ilieaskitchen

Carrot Glazed Ham: Glazed Carrots and Ham in One Dish!

2011-12-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

Carrot Glazed Ham

Glazed Ham has always been one of my favorite Holiday Dishes. My family always bakes a ham for Christmas. I came up with recipe a long time ago in SF, When I was looking for a creative way to incorporate carrots into Thanksgiving Dinner without making yet another side-dish. The trick to this recipe is very finely minced carrots.

RECIPE:

HAM
1/2 cup baby carrots
2 TBS honey
1 TBS Stoneground Mustard or dijon
1/4 tsp ground clove

Preheat oven to 350*. Place ham in a baking dish. Mix all glaze ingredients in a bowl. Pour over ham. Bake uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or till golden.

Turkey Stock: Many uses, don't skip it!

2011-12-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

Easy Turkey Stock

When making a complete turkey dinner, one of the most important pieces to the puzzle is the turkey stock. Any excess turkey fat, skin or parts, such as wing tips, bones, or the neck out of the giblets bag, should be used. Once it's done simmering, you strain out all the veggies and bits, and end up with richly turkey flavored broth, without having to spend any extra money on pre-packaged broth. You can use the strained out bits too! any meat can be pulled easily off the bones and chopped and added to the stuffing. you can also sort out the veggies and use them in turkey leftover soup. (Recipe coming soon!)

RECIPE:
Turkey scraps
3 TBS butter
1/2 yellow onion, quatered
1/2 cup baby carrots
2 celery stalks, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
2 cloves garlic
fresh herbs, such as sage, thyme, and parsley
salt and pepper to taste
3 quarts of water

in a skillet over medium heat, brown turkey scraps in butter till richly colored. Deglaze with 1 cup of water, and pour into your stock pot. add remaining ingredients and simmer over low heat for 2-5 hours. should render about 1 quart of stock.

SERVING SIZE: make about 1 quart.

Holiday Special: Pear Brined Roast Turkey

2011-11-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

Roast Turkey

During the Holidays, people eat turkey. Turkey is not mentioned much during any other time of year.
Turkey roasting is often depicted in movies as a difficult and dangerous undertaking. But really, it's pretty easy. Here is a picture Michael took of wild turkeys we saw while camping in Utah.

Remove excess skin, fat and bones from turkey. If you are cooking a whole turkey, this will include removing the giblets bag from the inside of the turkey (don't throw it away!), rinsing out the inside very well. Set all removed parts aside, you will use this to make the turkey stock, which is necessary for the stuffing and gravy dishes.
Brine your turkey. for 4 Lbs of turkey i used 4 quarts of water, with 1/3 cup salt, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 a large pear roughly chopped, 1 sprig of rosemary, and 1 sprig of thyme. Only use fresh, cold water. Stir well to dissolve all sugar and salt. Be sure your turkey is fully submerged in the brine solution. You can use a large pot or freezer storage bag. Brine for at least 4 hours, but best results are after at least 12-24 hours.
Rinse Turkey well, to remove excess salty brine from the surface.
Rub turkey with butter for roasting. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs.
Place turkey over veggies in a roasting pan with a lid. Cover and roast at 325* for about 1 1/2 hours, basting every 1/2 hour. Internal Temperature of dine turkey should be about 165*-170*F.
To quickly and easily achieve a rich browned skin, after one hour remove turkey from oven and rub skin with olive oil. Roast uncovered for final 1/2 hour. For smaller pieces of turkey, you can also rub the skin with oil and broil for 3 minutes of so, until desired brownness is achieved.

RECIPE:
4-5 Lbs of your favorite Turkey Parts: Here shown is one Bone in Half Breast and One Drumstick.
Brine solution: (SEE ABOVE FOR RECIPE)
1/2 stick butter
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 fresh large sage leaves
1 sprig thyme, picked
1 1/2 cups vegetables for roasting such as onion, carrot, and celery

SERVING SIZE: about 4 Servings of turkey

Cornbread: For Stuffing

2011-11-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

Cornbread

Step one to make a great homemade stuffing is great home-made cornbread. Here is the recipe for Cornbread, which is modified from my usual recipe that i use for eating as cornbread. Stuffing cornbread needs more flour to hold itself together in order to make a great crouton. It also needs to be very low in sugar, as too much sweetness can be off putting in stuffing mix. For this post I have included both recipes for your enjoyment.

RECIPE:
Cornbread for Stuffing:
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornmeal
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
3 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs melted butter, cooled slightly

Preheat oven to 350*. Mix together dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix together wet ingredients. stir Dry into wet till mixed. Pour into a greased 8X8 dish. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Delicious Honeyed Cornbread:
3/4 flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornmeal
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk
4 TBS melted butter, cooled slightly
(2 TBS honey, drizzle over cornbread batter before baking.)

Follow directions, as above.

SERVING SIZE: Makes one 8X8" square of cornbread

Apple Cider: Spiced, Served Hot!

2011-11-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

Hot Spiced Cider

Well, It's Fall, the weather is cold and getting colder, with snow fall in some places. The holidays are near and apples are in season. I enjoy many types of hot beverages myself- i am a fan of tea, coffee, warm sake, but a nice spiced cider is a wonderful treat- especially at a holiday table.
One of the best things about Spiced Apple Cider is how easy it is to prepare. Here are some little tricks to know before you start to help you spice with success!

Never use Ground Cinnamon- ground cinnamon turns slimy when heated with liquid. Your cider will have clumpy, slimy brown boogers in it. Always use stick cinnamon.
Do you best to find the best "juice" possible. With just pressed apples as an ingredient. This will have the best lightest flavor, and ensure that your beverage isn't overbearingly sweet.

Bring a jug to your next party. It's family friendly!

RECIPE
1/2 gallon of fresh pressed pure apple "juice" or "cider" be sure to read the label, it should only say "apples".
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 TBS fresh ginger
1 TBS orange zest
Pour juice into a large pot over medium-low heat. Add spices and zest. Heat to just below boiling, and steep over low heat for an hour. Remove form heat, strain (optional) and serve. Keeps in the fridge for about 2 weeks.
SERVING SIZE: Makes 1/2 gallon.

OTHER FLAVORS: Of course you can put any spices you like, and adjust the amounts of these here. You can try adding a touch of orange juice, lemon zest (try a meyer lemon!), or your favorite sweetener, though i find it best just as is.

FASTER: well, easier: place all ingredients in a crock pot. heat on low all day.

HEALTHIER: So healthy if you use natural, pure, fresh apple juice. Easy to find at your local farmer's market, or at your local health food store.

Thanksgiving Dinner: An iliea's Kitchen Marathon

2011-11-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Dinner

Yay! This is the First Thanksgiving meal i've cooked in a while! I love my new, large kitchen! This is a simple menu i had put together with Michael's help with prep and photos. We ate this by ourselves, but the portions were definitely enough to feed about 4, maybe 5 people. Here's What was on the menu:

Pear Brined Roast Turkey ( 1 Bone in Split Breast, and one drumstick, total of 4 lbs)
Carrot Glazed Ham
Scratch-Made Stuffing
Mashed Potatoes (but don't worry, i won't bore you with a recipe for that)
Green Beans with Cippolini Onions and Almonds
Fresh-made Cranberry Sauce
Gravy

So in the following days I plan to create a post for each recipe, Plus the usual tips and suggestions. Many people I know are intimidated by holiday cooking... I Hope you can follow along, and see how simple most of this is to put together. The only thing you really need is time and space, and a good plan.

Here are some tips to consider before you jump:

Make sure you have all your ingredients before you begin cooking. Nothing is less convenient than having to run to the crowded grocery store for a last minute forgotten item.
Layout your menu. Look at all the items and think about how each one will need to be cooked and prepared. Make sure you have enough of the right pots, pans, and mixing bowls for the job. Also consider what could be made in advance and start there. I then use this list to plan what to make first when i start cooking and schedule times. I keep a timer handy, this helps me to stay focused when multiple dishes are being juggled simultaneously.
Clean your kitchen. If you start clean it will be easier to get back to clean once everything is done. Having some help with dishes along the way is a great way to keep massive cooking messes under control. I wash each dish as i work, which helps to keep all the prep space clear as well.
Have fun! Have a glass of wine while you cook, listen to music or your favorite podcasts, enlist friends to help. This will help you to stay relaxed and in control.

Well, stay tuned! and Happy Holidays from iliea's Kitchen!

Next Time In iliea's Kitchen:

Shortbread: Part 2- Chocolate Shortbread

2011-11-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

Chocolate Shortbread

I love shortbread cookies. I especially love a really nice chocolate shortbread cookie. This is an original recipe (invented by me!). Drool over the pictures, but bake up a batch and eat some too!

RECIPE

1/2 Cup Flour
2 Tbs Cocoa Powder
1 ounce Dark Chocolate, Chopped
3 TBS water
1 Tbs sugar + 2Tbs coarse Sugar

Set an oven proof bowl over a pan of boiling water. Add chopped chocolate, and melt, stirring constantly. Once melted, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder and 1 Tbs Sugar. Whisk in butter, as shown. Whisk in chocolate, as shown. form dough into a ball. Roll out to 1/2" thickness, Press Coarse sugar into dough, cut as desired.

SERVING SIZE

Makes 1 dozen 3" cookies

OTHER FLAVORS: You can use these cookie for ganache sandwiches, ice cream sandwiches, crumbled into pie crust, or press dough into a tart pan for an easy and delicious crust. Form dough into small balls, press with thumb to flatten- fill with Jam or a chocolate kiss.

Shortbread: Part 1- Traditional Shortbread

2011-11-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

My Favorite Traditional Shortbread

Vesratile Cookie Recipe Great for the Holidays!

With The Holidays So Close...

You may be looking for some simple no fuss recipe to help you to get the WOW you want with out too much work or brainpower... right?

This simple and tasty cookie recipe might be just the thing you were looking for.

In the past, this shortbread/ butter cookie recipe has worked well and can be used in a few different ways. it is great plain or topped with "sanding sugar" or formed into jam filled thumbprints. You can add Flavors to the dough, such as nuts, or chocolate, or even herbs (i like lavender a lot). See "Other Flavors" section below for more ideas. I have also used this recipe as a tart crust for a delicious and easy tart.

RECIPE

1 1/4 Cup Flour
3 Tbs Sugar
1/2 Cup butter

Whisk together flour and sugar in a bowl. Cut cold butter into flour till well combined, Should resemble wet sand. Form Dough into a ball, knead till smooth, about 1 minute. Form a square log shape and roll into 1/2" thickness. Cut into even pieces. Press coarse sugar onto dough. Arrange on a cookie sheet and bake at 300* till golden, about 30 minutes.

