Buffalo Things

Get that? Instead of wings: "THINGS." I also almost called this post, "Buffalo Shoe Tongues," because I'm pretty sure you could cover chewy, smelly, shoe parts (borrowed from any hobo) with buffalo sauce, dip them in ranch dressing and serve them with celery and they would be irresistible. This is, however, a very good recipe, despite the fact that it seems anything under that sauce would taste good. (Or, I suppose I could have called them Buffalo'd cauliflower, which is what they are.)

I went to see the bro recently, and he took me to an eatery heretofore unknownst to me: the Veggie Grill. I hear it is growing quickly, springing up new franchises throughout California. Well, it ain't growing quickly enough, because I'm gonna dream about it until I'm in LA again.

The Veggie Grill doesn't use any animal products at all - no dairy, meat or eggs. And while I really enjoyed their "comfort" food or fast-food-style items, they are also maximizing nutrition in a lot of items (not just a straight, "hey, fries are vegan!" approach). The first time we went, two of us ordered the "All Hail Kale" salad, with "Blackened Chickin'." It was DELICIOUS. And the one in front, btw, is a lunch portion! I usually eat my kale cooked, but these dressed greens really inspired me to eat more raw kale.

Oh, and a side of mac and cheese, just because hey, I had a race the next day, so why not?

This first visit is also where I discovered their Buffalo Chickin' Wings. I discovered them on my brother's plate. I discovered most of them, and only left him a few. These really unglued all of us. I've been thinking about them since.

David also had the "All-American Stack," which he said he really liked.

We took home two pieces of the carrot cake, which I discovered was great with a glass of soy milk. I also discovered half of my brother's carrot cake as well. (Seriously, I love that guy.)

I loved this place so much that we went back the next day! This time, I had the "Baja Fiesta" salad. It was great... But I found myself wishing it were made with kale. Believe me, I've never said those words before, either.

This time, I got my own order of the "Buffalo Chickin' Wings." I think I may have shared. No, I'm pretty sure I didn't.

David went full-force, and made an entree out of two orders of the wings. You go, boy!

So, what's the damage? I looked at their newly-posted calorie counts, and sure, some of the dessert or "splurge" items can be up in the 400-500 calorie range (although most of the menu is lower). But seriously? I don't think they compare with the counts at most fast food places, and the nutrition is much denser. For contrast, I took a picture of the calorie counts at the snack bar of a local movie theater we went to:

Wow, movie theater, 1390 calories for nachos? As my husband loves to quote from the movie "Spinal Tap": "Yeah, too MUCH fak-king pehspective."

Anyway, what is a girl to do about this buffalo craving she came home with? I found this recipe from "Food Fanatics" on facebook (partially reprinted), and I made some changes to just about every line, which are reflected in the following places as noted:

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

For the batter:
Dash of Frank’s Buffalo Sauce (originally Original Hot Sauce)
1 c. white rice flour (originally 1/2 cup)
1 c. BEER (originally 1/2 cup water)
Pinch salt

For the Buffalo sauce:
1/2 c. - 1 cup Frank’s Buffalo sauce (this is double or triple the original)
1/4-1/2 c. vegan butter, melted (originally 1/4 cup canola oil)
Pinch salt

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix together the batter ingredients in a small bowl. Dip the cauliflower in the batter until coated evenly then place on greased baking sheet (I just tossed the cauliflower florets in the batter). Bake for about 15 minutes or until the batter hardens. (I flipped them once, and ended up with about 20 minutes.)

Mix together sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Once the cauliflower are done baking, brush them with the hot sauce mixture (I tossed them in the sauce in a bowl, restaurant-style) and they have you baking again. (I just tossed the baked cauliflower in sauce and got to eating.)

I served these with my very own Vegan Ranch, which I must say is pretty fantastic. The recipe works very well - the cauliflower doesn't stick to the sprayed foil, and it cooks through. Best oven-battered anything I've had, I think!

Vegan Ranch Dressing

Success! Ranch dressing that tastes just right. I'm pretty sure no one would be able to tell that there is no dairy in this punk.

The key to making this is finding a ranch seasoning packet that has no milk solids in it. Many of the ones I've looked at have dessicated dairy in them. But I found one that doesn't: this one is Roundy's generic brand (purchased at Mariano's). Check your generic version's ingredients label.

