Naked 2 Palate. I’ve had this since November, it was a birthday present from my awesome sister, and I haven’t strayed from it. It’s perfect. Unlike those other palates that have three great colors, two OK colors and about 5 what the heck where they thinking? colors, these are all winners (seriously, I’ve used everyone). It’s pricey but worth it.
Iwatani Kitchen Torch. This thing will take your eyebrows off. It’s insanely powerful for something so small. I use to have this one, which cost more and had half the power. It also broke after just a year (there is a chance I’m really clumsy and that may have been that cause of said breakage). Unlike the other one, the Iwantani feels and acts like a pro tool, it means business. You do have to buy their propane canisters but those are fairly cheap. You also just attach the torch to the canister, which I massively prefer, rather than struggle to fill the torch with propane.
Quick Defense. This stuff works. I’m like a canary in a coal mine, I’m always the first to drop. If something is going around, I always get it. For the past two winters, I’ve taken this stuff if I even hear of anyone (anywhere) getting a cold, and I’ve been sickness free for two years! I now buy this in bulk. (p.s. I totally should have told you about this before flu season, don’t hate me)
This crazy indestructible GIR spatula. I got an email from the GIR PR representative asking if I wanted one. I almost always say no to these emails, but I was intrigued. I’ve had this thing for 4 months and I’ve made caramel, marinara, homemade ketchup and nothing has stained or stuck to my light blue version of this spatula. I’ve also accidently left it on a live burner, and it didn’t melt or even discolor (as mentioned before, I’m clumsy. I’m also really hard on all of my belongings, I break everything, I’m like a toddler). It still looks factory new. If they made wine glasses, I’d buy a case. Speaking of which, I broke another one last night (I suck).
Picture Porefect. More pores are huge. You could hide Ann Frank in my pores (gross). I’ve tried so many products to reduce the hideousness of my manholes (I mean pores) and nothing has made one bit of difference. I even bought this stuff in a small .3 ounce trial size because I was so skeptical about it’s magical powers (also, the name is ridiculous), but I am now fully convinced and have upgraded to the full sized version. After three weeks my pores look noticeably smaller, like actually normal people sized pores.
Shishito Peppers! My favorite right now. If you can find these at at farmers market or a japanese market, grab them. Just toss them in a hot skillet with a few tbs sesame oil until they blister, put them on a plate and sprinkle them with some flakey sea salt. SO great. Perfect appetizer or afternoon snack. Even better than potato chips, and so much healthier.
Pineapple season is here! Although it’s still a tad colder here in the US than in the tropics, it’s still completely acceptable to soak your vacation-related produce in booze. My hard liquor consumption is fairly infrequent, but lately booze has worked it’s way into my kitchen. I’m much more of a beer and wine kind of girl, but rum has some beautiful flavors that pair nicely with pineapples.
Although this would make an excellent blended drink, there is something that feels special about eating liquor right off a stick.
Just soak
Skewer
and freeze
Rum Soaked Pineapple Pops
Ingredients
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
1 cup rum
1 large pineapple, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
Instructions
In a pot over medium high heat, add the water and sugar. Stir until all the sugar has dissolved, remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature, stir in the rum.
Add the pineapple pieces to a 9×13 inch baking dish, pour rum syrup over the pineapple and allow to soak at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes.
Remove pineapples from soak, skewer with toothpicks or small skewers.
Place on a baking dish that has been covered with aluminum foil.
Freese pineapple for 1 to 2 hours, serve immediately.
I fell in love with side dishes during the three years I spent as a vegetarian. When you don’t eat meat, you tend to go into any holiday celebration or dinner party knowing that your meal will be made up of side dishes and you just hope to end up with more than a garden salad and a dinner roll.
Even though I now eat meat, I want hearty side dishes that can be meals all on their own. I still eat vegetarian food regularly (of the 13 recipes I’ve posted this year 11 have been vegetarian and 7 of those have been vegan) and I want the side dishes I serve to be as important and well crafted as the main dish. Vegetables tend to be the star of the side dish, and being a veggie devotee for three years gave me profound respect for what produce can bring to the table. If you’ve never been a vegetarian, and want to challenge yourself in the kitchen, try to go a month without meat. Even if it’s temporary, it’ll grown you as a cook.
This is a recipe that I already have plans to make again. It has an elegant comfort food vibe to it. The edges get a bit crispy, but the middle has a creamy mashed potato feel. Meat eater or not, this can be a meal or a side dish. I really hope you love it as much as I do.