OTHER FLAVORS: Once you have this dough made, you can shape and bake it in almost any for you like. use cookie cutters, mini tart pans, etc. One nice way to use this dough is to make thumbprint cookies; just shape the dough into small balls, and flatten with your thumb, this will leave an impression, which you can then fill with your favorite jam, like raspberry, or a chocolate kiss. You can also combine your creative additions to this such as ground nuts (1/4 cup), or Herbs (2 TBS).

Tune in Tomorrow for another variation of this recipe!

Pumpkin Pie: A Thanksgiving Tradition, From A Real Pumpkin!

2011-11-21T17:10:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin Pie

First You Take a Real Pumpkin...

Then you make a pie!

So, when i was growing up, i absolutely HATED pumpkin pie. i could never figure out why so many people liked it so much! It was heavy, way too sweet, and always gave me a stomach ache. After i grew and started making Thanksgiving dinners myself, I decided to try making pie with a fresh pumpkin. They are so cute in the store, irresistible not to buy. So i tried it and i discovered that i love Pumpkin pie. I think it was the awful can all along that i hated.
This is my recipe for pumpkin pie. No refined sugar, no harsh flavors, just a gently spiced, naturally sweetened pumpkin pie. It took a lot of experimenting over many holidays to get this recipe just the way i like it. I hope you like it too.

RECIPE:
Pumpkin Pie From Scratch
For Crust: (slideshow recipe shows 1 crust proportions)
1 1/2 Cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
6 tbs cold butter
5 tbs ice water
whisk flour and salt together. add in cold butter. cut together with a knife, pastry cutter, or food processor. add water, gently stir together with a fork. form a ball and refridgerate till ready to use.

For Pumpkin Pie Filling:
1 small pumpkin pureed
1 tsp fresh ground cinnamon
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1 cup half and half
3 eggs
3 tbs grade b maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
Prep pumpkin and puree as shown. put puree into large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Mix in all ingredients and heat, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Roll out dough as shown. Pour puree into prepared pie crust and bake at 375* for about 30-40 minutes or until set. cool, serve

SERVING SIZE: Makes 2 Pumpkin pies.

Tune in tomorrow!

Apple Cake: What to Do with Apples That Hang Around Too Long

2011-11-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

Apple Cake

An Easy Take-Along For The Holidays!

It happens to me every fall, i buy more apples than i can eat, and then i end up with a couple of apples that are too soft to eat or make pie out of, but too pretty to throw out. It took me a lot of searching, and then some experimenting, but i have developed this cake recipe as a solution to the "old apple" problem.
This recipe stars whole wheat as the only flour in the recipe, but your friends will never know it. i have also included my recipe for my special Cinnamon Caramel Glaze that makes a great warm topping for this cake.

Please give this easy recipe a shot, impress your friends! This would be a super recipe to take to a holiday party or family gathering!

RECIPE
Apple Cake:

3/4 whole wheat flour

1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup sugar
1 stick of butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs

2 apples, ripe and diced into very small dices (peeled if you prefer, but it doesn't matter)
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Prepare an 8"X8" pan with butter and flour, as shown. Preheat oven to 350*. In a bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt together, set aside. In a separate bowl, mix sugar and eggs. Add butter, beat at medium speed till fluffy like frosting. Gently add in flour mixture using a spoon or low mixing speed, just till combined. Gently fold in apples and nuts till coated. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake about 25-30 minutes, or till golden brown and toothpick comes out clean. Cool at least 20 minutes before cutting or glazing.

Cinnamon Caramel Glaze
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tb butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg yolk

Heat all ingredients together in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Heat to boil. Boil 1 minute, continuing to stir. Remove from heat, allow to cool. Spread over finished cake.

SERVING SIZE: Makes one glazed 8"X8" Square cake, suitable for 9 servings.

OTHER FLAVORS: The addition of vanilla to the cake batter is optional. This would also turn out fine with out nuts, with pecans, or with all purpose flour (change amount to 1 cup). If you are short on butter, you can substitute half the butter in the batter for oil.

CHEAPER: Skip the glaze. Make into Muffins (fill cups 3/4 full) for portioned breakfast or snack to-go treats.

FASTER: This cake is pretty fast, the most time consuming part is the chopping of the apples. perhaps a food processor would help.

HEALTHIER: substitute any healthful oil for butter in the batter. Skip the glaze. This cake is a treat, so its not really gonna be all too healthy, but it's not the worst thing you could have either. :p

Fresh Salsa: Pico De Gallo

2011-11-18T14:41:00.000-08:00

Salsa: Pico De Gallo

One Hot Habanero

Hello everyone! Boy, it's been a while hasn't it? My apologies! Here is a recipe oft requested.... Fresh Salsa. This is a recipe i learned from my grandma. In the summer months where i grew up, she would have a garden of tomatoes ripe and ready- and she would pull out her old heavy stone molcajete to grind it together. She said that her mother gave it to her when she got married, along with a traditional terra cotta bean pot, rolling pin, and cast iron Colmal (flat pan for cooking tortillas) Anyway, This is a family recipe that i'm delighted to share with you all.
The photos came about for this post after i moved. I live in a strange place where authentic foods are seemingly hard to find. I tried a salsa here that may have been one of the worst i ever had. So i decided to make my own. This recipe can be a tiny bit time consuming, so i don't make it as often as i would like to. it's not complicated, just a lot of chopping. You can use a food processor if you have one, but try to mince or dice rather than liquify the ingredients for a hearty texture.

What to use salsa for?

Well, I sorta doubt anyone would really ask this question, but I wanted to share some of my favorite uses for salsa anyway. Of course you can serve salsa with your favorite tortilla chips. I love to have my morning omelette rolled with salsa inside. I have also really liked making corn quesadillas with a dab of salsa inside. You can top your tostadas with it, as shown in the blog post here. A favorite snack of mine lately has been homemade nachos, which is simply chips with grated cheddar, a bit of salsa, tucked under the broiler for a few minutes. So many more uses!

An additional note: I made this batch using one very hot habanero pepper. Please take care when chopping spicy peppers! The hot oils could penetrate delicate skin and cause intense burning for some people. I've seen this happen once and it was rather traumatic. If you feel your skin may be delicate, wear gloves. Also, if your knife isn't incredibly sharp you also risk squirting pepper juices into your eyes. Please be careful if this is the case.

RECIPE:

1 lb Roma tomatoes, peeled or 1.25 lbs of your favorite seasonal tomatoes
1/2 of a large yellow onion
1/4 bunch of fresh cilantro
2 large cloves of garlic
1 Habanero pepper*
1 lime or 1/2 lemon Juiced; or 1 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp salt, more to taste

Chop all ingredients as shown.Add lime juice and salt. Mix together well. Move to an airtight container and allow to sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Enjoy with chips or on your favorite foods.

SERVING SIZE: Makes One Pint, Lasts in the fridge for about 2 weeks.

*OTHER FLAVORS: You can make this recipe as hot or mild as you like. If you feel timid about spiciness, Try starting with a jalapeno without seeds. Always taste and adjust after you have allowed the salsa to sit for at least 4 hours. Medium Hot spicy- try jalapeno with seeds, or substitute a serrano, a slightly hotter pepper. All peppers have a different flavor and personality. Experiment to find what you like!
ALSO: If you chop an avocado into a bowl and add a few tablespoons of salsa, you have fresh, easy guacamole!

FASTER: Like i have stated above, You can make this recipe faster if you use a food processor. I don't really like using- but have a go at it if you want.

HEALTHIER: This recipe is pretty darn healthy. All fresh ingredients, raw, vegetables, etc. Just watch the foods you put it on!

Crepes: I like Mine Fresh and Fruity!

2011-05-01T09:10:00.000-07:00

Crepes

So, i was watching Julia Child's show on DVD, and i came across this recipe she uses to make tasty-looking dessert crepes. i also read about crepes in cooks illustrated recently, and i really wanted to try it.
so this is what came up with, i used julia's basic recipe, but i tailored it to fit two servings. i want to experiment with a whole wheat flour version, and maybe a creme friache batter.

i know from previous experiences at Crepe Restaurants in SF that i love Crepes with Chocolate Hazelnut Spread, Fresh Strawberries and Blueberries. i made these with a side of oven roasted potatoes and omelets, and it made a tasty breakfast as well as a memorable breakfast-for-dinner.

RECIPE

Makes about four 5" crepes, enough for 2 servings.

BATTER:

1 egg yolk

1/2 Cup Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 Cup Water

1/4 Cup Milk

1 1/2 TBS melted butter Plus more butter for cooking (Approx 1tbs)

Plus 1 TBS Melted Butter and 2 tsp sugar

FILLING:

3 TBS Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (Such as Nutella)

4 Med/Lrg Fresh Strawberries, Sliced

1/4 Fresh blueberries

Whisk flour and salt together. Mix in egg, water, and milk till you get a smooth batter. You can do this in a food processor too, but i don;t like dirtying a lot of dishes, and it is very easy to mix by hand. Set aside. prepare filling ingredients, and heat pan. Put enough butter in the hot pan to make a thin coating. pour batter in pan to make a thin layer, as shown in slideshow. cook about 2minutes, or until loose from pan when shaken. flip carefully. Cook on second side about 1-2 minutes. turn onto a plate. repeat till you use up your batter. Carefully spread chocolate spread onto crepe, fill, and roll, as shown. repeat, lining crepes up on an oven proof plate or dish, folded side down. drizzle or paint melted butter over tops of rolled crepes and sprinkle with sugar. Place under broiler and heat till sugar is caramelized, watching carefully, about 3-5 minutes. Served topped with creme friache or whipped cream.

OTHER FLAVORS:

Wow! there are hundreds of things you could do with crepes once you have a pile on a plate to play with. The first time i tested this recipe, i did not have berries, and i used sliced bananas and chopped nuts as a filling, which came out really nice. if you try something and you love it, lemme know!

CHEAPER:

You can substitute peanut butter for nutella. it's definately a bit cheaper and more handy for most folks. you can also use frozen rather than fresh berries. for the batter, it is pretty basic, so it's very inexpensive.

FASTER:

You can make the batter a few hours in advance to save time. You may have to thin it again with a splash of water to get a nice pourable consistency. This will depend on the flour in your batter. Julia suggests making them ahead and freezing them, i have not tried this, and since i am not a fan of freezing food really, i probably won't.

HEALTHIER:

as i said at the top of the post, i am hoping to someday work out a whole wheat version of this recipe. i will post again when i do. Till then, you can use egg white rather than yolk, skim milk, and olive oil (or other healthful oil) rather than melted butter. substitute unsweetened nut butter such as almond or peanut for nutella, omit sugar topping step, and top with yogurt.