Ingredients:
1 package soft or silken tofu (drained but not pressed)
About 1 cup of soy milk
About 3 Tblesp. Vegenaise or other vegan mayo
1 package ranch seasoning (I used Roundy's)
1 6 oz. container Almond Dream plain or other non-dairy yogurt
1 Tblesp. dijon mustard
1 capful of lemon juice concentrate
About 2 Tblesp. chia seed powder, or flax seed powder
salt to taste (AFTER the above ingredients are blended)

Put it all in the blender and whir it up. Though the seasoning packet has sodium, I found the large batch needed a bit more after tasting. You can freeze the large batch in smaller portions (makes about 4 small containers as shown). When thawed, you will see a bit of separation/grainy look to the dressing - but it doesn't affect the taste or the texture (remember, this isn't dairy - so separation doesn't mean curdling). I suppose you could whir it up again in the blender after thawing, but I can't be bothered with that when there is eating to be done.

Where the Blazes Have I Been?

So, what's in a year?

Some stuff has happened lately that has given me a renewed interest in resuming this food blog. I won't go back over the whole year, only that as of last summer, I had pretty well abandoned this food writing idea. Food had become something I made as simply as possible, while still trying to remain healthy. I wasn't really inspired, as I feel I had been in the last ten years. I felt that I was over it. There are so many food blogs out there now - and so many of them do this so much better than I do. I don't own a Mac, and my pictures look decidedly less fancy compared to others with each passing year.

I feel that God places things in our path at times, and we can either continue to walk around them and ignore the signposts, or we can stop and pay attention. Suffice to say, my signposts had begun to accumulate. A voice was needling me from somewhere in the back of my mind.

In September, I had a wonderful time at my older daughter's birthday party. I made her a Rapunzel cake; my first fondant cake with homemade fondant. It was incredibly fun, and I plan to do it again, possibly this summer when my younger daughter most likely has the Cinderella-themed party that she's been insisting on for months. They seldom let go of things, my kids.

Anyway, my mother-in-law made some shredded pork sandwiches for the party, which I ate and enjoyed very much. The next day, I promptly became a vegan, and have not looked back. I am in love with it.

(Then, I also turned the remnants of our herb garden into a large batch of Nonno's seasoning.)

Was this a shockingly sudden move on my part? Well, I'm sure it seems that way to most people. But I've been led to this point by the convergence of several others. First of all, I'm not so much an animal rights activist, but well, meat has just started to seem... Yucky. I watched an episode of "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" (a program I still enjoy, owing to the habit I have of watching cook shows that feature food I would never cook or eat), and they showed an entire pig being brought up out of a crank-turned smoker on a grate. It had been gutted, and laid open. It had smoked so long it was just holding its form together in a near-gelatin state. The diner's cook thrust his hand between the skin and the ribs, unceremoniously ripping out various cuts of meat ("there's your tenderloin") and throwing pig liquid all over the room. I thought, "Yeah, I'm done."

On top of this, I always enjoy vegetarian food. I know I may be a freak, but I already knew I loved tofu, seitan and tempeh. I just usually used cheese liberally in my vegetarian dishes. Did I want to give that up? Until recently, I also couldn't picture life without eggs. I'd been heard to say that I felt vegetarianism was logical, but veganism was something I viewed as a type of eating disorder. But back to that in a moment.

The second influence on me was a couple articles I'd read by vegan athletes. I was eating more lean meat than ever (note the post, "Diet Plate,") based on the advice of periodicals like "Runner's World," which pushes a lot of lean meat, telling you that as a runner, you need 30% more protein, printing meaty recipes, etc. I was exhausted almost all the time (which I actually blamed on my children). So when I read about Scott Jurek (which I also have to credit to "Runner's World," though you'll notice that the tone of the article treats him like quite the novelty), another component slid into place. He talks about coming to this decision a little at a time, over a period of years, which is how I feel my journey has been. I was eating meat, but my tastes have been evolving in the last ten years, from someone who really enjoyed her Cheez Whiz, into someone who really enjoys broccoli rabe. Anyway, I had read another couple articles in the same week, seemingly placed into my path somehow.

I decided to try it out for a couple of weeks, just to see what happened. As my brother says, "I figure if I ever change my mind, the meat is still there." So without pressuring myself, or expecting much either, I decided to try it out. I needed a new adventure, and I figured maybe I'd lose two pounds or so for my efforts.

My first vegan meal was acorn squash, stuffed with black rice, dried fruit and chopped nuts, apples, and topped with lots of cinnamon, margarine, and brown sugar.

(It was very good, but I decided I had over-sweetened it.) The next week, I went out to dinner with my friends Brooke, Kim, and Brooke's incredible family (still waiting for them to sign my adoption papers) at Vapiano's in the city. I ordered an entire pizza without cheese, ate the entire thing, and then the next morning I got up and ran my first marathon.

