The best choice for my sweet, Halloween confectionery treat was Monster Eyeballs. These eyeballs are simple peanut butter truffles covered in chocolate and made to look like eyeballs using M&M candies. Simple, yet uniquely creative.
I specifically chose to use real peanut butter as an ingredient. I have an obsession with Smuckers Natural peanut butter. It comes in creamy, creamy with honey and super chunky. All three of them contain only peanuts and is splendid on toast, bagels and traditional PB&J. I occasionally eat it with a spoon directly from the jar. I expected the peanut butter to make the truffles a high quality treat.
I was pleased by the simplicity in making the eyeballs. I mixed the peanut butter, butter and powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar) in a mixing bowl. I was surprised by the amount of sugar this particular recipe called for (4 cups). The mixing can be done with your hands, but I used a hand blender because I thought it would make the truffles smoother. It actually didn't make much of a difference in the end, though. After mixing, I hand-rolled golf ball sized balls and placed them on parchment paper. Next time, I will make each ball smaller to increase the number of eyeballs. Once I emptied the entire bowl, I refrigerated the eyeballs for an hour.
When each eyeball was firmly together, I took them out of the refrigerator and dipped them in chocolate. I used an entire bag of semi-sweet morsels and 2 tablespoons of vegetable shortening and, together, microwaved them for 60 seconds. There is a very fine line to melting chocolate. If you heat it too long, it will cook and become very stiff. If done properly, the morsels look like they did before they were heated. However, once you begin mixing them, they melt into a very smooth chocolate dip.
Using a skewer stick, I dipped each eyeball into the chocolate, leaving a small amount of the peanut butter exposed/uncovered as an oval representing the cornea. I covered each eyeball with the chocolate and put them in the refrigerator again. With the excess chocolate, I covered a handful of leftover pretzels. Finally, I placed M&M's in the middle of the cornea that became the iris.
It was a fun and festive treat.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Smuckers Natural creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 (1-pound) package confectioners’ sugar (about 4 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)
2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
1 (3-ounce) package M&Ms
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Street Vendors, San Diego
Today I took a stab at my best Andrew Zimmern impersonation and ate at a street vendor in San Diego. About one mile north of the boarder, in an AutoZone parking lot, a street taco stand held a firm presence. I had to stop and try a few tacos after spending some time walking the beach.
The stand on Palm and 13th was littered with regulars and offered a large variety of Mexican food, including tacos, burritos and other Spanish words that I was not familiar with. After recommendations from a gentleman who claimed to have eaten there all of the time, I chose the Taco Gubernator, Especial Isaac and Pescada. I also purchased a Coca-Cola in a glass bottle straight from Mexico.
I placed my order (in English) and waited nearly ten minutes for freshly prepared tacos. While I was waiting, the chef gave me some homemade soup that included clamato juice, celery, onions, cilantro and random meats. It was extremely flavorful. When the tacos arrived, I offered to pay, but the chef seemed very trusting and said I could pay whenever I was ready. Strange. I gave him $8.75 and ate the BEST taco that I've ever had in my life (see the video below)!
I feel as though my trip to San Diego was a complete success because I ate real street tacos and they were amazing. Street vendor eating has definitely become a new hobby of mine. It gives a real sense of the local flavor.
Music: Justin Timberlake - Summer Love
Weather: 71-degrees, sunny
The stand on Palm and 13th was littered with regulars and offered a large variety of Mexican food, including tacos, burritos and other Spanish words that I was not familiar with. After recommendations from a gentleman who claimed to have eaten there all of the time, I chose the Taco Gubernator, Especial Isaac and Pescada. I also purchased a Coca-Cola in a glass bottle straight from Mexico.
I placed my order (in English) and waited nearly ten minutes for freshly prepared tacos. While I was waiting, the chef gave me some homemade soup that included clamato juice, celery, onions, cilantro and random meats. It was extremely flavorful. When the tacos arrived, I offered to pay, but the chef seemed very trusting and said I could pay whenever I was ready. Strange. I gave him $8.75 and ate the BEST taco that I've ever had in my life (see the video below)!
I feel as though my trip to San Diego was a complete success because I ate real street tacos and they were amazing. Street vendor eating has definitely become a new hobby of mine. It gives a real sense of the local flavor.
Music: Justin Timberlake - Summer Love
Weather: 71-degrees, sunny
US Olympic Training Center, Chula Vista, CA
Over the past two days, I have eaten my meals at the US Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA. Chula Vista is south of San Diego on the US-Mexico border. This is a fabulous training center and the food is of very high quality.
With Olympic athletes eating in the cafeteria regularly, the nutritional composition of each meal is very important. The meals are served "cafeteria-style." Above each item, the OTC staff has provided nutritional information including calories, fat, protein, etc. so each athlete can make an education decision on what to eat. Being in California, the food is always very fresh. There are a variety of salad choices and two-three options for the main entree.
An interesting decision that was recently made by the OTC cooks was to take away trays. Trays encourage over-eating and wasting food. Without trays, individuals carefully choose their selections and generally eat what is on their plate.
Last night, my dinner included a grilled chicken salad, one flat iron steak, steamed cauliflower, steamed peppers and roasted baby red potatoes. The peppers were extremely crispy and full of flavor. It is what I expected from the Southwest. The cauliflower was also very good. My favorite part of the meal, however, was the soft serve ice cream. Every time I'm at the OTC (in Chula Vista or Colorado Springs), I eat enough soft serve ice cream to satisfy me for months.
I'm always very impressed with how knowledgeable the cook staffs are at the OTC's. There's a variety of literature offering basic advice to managing your weight and other healthy alternatives to help athletes reach their full potential. Not only are the cooks aware of their athletes, they are also very environmentally conscious. For example, the plastic spoons are made out of potatoes, among other other "go-green" ideas.
With Olympic athletes eating in the cafeteria regularly, the nutritional composition of each meal is very important. The meals are served "cafeteria-style." Above each item, the OTC staff has provided nutritional information including calories, fat, protein, etc. so each athlete can make an education decision on what to eat. Being in California, the food is always very fresh. There are a variety of salad choices and two-three options for the main entree.
An interesting decision that was recently made by the OTC cooks was to take away trays. Trays encourage over-eating and wasting food. Without trays, individuals carefully choose their selections and generally eat what is on their plate.
Last night, my dinner included a grilled chicken salad, one flat iron steak, steamed cauliflower, steamed peppers and roasted baby red potatoes. The peppers were extremely crispy and full of flavor. It is what I expected from the Southwest. The cauliflower was also very good. My favorite part of the meal, however, was the soft serve ice cream. Every time I'm at the OTC (in Chula Vista or Colorado Springs), I eat enough soft serve ice cream to satisfy me for months.
I'm always very impressed with how knowledgeable the cook staffs are at the OTC's. There's a variety of literature offering basic advice to managing your weight and other healthy alternatives to help athletes reach their full potential. Not only are the cooks aware of their athletes, they are also very environmentally conscious. For example, the plastic spoons are made out of potatoes, among other other "go-green" ideas.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Steve's Pizza Palace, River Falls
When you drive down Main Street in River Falls, WI, you notice the impact of today's economy as local businesses are disappearing daily. The number of vacant buildings with "For Lease" signs in the window are haunting. Even with the economic impact, one thing remains constant on the streets of River Falls--pizza. This quaint college town has slowly turned into a suburb of Minneapolis/St. Paul, but you can always find locally owned pizza joints alongside national franchises. The best place in town, far and away, is Steve's Pizza Palace.
Steve's is great for a variety of reasons. They are most known for their delicious thin crust pizza. As you drive past this establishment, you can see the pizza makers tossing the dough into the air through the large picture windows facing Main Street. This family-owned business also offers a full menu of traditional Greek food. Hall of Fame quaterback Joe Montana claims that they have the best pizza he's ever had. I agree. There is nothing like it (although, Ted's Pizza in Menomonie comes close as 'Ted' is 'Steve's' brother). It is also very popular because it stays open until 3:00am on weekends and draws large crowds from the surrounding bars.
