A New Year's Resolution

I've never fallen into the trend of New Year's Resolutions. I like making the decision to be healthy independant of outside pressures. In the upcoming year, however, I'd like to make a resolution that is dependant upon this blog. It has separate conditions.

The first part to this New Year's Resolution is about offering opportunities for others to contribute to this blog. I love cooking and preparing meals and I love eating everything I make. I'm also interested to try recipes from others or eat the food that others have prepared. So, for 2010, I'd like to try recipes that others send to me as well as much free food I can get my hands on. I want to taste your homemade food and write about it. You can send me recipes at kjblack4god@yahoo.com.

The next part of this resolution-thing is to continue moving towards healthier ingredients. Since this blog, I've eaten healthier than ever before. I've become more aware of what foods are best for me as well as health benefits to a variety of foods. I never knew eating well could be so fun.

I'm looking forward to 2010. I'm sure it will be a great year because of many things in my life. I hope great food helps contribute to more happiness.

Happy New Year!

Sunday Soup Day: Green goodness soup

I had to think outside the box today. My father-in-law and brother-in-law are visiting today and they're very particular about what they eat. I wouldn't call them "picky" because they're extremely educated on their food decisions. I thought for a long time what to make for soup day because I knew they wouldn't be up for the creamy soups I've made in weeks past. I started leaning towards a bean soup, but ended up with a completely vegetable soup with all green veggies.

Green has significance for a few reasons. Steve and Ricky are both very environmentally aware, so I thought we'd "go green" today. Besides the environment, green is a popular Christmas color as well as the home digs for the Green Bay Packers who are playing their final regular season home game of the year today. Following the green theme, my grandmother was full-blooded Irish. In her honor, I'm listening to traditional Celtic music--very soothing. Plus, the number one movie in theatres in Avatar and we've all heard the underlying "green" agenda. I thought we'd follow the trend. After all, it's the end of 2009 and we're starting a new decade. I've heard a lot of media outlets report that green is the way to go from here on out.

The only ingredients that I added that weren't green were onion, garlic, chicken broth, crushed red pepper and Parmesan cheese (to add to the top when serving). The pepper gave it a little kick and the soup was surprisingly very hearty and flavorful. There were so many distinct ingredients that nearly every bite had a different taste.

I was extremely happy with the outcome. I cracked a can of Mountain Dew (green can) to offset the onslaught of folic acid. I might end up buying a Prius and voting for Ralph Nader...

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 onions
4 cloves garlic
1 green pepper
1 zucchini
4 stalks celery
1 leek
1 quart vegetable stock
2 cans (10 ounces each) chicken broth
6 ounces peas
10 ounces fresh green beans
10 ounces asparagus
4 ounces spinach and arugula mix
2 tablespoons fresh basil (chopped)
4 ounces green cabbage
1 baby bok choy
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Music: Karen Matheson - An Fhideag Airgrid
Weather: 19 and sunny

Christmas salad

On Christmas, my only assignment was to bring a "salad." To me, this was not very exciting. I thought about making a pasta salad, but that wouldn't have gone well with our traditional family meal, so I jazzed-up a green salad.

I say green salad because my intent was to add only ingredients that were colored green. I used lettuce, spinach, basil, cucumbers, green pepper, broccoli sprouts and bok choy. It worked out very well because I used ingredients straight from the refrigerator. I didn't have to buy anything. I chopped the ingredients and tossed them together.

We topped the salad with homemade vinaigrette. It was all very tasty. The basil and bok choy added a great flavor.

Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette

As I try to be more creative with Christmas gifts this year, I've made up my mind to make my special vinaigrette for my family and friends. I make raspberry balsamic, champagne and pomegranate champagne vinaigrette at home for salads and as marinades. Today, I spent a few hours making each flavor in bulk to distribute.

I purchased small oil containers and exercised my artistic flair on Microsoft Word and created exclusive Kevin Eats labels. After wrapping ribbon around each bottle, I had a gift for nearly everyone I know. They're stylish bottles with colorful labels, but the real gift is what's inside.

I used premium extra virgin olive oil and [expensive] vinegar for each dressing. In my first blog I mentioned that your olive oil should be pure enough to drink. EVOO isn't an ingredient you go cheap on. I also used fresh garlic and freshly ground pepper and sea salt. Depending on the flavor, I added some sugar, too. I vigorously whisked everything together for superb vinaigrette.

Here are the ingredients for my raspberry balsamic vinaigrette:
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup raspberry balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Music: Lady GaGa - Bad Romance
Weather: 15-degrees, light snow in the morning

Sunday Soup Day: Lentil soup with Italian chicken sausage

Sundays are big days in my family. One of the reasons is because of the tradition that I've developed through Kevin Eats - Soup Day. I was out of town this weekend and I broke the streak of preparing elaborate soups for family and friends, so I went for a new recipe today and created another spectacular soup. There won't be a "case of the Mondays" today after ingesting this fantastic lentil soup with Italian chicken sausage. Mmmm.

Since I started this blog, I've been able to experiment with many different ethnic dishes. I've been drawn most to new Italian recipes. I was under the impression that Italian was synonymous with pasta, but it's not. I've dug deep and found many other traditional Italian meals and dishes, particularly those using beans and the combination of lentils and sausage has been very intriguing to me. Each new recipe introduces my taste buds to something unexpected. Using all organic ingredients today, not only did I enjoy the taste, but I felt super "green" in doing so.

Here's how it's done:

1. Heat two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken sausage and cook until browned, stirring occasionally. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to bowl and set aside.

2. Add onion, carrots, parsnips, celery, garlic and Italian seasoning blend to drippings in the pot and add one more tablespoon of olive oil. Cook until the onion is translucent (the combination of vegetables and seasoning blend makes your kitchen smell wonderful).

3. Add lentils and stir to coat.

4. Add three quarts chicken broth and bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium and simmer until lentils are tender.

5. Add sausage to soup and simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Stir in spinach and cook until it's wilted (about three minutes).

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
24-ounces fully cooked chicken sausage, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
3 medium parsnips, chopped
4 medium celery stalks, chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning blend
8-ounces black lentils
8-ounces green/brown lentils
3 quarts organic chicken broth
5-ounces baby spinach leaves

Music: Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas (Is You)
Weather: 23-degrees

Sheetah shur shay

"Sheetah shur shay" is a special Chinese breakfast dish that includes bok choy, eggs, tomatoes and tomato sauce. A friend of mine named Zhang Fen stayed with me for a few days two years ago and prepared it for me. It's remained a constant on our breakfast menu ever since. Sheetah shur shay is my best recollection of Zhang's name for the meal. I'm positive my translations isn't even close to real Mandarin Chinese.

I was somewhat limited to what I could do with the flavor today. It's always difficult to make food in someone elses kitchen. I sauteed onion, garlic, green pepper and bok choy in water and soy sauce before adding eggs, tomatoes and tomato sauce. I also added crushed red pepper and ground Cayenne pepper.

The taste is very strange and difficult to explain. I love to combination of eggs and tomato sauce. The bok choy gives it a crunchy texture and a hint of light sweetness. Combined with the onion, garlic, pepper and soy sauce, it tastes "foreign." At home, I add Chinese 5-spice paste which gives it a kick, but I didn't have any this morning.

The condo-mates seemed to enjoy the sheetah shur shay. The were very hungry, so it was scarfed down quickly. Everyone said they liked the flavor, but didn't elaborate much. I can tell you, though, it was very good. Perfect texture, semi-sweet and very healthy.

Ingredients:
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 green pepper
1 bunch bok choy
9 eggs
3 tomatoes
soy sauce
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
crushed red pepper flakes
ground Cayenne pepper

Weather: 20-degrees, sunny mountain morning

Venison tacos

Yesterday I spent six hours dodging trees on the slopes at Steamboat Springs in Colorado. I'm not your typical mountain skier, but I can hold my own. It was my first time on skis this season and my legs started feeling the burn after only a few runs. Tree skiing turns out to be a terrific cardiovascular workout and I burned a ton of calories, so I was hungry!

When we returned to the condo, my brother made tacos. They were your typical homemade tacos, except he used venison meat (instead of beef). He added the perfect of garlic and herbs along with taco seasoning. He also poured a cup of water in the frying pan. It was extremely juicy. I couldn't stop myself from eating 10 tacos. That's right, 10. Another "not-so-bright" eating moment as I'm sure I'll feel the residual effects all day at Vail. That's our destination today.