(My knees started killing me at about mile 18, but I attribute that to too many weekday miles, not the vegan diet.**) Anyway, after two weeks, I felt better than I ever have in my life. Like, WAY better. Incredibly alert, energetic, strong and beautiful. And I still do. Then I watched "Forks Over Knives," and the infamous China Study solidified my views on things. Sealed the deal, I guess.

(**I will say this, and apologize. If you go vegan, expect a certain side-effect to go on for a couple weeks until your body adjusts to the whole foods and fiber. Find a quiet corner at work, crop-dust, and get through it. I got better, and I still have some friends.)

I continued things all the way through Thanksgiving, when I kept everything vegan, except the turkey roll I made for the family. I served roasted brussel sprouts with chestnuts, mom's rolls (veganized version), stuffing, baked sweet potatoes, and a Tofurkey roast, which apparently only I didn't like. It reminded me that I had cut out most of the processed food in my life for a reason.

I love the food I am eating, and I look forward to sharing. My family is not vegan, though they often eat what I make, so if I adapt a recipe for them, I will share this also. If we go to a burger joint together, you're going to see that also. Cooking vegan has been a true adventure, as well as a learning process, both in culinary technique, and in integrating the cuisine into my family's life. Thanks for your support!

BBQ Beef Ribs in the Oven

Last summer, we weren't allowed to have anything but an electric grill on our balcony, and what's the point of that? We wanted to wait until we were home (house, specifically) owners and get a gas grill. So I made BBQ beef ribs the way any condo owner would: on the stovetop and in the oven.



I did beef ribs for a couple of reasons. I still did not eat pork if I could help it (which I will return to as soon as this meat-loving baby leaves my system), and my friend Lindsay was coming over. In her pregnancy, the smell of any pork made her sick. Funny how bossy these kids are in utero, eh? Upon shopping for my dinner party, I discovered that a gigantic slab of beef ribs are about SIX BUCKS. Wow! This is gonna be great, I thought! I'll feed everyone on the cheap, and please the whole crowd.

Well, mmm... Not so much. The recipe I used wasn't the problem. I wanted to poach the ribs first, then finish them in the oven, so that they are fall-off-the-bone tender. I'm sorry to say that I apparently did not print out the recipe as I normally do, and while I remember it being an Emeril recipe, I cannot find the exact one that I used. However, it was similar to this one, only not so complex. I basically covered the ribs in a large pot, using a lot of water, some broth, and a couple bottles of beer. I added peppercorns, a couple bay leaves, salt and pepper, and some rosemary (use a light hand with the dried rosemary -- the flavor REALLY comes through) and I think some carrots, celery and onions. I poached the ribs for about a half-hour, or until the meat started pulling away from the bones (per the instructions that I now cannot find.)

Next, I put them in the oven on a foil-lined pan. If memory serves, I did them with a light spice rub (salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, paprika and a little cayenne), and cooked them low and slow (250 degrees) for about 30-45 minutes, covered in foil on top. Then I removed the foil from the top, brushed on some BBQ sauce (yes, store bought), and finished them off under the broiler. You'll notice that in this particular Emeril recipe I'm linking to here, he boils them longer and skips the low-and-slow part to go straight to the broiler. Most poaching recipes I find for ribs do one or the other.

They were beautiful when they came out!



However, I found that the beef ribs had disappointingly little meat on them. After cooking, they were mostly bone. Guess there's a reason why those are so cheap!

Still, I would do a similar recipe the next time I do ribs. We are now the proud owners of a Weber gas grill at our new house, which get its maiden voyage today with a couple of steaks (I figured on starting slow.) When I do the ribs, I'm gonna use a recipe that's a combination of poaching, and low-and-slow cooking on the grill. Some folks say that ribs should have a "tug" on them, but I don't agree. I like them to be very, very tender.

But there will be potato salad! I've finally learned to use a very light hand when adding the mustard.



Our friends were gracious about gnawing on the big beef ribs, and Baby #1 seemed to enjoy the experience, too.



We'll let you know how the grill works out!

Mmmm... Umami!

I found this article from the Wall Street Journal to be intensely illuminating, and I just had to share it. (Please do not get the impression that I am a regular WSJ reader; I am nowhere near that deep.) At first I clicked on the title and read it just out of curiosity: a new taste discovered? Neat.

But now I realize that this article is all about me. Some of you out there are sweetness junkies and carb-lovers. My husband is a good example: we have joked for years about the loving way that he hovers over any pastry, bread, rice, potato, sugary snack or, *gasp*, any combination of the aforementioned (like a cinnamon roll, or a sugared pastry.) I have always said that I like salt as much as he likes sugar, but that isn't exactly right. I do often find dishes to be too salty. But now I know what it is that I really crave: umami!