Skillet Roasted Potatoes with Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions and Parmesan
Ingredients
For the onions:
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
For the Potatoes:
1 lb red potatoes
1 tbs unsalted butter
1 tbs olive oil
salt and pepper
½ tsp rosemary, minced
¼ cup parmesan
For the Mushrooms:
8 ounces mushrooms
1 tbs olive oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450.
In a large skillet, melt 1 tbs butter and 1 tbs olive oil. Add the onions and cook over low to medium heat until caramelized and a deep amber color, about 30 minutes. Do not turn the heat too high or the onions will burn.
Slice the potatoes into thin 1/8 inch slices. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a 9-inch cast iron skillet. Swirl the pan to distribute evenly, and pour off into a small bowl.
Cover the skillet with a layer of the potato slices, overlapping them. Brush the potatoes with half of the remaining butter mixture, sprinkle with half of the rosemary, and then with salt and pepper. Layer the remaining potatoes in a second even layer, brush with remaining butter sprinkle with remaining rosemary, then with salt and pepper.
Heat the skillet over moderately high heat until it begins to sizzle, transfer the skillet to the middle of a 450° oven, and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden and the potatoes are tender.
Place the mushrooms on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat. Roast mushrooms at 450 until dark and soft, about 10 minutes.
Top potatoes with caramelized onions, mushrooms and Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
I have to admit, I did think about adding blood orange juice to this. I have a thing for blood oranges. But, I refrained, I was afraid I’d lose all of you who aren’t as into those guys as I am.
But I did fall back on my love of chipotle. We all have these "go to" flavors, don’t we? Even though we want to broaden our culinary horizons, we seem to be drawn back to that same section of the pantry. That’s ok, isn’t it?
I’m a chipotle, smoked paprika, roasted garlic, fresh basil, sriracha, kinda girl. I also love with burrata cheese, masa harina and almost bitterly dark chocolate.
Just once I’d like to walk into the kitchen and have Ted Allen hand me a "basket of mystery ingredients" just so that I can figure out how to use them in a delightful way without any of my usual culinary crutches.
But for now, here are some chicken wings, beautifully balances with sweet and heat.
Maple Chipotle Chicken Wings
Ingredients
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 chipotle peppers plus tsp adobo
2 lbs chicken wings
salt and pepper
½ cup flour
½ tsp brown sugar
pinch cayenne
Olive oil spray
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450.
Add maple, balsamic and chipotle to a food processor, process until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
Rinse the wings in cold water and pat dry, sprinkle with salt and pepper on all sides.
In a large bowl add the flour, brown sugar, pinch cayenne. Toss the chicken wings in the flour until completely coated.
Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray with cooking spray.
Add chicken to the baking sheet in an evenly spaced layer. Lightly spray with olive oil.
Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, brush with glaze, return to oven for 10 more minutes, turn over, brush with glaze. Repeat. After 30 minutes (3 rounds) turn the oven to 500 and cook chicken until cooked through, about 10 to 15 additional minutes. Remove from oven, brush with remaining glaze.
But that being said, I ate it at 3 in the afternoon (mostly because I wanted to make it for you, and I refuse to photograph using artificial light, necessitating a mid-day desert for picture taking purposes).
Breakfast in my land, is savory. Although I occasionally indulge in sugar loaded calorie bomb in the morning hours only because for some reason it’s socially acceptable, but if we step back and look at it objectively, this is dessert.
Since I put beer in your breakfast on multiple occasions (Like this, and this and don’t forget about this), I would never judge you for eating this pre-noon. BUT, it’s dessert. And it needs to be served with a stout that’s almost warm. Maybe a sipin' stout that’s been aged in a bourbon barrel, or a smokey porter.
But it’s definitely dessert. Even if you eat it in the middle of the day.
Add the butter, 1/2 cup stout and corn syrup to a sauce pan. Cook over medium high heat until butter has melted and the mixture has just started to boil.
Turn off heat and stir in 1 cup chocolate chips until completely melted. Allow to cool slightly before using.
Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturers specifications.
In a large bowl add the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt, stir.
In a microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and milk. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until melted. Stir in the beer, vegetable oil, vanilla and only the yolks of the two eggs.
Add the whites to separate bowl, along with the sugar. Whip with a hand mixer until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes.