In addition to the tacos, we had some healthier alternatives that the guys were confused about. They had never eaten Swiss chard, but they crossed the line of health yesterday and enjoyed it. I also baked a small acorn squash. After adding butter and sugar, it became dessert.

I ate too much...again

Nacho Mamma's in Stillwater is renown for generous portion sizes and authentic-tasting Mexican food. Going with a group of couples, the evening turned into a challenge of machismo and masculinity. I don't understand why men believe it's necessary to shove as much food as they can through their intestines to prove their worth as a man. Sadly, at times I'm guilty, and last night was one of those times.

Over a month ago, our small group bible study decided this Wednesday would be a social event and we'd spend some time eating dinner together. I appreciate opportunities to fellowship with other Christ followers. Somehow, prior to our get together, the amount of food I can consume in one sitting became a discussion topic and the challenge was brought forward to see if I could eat the smothered burrito at Nacho Mamma's. Of course, the others doubted more than Thomas (notice the bible study analogy), but I had none. I knew I'd be the only one feeling the regret of downing an entire three pound burrito, but I did it anyways.

During a typical dinner with friends, others are astonished by how much food I eat. I don't know why, but I've always been able to eat a lot. As a child, we never had leftovers the next day. I would sit at the table after everyone was excused and clean all of the pots and pans of extra food. I have vivid memories of finishing 2-3 additional servings of rice straight from the pan after dinner. To those who eat alongside me for the first time, this comes as a surprise, but it's not a surprise to family members or others I've shared meals with in the past.

I once ate the 40-ounce "Beefeater" at Prime Quarter Steakhouse in Madison in under 30 minutes. I also tackled the "Big Ass Burger Challenge" at State Street Brats. Think two-one pound patties on a loaf of sourdough bread with a pound of fries and 32 ounces of a beverage of choice. Naturally, the trick is to eat the fries first (starches digest quickly and leave room for the meat). These challenges aren't even when I eat the most. I usually consume the most food when I make a gourmet meal or we're out to eat and Liz or someone else doesn't finish their meal.

So, in the spirit of eating way too much food, I killed the smothered burrito. I didn't feel as though I overate until I left the restaurant to wrestle with a few athletes at Victory. That decision was far worse than packing my arteries with a 3,000 calorie burrito. I paid for it all through the night. The most irrational part: this is the third time in two weeks that I haven't been able to sleep after overeating. Last week I ate two large pizzas from Papa Murphy's for dinner (I couldn't stop eating because I couldn't get enough of the taste) and also overate the night I made a rib roast and lentils. Stupid. Dumb. Crazy. Idiotic. Good food, though.

I love food - sometimes too much. I'm sure this will happen again and certain I'm the only one who loses in moments like this, even if I win the contest.

Sunday Soup Day: Creamy chicken wild rice

Well, today's soup was quite possibly the best recipe that I've put together on Sunday Soup Day and I didn't make enough! I had a few guests over to watch football and when I was in the final touches, the crowd suddenly doubled. Needless to say, I didn't have enough soup for everyone and I won't be eating it tomorrow for lunch (drats!).

As a little guy, I remember my mom bringing home creamy chicken wild rice soup. We loved it so much that we always wanted more. Once in a while, I see chicken wild rice soup offered at restaurants, but hardly enough. So, I tried to create a creamy chicken wild rice soup to meet my needs. Instead, it surpassed every expectation I had. Everyone who was fortunate enough to enjoy a bowl agreed. It was magnificent.

Starting out, I chopped the onion, celery, carrots and garlic and sauteed them in the Dutch oven with some olive oil, thyme, chopped parsley, salt and pepper. When the vegetables were slightly soft, I added the chicken stock and chicken broth and cooked on medium heat until it boiled. In the meantime, I had the chicken in a frying pan with olive oil and salt and pepper. When the chicken was almost done, I chopped it and added it to the soup.

In a medium saucepan, I melted half a stick of butter, added 1/4 cup of flour and one can of cream of mushroom soup and stirred until it was smooth (it didn't boil). I inserted cooked wild rice to the cream mixture and mixed it in for about five minutes. Then, I adjoined the cream mixture to the soup and stirred in an additional 1/4 cup of half-n-half.

Everything cooked together for another ten minutes before I added the mushrooms. I wanted them to still have firmness. I also put slivered almonds on top (I didn't measure) and salt, pepper and Nature's Seasons seasoning. The consistency was not very thick, but it had a "white" tint and was very creamy. The thyme also presented a very distinct flavor.

I'll definately repeat this recipe.

Ingredients:
26 ounces chicken stock
10 ounces chicken broth
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped carrots
1 chopped onion
1 fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/2 cup dry white wine
16 ounces cooked wild rice
1/4 cup half-n-half
3 skinless boneless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to taste

Music: Train - Calling All Angels
Weather: 15 degrees, sunny

Buckwheat pancakes

Every December my family meets in Wisconsin Dells at the Chula Vista Resort. We rent a large sweet that sleeps 14 people. It's fully equiped with a kitchen, hot tub, fireplace and many other ammenities. This year, each of us chose a meal to prepare. I drew the short straw, so I made breakfast.

To be honest, I didn't have many ideas on what to make. After all, I wasn't in my kitchen, so it was difficult being creative. I finally decided to bring our always trustworthy Sturdiwheat pancake mix.

It took me less than 10 minutes to mix the batter. It took equal parts water and pancake mix in a bowl. I made enough batter for 25-30 "original" pancakes and 10-15 buckwheat pancakes. Both are always very good. Today, however, I didn't have cooking spray so I used the old school technique of buttering the girdle. It made the pancakes a little crispier than normal. Butter always makes things taste better, too.

We all had fun eating pancakes this morning. It doesn't get much better than a lazy morning with family and food.

Blueberry coffee cake

I'm not a big "baker," but I do enjoy making a simple dessert once in a while. This morning, I thought a soft and crumbly coffee cake would serve us well with a fresh cup of coffee.

I had a box of baking mix and on the side was a blueberry coffee cake recipe. It was an easy recipe that called for egg, oil, sugar, blueberries and the mix. I substituted the oil with apple sauce. Not only is apple sauce a healthy alternative, it also makes cake and cookies softer. I stirred in all of the ingredients and baked it in an 8x8 pan at 350-degrees for 45 minutes.

I love the smell of goodies in the oven, especially when fruit is an ingredient. The blueberries were extremely fragrant and the cake made our house smell like a bakery. We enjoyed a piece of cake while it still was warm. The apple sauce made it very moist, too.

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

3 tablespoons apple sauce

2 1/2 cups Trader Joe's Multigrain Baking & Pancake Mix

1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

Beef prime rib roast and sausage with lentils and artichokes

I apologize that I didn't have the opportunity to write about our wonderful meal last night sooner. It took me all night to recover from the aftermath...I ate way too much and had a lot of dishes that needed my attention. With that said, it may have been the best, highest quality meal that I've ever made. Since I started this blog, my awareness of cooking and flavors has expanded ten-fold. I'm starting to feel a little pressure now to repeat these wonderful results. If my culinary skills continue to improve, I'll be in for a life of tremendous meals.

The menu was robust and included a beef prime rib roast, sausage with lentils and artichokes and Swiss chard with garlic and basil. I also baked a dozen pop overs that were provided by Sturdiwheat.

Beef prime rib roast

The preparation started on Wednesday. I picked out a beautiful prime rib roast (7 pounds) and marinaded it overnight. I'm slightly upset as I "shot from the hip" on the marinade and didn't write down the measurements of the ingredients. It was full of flavor. It was great.

I started with an onion, 6 cloves of garlic, a little orange juice and some olive oil. I made sure I didn't add too much liquid since I wanted a consistency that was similar to paste. I added oregano, rosemary, sage, ground pepper, salt, white pepper and red pepper flakes (great for winter cooking--claims to raise body temperature) and blended everything in a mini-food processor. I cut holes in the roast so the marinade would penetrate the outer sheath. After setting it in a stainless steel mixing bowl, I covered in with Saran wrap and refrigerated overnight.

I took the roast out of the 'fridge an hour before I cooked it. To roast, I put it on a baking pan with one cup of water and waited until the internal temperature was 130-degrees. It took approximately two hours in the oven at 350-degrees. It was nothing short of amazing! The "paste" was unbelievable. I'm kicking myself for not writing down the recipe.