The article describes "umami" as the deep, meaty, satisfying and complex flavor that is present in a variety of foods: Worcestershire sauce, mushrooms, parmesan cheese, anchovies, and on and on. Just as table sugar is "just sweet," MSG is "just umami." Some parts of the article are a bit scary, like the goings-on of a certain food lab that is using "an artificial taste bud" (bringing sci-fi images of a large, disembodied organ to mind -- if I touched it, would it taste me?) to test artificial means of manufacturing umami, and a PR push to get the public to accept MSG as a "more natural product." But there are natural ways of bringing out the umami flavor that is already present in foods: by roasting, grilling, drying, and sautéing. To me, this gives a name to something that I have figured out in experimenting with vegetarian foods. Using certain ingredients, combined with certain techniques (mushrooms, parmesan, roasted veggies, grilled tofu and eggplant, sun-dried tomatoes, etc.) make a dish much more satisfying than those without. I'm not a vegetarian, but I think the knowledge makes my vegetarian dishes better. Personally, I think it is umami that separates the vegetarian entrées from the side dishes.

It also explains why I've always needed parmesan in my chicken soup! What I need now is a t-shirt that tells the world what I really am: "Umami Freak."

P.S. I first read this article on a tiny screen in small text -- I apologize, but I misspelled umami the first time around. My thanks to those who commented and shouted this at me in ALL CAPS. Oops.

Fish Tacos

Chris and I both love fish tacos, so I tried making them at home for the first time. I had some frozen cod, courtesy of Market Day, and I decided to use that.

First I thawed out the fish. The Market Day cod kind of comes in these little log shapes, so while they were defrosted and still wet, I rolled them in seasoned flour. Then I browned them in just a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, not messing with them at all until they were ready to turn. I browned them on four sides. They fell apart a little bit even with the minimal turning, but that was part of my master plan: to just scoop out the crunchy bits and the fish all together and drain them on paper towels. My plan worked.



I had asked Chris to try and get the cole slaw mix to use in place of the traditional shredded cabbage, but he came home with a head of cabbage saying he couldn't find any mix. So I shredded it in my food processor, but the shredding blade I used was the one that chops very fine. I decided to mix in the lowfat, spicy ranch sauce I was going to put on the tacos and just have a sort of coleslaw. Not traditional, really, but at least we could eat the leftovers as cole slaw the next day (I mean, it's easier to use than leftover shredded cabbage). And they were both going on the tacos, anyway.



I used some buttermilk, some ranch and mexican seasoning , and some lowfat mayo, salt, and sugar. It took quite a bit of sugar to taste the way I wanted it, which to be honest, was something like KFC's cole slaw with some spiciness to it.

We used corn tortillas, and topped the fish with salsa, some cheddar, and the cabbage/cole slaw. We doused them in fresh lime juice, too. They were crunchy, spicy, cool, hearty and refreshing. (That's lots of things for one dish to be, but they were!)

Chicken Tikka Masala

I find it is a bit intimidating to use new spices, but my curiosity about food tends to drive me over that fear. And I'm always pleasantly surprised to find that most dishes, the world over, contain plenty of familiar ingredients. The "base" for this dish could be the same as any number of Mexican or Italian dishes you may have made before. The only thing that may be new to you about it is the garam masala spice, which is available in most grocery stores now.

Give it a shot -- if you like warm, medium-heat dishes like chili with seasoning that is a bit more complex in flavor, you'll like tikka masala. I've changed and simplified a few things from the recipe I have, and the following recipe reflects my changes.

Marinade

• 1 cup plain yogurt


• 2 T. lemon juice


• 2 tsp. mediterranean seasoning, or just 2 tsp. cumin, and 2 tsp. cinnamon


• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes


• 1 tsp. salt


• 1 tsp. ginger


• 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into strips or large cubes

Sauce

• 1 T. butter


• 2 T. flour


• 2 cloves garlic, minced


• 1 jalapeño chili, minced


• 2 tsp. ground coriander


• 1 tsp. each: ground cumin, paprika, garam masala spice


• ½ tsp. salt


• 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce


• 1 ½ cups fat-free half-and-half


• ½ cups chopped cilantro

Combine everything on the "marinade" list, including the chicken. Marinate in a plastic Ziploc gallon bag in the fridge for at least 2 hours (overnight is better.)

If you have a grill pan like I do, you can just grill the chicken on it directly. If you have a charcoal grill, thread the chicken onto skewers first (tastes better is you got the coals). My recommendation, either way, is to only partially cook the chicken. It goes into the sauce and will cook the rest of the way. If you thoroughly cook the chicken first, you will probably find it a bit dry after it goes in the sauce. I know it is a little creepy purposefully undercooking chicken, but trust me, it will fully cook in about a minute in the sauce.

