Food Fascination

This is one of my most favorite summer dinner solutions, for those nights when you look at the oven and just can’t bring yourself to turn it on, when even the microwave doesn’t sound like a good idea. It’s easy to customize, and worth every bit of the 10 minutes it takes to put together. It’s also a great excuse to check out your local farmer’s market - almost everything is probably available there, and grown/made locally.

For the most basic of raw pizza, You’ll need:
1 pre-baked pizza crust (Boboli is the most widely commercially available - or make and pre-bake your own)
1 small package fresh mozzarella cheese (shredded will also work)
Fresh basil leaves (they’re usually in the produce section)
1 bunch fresh spinach
1-3 cloves garlic (depending on how much you like)
2-3 red tomatoes
Olive oil (I LOVE the flavored olive oils for this one - try garlic or roasted red pepper.)

Drizzle a small amount of olive oil on the crust. This will help everything stick.

Layer the spinach and basil leaves over the crust, going out to the edges..

Cut thin rounds of the mozzarella cheese, and arrange over the spinach and basil.

Mince the garlic (or use pre-minced) - sprinkle it over the cheese. (For some, raw garlic is way too strong. If this is the case, saute’ your garlic in a bit of olive oil over medium-high heat until it’s sizzling and softened.)

Slice the tomatoes and arrange over the garlic and mozzarella.

Drizzle with a bit more olive oil.

Slice and dig in!

Some other things to try on this pizza:
Leftover cold chicken
Other types of cheese (try cheddar, or Parmesan)
Cold cuts of ham or turkey
Basically anything you find in your fridge

Having grown up in a hometown that had a very strong presence of Mexican food, I can say one of the things that I truly and utterly miss is the taco-truck tacos that my friends and I would grab afternoons during lunchtime and chow down on while rushing to get back to school. There was always some secret to the meat that just made those things amazing to eat. Now, I’ve had my fair share of the packaged-seasoning neon-orange taco meat mixes, and I will admit some of them are not too bad. However, it is not only more tasty, but much much less expensive to mix up your own taco meat (not to mention a heck of a lot more healthy).

So, to start, let’s examine what, exactly, is in your basic name-brand taco seasoning mix. Listed in order, the ingredients are:
Chili Pepper
Cumin
Oregano
Red Pepper
Onion
Milk Whey Solids
Salt
Sugar
Paprika
Garlic
Potato Starch
and Citric Acid

They get a few things right - first, they actually include garlic, onion, chili pepper, and cumin. All good, solid mexican spices that lead to a tasty taco.
They get several things wrong, too, though. For example: Milk Whey Solids. Milk? In a taco? They do this so when you mix water in with the seasoning, everything will thicken and your tacos won’t be too watery. Ditto for the potato starch. The salt and sugar are not really needed, and in there because, well, they make *everything* in a package more attractive to human taste buds (430 mg of sodium for every 2 tacos - with 500 mg recommended daily.) Also, what the heck on garlic being one of the last ingredients? That’s just not cool - Mexican food should be full of flavor, as spicy (or not) as you want it, and have a definitely garlicy taste.

So, let’s one-up this package of Taco Death and mix up our own seasoning. You’ll need:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium white or yellow onion (as I’ve talked about before, white onion has a sweeter flavor, while yellow onion is your classic “oniony” taste)
3-8 cloves garlic, peeled and diced (Yes, that is a lot of garlic. The pre-peeled and packed in olive oil also taste pretty good, if you don’t feel like peeling it all yourself. Try to stay away from garlic powder, though.)
2 baby carrots or 1 small peeled carrot, minced(Carrot adds a depth to the flavor by providing some natural sugar. It’s a good trick for a lot of spicy dishes, actually.)
1 pound ground beef (preferably 80/20 or 85/15. Check Homemade Burgers Done Right for why).
1 can diced tomatoes, or about 1 or 1 1/2 cups diced fresh tomatoes and 1/4 cup water
2-3 Tablespoons chili powder (If at all possible, get the stuff from a ethnic grocery store. It’s less expensive and more flavorful. This is where the heat comes from - so choose how much you want and the type carefully. If you’re not sure what you want, start with the mild stuff and work your way up from there.)
1 Tablespoon cumin
1-2 teaspoons lime juice (If you don’t have lime around, lemon will work as a substitute. This serves the same purpose as the “citric acid” in the premixed seasoning - helps keep things tasting fresh)
2 teaspoons freshly chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano - fresh or dried

