enJOY food

The Resolution

2009-07-09T13:38:00.002-07:00

Deep down inside I knew this was coming all along.

I am just not a blogger.

A good cook does not necessarily make a good food blogger.

I am a wife, sister, daughter, cook, aunt, artist, gardener, student first. Blogger might not even be in the top one hundred.

When I was little I always wanted to be a writer- but maybe I've grown out of that dream.

To all of you with blogs, I adore you, I read you, keep up the good work.

To Annie-- the personal blog was at full stop a month or so ago. At the risk of sounding rude to all the other young couples without kids out there- generally our blogs are rather boring, and a little too about ME. so that will not be returning anytime soon.

To Juliet- email mer, I am sure she will give you the cafe rio recipes!

I've been taking some time...

2009-07-07T19:47:00.002-07:00

To decide if I am a blogger. If I want to be doing this. I'm kind of enjoying not taking pictures of everything I cook. Because I promise I haven't been eating out this whole time- that is not the cause of the break my friend. Lots of projects inside and out of the kitchen, and lots of traveling. Have I mentioned that I am in California again, and we were just in utah...all since omaha. There are just too many things in my brain right now, something's got to go.

I'm still thinking.

I'm on break...

2009-06-06T21:11:00.002-07:00

My trip to Omaha was extended and so is my exhaustion. I'm home now, but give me another day or two to get back to work. Sorry for the huge lack this week, I still have great children's week recipes to post as well as some great desserts coming up. Have a good weekend!

Children Week- Belle's Secret Macaroni and Cheese Cupcakes

2009-06-03T05:35:00.004-07:00

Sorry it has taken me so long to post. But it had a lot to do with taking care of three kids and a little to do with the fact that I've been taking the pics on my sister's computer and needed to get them back.

These cupcakes were a complete success. Every child liked them- age 6, age 5 and age 2. Downside- they aren't the most veggie filled healthy thing. My answer to that was a salad they also gobbled up. The upside to these? They are cute, easy to make in any quantity and would do very well frozen so you could make a bunch and freeze them for snacks, lunches- whatever.

Belle's Secret Macaroni and Cheese Cupcakes (12 regular)

2/3 lb macaroni
1 T butter
1 heaping T flour
2 c milk
1/2-1 c cheese (cheddar, jack, anything shredded)
bread crumbs

1. Boil water and cook pasta, don't overcook it because it is still going to go in the oven
2. To make sauce:

Melt butter in pan
Add flour and stir around for a minute or two on medium
Gradually add milk while whisking, continue to whisk until it comes to a boil and has thickened and smoothes- if too thick add more milk
Add cheese and seasonings, let melt

3. Butter or pam the cupcake pans, then put breadcrumbs in each one and shake around like you would flour for baking, get rid of excess
4. Mix pasta with sauce and fill pan to make heaping cupcakes
5. Top with bread crumbs
6. Bake at 400 for 5-10 minutes until tops are slightly brown
7. Let cool on counter for 5 minutes so they will stay together- Serve.

other notes:

The kids each ate multiple muffins, so plan on 2-3 for each.
The kids screamed that they would never eat this all day long, but they helped me do the breadcrumb steps and watched me make the sauce and then- tada- they ate it like it was the best thing ever.
Belle asked if it could be our secret recipe, so shh kay?

Grilling

2009-05-29T11:32:00.004-07:00

A few grilling tips:
-before you put food on the grill....

let the grill heat up, heat makes the grill nonstick
make sure the grill is nice and clean
using a brush or rag rub a little oil on the grill

-Some things are better in direct heat, others in indirect. To get indirect heat turn on one side of your grill (or if you are using coals like me put them on one side) This allows you to slow cook some things and quickly cook others.

-If you are grilling chicken with skin on grill that side first. Let it cook most of the way through on that side, then when you flip it over you will have a super yummy crispy crust! (and this is coming from a girl that normally hates chicken skin)

-keep a thermometer handy, it is the BEST way to know something is done (then you dont have to keep cutting the meat open to see)

Memorial Day Grilled Chicken and Veggies for 2

Chicken

2 thighs skin on, bone in
1/2 c pineapple juice
1 T dry yellow mustard
1 T chili powder

Marinate for 1 hour.

Veggies

2 cobs of corn, sliced in thirds
2 tomatoes, quartered
1-2 potatoes, cut into large chunks
1/2 onion, quarters
2 carrots, sliced large
2 cloves garlic whole
olive oil
1 T ground mustard
salt and pepper

Mix it all together

Sauce (bear with me, it's good)

1/4 c pineapple juice
1/4 c sour cream
2 T dijon mustard

Mix together and refrigerate.

1. Start grill and heat, oil
2. Add chicken(skin down of course) and either use a mesh grill pan(we got ours from williams-somona) or skewers and cook the veggies, they take about the same amount of time.
3. Once the veggies are crispy and the chicken is to 160 degrees pull it off and serve with the sauce.

note: The sauce may sound a little strange, but I was just mixing the flavors that had gone into the marinade, it actually turned out really good. That is my advice for sauce, think of the flavors that are being hinted at in marinades or rubs, and mimic it in your sauce. easy peasy.

Children Week- Menu Plan

2009-05-29T08:00:00.003-07:00

Here is the plan...we'll see how it all works out. To be honest, right now I am just worried that somehow this 3 children vs 1 me is going to end up with me not in charge.....

Day 1: Ravioli with zucchini and tomato sauce (I used store bought ravioli, homemade sauce I keep in the freezer and just added chopped veggies to it to disguise them a bit)

Day 2: Cafe Rio style Pork Salad (We already had this and it is a major sucess with all three kids, if you aren't familiar with cafe rio, then the pork is a sweet slow cooked pulled pork, serve with rice, cilantro-lime ranch, and salad stuff- oh and tortillas- delicious for everyone! Merideth- maybe you can guest post your recipe sometime this week?)

Day 3:Cheese filled Crepes and Roasted Veggies (I make crepes, they are really simple, and just make a cheese sauce to go with them. Roasted veggies that are usually child friendly would be carrots and potatoes, but maybe throw in an extra veggie, cause it is easy to eat around but good to at least try.... I'll let you know how this one goes)

Day 4: Grilled Trout with Salad and Pitas (I'm actually only cooking three days, so I won't be making this for them, but it seems like a simple introduction to fish, depending on your child it could be a good option)

Day 5: Macaroni and Cheese Cupcakes (I'm excited about this one, I got the idea from epicurious.com, where you can do an advanced search to find kid-friendly meals. It's like a baked macaroni but in personal cute cupcake portions, I cant imagine a kid not liking it, but again- I'll let you know how it works out.) Serve with a salad to make it a little healthier.

I'll post the crepe and macaroni recipes later this week and give the verdict from the three very different palates I'm working with.

Wish me luck!

BOTW- Pizza Pinwheels

2009-05-28T21:19:00.003-07:00

So... this is kind of a bread, but also so much more. I love meals like that. Bread with built in sauce and cheese, not much could be better.

Pizza Pinwheels
(you can exchange for your favorite pizza dough but here is one of mine)

2 1/2 c flour
1 1/2 t instant yeast
1/2 t salt
1 c water
2 T oil

tomato sauce
finely chopped veggies (i added these to the tomato sauce and cooked them)
mozzarella cheese
1 egg
breadcrumbs

1. Mix first 5 ingredients, using as little flour as possible. This is a good time to have a more wet pizza dough. Knead for a few minutes.
2. Let rise covered in a greased bowl for about an hour.
3. Roll out into a rectangle 1/4-1/3 inch thick and place on parchment.
4. Add sauce, toppings and cheese all over
5. Roll the long end into a pinwheel and seal the edge.
6. Flip over so seam is along the bottom.
7. Rub egg wash over the top and add cheese or breadcrumbs to make it look extra yummy.
7. Bake at 475 degrees for 10-15 minutes until the top is brown.
9. Let sit out of oven for a few minutes and then cut into 1 inch slices. Serve with extra sauce.

enJOY

ps. .. although I haven't officially started the "children posts" this would make an excellent kid friendly food. Tomorrow look forward to some grilling tips and my "kid friendly" menu for next week. My plan is to be trying out recipes for the next few days and giving feedback on the actual reactions, so it should be good. Let the babysitting begin!

DOTW- A new kind of Cookie

2009-05-27T21:12:00.003-07:00

So... sorry I've been slightly MIA for the past few days. Life as always got away from me a little bit.... and it is just about to again. I am currently in Omaha, at my sister's house, quilting and eating- until the weekend when she leaves and I take care of her three kids for a few days. It's a good life being a sister and aunt.

So later this week or early next week look forward to some more child appropriate menus.

As for now.... I'm off chocolate. It's a travesty but I like to know that I can do it. So I have gotten more creative and here are my cookies of the moment. It all started because I was craving chocolate chip cookie dough.

Pseudo Macaroons
(they taste remarkably like macaroons but have almost none of the same ingredients)

(my basic cookie recipe)
1/2 c butter
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c white sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 1/4 c flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt

(additions)
1/4 c oats
1/4-1/2 c coconut
1/2 t cinnamon
mini marshmallows

1. Make cookie dough just like any other dough.
2. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
3. Add in oats, coconut and cinnamon.
4. Using a cookie scoop, fill scoop with dough and push 3 marshmallows into center, down deep. Cover hole and put on lined cookie sheet.
5. Should make 12 depending on size.
6. Bake for about 10 minutes until they are golden brown.
7. Let cool and enjoy.

Sorry no pictures! They were gone too fast!

has anyone been trying this weeks menu?
or do you have any good way that you organize you food week?

Week One Menu

2009-05-21T19:49:00.003-07:00

Here we go, five days of menus. Perfect for Monday through Friday.

My concept behind this menu plan is to separate my week into 5 different menu concepts.
Each day of the week will be the same concept each week, just with different actual meals.

Here is the concept:

Monday- Italian
Tuesday- Mexican
Wednesday- Salads and Sandwiches
Thursday- International
Friday- American/ French (Classics)

So now that you know the concept, one which I think everyone should adopt even if you don't adopt my exact menus. It helps come up with the ideas so that you aren't deciding food every night out of a million options. Limitations are good.