Set the lightly grilled chicken aside on a plate (don't re-use the plate, just wash it later), and make the sauce. Melt the butter and flour in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and jalapeño, and stir for a minute. Stir in the seasonings, and salt. Combine the tomato sauce, and stir for one minute. Add the fat-free half-and-half, and simmer until the sauce thickens.

Add the chicken to the sauce (remove it from the skewers if you did this) and let simmer for a couple of moments. If you want to be sure that it is cooked, just take one of the thicker pieces out and cut into it. Don't overcook it.

I like to serve this over egg noodles with the cilantro over the top, but I think it would also be good with potatoes and peas. With the fat-free half-and-half instead of cream, it is really a healthy dish, and if you do the marinade the night before, it is also pretty quick. I served it with avocado slices with lemon, salt and pepper once -- and now I consider this to be a must-have accompaniment!

Buffalo Grove Days, or, "Had Enough Crap Yet?"

In September, nothing wraps up a summer of eating battered and deep-fried nitrites on sticks quite like the last big party, when Chris and I walk over to the Buffalo Grove Days. In the past, we've had chocolate and marshmallow-covered popcorn, had too much crappy yellow beer that was intensely overpriced, and witnessed the phenomenon that is "Infinity." To date, however, nothing had quite offended my eyes and ears so much as this:



You read it right. It's called "You M8K It Super Slush Lab," a spelling that could only make me think of my friend Jenny, who has mentally collected the perverse misspellings used by Madison Avenue to sell non-food items to kids ever since I can remember (think words like Nyce, Stuf, Lite, Likkum Stix, and Chawklit). Her notes to me in junior high and high school were filled with artfully worked phrases like, "Heyyy, Shì Patì, hoo du yoo lyke two-day?" Originally, that's why I took the picture, just to show it to Jen. But then I stood and looked at it a bit longer.



The unit glows with every garish color in the day-glo rainbow, and plays freakish carnival music (you know the one, the "big top" organ tune, "dit dit dooty ditta dit da doo-tie...") to lure children; a kind of modern-day witch's candy house. Kids can spend as little as $3 on a cup and make their own Super Slush flavor combo. But how are you gonna fit all the flavors you want in a $3 cup, Junior? With a variety that includes Sour Apple, Extreme Watermelon, Power Kiwi Burst, Tubular FD & C Neon Green #8, and Radical Premature Type II Diabetes, you'd better get mom to open up her pocketbook for the $7 cup! And then get to the dentist now. No, like, NOW. Stick two straws and a plastic spoon in it, Fattie, and get back in the SUV!



I soon realized that this wasn't just an amusing phonetic misspelling. What I was in the presence of was absolutely everything that is evil about America, in one portable electric trailer. Nothing less. I was mesmerized by the flowing, frosty pumps of glowing sin, and Chris eventually had to drag me away.

Now, let's focus on what IS good in this country, try not to think any longer about what starving children overseas would think of this gross display, and move onto the food tent. Yay! I smell barbecue!



It takes awhile to decide what to eat in the food tent. Much like Cher noted in the movie Clueless, you have to do at least one full lap before you commit to a location. We finally decided that Chris would get the pulled pork BBQ sandwich from Brothers' BBQ, and I found a nice option in the chicken gyros from the Continental Restaurant tent. I also got an ear of steamed corn, I think from the Girl Scout tent.

The pulled pork was very good. The pork had no sauce, and then when your sandwich is made up, it is added over the top. After living in Nashville a short time, I now feel that this is the only real way to serve pulled pork, so I approved.



I didn't know that the Continental served chicken gyros, but now I might need to go there to get another one sometime. It wasn't grilled chicken breast, but that same sort of "meat roll" on a spit, just as the lamb gyro was. The tzatziki sauce was very thick, and I thought the whole thing was really tasty. It was a bit leaner than the lamb gyro probably would have been, but I'm okay with that.



Chris and I both crunched on the corn-on-the-cob, which had just come out of the steamer and was boiling hot. Additional butter was not available, but the corn was so sweet it really didn't need it. They did have chili seasoning and parmesan cheese, which I did make good use of. Delicious.

Being averse to sweetened drinks of any kind (artificial or not), I opted for a bottle of water. Chris decided to try a Lemon Shake-Up at Randy's stand, before the claustrophobia-inducing conditions of the tent finally got to me.



The drink came not in a cup, but in a large oil barrel. I did take a sip, and I thought it was very good for what it was, with lots of fresh lemon juice. The amount of sugar still made my teeth feel "furry," though, immediately. I just don't get the sugary drink thing anymore, I guess. But Chris liked it.