In a large frying pan or heavy-bottomed dutch oven, saute the onions, garlic, and carrot in the olive oil until they’ve softened. Add the ground beef and cook over medium-high heat until the beef has mostly cooked through. Drain off all but a few tablespoons of the fat (do this either by literally straining the mixture or - more easily, push all the meat to one side, then use a large spoon to skim the fat off the other side.) Add the tomatoes and seasonings, cover, and let simmer over low heat for 10-30 minutes, adding water as necessary to keep the mixture from scorching. And that’s it - you should have a delicious, fresh-tasting taco meat that is leaps and bounds healthier and tastier than the mix stuff. And just as quickly.

For an easy, quick, simple-to-feed-a-group taco bar, lay out the meat along with warmed tortillas (wrap them in tinfoil and warm in a 200-degree oven while the meat is simmering, or individually warm them in a dry frying pan over medium heat), grated cheddar or colby-jack cheese, fresh romaine or butter lettuce, salsa, warmed corn niblets, sour cream, and homemade or deli-purchased guacamole.

Or, use taco meat in your favorite pasta casserole - or on burritos to freeze for your at-work lunches - or whatever else sounds good. If you’d like to freeze just the taco meat, put it in freezer-safe zipper lock plastic bags and toss in the freezer. Just defrost it on the stove over low heat instead of in the microwave - the microwave tends to make any ground beef very very chewy.

This soup is absolutely amazing for cold, rainy spring days or as a frozen, easy-to-heat-up-on-a-weekday dinner. Serve it with French bread or baguette, and you’ve got a meal. If you already have roasted beets or leftover baked potatoes, go ahead and use them - just don’t boil the soup as long. This is also a great restricted-diet option, as it has no gluten, can easily be made vegetarian, has no dairy, and no soy. The parsnip can be replaced by a carrot if you’d like - parsnips are a white, slightly sweeter cousin to carrots.

You’ll need:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
3-5 cloves garlic, diced
1 parsnip, chopped
4 medium beet roots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 medium russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 cups beef or vegetable broth
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon dill
1 teaspoon salt

In a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and parsnip and saute until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the beets and potatoes and heat for 2 minutes or until they’re beginning to roast. Pour in the broth and spices and bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 5-10 minutes, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and let cook until the beets and potatoes are cooked through. Serve as a stew, or for a creamier soup, separate 1/4 to 1/2 of the mixture and puree in a food processor, then stir back into the remaining soup.

To freeze, allow to cool in the fridge, then separate into freezer-safe zipper lock bags or storage containers.

Makes about 4 cups of soup

It was 8:30 am, and I woke up with a lump in my throat and fear in my heart. I had to leave in 1/2 an hour, and I was charged with bringing something for a potluck! Oh no! The place I would be going had few cooking facilities other than a grill, and as I would be busy swordfighting and weaving, there would be no time for cooking. So, with what was in my cupboard, this is what got thrown together, and believe it or not it actually worked well and went over.
It was transported and cooked in one of the dollar-store aluminum pans - both because it was disposable and the thin layer of aluminum would allow it to cook more easily on the indirect heat of a grill (although you could also bake it quite easily.)

Filling:
3 cans of peaches with their juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup brown sugar

Topping:
2 1/2 cups oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tablespoon nutmeg
3/4 cup melted butter

In a small bowl, whisk together a few tablespoons of the peach juice and the cornstarch. Dump the peaches and juice into a 9 x 11 pan, then stir in the brown sugar and cornstarch/juice mixture.

