oliver to see what recipes he had to ensure I use them wisely.

I came across Jools' Favorite Beef Stew in Jamie's Dinners. I was excited by how easy the recipe is but I was reluctant to make it. Beef stews, in my experiences, are pretty boring. I've tried countless stew recipes, but they always seem to turn out the same--edible but not memorable, a conglomeration of lack-luster tomato and beef. I had a feeling I'd like my mate Jamie's, though; he adds one whole bottle of red wine. I'm a sucker for red wine.

This was by far one of the best beef stews I have ever eaten. The flavors stood out. From the parsnips to the butternut squash to the lemon zest (a necessary step; do NOT skip). This stew partied on my palate and settled quite nicely in my tummy. I served it over some leftover mashed parsnips and potatoes, which was divine.

I did do something a little different from Jamie. I softened the onions and sage with a bit of garlic too. I didn't flour the beef cubes; I just browned them for a few minutes before adding all the veggies, wine, and broth. I brought all that to boil and dumped it into a Crock Pot. I let the Crock Pot cool, set in the fridge overnight, and put it in its cradle before heading to work the next morning. After being on Low for 8 hours, we came home a delightful little but hearty meal.

Leave it to Jamie for yet another success.

You know if Julie Powell hadn't done the whole Julie / Julia Project, I would totally do a Jamie / Amanda project. Or sacrifice my dignity for the sake of sounding catchier and rename it The Mandie / Jamie Project.

Even writing Mandie makes me cringe.

Alas, no worries, since that's been done before. I just need to find my own little niche. Or at least get on one of Jamie's shows...

The 67th Golden Globes

In honor of a tradition that stems from a good friend from grad school, I hosted a Golden Globe party last night. Guests were required to fill out ballots and a grand prize was awarded to the one who guessed the most wins. In addition to this healthy competition I upped the ante and help a "best appetizer" contest as well that had a nice grand prize too!

There's nothing like opening the door to guests with elaborate dishes and determined game faces.

While being a hostess is in itself very rewarding, I didn't have a chance to take a picture of each app. However, I'm going to do my best to recount each dish.

The grand prize winner: bacon-wrapped dates. A date wrapped in bacon is a perfect date for the Golden Globes. (Horrible pun intended.)

Also on the menu: bite-sized Caesar salad phillo cups; fresh from Sarah L.'s backyard hens deviled eggs with homemade mayo, caviar, and chives; red curry salmon bites; prosciutto bites with basil and cream cheese; mini Oreo crust cheesecakes; cranberry and sauerkraut meatballs, chocolate mascarpone toffee squares; and tomato swiss canapes.

I omitted myself from the competition, but I made chile-corn custard squares, spice crispies, and pimento cheese. (Please visit links for recipes.) The pimento cheese seemed to be the biggest hit of the apps I prepared, and it was definitely the easiest to prepare. I liked the spice crispies a lot. And the chile-corn custard squares were good but a little greasy; I don't think I'd oil the non-stick pan before baking.

And where there is good food there is always good company! I have to thank all of our guests for their generous and adventurous spirits. Seriously, it was the first party I've ever hosted where I left everyone gel and become a community of common folk. It was divine. I'm lucky to have such fabulous friends.

Congrats to Sarah L.--the app AND Golden Globes winner! She swept all the categories. In true Hollywood style.

Now, if only I could feel content that Sandra Bullock won best actress in a drama...

Holiday Cooking: Day 2, Part 3

The last part of my holiday cooking is a salad.

It's in pieces right now, but I promise to take a pic of the final results.

I got the recipe from Bon Appetit's Dec. 2009 issue.

I picked up walnuts instead of hazelnuts, so we'll see how it goes.

Escarole and Butter Lettuce Salad with Pomegranate Seeds and Walnuts

Dressing Ingredients:
1/4 Champagne dressing
1/4 c OJ
1 1/2 t fresh lemon juice
1 t fresh lime juice
1 t grated lemon peel
1 t grated lime peel
1 t grated orange peel
1/2 c olive oil

Directions:
Combine vinegar and next 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Salad Ingredients:
1 large head of escarole, coarsely torn
1 large head of butter lettuce, coarsely torn
1 Golden Russet apple, quartered, cored, thinly sliced
1 c fresh pomegranate seeds
2/3 c walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Salad Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat.