Make a well in the dry ingredients, add the chocolate milk mixture and stir until just combined. Gently fold into the egg whites until just incorporated.
Cook in waffle iron according to manufacturers specifications, using butter flavored cooking spray if indicated.
Plate waffles, top with desired amount of ice cream, drizzle with chocolate sauce. Serve with a malty stout.
The season is so short, and it’s nearly impossible to get these out of season, I need to enjoy them now. It’s almost embarrassing how I’ve started to hoard them. Whole Foods had a sale this week and I left with three bags. I even bought a new fruit bowl to accommodate my citrus bounty. And if you came over to my house and commented on my large bowl of blood oranges, I may or may not gush over how gorgeous they are and offer to cut one open for you. In which you would probably respond with a slight look of shock and decline my offer and very quickly change the subject.
I made pavlovas as an edible fruit container of sorts. Don’t be intimidated by pavlovas, although they look difficult and impressive, they are actually very simple. As long as you make sure that not a single drop of fat (yolks or residual butter left over in a bowl) come in contact with the egg whites, they really don’t require much skill.
Miniature Pavlovas with Blood Orange Curd
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
For The Pavlovas
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
2 large egg whites, room temperature (reserve the yolks for the lemon curd)
pinch of salt
1 tsp white vinegar
½ tsp vanilla extract
For The Curd:
2 tsp blood orange zest
½ cup fresh squeezed blood orange juice
1 tbs lemon juice
1/3 cup white sugar
2 tsp corn starch
1 whole eggs plus three yolks
¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Sliced fresh strawberries & whipped cream for serving, if desired
Instructions
Preheat oven to 275.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and the cornstarch.
In the bowl of a stand mixer add the egg whites and pinch of salt. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form.
Turn mixer to high and slowly add the sugar mixture, continue to beat until peaks start to firm, about 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add the vinegar and vanilla, beat until stiff peaks form and meringue is glossy.
Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper (or a Silpat). Spoon meringue onto to parchment in 4 equal sized “nests” making an indentation in each round with a spatula. Each nest should be about 2 inches across, 1 ½ inches high and have a well in the center to hold the curd.
Place baking sheet in the oven and bake until the miniature pavlovas are dry and “crisp” on the outside, about 40 to 50 minutes (it’s OK to open the oven during cooking to peek at the pavlovas to make sure they aren’t cooking too quickly). Turn off the oven, open the oven door half way and allow the pavlovas to cool in the oven until room temperature before removing.
Add the zest, blood orange juice, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, whole eggs and yolks to a bowl and whisk until well combined. Add the blood orange mixture to a pan over medium/low heat along with the butter. Whisk until thickened, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature, refrigerate until ready to use (can be made up to 3 days in advance, store in an air tight container in the refrigerator until ready to use).
Top each pavlova with curd (as well as berries and whipped cream, if desired) just before serving.
I’m one of 8 children (all girls, wrap your head around that) and one of about 27 cousins (I don’t even know the actual number) which made alone time with my grandparents really special.
The spring after I turned 4, I spent a Saturday night in a My Little Pony sleeping bag on the floor of my Grandparents bedroom, falling asleep to a wall mounted TV playing Wheel of Fortune. When I woke up, my Grandpa (Papa) was already gone. He was an artist that had done quite a bit of the original artwork for the Madonna Inn, looked a lot like Desi Arnaz and had a heart of pure gold.
My Grandma packed me into her 1980’s Cadillac with overstuffed seats that felt a lot like recliners and headed for the San Luis Obispo community center’s Pancake Sunday. My Papa was the "featured chef" and the hall was packed. My Grandma shuffled me past tables of seniors, wide eyed and waving at the tiny blond 4 year old. I was like a celebrity, I was Harry Tregarthen’s granddaughter and I was a "baby" to these ladies who just wanted to pick me up and squeeze my cheeks.
My Grandma and I join a round table with four other older ladies. "Your Papa makes the best pancakes, you know," one of the ladies was actually talking to me, instead of about me, that was new for me as a 4 year old, "That’s why this place is so busy. Last weekend, when Sal was cooking, only half full. Today, standing room only!" I didn’t know what "standing room only" meant, but I knew it was good.
"They must be good pancakes!" It’s all I could think to say, but the thing about being 4 is that as long as you form a coherent sentence and say it with enthusiasm, people laugh. And they did, these ladies were my crowd and I was on fire.