Monday-- Salmon Panzanella
Tuesday-- Masa Cakes and Corn Salad, add black beans to corn salad for protein
Wednesday-- Chopped Salad with cucumber, tomatoes, mixed greens, orange bell peppers, radishes, chopped walnuts, jicama, cheese and yogurt dressing
Thursday-- Catfish Saag with Basmati Rice, chicken or other white fish can be substituted
Friday-- Vegetable Fritatta

I'm going to try and link back some of the menus, but others will just be ideas that you can search for on epicurious.com or foodnetwork.com or wherever else you like. A new menu will come out every friday. I hope you enjoy.

DOTW- Apple Berry Turnovers

2009-05-21T14:18:00.005-07:00

When I first started culinary school I was enamored with the school cafe. It was like going back to Paris with the lovely windows full of ooey, gooey, yummy morsels. My two favorites there were coconut macaroons (dipped in chocolate) and apple turnovers. I could not get enough of their goodness.

Now with culinary school behind me I am slightly jaded. I know understand the magic and can recreate it. It makes going out for food not nearly as exciting, but there is still a resounding thrill that goes through me every time I make something and think "that could have totally come from a bakery".

These turnovers did it for me. I felt immense pride in seeing the perfectly thin crackling layers, watching them puff in the oven with butter as their only leavener- it's what makes me happy.

Apple Berry Turnovers

Puff Pastry

I'm guessing that hardly anyone will follow me in making your own puff pastry, but I have to say, you should at least try to sometime. The big difference between it and store bought, is that you would use butter and the store bought uses, well, not butter. BIG DIFFERENCE! But this dessert can either take an afternoon or 10 minutes- it all depends on if you make the puff pastry or not. So if you need a quick dessert this could actually be a great option.

Ingredients:

2 c AP flour
1/2 t salt
1 T cold butter
1/2 c ice water

1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter, cold
1 T flour

In a mixer with the dough hook mix 1 c flour, salt and water. Add the butter and let mix until a smooth batter forms. Add the rest of the flour slowely and let mix until the dough pulls together, 3-4 minutes.

Knead dough until it comes together well and freeze wrapped for 20 minutes.

Put the 1/2 lb of butter between sheets of wax paper and bang on it with a rolling pin. The idea is to get it to be a square about 3/4 inch thick(about 3 inches wide). Use the flour to stop it from being sticky on the outside. Don't let it get above 60 degrees, if it does refrigerate.

Pull out dough and roll it into a 6 inch square on a floured surface.
Put the butter square on a diagonal in the middle and fold the dough around it, seal the edges.
Turn One:
Turn the dough over and roll out to about 18x6 inches. If the butter starts to ooze at all refrigerate. Turn the dough over and fold like a letter in thirds. Freeze for 10 minutes.

Do this "turn" 5 more times. The purpose of this is to get butter into hundreds of layers. It technically should end up with
1x3x3x3x3x3x3=729 layers!
So even though it seems like a lot of work you get a lot out of it.

if you look really close you can see some of the layers

Freeze for 1 hour and make filling.

If using storebought dough you need to pull it out of the freezer and let it thaw according to the package directions.

Filling

Ingredients:
2 green apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin
1 c frozen berries
1/2 c sugar
1 t salt
1 T butter
1 pinch nutmeg

Put butter in a pan and cook apples until softened. If you undercook them they will oxidate and turn brown. Add sugar during cooking. Once they are cooked turn off heat and add berries as well as salt and nutmeg. Allow to warm.

To bring it all together:

Roll out dough into a 9x18 square, storebought should be about this size
Cut in half lengthwise, and in quarters width wise to make 8 squares
Use an egg wash on the inside of each square and fill the center of the squares, not too full though, you want to be able to close the pastrys.
Gently pull one corner to meet the other and seal the edge. To further seal the ends use a fork.
Egg wash the outsides and sprinkle with sugar (coarse or turbinado works really well), pierce the tops with a fork
Refrigerate for half an hour.
Bake at 375 degrees until the outsides are golden brown about 30 minutes.
Serve warm. If you have extra filling, rewarm and serve over turnovers, maybe with some ice cream.

Note: How Puff Pastry gets its puff: When the chilled butter begins to melt in the oven it starts to leave hundreds of little holes that then fill with steam and rise causing the dough to become flakey and puffy. How the french figured these things out, I'll never know.

BOTW- Pita Bread

2009-05-19T19:41:00.004-07:00

Hello yummy! I love homemade pita bread.

who knew?

I was trying to come up with a different sort of bread for this week, not a loaf, not something everyone has made.

what a good choice this turned out to be!

major bonus: i grilled it--which means our 90 degree house didn't have to be subjected to the oven.

We had it with a big chopped salad and some grilled trout(such an under-rated fish) with lime butter and voila- super yummy dinner.

And very quick I might add. When I was doing personal chef stuff I had to make meals in 2 hours or less, including travel time, and so I learned the art of not sacraficing quality while still cooking in a reasonable time. (I know 2 hours seems like a ton of time, but when you factor in things sitting in the oven while you catch oprah or things like that, it isn't that long)

This meal took 1 hour 10 minutes start to finish-including bread.
Timeline:

5 pm- make dough and cover
5:30- chop veggies for salad and make dressing
5:45- see that dough is risen and light coals for grill (we're old school), form pitas
6:00- put first pitas on grill, filet fish and season
6:10 put second batch of pitas and fish on, make lime butter

See that? Half an hour downtime and still it only took 1 hr 10 minutes.

Pita Bread

2 t instant yeast
pinch of sugar
1 1/2 c warm water
2 T olive oil
1 1/2 t salt
4 cups flour

1. Add water and sugar to yeast in a large bowl, or your mixer
2. Add in everything else and stir until incorporated
3. Knead in kitchen aid for 3 minutes or by hand
4. Put in a greased bowl and cover until doubled- mine took 45 minutes
5. Cut into 10 pieces and roll into balls then flatten into 6 inch disks (you'll need more flour for this but try to limit it, the less flour the better)
6. Put disks on a dishtowel and cover with another dish towel for 10 minutes
7. Start the grill
8. Oil grill and place pitas on- they will be sticky but trust me- it will work.
9. Grill for about 2-3 minutes per side.

enJOY

Thoughts on Basmati...

2009-05-19T15:02:00.004-07:00

Do you eat rice a lot? And sometimes it starts to feel mundane. And you wonder why one rice should fit every ethnicity of cooking?

In our house we have 4 types of rice.

Long Grain White
Brown
Arborio
Basmati

White we use for all things mexican, brown for healthy days, arborio for risotto and lovely basmati for indian food.

Basmati is the most delicious rice! I know, you didn't know RICE could be delicious, but it actually can have flavor unto itself. If you've ever eaten at an indian restaurant you've had it. It is as easy to make as white rice, in fact I cook it exactly the same (a little less water). But it can be made in a rice cooker and just has the most fabulous aroma. It is also daintier and prettier looking somehow....

Try it out.

a few notes on the week....

2009-05-18T18:15:00.003-07:00

My mouth is watering.
Dinner is ready and John is on his way home.
This is my best time to think about food

because
i'm
so
dang
hungry.

So I've picked out my BOTW and DOTW and they are...
pita bread and apple turnovers- double yumm, something to look forward to!

what new things have you been trying lately?

note:
starting friday I will be posting weekly menu plans for the next week.

and I hear the garage door.
bye for now.

Arepas and Coleslaw

2009-05-17T19:04:00.003-07:00

Did you know cabbage is loaded with vitamins c and k? And is a great filler even though it has next to no calories?

If you don't like cabbage I suggest:

making a coleslaw recipe with plenty of citrus, it seems to cut through the bitterness.
it made me a believer.

also if you are squimmesh of mayo usage (as I am), sour cream or yogurt are excellent substitutes.

And on to the Arepas.

Arepas are basically stuffed tortillas. They vary throughout south america, but for the sake of this blog, an arepa is a stuffed tortilla. John fell in love with them at a hole in the wall restaurant in Provo and so tonight we succesfully attempted them.

Super easy, super yummy. 4 ingredients.

Arepas for 2

1 c masa harina (dry)
1/2 c warm water
1 t salt
1/2 c cheddar cheese (pepper jack would be a yummy option)

1. Mix masa and water with your hand and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add salt and knead a little, it should stick togehter well.
3. Split into 8 smaller balls, roll so they are smooth.
4. Flatten between wax paper with a rolling pin or handy dandy tortilla maker like we have.
5. put cheese in the middle of half the rounds and top with the other rounds.
6. Smash the edges so it is sealed.
7. Heat pan and add thin layer of oil.
8. Fry for 2-3 minutes per side on medium high.

Serve with coleslaw

These were great. There were like super flavorful tortillas because the cheese seemed to just become a part of the tortilla instead of ozzing out. Delicious! We will definitly be doing that again.

And don't for a minute think it was too hard because it literally took 5 minutes!

Has anyone bought masa harina yet? I want to hear what you think!

Sorry for the lack of dessert this week, we've been being kinda healthy...

A Puppy for Every Day of the Week

2009-05-17T18:52:00.005-07:00

I've always thought I would fit in so well in another time period. Not sure which one I would prefer but there are just so many great things about the simplicity and industry in times past. I'm thinking I would have love the early 20th century.
The great thing about now- you can take the best of times past, but with the loveliness of an indoor toilet.

Lately I've been working on dish towels. The kind my grandma has always had around her kitchen, with a different theme for every day of the week, and I love the quirky kitchiness of them. I don't know if I can bare to use them but they are great to look at!

To make your own: Days of the Week Embroidery, they have dogs, cats, little girls, fruit, etc. Very cute.

So here are my first three...
(they are folded to just show the part that is embroidered)

Bread of the Week (BOTW) Challah Bread

2009-05-14T15:13:00.005-07:00

It's a challah-day! hehe. lame pun yes, but also a good lesson.

challah is a jewish bread. chanukkah is a jewish holiday. did you know that could start with a c?
one other thing in common- you DO NOT pronounce the C.

This is one of the most favored breads in our household. It is made rarely, and bought rarely, but often discussed. I would even venture to say it is John's favorite bread. And what's not to like, it's one of the fattiest breads out there, fluffy inside, flaky outside, and is fashioned into a braid. Talk about fancy!