I have tried nearly every pie on the menu. I recommend the Elizabeth Special, Friday Special and plain cheese, but my all-time favorite is a special-ordered shrimp and gyro pizza with Tzatziki sauce on the side. My favorite chef, Ben, makes it perfectly for me. In fact, I have eaten so many shrimp and gyro pizzas made by Ben that I can tell when he doesn't make mine. With my business directly across the street, we have developed an inside joke, of sorts, about the shrimp and gyro pizza as my athletes stroll across the street to pick-up my orders.
Steve's Pizza Palace is a must if you have the opportunity to visit River Falls and are looking for somewhere to eat. It has a tremendous, friendly feel and you will be blown away by the thin crust pizza.
110 N. Main St.
(715) 425-8284
Monday, October 26, 2009
Homemade Salsa
The last Monday of every month, Athletes In Action has a large group gathering called FalconLife on the campus of UW-River Falls. Before each meeting, snacks and refreshments are provided for the athletes (free food is a great way to get college students in the door). I thought it would be nice to prepare my homemade salsa for these student-athletes. I remember being a college student and missing home. At times, the most loving thing that can be done for a college student is to bring them something homemade.
My little sister Amy was the first in our family to dive into making salsa. Since her first batch, she and I have constantly tried to put a new spin on her original recipe. The salsa that I made tonight, however, was the closest to her original recipe that I have made in a very long time.
Salsa is very easy to make and very difficult to screw up. Basically, it's a bunch of chopped tomatoes, olives and chiles. Everything else can be substituted, duplicated or omitted all together. I always use green onions and garlic, but some try to stay away from the onion/garlic breath. It all depends on the occasion and the mood that you're in.
I always chop the tomatoes first. Tonight I used my "As Seen On TV" onion chopper. I go back and forth between this, the food processor and cutting the tomatoes by hand. The tomatoes turn out differently with each option. In the food processor, the tomatoes become very runny or liquidity. The onion chopper has less liquid, but cutting by hand makes the least amount of liquid (best for tacos, etc.). I also chopped the olives and ORANGE pepper in the chopper. I used orange for the season, of course.
I chose not to add black beans or corn for this batch because I needed to whip it up quickly, but I usually put these two ingredients in. Tonight it contained tomatoes, olives, diced green chiles, green onions, garlic, olive oil, a pinch of sugar, salt, fresh cilantro, lime juice, lemon juice and the orange pepper. Orange peppers are typically "sweet," but this one was oddly spicy. It gave an unexpected kick to this salsa. It was a great addition.
Like always, the salsa was an absolute hit. Everyone loved it and a few of us even hung around after the meeting and mingled over what was left. Fortunately, for me, I did bring some home with me, so I'll be able to enjoy some at lunch tomorrow.
Ingredients:
7 tomatoes (chopped)
2 small cans diced green chiles
1 can large black olives
1 small bunch green onions
2 garlic cloves
1 lime (cut in half and squeeze all of the juice from both halves)
1/2 lemon (cut in half and squeeze juice from only one half)
1/2 small bunch fresh cilantro
1 orange pepper
salt (to taste)
a pinch of sugar
a small amount of olive oil
*I have put all of the ingredients in the food processor and chopped them together, but avoid turning into a puree.
Music: Brett Dennen - Ain't No Reason
Weather: 55-degrees
My little sister Amy was the first in our family to dive into making salsa. Since her first batch, she and I have constantly tried to put a new spin on her original recipe. The salsa that I made tonight, however, was the closest to her original recipe that I have made in a very long time.
Salsa is very easy to make and very difficult to screw up. Basically, it's a bunch of chopped tomatoes, olives and chiles. Everything else can be substituted, duplicated or omitted all together. I always use green onions and garlic, but some try to stay away from the onion/garlic breath. It all depends on the occasion and the mood that you're in.
I always chop the tomatoes first. Tonight I used my "As Seen On TV" onion chopper. I go back and forth between this, the food processor and cutting the tomatoes by hand. The tomatoes turn out differently with each option. In the food processor, the tomatoes become very runny or liquidity. The onion chopper has less liquid, but cutting by hand makes the least amount of liquid (best for tacos, etc.). I also chopped the olives and ORANGE pepper in the chopper. I used orange for the season, of course.
I chose not to add black beans or corn for this batch because I needed to whip it up quickly, but I usually put these two ingredients in. Tonight it contained tomatoes, olives, diced green chiles, green onions, garlic, olive oil, a pinch of sugar, salt, fresh cilantro, lime juice, lemon juice and the orange pepper. Orange peppers are typically "sweet," but this one was oddly spicy. It gave an unexpected kick to this salsa. It was a great addition.
Like always, the salsa was an absolute hit. Everyone loved it and a few of us even hung around after the meeting and mingled over what was left. Fortunately, for me, I did bring some home with me, so I'll be able to enjoy some at lunch tomorrow.
Ingredients:
7 tomatoes (chopped)
2 small cans diced green chiles
1 can large black olives
1 small bunch green onions
2 garlic cloves
1 lime (cut in half and squeeze all of the juice from both halves)
1/2 lemon (cut in half and squeeze juice from only one half)
1/2 small bunch fresh cilantro
1 orange pepper
salt (to taste)
a pinch of sugar
a small amount of olive oil
*I have put all of the ingredients in the food processor and chopped them together, but avoid turning into a puree.
Music: Brett Dennen - Ain't No Reason
Weather: 55-degrees
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Sunday Soup Day: Butternut Squash
It appears as though I'm no longer the only person who reads my blog pages. I've had comments (both complimentary and satirical) from a handful of people, so I thought I would give "my readers" an opportunity to have some say in what I'd make today on Sunday Soup Day.
I updated my status on Twitter and Facebook by mentioning my pumpkin cheesecake from yesterday and welcoming suggestions for soup today. My only prerequisite was that it had to be orange. I had three responses and they all suggested butternut squash. In addition, our cousin-in-law, Kim, sent me a tremendous recipe. I made a few adjustments and it turned out to be a pot of creamy goodness.
The first step was to bake the butternut squash. I thought I would get a head start on this because Sunday mornings I go to church (Five Oaks in the Hudson movie theatre--awesome) and knew that I would be short on time before the Packers game started. So, at 9:30pm last night, I put the squash in the oven. The directions indicated 50-60 minutes for the squash (face down) at 400-degrees, but I wasn't able to take it out until 11:20pm. Needless to say, the squash was cooked beyond recognition. It left a pungent smell throughout the entire house that interrupted my sleep cycle all night. I finally opened the windows at 5:00am this morning to get rid of the odor.
I went to the store early this morning and purchased two more squashes. I preheated the oven at 400 so I could bake them immediately. Remember, I was short of time because of church and the Packers. I baked them for 60 minutes and took them out before leaving for church. When I got home, I put the squashes in the oven again until they were warm.
In the meantime, I put Isaiah down for a nap (Liz was at work) and got to work on the soup. I chopped the onion, shallots and garlic before sauteeing them in butter. I added the sugar as Kim directed followed by the cream and chicken stock. I put in a little more stock than she suggested because I was cooking for 5-6 people.
After taking the skin off the squashes, I pureed them separate of the liquid in the pot. Once again, I added chicken stock in order to puree the squash. I did this two separate times because my food processor wasn't big enough for all of the squash. I put the puree in the cast-iron pot with the rest of the ingredients and stirred everything together until it was the creamiest texture possible. Then, I garnished it with dried green onions. Perfect.
When I dipped my spoon into the smoothest soup I had ever manufactured, I felt like a gourmet chef. Tasting it made me feel like I should have my own soup-making television show on the Food Network between Giada de Laurentiis and Rachel Ray. It was that good. I can't take all the credit, though. Kim's recipe did the trick. Afterall, her husband is a real gourment chef. I made a few adjustments of my own and everyone was surprised by how fabulous it was. By the way, the Packers won, too.
Ingredients:
2 butternut squashes (halved, cored, and sprinkle seasoned with salt and pepper)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
32 ounces organic free range chicken stock
1 stick salted butter
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 whole yellow onion (chopped)
2 shallots (chopped)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
Directions:
1. Take halved squashes and bake on sheet pan face down for 45 minutes-1 hour (or until fork or knife tender)
2. Using a hot pad hold squash in hand and scoop out cooked center into large pot (no skin)
3. On medium-low head, using a spatula, mix in butter, onions, shallots and garlic. Mix until butter is melted and onions are translucent.