We strolled on home in the beautiful weather, with empty wallets and full stomachs. Ahhh, you know what? I love this country.

Nonno's Seasoning

Just to have a post to refer to, here is what I put in a comment at one point about Nonno's seasoning mix:

"He takes fresh rosemary, sage, red pepper flakes and garlic cloves and minces them all very, very fine with a mezza luna, or curved two-handled blade. I think it might be done with a food processor, but I haven’t tried it yet… Then he packs it into little tubs, like old margarine or sour cream tubs. You can freeze it, and when you need some, you just flake it onto fish or chicken or whatever with a fork. It’s great on roasted potatoes, too! And one little tub lasts forever."

Nonno dices the mixture until it is just "speckles." That's my word, not his. :) It provides concentrated, fresh herb flavor.

Fredbangers Bowl

A friend of mine has a policeman for a boyfriend... I don't know why it is, but cops and firemen seem to make the best chili in the world. After some begging on my part, he gave me the recipe for his chili (he calls it "Fred's Bangin' Chili.") He is a super-nice guy, and his chili might be the best I've ever tasted. I hope his recipe wasn't a secret. Fred is a really nice guy, but he isn't someone I'd necessarily want to mess with!



This recipe is also the one that introduced me to Adobo seasoning, which comes in handy quite frequently, I find. You can use it to season flour to fry things, or to season any type of meat -- anywhere you would use garlic salt or something like it. You just have to watch it if you're controlling your salt intake (you could substitute garlic powder, or try the low-sodium version). Try it... you'll like it!

Here's the recipe... enjoy, then freeze the leftovers and feed a whole police squad:

Ingredients:
-2 lbs. ground beef (I like to use 80% lean) or ground turkey
-2-28 oz cans Hunt's crushed tomatoes
-2-28 oz cans dark red kidney beans (I did half pinto beans cuz I like them, too)
-1-12 oz bottle of Pilsner beer (your choice)
-6 stalks green onion, chopped
-1 head fresh garlic: minced or pressed
-1 large red bell pepper: diced
-2 jalapeno or serrano peppers: stemmed, seeded, and minced

Chili Spices:
-2 packs McCormick chili spices (powder)

OR (the REAL way)
-6 Tbls chili powder
-2 Tbls ground cumin
-1 tsp paprika
-1/4 tsp red cayenne pepper powder
-1 1/2 Tbls dried oregano
-1 Tbls adobo powder
-1 Tbls freshly ground black pepper
-salt to taste

Preparation:
-In a frying pan, brown 2 lbs ground meat and drain well
-In a large stew pot or Dutch oven, add meat and vegetables and stir over medium heat until onions and peppers wilt (approx 5 minutes)
-Add spices and seasonings, stir
-Add crushed tomatoes
-Add kidney beans that have been drained and rinsed
-Add beer, stir
-Add water (if needed) until desired consistency
-Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low
-Simmer for approximately 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 5 minutes or so

One last note from Fred, "Refrigerate over night in pot before eating. Not essential, but I think it tastes better, as all of the ingredients blend together nicely."

We like ours with light sour cream, shredded cheese, and oyster crackers. Thanks, Fred!

Mojito Chicken, Nonno, and His Steak

Today I thought I would begin with pictures of a very special man: Chris' Nonno (grandpa). His name is Irio. He lives with Chris' parents, in his own little "apartment" in the downstairs area, with his own kitchen. He is adorable. Enjoy him:



My husband's Nonno (though I call him that, too) is almost 88 years old, and he still makes seasoning mix for us, fresh bread, and baccalà (which I believe is the only seafood he eats). He waters all the extensive landscaping at the house, walks every day, mows the lawn, rakes leaves, shovels snow... And probably a ton else. He doesn't have to do any of that, of course. In fact, Chris' parents have been totally unsuccessful in stopping him. He is incredibly stubborn, and just as cute and sweet at the same time with a light and merry sense of humor. I see him in my husband all the time, especially in his little periods of inflexibility about what I would consider "small things," like the schedule of events that you might have on a day off. On the days when most people would plan nothing and "go with the flow" (or even stay in their pajamas all day), Nonno wants to know, exactly what time is dinner? And Chris is grousing because we may be five minutes late to it. And you can't get very annoyed because, well, they're both just so dang cute.

Unlike Chris, Nonno is a picky eater. I'm not just saying that because on my side of the family, we cram things in our mouth first, and ask about edibility later. There is a pretty narrow range of things he will eat. When we grill out, he wants steak. Just steak. Keep away from him with the fish or the chicken (here you can see his steak in the back.)



And he always has some kind of potato or pasta, bread with dinner, and definitely white wine. And if you're not questioning the validity of all that you knew about healthy eating by now, you should be.