Bunuelos: Fried Sugary Fun!

2011-04-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

Bunuelos

Crispy, addicting, sweet, and comforting- Bunuelos, pronounced "boon-whey-Lows" are traditionally made and served on New Year's. The dough is similar to flour tortilla dough, which is rolled out super thin, fried, and then sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. i used to make these every year with my grandma when i was a kid. She would always call me specially to help her out, because it can be tricky to fry and sugar bunuelos all at once.

RECIPE:
1/2 cup +2 TBS Flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1 TBS Shortening (or coconut oil)
1/4 cup hot water
1/2 egg white
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
plus additional flour for rolling dough
plus oil for frying, such as vegetable, peanut, or coconut

Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder. Add shortening and water, mix slightly, till water has cooled a bit. Add egg and mix well till it comes together into a dough ball. turn out to a lightly floured board and knead a few times to make a smooth cohesive dough. Press dough into a flat even disk, cut in half. Cut one of the halves in half, then cut each of those pieces into even thirds. Repeat with other Half of dough, forming 12 evenly sized pieces of dough. Now is a good time to get everything ready for cooking. Heat your pan with oil, medium high heat. Get cooling rack and place it over a plate this will drain off excess oil and catch excess sugar (You can also use a plate with paper towels). Mix you sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl and put a small spoon in it. Okay, now your ready to roll. Knead a piece of dough into a small ball. Flour rolling surface lightly and rolling pin. Roll out as thin as possible. If i am doing these with out help, i like to roll out 2 or 3 before i begin cooking to give myself a head start. Fry till brown and crispy on both sides. Remove from oil, place on rack. Allow oil to drain a few seconds ( Place next round into oil), then sprinkle with sugar on both sides. Shake off excess sugar, and place on a plate. Roll another round, and continue. Keep in an airtight container for 3-5 days, though i doubt they will sit around longer than 1 day.

SERVING SIZE: Two 4"disks. Serves 3.

OTHER FLAVORS: Though it is not something my grandma ever did, these are also traditionally served with a drizzle of honey. Which sounds good, i'll let you know when i try it.

CHEAPER: This is as cheap as it gets, folks.

FASTER: hmmm. i am not sure there is a Quick way to fry a bunch of bunuelos. Sorry.

HEALTHIER: Fried foods are NOT health foods. This is a special treat!

Spicy Ramen: Ramen With Intensity!

2011-04-24T22:08:00.000-07:00

Today's Feature is....

Spicy Ramen!

HOORAY!

We are back in action with my new camera i got for my birthday! i hope you all are excited! i have so many new things to share with you! I will be cooking from my "Mock Kitchen" i set up in my cabin in Sequoia National Park, which is complete with a Mini Fridge, Double Burner Hot Plate and a Kick ass Deluxe sized Toaster Oven! (i know it's not an ideal setting, but i still make magic happen!).

Anyhow, about the recipe:

This is a recipe i came up with after having a lot of trouble finding "Ramen" Packages That did not contain MSG and suited my taste. This recipe is inspired by a Korean Soup i like a lot called Yuk Gae Jang, Which is a spicy beef broth with shredded beef and mung bean sprouts. I did not have sprouts on the day i shot this, so it is missing that, but it still tasted fantastic.

Feel free to change this recipe in any way you like.

RECIPE

1 quart (4 cups) water

4 cloves fresh garlic or 2tsp granulated

Spice Mix:

1/2 tsp Cayanne

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

1 TBS Soy sauce + more to taste (Soy is used rather than salt in this recipe)

2 tsp vinegar (Cider vinegar shown, but you can also use rice or white.)

1 TBS sake or Mirin

2 Tsp Chicken Paste or enough Bouillon for 2 cups

Veggies:

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup cubed tofu

1 cup Mung Bean Sprouts

1 block Ramen

Set pot on stove and heat to high. Pour in water. Press or slice garlic (Slice for milder garlic flavor, press for stronger flavor) and add to water. Measure out spices and add to soup. Add Mushrooms and spouts. Allow to simmer 1 minute. add cubed tofu and ramen. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, till ramen is soft. (other brands of ramen noodle may require less cooking time. start with 3 minutes and taste every minute if you are not sure.) Serve hot! Top with Sliced Green onion if you like.

SERVING SIZE

1 Bowl, This recipe serves 2.5 or so.

OTHER FLAVORS:

This recipe is easy to modify how ever you like. here are some ideas that i have tested.

Milder Ramen:

Substitute you favorite chili powder for cayanne.

Chicken Ramen:

Substitute Black pepper for Cayanne and leave out chili flakes.

for veggies, use 1/2 Cup Canned or frozen corn (if using can, add water from can to enhance flavor of broth) and 1/4 cup frozen peas.

Japanese Style recipe:

Substitute 1 1/2 tsp Bonito Dashi Powder for Chicken paste, omit cayanne. Top with Saute'd shrimp or fried egg.

CHEAPER: Dude, this recipe is cheap already, but if you must, you can make just soup with ramen and top with a fried egg instead of cooking veggies and tofu.

FASTER: if you like this recipe and want to make it all the time, you can double or triple the spice mix and mix it into a paste, and stir it into hot water with ramen later on to save time. i have not tried this, but i thought about it, this recipe is fast enough for me as is. if you try it, lemme know how long that lasts.

HEALTHIER: This soup is super healthy, it can be a tad high in sodium, so that would be the only thing i would cut back on. ( think soy sauce and chicken paste.)

VEGETARIAN:

Omit chicken paste, and this is the perfect vegetarian lunch.

Sad News, Everyone!

2010-10-01T14:56:00.000-07:00

It has been pretty sad around here ever since i lost my camera. i kept thinking i would find it, but it has been more than a month. So My recipe slideshows that i normally do with lots of photos, cannot be done! it is so sad. Please Stay tuned till i get a new camera.

Easy Blue Cheese Dressing: Your New Secret Weapon!

2010-08-21T12:47:00.000-07:00

To Dress, To Dress!

This recipe is a great way to use up that leftover blue cheese from the party you threw. In my experience selling cheese, i have heard many people complain that when they bought blue for the party, no one really ate it. This could mean that these people need to find more adventurous friends, but it also definitely means they have blue cheese leftovers to deal with. I like this as a way to stretch my blue cheese money further. A nice blue cheese can be kinda pricey, and this simple dressing recipe can actually be your secret weapon for lots of dishes.

Because of the yogurt base, this dressing melts into a nice creaminess over hot items. I once made this, added a pinch of chopped fresh dill, and spread it over freshly grilled burgers in lieu of cheddar. The result was amazing! How 'bout blue cheese dressing drizzled over saute'd mushrooms as a side dish for steak? Or mixed with mustard powder and tossed instead of mayo into your macaroni salad? Or an easy sauce for ravioli? Spread over corn on the cob! Too hot to cook today? Try it drizzled over shredded carrots as a cool, crunchy, quick and easy side dish.

Anyway, please be daring! and send me pictures!

Easy Blue Cheese Dressing

Makes about 1 cup

2-4 oz blue cheese (remove natural rind from stilton style blues), crumbled

1/2 cup your favorite plain yogurt

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper, (more or less according to your taste)

*** optional seasoning ideas: dill, mustard powder, honey, red pepper flakes, etc.) i don't usually add salt, blue cheeses are usually very salty. But, of course, that is up to you.

Crumble cold blue with a fork, add yogurt and seasoning. Mush it together with a fork for about a minute. Whisk till smooth and fluffly. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for two weeks or longer. Shelf life will depend upon the freshness and quality of the ingredients used (taste before each use after 10 days).

Home Roasted Coffee: Remove Your Smoke Detector

2010-08-14T15:22:00.000-07:00

Yes, Folks.

Roast Coffee yourself!

Today's Post is mostly just for fun, something we did in the kitchen that was kinda awesome.

I have always wondered what happens to coffee to make it taste so good. Roasting coffee is a simple process, but very difficult to master. But, like anything else in the kitchen, i think it can be done with practice. Anyhow, i am no master. Only curious. Roasting your own coffee can save you some money once you get good at it. I have become somewhat of a coffee snob, so only the best Fair Trade/ Organic fresh roasted beans will do. This can be a pricey habit. We got this coffee from a local place that also retails online called Sweet Maria's. They have great prices, good quality, and good ethics. Check their website (link above) for Roasting tips and other coffee stories.

Ok, on to the show. First i have a slideshow of the first half of the roasting, but when it started to move fast, i shot a video. hope you enjoy!

And also:

Homemade Flour Tortillas: Make 'em Yourself!

2010-08-10T13:42:00.000-07:00

Yay!

Homemade Tortillas!

This is a fairly simple recipe, but it does take a little practice to get it perfect. You will be pleased with the results if you give it a try! Homemade tortillas for burritos, tacos, quesadillas, or just as a side dish to any mexican food.

My grandma taught me to make tortillas from a very young age. I remember practicing rolling in first grade. My grandma was often disappointed in my lack of ability to produce round tortillas, and would scold me with her story about how she learned to make them round. " If i messed up, my mother would hit my hand with the rolling pin. It is a fast way to learn." Horrified, i tried my best. My grandma's good humor and tender patience always allowed for my mistakes with out any bruised knuckles, but it is something i still think of every time i roll.

Anyhow, try your best, and send pictures if you try it yourself!

Tortillas

makes 4, serves 2

1 cup flour, plus more for dusting

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbs Shortening

1 tbs Olive oil

1/2 cup HOT water (not hot from from the tap. heat in microwave or kettle)

Mix flour, salt and baking powder. Add shortening, oil, and water. mix till combined, forming dough into a ball. Knead for about one minute. Allow Dough to rest for ten minutes. Divide dough into 4 even pieces. Form each piece into a ball, and roll out on a well dusted board with a well dusted rolling pin. Cook on a dry clean skillet over medium high heat. Poke holes in any large bubbles that form for even cooking. Cook about 30 seconds on each side. Serve hot. Unrolled balls of dough will keep in an airtight container at room temp for about 3 days. You can also roll and partially cook tortillas, and keep them in a zipper bag in the fridge for about a week, or freeze for a month.