"Do you know the secret ingredient is?" She asked, clearly as excited with the banter as I was. "Sugar?!" I said, because I’m 4, and that’s pretty much my life.
I hit again, they were rolling. I could have mic dropped. Once she caught her breath the older lady let me in on the secret, "7-up! Can you believe it? Instead of milk!" I didn’t know how to make pancakes, or even that milk was a part of the process but I did like 7-UP. He was brilliant, I couldn’t believe it. He had put soda in pancakes?! At 4 years old, before I had even seen a recipe, let alone followed one, my Papa taught me that you should experiment. Break the rules, do your own thing.
Pancakes are a great recipe to experiment with. So basic, and with so many places to go. I don’t drink soda anymore, so I never have it on hand, but when I did I always used it in pancakes. It makes them fluffy and light. But now, even though I’m back to using milk, I like to experiment. Pancakes are like a canvas, nearly ever ingredient from sweet to savory somehow work in a pancakes.
And to this day, I always think of Papa when I make pancakes.
Apple Streusel Pancakes
Ingredients
For the Streusel topping:
1 flour
½ cup brown sugar, packed
½ cup butter
½ tsp ground cinnamon
For the Pancakes:
1 ¼ cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
3 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 granny smith apple, peeled and diced
Instructions
Add all streusel ingredients to a food processor, process until crumbly. Set aside.
In a bowl add the flour, salt, brown sugar, baking powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, mix until well combined.
Make a well in the dry ingredients, add the milk, egg and vanilla, stir until just combined. Add the apples and stir.
Heat an electric griddle at 350 or skillet over medium heat, coat with cooking spray.
Drop about 1/4 cup of batter on the hot griddle, top with 1 to 2 tbs of streusel.
Cook until the edges start to look dry, and the underside is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip andcook on the other side until cooked through, about 2 additional minutes. Plate, top pancakes with remaining streusel.
Maybe this isn’t Valentinesy in that "Heart Shaped Red Velvet Conversations Heart Aphrodisiac Cheesecake " sort of way, but it is a fun way to eat ice cream.
And really, who doesn’t need that in their lives? I’m at the very end of writing this book, that’s due to my publisher in just three weeks. I vacillate between sheer panic, absolute gratitude for this opportunity, and utter exhaustion. I’m not sure which I am most looking forward to: sleeping again, being a normal human, or the ability to refer to myself as a publisher author (!!!).
In other news, my husband deserves an award. And a lot of that Valentinesy type wifeish attention that I’ll have more mental capacity for once I’m a normal human again.
We are both looking forward to that.
In the meantime, here is a not-as-bad-for-you ice cream dish. Because when your bowl is half full of fruit, it’s pretty much like health food.
3 granny smith apples (granny smith hold their shape the best, other apples will likely get soggy, but still taste great).
Cinnamon & Brown sugar
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 tbs butter, melted
6 scoops vanilla ice cream
Preheat oven to 375.
Cut the apples in half the wrong way (as in, the way that seems to be counter to all of your apple cutting instincts).
Use a mellon baller to remove most of the center, leaving about 1/2 inch of the walls in tact.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray.
Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, rub in. (really, there isn’t a need to measure the amounts but if you are a "I MUST MEASURE!" person, count on about 1/8 tsp cinnamon and 2 tsp brown sugar per apple half. But really, just sprinkle, you’ll do fine.)
Place apples, cut side down, on the baking sheet.
Roll out the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut into six equal sized squares.
Cover each apples with puff pastry and roll the excess pastry around the apples to resemble a pie crust.
Brush with melted butter and cut two or three small slits with a sharp knife.
Bake at 375 until puff pastry has turned golden brown, about 18 to 20 minutes.
Fill with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Now, if you are a civilized human, you can go at this with a knife and fork. But if you’re me, you’ll pick it up and eat it like the ice cream filled Apple Pie Taco is was born to be. (*The second option is way better, but you’ll need napkins)
I’ve never liked ginger, it always just served as a bit of color on my sushi plate, or the stuff I would pick out of a salad.And then this cocktail happened, and I decided to fall in love with ginger when it’s mixed with bourbon.
My husband invented this beautiful drink, and it’s amazing in that get-this-away-from-me-or-I-will-drink-an-entire-pitcher kind of way. The bourbon, blood orange and ginger just meld in a perfect way that makes you wonder where this drink has been your whole life. To be honest, I cringed a bit when my husband started to grate the fresh ginger into the glass. But paired with the bourbon, it has more of a ginger ale taste that is really lovely, completely compliments and brings together all the other flavors.