4. Mix in brown sugar, stir until fully incorporated.
5. Pour in chicken stock, stir until warm
6. Pour in cream, stir until simmering.
7. Cook on medium heat being careful not to scorch the cream for 7 minutes.
8. Pour mixture into blender, or food processor, and puree until smooth. Or if you have a hand blender (immersion blender) you can leave it in the pot and blend, just take it off the heat first. 9. Return to heat cook 5 minutes to thicken soup.
10. SERVE.
Mind blowing. For serious.
Music: Addison Road - Hope Now
Weather: 48-degrees, gloomy
I updated my status on Twitter and Facebook by mentioning my pumpkin cheesecake from yesterday and welcoming suggestions for soup today. My only prerequisite was that it had to be orange. I had three responses and they all suggested butternut squash. In addition, our cousin-in-law, Kim, sent me a tremendous recipe. I made a few adjustments and it turned out to be a pot of creamy goodness.
The first step was to bake the butternut squash. I thought I would get a head start on this because Sunday mornings I go to church (Five Oaks in the Hudson movie theatre--awesome) and knew that I would be short on time before the Packers game started. So, at 9:30pm last night, I put the squash in the oven. The directions indicated 50-60 minutes for the squash (face down) at 400-degrees, but I wasn't able to take it out until 11:20pm. Needless to say, the squash was cooked beyond recognition. It left a pungent smell throughout the entire house that interrupted my sleep cycle all night. I finally opened the windows at 5:00am this morning to get rid of the odor.
I went to the store early this morning and purchased two more squashes. I preheated the oven at 400 so I could bake them immediately. Remember, I was short of time because of church and the Packers. I baked them for 60 minutes and took them out before leaving for church. When I got home, I put the squashes in the oven again until they were warm.
In the meantime, I put Isaiah down for a nap (Liz was at work) and got to work on the soup. I chopped the onion, shallots and garlic before sauteeing them in butter. I added the sugar as Kim directed followed by the cream and chicken stock. I put in a little more stock than she suggested because I was cooking for 5-6 people.
After taking the skin off the squashes, I pureed them separate of the liquid in the pot. Once again, I added chicken stock in order to puree the squash. I did this two separate times because my food processor wasn't big enough for all of the squash. I put the puree in the cast-iron pot with the rest of the ingredients and stirred everything together until it was the creamiest texture possible. Then, I garnished it with dried green onions. Perfect.
When I dipped my spoon into the smoothest soup I had ever manufactured, I felt like a gourmet chef. Tasting it made me feel like I should have my own soup-making television show on the Food Network between Giada de Laurentiis and Rachel Ray. It was that good. I can't take all the credit, though. Kim's recipe did the trick. Afterall, her husband is a real gourment chef. I made a few adjustments of my own and everyone was surprised by how fabulous it was. By the way, the Packers won, too.
Ingredients:
2 butternut squashes (halved, cored, and sprinkle seasoned with salt and pepper)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
32 ounces organic free range chicken stock
1 stick salted butter
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 whole yellow onion (chopped)
2 shallots (chopped)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
Directions:
1. Take halved squashes and bake on sheet pan face down for 45 minutes-1 hour (or until fork or knife tender)
2. Using a hot pad hold squash in hand and scoop out cooked center into large pot (no skin)
3. On medium-low head, using a spatula, mix in butter, onions, shallots and garlic. Mix until butter is melted and onions are translucent.
4. Mix in brown sugar, stir until fully incorporated.
5. Pour in chicken stock, stir until warm
6. Pour in cream, stir until simmering.
7. Cook on medium heat being careful not to scorch the cream for 7 minutes.
8. Pour mixture into blender, or food processor, and puree until smooth. Or if you have a hand blender (immersion blender) you can leave it in the pot and blend, just take it off the heat first. 9. Return to heat cook 5 minutes to thicken soup.
10. SERVE.
Mind blowing. For serious.
Music: Addison Road - Hope Now
Weather: 48-degrees, gloomy
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Pumpkin Cheesecake
To remain consistent with my attempt to use recipes that include the color orange, I decided to make a Pumpkin Cheesecake. Saturdays have been designated "Dessert Day" in the little world of Kevin Eats. Last week, I had a lot of success with pie, so I thought I would take another stab at it. This has successfully been the second real pie that I have ever made.
I searched the Epicurious website for a pumpkin cheesecake recipe that I could manage on my own. I'm shocked by how long the preparation time is for cheesecake. Most of the recipes recommended the cheesecake sit in the refrigerator overnight. I didn't want a NoBake Cheesecake, but I did want to eat it tonight. All that hard work should pay off, right?
I still haven't been able to taste the pumpkiny goodness, but it looks like it turned out well. I had a spoon full of the cream cheese and sugar mixture and thought I was briefly in heaven (actually, that's not true, heaven is going to be way better than cheesecake, but I bet cheesecake will be in heaven). I was concerned about the consistency of the filling before I baked it, but it looks like it has the perfect consistency. I didn't put enough fatty ingredients in the filling to promise Cheesecake Factory quality, but I'm still confident that it will satisfy my sweet tooth.
I bought a premade crust because I knew that I'd have had too much difficulty making a crust while taking care of Isaiah. The filling didn't take a lot of time and was very straightforward, which was nice. I fluffed the cream cheese and then added the sugar and brown sugar. I blended it until it was fluffy again. Then, I added the eggs and egg white one at a time and stirred them in separately. Finally, I put the rest of the ingredients in the bowl and mixed them together. It took roughly 15 minutes while I entertained Isaiah on the side with silly dancing and singing. He was amused (so was I).
I poured the filling into the pie crust and slid it in the oven at 350-degrees. I baked it for 65 minutes until the filling "puffed" up and the center moved only slightly.
I will post my review of this pumpkin cheesecake in the comments section as soon as I try it. I'm excited.
Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
3/4 cup half and half
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
Music: Adele - Chasing Pavements
Weather: 55-degrees and sunny
I searched the Epicurious website for a pumpkin cheesecake recipe that I could manage on my own. I'm shocked by how long the preparation time is for cheesecake. Most of the recipes recommended the cheesecake sit in the refrigerator overnight. I didn't want a NoBake Cheesecake, but I did want to eat it tonight. All that hard work should pay off, right?
I still haven't been able to taste the pumpkiny goodness, but it looks like it turned out well. I had a spoon full of the cream cheese and sugar mixture and thought I was briefly in heaven (actually, that's not true, heaven is going to be way better than cheesecake, but I bet cheesecake will be in heaven). I was concerned about the consistency of the filling before I baked it, but it looks like it has the perfect consistency. I didn't put enough fatty ingredients in the filling to promise Cheesecake Factory quality, but I'm still confident that it will satisfy my sweet tooth.
I bought a premade crust because I knew that I'd have had too much difficulty making a crust while taking care of Isaiah. The filling didn't take a lot of time and was very straightforward, which was nice. I fluffed the cream cheese and then added the sugar and brown sugar. I blended it until it was fluffy again. Then, I added the eggs and egg white one at a time and stirred them in separately. Finally, I put the rest of the ingredients in the bowl and mixed them together. It took roughly 15 minutes while I entertained Isaiah on the side with silly dancing and singing. He was amused (so was I).
I poured the filling into the pie crust and slid it in the oven at 350-degrees. I baked it for 65 minutes until the filling "puffed" up and the center moved only slightly.
I will post my review of this pumpkin cheesecake in the comments section as soon as I try it. I'm excited.
Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1 cup canned pure pumpkin
3/4 cup half and half
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
Music: Adele - Chasing Pavements
Weather: 55-degrees and sunny
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Vegetable Lasagna
This recipe for vegetable lasagna is typically a "can't miss" recipe. I have made it before it has been absolutely wonderful. Today, I was left with only no boil lasagna noodles and I'm afraid it completely changed the quality and taste of the finished product.
I really enjoyed preparing the filling. I used a package of 1/3 fat cream cheese and three packages of 15 ounce fat free ricotta cheese. Both were healthy alternatives, but I definitely noticed the difference. With a hand blender, I mixed dry basil and garlic with the cheeses.
I chose broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms, onions and zucchini as the vegetables. I chopped each one and added it to the cheeses. The vegetables were stirred in by hand with a wooden spoon.