Next time in iliea's Kitchen:

Chorizo: Mexican Breakfast Sausage

2010-08-07T12:13:00.000-07:00

Chorizo

So, here's the thing: Chorizo has always been a guilty nostalgic pleasure for me. Mexican Sausage, often including questionable parts of the animal and far more questionable amounts of fat. Buy some from the store, cook it up, and you get a small pile of grainy "meat" drowning in a pool of bright red melted fat. *shudder. Well, i have tried to combat this myself in the past, and a solution for a long time had been to cook it up, drain out the fat with a wire sieve, then return the "meat" to the pan to scramble with eggs. Having collected this drained fat many times, i know that once it cools, it turns into a pale orange goo. I had a hard time not imagining that the breakfast i had just eaten was now a pale orange goo, clumped up somewhere in my body. *again with the shudder. Heavy, fatty, and kinda dirty, but the nostalgic memory was worth this price. Grandma often made chorizo for me, and i have grand memories of saturday mornings finding her in the kitchen, rolling out tortillas, with a pot of beans bubbling away on the stove. She would hand me a basket and ask me to go bother the chicken for some eggs. Grandpa used a meat grinder and made ground pork out of clearly identified parts, and grandma would turn that into the most delicious chorizo. *sigh.

Ok, so these days, store bought just doesn't cut it for me. But i can't help my wanting for the chorizo of my childhood. So i wrote my uncle, and asked him if he knew how to make it. After following his vague recipe, and tweaking it, and testing it a bunch, i have finally made the chorizo of my memory.

Other benefits from making your own chorizo other than deliciosity and nostalgic factors is expense and health. Fresh ground pork is super cheap, as are beans, flour, and eggs. You can make a weeks worth of substantial breakfasts for 2 for not too much money. Adding potato to the scramble is a tasty way to get your chorizo to stretch even further. I buy in bulk flour, spices, and beans... Saving LOTS $$$. Health wise, if you make it yourself, you get absolute control over what goes into it. I have found that buying fresh ground pork from a clean and trusted butcher shop contains little fat compared to the Glowing red pool i got in store bought chorizo. I tend to buy organic, so as far as i know, this is the only way to get a cleanly organic mexican chorizo.

Coming soon is my tortilla how to. Make your chorizo!

Chorizo Recipe:

serves about 10

1/2 lb ground pork

1/2 cup white vinegar

1 tsp granulated garlic or 3 fresh cloves, minced

3 tbs chili powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp ground cumin

If you like it spicy, you can also add:

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbs red chili flakes

Mix all ingredients together with a whisk or spatula. Do not mix with your hands, the chili could make your skin irritated. Pack into an airtight container and refrigerate for 24 hours. Chorizo will keep in your fridge for two weeks, more or less.

Chorizo Scramble with potatoes

for 2

1 small yellow potato, cut into 1/2" cubes

1 tbs olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

dash red pepper flakes optional

splash of water (about 1 oz)

2 heaping tablespoons chorizo

2 eggs

Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil, potatoes and season. Cook, tossing occasionally, about 8-10 minutes. add water, cover. lower heat to medium low. Steam the potatoes till the water evaporates, about 5 minutes. Remove cover and toss the potatoes to dry them out a bit. Check to make sure the potatoes are soft. If they are not, add another splash of water and repeat steam process. Push potatoes to the edges of the pan. Place chorizo in the center of the skillet, and flatten. cook over medium heat, stirring, for about five minutes. Toss potatoes together with chorizo. Add eggs, scramble. Serve with beans and tortillas, or roll into a breakfast burrito.

Next time in iliea's Kitchen:

Pasta Primavera: iliea Style!

2010-08-03T19:36:00.000-07:00

Pasta Primavera!

From Pasta Primavera

Hello, everyone. i know it has been a very very long time since my last post, and i apologize. Summer has a way of making me forget to document my kitchen adventures. I have been taking pictures, just not all the time. Anyhow, in the next few weeks i will be trying to play catch up in ilieaskitchen.

First up is this Springtime recipe i did in May. The Peas were big, fresh and beautiful, and they went perfectly with the new recipe for alfredo sauce i been so in love with recently.

Traditionally, Pasta primavera is fresh spring veggies with pesto. I used fresh sweet english peas, asparagus, and spinach, but you can substitute any green veggies you like. As most of you know, but some of you don't, but i'm actually allergic to basil, so even though it is delicious, Pesto is OUT. So this is my version, pesto free, of Pasta Primavera. Enjoy!

Pasta Primavera

Serves 2.

1 cup fresh shelled english peas

1 cup 1 inch pieces asparagus

1/2 cup blanched and chopped spinach

1 cup chicken broth or 1 cup water and bouillon, or vegetable broth

1/2 cup half and half

minced garlic, 3 or 4 cloves according to your taste

1 tsp red pepper flakes, plus more for garnish

1 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano

1 egg yolk

1- 8oz Package Fresh Spinach Fettuccine

Get a large pot of water on the stove to cook your pasta in. Prepare vegetables: Cut and blanch spinach in chicken broth, reserve blanching liquid. soaking in cold water bath as shown. squeeze, chop, set aside. bring broth back to a simmer, and add peas and asparagus. cover and simmer till bright and soft, about five minutes. Meanwhile grate cheese and mince garlic, and begin to cook your pasta. follow package directions, cook one minute less than called for. remove veggies from broth. add half and half, garlic, and pepper. bring back to just a simmer, remove from heat. in a separate bowl or cup, add egg yolk and a spoonful of hot cream sauce. stir. repeat 4 times. add egg mixture to sauce, whisk well. drain cooked pasta. add half of the cheese, and all of the sauce. toss well, cover and let stand five minutes. stir in the rest of the cheese and the veggies. serve, garnishing with extra cheese and pepper flakes.

Next time in iliea's kitchen:

Hand Rolled Fettuccine: Chicken and Alfredo Sauce

2010-04-12T17:22:00.000-07:00

Hand Rolled Fettuccine

Hand Rolled pasta is a great treat, and my favorite thing about it is that you don't need any special equipment to make it. All you need is a large, clean, flat space, and a rolling pin! Even the ingredient list is simple, flour, egg, water, salt. Once you learn to make pasta by hand, you'll love how tasty and rewarding a treat it is. Experiment with uses and shapes! This how to has been used in iliea's kitchen for chicken noodle soup and ravioli!

I went to a friend's house and taught her how to make hand rolled pasta, then we both learned how to make Alfredo from Chef John. I have included the video we used to make this wonderful dish. It was maybe the best dinner I have eaten so far this year! We were both very pleased! I hope you try this yourself, but maybe if you beg me enough I will come and make it for you...
First a few pictures of our fabulous spread...

And now on to our fettuccine demo!

Pasta

Serves 2

1 cup flour

1 egg

2 tbs water

1/4 tsp salt

place flour on a large, clean flat surface. Create a well with your fist. Beat egg gently with water and salt. Pour egg mixture into the well. Using a fork, continue to beat the egg in the well, drawing in flour from the sides and incorporating it slowly into the pasta. Once a stick dough begins to form, remove fork, and cover dough with flour, as shown. press flour into dough. Repeat several times till a ball begins to form. Knead dough until smooth, about 2 minutes. Form dough into a ball, cut in half. Roll out as desired or as shown. Dry pasta for at least 10 minutes. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, reduce heat to medium high. (rapidly boiling fresh pasta can break it). Cook to desired texture, 5-8 minutes.

NOTE: Today's demo features guest Photographer Sabrina Kay! Thanks for the great pictures, Sabrina!

Here is the Chicken Alfredo how-to video we followed, also see the full blog post here. Props to Chef John for a fabulous recipe! Thank you!

Tostadas!--: No One Can Tell They're Vegetarian

2010-04-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

Tostadas!

I love a quick tostada dinner! i can eat like three of these and be happy! You got everything you need, veggies, greens, dairy, whole grains, protein... and i use healthy olive oil to refry the beans and to "fry" the tostada shells... using my fast and simple baking technique.

Traditionally, you fry the tortillas in vegetable oil till they are crunchy. The method i use here is a lower fat no fry method, and it is also much faster because you can bake many at a time. Simply spread on a thin layer of olive oil to both sides of the tortillas, then bake! So easy! This technique also makes great and simple tortilla chips, simply coat the tortillas in olive oil, stack them up, and cut into wedges or strips, then bake. Try it out sometime!

Also i have included a demo on how to re-fry beans, in case you needed to know. Here i made a super healthy and vegetarian olive oil re-fried beans, but if you wanna be more traditional, they taste great with bacon fat! I quit buying cans of pre-refried beans, they tend to be pasty in texture, and pretty bland. Just don't have any character. It is not too hard to re-fry beans. I like to use pinto beans, here i used canned beans, but it is pretty easy to make them yourself. It is certainly cheaper. I will post a from scratch beans how-to in the not too distant future.

The cheese i used today is called Landaff, From New Hampshire, aged at The cellars At Jasper Hill.

Well, top your tostadas with whatever you fancy, i like this fast and simple meatless version. Surely you could grill some chicken, reheat leftover roast, shredded cabbage, tofu crumbles avocados, onions, tomatoes, get creative!

Tostadas

For 2

6 corn tortillas

2 tbs olive oil, divided

1 can of pinto beans, do not drain!

dash of salt

your favorite toppings, mine were:

Fresh Spicy salsa

grated cheese

Baby arugula and baby romaine

brush or rub a thin layer of olive oil evenly to both sides of the tortillas. Place on a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake in a 425* oven for 10 minutes or till crispy. remove from oven. Heat a fry pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil, and the whole can of pinto beans, (liquid too!) . Bring to a simmer. Lower heat, and smash the beans till smooth. Season with a bit of salt, simmer till thickened. Assemble tostadas as shown.

Enjoy!

From alfredo

Burgers: Blue Cheese and Wine Reduction Sauce

2010-04-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

NO Foolin' ....It's Hamburger Time!!

Though parts of me aren't as celebratory, i am an american after all, and my love of the good ol' burger is proof. This ain't just any burger, though- Perhaps it is very californian. Or, Specifically, very San Francisco. Anyhow, this Burger, more than any of these things, is very me, and very very much how i eat my burgers, every time.

Anyhow, back to the burger... I start with the nicest ground cow i can find, organic grass fed for peace of mind. Blue Cheese. Some nice saute' mushrooms, such as the hedgehog mushrooms i used here, but crimini work well too. I put my burger on a rustic roll from the local bakery, but any hardy bread will do. i serve the mushrooms with a reduction sauce as a side dish, but you can put it in your burger if you are brave and have a very big napkin.

Hamburger TIME!

Serves 2!

1/4 LB Ground Cow

3 Tbs Soy Sauce (1 oz)

3 Cloves Garlic, minced or pressed

1tsp ground pepper

2 oz blue cheese, crumbled (shown here, Buttermilk Blue Affine', Roth Kase, WI)

1 lb hedghog or other mushroom, prepped.