Challah Bread
Ingredients:
8 oz water
.25 oz instant yeast
1 lb 4 oz flour
4 oz egg yolks
2 oz sugar
2 t salt
2 oz veg oil

This is a really easy bread recipe.

1. Dump water and yeast into mixer.
2. Top with all other ingredients.
3. Mix with dough hook on low until it is mixed.
4. Mix on speed 4 for 5 minutes to knead
5. Put in a greased bowl and cover.
6. Let rise for 1 1/2 until doubled.
7. Seperate into three pieces and roll into long strings(about an inch wide).
8. Braid and press ends together.
9. Put in sheet pan and paint top with an egg wash, add sesame seeds if you wish.
10. Cover and let rise for another hour.
11. Bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour, until internal temp is 190 degrees.

Note: These can be made into smaller sandwich rolls by making smaller strands (they are actually one of my very favorite sandwich breads)
Note 2: I apologize for the ugly counters and white walls you constantly see in my kitchen- it's a rental.

I beleive in leftovers

2009-05-13T16:14:00.003-07:00

I hear a lot of crap about leftovers.
And I see a lot of people tossing out leftovers.
And I don't think leftovers deserve such a bad rap.

I love leftovers.
Leftovers make making dinner take mere minutes.

Rules for leftovers:
-use within 3 days
-do not use the same way they were used the first time around
-add something fresh to them

Last week, as you know, we had friends staying with us. Friends staying with us means there are lots of odds and ends left in our fridge once they are gone. One of my favorite leftovers? Chili.

Here's what we did:

Toasted some rye bread
Warm up chili and throw on top
Put a big salad on the side

So good, like fancy sloppy joes.
Leftover Veggies:

Do you have a lot of different veggies on the verge of too ripe in your fridge?
Answer- chopped salad.
Mine had: 1 carrot, 2 celery sticks, 1/4 jicama, 1/4 cucumber, 1 tomato, 1 bunch of cilantro and a lime.
Chop it all up small so that every bite has everything and mix. Add a little oil, salt and pepper.
If you follow these rules for leftovers, you should feel like you have lots of flavorful ingredients in the fridge instead of seeing them as soggy, rewarmed meals.

Remember- enJOY your food
What are your favorite leftovers?

Eat Seasonal. Eat Local.

2009-05-11T15:25:00.002-07:00

One of the comments I got from my giveaway was to write more about foods that are in season. Thank you Lisa for asking about that because it is definitely a topic I can believe in.

I believe that eating seasonally goes hand in hand with eating locally. And those are both very important to eating well.

Here are the pluses to eating seasonally:

-it is cheaper- which means traveled less miles, which means local, which means better flavor because it wasn't picked too soon
-the food tastes better
-it is better for the environment- again less travel
-it helps support local economies

How to find the food and eat more seasonally:

1. look for the cheap produce. chances are if the produce is cheap it is in season.

2. shop at farmers markets or local stores, which will have local produce

3. join a co-op. i would love to do this but haven't found one yet, but I know a couple people who have. if you don't know what it is- basically you pay a weekly amount, put a basket on your doorstep that is replaced with a basket full of random produce. it is local and I can only imagine in season.

4. buy what grows in your garden. if you garden at all you know cold seasons and warm seasons. things like tomatoes and peppers in the summer, greens and roots in the winter.

5. i found this website and I really think it gives good guidelines, and it shows what is in season in different locations.

Remember, what is in season in california is not necessarily in season in new york.

This week I would suggest strawberries (their season is at its peak), cucumbers, tomatoes are on their way in, oranges, berries are coming in, radishes....

DOTW- Coconut Chocolate Cheesecake

2009-05-09T07:41:00.003-07:00

I love this cheesecake, it has always been one of my very favorites. The coconut cream cheesecake from cheesecake factory has definitely inspired me- but this is my own take on it. But if you have never gotten that cheesecake- it is about the most delicious thing I have ever had.

Alison's Birthday Coconut Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust
1 c chocolate cookie crumbs
1/4 c butter
1/4 c coconut

Filling
16 oz cream cheese
1 c sugar
3 eggs
1 t vanilla
1/3 c coconut
1/3 c chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt butter and mix with cookie crumbs and coconut
Press into the smallest springform you have and bake for 10 minutes

In a kitchenaid, paddle cream cheese until smooth, add sugar.
Add one egg at a time, mixing between each, and scraping down between each.
Add vanilla and coconut and mix.
Melt chocolate chips.
Turn down oven to 325 degrees.
Pour 2/3 of mixture into springform.
Mix chocolate into other third and pour over top.
Sprinkle extra coconut on top and bake until slightly jiggly in center.

note: if you like a lighter cheesecake you can separate the eggs. Add the yolks as usual but beat egg whites with 1/4 c sugar until medium-stiff peaks and fold into each batter. This will make it lighter and rise more, so maybe you will even eat less. I really like it like this.

Happy Birthday Alison!

And The Winner Is...

2009-05-09T07:31:00.002-07:00

via random.org, who very kindly picked an interger for me....

Jessica

"I love chocolate!"
"and I have you on my blog: danielandjessicaedwards.blogspot.com"
"Oh! For ideas for the blog....i loved your weekly menus...and maybe a post on the basics of what ingredients you always have in your house. I am crossing my fingers- I want to win!!"

Thanks for the good ideas Jessica and look forward to lots of goodies coming your way!

And for everyone that didn't win, I think I will be making this a more regular thing, so look forward to it in the future.

Giveaway Reminder

2009-05-07T17:24:00.002-07:00

only a day and a half left to enter the giveaway....
remember you get a second entry for mentioning me on your blog or adding my button!

BOTW- My Mama's Banana Bread is better than Yours

2009-05-06T14:46:00.004-07:00

Banana Bread seems to be one of those recipes that is passed from mother to daughter and everyone prefers their own. I have to say though- I hate most banana bread. Dry, Crumbly and nutty, yucky.

My mom's banana bread is super moist, flavorful and made even better by the addition of chocolate chips.
hint: there are two types of bread, yeast breads and quick breads. Quick breads use baking powder or soda as a leavening.

Banana Bread for 2 loaves

(i usually half the recipe because I dont have the patience to wait for 6 rotten bananas)

1 c butter
2 c brown sugar
6 ripe bananas (every time we buy bananas there always seems to be one that never gets eaten, so as soon as it turns brown it gets scooted to the freezer. to use the frozen bananas just thrown them in the microwave in their skins until a little warm, they will be pretty much mush and you can pop off the tops of the bananas and squeeze the banana out. gross yes, but it works great)
4 eggs
2 1/2 c flour
2 t baking soda
1 t salt
1 t nutmeg
1 c chocolate chips (optional, we usually put them in one loaf and one without)

1. cream together the butter and sugar
2. add bananas blend, then add eggs one at a time
3. add dry ingredients and mix
4. grease two loaf pans and pour half of mixture into one
5. add chocolate chips to remaining mixture and pour into other pan
6. bake at 350 for an hour. Make sure and use a toothpick to test because banana bread looks down well before the inside is cooked.
7. cool and enJOY!

just as a side note, i've seen some people spread butter on their slice of banana bread- not necessary with this bread, it is perfect just as it is!

Art and a quick salad

2009-05-05T19:41:00.004-07:00

Something to brighten up our tucson backyard.
You like? I love! I love creating. I always wanted to be an artist but alas I don't have the skill. I do however have the love. Hence my past major of art history. I do love knowing I can create something happy, something bright and something I love, even if it will never be a masterpiece. I'm far closer to getting there in my cooking than my painting, and that is even still a far off dream.

My advice- don't hold yourself back!

And a quick recipe:
As you know a radish and cucumber salad often graces our table. Last night I mixed it up with some jicama and lime zest. Mix the zest and juice of one lime and 2 T greek yogurt, as well as salt and pepper. Mix with your thinly sliced veggies, a mexican mixup on an enJOY classic.

JICAMA- do you eat it? When I was five we moved back from California to Alberta. I was proudly a californian girl with a californian accent and a veggie in my lunchbag that's name started with a J but you could have sworn started with an H and I was loving life. Mix it up with carrot sticks and celery in your kids lunches. Lots of vitamin C and packs a delicious crunch.

Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls

2009-05-04T21:51:00.007-07:00

Cabbage rolls are something new to me, but I thought I would try them as I had a cabbage hanging out in my fridge. They are really easy, and surprisingly delicious. It is a really cheap main dish and very versatile. It usually has ground meat in it but we didn't miss it at all.

Vegetarian Cabbage Rolls for 3-4 people

Ingredients:
1 pint tomato sauce
1 head cabbage
1 bell pepper
1/3 onion, diced
1 garlic clove diced
1/3 c rice
1/4 c sliced artichoke hearts
2 sticks of celery, diced
a few sun dried tomatoes, diced
1 T mustard
1 t sesame seeds
1 t mustard seeds, crushed

1. Roast the bell pepper (to do this either broil or put on a gas stove top until all sides are blackened, then put in a bowl covered immediately to steam off the skin, remove the skin and seeds and chop)
2. Mix bell pepper, onion, garlic, rice, artichokes, celery, tomatoes, mustard, mustard seeds, sesame seeds, salt and pepper
3. Take the core out of the cabbage while still leaving the cabbage whole. Carefully remove leaves one by one- try to keep them from tearing. You should et 2 per person.
4. Boil water with a T of salt
5. Add the leaves to the water and let cook until wilted, 1-2 minutes. Plunge in ice water to stop cooking.
6. Lay out one leaf at a time, add filling and fold like a burrito.
7. Pour tomato sauce in a wide pot (big enough to do one layer of cabbage rolls) and arrange rolls in a layer. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours.

Have you signed up for the giveaway yet? Because if you haven't you're missing out!

My First Giveaway!

2009-05-04T13:11:00.006-07:00

I feel like I have been a little distant this past week. I think it is that I miss blogging everyday. I'm going to work on that- promise. The other day I was thinking about the "mission" of this blog. Simplicity. Health. Love. Budget.

I love feeling good. I love looking at my grocery bill and not feeling like we are literally eating away each paycheck. I love deciding how much time I am going to spend in the kitchen, to not feel like everyday is a two hour affair. And I love enjoying my food. I love eating fresh things, homemade things, preservative free things.