God bless you, Nonno. We love you, see you soon!

**As a side note, the chicken we grilled here on Father's Day was a concoction of some chicken breasts that I marinated in margarita mix (tequila included), coarse salt, pepper, olive oil, and mint for a sort of "Mojito Chicken." It was very good, as was the salmon that Wilma seasoned, and we ate with fresh homemade pesto sauce (with basil from her garden) and pasta. And Nonno's steak looked pretty good, too...

Buttermilk Fried Chicken and the Leftovers

I tried my first-ever fried chicken (on the bone, at least) owing to my acquisition, this year, of a pan deep enough to fry in.



I used Bobby Flay's guidelines (on a show I saw of his) about double-dipping fried chicken in buttermilk and flour. First, I seasoned the flour with a little cayenne, some poultry seasoning, some Adobo seasoning, and pepper. Oh, and just a little of Nonno's seasoning, too, that I keep in the freezer (sage, rosemary, red pepper and yes, more garlic diced finely by Nonno with a mezza luna, or curved blade.) I had purchased chicken legs and thighs, because, I admit, they were so dang cheap. I had marinated the chicken (skin removed, I just don't care for it) in a gallon Ziploc bag for at least four hours in the buttermilk. Then I dipped them in the flour, and again in more buttermilk, and again in the flour. I fried the chicken in vegetable oil when the oil looked hot enough to me. You can check this by flicking a piece of breading in the oil, and seeing if bubbles form around it.

I would call my first fry successful. Next time, I will season it the same way. There are a couple of things I will do differently next time, though. I dunno if it was just my technique, but the double-dip made the breading so thick, it was almost too thick. I think a single dip is enough. I don't want anyone to split their palate open on super-crunchy breading.

Another tip is not to put the lid on the chicken if you need to walk away from it for a moment. Use a splatter-shield, but the lid, even if on for only a moment, will cause an increase in pressure. This causes the oil to flare up, and I burned that batch a bit on the bottom just from that moment of having the lid on. Makes it harder to control the temperature.

Lastly, I think next time I will spring for the white meat. I think the breasts and the drumsticks would have been a nicer combo. Especially since dark meat is naturally a bit oily, I think white meat makes a better fry.

We had plenty of leftovers. Later, I cut the meat and breading off of the drumsticks, and diced it into salads on a hot day. I added scallions, and made a buttermilk, ranch-seasoned dressing with light sour cream and some of the remaining buttermilk.



On a cooler day, I used the thighs (I had bought boneless and skinless thighs) to bake in the oven with marinara and mozzarella (in a mixed cheese) as chicken parmigiana.

The Low-Carb Experiment (Part 1 of 3)

My sainted mother Mary Ann (don't get me wrong, she's still alive) is coming up this week, and she's doing me the favor of bringing not only herself, but her college-hood best friend, Mary Fran (I'm not making this up) as a body in need of dental hygiene help that I might prey upon. I mean, treat. That I might treat.

The last time Ma came up from southern Illinois, she told me ahead of time that she was on the South Beach Diet, and not to go to any trouble, she said. Just buy her some lean meats, string cheese, and some veggies, she said. Oh, and some sugar-free Jello. But what, I say? Go the easy route you say? NOT ACCEPT THE GLOVE CAST DOWN IN A CHALLENGE, YOU SAY? Oh, no. One large shopping trip to Joe Caputo's, a consult with my freebie Kraft South Beach recipe book, and it was game on, Mary Ann!

My first meal was a lunch for the two of us. I chopped some veggies crudite (still can't make the accent in this font, too lazy to try) and made a dip. I used an idea from the Kraft book, and made it, well... better. I used some home-made Greek yogurt from Caputo's as a base (you could use lowfat mayo and fat-free sour cream, instead), and added some fat-free yogurt to thin it out a bit. I added chopped cucumber, fresh dill, scallions, tahini paste, and a little Splenda (we're talking Phase I, people) and salt. Oh, and lemon juice.



It was thick, creamy and refreshing. We were scooping it by the quarter cupful. I readied the platter for a photo in my favorite spot-lite above the dishwasher, and as I did so, I realized Ma was not yet trained as my husband is. Where he would have waited patiently with fork in hand, she picked up a carrot and totally plunged into my PERFECT SWIRL. "My swirl!!" I cried, re-forming with the back of a spoon. This lady had a lot to learn!

The dip also went really well with the main protein attraction... And WHAT IS IT, you slobber on your keyboard? Oh HO! My four readers will have to wait in eager anticipation.

Tomorrow, probably. Or Wednesday. I am a master of suspense.