In a separate bowl, combine the oats, sugar, and spices. Pour the melted butter over the mixture and stir.

Spread the topping over the filling and cover with foil. “Bake” on a grill or over a fire (use indirect heat - turn half the grill on and set the pan in the other half) for 20-30ish minutes, or in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes, until it’s bubbling and hot.

Easy, quick, and tasty - if you don’t have peaches, try canned cherries or apples. Try adding 1/2 cup chopped nuts to the topping if you’d like - play around! This recipe is a good “basic” that is quick to throw together - but can be as fancy as you care to make it.

For part 1 and the backstory, check But I can’t cook! Part 1

CousCous with Fresh Herb mixture
Couscous is deceptively simple and easy to make. Trust me.

What you’ll need:
Water (or a can of veggie or chicken broth)
A box of couscous (near the rice, usually. Or check the Ethnic food section)
Fresh herbs. Check in the produce section - they’re usually sold in small boxes. Good options are basil, thyme, lemongrass, oregano, and mint. Feel free to experiment!
Olive oil
Lemon juice

Check the box of couscous. Usually the direct you to boil 2 cups water or broth to prepare the whole box. One can of broth is two cups. Put it on the stove and let it boil. Pull the pan off the stove, dump in the couscous, and cover the pot (with a plate, if you don’t have a lid.) Let it sit. Really!

Using washed hands (or a knife, if you’re comfortable with that) rip up the fresh herbs into small pieces. Toss them into a small bowl, then cover them with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice. Stir and let that sit for a few minutes while you wash your hands. The lemon juice helps the flavor of the herbs seep out into the olive oil. (Lemon is an acid, which breaks down the cell walls, releasing flavor).

Stir together the couscous (yes, it’s done) and herb mixture. Spoon into bowls and enjoy!

I have been issued a challenge from a friend at work. She claims a complete inability to cook (although she can, when paying proper attention, boil water). I argue that anyone, even if they can burn water, can make a good meal that is worthy of impressing a date or treating yourself to a great dinner. This can be done with minimal chopping, cooking, or danger to life and limb.

Don’t believe me? Try this:

Option #1:
Roasted chicken, balsamic French bread, and wilted spinach salad
This one involves less than ten minutes of prep, and you won’t even have to use the microwave!

What you’ll need to feed 2-4 ish people:
A pre-roasted chicken (in the deli of most grocery stores)
One bag of baby spinach or spinach salad
Fresh French bread
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar (by the olive oil in the grocery store)
(optional)
Salt and Pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese
Red pepper flakes
Craisins (by the raisins - they’re dried cranberries)
Salad dressing (try a raspberry vinagarette)

On your way home for the evening, stop by the grocery store and pick up one of the pre-roasted chickens they sell for five or six bucks in the deli - not fried (as tempting as it smells) - if they have pre-sliced or chicken breasts, even better. Get those. Or, if you’re trying to cut fat even further one of the roasted turkey breasts. Also purchase whatever else on the list you need.

As soon as you get home, spread the spinach salad over a large plate. Open the chicken. Set the lid of the chicken container over the spinach (the leftover heat and humidity will wilt the spinach) If you are comfortable with a knife, then slice off some chicken breasts. If you’re not, then wash your hands and rip into it, getting as large of chunks as you can. Spread the salad over as many medium-sized plates as you have people for dinner, then lay the chicken over the salad. If you’re using it, drizzle some vinagarette over the whole thing - or sprinkle craisins over the plate - or both.

On a separate plate, dump a bunch of olive oil onto the plate. Drizzle some vinegar over it. If you’d like, add salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, or red pepper flakes. Take the bread out of it’s paper bag. Set it on the table to let people rip their own chunks. The idea is that you rip a chunk of bread, dip it in the flavored oil, and chow.

There you go - fancy dinner in under ten minutes.