Sausage with lentils and artichokes

This "side dish" could have been the entire meal. It was very rich and oh, so good. With an earthy taste, it was very nutritious as well. If you're reading this, you must take my word on this one. Make it as soon as you have the opportunity. It will blow you away. Who knew that some day I would cook with lentils and artichokes?

In a large frying pan, I heated extra virgin olive oil on medium heat then added garlic. I smashed the garlic instead of mincing it. Shortly after the garlic, I added the onions. I sauteed the garlic and onions until the onions looked transparent (2-3 minutes) and added the chicken sausage and bay leaves. About two minutes later, I added the artichokes (drained), sage, oregano sauteed for 4 to 5 minutes more.

The second part of the preparation came with the Beluga lentils. I prepared them according to the package instructions and had them waiting on the side to add to the vegetables. Along with the lentils, I added the chicken stock. Everything cooked together for abut 20 minutes. The goal was to stir until the chicken stock reduced completely. Then, I added buttermilk. It gave the final product a hint of sourness. It was so good; it was unexplainable

Swiss chard with garlic and basil

I also sauteed a bunch of Swiss chard. I'm beginning to love leafy green vegetables. That's a good thing, right? When I started the Swiss chard, it almost didn't fit in the frying pan. When it cooks, it shrinks, though. I fried it in olive oil and chicken stock and added garlic and basil. It's a favorite side dish of mine.

There's no great way to conclude this entry. This meal was fantastic. I wish I could think of a better adjective, but you'll just have to take my word on it and make it yourself. Let me know how it turns out for you.

Ingredients (sausage with lentils and artichokes):
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, smashed
1 yellow onion, diced
10 ounces chicken sausage (Trader Joe's basil & pesto chicken sausage)
3 small bay leaves
12 ounces marinated artichoke hearts, quartered (drained)
2 tablespoons sage
1 teaspoon oregano
4 cups cooked Beluga black lentils
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
3/4 cups buttermilk

Music: Michael Buble - Haven't Met You Yet
Weather: 5-degrees and frigid

Candied almonds and walnuts

I woke up this morning and saw snowflakes outside my window. Immediately, I became more excited for Christmas. As snow accumulated throughout the day, my mind started wondering towards holiday treats.

With a baby and a beautiful wife bringing holiday cheer my way, it's easy for me to think of this as the most wonderful time of the year. So, without further ado, I got a start on filling our house with sweet sugary goodness.

I looked for all of the nuts that we had in our cupboards and found a bag of walnuts and half a container of almonds. I recalled the candied walnuts I had made a few weeks ago for my chestnut soup and repeated that recipe. As I expected, they turned out wonderfully.

The almonds, on the other hand, were a disaster. I poked around online for a recipe for candied almonds and found one that called for 1/2 cup water, 1 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. I brought the glaze to a boil an added two cups of almonds. Then came the problem. The recipe was clear that I was supposed to cook the almonds until the liquid fully evaporated and the consistency was syrupy. The reviews said over and over to cook the almonds longer than your instincts told you. Well, my instincts must have been correct because the almonds and the syrup turned black and burned. Needless to say, the almonds are outside in our garbage so they don't make our entire house smell like it's on fire.

The walnuts were good, though.

Music: Venessa Carlton - Ordinary Day
Weather: 20-degrees, blizzard conditions

Sunday Soup Day: Chicken soup for the soul

Nothing combats a gloomy and sick day quite like chicken noodle soup. When I woke up this morning with a scratchy sore throat, I knew I had to make chicken noodle soup. It's a classic home remedy and "good for the soul."

I started with two large pots on the stove. I cooked carrots, celery and onion in my cast-iron pot and boiled the chicken breasts in water and chicken broth to make the stock in the other. The ingredients were ready nearly simultaneously. I cut the chicken into small chunks and dumped the stock into the cast-iron pot with vegetables. I added the noodles and let everything cook together for 10 minutes. I added the parsley and it was ready to eat.

It was very hearty and extremely satisfying considering the cold symptoms. I love chicken noodle soup!

Ingredients:
3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
24 ounces chicken broth
3 cups water
5 stalks celery
14 ounces carrots
1 onion
1/2 cup Italian parsley
12 ounces whole wheat blend noodles (wide noodle style, like egg noodles)
Salt, pepper and Nature's Seasoning to taste
Garlic and basil seasoning to taste

Music: Sanctus Real - Audience of One
Weather: 19-degrees

Kettle Chips

I was watching Tyler's Ultimate with Tyler Florence on the Food Network when I saw him making homemade potato chips. It looked fairly easy and fun, so I bought some potatoes and made my very own kettle chips.

In a large pot, I added 75/25 canola and olive oil and cooked over medium heat. I added green onion, thyme, rosemary and fresh garlic. The goal was to cook the herbs until they were crispy and shinny. This allowed the oil to be infused with the flavor of the herbs. Then I took the herbs out with a slotted spoon and left the oil. This is what I fried the potatoes in.

The potatoes needed to be sliced very thin. When held to the light, they appeared transparent. I put the potatoes in ice water to keep them from going brown. This process extracted the starch from them. I set them on paper towels and let them dry before I tossed them in the pot of oil.

I fried the potatoes in batches until they were golden brown and crispy. I took them out of the oil and placed them on a baking sheet covered with paper towel. Immediately, I added fresh ground pepper and sea salt. I prepared the salt and pepper in a mortar and pestle. The chips cooled very quickly and were ready for consumption. I bet you can't eat just one.

Ingredients:
4 large Yukon potatoes
Canola oil and olive oil (75/25)
2 cloves garlic
3 spring fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon sage
Ground pepper and sea salt

Music: Train - Calling All Angels
Weather: 24-degrees with snow

Roasted broccoli and sauteed baby reds (with Mediterranean crusted salmon)

What started out as a very ordinary dinner turned into an extraordinary meal with roasted broccoli and sauteed baby red potatoes. The main dish was a precrusted salmon from the frozen food section in the grocery store, but the side dishes catapulted this meal over the top.

I didn't eat many green vegetables growing up, so I'm just now becoming familiar with their taste and diversity in preparing them. Tonight, I tossed broccoli in olive oil and added thinly sliced garlic and roasted them in the oven at 425-degrees. When I took the pan out of the oven, I added fresh basil. It was utterly spectacular! The broccoli had a deep roasted flavor. The edges were blackened and crispy. The garlic jazzed it up just enough and the basil gave it a hint of earthy sweetness, but just being roasted made the broccoli fabulous.

The potatoes were also amazing. I used my Dutch oven and melted a tablespoon of butter. I threw the baby reds in the pot (they were all very small and approximately the same size) and sprinkled them with sea salt and freshly ground pepper then covered the pot. I made sure they cooked in their own juices. They came out extremely tender and flavorful. Butter, salt and pepper was all these potatoes needed.

Both of these side dishes were great. I'm in a very good mood right now because they came out as a very pleasant surprise. I started out with a simple dinner idea and it turned into a gourmet meal. I love when that happens!

Music: Kriss Kross - Jump
Weather: 35-degrees (the last "warm" day of the year...)

Penne with Swiss chard and cauliflower

I'm doing my best refrigerator clean-out meal tonight. I purchased a large head of cauliflower last week for a salad and didn't use any of it. I also bought a large bunch of Swiss chard yesterday. I planned on making the chard today, but needed some creativity to enjoy it as a main dish. I make leafy greens as a side dish often, but tonight, it was the main course.

Botanically, Swiss chard belongs to the beet family. It can be cooked and prepared similar to spinach, kale and beet leaves or added to a salad. The chard I used had multi-colored stalks, or rainbow chard. Swiss chard is a "super food" and contains many phytonutrients, including anti-oxidant vitamin-C, vitamin-K for bone strength, omega-3 fatty acids, folates and thiamin (essential for optimum cellular metabolic functions). It's also a rich source of minerals like copper, sodium, potassium, calcium and iron. Usually, leafy greens need a little help with flavor.

I started by boiling the cauliflower. At the same time, I sauteed onions in olive oil and later added garlic and green peppers. When they were fully cooked, I added the Swiss chard. Don't be alarmed by the volume consumed by the chard. As it cooks, it wilts. In the meantime, I took the cauliflower out of the water with a slotted spoon and used the same water for the penne pasta.

When the pasta was al dente, I drained the water and mixed all the ingredients together in the [pasta] pot. I also added fresh chopped basil. As I mixed everything, I kept in the pot on the burner so everything was the same temperature. I dusted it with grated mozzarella to serve.