Once the filling was ready, I put a layer on the bottom of a large baking pan. I then covered the layer with the no boil lasagna noodles (bad choice) and continued the process until I was out of noodles and filling. On the second layer, I secretly added shredded cheese.
After exhausting the filling and noodles, I covered it with almost a pound of cheeses. I used the traditional Italian cheeses--asiago, fontina, mozzarella, Parmesan and provolone. Then I spread Italian seasoning over the top.
Covering it with aluminum foil, I baked the lasagna at 375-degrees for 65 minutes. The bake time will vary depending on the pan and the oven.
I finally had the opportunity to sink my teeth into the warm lasagna and I found myself disappointed by how dry it was. Now, if anyone would have had this for the first time would have been very pleased. However, I have made this before with real noodles and fatty cheese. I have zero culinary training, but my guess is that it was dryer this time because the no boil noodles soaked up whatever moisture was in the filling. Boiled noodles already contain extra moisture. The fat free ricotta may have slightly contributed to the dryness as well.
Ingredients:
1 - 8 ounce package of 1/3 fat cream cheese
3 - 15 ounce packages of fat free ricotta cheese (I recommend some fat, though)
1 box (9 ounces) of no boil lasagna noodles (please, get the real thing)
1/2 onion (minced)
3 chopped zucchinis
~1 cup chopped broccoli
~1 cup chopped cauliflower
~1 cup chopped mushrooms
~1 cup chopped carrots
1 pound shredded Italian cheeses (asiago, fontina, mozzarella, Parmesan and provolone)
dry basil and garlic to taste
Music: Barry Louis Polisar - All I Want Is You
Weather: 40-degrees
I really enjoyed preparing the filling. I used a package of 1/3 fat cream cheese and three packages of 15 ounce fat free ricotta cheese. Both were healthy alternatives, but I definitely noticed the difference. With a hand blender, I mixed dry basil and garlic with the cheeses.
I chose broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms, onions and zucchini as the vegetables. I chopped each one and added it to the cheeses. The vegetables were stirred in by hand with a wooden spoon.
Once the filling was ready, I put a layer on the bottom of a large baking pan. I then covered the layer with the no boil lasagna noodles (bad choice) and continued the process until I was out of noodles and filling. On the second layer, I secretly added shredded cheese.
After exhausting the filling and noodles, I covered it with almost a pound of cheeses. I used the traditional Italian cheeses--asiago, fontina, mozzarella, Parmesan and provolone. Then I spread Italian seasoning over the top.
Covering it with aluminum foil, I baked the lasagna at 375-degrees for 65 minutes. The bake time will vary depending on the pan and the oven.
I finally had the opportunity to sink my teeth into the warm lasagna and I found myself disappointed by how dry it was. Now, if anyone would have had this for the first time would have been very pleased. However, I have made this before with real noodles and fatty cheese. I have zero culinary training, but my guess is that it was dryer this time because the no boil noodles soaked up whatever moisture was in the filling. Boiled noodles already contain extra moisture. The fat free ricotta may have slightly contributed to the dryness as well.
Ingredients:
1 - 8 ounce package of 1/3 fat cream cheese
3 - 15 ounce packages of fat free ricotta cheese (I recommend some fat, though)
1 box (9 ounces) of no boil lasagna noodles (please, get the real thing)
1/2 onion (minced)
3 chopped zucchinis
~1 cup chopped broccoli
~1 cup chopped cauliflower
~1 cup chopped mushrooms
~1 cup chopped carrots
1 pound shredded Italian cheeses (asiago, fontina, mozzarella, Parmesan and provolone)
dry basil and garlic to taste
Music: Barry Louis Polisar - All I Want Is You
Weather: 40-degrees
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Volunteering and Drinking Coffee
Volunteering
For as long as I can remember I have been a volunteer. My parents used to speak on their children's behalf when a friend needed help. I have vivid memories of picking rocks, mowing lawns and shoveling driveways for those who needed assistance. At a very young age, I saw the importance of community. Now, I seek to serve with my energy, resources, talents and time. This has become increasingly more important to me as I raise a child. I desire to demonstrate a kind of selflessness that will lead Isaiah in developing character traits that create an expection to help others.
Every Wednesday morning Dick's Fresh Market does a service to senior citizens by shopping and delivering groceries. They rely on Dick's employees and volunteers from the community. This morning, I brought Isaiah with me to the grocery store to tackle a few grocery lists in what was his very first community service opportunity.
I go to the grocery store almost daily, so I know how important it is to have one's kitchen stocked with the necessities. I take pride in making sure that I pick the correct items for each customer. Today, I wanted Isaiah to experience the joy of serving and helping others.
I am blessed to serve and I hope that the groceries that I helped purchase today will go into creating a fabulous meal or simply meet the needs of someone else.
Drinking Coffee
I turned 30 years old almost one month ago. I had gone those entire 30 years with no desire to drink coffee. I did "breakdown" and buy a Starbucks Frappuccino my freshman year is college and I have been stuck on the sugary coffee drinks with added accessories like sugar, caramel and whipped cream ever since. Last week, however, I may have acquired a taste for regular coffee and I have mixed feelings about it.
I think drinking coffee will bring new excitement to my life. I envision myself carrying a little paper cup into important meetings. People look so important with that trendy looking cup wrapped in cardboard. They seem to accompany the cup with a modern ethos and copious amounts of wisdom. I'm always so intrigued by what's inside that cup. Is it regular coffee or is something more sophisticated, like a latte? Could it be a dry roast or even a caramel macchiato? Or better yet, did they have to say "extra wet" or "extra hot" when they ordered it and how long did it take them to discover what they like? I love that mystery and now, perhaps, I will be one of those people.
However, there are a few drawbacks to drinking coffee. I'm deathly afraid of the dreaded coffee breath. I'm also not very fond of yellow teeth. Then, of course, there is the addiction to caffeine and enjoying a cup of coffee turns into something much more. It's like a drug. I'm fairly certain that if I do become a coffee drinker, I will be one of those coffee snobs. You know, the kind that are so pretentious and know exactly where the beans were grown and how they were cultivated. That would be me.
So, the jury is still out. I'm comparing the list of positives and negatives and my conclusion will be determined at a later date. I need to try a few more cups. Today I had a caramel latte from Caribou and that has me leaning towards more java in the future.
There isn't much better than the smell of fresh coffee in the morning, though.
For as long as I can remember I have been a volunteer. My parents used to speak on their children's behalf when a friend needed help. I have vivid memories of picking rocks, mowing lawns and shoveling driveways for those who needed assistance. At a very young age, I saw the importance of community. Now, I seek to serve with my energy, resources, talents and time. This has become increasingly more important to me as I raise a child. I desire to demonstrate a kind of selflessness that will lead Isaiah in developing character traits that create an expection to help others.
Every Wednesday morning Dick's Fresh Market does a service to senior citizens by shopping and delivering groceries. They rely on Dick's employees and volunteers from the community. This morning, I brought Isaiah with me to the grocery store to tackle a few grocery lists in what was his very first community service opportunity.
I go to the grocery store almost daily, so I know how important it is to have one's kitchen stocked with the necessities. I take pride in making sure that I pick the correct items for each customer. Today, I wanted Isaiah to experience the joy of serving and helping others.
I am blessed to serve and I hope that the groceries that I helped purchase today will go into creating a fabulous meal or simply meet the needs of someone else.
Drinking Coffee
I turned 30 years old almost one month ago. I had gone those entire 30 years with no desire to drink coffee. I did "breakdown" and buy a Starbucks Frappuccino my freshman year is college and I have been stuck on the sugary coffee drinks with added accessories like sugar, caramel and whipped cream ever since. Last week, however, I may have acquired a taste for regular coffee and I have mixed feelings about it.
I think drinking coffee will bring new excitement to my life. I envision myself carrying a little paper cup into important meetings. People look so important with that trendy looking cup wrapped in cardboard. They seem to accompany the cup with a modern ethos and copious amounts of wisdom. I'm always so intrigued by what's inside that cup. Is it regular coffee or is something more sophisticated, like a latte? Could it be a dry roast or even a caramel macchiato? Or better yet, did they have to say "extra wet" or "extra hot" when they ordered it and how long did it take them to discover what they like? I love that mystery and now, perhaps, I will be one of those people.