Things to look forward to this week:

Cabbage Rolls tonight- I'm excited about these- it's my first time, I'll let you know how it turns out.

Baking Day tomorrow- I feel like if I set aside one afternoon a week for cooking I can get done a ton of stuff. Whether I need bread, a cake, a new batch of tomato sauce for the freezer, etc, it really helps make every other day so much easier. And it is so fun to see the fridge and freezer restocked with yummy things.

Banana bread- my bananas in the freezer are adding up, so that will be happening soon.

Friends coming!- We have friends coming wednesday and staying the weekend which means baking day will be extra big so that I don't waste any time they are here.

A birthday- Which means a birthday cake- woohoo, i love getting to make these for people.

My very first giveaway! I am excited about this. I've been thinking about a giveaway for a while and I'm excited. Just a way to thank all my readers for a great first two months!

Here are the details:

The lucky winner will receive a package full of goodies made to suit. I promise it'll be worth it. I've been thinking about this wondering if people are going to be like- "and why should I trust that this girl isn't going to poison me?" My answer is that you either already know me, or know someone who knows me. I

For one entry:

Leave me a comment telling me:

1. what kind of dessert person are you? (chocolate, caramel, mint, whatever.) This will help me put together the perfect gift basket for you. Or, are you one of those people that doesn't like sweets?

2. Give some sort of feedback of what you would like to see more of on this blog.

For another entry:

1. Add my button to you blog or mention my blog (with a link on you blog, twitter, facebook or whatever) and send me a link in a second comment.

Entries close Friday at Midnight. Winner will be picked at random.

Grilled Salmon

2009-05-02T10:17:00.004-07:00

I love salmon. We ate it all the time growing up. And I don't ever remember eating it another way than grilled.

Since then I have started cooking it lots of ways, but I have to say- grilled is still best.

Grilled Salmon for 2

1 Salmon fillet
1 t coriander
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1 t garlic powder
1 t ground mustard
1 T oil

1 lemon

1. In a plastic bag add seasonings and oil to the salmon and mix around.
2. Grill skin side down first to make sure that the skin gets nice and crispy (just cause it looks pretty)
3. Only grill for about minutes- it cooks really fast and is far better when it isn't overcooked.
4. Serve with lemon.

I served it with grilled eggplant and couscous. Yummy Meal!

enJOY

Dessert of the Week- Italian Buttercream

2009-04-30T20:55:00.003-07:00

When I made the cake this week I didn't feel like the cake was anything special. It was a good cake, but really any white cake will do. If you buy a "box cake" purchase one that uses real butter in the recipe.

The real treat were the two frostings, one white chocolate and the other raspberry. In the recipe I found they made two completely different frostings but I decided to simplify it a little bit and make them out of the same basic frosting. It worked out really well.

For the frosting I made a pretty small batch and frosted a 6 inch cake pretty thin, so for a normal cake I would suggest doubling the recipe.

Italian Meringue Buttercream- two ways

1 c butter, at room temperature, cubed
1/2 c sugar
1 oz water
2 large egg whites
1/4 t cream of tartar
vanilla
2 T white chocolate chips, or any white chocolate
2 T raspberry puree (you can cook raspberries then strain, buy the puree or use a jam)

1. In a small saucepan mix pour all but 2 T sugar and the water. Turn on and put in a thermometer.
2. In a large bowl whip the egg whites until they are foamy, then add the cream of tartar, additional sugar and vanilla, beat until stiff peaks.
3. Once the syrup has reached 248 degrees (never stir it) slowly pour it into meringue while whipping so that it doesent scramble the eggs, but it will cook them so it is safe to eat. You can pour the syrup into liquid measuring cup first if that is easier for you to pour from in a slow steady stream.
4. Keep whisking until it is back down to room temperature then add butter one cube at a time while continuing to whisk. If it is starting to seperate stop adding butter and turn up mixer speed until it is back to smooth. (you can whisk over a bowl of ice if you are worried that it is too warm)
5. Split the mixture in half. Add chocolate to one and raspberry to the other. Mix in and put in the fridge for half an hour until chilled but not overly stiff.
6. Frost cake with raspberry between layers and white chocolate on the outside.
7. Serve at room temperature.
The definition of an italian meringue is one that is cooked by the addition of a simple syrup.

Bread of the Week- Bagels

2009-04-29T16:05:00.004-07:00

This recipe is again from the wonderful Rose Levy Beranbaum. Have you bought the bread bible yet? Because you should!

This recipe makes 6 very large bagels, you can make them smaller and make 10-12. Don't double the recipe unless you have a larger kitchenaid- the little one just can't handle it. (this uses instant yeast, if you are using active dry multiply by 1.5)

Starter:
1/2 t yeast
1 c water
1 1/2 c bread flour

In the bowl of your mixer whisk these ingredients together.

Flour Mixture:
1 c bread flour
1/2 t yeast
1/2 T malt syrup, hard to find- health stores have it
1/2 T sugar
1/2 T salt
1/2 t pepper (sounds strange but is delicious in them, i would leave out if you are making a sweeter bagel)

1. Mix these ingredients together and pour over top of starter and cover with plastic wrap.
2. Let sit out for an hour then refrigerate overnight.
3. Mix the dough with the dough hook for 2 min on low until it is moistened, then turn it up to medium speed for 5-7 minutes.
4. Put in a greased bowl covered for 1-2 hours until doubled.
5. Deflate and refrigerate for 4 hours-2 days.
6. Cut the dough into 6 pieces and shape into bagels by making a snake and then roll into a circle. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes, they will be slightly sticky but don't roll them out with flour.
7. Boil a pot of water with 1/4 c sugar and 1 t baking soda.
8.Mix 1 egg with a little water for an egg wash and get toppings ready.
9. Turn on oven to 450 degrees. Get a sheet pan ready with a silpat or parchment and cornmeal.
10. One by one add bagels to the pot, only do as many as can fit in the pot without touching at a time. Cook on one side for 30 sec-1 min then flip.
11. Put on sheet pan and brush on egg wash. Add toppings and bake for 20 minutes.

YUM

introducing...

2009-04-28T20:37:00.008-07:00

Bread of the Week
and Dessert of the Week

In an attempt to perfect my craft and learn lots of new thing (not to mention eat like a queen) I am going to be making something new every week.

This week:

Bagels (salt and sesame seed)

White Cake with raspberry filling and white chocolate frosting

Look out for these in the next two days!

they won't be coming out on any particular days of the week, more as just a weekly thing because- well- I'm not good with too much structure.

Spaghetti Squash- Take One

2009-04-26T19:21:00.011-07:00

When I was in college I had a health conscious roommate who thrived on spaghetti squash. It seemed so bizarre and I just always thought- why not just eat pasta. I am a little more open minded now, and more health centered and realize you eat it because it is a vegetable instead of flour- big plus.

So today I attempted to make it for the first time.

Here's what I did.
1. Poke holes in it with a knife.
2. Microwave for 6 minutes.
3. Flip and microwave for another 7 minutes.
4. Scoop out seeds and use a fork to fluff up strands.
5. Mix with a Moroccan spiced oil, almonds and artichokes.
6. Eat

Result: John ate it, I tried it. I really didn't like it and John thought it seemed oily. I'm not giving up though, I have some other ideas and I am determined it will be good if I work a little harder at it. So if you have any ideas please share, otherwise come back next week for attempt two.

how does your garden grow?

2009-04-26T19:14:00.002-07:00

So....
I have this dream that I will be able to grow all my own produce.
Status report- Not there yet.

Tucson is a hard place to plant. The seasons are very different than anywhere else, and I think we just moved here a little too late for the colder weather crops like radishes. I am proud that these ones grew, but they are the size of small marbles and stopped growing.I've been reading a lot of books for the last month on gardening and I feel like I have a lot of new knowledge and ideas to test out. I told John that by next spring I hope to have complete control over out teeny tiny backyard, so that means I have this summer and fall to test some of my new ideas, learn some things, and hopefully this time next year this place will be great.

We'll see. Everything takes time. And no I have no plans to live off of only the produce of this yard. It is far too small. But someday...

because food is the main thing but not the only thing

2009-04-24T18:35:00.005-07:00

About 60 percent of my thoughts are focused around food. The mixture of necessity and passion cause that. But every once in a while I attempt to tunnel that kind of focus on other things. If you know me you know I come from a family of some pretty amazing quilters, and while I would never presume to say I was in their league but I have learned a great deal from them, and continue to learn a lot. And you know you have something good going when somehow you can work the quilting into the world of food (which is not often, believe me). This week though I made a table runner that I love and makes it so my table look oh so fab with or without food on it.

On a less food related note, I just finished the most complex quilt I might ever attempt (big thanks to mom who helped every step of the way) and I just need to show it off cause I am in awe of it. It's like the wedding cake of quilts.

What do you do to let out the creative juices outside the kitchen?

Bread Bowls and Beet Salad

2009-04-21T21:59:00.007-07:00

Alright, here they are- bread bowls. Delicious bread bowls. You know the best thing about bread bowls? You need to carve out the inside which makes for an excellent "while cooking" snack.

I know I was asked to make soup for the bread bowls, but I almost got roasted alive in my house yesterday just making the bread. Something to do with near a hundred degree temperatures outside. So soup was out of the question. But after lots of thinking and talking the "why not put anything in a bread bowl" question came up. And really, why not?

Bread Bowls, this makes 2 good sized bread bowls
(taken from a recipe in the bread bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum, one of my fav authors who has a blog!)

Dough Starter
1 c flour
1/4 c wheat flour
3/8 t instant yeast
1 1/4 t honey
1 1/3 water
Flour Mixture
1 3/4 c flour
1/2 t yeast
1 1/2 t salt

1. Mix starter mixture with a whisk until incorporated in a large bowl (the kitchen aid bowl is a good option).
2. Mix flour and yeast from flour mixture and pour over top of the starter.
3. Cover bowl and let rise for 1-4 hours, however long you have, the longer the better.
4. Add salt, put bowl on kitchen-aid and using the dough hook mix on low until incorporated, then mix on speed 4 for 5 minutes.
5. Put in greased bowl, covered, and let it rise for an hour, until doubled.
6. Shape dough into two large rolls and place on cornmeal covered baking sheet.
7. Cover and let rise for another hour.
8. Bake at 475 degrees for 10 minutes then reduce to 425 for another 10 minutes, a thermometer inside should reach 200 degrees.
9. Let cool.