It was great.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion (chopped)
1 head cauliflower, cored and separated into very small flowerettes
1 green pepper (chopped)
1 pound penne
2 large cloves garlic (minced)
1 pound Swiss chard, rinsed and roughly chopped
Salt to taste
4 ounces mozzarella

Sunday Soup Day: Root vegetable soup

Celeriac, sunchokes, purple top turnips, sweet scarlet turnips, red carrots and rutabagas are vegetables that I never imagined eating, let alone cooking myself. However, after my new found love for parsnips, I thought I would try all of them. And I did, in my most recent soup - root vegetable soup.

I stumbled across a bag of organically grown root vegetables at the Whole Earth Co-op in River Falls and thought it was a perfect choice on a day that seemed like it might be the end of fall. These vegetables embraced all the colors of fall, and I suspected the taste would send fall out in style. Christmas is just around the corner and the weather will be changing very quickly, so the excitement of fall could very well be gone. I tried to end it with a bang.

I sauteed an onion in olive oil before adding the aforementioned root vegetables with eight cloves of garlic. I cooked the vegetables for fifteen minutes until the were soft and fragrant, then added vegetable stock. I brought it to a boil and let it simmer before I pureed it with an immersion blender. When the soup was a nice, smooth consistency, I stirred in 3/4 cup of half-n-half.

The soup had a very strong, rooty scent. The taste was very hard to explain. I think it had a nutty flavor, but I'm not sure. The flavor of the rutabaga and turnips really came through. I really liked the taste when I sampled it over and over in the pot, but once I had it in my bowl and took heaping spoonfuls, I didn't really enjoy what was taking place inside of my mouth. Again, it was very difficult to describe, but I had a sensation in my mouth that was similar to when I eat radishes. It left quite the after taste, too. I'm still puzzled.

Ingredients:
1 onion (chopped)
2 teaspoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic (minced)
1 bag root vegetable soup mix (three pounds)
6 cups vegetable stock
3/4 cup half-n-half

Music: Weezer - I Want You To
Weather: 34-degrees

Thanksgiving Dinner

Happy Thanksgiving! I love this holiday because there is a lot of great American history attached to this day. It's also a day that features the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and an abundance of football. I planned on filling my day with football and my stomach with turkey and other traditional side dishes, but plans suddenly changed last night.

The original plan was to play flag football with the men from our church. It's a legendary day in the life of Five Oaks Church. Game time was at 9:00am. From there I was going to meet my family at my sister's house in Cottage Grove to watch the Packers-Lions game. Soon after that game, we'd be watching the Cowboys and then the late game. In the meantime, I was going to help myself to at least 6 plates full of food throughout the day. I had been excited for months to highlight premium dishes on Kevin Eats, but when my sister sent an e-mail asking to host Thanksgiving, I changed my focus to football and not cooking.

Well, a sudden change of plans found me cooking Thanksgiving dinner by myself, and it was great! I woke up this morning and rushed to the grocery store to find a fresh turkey (there was no time to thaw a frozen one) and all of the ingredients for other traditional side dishes, such as stuffing, potatoes, squash, green beans and cranberry sauce.

Now, I'm sitting on the sofa watching my Packers waiting for Liz to walk in the door from a holiday work day. She is going to be amazed. I'm not going to lie, I'm very proud of myself for pulling everything together this morning. It helped that Isaiah took two naps this morning and my mom stopped to see him on her way to my sister's house.

I'm very excited to eat this elaborate feast. I know we'll have plenty of food. Aren't the leftovers part of it, though?

The turkey

All we needed was a fresh cut of turkey breast (white meat = healthier). I was just over three pounds. I coated it with melted butter and sprinkled the essentials - rosemary, sage and thyme. Then, I squeezed a lemon over the top and added ground pepper and salt. There was a small cavity under the turkey breast, so I stuck half a lemon and a few carrots in it to cook. I don't even know how long it was in the oven cover with foil, probably over an hour, but I checked the internal temperature until it was just below 180-degrees.

Roasted baby red potatoes

I cut ten baby reds into bite size chunks and placed them in a baking pan. I drizzled olive oil over the top and tossed the potatoes until they were coated in oil. I added the essentials and covered with foil. Again, I'm unsure about how long I cooked them, but I put them next to the turkey in the oven. I was multi-tasking.

Butternut squash

I was lucky to find a squash that was already cut in half. I certainly didn't need a whole squash. I put a cup of water in a baking pan, added salt and pepper to the squash and set it face down in the pan. I baked it for almost an hour. When I took it out of the oven, I scrapped it into a bowl. I held the squash with an ovenmit and discarded the skin. I added a little butter and salt.

Green beans with toasted walnuts

I boiled a pot of water and added 12 ounces of fresh green beans (ends cut off). I cooked them for 5-6 minutes, or until the beans were crisp. I had toasted some walnuts and chopped them. I added some olive oil and fresh squeezed lemon juice to the beans and mixed-in the walnuts. They're very zesty!

Cranberry sauce

I actually made the cranberry sauce last night. Since I made cranberry sorbet a few weeks ago, I love cooking cranberries. I'm still so intrigued by how the "pop." I boiled one cup of sugar and one cup of orange juice and added 12 ounces of cranberries. It took around 15 minutes for all the cranberries to pop. The sauce thickened as it sat in the refrigerator overnight.

Mmmm, the stuffing

When I was at the grocery store, I bought a box of Stove Top stuffing in case I couldn't find the ambition to make my own stuffing. I'm so happy that I found the strength to make my own. The stuffing was the most fun and tastes the best of everything I made. I sauteed one onion and two stalks of celery in two tablespoons of butter. At the same time, I cut half a loaf of wheat bread, fresh from the bakery, into cubes. When the vegetables were cooked, I added them to the bread cubes. I also added the essential seasonings and 3/4 cup of warm chicken stock. I mixed everything together and placed in a casserole dish that had a glass cover. I drizzled 1/4 cup of warm chicken stock over the top and baked alongside the potatoes and chicken at 375-degrees for 25 minutes. Before I took it out of the oven, I took the top off the pan so the top of the stuffing became crispy. Delicious!

Restaurant review: Tucci Benucch

Today I spent the afternoon relaxing at the Mall of America with my family. We went in hopes of getting a jump start on the Christmas season. We didn't have any pressure to find presents for anyone and, since it was a Tuesday, we didn't have to fight any crowds. We also made the trip to Mall to eat lunch at our favorite MOA restaurant, Tucci Benucch.

Tucci Benucch is a little Italian restaurant on the first floor between Nordstrom's and Macy's. It's nothing like the other popular restaurants in the Mall, full of energy with a lot of noise and bustle. Tucci Benucch is quiet, cozy and has the feel of a family-owned restaurant. The ambiance is extremely easy to embrace as if you were escaping into the Tuscan countryside.

The restaurant offers a menu with a great variety of antipasti, pasta, pizzas and other traditional Italian dishes. They have a large wine menu, as well. I enjoyed a lovely plate of sweet potato ravioli with an apple cider cream sauce. It was exceptionally sweet and enormously rich. It was fabulous.

Tucci Benucch in the Mall of America never disappoints. With a great atmosphere and quality food, this is one of my favorite restaurants in the Twin Cities.

Ginger snappy bar

I was browsing the aisles at the Whole Earth Co-op in River Falls and saw a package of Sturdiwheat Ginger Snappy Bars. I was very familiar with the Sturdiwheat brand as I have made their pancakes, but hadn't seen their dessert mixes. I love how easy their products are to prepare, but even more, I love how great they taste.

Start to finish, it took me 6 minutes to get the bars in the oven. After pulling the baking dish from the cupboard, I softened the butter in the microwave and preheated the oven to 325. As their slogan states, just add water! In a mixing bowl, I stirred all the ingredients until it had a sticky consistency. As is said on the back of the package, I pressed the batter into the dish and put it in the oven for 35 minutes.

Really, I can't say enough about the Sturdiwheat brand. It's a local company (Red Wing, MN) and I really love supporting local businesses. Plus, they don't add preservatives and their products taste extremely good and of high quality. If you ever need to make a quick treat for a party or to bring to work, look in the baking aisle for Sturdiwheat products. You'll receive praise for your baking abilities and the consumers will be very happy. You both win. I wonder if Sturdiwheat needs a national spokesperson...I'm willing.