However, there are a few drawbacks to drinking coffee. I'm deathly afraid of the dreaded coffee breath. I'm also not very fond of yellow teeth. Then, of course, there is the addiction to caffeine and enjoying a cup of coffee turns into something much more. It's like a drug. I'm fairly certain that if I do become a coffee drinker, I will be one of those coffee snobs. You know, the kind that are so pretentious and know exactly where the beans were grown and how they were cultivated. That would be me.
So, the jury is still out. I'm comparing the list of positives and negatives and my conclusion will be determined at a later date. I need to try a few more cups. Today I had a caramel latte from Caribou and that has me leaning towards more java in the future.
There isn't much better than the smell of fresh coffee in the morning, though.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Jambalaya
Well, it looks like I have at least one reader of Kevin Eats. I was pleased to read an e-mail from a friend of mine that suggested I cook some Creole/Cajun dishes. I have made a few Cajun meals with the help of others, but don't choose to make Southern cuisine often enough. Since he recommended, I tried it.
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Cajun food is jambalaya. I actually love jambalaya with chicken, sausage, shrimp or other sea food. Tonight, I decided to combine smoked sausage and shrimp with this delicious rice dish.
I didn't have all of the necessary supplies, so I made a trip to Dick's Fresh Market and picked up three jalapenos peppers, a red pepper, a green pepper, smoked sausage and frozen shrimp (tail-off). I also added an onion from home.
I chopped the vegetables and sauteed them in a frying pan with olive oil, black pepper and garlic. I started a saucepan with long grain rice while the vegetables cooked. I could have opted for instant rice, but I was looking for the sticky-kind of rice that takes a little extra time to prepare. I boiled 2 cups of water and one tablespoon of butter before adding one cup of rice. Then, the rice stood on low heat for approximately 15 minutes.
When the vegetables were almost done, I added some Jalapenos sauce (from Trader Joe's), paprika and chili powder. This was needed, but very well could have been considered a mistake, too. At this major turning point, the meal took on a completely different direction.
Before adding the "heat," this was on track to be another great home cooked meal. It did turn out great, but the spiciness made it a true ethnic experience. I never knew I had it in me to cook something that was this spicy!
Once I stirred the rice into the vegetables, it looked like we were on Bourbon Street. In fact, I'm sure this could have passed as an original Bourbon Street meal. It was that hot, fragrant and aesthetically pleasing. It was spicy, too! Seriously.
The texture of the rice was perfect and the sausage had a hint of sweetness, but the Jalapenos provided a kick that took control of the entire dish. I thoroughly enjoyed the heat. After three bites I started sweating and soon after that, my eyes started to water. Liz could only handle seven bites. She said it was great, but much too spicy for her taste. We were left with only one option...call Joe.
I called one of my best friends, Joe Cudd. He is master eater and he loves spicy food. I interrupted him while he was preparing a Power Point presentation about Jazz Dance. I told him he needed to leave his house immediately to come over and try this jambalaya. I said it was that good and that spicy. He said, "I'll be over in two shakes of tail," and he was (classic Joe).
It was nice to see Joe and he enjoyed seeing Isaiah, too. However, he was not as stung by the heat that the jambalaya produced. He said it was "not too spicy" and that he was expecting it to be hotter. Oh well, I guess every one's palate is different. It was hot (to some degree), but it was also very, very good. I will make it again, but use less hot sauce and probably only one jalapeno pepper.
Ingredients:
1 yellow onion
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
3 Jalapeno peppers
8 ounces smoked sausage
14 ounces shrimp (tail-off)
1 cup long grain rice (uncooked)
Music: David Crowder Band - Come Thou Fount
Weather: 51-degrees, cloudy
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Cajun food is jambalaya. I actually love jambalaya with chicken, sausage, shrimp or other sea food. Tonight, I decided to combine smoked sausage and shrimp with this delicious rice dish.
I didn't have all of the necessary supplies, so I made a trip to Dick's Fresh Market and picked up three jalapenos peppers, a red pepper, a green pepper, smoked sausage and frozen shrimp (tail-off). I also added an onion from home.
I chopped the vegetables and sauteed them in a frying pan with olive oil, black pepper and garlic. I started a saucepan with long grain rice while the vegetables cooked. I could have opted for instant rice, but I was looking for the sticky-kind of rice that takes a little extra time to prepare. I boiled 2 cups of water and one tablespoon of butter before adding one cup of rice. Then, the rice stood on low heat for approximately 15 minutes.
When the vegetables were almost done, I added some Jalapenos sauce (from Trader Joe's), paprika and chili powder. This was needed, but very well could have been considered a mistake, too. At this major turning point, the meal took on a completely different direction.
Before adding the "heat," this was on track to be another great home cooked meal. It did turn out great, but the spiciness made it a true ethnic experience. I never knew I had it in me to cook something that was this spicy!
Once I stirred the rice into the vegetables, it looked like we were on Bourbon Street. In fact, I'm sure this could have passed as an original Bourbon Street meal. It was that hot, fragrant and aesthetically pleasing. It was spicy, too! Seriously.
The texture of the rice was perfect and the sausage had a hint of sweetness, but the Jalapenos provided a kick that took control of the entire dish. I thoroughly enjoyed the heat. After three bites I started sweating and soon after that, my eyes started to water. Liz could only handle seven bites. She said it was great, but much too spicy for her taste. We were left with only one option...call Joe.
I called one of my best friends, Joe Cudd. He is master eater and he loves spicy food. I interrupted him while he was preparing a Power Point presentation about Jazz Dance. I told him he needed to leave his house immediately to come over and try this jambalaya. I said it was that good and that spicy. He said, "I'll be over in two shakes of tail," and he was (classic Joe).
It was nice to see Joe and he enjoyed seeing Isaiah, too. However, he was not as stung by the heat that the jambalaya produced. He said it was "not too spicy" and that he was expecting it to be hotter. Oh well, I guess every one's palate is different. It was hot (to some degree), but it was also very, very good. I will make it again, but use less hot sauce and probably only one jalapeno pepper.
Ingredients:
1 yellow onion
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
3 Jalapeno peppers
8 ounces smoked sausage
14 ounces shrimp (tail-off)
1 cup long grain rice (uncooked)
Music: David Crowder Band - Come Thou Fount
Weather: 51-degrees, cloudy
Monday, October 19, 2009
Isaiah Eats
Today my day will be filled with leftovers. I cooked a lot over the weekend and our refrigerator is packed full. Today my mission is to eliminate as many Glad containers as possible.
Since I will not be cooking anything worth mentioning, I thought it would be fun to share a little about the other man of the house, that being our handsome one-year old Isaiah.
Isaiah has never had a problem eating. In fact, he eats a lot and we have had to "cut him off" nearly every time he's had a meal since he was born. As he develops more personality, it is evident that he really enjoys food. This has the potential to be a problem in the future, so we are very intentional about providing him with healthy meals in moderation.
When he became old enough to eat solids, Liz and I started to investigate what kinds of food he could eat. We came to the conclusion that we would make all of his baby food, except his morning cereal, because it's a lot of fun and cheaper than buying baby food. We also thought it would be great if he was able to eat organic as much as possible. We're not overbearing about fresh and organic like other parents that we know, but we enjoy being healthy with our baby.
At 13 months old, a typical day for Isaiah would include a morning bottle between 7:30 and 8:00. He drinks whole milk. Soon after his bottle, or roughly 9:00-10:00, he eats breakfast. We have been feeding him Earth's Best Organic Whole Grain Oatmeal Cereal. We buy it at Target. Now, we mix whole milk with the cereal. Previously, we used breast milk or formula.
His lunch usually coincides with our lunch time somewhere between 11:30 and 12:30. We like to provide something with protein at lunch. Chicken, lentils or black beans are accompanied with two different vegetables. He likes peas, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and asparagus. He hasn't taken a liking to broccoli, cauliflower or green beans. We always finish the meal with apple sauce or fresh fruits like mango, bananas, etc.