1/4 cup Wine or Mirin

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp (loose) dried thyme

Crumble Blue Cheese, set aside. Mix Ground cow with soy, garlic, and pepper. Mix Very well, with hands or spoon. Form into a ball, patting gingerly to remove air bubbles. Cut ball in half, form into two evenly sized patties. Heat a heavy skillet on high to very hot. Test pan for readiness by putting a drop of water in it, if it hops right back out, it is ready! Place patties in pan. cook to your liking. about a minute before the burger is done, add cheese, cover. After one minute, place each patty on the bun it belongs to. Allow to rest. Meanwhile, in the same pan that you just made burgers in, add mushrooms and saute'. Add wine/mirin, balsamic, and thyme. toss to coat, cook till mushrooms soften, about three minutes. serve.

Corned Beef and Cabbage: A March Favorite

2010-03-29T09:48:00.000-07:00

Well, it's still March, so it's not too late to post this, is it?

simple directions for a simple food. Corned Beef is actually really hard to make from scratch. It is a beef brisket that is preserved in a brine... sometimes salt would form large clumps on the outside of the brisket, and that's why it's called "corned" beef. Not corn like corn-on-the-cob, more like crusty-lump-on-your-uncle's-foot corn. See? now you get it. Heh.

anyhow, here is the how to slide show, and below is the recipe. Enjoy!

serves four (or two with lots of leftovers!)

3 lb corned beef brisket (mine came pre-seasoned, yours may have a seasoning packet included.)

1 onion, quartered

5 or 6 red potatoes, quartered

4 or 5 carrots, cut into 2 1/2" pieces

4 celery stalks, peeled and cut into thirds

1 large head of cabbage, quartered

water for cooking.

place onion, carrot, and celery in a large pot. place beef on top. fill with enough water to cover. bring to a simmer, skim foam from top. cover and simmer for 2 hours. after two hours, add potatoes. cover and simmer 30 minutes. add cabbage. cover and simmer 30 minutes. remove corned beef, allow to rest for 15 minutes before cutting. great with rye bread!

EMU EGG!

2010-03-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

Food Report:

Emu Egg!

On occasion i like to picture some of the food oddities i encounter from time to time.

This was left for a co-worker of mine as a gift.

ain't it beautiful?

Macaroni Salad: Simple Side for Tasty Foods

2010-03-12T08:30:00.000-08:00

Macaroni Salad
Noodles with Mayo make a tasty combo

Here is my take on my mom's recipe. Just like i had as a kid. super simple.

Macaroni Salad.

2 cups pasta, cooked, rinsed, cooled.

2 hard boiled eggs, peeled, diced

3/4 cups diced dill pickles

3/4 cups sliced black olives

1/3 cup mayonaise

1 tsp whole grain or dijon mustard

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper, more or less to taste

combine all ingredients. garnish with olive bunnies. or parsley. or BBQ ribs.

NEXT RECIPE:

Tempura Soba: Japanese Noodles and Soup

2010-03-06T08:30:00.000-08:00

Vegetable Tempura Soba

Buckwheat Noodles with Soup and Fried Veggies

Yay! a super healthy, yummy hot soup. Traditionally served for New Year's in Japan, Buckwheat noodles are healthy and tasty. Today i will show you my method for cooking this with lots of fresh veggies, and a simple tempura. All with things you probably have available to you wherever you are. i promise (see below for substitutions and hints.).

yay! enjoy!

Serves 2

1 green onion, sliced

1 carrot, sliced as shown,

1 broccoli stalk, sliced as shown

1 sweet potato

2 or 3 oz of firm tofu

1 tbs flour for dredging

2 tbs flour+ 2 tbs water for batter

1/4 cup oil for frying, grapeseed, peanut, or vegetable.

1 bundle of soba noodles

1/4 cup soba sauce

1/4 tsp dashi

1 cup water

Shichimi, (optional) -to taste

start by prepping all the veggies and tofu as shown. Hint: Toss out the thick fibrous stem end of the broccoli, but cut up and use the tasty stem. Set Sweet potato chunks in a small strainer, and place in boiling water for about five minutes, till soft, but not mushy. This will quicken the fry time they will need to cook through. Remove from water and drain well. Heat a large pot with enough water to boil noodles. Heat a small skillet or shallow pan on high heat with oil. (about 1/4" of oil, the smaller the pan you use, the less oil you'll need) Sprinkle sweet potato pieces and tofu with flour, toss to coat evenly. Mix tempura batter and coat tofu and sweet potato in batter. Lower heat in pan to medium, and add tofu and sweet potato, spacing evenly apart so they don't stick together. fry for two minutes per side, or until crispy. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Once water for noodles boils, add noodles, and cook according to package directions. When the noodles are cooked, rinse well with very cold water. Drain. place noodles in the serving bowl. Heat soup mix, water and carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, and green onion in a saucepan. bring to simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Pour soup over noodles. Top with your tempura. Garnish how you like, if you can find some i recommend Shichimi powder, a spicy japanese pepper traditionally used for this dish.

if you cannot find soba sauce (don't even really bother looking unless it's super convenient, i.e. asian grocery next door, whatever) you can make your own with simple things you should have in your home, or are easy to find anywhere and is very affordable.

2 tbs soy sauce

2 tbs sake (or 2 tbs mirin and no sugar)

1 tsp sugar

also, if you cannot find dashi (which i highly recommend, it is super tasty) you can try another light soup base, like pork bullion, or even chicken.

yay! enjoy!

Your Kitchen!: Nat Makes Handmade Ravioli!

2010-03-03T09:32:00.000-08:00

Yay!

This is Handmade Ravioli, made by loyal fan, Nat O. on Dec. 5th, 2009. Thank you Nat!

Cream of Wheat: Hot Wheat Farina

2010-03-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

Hot Wheat Farina Cereal

Cheap! Filling! Delicious!

Hearty, Hot, and inexpensive. Not to mention simple and quick. Prep time = 5 minutes! One 1LB bag From Bob's Red Mill (organic) Costs about $3.50. at 3TBS per serving, That's about $.06 of cereal per serving! This is something grandma made for us frequently, and it was one of my favorite things that she made! i hope you try this yourself very soon!

Cream of Wheat Farina Hot Cereal

Serves One

1/2 cup water

3 tbs Wheat Farina or Cream of Wheat

1/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp salt

Optional toppings:

butter

evaporated milk

Brown sugar

In a small saucepan, add water, salt, cereal, and milk. Turn on heat to medium low. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Simmer till thick. add more or less water for thicker/thinner cereal, experiment to see what you like. Top with butter, milk, and sugar as shown. enjoy!

Tempura Soba!

Beef Stew: Cow, Wine, And Veggies!

2010-02-26T09:27:00.000-08:00

Beef Stew

With Wild Mushrooms and Red Wine

I love Beef stew. This recipe is for fast stew, you get fall apart meat in only 2 hours. Also, this recipe is embellished with red wine i had leftover, and wild mushrooms that were handy. These are nice to have, but are not necessary. Also, this stew is seasoned very simply with two herbs. I like to shop organic, but little jars of dried herbs cost so much money! What i do is buy a bunch of fresh herbs, and dry it myself. Shown in this recipe is a few sprigs from a bunch i've been using since thanksgiving. The red wine is one of my favorites, not too pricey, but tasty, that had been open a few days. i hate throwing things out, so i cooked it!

To Dry Herbs:

Spread fresh bunch onto parchment. Place in oven (turned off) for a few days, or till completely dry. You can also dry them any where that has dry air (not humid). This works well for thyme and bay leaf, some herbs are not as good to use dry, see what works for you.

Beef Stew

Serves 4-6

1 Lb. beef ( NY Steak or Top sirloin), diced into 1" pieces

1 large yellow onion, diced, 1/2" pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups red wine

1 quart of beef broth (or water plus 2 tsp salt)

1 Thyme bouquet garni

2 bay leaves

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 lb. carrots, sliced, 1" pieces

1 lb. celery, sliced, 1" pieces

2 lbs. potatoes, diced. 1-2" pieces

1 1/2 lbs. Mushrooms, trimmed, sliced if very large

In a heavy pot, heat on high till very hot. Add meat in a single layer, to sear. cook till browned, do not stir. Once browned on one side, toss, add onion, and brown till onions are soft. add garlic, heat till aromatic (about 1 minute). Add wine, stirring to remove browned bit from the bottom of the pan. Add Thyme, Bay, and Pepper. Lower heat and simmer till reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add broth, cover and simmer 1 hour. Add potatoes, celery, and carrots, stir, cover, simmer for thirty minutes. Next add cornstarch, stir. Add mushrooms, stir. cover and simmer about 15 more minutes, till mushrooms are soft. Enjoy!

Hot Wheat Farina Cereal Breakfast

Cashew Brittle: Nuts About Candy!

2010-02-02T09:03:00.000-08:00

Cashew Brittle

FUN To Make, Sweet To Eat!

This is one of the easiest sweet treats you can make! All you need to live a life of candy making is a fancy (and inexpensive) thermometer, and a steady hand. Hard crack syrup is incredibly hot and sticky. Getting hot syrup on your skin is no fun, so please be careful. You will be so proud of yourself once you do it! This also makes a great gift, i often give out lots at christmas time. This was my grandma's absolute favorite. She loved to eat peanut brittle. i use cashews, but you can experiment and use any sort of nuts that you like. Well, try it and enjoy!

Brittle.

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup water

1 cup nuts of your choice

2 Tbs. Butter

1 tsp Baking soda

1/2 tsp Vanilla

Butter a large cookie sheet. Pour Sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large heavy pan. (use a medium or LARGE pan or sugar can boil over and spill. NO FUN) Clip your candy thermometer on. Place over High till till boiling. add nuts. boil to 304* Do not stir. remove from heat. add vanilla, baking soda, and butter. Whisk well. Working quickly, spread to and even and thin layer on prepared pan. allow to cool, break into pieces.

Next POST: (TBA!)

Chicken Noodle Soup: Hand Made Noodles!

2010-01-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

Chicken Noodle Soup With Handmade Noodles!

- when in doubt, Use your Noodle!

This is the same recipe i used to make for Mountain Song Natural Foods. Well, i didnt make handmade pasta for the store, but it is the same basic recipe. Since it is winter, and some folks are hanging out in the snow, others have a cold or flu... this is just the thing to cheer you up! enjoy!

for 2.