Ingredients:
1 package Sturdiwheat Ginger Snappy Bar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1/2 cup water

Music: Benny Goodman - Sing, Sing, Sing
Weather: 53-degrees, rainy

Breaking news: Joe Mauer is named American League Most Valuable Player

Sunday Soup Day: Creamy chesnut soup with candied walnuts

It's getting close to Thanksgiving, but it's also been uncharacteristically warm outside. I dread the cold weather every November, so I'm not complaining, but I'm having a hard time looking forward to Christmas music when it's so warm. I love Christmas music. Who doesn't?

"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire" is a holiday tradition I've never partaken in, but that didn't stop me from tackling the creamy chestnut soup with candied walnuts recipe from the December/January issue of Everyday with Rachel Ray.

The recipe called for canned chestnuts and pureed chestnuts, but I had difficulty finding them at the grocery store. I asked two separate store employees and eventually the manager, but they couldn't offer any assistance. I settled for water chestnuts from the Asian/Oriental section and pureed them myself.

The first step was to make the candied walnuts. I baked them at 400 degrees covered in a mixture of melted butter, brown sugar, egg whites and a pinch of salt. They roasted in the oven for 10 minutes. I took them out and set them aside so they could cool before I chopped them to top the soup. The walnuts, by themselves, were amazing. I will definitely be making candied walnuts very soon.

I melted the butter in my cast-iron Dutch oven and added the onions. Next to freshly cut grass, my favorite smell is onions cooking in butter. It's intoxicating and wonderful. I added the chicken stock and port wine and cooked for five minutes before adding the chestnuts.

I added four cans of water chestnuts, drained. Five minutes later I added two more cans. This time, I pureed the chestnuts (with the water) in a blender and added it to the soup. I cooked everything for 10 minutes and pureed it in the pot using an immersion blender.

To serve, I added a tablespoon of heavy whipping cream (in a "swirl") and topped with the walnuts and chopped parsley. It had an extremely rich flavor. I thought of clam chowder as I was eating it. Chestnuts are very distinct in taste. It felt like fall. Even if the cold weather doesn't arrive, the Christmas music will.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg white
1 - 48 ounce container chicken stock
1/4 cup port wine
4 cans 8 ounce chestnuts packed in water (drained to 5 oz.)
2 cans 8 ounce chestnuts pureed
10 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Music: BarlowGirl - Carol of the Bells/Sing We Now of Christmas
Weather: 54-degrees

Quesadillas and guacamole

Greetings from Colorado Springs, Colorado. No, this isn’t Kevin; instead, it’s time for the second guest blogger to offer his or her “expertise.” It’s with good reason I put quotes around expertise, because compared to Kevin’s cooking abilities, I’m not sure I measure up. And I’ve had Liz’s cookies many times, and I know how I rate in comparison to her. I guess that doesn’t matter, right?

I might offer a different spin on this blog as a single guy, as I tend to cook for myself and no one else. Periodically I’ll invite our neighbors or other friends over, but that’s not the norm. Don’t worry married readers – this quesadilla is great for a family or party. Not a Packers party, though, but that’s best saved for another date.

I had a three-pronged attack tonight – quesadillas, guacamole, and a smoothie.

The preparation for tonight’s meal started last night, as I got a head start on the quacamole. I cut diced the tomatoes, squeezed in the citrus, added the seasoning, and put it in the fridge overnight. I knew that it would be nice to have a little more free time to make the quesadillas.

Tonight I added the avocados to the aforementioned ingredients. Once I finished the guac, I took a few tortilla chips to sample the creation. Let me tell you, the addition of the orange made this the guac the best batch I have ever made. My taste-testers agreed, therefore, I highly suggest adding it to your guac.

Next up for the quesadillas, I seasoned and cooked the chicken breasts in some olive oil in a skillet. While this was going on, I drained the corn and rinsed the black beans. I’m not a fan of black bean juice, but you might me, so feel free to not rinse them if you wish. The last bit of preparation for the quesadilla was to cut up the sweet potatoes into slivers about as big as french fries. I used my newly-purchased quesadilla maker to finish this dish off.

The smoothie is a staple in my diet. Until very recently, I used peach yogurt and frozen strawberries. I changed it up last week, though, because I now use unflavored yogurt and frozen peaches and strawberries. This should be a little healthier for me, and it surprisingly tastes just as good. In order, I put apple juice, yogurt, and then frozen fruit into the blender, as this allows for the frozen fruit to be blended the best.

The quesadillas turned out great, especially when dipped in the guac. I made four of them, so after dinner, I have one to bring to work for lunch tomorrow. All the better.

Quesadilla (for each 9” quesadilla)
2 tortillas
½ chicken breast
¾ c. Mexican cheese
¼ c. black beans
¼ c. corn
¼ c. sweet potatoes

Guacamole
4 avocados
3 roma tomatoes
1 lime (squeezed)
¾ orange (squeezed)
¼ tsp garlic salt
¼ Lawry’s season salt
Dash of salt

Strawberry & Peach Smoothie
6 oz apple juice
2 oz yogurt
2 oz frozen strawberries
2 oz peaches

Silver dollar pancakes

One of my fondest memories growing up is sitting with my family for breakfast devouring as many pancakes as humanly possible. My mom always made pancakes from scratch and we loved them. Every time they were on the morning menu, it became an invitation to attempt setting "the record." I hold the individual record for consumption after eating 17 pancakes one morning in high school. One batch of batter typically makes 20 pancakes.

To prepare the batter, mix 2 eggs, 2 cups of flour, 2 cups of milk, 1 tablespoon of baking powder and a dash of vanilla and salt. Spray the griddle with non-stick cooking spray and pour batter until it's approximately the same circumference as a pop/soda can. When the batter starts to bubble, flip each pancake. They cook quickly at 300-degrees.

This is an extremely easy recipe. Aside from the simplistic taste, many emotions are attached to these pancakes for me. They always bring back favorite memories of growing up. I plan on making them a part of my children's life, too.

Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 cups flour
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon baking powder
dash vanilla
dash salt

Bison Burgers

Bison (Buffalo) meat is similar to beef, but it has less fat and more flavor. Bison are handled as little as possible and they spend their lives on grass, as they do in nature. You can find Bison in the specialty meat category in your supermarket or grocery store. At Econo Foods in River Falls, a special freezer is dedicated to Bison meat.

I purchased 16 ounces of ground Bison to make the burgers. When I make hamburgers, I put a lot of extra ingredients into the meat - egg, onions, garlic, BBQ sauce, teriyaki, seasonings, etc. This is my "signature" when I make hamburgers in the summer. They're full of flavor and extremely juicy. However, with Bison, I wanted to be sure that the flavor of the meat came through.

I added an egg, a splash of teriyaki and some garlic and pepper seasoning. The rest of the flavor was 100% pure, wholesome, tasty Bison nutrition.

Since Bison is leaner than beef, I used the egg to hold the meat together. It also needs to be cooked at a lower temperature. Fat acts as an insulator causing most meats to take longer to cook. This lack of fat also accounts for the deep red color of the meat. Since I stayed inside, forgoing the grill, I cooked the burgers on the griddle, but only at 300-degrees.

The burgers were fantastic. Bison burgers have so much flavor and are very good for you. They were both big 1/2 pound patties and very satisfying. I added a fresh slice of tomato (cut with my new slicer--oh yeah), lettuce and Swiss cheese. I swear I thought I was eating a burger from Dotty's Dumpling Dowry in Madison, except this one was much healthier.

Ingredients:
16 ounces ground Bison meat
1 egg
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
garlic and pepper seasoning to taste

Music: Glee Cast - Lean on Me
Weather: 43-degrees (it was actually sunny today)

Baja Sol - Fresh Mexican

The CityPages restaurant reviewers say, "A cheapskate's hall of famer, the Baja Sol is that rare place where you can consume fresh, vibrant, lively food and walk out the door having spent less than $6." The food is fabulous and they have a very large menu, but it is slightly expensive. Along the lines of Chipotle and Qdoba, it's a Fresh Mexican restaurant, so don't expect "authentic" Mexican food. However, as far as fast food is concerned, it is the closest to authentic of any of the new fresh-Mex places.

I had a chicken enchilada. The menu describes it as two corn tortillas smothered in Roja Enchilada sauce & melted cheese with lettuce, sour cream & pico de gallo. Served with Baja rice and black beans. Includes Baja Sol’s Free Chips & Salsa Bar! That's right, a free chips and salsa bar. This is my favorite part of the dinning at Baja Sol. They have fresh, warm tortilla chips and nine fresh homemade salsas - all you can eat! I love their famous peach-mango salsa.