Red Rover
Makes one cocktail, but you’ll want to make more
Ingredients
2 oz burbon
1 ½ oz blood orange juice
½ lemon juice
1 ¼ simple syrup
4 oz ginger ale
Garnish with fresh ginger, grated with a microplane or zester
Instructions
Add bourbon, blood orange juice, lemon juice and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker, shake gently.
Add ginger ale and stir to combine.
Pour into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with fresh ginger (don’t be shy, it’s really good)
The first Blood Orange Cocktail dreamed up by my incredibly talented (and incredibly sexy) husband.
It’s really beautiful cocktail with a citrusy sweetness that’s perfectly balanced. It’s prefect for a Ladies Night, a Dinner Party Night, or just a Netflix Night.
I’m already starting to grieve the end of the Blood Orange season, which usually ends in March. If you can’t get your hands on these, or when the season ends, muddle some raspberries and naval orange juice in a cocktail shaker to get close to these great flavors and the amazing color.
Blood and Glory: Blood Orange Cocktail
Ingredients
2 oz blood orange juice
4 oz Vodka
3 oz Cointreau
1 oz lime juice
Yield: two servings
Instructions
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well, strainer into two chilled martini glasses.
I have such a huge culinary crush on blood oranges, it’s almost embarrassing. I drove all over the city looking for these things, giving Sad Eyes to all the produce guys who told me they didn’t carry them.
Then, thanks to the magic of Whole Foods, I came into ownership of about 6 pounds of these babies.
Last year I gave you the Hot Blooded cocktail during my fling with blood oranges, and this year I wanted to do an entire week. I got a bit of a late start this week because of a Super Secret project I was involved in that required I be sequestered without internet and phone for three days. I can’t wait to tell you all about it, but that will have to wait a few more months.
I have some real life cocktails coming up for you that have been dreamed up by my husband, who happens to be trained bartender (which is actually a little known fact). He is an incredible cocktail inventor and I can’t wait to show you what he came up with.
I juiced most of my 6 lbs of blood oranges for what ended up being Team Dodd’s Naptime Cocktail Hour, and froze the leftovers. The results were incredibly gorgeous cubes of ruby red orange juice that made the most amazing and beautiful pink Mimosas.
I used these square ice cubes trays, and if you love to make cocktails for guests, they are a great way to impress with very little effort.
Bleeding Mimosa: Champagne and Blood Orange Ice Cubes
Ingredients
2 lb blood oranges, juiced
Champagne
Serves 4 to 6
Instructions
Pour blood orange juice into ice cube trays.
Place in freezer until frozen, at least 6 hours.
Fill champagne flutes with blood orange ice cubes, fill with champagne.
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Have you ever had one of those "What Would You Want Your Last Meal To Be?" conversations?
I have. Partially because I’m a touch more morbid than most, and partially because I think about food nearly constantly. Also, between food writers, food bloggers and chefs, I hang out with quite a few food people and that tends to dictate the sway of conversation.
Julia Child ate French onion soup as her last meal. James Dean had apple pie and a glass of milk at a road side dinner. JFK ate a pretty typical breakfast of eggs, toast and coffee. John Lennon had a corned beef sandwich. Ernest Hemingway had a steak and potatoes.
(*have I totally creeped you out with death talk on my potatoes post?)
Really, what that conversation comes down to is what food could you not bear never eating again. For most people, that’s comfort food, or meals that remind them of childhood. To be honest with you, I can’t really decide on an answer to the super-morbid Last Meal question. But, I can tell you I would want potatoes to be a part of the meal.
I’ve been making these potatoes for a while. Really simple, easy and always turn out great, without much effort. They also just so happen to be vegan and gluten free, how great is that?
Last meal or not, I’ll be having these again soon.
Perfect Skillet Roasted Potatoes
Ingredients
1.5 lb baby red potatoes, cut into quarters
3 tbs olive oil
1 tsp sea salt, or kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375.
Add olive oil to cast iron skillet over medium high heat until hot but not smoking.
Add the potatoes, one of the cut sides down.
Cook until browned, about 3 minutes.
Push each piece of potato over, toggling it onto its un-browned cut side.
Cook for one minute, transfer skillet to the oven and cook for 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
I’ve reached a goal of sorts, and I wanted to tell you about it. When I started this blog in 2011, it was as a direct response of having to put my 4 month old in the arms of stranger, turn around, and drive to an office.