1 boneless skinless chicken breast

1/2 medium yellow onion

3 ribs celery

2 carrots

bundled herbs (not shown on slideshow )

Thyme, bay, sage

1 can corn

1 quart chicken broth

pepper to taste.

for noodles

1 egg

1 cup flour plus more for rolling

pinch salt

Dice breast into 3/4" cubes. sear in a hot pan with a drizzle of olive oil. add onion, toss to coat. brown for about 5 minutes (allowing a nice fond to form, and softening the onions.). Stir in chicken broth. bring to simmer, add herbs, simmer one hour. mean while, chop all veggies to about 1/2" pieces. after one hour, add veggies, simmer thirty more minutes. Meanwhile make Noodles: Pour measured flour onto a large board. make a well in the center. add egg and salt. with a fork, mix egg, slowly bringing in more flour from around the sides of the well, till it is fully Incorporated. knead dough till smooth. roll into a think rectangle, cut into strips, cut into 2" strips. add to simmering soup, cook about 5 minutes. serve, enjoy!

NEXT POST: Cashew Brittle!

Breakfast Potatoes: Fool Proof!

2010-01-19T08:05:00.000-08:00

Yes, fool proof!

A great side dish to any breakfast. Here is my method for getting your potatoes cooked through AND crispy, with out being greasy or taking all day to do. Sounds too good to be true?!!? Heh. i like my potatoes super garlicy and a little spicy, but you can add other veggies like onions or carrots or something too. Calling this recipe "breakfast potatoes" avoids the "hash browns or home fries" debate. But i am pretty sure these are technically called homefries. if that is technical. anyhow, add this technique to your breakfast table, it'll not disappoint. :)

Serves 2

one large yukon gold potato cut into 1/2 " dice

2 tbs butter

salt and pepper to taste

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 spicy pepper, finely diced

1 tbs fresh or dried thyme

Boil potatoes in water for about 8-10 minutes. Just until softened, but not mushy. Be careful not to over cook. Drain well. In a heavy skillet, heat butter over medium heat till slightly browned. Add potatoes, spread into an even layer. Allow potatoes to cook without stirring for about 15 minutes. (This is the trick, kinda, stirring too soon will break the potatoes apart, then the crispy part stays on the pan and not on the potato). Once browned, move potatoes around to brown another side. Season with salt and pepper, cook another 10 minutes. Add garlic, spicy pepper, and thyme. Toss to mix. Cook five more minutes. Serve.

NEXT POST: Chicken Noodle Soup!

French Toast: With Cinnamon Candied Pecans

2010-01-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

OK, so i took a long break for the HOLIDAYS- i'm very sorry. I hope your holidays were nice, and Happy New Year too!

so, here is the how to and recipe for:

French Toast with Candied Pecans

yay! This is a recipe i make frequently. i just love it- it is a quick and easy treat, and the best thing to do with all that fresh bread you got the other day that ain't so fresh anymore. This recipe works well with any hearty bread you happen to have around. Good hearty breakfast, pretty easy. i hope you try this recipe soon! Candied Pecans are FAB on top of French Toast!

Serves 2

For Candied Pecans:

about 3/4 cup whole pecans

1 tbs butter

1 tbs Sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

for French Toast:

4 Slices of hearty bread about 3/4" thick or so

1 egg

2 tbs heavy cream

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tbs butter

Melt butter. stir in sugar and cinnamon. add nuts. toss to coat. spread on a small baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. (i used a toaster oven) bake for about 10 minutes, keeping a close watch, so as not to burn. cool, separate if needed. set aside. Slice bread. set aside. crack egg into a bowl and whisk well. add cream and cinnamon. whisk until very foamy, at least one minute. pour batter onto a shallow plate. set bread slices in to soak for 3 minutes. flip bread over and soak another minute or so. You should soak your bread longer if it is really thick or really stale. Melt butter on a skillet over medium heat until foamy. spread evenly over surface of the pan. Add a few slices of batter soaked bread. cook on medium/low for about 8 minutes. flip and cook other side, till brown, about five minutes. Serve french toast topped with pecans and maple syrup. you can also try cinnamon whipped cream or warmed apple sauce.

ENJOY!

NEXT POST: Breakfst Potatoes!

Post Halloween project: Pumpkin Seeds!

2009-11-03T15:00:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin seeds!

Hopefully you didn't throw them out. Or, maybe you can use this recipe when you make all those delicious pumpkin pies later this month.

collect seed from pumpkin, removing pumpkin flesh and strings. Rinse well. drain. dissolve 1/4 cup salt into 2 quarts of water in a bowl. soak seeds in salted water for at least four hours. drain well. preheat oven to 300*. Spread in an even layer over a sheet pan and roast until dry and toasty, about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to ensure even roasting. Enjoy!

and just for fun, the pumpkins whose seeds are pictured above.

Hand Made Ravioli: Filled with Cheese and Olives

2009-10-08T09:07:00.000-07:00

My Favorite, Olive and Pecorino Ravioli.

For two.

Well, not the easiest recipe ever, but much simpler than you think. I developed this recipe after being bored for too long buy bland store bought ravioli. I often find the fillings that boast bold exotic flavors, but they all taste bland and pasty to me. So i thought, i should just make my own! i like this olive and cheese recipe a lot, the saltiness of the fillings really stand out in the pasta, even with a full flavored sauce. You bite in and think, yes! cheese! and i taste olive too! It really works.

Sorry for the long break. Finally here is the as promised ravioli How-To to go along with the fresh made sauce demo. i love making pasta by hand, it is super fun and pretty quick. Hope you give it a try!

The recipe:

For Filling:*

1/2 cup grated cheese in this recipe, pecorino foglie di noce, any aged pecorino will do.

1/4 cup freshly pitted and minced olives

1 tbs flour

1 egg

For Pasta:

1 cup flour plus more for rolling and kneading

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

2tbs water

combine filling ingredients, mix well, set aside. Dump flour in a pile over a large plate or cutting board. Make a well in the center and sprinkle with salt. add egg and water. Mix with a fork , folding in flour gradually to for a sticky dough. turn out to very well flour surface and knead well till a smooth ball forms, adding more flour if necessary. Cut this ball in half to make it easier to work with. Roll out thinly, fold over, roll again. form pasta as desired. (How to slides show method for basic ravioli)roll out second ball. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Turn down to a simmer, and add in pasta. simmer gently for about 5 minutes. (pasta will puff up when done. ) Gently remove pasta from water with a wire sieve. Drain well, serve.

* Of course you can substitute your favorite filling, another one i like a lot is saute'd mushrooms and garlic, saute, then dice super fine. add egg, flour, and fill!

Food Report! : The Mysterious Surfing Taco!

2009-08-25T23:27:00.000-07:00

This Just in:

SURFING TACO!

uh, no comment, just thought i'd like to share. i was just taking a walk, minding my own bussiness, when i came across this radical taco surfer. uh, feel free to comment. i have no idea what is going on here. thanks.

The Gift of Breakfast: A Very Special Toast and Jam!

2009-08-13T09:34:00.000-07:00

The All Gift Breakfast!

Spent Grain Toast With Apricot Jam

Featured In today's Post is this lovely gift from Jasmine, over at BeerAtJoe's and Apricot Jam made by Grandma Marie! Oh Boy am i a happy duck.

Jasmine bakes bread because her soon to be husband (!) brews beer. She gave me a mini loaf of this spent grain bread which was not only Super Duper cute, but was hands down the best wheat bread i have ever had. it was sweet and hearty, but not at all dense or heavy. It made excellent toast for homemade grandma jam, which Michael got as a gift.

Here is a short slide show of bread and jam and toasts!

Toast to Beeratjoes!

Marinara: QUICK and Tasty!

2009-08-11T22:27:00.000-07:00

Quick Marinara

Made with fresh Summer tomatoes

Here are some fine examples of beautiful Farm fresh California Produce.

So i got a great idea, i thought i'd show you my favorite recipe for ravioli, featuring one of my favorite cheeses, Foglie Di Noce, but first, a teaser post for how to make a quick fresh marinanra with any extra tomatoes you may have laying around...

Recipe:

3 Large heirloom tomatoes

1 tbs olive oil

three cloves garlic

2 tsp fresh thyme

1 tbs tomato paste

1/2 cup water

salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Heat a skillet with olive oil. Place tomatoes on olive oil till tomatoes skins are browning on one side, about five minutes. flip, repeat. Using a heavy spoon, squish tomatoes throughly. add thyme, garlic. Dillute tomato paste in water till smooth add that as well, stir. put on a low simmer for about thirty minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

What i Had For Dinner!: VEGGIETASTIC!

2009-07-30T13:45:00.000-07:00

Summer's Glorious Bounty!

Fresh from the Ferry Building Farmer's Market... Carrots, Cucumbers, Cherry Tomatoes, Corn on the cob, served with my favorite Chipotle Ranch Dressing and butter for the corn. Super YUM!

Blue Cheese Cottage Pie: Comfort Food With a Twist!

2009-07-29T08:32:00.000-07:00

Cottage Pie With Blue Cheese
Baked up!

Or i needed to clean out my fridge, and i happened to have: potato, beef and blue cheese (leftover from burgers), and carrots that simply needed to go. Yes, that is correct, Cottage pie. i know that is is not exactly summer fare, but it was pretty chilly the night i made it, so it's ok. What is cottage pie? It is a dish made with beef and topped with mashed potatoes. See definition here. In many cases it is also topped with cheese.

In this version i used The fabulous Bayley Hazen Blue, a milder blue made in Vermont by Jasper Hill Farms. See substitutions for other ideas on how to clean you fridge with this pie. Har Har. Anyhow, enjoy.

The Recipe:

This made one Large Bowl of pie, fit for two.

one large potato

one carrot

one very small onion or half a medium onion

1/4 pound ground beef

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh thyme

1 cup water

1 tsp better than bullion or bullion cube

1 1/2 tsp water

2 Tbs Butter

1/4 cup milk

2 0z crumbled blue cheese

Preheat oven to 350*. Cut potato into large dices, boil in salt water till soft, about 10-15 minutes. cut carrot and onion to very small dice. Brown Ground beef over medium heat till half cooked, still pink inside. (This keeps the meat tender, it will cook through in the gravy and in the oven.) add garlic, thyme, cook about one minute. Add Diced carrots, broth or water, flour, whisk till mixed well. Cover and simmer for about ten minuets, enough time to prepare the crust. Strain Potatoes, place back in pot. Add Butter, and milk, mash. Salt and pepper to taste. Spoon simmering Beef into bowl (or bowls). cover with mashed potato, sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered for about thirty minutes, or until filling is bubbly and cheese is melted. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Substitutions:

Feel free to add more veggies to the beef sauce, typical additions are: mushrooms or celery, but you could also try kale, sweet potatoes, turnips, celery root, and varietal mushrooms.