Beet Salad

While baking the bread I put a beet in foil and a couple cloves of garlic in foil into the oven. Let cook for 30 minutes then take out garlic. Turn off oven and let beet stay in oven to finish cooking.
Once cooled chop up beet into a large dice, and add diced cucumber and tomato.
To make dressing mix 3 T red wine vinegar, 1 t salt, 1 t pepper, and 1 t sugar.
Add plenty of grated pecorino romano and spoon into bread bowls. Delicious!

Acorn Squash Latkes

2009-04-21T11:33:00.003-07:00

Lately we have been trying to buy a couple different vegetables each week to get ourselves to try new things. It has been fun and we have come up with some good combinations.

Last night the veggie of choice was an acorn squash. It isn't too crazy or out there, but it is delicious and really pretty. I love the shape. Too be honest that is a big part of the reason that I bought it.

To come up with a new recipe I usually go to epicurious.com. It has a great database of really good recipes. I found recipes for gnocchi, lasagna, couscous and so on, all containing acorn squash. The one that got me excited though was the latkes, because it was a very veggie meal, instead of being a carb covered by a veggie.

You can find the recipe at:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Butternut-Squash-Latkes-with-Sage-and-Pine-Nut-Yogurt-Sauce-350788

I halved the recipe for a main course for the two of us, which was 1 squash.

It is actually meant to be for butternut squash, but they have a very similar flavor. It says to serve it with yogurt which I thought sounded delicious, but sadly we were out of yogurt. The salad was nice with it to give a little freshness and crunch to the meal. But all in all we would make this meal again.

Any ideas for new veggies next week?

Oh and as a side note, as soon as I get up from this computer I am going to start making bread bowls, so be looking tomorrow Juliet, or anyone else who loves things served in bread instead of dishes.

Tuna!

2009-04-19T21:38:00.002-07:00

For the most part I am anti-canned food. Other than for food storage, I only stock two types of cans.

Tomatoes and chunk light tuna.

That's right. Chunk light. It is the cheapest tuna, but it is what I grew up on, so I can't imagine eating the "fancy stuff". And to be fair my mom has put the fear of mercury poisoning from albacore into me, so all the more reason to stick to my beloved chunk light.

If you don't like canned tuna I suggest you stop reading this post now, I believe it is something you either like or don't- I'm not going to change your mind. I am just going to share some of my favorite tuna sandwiches as we've probably eaten tuna every Sunday for lunch since we got married. That's how much we love it.

1. Toasted Tuna

toast wheat bread
add tuna mixed with miracle whip (I'm a miracle whip kinda girl)
add a cucumber sliced long and thin
a couple tomato slices
and salt and pepper chips(the perfect salty crunch)

Yum

2. Tuna Melt

Cut a bagel in half
Smear with tuna mix
Add tomatoes and a little salt
Add cheese (originally I used cheddar but have switched to parm)
Broil and serve open-faced

Double Yum

Perfect for a Sunday afternoon. And perfectly cheap.

Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto

2009-04-18T22:14:00.003-07:00

I've been at my parents house all week and just got home this morning. Every Friday night my sister and her family come over there for dinner and games. This week she wanted me to teach her to make risotto- since she LOVES it (who wouldn't thought, right?)

In 'cooking light' the magazine we found a recipe that made shrimp and asparagus risotto. We didn't really follow the recipe but really liked the concept. Here is our version.

Sorry for the awkward shadows

Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto (good size side dish for four)

1/4 stick butter
1/2 onion, diced fine
1 garlic cloves, chopped fine
1 c arborio rice
1 can chicken stock
1-2 cups water
6 asparagus spears, chopped into 1 inch segments
6 big shrimp, de-veined, peeled and chopped in half
salt and pepper
1/2 c cheese

1.Melt half of butter in a pot, add onion and sweat
2. Add garlic and rice and stir for 30 seconds on medium
3. Add enough chicken stock to cover rice (Keep it on heat so it bubbles slightly, around medium so it slowly evaporates)
4. Once it is dry again add the rest of the stock, stir intermittently
5. Continue to add liquid every time it dries until the risotto is cooked, should take about 30 minutes, continue to stir frequently
6. Right before it seems done add the asparagus, after a minute or two add the shrimp, cheese and the rest of the butter and season
7. Once the shrimp is cooked (after about 3 minutes) serve the rice

It was so delicious! You really should try this one. The whole bowl was wiped clean when dinner was over. I love when we make a winner like this. Try it for your family!

Meal for One

2009-04-16T18:15:00.003-07:00

I've been staying at my parents house for the last week. Without John. Which means a lonely Joy. Luckily I have my parents, sister and her four kids nearby to keep me company.

Food is a little interesting here right now. We are all on our own kind of meal plans so it means a lot of cooking for one. A good staple I have used a couple of times this week already is roasted veggies, it is like a whole meal in one bowl, with minimal cleanup. So that works for me.

Roasted Veggies for One

1 potato or a couple new potatoes, diced big
1 large carrot chopped
3 asparagus
1/4 onion, a couple green onions or a shallot, chopped
squash, peppers, brussel sprouts, whatever you like
1 clove garlic
1/4 c finely shredded cheese
olive oil
salt and pepper
brown mustard

Toss all your ingredients together, except the mustard
Cover a sheet pan with foil and pour everything onto it
Bake at 400 degrees until everything is crispy and caramelized
Toss in mustard and eat up
And throw away the lovely foil that makes for no mess

enJOY

30 Days

2009-04-15T18:14:00.007-07:00

Dear Friend in Food,

The end of the thirty days is here. I cut it close a few times, but I made it- 30 blog entries in 30 days. A record I definitely cannot keep up for much longer but I promise I will continue to post regularly, every other day or something.

I hope you have enjoyed the 30 days and learned something new, I know I sure have. I keep learning, changing and progressing towards the kind of cook and eater I want to be. And that is all it is right? Progress.

By the way, my cousin Juliet made a request for bread bowls (which I promise will be posted about sometime soon) but are there any other questions out there? Do you need a new way to cook broccoli? Or are you sick of the same old pb sandwiches and want a new lunch idea?

I'm excited to keep documenting my personal food evolution and hopefully inspiring others to keep on trying to eat better to live better.

(that sounded a little too serious but you get the idea)

love, joy

Orange Rolls

2009-04-14T20:35:00.004-07:00

I absolutely love these rolls. If you have never had an orange roll, I wish I could lend you my grandmother, she always makes excellent orange rolls. They are simple, a lot like cinnamon rolls, but somehow work with dinner not just breakfast.

Orange Rolls

Your favorite white roll dough, enough for 2 dozen
1/2 c butter
2 oranges
1/2 c sugar

1. Mix dough and let rise once
2. Grate orange peels and add to sugar, mix
3. Melt butter and add juice from the oranges
4. Once dough has risen, roll out on a floured surface into a big rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick
5. using a pastry brush rub a thick layer of butter mixture over the entire surface
6. Coat in the sugar/orange peel mixture
7. Cut the dough into 1x5 inches thick and roll up like a cinnamon roll
8. put on a greased sheet pan in rows about 4x8
9. rub top with butter and more sugar
10. let rise again, for another hour then bake until tops are light brown at 350 degrees
11. Let cool and serve

Berry Trifle

2009-04-13T23:14:00.003-07:00

This trifle was so delicious. It is a very simple dessert, but is very "springtime decadent".

Berry Faux Trifle for 8-12

Ingredients:

1 pint cream
8 oz cream cheese
1 c sugar
1 T cocoa
1 t vanilla
1 pint mixed berries, fresh or frozen
1 pint strawberries, fresh
1 chocolate cake
1 c chocolate chips

1. Beat cream cheese until soft, add 1 c cream, 1/2 c sugar and a few berries. Whisk until it is like a thick whipped cream. Keep chilled.
2. Whip other half of cream with the rest of the sugar, cocoa and vanilla until it has stiff peaks
3. Quarter strawberries and chop up cake
4. Layer dessert in s trifle dish or other glass dish:

Half of raspberry cream
Mixed berries
Chocolate Cream
Chocolate Chips
Half of Cake
Rest of Raspberry Cream
Strawberries
Rest of Cake
Rest of Chocolate Cream
Garnish with Strawberries

Refrigerate and enJOY

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T19:57:00.005-07:00

I hope your Easter was full of yummy food and good memories.

Look forward to some of these recipes throughout this week.

Berry Trifle
Twice Baked Potatoes
Orange Rolls

Chocolate Chip Almond Biscotti

2009-04-11T17:27:00.002-07:00

I don't drink coffee... but I do love biscotti.

This is one of my favorite recipes and can be made even better by being dipped in chocolate. But really- what isn't better dipped in chocolate?

Chocolate Chip Almond Biscotti

2 eggs
1/2 melted butter, cooled
3/4 c sugar
1 t vanilla
2 c flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 c sliced almonds
1/2 c chocolate chips

1. Mix eggs and sugar and beat until light yellow. Add butter and vanilla.
2. Add dry ingredients and mix. Should be like a thick batter.
3.Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silpat and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
4. Form the dough into a log on the sheet pan. It should be long skinny and pretty flat, if you have a hard time forming it try to wet your hands and form it.
5. Bake for 20 minutes until the crust is brown but it is still soft.
6. Let cool for ten minutes, turn the oven down to 300 degrees and slice biscotti into thick slices.
7. Turn the cookies on their sides and bake again for 15 more minutes, until they are dry and have some color.
Serve.

Timing

2009-04-11T00:03:00.001-07:00

Timing is what makes the world keep moving.
Timing is what makes plants grow correctly.
Timing is what makes things happen.
Timing is affected by our actions.
Timing is at the mercy of human error.
Timing is what makes a soufflé rise perfectly.
Timing is critical.
Timing will not be disregarded, it is an inevitable force.