I love my job, and I love my babysitter, she has become a part of the family. But at the time, I didn’t know her, she was just the woman who had babysat my friends daughters. If you’ve never had to leave your baby, it might not sound that terrible, but at the time it felt like a part of my heart was being torn out.
Every morning when I left her I cried, and my babysitter understood. She has four grown boys of her own, and started watching babies as a way to stay home with them, "I’d worry about you if this didn’t bother you. It’s OK, everyone cries when they leave their babies," She had told me. Somehow, that made me feel better.
I decided to try and find a way to work part time, in order to stay home with her more and maybe, when I decided to have Baby #2, I would be able to stay home longer. For some reason, a blog was my brilliant idea. It wasn’t until after I had fallen in love with blogging that I discovered that the average blogger only makes $40 a month. Although I am lucky enough to make much more than that off my ad revenue, it isn’t enough to quit my job. Even though the income isn’t what I hope, my complete love and utter obsession with food writing, blogging and recipe develop makes up for that. But I needed other ways to make money. Little by little, small job by small job, I’ve been able to nickel and dime my way to part time.
I’m part time!
I only have to go to an office 3 days a week. It really is amazing. One of the ways I’ve been able to do this is freelance writing. I wrote an article last year for Honest Cooking that I was so proud of, I just have to tell you about it. More than 100 food writers and bloggers pitched for only 10 slots in the new Honest Cooking iPad magazine and I was given one of those spots. I was so grateful, but once I got the green light, I froze. Could I do it? Could I really write something I was proud of, that could stand up to the work of real life food writers? Writing this article I was able to prove to myself that I am able to do this. It was a turning point for me, proof that I really can do this. I can move forward in this world I so badly want to be part of. And next time, maybe I wont have to put my infant in the arms of a stranger.
The article I pitched was on a non-profit that I’m a bit starry eyed over. Homeboy industries helps Los Angeles gang members get out of gangs by turning them into chefs and bakers. It’s an incredible organization and for so many people, the only way out of gang life. It is the most successful gang rehabilitation program in the world.
I spent three days interviewing ex-con, ex-gang members, visiting "urban gardens" spread across East Los Angeles, farmers markets and Homeboy Cafes. I left so inspired, by the people, their stories and the fight they fight daily to pull themselves out of the gangs they were often born into and give themselves and their children a good life.
So, please, if you have an iPad, please download the app and read my article. It’s a free app full of great food related articles and inspiring stories.
I also have some Brussels sprouts for you! I love these vegetables, but so far, my husband isn’t a fan. I’ve tried so many methods, braising, bacon fan, roasting and yet he remains unimpressed. Until I poured some Mirin into a cast iron skillet. It gets a bit sweet and caramelized, giving a new life to there little green guys.
He loved these, more than even the bacon fat version. I hope you do too.
Mirin Caramelized Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
2 tbs olive oil
3 cups Brussels sprouts, quartered
1/3 cup mirin
½ tsp red chili flakes
¼ tsp Kosher or sea salt
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add Brussels sprouts and cook until Brussels sprouts start to brown. Add Mirin and cook, stirring occasionally, until mirin has reduced and thickened and the sprouts are fork tender. Sprinkle with chili flakes and salt, stir to combine.
I heard this theory of negative calories foods about a year ago. And while this idea would be a dream come true, I’m not actually convinced of it’s validity.
The theory is that some food cost your body more energy in calories to consume and digest than the food actually contains.
Take celery for instance. A stock of celery is 5 calories, but between chewing, swallowing and digesting, it takes 15 calories to actually eat a stalk of celery, for a net loss of 10 calories. Now, if celery could just taste better, and not like, well, celery, than we’d be all set. Clearly, this theory doesn’t apply to French fries.
On the list of "Negative Calorie Foods" are:
-Asparagus
-Beet Root
-Broccoli
-Cabbage
-Carrot
-Cauliflower
-Celery
-Chicory
-Hot Chili
-Cucumber
-Watercress
-Garlic
-Green Beans
-Lettuce
-Onion
-Radish
-Spinach
-Turnip
-Zucchini
-Apple
-Blueberries
-Cantaloupe
-Cranberry
-Grapefruit
-Honeydew
-Lemon/Lime
-Mango
-Orange
-Papaya
-Peach
-Pineapple
-Raspberry
-Strawberry
-Tomato
-Tangerine
-Turnip
-Watermelon
While this theory has been widely discredited, there is no arguing with the fact that this is an incredible list of foods. If more than half of your diet was pulled from the above list, and the rest of your diet was "sensible" you would never have to diet again and those skinny jeans would be yours.