Also, if you don't have Blue cheese (you should get some) or don't feel like being adventurous enough to try Cottage Pie with blue cheese, you can use cheddar. I give you permission. But you better make it a good cheddar! ok?

Strawberry Pizza: The Fruits of Summer

2009-07-28T15:45:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Pizza

Inspired By Uncle Michael's Recipe

When i was a kid, my Uncle Michael would throw a BBQ every SUNDAY during the summer. Like religion. Once in a while he would make this dish, Strawberry Pizza and serve it for everyone. It was always the biggest hit, and was gone almost immediately. Once my uncle asked me to make it for him, and i got to learn the recipe. Over the years since then, i have modified the recipe quite a bit, and here it now is. i hope you enjoy this recipe as much as i do, and i am sure if you share it with anyone, it will be a big hit for you also!

The Recipe:

Serves about 4. But this stuff is really hard to share.

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup Flour

1/4 cup sugar

4 oz Cream Cheese, softened or Fromage Blanc

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbs heavy cream (or milk)

1 pint strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced

1/4 cup sugar

* Freshly whipped cream (optional)

Prepare Crust:

Heat oven to 350*. Prepare 9" round cake pan with a parchment lining. Melt Butter in a microwave safe container. set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour and sugar. Add butter, mix with whisk till as dough forms. Press dough into an even layer onto the bottom of the pan. Bake for about 10 minutes, till golden. Be sure to watch the crust carefully when it is in the oven, the crust burns very easily after about 8 minutes. Here is a hint, when you smell it, it is probably done.

Prepare Spread:

In a bowl, mix together cream cheese, sugar, and cream till smooth. set aside.

Once the crust has baked and fully cooled, Remove carefully from pan and place on a flat surface. Spread cream cheese in an even layer over crust. Top with strawberries, and whipped cream if you like. Serve.

Additions:

This recipe is great for any fresh berry of summer, i also like to use raspberries or blueberries, but any mix of the three will turn out nice. You can also try a drizzle of Nutella.

Hope you are enjoying this last stretch of Summer!

Mexican Rice: Tasty Side For Mexican Foods

2009-07-24T19:16:00.000-07:00

Mexican Rice

About as Tasty as Rice Can Get

The traditional mexcian staple, as cooked by me. i love to use fresh wholesome ingredients when i can, and you should too. There was not a tomato in my pantry this time, nor fresh garlic, but i am posting this anyway because it shows how you can make do without. This is more like how everyone in my family makes it because of that. So if you can, some diced tomato, fresh onion, fresh garlic, are wonderful for this recipe.

Serve Mexican Rice as a side dish to any mexican food, stuff into a burrito, or top a tostada with it. This is Michael's favorite thing that i make- and he has tasted almost everything that i make. Try it yourself!

The recipe:

1 cup Jasmine rice (basmati or "long grain" also work well)

2 tsp olive oil

1/4 medium onion, chopped to 1/2" pieces

1tbs tomato paste

1 and 1/2 cups water or broth

1 and 1/2 tsp chicken paste or bullion for two cups (if using water)

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried garlic or 1 clove minced fresh garlic

fresh black pepper to taste.

directions:

heat saucepan over medium high heat, add rice and oil, cook, stirring occasionally to brown as much of the rice as possible.after about three minutes, add onions, stir to coat, cook till soft, stirring often. Add tomato (paste, sauce, fresh, or canned diced). Stir till sizzling stops. Add liquid and seasonings, taste, bring to simmer. Lower heat, cover and cook till liquid is gone and rice is fluffy, about 15 minutes. Serve!

Substitutions:

-Brown Rice a great way to amp up the health factor of this flavorful and fun side dish is to make it with brown rice. Believe it or not, the brown rice version is a bit easier to prepare. Change these ingredient amounts:

1cup brown rice

2 cups water or broth

change these steps: saute onion only. do not cook rice, or it will be too tough to cook. add liquid, rice and seasoning, simmer, lower heat, cover and cook as usual.

-Tomato Sauce exchange 1/4 cup tom sauce for water or broth, omit tomato paste.

-Canned diced tomatoes add 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes, change tomato paste to 1 tsp.

Additions:

-Fresh Tomato add half a medium tomato (diced) to sizzling rice and onions before adding liquid.

Banana Nut bread: When Bananas Get Too Old !

2009-07-17T22:10:00.000-07:00

Banana Nut Bread

What can i say? i love a good bit of banana nut bread, and i hate to see any amount of food go to waste. So i make this recipe everytime i have one too many bananas on hand. They get overripe before you know it. This recipe calls for two bananas and can easily be split or doubled. A healthy dessert since it is made with banana and olive oil rather than butter and tons of sugar. i dunno, i love it, and i make it almost once a month.

The recipe:

1 3/4 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 ripe bananas

1/2 cup oilve oil

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350*. Prepare pan with butter and flour, as shown. Whisk together Flour, Salt, Baking powder and Soda in a bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mush Bananas together with olive oil. Add sugar, beat thoroughly. Add pecans to flour mixture. Stir in banana mixture. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Substitutions:

-you may of course, substitute any oil for olive oil. Also i am sure melted butter would be pretty nice, but i have yet to try it.

-Some people prefer Walnuts in their Banana Nut Bread. This is most certainly up to you. Personally, i like the softer and sweeter flavor or pecans, they also are a little less greasy. Walnuts are bitter, and i just don't like them that much.

Calabasa: Zucchini with Corn and Cheese

2009-07-13T22:02:00.000-07:00

Calabasa

Calabasa( "Kah-lah-bah-sah") just means Squash in spanish. This is a dish my grandma made frequently in the summer months when there was plenty of zucchini and tomatoes in the garden, and fresh corn was easy to find. Very simple to prepare, and stars a great combo of summertime ingredients, Zucchini, Tomato, and Corn. Serve this dish as a side dish for BBQ's, Mexican foods, or as an easy and light entree'.

Calabasa Recipe

Entree for two, or side dish for four.

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cob fresh corn, de- cobbed

1 tomato, diced *see substitutions

1 1/2 lbs zucchini and or summer squash, sliced

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs tomato paste

1 tbs chicken paste or 1 bullion cube

1/2 tsp cumin, ground

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup sharp cheddar grated or sliced (shown with slices of Cabot Clothbound Cheddar of Vermont)

Saute onions in oil over medium heat till soft. add sliced zucchini, cook till browned. add garlic, tomatoes, corn, cook 3 minutes. whisk tomato paste and chicken paste into water till dissolved. add to zucchini. heat to simmer, add cumin and pepper. reduce heat to low, simmer 8 minutes, or till squash are soft. remove from heat, top with cheese cover and allow to rest for at least five minutes. serve.

Substitutions:

-you can use 1 can corn instead of fresh corn. Drain corn, reserve liquid, use corn liquid in addition to water to enhance corn sweetness in broth.

-*sometimes i use only fresh tomatoes if i dun have paste, and sometimes i use only paste if i don;t have fresh, but if i have both, i use both.

-also, you can use garlic powder if you dun have fresh garlic.

I genuinely hope that you enjoy this recipe!

Email Question!

2009-06-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

Email question:

Hey I was wondering if u could give some tips for a good herb butter?

ilieaskitchen answers:

i have made herb butter out of fresh herbs for bread and crackers... is this what you are talking about?
be sure to use the freshest best quality butter, and always keep butter well covered and in the coldest part of your fridge, as butter easily (and noticeably) absorbs surrounding odors, or can loose alot of flavor if left out or if it kept at inconsistent temperatures.

take 1/2 a stick of cold butter
and about 1 TBS fresh herb or herbs or fresh minced garlic or a combo of some kind...
use more or less herb to taste. practice makes perfect!

chop herbs and butter together on a large cutting board with a large, sharp knife until well blended. place into a bowl and mix well. shape butter or place into a very Small mold or dish and chill at least 3 hours. (till it's hard again).
spread butter on hot toasty bread, corn on the cob, toss with warm noodles, or use in cooking in place of regular butter for an added kick (like in scrambled eggs, for example...).
does that help? let me know what you think...

love,

iliea

Corn Cakes: Fried In The Pan!

2009-06-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

Corn Cakes

They Love to be Fried.

Like Grandma used to make. These were often side dish for Grandma's Chicken vegetable soup, or for Chicken and zucchinis. i also like to use them as a side for chicken (fried, roasted, or grilled) or fish. Quicker than cornbread, delicious and pretty simple. Mom's favorite too she gets really exited when i make these for her. Use Whole Wheat Flour to make a more nutritious version.

Corn Cakes Recipe:

Makes about 6

1/4 Cup Flour (minus 2 TBS if using whole wheat)

1/2 cup corn meal

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 pinch salt

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

oil for frying, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan.

Mix together dry ingredients. stir in all other ingredients. Don't over mix. Fry in oil over medium heat. Drain on wire rack or over paper towels. Serve immediately topped with butter.

Greek Yogurt How-To

2009-06-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

Hey! Strain your own greek yogurt!

An easy way to have rich, thick yogurt on the cheap. Bamboo strainer idea credited to Simon Darling. thank you! here is the slideshow how to! yay!

what you will need:

1 pint of your favorite plain yogurt.

1 quart size bamboo steamer

1 regular coffee filter

so here is the as promised greek yogurt how-to. now you can make your own creamy greek yogurt.

...ready..... set..... go!

Sloppy Joes!: Turkey Or Beef

2009-06-14T18:45:00.000-07:00

Sloppy WHO?!

(So tasty, you'll never want to open a can again.)

I don't know about you, but when i was growing up it was hot in the summer, and mom's favorite thing to cook was anything that involved minimal effort. So i had many hot summer days topped off with a Manwhich or Sloppy Joe. You Know, brown the cow, open the can, stir-simmer-eat. I still feel nostalgic for the taste of sloppy joes every now and then, but i can't bring myself to buy a can-o-sloppy joe stuff, so here is the pretty easy, all fresh ingredients- and healthy recipe for Sloppy Joe's. Enjoy!

Recipe

Turkey Joes

serves two hungry people or three people with smaller appetites.

1/2 medium yellow onion diced into 1/2 inch pieces

1tbs olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

1/4 lb ground turkey thighs

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/2 tsp cumin

1 Can diced tomatoes

1/4 cup tomato sauce

1tbs balsamic vingar

fresh cracked black pepper to taste

in a skillet over medium flame, heat onions, salt, and oil till onions are soft. Add diced bell pepper, toss to coat with oil. Add ground turkey and sugar, cumin, Cayenne, and pepper, brown turkey for a minute, but don't cook all the pink out (this will keep turkey meat tender). Add diced tomatoes, vinegar, tomato sauce, and garlic. Lower flame to simmer, cover, cook 20 minutes, till turkey is soft and flavorful. Serve over dense multi-grain bread as a sandwich.

