sandwiches and spirituality

I was to believe that Jesus cares more that I don't waste food than eat meat on Good Friday.

At the beginning of the week I had a pound of ground beef, so I made it into some meatballs and hamburgers. It made 3 servings of meatballs and 1 hamburger. Well, I've had the meatballs twice, and then had free dinner at school last night. Considering that the burger has been in there since Monday night, I figured I needed to eat it today. I'll make no pretense, it was delicious. I didn't have Non-italian bread crumbs when I made it so I crushed up some pretzel chips and used that instead and also added dijon and garlic. It came out surprisingly well!- Today I slapped that baby between a whole wheat bagel thin with provolone, mustard and some greens. Happy lunch in my belly.

I'm going to a seder tonight and helping to do the cooking this afternoon. The Jews might not agree with my cheeseburger, the Catholics won't agree with my brisket tonight.

Maybe I need to be Agnostic. Or a Unitarian. Some religion with less rules regarding deliciousness.

veggie monster

Last weekend, I ate a lot of meat. Pastrami, meatballs, BBQ, bacon...for a near vegetarian I felt like I needed to go on detox this week. This week, I ate a lot of salad. I think I perfected my new favorite salad:


Mixed greens
1/4 cup of chickpeas
Handful of Craisins 
Chopped carrots
Crumbled goat cheese
Crushed pita chips  
(occasionally sliced turkey) 


Dressing: a drizzle of garlic infused olive oil and a few shakes of red wine vinegar, with some salt and pepper to taste. 


Try it! Yummy, filling and healthy. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

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I hope you are all feeling happy and loved today. Think for a moment about all the people you have loved in life and the people who have loved you. Pretty astounding isn't it?! 

Here are some fun V-day links from around the web:

Tonight I am making gluten free brownies for one of my girlfriends here in grad school. I came across this chocolate gluten free cake recipe that looks pretty yummy. 

Red lipstick is perfect for Valentine's Day

You never know, the love of your life could be right around the corner.

I'm watching the movie Valentine's Day tonight, eating desserts, and drinking wine with some fabulous lady friends. Do you have fun plans?

that which sustains us

Maybe you have figured this out by now: I love food. Not just eating it, but cooking it as well. I just had one of those days where nothing really went quite wrong but I was feeling overwhelmed BY THE WEIGH OF THE WORLD (Throws head back and sighs for dramatic measure.) So I went for a walk and let my mind wander. Well, it didn't take too long to start thinking about the meals I cooked this week: vegetarian fajitas, curried lentil soup, roasted chicken with potatoes, breakfast burrito. Not too bad of a week in the kitchen. Tonight I am thinking I might make shrimp tacos. I've never been much of a baker, even though I try sometimes, but cooking-- Chopping, sauteeing, braising, roasting, caramelizing, all of those real cooking savory food words-- I LOVE. I always think about Julie and Julia when I've had a rough day. Julie Powell makes a comment to her husband:

"Chocolate cream pie! You know what I love about cooking? I love that after a day when nothing is sure and when I say nothing, I mean nothing. You can come home and absolutely know that if you add egg yolks to chocolate and sugar and milk, it will get thick. That's such a comfort."


Julie, I hear ya. Maybe it's roasting and blending up a butternut squash soup for me, but I find such comfort in the hum of the kitchen, and the quiet success of a delicious meal.

fun fact

I love doughnuts. There are a lot of sweets I can just walk past. Sheet cake? No interest. Lemon tarts? Pass. But chocolate cake doughnuts? BE STILL MY HEART. I was known to occasionally walk from my office at 3pm to the Dunkin Doughnuts down the street, purchase a single chocolate cake doughnut, and eat it on the walk back. No, I could not wait until I got in the office and made a cup of tea.

I saw this recipe for homemade chocolate cake doughnuts today. I cannot make them because I would eat the entire pan in less than an hour. But if someone could make them that has more self control than me, please, let me know how the recipe is. 

life rules- brunch

Acceptable people to have brunch with: 

1) Your girlfriends: For the purpose catching up on everyone's night before over pancakes and eggs benedict. It's a perfect meal to pig out on early enough in the day where you still have time to burn it off.

2) Your new boyfriend's parents: It's less stressful than dinner because there is an allotted amount of time. It's not usually that expensive so you don't have to feel awkward about the parents picking up the check. You can look chic yet still conservative. Perfect parent brunch outfit: skinny jeans, flats, a cardigan and colorful scarf with some cute earrings. Voila. 

3) That guy you just started dating and slept over at your place for the first time: Let's be honest, if he wants to go out for brunch after, he likes you. If he has to run out to meet friends/ run a marathon/ watch football he's just not that into you. It's a good barometer. 

the most delicious tomato soup

Considering that I have been eating this tomato soup the last 4 days and haven't gotten sick of it yet, I figured I should share the recipe. I made it for my first soup party of the season and forgot how much it makes so I had lots of leftovers. You may want to half the recipe for 4-6 servings. 