I did a bit of a test of my own. I made a batch of this soup and ate it for lunch every day for a week.
I lost 2 lbs. Which is a lot for me, given that I have a BMI of 20.6.
That doesn’t really prove anything. Other than the fact that a low calorie vegan soup is a good route to take when looking to drop those holiday pounds. Believe the theory or not, this is still a fantastic list of healthy foods.
Even if this soup isn’t "Negative Calorie," it still only has 78 calories per serving.
Negative Calorie Roasted Asparagus and Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
2 lbs chopped cauliflower (about 8 cups)
1 lb fresh asparagus stalks, trimmed
4 cups veggie broth
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
pinch cayenne pepper
yield: 6 cups
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400.
Place asparagus and cauliflower on a baking sheet. Roast at 400 for 15 to 20 minutes or until asparagus is fork tender and the cauliflower has started to brown.
Add broth to a large pot, add asparagus and cauliflower and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables have started to break down. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Add the seasonings, adjust to taste.
I’m somewhere around halfway done with this cookbook, and I need some feedback. I have about 50 recipes ready to go, but they have never been cooked outside of my kitchen.
I want to know if they work for you, if you like them (or didn’t), if the directions make sense. This part is important to me, it increases the chances that we can catch some of the flaws, some of the directions that may be misleading, or some factor I might have overlooked.
This book means so much to me, and the recipes working for as many people as possible is a high priority.
And I can’t do this on my own. If you are willing to make one (or more) of the Top Secret recipes I have in the works, keep it secret until the book goes to print, and give me your honest opinion, I need that.
If you’re at all interested, Please, check out my Book Page for more info. Please.
3cupsmini pretzels twistslightly crushed (about 1 ½ cups once processed)
2tbsbrown sugar
½cupmelted butter
24ouncescream cheese
½cupsour cream
pinchsalt
2tbsflour
1 ½cupsgranulated sugar
2eggs
½tspvanilla
Instructions
Place dried cherries in a bowl or tall glass. Pour stout over cherries until fully submerged. Allow to sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. Drain, reserving ¼ cup of the soaking liquid.
Preheat oven to 400.
In a food processor, add the pretzels and brown sugar, process until only crumbs remain, about 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly add the melted butter while the processor is running. Pour into the bottom of a 9 X 13 inch baking pan. Use the flat bottom of a heavy glass, measuring cup or mug to press the crust really well into a flat even layer.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cream cheese, beat on high until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the sour cream and beat until well combined. Add the salt, flour and sugar, mix until well incorporated. Add the eggs and vanilla, one at a time, mixing well between additions. Add ¼ of the stout used to soak the cherries, mixing until just incorporated. Stir in the cherries.
Pour cream cheese mixture over the crust, smooth out into an even layer.
Place in the oven and reduce oven temp to 350. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes or until the cheesecake has puffed slightly and center no longer jiggles when you shake the rack it sits on. Don’t over bake, it will firm up once it chills. Remove from oven (allow to stand at room temp until slightly cooled, about 10 minutes) refrigerate until chilled and set, at least 4 hours and up to 24. Cut into squares for serving
This needs to be made with an IPA. The buffalo sauce (which has to be Franks, let’s just get that out of the way) needs a big kick to the face. The only beer up for that job is an IPA. read more
8. Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner! I won the Foster Farms regional cook-off in San Diego.
9. Trip to San Francisco and Napa valley for the Foster Farms National Cook off Finals. I didn’t win, but I did get an amazing weekend trip to San Francisco and Napa Valley, the opportunity to cook at the CIA, and some cash out of the deal. Not bad.
10. I signed my first book deal! with Adams Media.
13. Joy and I had a couple of drinks. And then picked up sharp knives. She made a salad, and I mostly just giggled.
14. Christmas Eve at The Dresden a long running tradition. Although most people just know it as "That Place They Filmed The Movie Swingers" It’s a Los Angeles landmark.
15. I rearrange my entire living room to take pictures. Of food. During my lunch break.
16. I gave my daughter a trampoline for Christmas and she doesn’t want to get out of it. Ever
I had such an incredible year, truly a year that was blessed by the blogging community and those who have supported me, the online friendships that turned to lasting ones and the connections we feel through food.
