Cooking with Glögg

Have any of you tried cooking with glögg? I have a bunch sitting in the freezer that I couldn't drink and I want to do something fun with it. I'm thinking some kind of gryta.

This one could be good. I like that it has a hint of dark chocolate in it, kind of like Mexican mole sauce. Any other ideas?

The Littlest Kitchen

Here is what it looks like these days. I'm quite proud of how well we've managed to maximize the space.

Other things on my list to do: get little mug hooks to open up some cabinet space and cutely hang the coffee mugs on display, hang a wire mesh fruit basket from the ceiling beam, hang up a knife rack per Nigella's advice, and get a ComfortChef gel mat from Home Depot. Yes, I'm serious. After a few hours of cooking and dish-doing standing on the wood floor, as Ian would say, my dogs are barkin'! In other words, I acutely need a foot massage. (Do I need orthopedic shoes now that I've hit 30?)

Rediscovering Musli

I went through this phase earlier of eating granola obsessively and being really proud of myself for being so healthy. Then I started making my own, and realized how fattening it actually is (unless you make a modified granola recipe, which I have and can share). Whoops.

Sort of like how I used to be all self-righteous about drinking canned Arizona Green Tea instead of soda only to realize it has like 12 tablespoons of sugar.

So then I went back to basics and started eating musli and I actually don't even miss the butter and sugar. Then I deconstructed that even further by just pouring a tablespoon or two of uncooked oats right into my yogurt along with some fresh fruit and cinnamon and/or cardamom. Is that bad? I've been doing it for weeks now to no ill effect. It actually tastes great. If it's bad to eat uncooked oats, forget I said it. If not, try it!

Or you can try this yummy musli recipe I just found and am going to make tomorrow. I will translate it if any English speakers want it. I like the idea of using coconut and sunflower seeds, though I only like the white ones, not the black ones. (Does anyone know the difference?)

Cumin Seeds

Is it just me, or does cumin smell like body odor?

On a totally unrelated note, I got this awesome Indian food cookbook by Phaidon for Christmas.

I've already tried a bunch of recipes (I'll share some soon), and one thing I've learned about why Indian food is so awesome is that not only are the recipes all layered with so many flavors, but they take the extra step to toast spices before adding them. This is especially true of whole cumin seeds, which in their toasted state are ubiquitous in Indian food. So much more delicious and pleasantly aromatic than their ground, untoasted brethren!

That gave me the idea to replace ground cumin with toasted cumin seeds in recipes forevermore. It's definitely a different flavor, but I suspect a better one! Try it! Just throw them in a pan on medium-low heat for about a minute, until fragrant.

Mmm, Carrots...

This is a fantastic recipe from Alice Water's Chez Panisse Vegetables. (Mom, I really do use that cookbook you got me 15 years ago!)

It's great because it uses ingredients you probably have on hand most of the time. And it goes down faster than a fresh bag of Sour Patch Kids (is that just our house?). You won't be able to stop... Did you hear me? I'm talking about carrots, people!

Although it's a smidge spicy, I feel like this could be a good recipe to get kids to eat their carrots. Try it and report back please.

Spicy Carrot Salad
2 lbs. carrots (or whatever you have)
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp cayenne
3/4 cup olive oil (or less if you want)
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro

Peel the carrots and cut into julienne ("quick work with a Japanese mandolin" says Alice. If you don't own a mandolin, see my Le Creuset posting about becoming an adult. Just kidding, try using a vegetable peeler and just keep "peeling" the whole carrots into thin little slices. Or just chop them thinly.)

Mash the garlic clove with the salt, and mix it with the red wine vinegar, lemon juice and cayenne. Whisk in the olive oil. Taste for seasoning and add more acid, salt or cayenne if needed. Toss with the carrots, add the chopped cilantro, and serve.

Serves 4.

Nigella Lawson's Tips for a Cozy Kitchen

Check them out in this Wall Street Journal article.

I especially like this article because it validates my decision to go for the eclectic, lived-in look in my kitchen rather than the minimalist, ultra-modern (organized) look. Minimalist just doesn't work unless everyone (your husband) is on board with your fascist agenda.

Nigella says: "In spite of my early fear that I would be offering weapons welcomingly to any passing serial killer, I am now a firm advocate of the knife magnet."

I have had the very same thought!

Time to Grow Up

I became a woman today.

I now own my very own, extremely grown up $140 (for serious!) Le Creuset skillet.

Why spend $140 on a skillet? I have been researching pots and pans for years, literally. (What's the best long-term investment? Most even cooking? Does Teflon really leach into your food and poison you? Do you become fatter by not cooking with nonstick pans?) And Le Creuset gets the most consistent high marks.