The enchilada was very good, but definitely tasted fast food-ish. The chicken was extremely tender, but the tortilla was a little tough. It still tasted very good, though. I enjoyed the Mexican flavored rice, but didn't care too much for the black beans.

When I got home, I researched the Baja Sol franchise and was excited to see that is locally owned (Inver Grove Heights, MN). There were a lot of fun features online, including online orders and Baja Radio - a mini media player with beach themed music. There are fifteen Baja Sol Restaurants in the Twin Cities, four in Wisconsin, three in Ohio and one Illinois. They have plans to open one in Chula Vista, CA in the near future (funny, since I was just there).

Baja Sol is definitely my favorite quick restaurant in the Twin Cities Metro Area. Allegedly, they offer award winning Baja Margaritas, too. Go just for all the award winning hot chips and salsa you can handle. Free! That's worth it.

Musics: Good Size - The Pineapple Song (Turn Around and Let Me See)
Weather: 35-degrees

Sunday Soup Day: Sweet sweet potato

Another Sunday, another soup. I'm starting to feel a little repetitive making soup each weekend. Some of that feeling comes from making orange-colored soups so frequently. I've done few squash soups and now sweet potato. I had to do something that would make this one different and set it apart from the rest, so I went for an extra sweet flavor.

I sauteed the onions for five minutes before adding the leek, onion, pepper and parsnip. Parsnips are similar to carrots, but have a more complex, sweet, nutty flavor. They're great in soup stock and pack seven grams of fiber in one cup (double that of carrots). You also get 40 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin K, a hard-to-get nutrient that researchers are realizing may improve bone health, which I need. Plus, I needed the extra sweetness, right?

I cooked all of the vegetables for five minutes then added the potatoes (both types). Soon after, I added brown sugar and maple syrup and let everything cook for another 20 minutes. I used a carton of Trader Joe's sweet potato bisque and some chicken broth (also Trader Joe's) for the stock and let simmer for 15 more minutes before serving.

The taste was sweeter than I had expected, but it still could have used even more sugary substances. The basil and parsnips gave it an earthy sweetness that couldn't have been replicated with sugar. The hint of maple was a fun twist, too. In the future, I may add more maple syrup. With the chunks of potatoes, it turned out to be a very hearty soup. Good stuff.

Ingredients:
2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 pound potatoes
1 parsnip
1 leek
1 yellow onion
1 red pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup sweet basil
2 sprigs thyme (take out before adding stock)
32 ounces sweet potato bisque stock
20 ounces chicken broth

Music: David Crowder Band - How He Loves
Weather: 36-degrees - definitely getting colder...

Cranberry white chocolate chip oatmeal cookies

Liz Black, devoted and loving wife to Kevin, is the first guest author in the history of Kevin Eats. She offers us her world renown cookies for our Saturday dessert recipe.

Well, what can I say? I am utterly honored to be the first "guest blogger" of Kevin Eats. My first thoughts were, "How can I possibly live up to Kevin's eloquent and articulate style? What if people read this and think, 'wow, Kevin is definitely the writer of the family.' " I'm a little rusty at writing in general and especially creative writing. With that disclaimer and in my own style, here I go.

Today's Saturday dessert recipe is one that I bring out time and time again. It is quite simple and accessible (printed on the back of the craisins bag), though each time I make these cookies people are amazed by their uniqueness and deliciousness. They quickly assume it's a recipe from the latest Gourmet magazine. If I am ever in need of compliments, all I have to do is bring out the cookies and they start flowing freely. It's quite humorous how quickly a plate of 20 cookies disappears in the presence of only three or four people. They just slide down so easily... The greatest part is that they turn out exactly the same every single time!

There are a few tricks to keep in mind with these particular cookies, though, but otherwise they are almost completely foolproof.

Trick #1: Hershey white chocolate chips are a MUST. Unfortunately, the "heaping metropolis" of River Falls (Kevin's words), does not carry these. Only Nestle and a few other brands. I taste-tested the two brands (Hershey and Nestle) one time and was amazed at the difference. The Hershey brand was startlingly sweet and pure, like real white chocolate, but the Nestle brand tasted like sweetened candle wax. Very artificial and NO comparison. This is the biggest reason that the number of times I've made these cookies since we moved to River Falls has really dwindled. In fact, I almost wrote a letter to Hershey telling them how great their chips were in comparison to other brands, but never quite got around to it. To clarify, I have tried MANY other brands and they all taste artificial. Hershey is the only way to go.

Trick #2: Take them out of the oven before they appear completely done. This is crucial. They only maintain their softness and flavor when they are taken out early. They may then be left on the pan for a few minutes to continue to bake out of the oven. The outer edges can be slightly golden brown, but the tops should still appear slightly doughy.

Trick #3: Stir by hand, not with a mixer. This makes for much better textured cookies. Do not get lazy.

If these three tricks are followed, these cranberry white chocolate chip oatmeal cookies will turn out perfect any time. Thanks again for allowing me to grace your blog space, Kevin. I love you.



Ingredients:
2/3 cups brown sugar
2/3 cups butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flower
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
2/3 cups white chocolate chips
1 - 6 ounce package craisins
Bake at 375 until done

Music: Wicked Soundtrack - Defying Gravity
Weather: High 48-degrees

Salmon with hoisin, orange and bok choy

I ate like a king for lunch today. I took roughly 20 minutes to prepare a healthy meal that tasted like the creation of a top-notch chef in a five-star restaurant. It was absolutely splendid. Since I started blogging my cooking experiences, I have never eaten so well as I have over the past month. I've had a lot of fun, too.

I found a recipe for salmon with hoisin, orange and bok choy in Bon Appetit. It was perfect because I haven't prepared fish for this blog yet and I'm currently obsessed with bok choy. The stalks of this Asian leafy green are crunchy and mild, and the leaves are cabbagelike. It's among the top cancer-fighting picks in the produce aisle, thanks to its high levels of antioxidants glucosinolate and indole, at least that's what Men's Health told me. I've also found it to be very versatile, and, if I'm being honest, I love saying "bok choy" in the checkout line when the cashier asks what it is. It makes me feel so cultured.

The fish that I used was a frozen fillet of sockeye salmon. I thawed it overnight and cut off the skin before cooking it. I formed a bed of bok choy in the center of two 12-inch square pieces of foil and placed the fish on top. I mixed orange juice, hoisin, ginger, green onions and orange peel in a small bowl and spread it over the fish with a spoon. I sprinkled it with ground coriander and chopped cilantro before folding the sides of the foil. I tightly sealed the foil above the fish, completely enclosing the contents, and placed it on a baking sheet. The fish baked at 425-degrees for almost 15 minutes. I transferred everything to plates and served with rice.

The fish had a very sweet flavor from the hoisin and orange, but the cilantro gave it a very "green" flavor, too. I couldn't believe how great it tasted considering how easy it was to prepare. It was a terrific lunch and would have impressed many guests at a fancy dinner, too. The combination of fish and bok choy was stellar. I'll definitely be repeating this one in the future.

Ingredients:
2 heads of baby bok choy, each cut lengthwise into 6 wedges
2 5- to 6-ounce salmon fillets
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Music: Britt Nicole - How the Lost Get Found
Weather: 48-degrees

Beef and vegetable barley soup

I wasn't planning on cooking anything tonight, but I ended up throwing together a quick beef and vegetable barley soup and it turned out pretty well.

I'm home alone for dinner tonight, so I was contemplating eating at Jimmy John's or Subway for a fast meal. But as I strolled around the kitchen, I saw a few items that needed to be used. Wasting food is never good. So, I threw them in a pot and voila! more soup. As if that's what I need in my refrigerator. I have leftovers from the last two batches that I've made, but there's something about freshly made soup--it's definitely good for your soul.

I had somewhat of a mopey day today, which seems to be a trend lately. At times I feel like a duck. Nice and smooth sailing above water, but under the water where no one can see, feet are fluttering and stirring a million miles per hour. Somehow, soup seems to calm things down for me, though, so I was pleased to enjoy a bowl before I headed off to practice.