I love this soup so much I want to kiss it :) 

Adapted from Serious Eats' Nordstrom Tomato Basil Soup


Ingredients

serves 8-10

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon dried basil, crushed
• 3 28-ounce cans whole peeled Roma tomatoes
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 1 pint heavy cream (sometimes I use less, just add it, taste, add more.) 
• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Crushed red pepper (optional) 

Procedures

1. In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add carrots and onion and cook until beginning to soften, 10 minutes, then add basil and garlic and cook until vegetables are completely soft, about 5 minutes more.
2. Add tomatoes and broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes, or up to 45 minutes.
3. After allowing soup to cool somewhat, purée in a blender or food processor until smooth, doing so in batches if necessary. (I just stick an immersion blender into the pot and it does the job too with less mess.)
4. Stir in cream little by little over over low heat, until desired texture is reached and soup is just heated through. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper and serve warm. (Sometimes I add garlic powder as well to round out the flavors.)
   
   This is great served with garlic bread.
   
   Bon appetite! 

mmm tostada

Over the weekend I made this tostada recipe twice that I came up with and was overjoyed each time, so I figured I should share it with you. I am not one to cook really with measurements, but perhaps you can follow?


Ingredients: (this is cooking for one, but you could replicate it however many times you need.)


2 whole wheat tortillas 
Shredded cheddar cheese
Trader Joes Roasted Tomato salsa (Or Salsa verde) 
Refried black beans 
Sliced avocado or guacamole
Sautéed peppers and onions


Cooking:
1. Heat oven to 450 degrees F
2. On a cookie sheet place one tortilla. Sprinkle shredded cheese on tortilla and top it with second tortilla. 
3. Spread refried black beans on top of the second tortilla. Place tray into the oven for about 5 minutes until cheese is melty between and beans are hot. 
4. While the tortilla is heating in a frying pan sauté diced peppers and onions in a bit of olive oil.
5. Take tortillas out of the oven and top with peppers and onions, salsa, and avocado or guacamole. Slice in quarters. Bon appetite! 


The whole process takes about 10-15 minutes. It is a quick and delicious dinner! 

zzz

I'm having a sleepy day. All I want to do is lay around and eat carbs. How good do these pumpkin scones sound? I could also go for some zucchini bread. 


And with that I am going to take a quick nap. One of the perks of being a student-- sleeping at 4pm on a Tuesday. 

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Are you having any cravings lately?

braised chicken is a revelation

Even though it is still 80 degrees out I think I am starting to get into cool weather nesting mood. Today, all I want to do is cook. Not like, single girl throwing a meal together, but something that makes the whole house smell good and warm and delicious. I turned to the experts of comfort food: the Deens. While I tend to shy away from Paula "Everything has 2 lbs of butter" Deen's recipes, I do have a cookbook from her sons: The Deen Bros. Take it Easy. There is a lot of casserole in there, a little more midwest than my usual cooking, but I have found this one recipe that is a serious gem. I have made it probably 5 times and it is so simple, but tastes like so much more. 

You ready for this?

It is called Quick Braised Chicken with Rosemary and Potatoes. Try it. (Adapted from the Deen bros)

Ingredients: 

2 teaspoons salt, plus additional for seasoning

2 teaspoons black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil (I usually just do a few glugs)

2 garlic cloves, minced (I use the pre-chopped in a jar)

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1 teaspoon dried rosemary 

2-3 lbs of chicken legs, with bone

1 pound small new red potatoes, cut into 8ths. 

1 onion, cut into chunks 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and rosemary 

3. Place chicken in a large broiler-proof baking pan. Season with salt and pepper. Add potatoes and onions around the chicken. Pour the rosemary sauce over the chicken and make sure everything is coated.

4. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25-30 minutes. Uncover and switch to broil for 5-10 minutes, or until the juices run clear for the chicken and it looks yummy and browned. 

Serve hot (about 3-4 people) with the juices spooned on top. 

YUM.

Since I am a poor grad student I save the chicken bones and make stock with them :) 

I also pour about 1/4 cup of chicken stock if I have some around in the pan to make a bit more gravy. 

that went well

God bless Molly Wizenberg and her delicious chocolate cake. After our dinner of salad, pasta and chicken parmesan (and a bottle of prosecco) I presented the cake on a lovely cake stand. Two slices were served and topped with whipped cream. He ate a bite of the cake, and then he came over and kissed me. Good.

If any effects could have been wished or hoped for, I think that was the best possible outcome. 

The next morning I gave him a few slices for his coworkers. A dessert like this is best if it is shared. 24 hours after I baked the cake it looked like this: 

I'm slowly chipping away at the rest of it, but mostly I would like it if he came over again to help me finish it off. 

winning hearts and minds

I've always loved to read, however, it is pretty rare that a book really catches me. Last year I was introduced to the wonderful Molly Wizenberg. If you haven't heard of Molly, allow me the honor of introducing her to you. She started off writing the food blog Orangette a few years ago, which eventually became a full-blown book: A Homemade Life. Her book is one of those special ones that captivates you and makes you feel like you are now best friends with the author. Molly (we are obviously on a first name basis) shares her life through food memories and passes along those recipes as well. It's glorious and glutenous. Read it. You won't be sorry. 

The last recipe in her book is one of her most famous. Its called the "Winning Hearts and Minds Cake."  This is not the most beautiful cake, but I would gander to say it is one of the most delicious. We are talking about 1 and 3/4 sticks of butter, half a pound of chocolate...this list goes on. The first time I made it was for my dad's birthday and the whole family gave it rave reviews. 


Tonight I am having a boy over for dinner. I made the cake last night and its sitting on a beautiful cake stand just waiting for the right moment. Fingers crossed that it lives up to its name.