Originally posted here by my friend Marie.

I was having a movie night this weekend, and among the guests I was going to have several vegetarians, a lactose (milk) -intolerant individual, a gluten (wheat)-intolerant individual, and a picky eater who hates peas.

So what to make?

To the rescue - Arroz Non Pollo. This has quickly become a favorite among my (omnivore) family, and pairs very well with rice or couscous. It’s basically a vegetable medley, but throws together quickly and is surprisingly good. The leftovers freeze well, and can be thrown in with a few extra cups of broth and leftover vegetables for soup.

1 white or yellow onion, chopped (more on How To Chop an Onion soon)
1 carrot, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
(these three ingredients form a mirepoix, which is pretty much the basis for most soup stocks and veggie mixes. You’ll see the term - pronounced mirror-o-poo or mirror-o-pwah - a lot in French cooking. Don’t let that scare you. It’s just a fancy way of saying “flavorful vegetables that are useful in lots of dishes.”)
3-5 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 seeded and diced red or green pepper
1 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes (don’t drain!)
1 - 2 cans vegetable broth (if you’re not vegetarian and only have chicken broth, this works too)
1 can garbanzo beans (also known as Chickpeas), drained
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
(optional) 1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1 10 to 16 oz package French cut or small cut green beans

Prepared rice or couscous (if you haven’t tried couscous, give it a shot. It’s ready to hit the table in about 8 minutes - boil water or broth, mix in the couscous, and cover. Five minutes later, it’s ready to eat)

Salsa and / or shredded cheese and / or sour cream

In a large skillet over medium-high, saute the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and pepper in the olive oil until the onions are translucent and the carrots are softening.

Place the vegetable mixture in a crockpot or large, deep saucepan. Add the tomatoes (juice and all), broth, garbanzo beans, and green beans. Let cook in the crockpot on high for 2-4 hours or low for 4-8 hours. Serve over rice or couscous with whatever combination of salsa, cheese, and sour cream you’d like.

Amazingly easy, amazingly tasty, and special-diet friendly!

If you would like to add chicken, dice 1 or 2 chicken breasts into small cubes and cook in a tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet. Add to the mixture along with the vegetables.

To turn this into a mexican-ish soup, add in a few extra cans of broth and throw in your favorite veggies - just about any vegetable without much starch goes really well (stay away from potatoes and other root veggies - other than that, go for it!)

I’ve been on a crepe kick lately. I have no idea why - perhaps it is that I was getting sick of using tortillas for everything, except I still love tortillas. Perhaps it’s that when it comes down to it, crepes are fun, unusual, tasty, and inexpensive to keep around. Whatever the reason, I’m making these practically constantly these days (photos coming soon.) Almost every culture has some form of basic flatbread that can be used for many different purposes. Mexican food uses tortillas. Greeks have pitas. Indian has… well, flatbread. And the French have crepes. Their slightly eggy goodness is simple to stir up, and with practice (or a good sense of humor) are quick to put together, and can be used for everything sweet to savory. Pick up a pack of 8 for $4 in your grocery store if you like, or spend $2 in ingredients and get a few dozen.

The first thing to remember about crepes, though, is your first few will turn out a little rough. Even if you have years of practice, and even if you do everything “right”. They will still be entirely edible, but they may not be pretty. So soldier on, and they will improve.

You don’t have to have a fancy crepe iron or pan to make these - really all you need is a small frying pan (most preferably Teflon or non-stick coated) and a heat-resistant spatula or scraper. If you did get a crepe iron for your housewarming or wedding, though, time to pull it out and have some fun. But first, the batter.

This is the most basic batter recipe. Once you have practice, you can add spices or flavorings, but experiment first with the basics.

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 eggs

If you have a blender or food processor, throw all four ingredients in and whirr until smooth. If you don’t, whisk them together with a whisk or a fork until it’s fairly smooth (if you have a few small lumps, don’t worry about it.)

