Corned Beef and Cabbage: A March Favorite

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!

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

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

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!

Yay!

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

Cream of Wheat: Hot Wheat Farina

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!

NEXT POST:

Tempura Soba!

Beef Stew: Cow, Wine, And Veggies!

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!

Next Post:

Hot Wheat Farina Cereal Breakfast

Cashew Brittle: Nuts About Candy!

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!

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!

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

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!

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

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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

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

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.