One of the my favorite events this year was The Feast of the Seven Fishes, a small dinner party and Fancy Schmancy Pot Luck thrown by Greg and Alaska SeaFood (see numbers 12 &13 above). A truly incredible night, hoisted up by the stellar seafood, an epic example of how essential it is to buy the good stuff when cooking a meal from the sea. Alaska Seafood is focused on providing the world with incredible, sustainable, wild seafood and were they gracious enough to provide each of the seven cooks who participated with the best Alaska has to offer.
There are two ways to buy scallops, "wet" and "dry." A wet scallop with be soaked in a phosphate solution to preserve it. This makes it taste soapy and gives it a bit of a rubbery texture, but the vast majority of scallops sold in US markets are wet. Dry scallops are more expensive, harder to come by and infinitely tastier.
If you can’t find dry scallops, the best way to treat a wet scallops is a quick brine.
If you can find some dry Alaskan scallops, I highly recommend that you grab them.
Also, I used this smoker. It’s less than $50 and stores in your cabinet, perfect for me and my occasional smoking needs.
Scallops On Smoked Sweet Corn Puree With Stout Balsamic Glaze
Ingredients
5 ears of corn, shucked
1 stick butter, divided in half
1 leek, chopped, white and very light green parts only
1/2 cup cream
¼ tsp salt
1/3 cup stout beer
2/3 cup balsamic
1 tbs honey
2oz pancetta
12 scallops
Maldon salt & fresh cracked black pepper
Yield: 6 appetizer portions
Instructions
Brine scallops if necessary.
Smoke one ear of corn for 8 minutes over alder-wood chips according to smokers manufactures specifications. (in lieu of this add 1/4 tsp smoked paprika or replace the salt with smoked salt).
Cut the kernels off all ears of corn, including the smoked ear of corn. Set aside.
In a large pot, melt 1/2 stick butter. Sautee leeks until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the cream and corn kernels, cook until softened, about 8 minutes. In a food processor or blender, puree until very smooth, abut 5-8 minutes.
Pass through a chinois or strainer.
In a medium sauce pan, add the stout, balsamic and honey. Boil until reduced to a thick syrupy consistency, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.
Dry the scallops well by placing between two stacks to paper towels.
In a pan over medium high heat, melt the remaining 1/2 stick butter.
Season the scallops on top and bottom with salt and pepper.
Sear on both sides until cooked thorough, about 3 minutes per side.
Cook the pancetta until crsipy.
Plate the corn puree, top with two scallops per plate, drizzle with balsamic glaze, then top with crispy pancetta.
I was interviewed by a baking magazine a few weeks ago, because apparently I am the foremost expert on cooking with beer. This was the second interview I’ve done on the subject for a print magazine. One question always gets asked, so I figure some of you might have this same question:
"Does the alcohol cook off? Is it safe for kids?"
The short answer is: yes. The long answer, it depends.
Let me explain. No matter how much you cook beer, or any alcohol for that matter, some trace amounts remain. So trace, that their effects will never be felt, nor will the alcohol enter your blood stream. The USDA deems the consumption of cooked alcohol safe for all ages as well as pregnant women, you can see evidence of this when you are able to order steak in a red wine sauce or a rum raisin cake without being carded.
In order for the beer to be cooked enough to remove the alcohol it must be cooked at 170 (or above) for at least 10 minutes. This isn’t much. Everything that is baked will meet these requirements. Pan fried items generally will also meet the requirements, and although beer battered items aren’t cooked for ten minutes, the heat is so high and the amount of alcohol so small (about 1tbs per serving) the amount of alcohol actually left behind is minimal.
Because of this, I see no health concerns with the consumption of cooked beer. The only concerns that I do have are moral. I cook often, and have a diverse group of friends, among them are people who have moral conflicts with alcohol, such as Mormons and people in recovery. I would strongly suggest that if you are cooking for others, let people who may be morally opposed to consuming alcohol know what they are about to be served. Someone in AA might be triggered by the taste of beer, and some religions condemn the consumption of alcohol in all forms, even trace amounts.
Wow, not that thats out of the way, I have a Stout Hot Chocolate for you. And with your newly acquired beer cooking knowledge you have full control over how boozy you make it.
(30 votes, average: 4.80 out of 5)
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