Here’s the important part. Let the batter sit. I know, you want to get going on making these yummy things NOW. However, if you don’t let the batter sit, your crepes are going to be holy - and I don’t mean blessed. They’ll still taste fine, but all those air bubbles in the batter actually impact how they turn out. Because crepes are cooked very thin, the bubbles burst when exposed to heat and leave holes in your crepes. These are holes your filling can ooze out of and get all over your shirt, plate, pants, and kitchen floor (believe me, I speak from experience). However, if you let the batter sit for even an hour in the fridge, the air bubbles all float to the top. This is part of what will contribute to your first few crepes turning out a bit oddly, but it will improve the batch wonderfully. I usually make a bowl of batter in the evening and leave it, covered, in the fridge overnight - then make them up fresh for breakfast. Really, though, if you make just a few at a time, you can keep the batter around for three to four days. It will start to darken in color, and the crepes will brown a bit more quickly, but they will still taste great.

Use the time to wash dishes. Make fresh orange juice. Warm up berries for your crepe filling. Watch an episode of Law and Order or House. Whatever, just make yourself wait.

Now that you’ve got a bowl of batter with bubbles on the brink (yay alliteration), you can actually make the crepes. If you have a crepe iron, then it depends on which iron it is, and check your user’s guide for instructions. If you are like 90% of Americans and are about to use a frying pan:

If you are using a non-stick pan, do not spray it with anything. If your pan is not coated, spray a very very small amount of cooking spray on it. Place your pan over medium-high heat and let the pan heat up. Using a tablespoon or small measuring cup, dollop a small amount of batter (I usually use about 2 tablespoons for my six-inch wide pan) in the center. Grasp the handle (don’t forget your hotpad!) and swirl the batter around the bottom of the pan until it’s in a thin, roughly circular layer. Let the crepe cook for one to two minutes, or until it is holding together and there is no more runny batter. If you’ve made a particularly thick crepe, you can turn it over if you’d like. Otherwise, slide your scraper or spatula under an edge and loosen the crepe from the pan. Slide it off onto a plate. And start again.

Crepes also freeze very well. If you are freezing them, stick a piece of waxed paper between every three to five crepes. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then in a freezer-safe bag or foil. To defrost, simply put them in the fridge for a few days, or microwave on very low power for one to three minutes (or so) per stack.

Here’s the fun part. Filling and actually EATING your crepes. These things are great to feed a group with, because you can set out a variety of fillings and let everyone make their own. For breakfast, great choices include:
Cottage cheese
Ricotta cheese
Whipped cream
Berries (fresh cut-up, or warm up some frozen ones in a bowl in the microwave)
Nutella (an amazing chocolate hazelnut spread you’ll find near the peanut butters)
Bananas
Apple pie filling

From there, use your imagination. Try spinach and chicken in crepes with a cream sauce for dinner. Or sauteed mushrooms. Just about anything is worth a try!

Yes, the holidays are technically over. However, that doesn’t mean cranberry sauce should be relegated to the “never again for a year” category. It’s not only great on turkey, but it’s amazing with cheesecake, Flourless Chocolate Cake , even baked chicken or stuffing.

Cranberry sauce isn’t all about the jellified cranberry substance you pick up out of a can. With a blender or a saucepan, you can get enough cranberry sauce to last you weeks. Both of these recipes last for up to three to four weeks, sealed, in the fridge. Try it on pork, too!

This version can be made with or without the alcohol. If you have a large group coming over, I would suggest two bowls - lead (add alcohol) to one, and leave the other alone. Label appropriately

Gentleman Jack’s CranOrange:
Try soaking the orange peel in the whiskey for this recipe. The flavor from the orange will seep into the alcohol and add an extra hit of taste, if you’ve got the time.

4 cups fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 whole, peeled, small orange.
Combine in a blender and whirr away until it’s smooth. If needed, add a bit of orange juice to get it to blend smooth. Right before serving, stir in anywhere from 1 to 3 shots of whiskey (such as Jack Daniels).