Between lunch and dinner, he will snack on Cheerios. I've never seen anyone ingest as many Cheerios as Isaiah. I'm fairly certain that he will have the world's lowest cholesterol as a result. He's inspired me to eat more Cheerios, too. His dinner food is the same as his lunch food and he eats close to 5:00pm. He finishes his day with another bottle of whole milk between 7:00 and 7:30 and then he's off to bed.
Since I will not be cooking anything worth mentioning, I thought it would be fun to share a little about the other man of the house, that being our handsome one-year old Isaiah.
Isaiah has never had a problem eating. In fact, he eats a lot and we have had to "cut him off" nearly every time he's had a meal since he was born. As he develops more personality, it is evident that he really enjoys food. This has the potential to be a problem in the future, so we are very intentional about providing him with healthy meals in moderation.
When he became old enough to eat solids, Liz and I started to investigate what kinds of food he could eat. We came to the conclusion that we would make all of his baby food, except his morning cereal, because it's a lot of fun and cheaper than buying baby food. We also thought it would be great if he was able to eat organic as much as possible. We're not overbearing about fresh and organic like other parents that we know, but we enjoy being healthy with our baby.
At 13 months old, a typical day for Isaiah would include a morning bottle between 7:30 and 8:00. He drinks whole milk. Soon after his bottle, or roughly 9:00-10:00, he eats breakfast. We have been feeding him Earth's Best Organic Whole Grain Oatmeal Cereal. We buy it at Target. Now, we mix whole milk with the cereal. Previously, we used breast milk or formula.
His lunch usually coincides with our lunch time somewhere between 11:30 and 12:30. We like to provide something with protein at lunch. Chicken, lentils or black beans are accompanied with two different vegetables. He likes peas, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and asparagus. He hasn't taken a liking to broccoli, cauliflower or green beans. We always finish the meal with apple sauce or fresh fruits like mango, bananas, etc.
Between lunch and dinner, he will snack on Cheerios. I've never seen anyone ingest as many Cheerios as Isaiah. I'm fairly certain that he will have the world's lowest cholesterol as a result. He's inspired me to eat more Cheerios, too. His dinner food is the same as his lunch food and he eats close to 5:00pm. He finishes his day with another bottle of whole milk between 7:00 and 7:30 and then he's off to bed.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Sunday Soup Day: Chicken, Sausage, Basil & Spinach
We have designated Sunday Soup Day. In the fall, we typically entertain a number of guests during Packers football games. I thoroughly enjoy making a large pot of homemade soup, so this becomes the ideal time to do just that. I'm sure we will still have Sunday Soup Day even if the Packers are not playing.
Today I paged through a few cooking magazines and found a chicken, arugula and orzo soup in Every Day with Rachel Ray. This gave me a few ideas and I ended up putting together my own new recipe that included chicken, sausage, basil, spinach and other fresh vegetables.
I was short on time after returning home from church behind schedule. I pulled out my "As Seen On TV" Onion Chopper to quickly chop my vegetables. I chopped one yellow onion, one zucchini, some leeks and one yellow pepper. Then, I poured some extra virgin olive oil into the pot and added the vegetables. I also added a lot of seasonings. I love the McCormick brand Italian seasonings. They're great. I used Garlic & Black Pepper, Garlic & Basil and Garlic & Roasted Peppers seasonings. It seems like a lot of garlic seasoning, but we were out of fresh garlic cloves. I sauteed everything for about 15 minutes until the vegetables were soft.
Next, I added about 8 ounces of vegetable stock and let the veggies cook while I pan fried two chicken breasts and microwaved the precooked Italian sausage (Johnsonville, of course). I sliced the chicken and sausage and added two boxes of chicken stock to the pot.Once the pot had all of the needed stock, I added sliced mushrooms, frozen spinach and chopped basil.
The final touch was the uncooked orzo. I let the soup simmer for about 20 more minutes until the orzo was fully cook.
The completed project looked very busy, but my soups are always very busy. It had a very simple taste, though. The spinach and basil balanced each other quite well. The basil was very strong, but the spinach was bland. The sausage absorbed the broth and was tenderly sweet. Overall, the soup was great.
I don't know if it is a combination of using a cast-iron pot and very good ingredients or if it is my creativity and desire, but everyone seems to be extremely happy about my soups. It makes me look forward to the next concoction that I put together. I know it is going to be every Sunday, at the least, because Sunday is Soup Day.
Ingredients:
1 yellow onion
1 yellow pepper
1/4 stalk leeks
1 zucchini
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
8 ounces vegetable stock
64 ounces chicken stock
2 medium chicken breasts
4 precooked sausage links
Music: Karen O & The Kids - All Is Love
Weather: 60-degrees and sunny
Today I paged through a few cooking magazines and found a chicken, arugula and orzo soup in Every Day with Rachel Ray. This gave me a few ideas and I ended up putting together my own new recipe that included chicken, sausage, basil, spinach and other fresh vegetables.
I was short on time after returning home from church behind schedule. I pulled out my "As Seen On TV" Onion Chopper to quickly chop my vegetables. I chopped one yellow onion, one zucchini, some leeks and one yellow pepper. Then, I poured some extra virgin olive oil into the pot and added the vegetables. I also added a lot of seasonings. I love the McCormick brand Italian seasonings. They're great. I used Garlic & Black Pepper, Garlic & Basil and Garlic & Roasted Peppers seasonings. It seems like a lot of garlic seasoning, but we were out of fresh garlic cloves. I sauteed everything for about 15 minutes until the vegetables were soft.
Next, I added about 8 ounces of vegetable stock and let the veggies cook while I pan fried two chicken breasts and microwaved the precooked Italian sausage (Johnsonville, of course). I sliced the chicken and sausage and added two boxes of chicken stock to the pot.Once the pot had all of the needed stock, I added sliced mushrooms, frozen spinach and chopped basil.
The final touch was the uncooked orzo. I let the soup simmer for about 20 more minutes until the orzo was fully cook.
The completed project looked very busy, but my soups are always very busy. It had a very simple taste, though. The spinach and basil balanced each other quite well. The basil was very strong, but the spinach was bland. The sausage absorbed the broth and was tenderly sweet. Overall, the soup was great.
I don't know if it is a combination of using a cast-iron pot and very good ingredients or if it is my creativity and desire, but everyone seems to be extremely happy about my soups. It makes me look forward to the next concoction that I put together. I know it is going to be every Sunday, at the least, because Sunday is Soup Day.
Ingredients:
1 yellow onion
1 yellow pepper
1/4 stalk leeks
1 zucchini
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
8 ounces vegetable stock
64 ounces chicken stock
2 medium chicken breasts
4 precooked sausage links
Music: Karen O & The Kids - All Is Love
Weather: 60-degrees and sunny
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Caramelized Apple and Pear Pie
Well, I'm not going to lie, I think I entered into a new realm of living a satisfied life. Baking a pie from scratch might be one of the most rewarding experiences known to mankind, especially when it turns out perfectly. Tonight, this caramelized apple and pear pie became one of my crowning achievements as a self-gloating home cook.
I have contemplated baking a pie for some time, but I was always afraid of the time commitment and challenges that it would create. However, we planned an evening in with no outside distractions or visitors and this made for a perfect night to bake a pie...from scratch.
I went to the Epicurious website and searched for a pear pie recipe. I was interested in something with caramel, but was unable to find one. I clicked on the Caramelized Apple and Pear Pie recipe (because caramelized is close to caramel) from the November 1999 issue of Bon Appetit. It turned out to be a complete home run.
Liz made the crust from an old family recipe and I prepared the filling. My role was much more fun. I sauteed the apples and pears in butter, boiled the sugar and corn syrup to caramelize the fruit and mixed the brandy and cherries.
Yes, it was real brandy. This was quite an experience in itself. Liz and I are not alcohol consumers. In fact, neither of us had ever bought liquor in our entire lives. I have purchased beer a few times to cook brats and cooking wine, but that's it. Liz had to run some errands, so drawing the short straw, she had to go in the liquor store with our 13 month old child on her hip. She was out of her element and provided brief comic relief to the frumpy college student behind the counter.
We followed the recipe steps exactly as written from the Epicurious website before we baked it. Once in the oven, we left the house for the late movie at the famous Falls Theatre in River Falls. My mom watched the house (and the pie) while we were gone. The only downfall to this pie making experience was that we were not able to pull the finished product out of the oven. My mom was the lucky lady who inhaled the aroma as she pulled it out. I ate the first piece, though, and it was out of this world.