I also recently read this book called The Conscious Kitchen, which is about how to shop to both avoid chemicals and minimize your environmental impact. I hoped it would help me prioritize which things to buy organic/locally sourced/renewable and where it might be not such a big deal, because buying all organic/locally sourced/renewable/plastic-free, etc. gets crazy expensive.

Alas, the book basically instructs you to buy everything organic and purge your life of plastic or you will be poisoned by chemicals. That is not happening under my recessionista budget.

Instead, I wrote a Post-it note listing five must do's I learned from this book:

1. Use iodized salt (Duh, except I had become a big fan of Kosher salt, which isn't iodized, so back to basics I guess.)
2. Do not use Teflon pans. Use cast iron or enamel-clad pans. (Enter Le Creuset.)
3. Try to use glass containers for storing food if possible, and maybe slowly transition out plastics. (Gave myself a raincheck on this one until we are rich.)
4. Compost! (We are going to buy one of those composting kits you can use even if you don't have a yard.)
5. Use a water filter. Tap water sucks, apparently, and I have been drinking it forever. I suppose I must put to rest my one-(wo)man campaign against the hegemonic rule of the Brita filter.
   

Back to Le Creuset. I have now learned that it is not only the absolute best for consistent, even cooking, it has an added bonus of not slowly poisoning you. I'm hoping to acquire a full set, one by one, and think you should too. Since the skillet is the one thing I use almost daily, I figure it's okay that my other stuff is still Teflon.

I never liked Caesar Salad until I tried this dressing

You will find yourself wanting to coat anything you can find in this delicious, creamy Caesar dressing.

Caesar Vinaigrette
Recipe courtesy of Wolfgang Puck's Wolfgang Puck's Pizza, Pasta and More!

1 egg
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 anchovy fillets, mashed (or skip. . . I did)
Scant cup peanut oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, mustard, and anchovies.

Slowly whisk in the oils to emulsify. [My note: just toss this all into a food processor or use an immersion blender and don't bother with the slow whisking!]

Stir in the cheese and season with sat and pepper.

Refrigerate in a covered container. When ready to use, whisk again.

To prepare ahead:
Caesar Vinaigrette will keep up to 1 week, refrigerated, in a covered container.

Source: Epicurious 2006

Broccoli Rabe with Toasted Garlic and Breadcrumbs

Here's a simple recipe for pasta with broccoli rabe, which is so good for you I suspect there is a conspiracy by the always conniving OBL (Ordinary Broccoli Lobby) to keep it so under the radar.

"Broccoli rabe is low in Saturated Fat. It is also a good source of Pantothenic Acid, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc and Manganese." (source: nutritiondata.com)

I would use whole wheat or some other kind of enriched pasta to make it even more crazy healthy.

Check out the video at the end of the article for the recipe.

Sesame Chicken with Rice Noodles

I'm on an Asian kick right now, mostly because my addiction to cheese requires me to try to cut out saturated fats and cholesterol in other areas and I find Asian food is terrific for avoiding old standbys like butter and cheese without even missing them.

This my twist on a Joy of Cooking recipe.

Ingredients:
6 chicken tenders or 3 breasts
1 large cucumber, halved, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch slices
4 servings of Asian rice noodles

Sesame sauce:
1/2 cup toasted sesame paste (tahini) or peanut butter
3 tbsp sesame oil (enough to liquify the sesame paste or peanut butter)
4-5 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp distilled white vinegar or rice vinegar
2 tsp hot chili oil, or to taste (or skip)
1 1/2 tbsp minced, peeled fresh ginger
2 tsp sugar
2 scallions, chopped
Sesame seeds

1. Pan fry or broil the chicken and season with salt and pepper (i.e., prepare as you wish). Cut into strips, then halve those (fork-sized pieces).

2. Meanwhile, prepare the rice noodles by soaking in water (see manufacturer instructions) and make the sesame sauce by thoroughly mixing the first two ingredients (use a food processor if you have one), then adding the remaining 6 ingredients.

3. Toss the cooked chicken, cucumbers and sesame sauce together with rice noodles, preferably in a pan, sauteing it lightly to warm it up somewhat and distribute the sauce most evenly. (It will be cold at this point but you can enjoy it lukewarm.)

4. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top when you serve it for some added pizazz.

Serves 4

Polenta with Beef Ragu

I either invented this recipe, or tried it somewhere long ago, then forgot it, then remembered it again as if it was my own invention. Really easy but not in that white trash, Hamburger Helper way.