Just thought I would share some thoughts on timing. I’ve been thinking about the seeds I lately planted and how some worked out better than others because of timing(did you know seeds are so finicky, my lettuce flat out refuse to sprout- it’s too hot already). It is one of the basic fundamentals of food preparation. Whether you are cooking at a restaurant trying to get 20 orders out right without leaving things in a window, or cooking at home trying to not let the chicken overcook while you are thinking about the carrots. It is all timing. It is all management. And it is always there. Always watching. Always waiting. Kind of like a villain from a horror film.

Then you make a soufflé and it rises and is perfectly cooked and you remember once again who is in control.

Mexican Coleslaw

2009-04-09T19:53:00.003-07:00

So.... I have a confession.
We are in a rut. A masa cake rut. It is a new staple for sure.
This time though I mixed in corn and cheddar.
The best part though was the topping.
Mexican Coleslaw.

Do you have any idea how cheap coleslaw is? Way cheaper than salad. I think a head of cabbage is like 30 cents (a little pricier if you go for the red), Lime (30 cents), onion (25 cents), avocado (70 cents), sour cream (maybe 50 cents for the amount i use).

So that is just under 2 dollars and can serve 4 people easily.
And if you have never liked coleslaw before, I am going to chance my reputation and say- you'll like this one.

Mexican Coleslaw
1 head cabbage, sliced as thin as possible
1/2 onion, sliced thin
1 lime, zest and juice
1/4 c sour cream
1 t garlic powder
1 t kosher salt
1/2 t pepper
1 t cumin
1 avocado

Mix everything up to 24 hours ahead, the longer it sits the better it will be.

Top with avocado and spoon into tacos, on masa cakes, etc. Or just serve as a side dish.

enJOY. I know we sure did.

Balsamic Salad Dressing

2009-04-08T17:33:00.003-07:00

We go through phases. Lately the only dressing we have been using is the yogurt based one, but this is another good standby. It is more of a zinger though, so don't overdress!

Balsamic- Mustard Vinaigrette

2 T balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T dijon mustard
salt and pepper
1 T lemon juice
1/4 c olive oil

Mix all ingredients but oil.
Whisk in oil slowly.
Toss with salad and serve.

Great along side fish, Italian food and steak. Last night we ate it with our trout. Delicious!

I HEART Trout

2009-04-07T19:44:00.003-07:00

I've never been much of a fisherman.

I spent a lot of my childhood living on a man made lake and have memories of fishing, but I don't remember once actually catching something and eating it. And I never went camping, so the idea of catching a fish, butchering it and cooking it over an open fire in the woods is quite obscure to me.

I do love fish though. And in my days at culinary school i looked many a fish in the eye and... well I will save you the gruesome details.

One that we don't eat very often, but often wish we ate more of is trout. Every time we eat it we remember how much we love it.

Sauteed Trout (2 fillets)

1 trout or 2 fillets, skin on
2 T dijon mustard
2 T brown mustard seeds, crushed
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1/4 c flour

1. Rub mustard all over the front and back of both fillets
2. Mix flour and seasonings
3. Put fish in flour and coat, then shake off
4. Heat a nonstick saute pan to med-high and add a thin layer of oil
5. Cook for about 2 minutes per side, don't overcook!

Serve with lemon and a fresh salad.

enJOY

Roasted Fries

2009-04-06T17:21:00.004-07:00

One of my favorite way of making potatoes is roasting them. Usually I opt for a white or red potato, but as I often only have russets on hand, those end up being what I make.

Gourmet Roasted Fries

I've found the best way to make them is to pretend they are gourmet french fries. I cut them up end to end into long wedges (skin on) and I toss them in olive oil, salt and pepper. I then line a tray with tin foil, turn on the oven to 400 and place the potatoes on the sheet pan skin side down. Then I generously but finely shred parm all over them and bake until they are crusty brown and you'd swear they'd been fried. I served them with chicken skewers (dipped in a roasted red pepper sauce) and cucumber salad the other night, which both turned out to make excellent sauces to dip the fries in.

So next time instead of chopping your potatoes into little cubes, maybe trick yourself into indulgence and go for the wedges. You won't be sorry.

Thoughts on Eating Meat Sparingly

2009-04-05T23:31:00.004-07:00

I love meat. There isn't really a meat I don't love.

A lot of things have changed in the last few months though.

note: for the last few months we generally eat meat only on weekends, and even then sparingly.

This week reminded me of how much I love being meat free. We ate A LOT of meat this weekend, and our conclusion was that as much as we love the taste, it just isn't worth it.

Here are our reasons:

1. money- i know everyone thinks fresh fruits and veggies are pricey but if you shop right they are way cheaper than meat
2. environment- there are significant environmental concerns with the amount of cattle we graze, etc. Don't get me wrong, I think cows are meant to be made into beef, but just maybe not to the extent that we have.
3. health- I feel a million times better after eating a fish/veggie meal the I do when i eat a meat meal. I don't get heart burn, don't feel too full, have more energy, less lethargy- it's a good thing.

So I was thinking, does anyone else have meat-free nights? And if you don't would you think about trying it one night a week- for me? Just as an experiment, and let me know what you think.

The Trouble- Wheat Bread

2009-04-04T23:39:00.002-07:00

The trouble of thirty posts in thirty days is the feeling of dread when you realize you might not make it. I have 20 minutes left in today though. Traveling and staying at someone else's house makes blogging a little tough. Before I left though I made sure to write down the recipe I wanted to share though. And by tomorrow night I will be back home.

Honey Wheat Bread (makes 2 loaves)

4 c whole wheat flour
2 c white flour ( I mix flours so it isn't SO dense)
4 t instant yeast
2 c whole milk, 70-80 degrees
¼ c honey
2 eggs
2 t salt
6 T butter, softened
wheat germ for dusting

1. Mix yeast, honey and milk. If you use instant dry increase it by 2 tsp and heat the milk.
2. Add eggs, salt and butter and mix
3. In kitchenaid or by hand knead in flour until it reaches a slightly stiff, not too sticky consistency.
4. Grease bowl, put in dough and cover. Let rise for 2 hours, until doubled in size. Shape into two greased loaf pans, sprinkle with wheat germ(to make it look pretty and rustic) cover and let rise for another hour.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for about 35 minutes until the crust is a medium brown and the bread sounds hollow when you know on it.

20 minutes after it comes out of the oven cut off the end slice and eat it with honey and you will know heaven.

enJOY Mexican Food

2009-04-03T09:10:00.004-07:00

We love Mexican food. Love it. The mix of spicy and fresh, hot and cold, lots of veggies and flavors. We love it. The other night I taught John to make Masa cakes (his are a little taller than mine- which lets be honest it's fitting) and with him I added squash into the cakes to make them all the more healthy and give them a little crunch.

To go with our masa cakes we bakes some chicken thighs, cooked some rice and made a little sauce. Doesen't it look delicious? I have to say the avacado just makes the food all that much yummier.

Since I already taught you to make masa cakes here is the recipe for my sauce.

Warm Mexican Dressing

1/2 onion chopped
1 chipotle chopped(you'll come to find that I use chipotles a lot)
1 garlic clove chopped
1/4 c of your favorite salsa
1 lime zest and juice
1 c water
1-2 T cornstarch

Saute onions with chipotles and garlic. Add salsa and lime. (I threw the whole lime in after I juiced and zested it to get out any leftover juice) Mix water and cornstarch into a slurry and pour it into the pot. Bring up to a boil while stirring, should slightly thicken. Season with salt, pepper and cumin to your liking.

Serve over chicken, rice, tamales, enchiladas...It's so good it will go with anything.

Quick note: In order to make masa cakes like the ones shown today grate up 2 squash(we used mexican gray squash) and mix with dry ingredients before adding wet. We sauteed one side of them in out cast iron skillet than put it in the oven to finish cooking. They really were great.

Honey in the Afternoon

2009-04-02T17:08:00.004-07:00

A slice of homemade wheat bread and honey.

I hope your afternoon found you equally pleasant snacks.

Quinoa

2009-04-01T16:52:00.004-07:00

Yesterday I mentioned Quinoa. You might be someone who has eats this often or you might be saying, what quinoa?

Quinoa is a "pseudo-cereal" apparently as it does not come from a grass like plant. The Incas actually considered it to be a sacred crop and when you look at its nutritional content you can see why. It has a very high protein content (12-18%) as well as nutrients similar to whole grains. Especially important to someone like me, or perhaps you, who eats meat sparingly is that it has a very complete amino acid combination making it a complete protein source which is so rare for non meat foods.

It is also delicious. Think of a cross between couscous and brown rice. They are little spheres that have a slightly firm outer shell and soft inner and a nice nutty flavor.

To cook quinoa:

1 c quinoa
1 1/2 c water or other liquid
salt and pepper
other flavorings, like you would add to rice
2 T olive oil

Rinse quinoa three times. Mix everything in a pot and bring to a boil. Cover and let cook on low heat for 20-30 minutes, than turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff and serve.

enJOY

Sausage and Brussels Sprouts

2009-03-31T15:28:00.004-07:00

As I was saying yesterday, I am not overly fond of vegetables. I have been doing a lot of experiments as of late to find new ways I like veggies and I've found that roasting veggies is the best way to eat cooked veggies.

Last week for the first time I tried brussels sprouts.
Have you had brussels sprouts?

If you add something a little fatty and let them get a little crispy they are actually quite good.

Sausage and Brussels Sprouts

10-15 brussels sprouts, cleaned and quartered
1/2 lb spicy sausage, removed from its casing
1 t caraway seeds
salt and pepper
vegetable oil

1. Mix everything on a sheet pan so it is all well coated
2. Bake at 400 degrees until the sausage is cooked through and browned and the sprouts have crispy ends
3.Remove from oven and serve

I served ours with quinoa, but rice or any other carb would have served as an excellent base.
By the way brussel sprouts are very cheap!

Bran Muffins

2009-03-30T17:33:00.004-07:00

I have a confession- I don't love vegetables.

It's true. But I am getting better and I do love some vegetables.
But for the most part it is definitely a task to get my daily intake.

What isn't a task for me?
Fiber.

I love whole grains. Wheat, oats, bran- you name it, I love it.

note: sorry that most of the muffin isn't in focus.