I was very intrigued by the taste that the brandy gave the finished product. It was so rich that I was only able to eat two pieces. I am typically unsatisfied with so little pie, but this particular recipe made the highest quality pie that I have ever had. Seriously. A common complaint I have heard about making pie is creating one that is too runy. This had the perfect consistancy and was easy to cut and serve. It was also easy to eat!
Recipe: epicurious.com
Ingredients:
1/2 cup applejack brandy
1/2 cup dried currants
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/3-inch-thick wedges
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pound firm but ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, cut into 1/3-inch-thick wedges
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup coarsely chopped lightly toasted walnuts
Music: Tim McGraw - Everywhere
Weather: 50-degrees
I have contemplated baking a pie for some time, but I was always afraid of the time commitment and challenges that it would create. However, we planned an evening in with no outside distractions or visitors and this made for a perfect night to bake a pie...from scratch.
I went to the Epicurious website and searched for a pear pie recipe. I was interested in something with caramel, but was unable to find one. I clicked on the Caramelized Apple and Pear Pie recipe (because caramelized is close to caramel) from the November 1999 issue of Bon Appetit. It turned out to be a complete home run.
Liz made the crust from an old family recipe and I prepared the filling. My role was much more fun. I sauteed the apples and pears in butter, boiled the sugar and corn syrup to caramelize the fruit and mixed the brandy and cherries.
Yes, it was real brandy. This was quite an experience in itself. Liz and I are not alcohol consumers. In fact, neither of us had ever bought liquor in our entire lives. I have purchased beer a few times to cook brats and cooking wine, but that's it. Liz had to run some errands, so drawing the short straw, she had to go in the liquor store with our 13 month old child on her hip. She was out of her element and provided brief comic relief to the frumpy college student behind the counter.
We followed the recipe steps exactly as written from the Epicurious website before we baked it. Once in the oven, we left the house for the late movie at the famous Falls Theatre in River Falls. My mom watched the house (and the pie) while we were gone. The only downfall to this pie making experience was that we were not able to pull the finished product out of the oven. My mom was the lucky lady who inhaled the aroma as she pulled it out. I ate the first piece, though, and it was out of this world.
I was very intrigued by the taste that the brandy gave the finished product. It was so rich that I was only able to eat two pieces. I am typically unsatisfied with so little pie, but this particular recipe made the highest quality pie that I have ever had. Seriously. A common complaint I have heard about making pie is creating one that is too runy. This had the perfect consistancy and was easy to cut and serve. It was also easy to eat!
Recipe: epicurious.com
Ingredients:
1/2 cup applejack brandy
1/2 cup dried currants
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/3-inch-thick wedges
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pound firm but ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, cut into 1/3-inch-thick wedges
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup coarsely chopped lightly toasted walnuts
Music: Tim McGraw - Everywhere
Weather: 50-degrees
Friday, October 16, 2009
Homemade Pesto
Tonight I decided to go back to roots. My grandfather's family is from Palermo, Sicily and I am very proud of my Italian heritage. I have always loved Italian meals from my mom's homemade noodles to Olive Garden. If it's pasta, I love it.
Sometimes I forget how much I really love Italian food. I always tell people my favorite food is Mexican or Thai or something exotic, but it's honestly Italian. I get scared admitting that because it sounds so simple, but it is. Italian food is simply the best.
I wanted to make three things tonight that included some protein, starches and a healthy vegetable. I remembered the pesto salmon that I always get at Buca di Beppo and thought I would give that a try. I stopped at Trader Joe's to buy some salmon, but I saw a premarinated chicken breast called "Pesto Genovese." Perfect, I thought. I have had all of their premarinated steaks and chicken breasts and have always been blown away by how good they are.
When I got home, I looked in the corner that I store my pasta and found a box of orzo. I also had asparagus that I planned on steaming. When I steam asparagus, I always throw fresh ground garlic and basil on top when it's finished. It gives it an "Italian" flavor, but I prepare it this way regardless of what ethnicity I'm going for.
Finally, when everything was near completion, I made my homemade pesto sauce. I always shoot from the hip when I make pesto sauce. I'm sure educated food connoisseurs could say something about the mood that I'm in if they tried my pesto sauce on different occasions. Probably like wine, there is a lot behind the scenes that goes into each bottle. Same goes for pesto sauce.
I didn't have any direction when I started, but I knew I wanted it to be creamy. I put some extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan and added a tablespoon of butter and some whole milk. Tonight I cheated because I used a traditional basil and pesto spread that already had the pine nuts, basil, oregano, garlic and Romano cheese. I mixed everything together and poured it over the orzo and asparagus. It was delicious!
Music: Bethany Dillon - A Voice Calling Out
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Corn Chowder
My sister called me today around 11:00am. She said that she would be in town and wanted to visit Isaiah and me. Since it was cold and rainy, I thought I would quickly make some soup.
I had a corn chowder mix in the cupboard that someone had given to me last year for Christmas. I have avoided making it because I was against making chowder from a mix, but I was short on time so I pulled it out. I have been wanting to make corn chowder since the middle of August when I had a small cup of the best corn chowder ever (think creamy goodness), but the weather didn't call for it until today.
I love making soup and look for excuses to do so all of the time. I use an enameled cast iron Dutch oven. Typically, I cut the veggies that I have chosen to put in the soup and saute them in the pot with olive oil and spices before adding anything else. This time, I added a few tablespoons of vegetable stock to the carrots, garlic, leeks and onions.
It was all pretty simple. Once the onions appeared translucent, I added water and the chowder mix to the pot. I let it cook for almost five minutes before adding frozen corn and frozen peppers. Then, I brought the soup to a boil and let it simmer for 20 minutes before serving.
The final product was a little bland. My sister added pepper and I added sour cream. I had never eaten corn chowder with sour cream until that day in August. It made this pre-mixed chowder delightful. I will never eat corn chowder without sour cream every again.
Ingredients:
Corn Chowder soup mix
6 cups water
3 tablespoons vegetable stock
1 yellow onion
1/2 stalk of leek
1 cup carrots
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen peppers (red, yellow and orange)
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
Dried green onions
Spices to taste
Music: Nick Pitera - A Whole New World (YouTube)
Weather: 38-degrees (F) with sleet
I had a corn chowder mix in the cupboard that someone had given to me last year for Christmas. I have avoided making it because I was against making chowder from a mix, but I was short on time so I pulled it out. I have been wanting to make corn chowder since the middle of August when I had a small cup of the best corn chowder ever (think creamy goodness), but the weather didn't call for it until today.
I love making soup and look for excuses to do so all of the time. I use an enameled cast iron Dutch oven. Typically, I cut the veggies that I have chosen to put in the soup and saute them in the pot with olive oil and spices before adding anything else. This time, I added a few tablespoons of vegetable stock to the carrots, garlic, leeks and onions.
It was all pretty simple. Once the onions appeared translucent, I added water and the chowder mix to the pot. I let it cook for almost five minutes before adding frozen corn and frozen peppers. Then, I brought the soup to a boil and let it simmer for 20 minutes before serving.
The final product was a little bland. My sister added pepper and I added sour cream. I had never eaten corn chowder with sour cream until that day in August. It made this pre-mixed chowder delightful. I will never eat corn chowder without sour cream every again.
Ingredients:
Corn Chowder soup mix
6 cups water
3 tablespoons vegetable stock
1 yellow onion
1/2 stalk of leek
1 cup carrots
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen peppers (red, yellow and orange)
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
Dried green onions
Spices to taste
Music: Nick Pitera - A Whole New World (YouTube)
Weather: 38-degrees (F) with sleet
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Pecan Pumpkin Waffles
Yesterday I stopped at Williams-Sonoma in the Mall of America. I love that place. I could probably spend thousands of dollars there and still want more. It always smells so good inside, too.
When I walked into the store, I noticed a small section with "Spiced Pecan Pumpkin" mixes. It included different breads and pancake/waffle mix. I love eating pumpkin in October and November (including Dairy Queen's Pumpkin Pie Blizzard), so I knew I had to buy a container.