Jezebel Sauce
3 cups fresh cranberries
1 small package blackberries
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup honey mead (check your local liquor stores - mead is traditional honey wine. If you can’t find the mead or are avoiding alcohol, add 1/4 cup honey and 3/4 cup water.)
2 teaspoons fresh horseradish, grated (in the produce section - or find pre-grated by the ketchup)

In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, boil the berries and the water until everything is mushy (add another 1/4 to 1/2 cup water if it’s getting dry. Add the sugar, mead, and horseradish. This will be a very thick, chunky sauce - if you want it smoother, give it a few rounds in a blender or food processor. The horseradish gives it a kick, but not enough to actually taste the horseradish.  Thanks to my dear friend Clacy for this!

This flourless cake is deceptively simple to make, and is great for serving (I am not kidding) 10-15 people with one eight-inch cake. Very rich, kind of a middle ground between true fudge and a true cake. It’s dense and rich, but something you eat with a fork instead of your fingers. This is also a good choice for those with gluten intolerance.

On the more amusing story side, I was about to take a single photo of this when my older brother stopped me and said “WAIT! You need garnish!” Well, I am far from trying to argue with him since our mother would have been very disappointed had we not had garnish. Originally it was going to be a fluted strawberry, but after a trip to the grocery store, there was not a single out-of-season strawberry to be had in any of the three nearest grocery stores. So we ended up making “holly berries” with sliced maraschino cherries and mint leaves instead. Then he fluted a cherry half to use for the “slice” picture. Moral of the story - never get between a caterer’s kid and garnish
To make this confection, you will need:

1/2 cup (4 ounces) of semisweet or dark chocolate. Chocolate chips or baker’s chocolate (the semi-sweet, NOT the unsweetened) both work equally well. If you have the option, use higher quality chocolate, because that is the essence of this cake.
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

(another 2 tablespoons cocoa powder and/or powdered sugar for dusting if you’d like)

You’ll also want an 8-inch round pan, pan spray (or butter) and waxed paper.

For this recipe, you’ll want to use or create a double boiler. If you have one, great. If not, easy fix. Put a saucepan with a few inches of water in it on the stove over low heat. Put a Pyrex (or heat-resistant glass) bowl that is large enough to sit over the saucepan and not fall in over the water. When the water simmers, you’ve got a double boiler. The idea here is to heat what’s in the bowl (or top of the double boiler) very gently, using steam rather than direct heat. This prevents the water in the chocolate from entirely evaporating and “seizing” (creating little unmeltable balls of cocoa butter).

Set up your double boiler or pan and bowl and turn the stove on low. While you’re waiting for water to simmer, cut a circle of waxed paper to fit in the bottom of your pan. Spray or butter the pan very well, set the waxed paper in, then spray or butter the paper.

In the bowl or top of the double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter together, stirring reguarly until they’re almost entirely melted. Turn off the heat. Use a whisk or a fork to stir in the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cocoa powder. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 375 for 20 - 25 minutes. The cake will not rise very much, and will become bubbly on top. When there is a crust and it no longer jiggles when you shake the pan, it’s done. Pull it out of the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes.

Turn the cake out of the pan. Do this by setting your serving dish across the top of the pan, then turn the whole thing over so the cake slides out onto the dish. If this doesn’t work, run a small knife along the edge of the pan. If even this doesn’t work, dip the pan into hot water for a few seconds to melt the edges. Remove the waxed paper.

Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. Sprinkle cocoa and / or powdered sugar over the top. Serve with whatever garnish you choose- whipped cream, ice cream, raspberry sauce, and fresh berries all go well.

Once entirely cooled, you can store this cake in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks (if it lasts that long!). For easier cutting, try dipping your knife in a glass of hot water. This will melt the cake as you cut it, and help get cleaner-looking edges. Or just have everyone dig in with a fork. Either way.