One of my favorite snacks is Bran Muffins. They are delicious and nutritious (but still with plenty of sugary stuff so it doesn't feel nutritious). This is actually my mom's recipe and is absolutely delicious. It makes 2 dozen, but I freeze mine in bags and then eat one a day. So if you are a veggie lover, fiber hater, maybe you could try this one out to fulfill your fiber needs.

Chocolate Chip Bran Muffins

4 c whole wheat flour
3 c bran (the recipe doesn't say whether to use wheat or oat bran, I used oat though)
3/4 c brown sugar
1 t salt
2 t baking soda
1 c chocolate chips (the original recipe calls for raisins, which would be excellent in them)
4 eggs
3/4 c oil
1 1/2 c molasses
2 1/4 c buttermilk

1. Combine dry ingredients
2. Add in wet ingredients
3. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes

note: to fancy these guys up a dash of turbinado sugar (the coarse sugar) over the tops before you bake them adds a pretty sparkle.

enJOY

Planting your Garden

2009-03-29T19:16:00.003-07:00

I hate worms, am scared of finding a snake or scorpion but I love fresh produce. So I conquer my fear and I garden.
I just started this past year, and luckily my husband knows a little more about this kind of venture than I do, but I think it is totally worth it.

Well it is that time of year to plant seeds. Well technically last month was "that time" here in AZ and if you are a friend to the north it is still snowing there on and off. But the main thought is- the time is upon us.
The best things to plant, or what I've tried and liked:

herbs- I have pots and pots of herbs. Right now they are just seedlings but I absolutely love being able to go out back and cut herbs whenever I want. They aren't expensive and don't go bad fast, which is more than I can say for their store bought counterparts.

lettuce- it grows really fast, and if you grow a leaf variety instead of a head variety you can continually cut instead of just having one crop.

radishes- This is the first time I am attempting radishes. I was told they are easy crops and they supposedly take less than 2 weeks to mature from the time you see a sprout- so that is a good one to learn on and is great in a salad.

Tomatoes- we buy these as small plants and they are the mainstay of our garden. There is nothing better than a fresh tomato. Have I mentioned that before? There is a lot of patience involved, but after a month or two you will start having a very steady crop. Biggest trick is to not over water them, try and water deep instead of often for more flavorful tomatoes.

We are also attempting cantaloupe (apparently it grows well in AZ summers) and have done artichoke, but that takes two hot and a cold season to grow and the plants are huge. Broccoli did well too but it was definitely a crop you had to be patient with.

So what are you growing in your garden? Or what have you tried that has worked/not worked?

Homemade Fresh Salsa

2009-03-28T19:40:00.004-07:00

I love fresh tomatoes. Somehow tomatoes from a garden are about a million times more delicious than even the best store bought ones.

A week or two ago I mentioned that we brought home a lot of tomatoes. Sad to say - those tomatoes started to go down hill fast and I needed to do something with them before they spoiled!

Answer: Homemade Salsa, its yummy, easy and makes the best use of the tomatoes strong flavor.

Ingredients:
10 tomatoes- finely chopped
1 onion, red or yellow- finely diced
3 garlic cloves minced
1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo chopped fine
1 lime, zest and juice
1-2 T oil
salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder
avocado

1. Mix together the tomatoes, onion, garlic and chipotles. Season to your taste. Add a little oil and the lime. It will be good in the fridge for like a week like this.
2. Whenever we go to eat a bowl of eat i cut up half an avocado and put it in with the salsa. It makes for a really yummy guacamole-salsa combo that means all the flavor- half the bowls!

hint: it wouldn't hurt to throw a little cilantro in there! but I'd do that day of too.

Masa Cakes with Warm Corn Salad

2009-03-27T14:39:00.004-07:00

So, you've heard of cornmeal, corn starch and you know... corn.

But have you heard of Masa Harina?

Masa Harina is basically corn flour and is a lot finer than cornmeal. It is sweet and delicious. It is used to make tortillas, tamales etc. Fresh masa is available at mexican markets but masa harina is readily available, and I think is better because you can then flavor it more easily. We have been using it a lot more lately as I've been teaching myself to make tamales and tortillas. Tamales and tortillas are a big process and I don't bother making them unless I am planning on making a lot. I came up with a good alternative for a lunch by myself or a good snack for when you have people over that is super easy and very similar to a tamale.

Masa Cakes topped with Warm Corn Salad
(Small lunch for 2 or snacks for 4)

Tamale Cakes

3/4 c masa harina
1/4 c cornmeal
1 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1 t pepper
1 t chile powder
1 T oil
water

1. Mix dry ingredients, turn on oven to 375 degrees
2. Add oil and mix with your hand, add water slowly until the batter becomes thickness of thick muffin batter
3. Scoop on a sprayed sheetpan, makes 3 larger servings or 6 smaller (i use an ice cream scoop to make them), flatten and then bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown

Warm Corn Salad Topping

1/2 onion chopped
1/2 c frozen spinach
1/2 c corn
1/4 c pepper jack cheese
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 chipotle, chopped
salt, pepper and cumin
1/2 c vegetable stock

1. Cook onions and add garlic, chipotle, spinach and corn
2. Add stock and let simmer until the liquid has dried up
3. Add seasoning and cheese

Spoon over cakes and put back in oven until cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

(Sorry no pictures, for some reason I didn't think about it when I was eating yesterday)

to learn more about masa

Upside Down Pizzas

2009-03-26T14:40:00.004-07:00

I really love these Pizzas. The first time we had them was in Chicago at Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder. They were delicious and incredibly unhealthy, which sometimes makes things even better. I have worked out a way for us to eat them at home without feeling like we are giving in to grease.

Upside Down Pizzas -makes 4 ramekins full (we each eat 2)

Ingredients:

1 c pizza dough ( I suggest making your own, it is so easy and fast- only needs to rise for an hour, but most grocery stores do sell it now)
1 c mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
3 c tomato sauce
1/2 onion
toppings I included: spinach, artichokes, sun dried tomatoes and asparagus, feel free to use any toppings that you like on a pizza

1. Spray with pam ramekins or bowls that can go in the oven
2. cover the bottom with cheese
3. mix sauce and toppings together
4. pour sauce into ramekins, should make it 3/4 of the way up
5. roll out dough into 4 circles and cover the ramekins, cut a slit in each
6. Bake at 400 until the top is browned
7. To serve cut around the sides of the ramekin and flip onto a plate

The important thing to remember with this recipe is that it is all about the sauce. I use a fresh sauce and lots of veggies in mine, that is why it's healthy. Feel free to fill it with store bought sauce and sausage (I'm sure it will be delicious) just remember it won't have quite the same effect.

Small note: This last time I forgot to spray my pans so the cheese stuck and I had to scrape it out. It worked out fine but not quite so pretty...

Salmon Panzanella

2009-03-25T12:55:00.004-07:00

Yesterday I went to Costco. I have a great love for Costco and the whole concept of buying in bulk. Only having to buy toilet paper ever 6 months is a great feeling. The fish looked extremely good yesterday (meat at Costco is a grade higher in quality than grocery stores, which I think is a fun little fact) anyway, so I decided to stock up. A package of catfish, one of salmon and another of trout. All in all 30 dollars of fish that would make 10 great meals for us. A good investment I think. There is a point to this story, I swear.

I got to the check out line and put my food on the conveyor belt (pb, jelly, la brea bread, fish and tp) and the man in front of me started to stare at my purchases. Not just notice, but stare. I looked up and him and all he said was "nice looking catfish". I nodded in agreement thinking how I've never had a compliment on catfish before, usually I have people questioning my choice. Then came the checker.

"That's a lot of fish"
"yup"
"You know fish spoils pretty quickly"
"oh yes, I know"
"do you have a cat or something?"
"No, we just like fish. I will be freezing quite a bit of it."
"Oh, right"

Why if I spent a hundred dollars of meat would no one have bated an eye, but 30 dollars on fish and I'm seen as absolutely crazy?

Anyway, after all that I thought at great length as to what I would do with salmon that day. Here it is- and I must say I think it was genius.

Salmon Panzanella (Bread Salad) scaled for 2

1/2 loaf hearty bread, sourdough is what I used, cubed
1 salmon fillet, skin removed and cubed
1 c chopped tomatoes
1/2 onion, diced
1 garlic cloved, minced
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 t cumin
1 t coriander

other additions that I did not add but would have been great: olives, capers, lemon juice, roasted peppers (this is making me want to make it again soon and make sure I have these ingredients around)

1. Toss salmon with all ingredients except bread. Let marinate for 1-2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and toss bread on.
3. Bake for 2 minutes, just so it gets slightly dry
4. Add other ingredients and toss around so the bread soaks up some of the juice
5. Return everything to the oven for 5-10 minutes- until the salmon is cooked
6. Serve warm, add basil as a garnish if you wish

Catfish Saag

2009-03-24T14:30:00.002-07:00

John and I love Indian food. I think one of the big reasons I love it so much is because I don't know a lot of what goes into making it. When I go to a french restaurant I know exactly how they did what they did and whether it was worth the cost or not, but with Indian food I am at a loss. At school we made a dish or two but I still have a lot to learn when it comes to their food. The other thing that makes it so good are the thick, spicy, rich sauces. My very favorite is Saag. Saag is a spinach based sauce and when I attempted to make it last week John gave me the compliment that it could have been found in an Indian Restaurant. High Praise! It went really well with the catfish, but chicken, lamb or even veggies would all be suitable alternatives.

Catfish Saag scaled for 2

Ingredients:

1 catfish fillet
dijon mustard
1 T dry brown mustard seeds
1 T cumin seeds
1 t caraway seeds
1 t coriander
salt and pepper

1/2 onion
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup basic tomato sauce
1 c frozen spinach
1 T turmeric
1 t cumin
1 t cumin seeds
1 t coriander
1/2 T red pepper flakes
1/2 c greek yogurt

1. Marinate catfish in first six ingredients for a couple hours, grill
2. Slice onions and cook until carmelized, add garlic
3. Add spinach and tomato sauce, let defrost
4. Add spices and let thicken
5. Blend so that it is a thick paste, not too well blended
6. Just before serving add yogurt off the heat so that it doesn't curdle

Serve with basmati rice. This really is delicious, and a good introduction to indian food if you haven't had it before.

enJOY

Thoughts on Location

2009-03-23T15:56:00.002-07:00

I've come to beleive that where one lives makes a great impact on their life. Not on happiness or sadness per say, but more on the way one's life is directed.