I am always very happy with Williams-Sonoma pancake/waffle mixes. They are very easy to prepare and taste wonderful. My sister introduced me to the traditional "Bellegem Waffle Mix" about 6 years ago. I usually have at least one container stocked in my cupboards. I knew that I couldn't go wrong with pecans and pumpkins.
When I woke up this morning and decided to start preparing the waffles. I looked at the instructions and realized that it was going to be more work than I had anticipated. The Bellegem mix calls for water, that's it. The pecan pumpkin mixed called for eggs, butter and milk. It only added 3-4 minutes to my preparation time, but I hadn't mentally prepared to "work."
I tossed all of the ingredients in my stand-up mixer while I preheated the waffle maker. When the waffle was complete, I put whipped cream on top with some ground nutmeg.
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups Spiced Pecan Pumpkin Waffle and Pancake Mix (Williams-Sonomoa)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 Tbs (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup milk
Music: Rilo Kiley - Silver Lining
Weather: 40-degrees (F) - chilly
When I walked into the store, I noticed a small section with "Spiced Pecan Pumpkin" mixes. It included different breads and pancake/waffle mix. I love eating pumpkin in October and November (including Dairy Queen's Pumpkin Pie Blizzard), so I knew I had to buy a container.
I am always very happy with Williams-Sonoma pancake/waffle mixes. They are very easy to prepare and taste wonderful. My sister introduced me to the traditional "Bellegem Waffle Mix" about 6 years ago. I usually have at least one container stocked in my cupboards. I knew that I couldn't go wrong with pecans and pumpkins.
When I woke up this morning and decided to start preparing the waffles. I looked at the instructions and realized that it was going to be more work than I had anticipated. The Bellegem mix calls for water, that's it. The pecan pumpkin mixed called for eggs, butter and milk. It only added 3-4 minutes to my preparation time, but I hadn't mentally prepared to "work."
I tossed all of the ingredients in my stand-up mixer while I preheated the waffle maker. When the waffle was complete, I put whipped cream on top with some ground nutmeg.
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups Spiced Pecan Pumpkin Waffle and Pancake Mix (Williams-Sonomoa)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 Tbs (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup milk
Music: Rilo Kiley - Silver Lining
Weather: 40-degrees (F) - chilly
Monday, October 12, 2009
Sauteed Kale
Almost one year ago I stumbled across an article in Men's Fitness that outlined the best "super foods" available. There were names that I had never heard of before, but now they are staples in my diet. Kale is one of these super foods. It is extremely high in fiber, iron and anti-oxidants. It has somewhat of a bitter taste. However, if seasoned properly, it is very good.
Tonight I decided to try something new to my usual sauteed kale dish. I looked at a recipe online by Bobby Flan and he suggests adding vegetable stock. I tried it and was very pleased with the result. It made the kale a little "juicier" and flavorful.
When I make kale, I cut the leaves from the stem and discard the stem. Then, I boil water and drop the leaves in for 1-2 minutes (max). It's important not to overcook them. Once the leaves become dark green and look straight, I take them out and pat dry with a paper towel. Then, I let them sit until I'm ready to saute them.
In the meantime, I microwave a few slices of bacon. The bacon offsets the bitterness of the kale. I also add sea salt, but the bacon makes it salty, too. So, be careful with how much salt you actually use.
When the ingredients are finally ready, I pour a little extra virgin olive oil into a frying pan and add the chopped garlic. The garlic sizzles in the olive oil and I add the kale before the garlic turns brown. Then, the kale is mixed with the oil and tossed around before adding the bacon, sea salt, vegetable stock and basil. Toss everything for a few minutes (maybe 5) and it is ready to serve.
Ingredients:
4-5 stalks of green kale
5 slices of bacon
2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
3-5 tablespoons of vegetable stock
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
sea salt (to taste)
basil (to taste)
Music: Vittorio Grigolo - All In Love Is Fair
Weather: 32-degrees (F) with 3" of accumulated snow (on October 12th!)
Tonight I decided to try something new to my usual sauteed kale dish. I looked at a recipe online by Bobby Flan and he suggests adding vegetable stock. I tried it and was very pleased with the result. It made the kale a little "juicier" and flavorful.
When I make kale, I cut the leaves from the stem and discard the stem. Then, I boil water and drop the leaves in for 1-2 minutes (max). It's important not to overcook them. Once the leaves become dark green and look straight, I take them out and pat dry with a paper towel. Then, I let them sit until I'm ready to saute them.
In the meantime, I microwave a few slices of bacon. The bacon offsets the bitterness of the kale. I also add sea salt, but the bacon makes it salty, too. So, be careful with how much salt you actually use.
When the ingredients are finally ready, I pour a little extra virgin olive oil into a frying pan and add the chopped garlic. The garlic sizzles in the olive oil and I add the kale before the garlic turns brown. Then, the kale is mixed with the oil and tossed around before adding the bacon, sea salt, vegetable stock and basil. Toss everything for a few minutes (maybe 5) and it is ready to serve.
Ingredients:
4-5 stalks of green kale
5 slices of bacon
2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
3-5 tablespoons of vegetable stock
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
sea salt (to taste)
basil (to taste)
Music: Vittorio Grigolo - All In Love Is Fair
Weather: 32-degrees (F) with 3" of accumulated snow (on October 12th!)
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Mom's Apple Crisp
Tonight I went for an old classic in the Black Family--apple crisp. My mom has made us apple crisp for as long as I can remember, particularly in the fall. I know it's apple crisp season when Honey Crisp apples hit the shelves. They are the sweetest apples known to mankind (and were first created only 40 minutes from here at the University of Minnesota).
My first step in making apple crisp fell short. I went to the farmer's market to purchase a bag of Honey Crisps from the Circle-K Orchard stand, but they were sold out! I had to settle for Fireside apples and they turned out to be just what I was looking for.
The recipe is quite simple. Cut a few apples, make the crust, sprinkle some sugar and bake. That's about it.
I started with seven apples, but that ended up being too many for my 9" x 14" Pyrex cake pan. I sprayed Pam on the inside of the pan then filled it to the top with sliced apples (I made applesauce for Isaiah with the leftover apples). Once the apples were in the pan, I sprinkled cinnamon and sugar over the top.
I mixed the ingredients for the crust in our Kitchen Aid stand-up mixer (I know, spoiled). Once mixed, I put the crust over the top of the apples. This was harder than I had anticipated. The dough stuck to the apples and was difficult to evenly spread.
I put the pan in the oven at 425 and waited 40-45 minutes before taking it out. As my brother says, wait until the crust is golden brown. I did and it turned out fabulous! The Fireside apples were not very sweet and it was exactly what I needed tonight. I didn't put the caramel over the top like I suggested in the video (always trust your gut instinct while cooking/baking).
Ingredients:
6 apples (I used Fireside, but Honey Crisp is best)
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons)
Background music: Third Day - Born Again (and college football)
Weather: 39-degrees (F), early morning snow
My first step in making apple crisp fell short. I went to the farmer's market to purchase a bag of Honey Crisps from the Circle-K Orchard stand, but they were sold out! I had to settle for Fireside apples and they turned out to be just what I was looking for.
The recipe is quite simple. Cut a few apples, make the crust, sprinkle some sugar and bake. That's about it.
I started with seven apples, but that ended up being too many for my 9" x 14" Pyrex cake pan. I sprayed Pam on the inside of the pan then filled it to the top with sliced apples (I made applesauce for Isaiah with the leftover apples). Once the apples were in the pan, I sprinkled cinnamon and sugar over the top.
I mixed the ingredients for the crust in our Kitchen Aid stand-up mixer (I know, spoiled). Once mixed, I put the crust over the top of the apples. This was harder than I had anticipated. The dough stuck to the apples and was difficult to evenly spread.
I put the pan in the oven at 425 and waited 40-45 minutes before taking it out. As my brother says, wait until the crust is golden brown. I did and it turned out fabulous! The Fireside apples were not very sweet and it was exactly what I needed tonight. I didn't put the caramel over the top like I suggested in the video (always trust your gut instinct while cooking/baking).
Ingredients:
6 apples (I used Fireside, but Honey Crisp is best)
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons)
Background music: Third Day - Born Again (and college football)
Weather: 39-degrees (F), early morning snow
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