Substitutions:

For this recipe, the only thing i can imagine anyone wanting to change is the ground used. I like beef, but turkey is healthier, flavorful, and less expensive than beef. Also, it is a better environmental choice, turkey meat requires far less resources to produce than cow. Anyhow, i really liked how this turned out with turkey. You could try Ground Chicken as well, let me knw how that works out.

Pancakes: Make Them Yourself!

2009-06-12T16:13:00.000-07:00

Pancakes

Screw Bisquick! Really!

for two big appetites or four smaller ones.

Pancakes are this really easy delicious food that people don't know how to make anymore. Everyone uses these pre-made pancake mixes- "JUST ADD WATER!"... and so the art of the real pancake is lost to the masses. Pancakes are so easy, you'll forget you ever heard of jiffy mix or bisquick. This recipe is adapted from a buttermilk pancake recipe i used for years, but i don't always make pancakes everyday, and having buttermilk in the fridge for the recipe meant planning ahead. i am kind of a spur of the moment pancake eater, so i invented and perfected this recipe using things i almost always have on hand...

by the way, Breakfast is the best meal.

*ahem, the recipe.

1 cup flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup PLAIN Greek* style yogurt

1/2 cup milk
1 egg

2 tbs olive oil

2 tbs butter

1/3 cup grade B maple syrup

Combine flour, salt and baking soda in a bowl. set aside. in a clear measuring cup, measure yogurt. fill with milk to 1 cup. whisk till smooth. set aside. heat a skillet pan over medium high heat and coat with olive oil. while that is heating, add yogurt mixture to the flour mixture, add egg, stir just to combine, being careful not to overmix. you want the batter lumpy. turn down pan to medium, and add a tsp of test batter. cook pancake, discard or feed to impatient husband/boyfriend, dog, etc... add pancake batter to pan for first pancake. cook till edges are dry, flip. repeat for the rest of the batter. makes about 6 smaller pancakes, or 4 larger ones.

*What is GREEK yogurt?

Greek yogurt is a yogurt that has had a lot of it's water content strained out. it is thicker and richer. this yogurt works best for this recipe, but if you dun have any, you can make some. Recently i have been doing this all the time because organic plain greek yogurt is impossible to find, and i get regular organic yogurt for cheap at work anyhow. Just strain it with a coffee filter or cheese cloth overnight. i will put up a how-to soon.

What if i don't have/can't find Greek yogurt?

+You can substitute regular plain yogurt in this recipe, but you will have to cut out a lot of the milk. i think the right ratio would be 2/3 cup regular yogurt and 1/3 cup milk. Many yogurt brands are different, so adjust as needed for a nice thick mixture. You are aiming for a "buttermilk" consistency.

+you can also substitute sour cream for yogurt if you are in a pinch, but the results are not gonna be as great. So, you have to increase baking soda to 1 tbs, and use 2/3 cup sour cream to 1/3 cup milk.

Healthier version:

This recipe makes your pretty basic pancake. You can cut a lot of fat out of the recipe by using fat free milk and yogurt. You can use whole wheat flour to up fiber, but you will have to add more liquid, perhaps a tbs or two of water/milk. also you could skip the butter topping and go for maple syrup. By the way, if you use "conventional" syrup, like Mrs. Butterworth's or something, look at what you are really eating! it's all super sweet dense sugar may eventually kill you! (ha ha). Grade B Maple Syrup, by contrast is a natural sugar, closer to that which is found in fruits. it also has vitamins and such. and, a little goes a long way! so, save yourself from diabetes, and use a little maple instead of corn syrup.

Blueberry Pancakes

add a few fresh blueberries to a pancake once you have poured the batter to the skillet. if you can't find fresh blueberries, always thaw frozen blueberries, or they will create pockets of raw batter around them.

Cheese Enchiladas

2008-10-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

Enchiladas

Just like Grandma Taught Me

Starting when i was like, nine or so, grandma would ask me to help out with the enchiladas. i spent most of my time with her when i was a kid following her around the kitchen and asking questions. At first i started out just grating cheese, then i moved up to helping to roll, and when i was alot older, i mastered making the sauce all by myself. Ha! it is a pretty simple sauce if you have a recipe to follow. this took a lot of trial and error on my part before i got the measurements just right, so that it would come out consistantly. Grandma never wrote anything out, it was always just, "a little of this, a little of that..."

So this is a basic recipe for enchilada sauce. Lots of people ask me, " Why don't you make chicken Enchiladas? That would be tasty!" so, yea, i'm sure chicken enchiladas would be tasty, but grandma never made them. so i don't either, but i think you should fill yer enchiladas with anything you like. Grandma made them with cheese and black olives. so... give that a try! This sauce is excellent with a sharp cheddar, so my only recommendation is to never leave out the cheese! Also, this recipe has been written to feed two adult humans. which is strange cause grandma always made like, two or three dozen. so, feel free to double or triple the recipe as needed.

Here is the recipe.

for enchiladas (six enchiladas)

1/2 pkg california chili powder(shown below), or 3 1/2tbs some other chili powder
1/4 cup oil
3 Tbs flour
2 cups water
2 bouillon (or enough for 2 cups read label on cubes)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt or more to taste ( or substitute garlic salt for garlic powder and salt)
fresh ground pepper to taste
6 corn tortillas
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup black olives, sliced

Heat oven to 350.
In a medium sized heavy soup pot over med/high heat whisk together 1/2 of the chili powder and oil. Whisk constantly, till the chili turns from a bright orange to a deep red color. Careful that it does not turn black. Add flour, whisk briskly. Add cold water . Whisk till smooth . Turn heat to high, add remaining chili powder, bouillon, cumin, garlic salt, and pepper. Whisk thoroughly to boil. Lower heat and simmer while prepping the rest of your ingredients. assemble, and bake for about 15 minutes.

Serve it:

Enchiliadas are great with homemade mexican rice and some traditional style refried pinto beans. (you can always cheat and get theses side ordered to-go at your favorite mexican restaurant.) i served this with a kick ass mixed green salad, dressed with avocado and fresh seasonal cherry tomatoes, Tequila shots, lime and mexican beer. It was so delicious! i sincerely hope that you try this recipe.

More Traditional Version:

Grandma didn't just heat the tortillas on a dry pan, she would actually heat them in vegetable oil. i have long since modified this step to cut out some of the fat in an already rich dish. Also, in my family, they use canola oil for the whole recipe, i prefer the more healthful olive oil. So, if you wanna try it exactly the way grandma made it, you can make those changes. i think the healthier version is just as tasty. Grandpa likes his enchiladas filled with fine diced red onions. Ha! grandma always hated them, so she would stick toothpicks in the onion enchiladas so no one would accidentally eat the "gross" onion enchiladas!

Other substitutions:

Chili powders: If you buy some other kind of chili powder, just be aware that it will taste very different. this recipe calls for lots of chili powder, and california chili powder is comparatively mild. So you may unintentionally make this sauce extremely spicy if you use any spice marked "chili powder". Pictured above is the exact brand and type my grandma ALWAYS used.

Organic: This recipe is super easy to make organic, whole grain organic corn tortillas take a little longer to warm up so that they can become pliable enough to roll.

Make Mexican Rice:

Peanut Butter Cookies

2008-10-14T01:03:00.000-07:00

Peanut Butter Cookies

How-To And Recipe

Yay! The first post! i have a whole back log of recipes and photographs and articles and stuff just waiting to be posted! So Please stay tuned! All Photo Credits Belong to Michael Blendermann for all recipe how-to's unless stated otherwise!

And now, on to the show!

Whenever i get the urge for a fresh baked cookie, the first thing i start to think about is a grocery list and what i have in my current kitchen inventory. The best thing about this recipe is that it does not require any fancy ingredients at all! Not even Vanilla! Just flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, butter, egg, and peanut butter. Things any kitchen worth it's salt would have. So go with the spur of the moment and bake up some fresh cookies! Now!

Press on the thought bubble icon to show captions for the photos.

Hover the mouse over the photo to show slideshow controls.

Happy Baking!

Please read the recipe fully through before you begin. Get your ingredients together, turn on the oven, (wash and dry cookie sheets, bowls, and anything else you need), and be sure you have enough of each ingredient. I cannot tell you how much it hurts when you get halfway through and realize you: don't have/are out of/ have to wash ...something.

Uncle Michael's Favorite

Organic Peanut Butter Cookies

1 and 1/4 cup organic all purpose flour

3/4 tsp Aluminum free baking soda

1/4 tsp mineral crystal salt,sea salt, or kosher salt

1/2 cup (one stick)organic butter, room temperature

1/2 cup organic sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed organic brown sugar (light or dark)

1 organic cage free egg

3/4 cup organic crunchy peanut butter( or your favorite kind)

you will also absolutely need:

2 bowls for mixing

a spoon, fork and spatula

measuring spoon and cup

cookie sheet, oven

Large plate for cooling

some kind of air tight container for storage

Heat oven to 350*F. Mix together flour, salt, and baking soda, set aside. In a second bowl, mix together butter, sugar, and brown sugar till completely mixed. Add egg, beat well. Add Peanut butter, mix well. Add about 1/3 of the flour mixture, mixing completely. Repeat two more times, having incorporated all the flour mixture in three steps. Spoon dough and roll gently into balls, spacing them evenly about an inch apart on all sides from the edge of the pan and other cookies. Press with a fork as shown in the photos above. Sprinkle with a little sugar, and bake for about 15 minutes. Cool cookies flat, then stack them. Unused dough can be fridged and baked up to three days later.

Mistake Saving Tip:

Whenever you bake cookies, the best trick to not burning them is to set a timer. i've never have one, so i use my nose. As soon as it smells like cookies, they are usually done. Also, it helps to not get distracted or leave the room. That is why i like to bake cookies while dinner is being made, so that i am in the kitchen anyway.

Healthier Version:

Substitute 1 cup organic whole wheat flour for all purpose flour. Well that's the best i can do for this one. They are cookies, afterall, and you shouldn't mess with a good thing. so, for an even healthier alternative, just eat some salt-free peanuts instead. :)

Penny Pincher Version

Substitute all natural for organic anytime. You can find good stuff at regular grocery stores, you just have to check lables, and avoid the yuck as often as possible.

Well, i hope you try this recipe! it is a serious crowd pleaser! Please leave comments, suggestions, opinions, requests, questions, ideas, hints, and unrelated thoughts in the comments! yay!