Ingredients:
1 tube of premade, plain polenta or whatever form of polenta you can find
One jar of ready-made tomato sauce, fairly neutral since we will add more flavor
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
Lean ground beef -- half of one of those tubes or butcher packs you get at the supermarket
Dried porcini or other wild mushrooms -- awesome if you have them, otherwise skip
1/3 cup of white wine
Real Parmesan cheese (not green canister of Kraft gunk)
2 tsp. each fresh basil and/or oregano if you are lucky enough to have an herb garden, or just dried oregano

1. Soak the dried mushrooms in white wine for 15-20 minutes

2. Saute the onions for a minute, then add the lean ground beef to brown it. Once the beef is almost cooked through, add the mushrooms and a couple of tablespoons of the white wine they were soaking in. Let the alcohol cook off, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a near boil, adding salt, pepper and dried oregano. Remove from heat and add chopped fresh basil and/or fresh oregano.

4. Meanwhile, heat a tbsp or two of olive oil and a dab of butter in a pan on medium heat and throw a clove of garlic on there for a bit of added flavor. Cut the polenta into 1/2 or 3/4 inch slices and lay out on the pan, cooking approx. 3-5 minutes on the one side. Flip them over, then put a thin slice of parmesan cheese on each one and cook 3 more minutes on this side. If you need to hurry the cheese melting along, put a lid on it for a minute, but not too long or the polenta will get soggy.

5. Remove the polenta from the pan and plate them, about 3 pieces per person. Then spoon the meat ragu over and voila! I served this with wilted spinach.

Serves 3-4

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

I rarely bake. It's a slippery slope, and with all those shows on TV about morbid obesity...

Moderation, you say?  I know no such thing.

Whenever I bake, the treats sit in my kitchen and stare at me, beckoning me, until I've eaten every last morsel. Therefore, rather than downing an entire pan of brownies or cookies in at best two days, I avoid an ugly scene altogether.

If you are bonkers for pecans like I am, I suggest you make this easy recipe, eat a couple of pieces yourself, and then bring in the remainder to work and offload it on your naively appreciative coworkers.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature; plus 2 tbsps melted
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, leveled
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
3/ cup corn syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 package (11.5 ounces) chocolate chips (2 cups)
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13 inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Beat together 1 stick room-temperature butter, brown sugar, flour, and salt until coarse crumbs form. Pour mixture into prepared pan; press firmly into bottom.

Bake until lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool, 10 minutes.

In same bowl, mix eggs, corn syrup, granulated sugar and melted butter until well combined. Add chocolate chips and pecans; spread over crust. Bake until set, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely in pan before lifting out (using foil to lift). Cut into bars.

Makes 32 pieces according to the original recipe, or 12 according to me.


This recipe comes from Everyday Food magazine and was submitted by a reader named Anne Royal from Port Orchard, Washington. (Go Anne!)

Cashew Chicken with Rice

Try to always have cashews and scallions around, so you can throw this together when you're busy and uninspired. So easy!

(From an old issue of Everyday Food)

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes. (pork chops work too.)
1 tablespoon cornstarch (or flour)
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
6 garlic cloves
8 scallions**, chopped, with green and white parts separate
2 tbsp. rice vinegar (or just plain vinegar)
3 tbsp. hoisin sauce*
3/4 cup or whatever quantity raw, unsalted cashews you have on hand
white rice

1. Toast the cashews -- do not even think about skipping this step. Spread them on a baking sheet or frying pan and cook in a 350-degree oven until you smell their deliciousness, about ten minutes.

2. In a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch/flour until it is evenly coated. Add salt and pepper.

3. In a large, nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Cook half the chicken, tossing often, until browned but not fully cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

4. Add remaining oil and chicken to skillet with the garlic and white parts of scallions. Cook, tossing often, until chicken is browned, about 3 minutes. Return first batch of chicken to pan. Add vinegar; cook until evaporated, about 30 seconds.

5. Add hoisin sauce and 1/4 cup or less of water; cook, tossing, until chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in scallion greens and cashews (which you hopefully remembered to remove from the oven and haven't now burned.) Serve immediately over rice.

*You can get this in the Asian section of the supermarket and it's worth having around just for this recipe, as it lasts forever. If not, just use low-sodium soy sauce. But please don't use full sodium soy sauce. I care too much about you to let you do that. You can even try adding a little bit of brown sugar, since hoisin sauce has a sweetness to it. But I haven't tried that.

**I had this epiphany once that at less than $1 per bunch, it's worth it to buy scallions every time you go shopping, just in case.