For example there are places where fresh fruit is grown all year round, others where there is barely a growing season.

In some places it is important to hide out in the summer, in others in the winter.

Moving to Tucson this past month has been quite an adventure. It is the desert in a way that Phoenix never was. Sage brush and cacti are far more common than people but the thing I was most surprised about was how many things thrive here. I always thought of the desert as a wasteland, but have come to find it is quite the oasis, only I'm not sure if it is quite the kind of oasis I will ever grow too fond of. You see- the things that thrive here are prickly, dull, likely to sting or bite and like to leave sharp spines in your fingers. Even the weeds are more prickly. I saw a scorpion scampering about the other day, and only last night we saw this little fellow. A javelina- Arizona's answer to a wild boar. He was just wandering around the neighborhood, like a stray bunny.
I commented to John that we surely lived in a mystical place, like no where I have ever seen. Boars, snakes and scorpions are so far out of my comfort zone, they aren't even in my field of thought. But I won't deny it- there is something magical about it all. A whole group of animals and plants that seem to thrive in a hot prickly world.

Surely if they can, I can learn to as well. I think one of the best lessons in food and life is to embrace where you are and what it brings. Become a part of the location instead of trying to make it something it's not. And I look forward to the fruits of living here, I do love having a year round growing season.

Any thoughts on where you live and what that means to how you live or what you eat?

Couscous is Easy

2009-03-22T08:15:00.005-07:00

In the last year I have discovered a love of couscous.

I love Couscous.

If you don't know what it is, it is a teeny tiny ball of semolina dough. Akin to pasta, but is found in places like Morocco. It is super simple to make and makes a great alternative side dish to the ordinary- potatoes, rice or pasta.

Couscous for 2-4 people

2 cups couscous
2.5 cups vegetable stock
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
diced sundried tomatoes, lemon zest, olives, etc
cucumbers, fresh herbs, etc
1-2 T yogurt (plain greek)

1. Bring the stock to a boil with the garlic, seasonings and sun-dried tomato(etc) list. Any of the flavorings that you want cooked should go in now.
2. Once it comes to a boil, turn off the heat. Add the couscous and cover.
3. Let sit for 5-10 minutes then uncover and fluff with a fork, like you would rice.
4. Add chilled ingredients like cucumber to make it more like a salad, or leave them out and keep it as a warmer side dish.
5. I really like to add the yogurt at the last minute because it makes the couscous all stick together slightly which makes it easier to eat and gives it a slight tang.

This goes great with kebabs, bbq and fish dishes.

All About WHEAT GERM

2009-03-21T11:00:00.007-07:00

Wheat Germ is the smallest part of the wheat kernel and is the reproductive part of the kernal. That is why it is called a germ- short for germination. It has more nutrients/ounce than any other grain or vegetable.

In one cup of wheat germ you can get:

144% of your thiamin
34% of your riboflavin
39% of your niacin
75% of your B6
81 % of your folate
26% of your Pantothenic Acid
61% of your fiber
75% of your maganese
130 % of your selenium
29% of your potassium
40% of your iron and more!

It is very unlikely you would eat a cup of it a day, but definitly makes you think more about incoperating it into your diet.

Some good ways to get it into your diet:

1. some cereals
2. my homemade granola bars
3. whole grain breads

For more information:
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-wheat-germ.htm
http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5743/2

Granola Bars

2009-03-20T15:47:00.005-07:00

I have a confession. I am slightly obsessed with granola bars. I am constantly searching for the best ones I can. Some are too small, or too expensive, too nutty or fruity, not even kind of healthy, etc. There are so many options out there! I had found a favorite brand a couple months ago, but sadly it was made by Fresh and Easy, which is a grocery store only in a couple of cities, of which Tucson is not one. So, this time instead of starting the search all over again I decided to make my own. Can I even do that?

They are chock full of lots of good for you stuff that is super yummy. And they are very easy to make, and way cheaper!

Homemade Granola Bars

1 c steel cut oats
1 c puffed millet (puffed rice or wheat would work too, I just liked the millet because it was the smallest)
1/2 c bran
1/2 c wheat germ
2 T flax seeds
1 T brown sugar
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t vanilla
3 T honey
1 banana
3 T oil
handful of nuts (i used sliced almonds)
1/2 c chocolate chips

1. Mix together dry ingredients and preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Mash banana well and add other wet ingredients
3. Mix all ingredients together, it should make all the dry ingredients well coated.
4. Grease 9x9 pan and push ingredients into pan, press down as hard as you can so it is well compacted
5. Bake for 20 minutes, it should get slightly brown
6. Let cool, then freeze. Once frozen cut into bars and store in refrigerator, I made 12 bars

note: I know it might sounds like a lot of odd ingredients but they aren't too hard to find. The puffed millet, oats and wheat germ were in the cereal aisle. Altogether I spent under 10 dollars and have enough ingredients left over to make at least 3 more batches, probably more.

So I want to know, what snack can you not live without?

Inside my Freezer

2009-03-19T15:47:00.004-07:00

I love my freezer because not only does it keep food from spoiling but it gives me free time. It gives me more money too.

What I have in my freezer and why:

1. chocolate chips- because we live in AZ and they melt when left out
2. corn and spinach- so I always have vegetables on hand to throw into anything
3. frozen berries (costco sized bag)- cheaper, always in season and helps make any number of desserts in a pinch
4. cookie dough- right now I have extra florentine dough leftover from last time I made them, makes for an easy dessert, and less dessert at one time
5. Brownies, individually wrapped- so that I hopefully eat them more sparingly then if I left them in the pan on the counter
6. bones- pork bones etc., whatever I have from butchering meat(you know like a pork chop that you bought bone on but didn't need the bone) I use pork bones to flavor tomato sauce and chicken bones for chicken stock
7. Tomato sauce and vegetable stock- I make both of these in really large batches and freeze them in small containers so I only make them every month or two. So easy, delicious and unbelievably economical(esp if you buy the #10 cans of tomatoes at costco)
8.Leftover soup ready to reheat at any time
9. tamales and ravioli when I am lucky, those usually dont last long though, too good to let sit in the freezer
10. blocks of cheddar cheese- i buy the "cheddar loaf" at costco and cut it, saran wrap in and put it in a plastic bag all together to keep out the freeze, so much cheaper!
11. ice cream and a frozen pizza, because I can't always do homemade, there are just those days....

What kind of goodies do you store in your freezer?

Easy-Peasy Salad Dressing

2009-03-18T11:02:00.006-07:00

Last night John and I went on a run right after he got off work. He was a little antsy to eat and slightly worried that he saw no food around the kitchen that even looked like it was in the beginning stages of a dinner. I assured him we would be eating within 10 minutes of our return from our run, and whether he believed me or not, we were.

The answer?

Two nights ago I made fresh pasta. I usually cook it off right after I cut it, to avoid sticking and this time I had the superb idea of freezing a bagful of the linguini. I make tomato sauce in large batches about once a month and freeze that too. So within 2 minutes after the water came to a boil the pasta was reheated and sauced warmed from its frozen state all in one pot.

My favorite part of the meal was our go to salad as of late. John chopped tomatoes and cucumbers for me while in the bottom of our salad bowl I mixed this dressing:

Easy-Peasy Salad Dressing

2 T Greek yogurt
juice of 1 lemon (I believe I used just the zest last week when making this once, lime would work too depending on the effect you are going for)
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper

Mix the ingredients together with a spoon and dump in the vegetables, then top with some lettuce if you would like, I used arugula. It is delicious, homemade and fast.

A dinner in under ten minutes chock full of yummy veggies. And all homemade at that.

note: if you've never tried greek yogurt it is a worthwhile condiment to keep in your fridge. It lasts for a month and comes in pint size containers. I get the unflavored variety because I use it as a condiment, not for breakfast eating. It is a little more steeply priced than ordinary yogurt but when using it in these small quantities I think you'll find the benefit outweighs the consequences.

Tomorrow: How much I love my freezer.

Fresh From The Garden

2009-03-17T14:32:00.007-07:00

Over the weekend we drove back to our old house (that we moved out of a week ago) to clean up and pick up the last few items left behind. One of the best surprises was in our garden. The remains of four very dead tomato plants covered in plump, juicy, red tomatoes. We got about twenty, which is a pretty good haul considering we planted the tomato plants out of season and these were the very last of them. We brought them to our new home and decided to make a feast of the pickings.

Tomato Kebabs with Arugula Salad and Grilled Cheese

small tomatoes (the amount depends on the kind, ours were roma so they were on the big side, i would also suggest grape or cherry tomatoes), enough to fit on 2 skewers/person
1 onion (chopped in half then sections so you can skewer through a few layers at a time)
2 handfuls of arugula (which is a very easy and quick lettuce to grow, but also readily available at the grocery store)
Sour dough bread(we buy La Brea and slice it thick), 2 slices per person
pepper jack cheese
1 lemon
oil, salt and pepper

1. Soak skewers for 20 minutes, heat grill

2. mix 1 T oil, slat a pepper together, toss tomatoes in this

3. Slide tomatoes and onions alternately onto skewers (2 skewers per person I think)
4. put the skewers on the grill
5. Cut cheese and place on bread like for any open face grilled cheese
6. Add the grilled cheese to the grill when the tomatoes are starting to get slightly charred and juicy looking

7. Toss arugula in zest and juice of one lemon, salt and pepper
8. When the tomatoes have popped somewhat and look slightly shrively and the cheese is melted pull it off the grill

9. Serve with the skewers between two slices of grilled cheese(for presentation of course) and arugula to the side to eat with fallen tomatoes

enJOY

The Reinvention of a Blog

2009-03-16T20:23:00.003-07:00

After a year of Joy In The Kitchen I feel like it is time for something new.
Time to redefine what I want to share with the world.

This blog is all about how to live a more natural, healthy life through food.

Whether it is suggestions on gardening, a more vegetarian lifestyle, tips at the grocery store, menus for a dinner party or delicious desserts I want to share the way of life I live and what I aspire to be.

To kick of the new blog look forward to a month of blog posts daily.

enJOY food