--I think this salad is going to be an easy one to travel with. I have the dressing done, the lettuce washed and spun-dried, the pom seeds separated and cleaned in their own little bowl, and walnuts all done in their bowl. I'll slice the apple and tear the lettuce at my family's right before we eat. Easy enough to do while the Crack Potatoes are baking.

Holiday Cooking: Day 2, Part 2

Crack Potatoes. A holiday must.

(Check out my December column in Connotation Press to learn more about my obsession with Crack Potatoes.)

And as much as I love Crack Potatoes, I love gravy. Because my family is doing a ham, we're sans gravy this year.

So to ensure creaminess and flavor without gravy, I put a twist on the traditional Crack Potatoes recipe with the help of Cook's Illustrated Entertaining Issue 2009.

What I love about Crack Potatoes is you can make them ahead-of-time and they're another easy-to-transport dish.

Ingredients for Topping:
4 slices white bread (I used Zingerman's Bakerhouse White)
2 T butter, melted
1/4 c fresh parsley
salt & pepper

Directions for Topping:

Heat over to 300. Quarter each piece of bread and then pulse in food processor to course crumbs. Toss crumbs with melted butter and spread on baking sheet. Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 20 minutes. Let crumbs cool, then toss with parsley, salt and pepper.

Ingredients for Potatoes:
5 lbs potatoes, peeled, sliced into 3/4 inch thick rounds, and rinse thoroughly. (I used a mix of our local French Fingerlings, All Red, and Carola potatoes.)
2 1/2 c 2% milk, warmed
1 c sour cream
8 T butter, melted
2 1/2 t Dijon mustard
1 med garlic clove, minced
pinch cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
8 oz extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Bring potatoes to boil over high heat, then reduce to simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile in a small saucepan melt butter over medium heat, then add milk and garlic. Stir until warm.

Drain potatoes in colander. In batches mash potatoes. (You can use a ricer, but this time I used my stand-mixer to save time.) Stir in milk mixture, sour cream, mustard, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper. (The potatoes may seem really "wet," but don't fret. Keep stirring; they will thicken.)

Pour potatoes into 13X9 baking dish. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top then breadcrumbs.

To cook immediately: Heat oven to 350, bake uncovered, until hot throughout, 25-30 minutes.

To make ahead (up to 2 days ahead): Wrap casserole in plastic. To cook, unwrap plastic and top with foil. Bake for 20 minutes at 350, covered. Remove foil, bake until topping is crisp, 20-30 minutes more.

--I'm dying to see how this Crack Potatoes recipe turns out. I'll keep you posted.

Holiday Cooking: Day 2, Part 1

Today's cooking is much better. Probably because I'm actually cooking and not attempting any desserts.

For Christmas morning, I made a breakfast casserole from the Cook's Country Oct/Nov 2009 issue.

I made it once before and felt it needed some revision. But I really liked it. And it's super easy to make. Even better, it's easy to transport if you travel to several houses over the holidays.

Ingredients:
1 loaf Italian bread, cubed
1 lb pork sausage
1 med onion, diced
3 c shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
12 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 c 2% milk
salt
pepper
sage
1 T hot sauce

Directions:

You can choose to bake the bread or not. If you do, toast in a 400 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. I've found my baking the bread it stands out more in the casserole.

Brown the sausage over medium heat with sage, salt, and pepper. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes.

Grease 9X13 baking dish. Coat bottom of dish with 1/2 of the bread cubes. Top with 1/2 the sausage mixture and 1 cup of cheese. Repeat with remaining bread, sausage, and cheese.

Whisk eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and hot sauce in a large bowl. Pour evenly over casserole. Wrap with plastic and weigh down with boxes of broth or 4 large tomato cans. Refrigerate 1-48 hours.

To bake, heat oven to 350. Remove weights, unwrap casserole, and bake until edges are golden brown, about 1 hour. Let cool 10 minutes. Serve.