My quote across the top of my blog page states, "It takes a pure heart to make a good soup." I'm not sure I always agree with quote, especially considering who is given credit for having said it (Beethoven was far from pure at heart...), but I do know that a good soup makes your heart feel better. That sounds about right, but I do still enjoy the quote and I do enjoy good soup.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound chopped carrots, celery, onions
1 glove garlic
32 ounces beef broth
1/4 cup dry barley
1/4 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup frozen peas
1 cup water
salt and pepper to taste


Music: Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
Weather: 60-degrees

Food eating contest (spaghetti)

I spent the entire afternoon preparing spaghetti for the first annual Athletes In Action Food Eating Contest. I bought 14 pounds of dry pasta, which cooked out to be almost 25 pounds! It was more than enough for the event. In fact, we had a plethora of leftovers.

The event was unbelievable. 95 athletes showed up to eat and cheer on their teammates. One representative from each varsity team had 3 minutes to eat one pound of spaghetti. The champion from each round (intramural, women's varsity and men's varsity), moved into the final "eat-off" where they raced to be the first to finish 1/2 pound of ice cream. It was a lot of fun and will be an event that won't be forgotten on the campus of UW-River Falls.

I didn't hear one comment about the quality of the spaghetti. All of that work in the kitchen for nothing? No, it was well worth it. People left overjoyed.

Smoky mango-squash soup

Today isn't "soup day," but it felt like the perfect day for the mango-squash soup from Everyday with Rachel Ray (page 82, but I did a little experimental cooking, too). It's uncharacteristically warm this late in the fall, so I thought I was justified in making soup with a little Mexican flair. This soup was amazing in texture, but smoking hot in flavor. In fact, it was almost too spicy for my taste, but it was so good I couldn't help torturing my taste buds.

Rachel Ray became a famous chef because her recipes are extremely practical and can be prepared by every amateur cook across the world, yet each of her recipes are classy and very flavorful. I even feel important saying "smoky mango-squash soup," but after tasting this delightful soup, I'd change "smoky" to "spicy." Yowzers, it was spicy!

The preparation was very straightforward. First, I sauteed onions in olive oil, then added the squash, pepper (in sauce) and chiles and let them cook for about 20 minutes; until the squash was soft. After this, I added the chicken stock and brought the contents and soup to a boil then let it simmer 15 minutes. I stirred in the mango, but didn't cook them. I placed all of the contents in a blender and pureed it. It was fabulous.

The texture of the soup was superb. It was very smooth, but as I said, it was very spicy. The adobo sauce was the main culprit, but it was also necessary to give it the sweet Mexican flavor. It complimented the mango very well. Unfortunately, I was a little weak for how spicy it was, but it surely was terrific.

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
1 can chipotle red peppers in adobo sauce
1 can diced chiles
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion (chopped)
2 teaspoons brown sugar
3 cups chicken stock
2 mangoes (cubed)
3/4 cup half and half
salt and pepper (to taste)
chives (for sprinkling)

Music: America - Ventura Highway
Weather: 63-degrees, super nice

Polenta

Sometimes simple is best. Tonight I had about 20 minutes to make dinner because I had to run to practice. I threw some fish in the oven, but needed a side dish. I saw a cooking program on the Food Network that showcased polenta. I had just picked up a package of organic polenta, so I started some experimental cooking.

Polenta is a fancy Italian word for what Americans in the South call grits, except it "yellower." I churched the dish up a bit and it ended up being a delicious addition to the fish.

The fish was Parmesan encrusted, so I needed to think along the lines of an Italian chef. With my Italian heritage and my self-proclaimed Italian creativity, that was easy. I put some olive oil in a frying pan, added a little garlic and basil and cooked it until it was golden brown. I also ground some additional Italian seasonings on top and stirred in Asiago, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

The texture was similar to Malt-o-Meal or grits - a little "gritty." It tasted a little more earthy, though. Possibly because of the herbs. I can't envision eating it for breakfast. With the cheese it was a little sticky, yet smooth. Cheese was definitely a clever decision. I had a lot of fun with each bite. It was an exciting and new experience. Polenta = fun.

Ingredients:
18 oz. package of organic polenta
2 tablespoons olive oil
garlic & basil seasoning (to taste)
Italian seasoning (to taste)
3 oz. Italian cheeses

Music: U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I've Been Looking For
Weather: 64-degrees, beautiful day

Sunday Soup Day: Soupe au Pistou

Soupe au Pistou is a french-style soup with white beans and herbs. It's topped with pesto sauce (pistou) before it's served. I read an article in the most recent Bon Appetit about cooking simple meals with white beans, so I thought I would dive into making a white bean soup.

Everything in this soup is made from scratch, including the stock and the soup. At times, I use canned or boxed stock (beef, chicken, vegetable, etc.). In my cast-iron pot, heated 2 tablespoons of olive oil and stirred in carrots, celery, fennel, garlic, onion and tomatoes. The vegetables cooked 20 minutes until they were soft, then I added 8 cups of water and brought everything to a boil. After lowering the heat, the stock simmered for another 30 minutes. Using a strainer and a large mixing bowl, I strained the vegetables (broth in the bowl). I pureed the vegetables in a blender, minus the bay leaves and thyme. Then I stirred the puree into the broth to complete the stock.

Meanwhile, in the same pot, I sauteed onion garlic, carrot, celery and herbs in olive oil then added the reserved broth, beans and tomatoes. I brought it to a boil and let simmer for 30 minutes. To serve, I topped it with pesto sauce.

I had an audience while I was finishing the soup as we hosted a baby shower at our house. I also had a few others over to watch the game, so seven people tried the soup. No one raved about the taste despite the time it took to prepare. It was alright, though, I wasn't crazy about it either. I didn't add any salt and a few of them noticed. It had an abundance of flavor from all of the herbs--almost too much--but it was still a great afternoon lunch.

I'll continue making a variety of white bean soups, but may not repeat this exact recipe. I enjoyed preparing the stock, though. The smell throughout the house was worth the time and effort.

Ingredients:
Stock
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, thickly sliced
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 head fennel, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 plum tomatoes, quartered
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf

Soup
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp minced fresh thyme
1 1/2cups drained and chopped canned plum tomatoes
2 cans (15 ounces each) white cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
6 tsp prepared pesto or extra-virgin olive oil

Weather: 58-degrees, sunny

Cranberry-orange sorbet

Sorbet is a sweet dessert along the lines of ice cream. Instead of dairy-based, it's fruit-based. That means sweet and healthy, right? Kind of, but not really. This cranberry-orange sorbet is fairly healthy, but there's a ton of sugar in it.

Saturday is my dessert day and I had no idea what I wanted to make. I finally decided to open the Epicurious website and make the first dessert that I saw on screen. Alas, a picture of cranberry-vanilla sorbet popped up and I thought it was perfect. As we get closer to Thanksgiving, cranberries become more and more popular. The only problem was I had no idea how to manipulate a vanilla bean like the recipe called for, so I ad libbed and created my own recipe. One of my favorite soft drinks in high school was Ocean Spray cranberry-orange juice. I recalled the taste and went for cranberry-orange sorbet.

Here's what I did:

Boil the cranberries in 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of sugar. Cook almost 15 minutes until the cranberries "pop." Be patient, the berries actually do pop. If you haven't witnessed this before, it's a lot of fun. Puree the cranberry mixture in a blender until as smooth as possible.

Bring remaining 3 cups water and remaining 2 cups sugar to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat and cool syrup 30 minutes.

Stir together cranberry puree, sugar syrup, and citrus juices and freeze. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until hardened, at least 2 hours.

If you're interested in my review of the recipe, check the comments below in the next few days. I will write my thoughts there.

Ingredients:
16 ounces cranberries (thawed if frozen or fresh)
5 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup 100% pure orange juice (not from concentrate)
1/2 lemon juice
1/2 lime juice

Music: Taylor Swift - Love Story
Weather: 62-degrees, sunny

Pad Thai with chicken

I was 20 years old when I experienced Thai food for the first time. I lived a fairly sheltered life in a small Midwestern town, so was not exposed to many ethnic flavors. When I left River Falls for Madison in the fall of 1998, I was excited to try food at many different restaurants. Sa Bai-Thong was the most popular establishment for Thai food in Madison and I was instantly became hooked on Pad Thai. In fact, I wouldn't go as far to say that I've eaten Thai food, only Pad Thai, but I've had it numerous times.