Bobazzi Curry

I'm baaaack! Sorry I've been away so long... The good news is, it seems like more people than ever are reading the blog, and having nice things to say about it. The bad news is, I've taken this particular opportunity to post not so often. Nice, right? Well, I graduate in two months, and I think I'll get my life back somewhat after that. It will be on to part-time work for me (as dad used to say, "Lord willing and the waters don't rise.")

I'm stealing my brother's descriptor again to title this chicken curry. My parents used to make chicken curry pretty often when I was a kid, and serve it over rice. They made it with a milk-and-flour-base, yellow curry powder, onion, apples, peas and chicken. I have tried it a few times, and I varied it a little for this recipe... I've patterned it more after the creamy coconut milk curry you get in Thai restaurants. The curry really became a whole "nother thing," and it's just as easy, or easier to make than the other type.



I started by pan-searing chicken breasts with Thai curry powder (plenty of it), and salt, pepper, and garlic powder. I cooked them just about through, but I don't worry about it too much. They'll be going into the curry sauce, and will finish cooking pretty quickly. So you just remove it from the pan, let is sit a bit, and then chop the breasts into chunks.



Back in the pan, I added a little oil more oil than usual, (about a quarter cup or less), garlic, chopped onion, and several tablespoons of Trader Joe's macadamia nut and cashew butter. I wanted to use this as a thickener, in place of the flour. If that isn't available to you, I think peanut butter would work just as well -- though you'd probably have a more distinctive peanut flavor.

When that was stirred in together and nicely melty, I added the chicken, and two cans of light coconut milk. I brought the heat up through everything, and let it all thicken.

Taking a little more help from Trader Joe's, I chopped the microwavable fingerling potatoes and added those in (I've since made this with Yukon potatoes I cooked first). I added salt and more curry powder, coriander and a little cayenne to taste. I dropped some green peas in at the last moment (frozen, Market Day, natch) and served it over brown rice.



I have since garnished the curry with diced red bell pepper and scallions, and some toasted slivered almonds. Next time, I think I will try adding some green apples to the sautee (something that will hold up to the heat) as my folks used to do. Doesn't match the Thai "pattern" so much, but for me, it'd be nostalgic. Probably would be good with some golden raisins, too!

Thai Chili Garlic Paste

Nearly a year ago, I purchased a lot of new ingredients that were called for in a cookbook I got called "30-Minute Thai." I have only followed the recipes once or twice, but I've monkeyed with the ingredients quite a bit. I like to mix them with other asian ingredients, like soba noodles. I call this "Asian Fusion." Nah, you know me better than that. I call it, "My Cookbook is Too High Up and Requires a Stepladder."

You'd be hard-pressed to abuse soba noodles (which are yummy in plain broth or anything else), or fish sauce (milder than soy), but one ingredient I've had to learn to treat with respect is the thai chili garlic paste. Here's what you don't do:



Don't assume that two puny tablespoons and some olive oil for an entire bag of sliced pork tenderloin won't kill your entire family if you use it as a marinade. Because it will. As my friend J. Moy stated, "Oh hell no. That shit will blow your head off." Sure, on the jar it says, "condiment." But I can't imagine an amount of this stuff small enough for me to actually be able to use it as a topping. I dunno if we're way too caucasian, but my husband and I cried, sweated, and blew our noses through half of a pork chop each before conceding total inedibility. I was able to salvage the rest of the chops only by slicing up the leftovers and putting them into wonton soup. Whew. Which is a relief, because for a couple of days, looking at the leftovers in the fridge actually made me afraid.

Don't run from your leftovers. Here's what you can do:



Despite thai chili paste being the bad-boy in my fridge, my peanut butter has fallen deeply in love with him. And they are great together. You can mix a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter with about 1/4 teaspoon and enough olive oil and fish (or soy) sauce to thin it out, and it makes a great brush-on for chicken (with a little salt and pepper).



I now really love the chili sauce for the authentic, layered flavor it gives to the sauces you mix it with. (And let's face it, the stuff sure is economical at this concentration.) You can use it as a great toss with soba or rice noodles, too. I start with a little garlic and oil, add the merest quarter teaspoon of chili sauce, the same two tablespoons of peanut butter, and thin it with chicken stock. Add some scallions, veggies, fish sauce, and toss in the cooked noodles. I top it with crushed peanuts. I like the noodles with chicken, or fried tofu triangles.



Cut the firm tofu into the triangle shape, and roll them in corn starch. Fry them for a couple of minutes in shallow oil on each side until golden. Drain, and salt and pepper them with a little regular ol' chili and garlic powder. Crispy and savory, without the sensation that a thousand screaming-hot white dwarf suns are dying on the surface of your tongue. Which no one wants.