Last year, I stumbled across a jar of Peanut Satay Sauce at Trader Joe's. Next to the shelf of sauces is pasta. A homemade sign was attached to a package of rice noodles that indicated that they were noodle needed for "real" pad Thai. I was sold on their marketing campaign and bought the noodles and sauce and had my first experience making my own pad Thai. It was as easy as the meals I made in college - spaghetti with Ragu, etc. It was very good, too.

As I have progressed in my culinary creativity, I have been able to put more thought and effort into my pad Thai. I make it almost once a month. Tonight, my brother and his "guest" joined us for dinner, so I wanted to impress.

I was planning on making my own peanut sauce, but for time's sake, I went with the Peanut Satay Sauce from TJ's. It never misses. I had to use two jars, though.

First thing first, I boiled the rice noodles. They're tricky because the get very, very sticky. After I drained the water, I put a little olive oil on them to keep them from sticking together too badly. I also chopped a yellow onion, red pepper and baby corn along with garlic. In a large wok, I sauteed the vegetables in olive oil and Asian seasoning that included salt, cummin, chiles, ginger and red bell pepper. I was careful to not over-cook them because I was going to saute them again later.

In the same wok, I cooked the chicken. I chopped three breasts and cooked them in olive oil, garlic and red bell pepper seasoning. The chicken was extremely tasty by itself.

Finally, I put the chicken, vegetables, rice noodles and peanut sauce in the large wok and worked the sauce in. I added bean sprouts, pea pods and crushed peanuts and stirred everything together and served.

The portions were very large and full of flavor. This was the first time I used the extra seasonings and they gave it a little kick. I was very happy with how it turned out. The others raved about how good it was.

Ingredients:
1 package rice noodles (16 ounces)
3 chicken breasts
2 jars Peanut Satay Sauce from Trader Joe's
1 red pepper
1 yellow onion
3 gloves of garlic
1 cup baby corn
1 small bunch green onions
1 cup pea pods
1 cup bean sprouts
olive oil
Asian seasoning

Weather: 64-degrees

Bok choy with yellow pepper

I'm a little upset that my video didn't upload today because I was very excited about my bok choy with yellow peppers. I know you would've been very impressed with the bright seasonal colors. I added a picture, but you're going to have to take my word for it, it was fabulous.

I had never cooked bok choy as a separate dish before. I've used it in a few Asian dishes, but couldn't really taste it, so I didn't even know what it tasted like. I was in the grocery store and had a vision when I saw the bok choy in the produce isle, so I bought some.

I envisioned a bright green and white leafy-celery-looking vegetable doused with olive oil. For more color, I would add a yellow pepper and a few seasonings. That's it. Simple, but adventurous.

Honestly, I had no idea what to expect the bok choy to taste like. I thought it would be somewhere between kale and onions, but had no perception for what the flavor would be. I knew what to expect from the yellow onion, however, and somehow I knew they would be perfect together. I lightly sauteed the bok choy and pepper before adding a small amount of chicken stock and basil, oregano, pepper and sea salt. It was a ton of fun.

It complimented the meal so well, too. I had pan sauteed Burgundy lamb tips and quinoa with basil and garlic. The bok choy finished the meal in perfect fashion and splendid flavor. It was pleasurably crispy with a hint of sweetness from the pepper. I still can't comprehend the flavor of the bok choy, but I savored every bite.

Music: Micheal Buble - Crazy Love

Weather: 60-degrees (very nice)

Fresh veggie pizza

Making my own pizza is something that I enjoy very much, but I hardly have the time to do it well. Today, however, I spent less than an hour preparing two very, very good pizzas.

I bought a two-pack of pizza crusts at the grocery store. This particular store carried only one brand of prepared crus, so I didn't have the opportunity to pick a specific brand or style. It resembled a hand tossed crust and cooked very well. It was thick and crispy when I took it out of the oven.

The toppings were fairly simple, too. I chopped two Roma tomatoes, half a zucchini and some mushrooms. I slathered them with olive oil, garlic and basil. I also added ground Italian seasoning (black pepper, rosemary, thyme, oregano, fennel and basil). As I tossed the vegetables, they began to glycine and produced a beautiful garlicky aroma. I used half of the vegetables on the first pizza and saved the rest for the second pizza. To the second one, I added two links of chopped sweet Italian sausage and tossed them with the veggies and olive oil.

The sauce on the vegetable pizza was simply a can of (red) pizza sauce. Then, approximately four ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese and the seasoned vegetables went on. I shook some grated Parmesan cheese and more Italian seasoning over the top.

I skipped the red sauce on the sausage pizza. I drizzled olive oil over the crust and rubbed it into the dough. I also sprinkled basil and garlic over the top before adding the cheese, vegetables and sausage. Again, it was topped it with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.

Each pizza baked separately in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until the cheese was golden brown. The sausage also became blackened on top - a must with sausage pizza. I let them cool for a few minutes before cutting them and I was pleasantly surprised by how crispy and crunchy the crust was. It was perfect for these two types of pizza. It felt like I was eating a pizza in a restaurant on the streets of Rome. Delicious.

I love making pizza because it comes out of the oven tasting so fresh. The vegetables were extremely succulent and the sausage was so sweet and juicy. The basil and garlic gave it a high quality restaurant taste, but it was obvious that it was homemade. Delectable, palatable and anything -able are tremendous adjectives for this pizza. I'm even excited for the leftovers.

Ingredients:
2 prepared grocery store pizza crusts
2 Roma tomatoes (chopped)
1/2 zucchini (chopped)
1/2 cup mushrooms (chopped)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Garlic and basil seasoning (to taste)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
Italian seasoning
Parmesan cheese

Music: Shawn McDonald - Confess
Weather: 42-degrees, balmy

Sunday Soup Day: Pumpkin Soup

Finally, I had the chance to make pumpkin soup. I can trace my affection for making soup back to a coconut curry pumpkin soup that I made in November, 2007. I work tremendously hard for almost three hours cutting a pumpkin and intricately putting together the ingredients. When I finally had the opportunity to taste my creation, I felt a new sense of gratification that I hadn't felt anywhere else. I was hooked on making homemade soup.

For this particular pumpkin soup, I used canned organic pumpkin. I also eliminated the curry flavoring for more of a Southwestern flavor because I just returned from the Southwest. I added black beans, corn and red peppers along with onions, shallots and garlic. I topped it off with cilantro and lime juice. The seasonings were very predictable as I used coriander, cumin, nutmeg and freshly ground black pepper and shrimp was a last minute addition in this soup. The base included vegetable stock, heavy whipping cream and coconut milk. It was an eclectic mix of produce and spices, but the end result was another remarkable homemade soup.

I started by chopping one red pepper, one yellow onion, one shallot and two cloves of garlic. I gently mixed them together in a bowl, simply for my aesthetic pleasure, and sauteed the vegetables in extra virgin olive oil. Once the vegetables were coated in e.v.o.o., I added a half stick of butter. The only reason for adding the butter after the vegetables were already cooking was the fact that I love the smell of garlic and onions cooking in olive oil. To me, the butter softens the aroma.

When the onions became translucent, I added the vegetable stock, heavy whipping cream and coconut milk and let everything come to a boil. Again, there was no rhyme or reason to the order. I was merely "shooting from the hip." It took almost ten minutes for the soup to boil. Then I added black beans, corn and shrimp. I stirred the contents briefly before putting in the coriander, cumin, nutmeg and pepper. I was also ambitious enough to add some cheddar cheese. It cooked another ten minutes and was ready to serve.

Fittingly enough, my first bite was bigger than I could handle and I burned my tongue and the roof of my mouth. Needless to say, that drastically affected my acuity of taste. It was still fabulous, though. It was faintly bland and could have used more salt, but it was still very smooth and rich. The lime gave it a hint of sweetness that led to a lustful curiosity by others.

Pumpkin soup captures my heart and senses like no other soup. The velvety texture and pleasent taste made my tummy happy. This recipe will likely do the same for you.

Ingredients:
3 cans (15 oz.) pure packed organic pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!)
2 cans (15 oz.) organic black beans
32 ounces organic vegetable stock (from Trader Joe's, of course)
1 can (8 oz.) organic coconut milk
8 oz. heavy whipping cream
1 cup sweet corn
1 yellow onion (chopped)
1 red pepper (chopped)
1 shallot (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 cup brown sugar
10 oz. precooked shrimp
juice from 1/2 a lime
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1-2 teaspoons coriander
1-2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
salt (to taste)

Music: Kate Nash - Pumpkin Soup
Weather: 47-degrees