Kitchen catastrophes

In my kitchen adventures I have experienced a few catastrophes thrown in with the successes. One of the funniest of these happened yesterday afternoon when I decided, after chatting with a friend about the caramel apple party favours she was giving out at her approaching nuptials, that all I really wanted in that very moment was some caramel sauce of my own. How hard can it be, I thought. It's just sugar...And maybe butter...And probably some vanilla...and maybe some bourbon or cream? And then, a few clicks of the mouse later I had a recipe for homemade caramel sauce that seemed foolproof. That is until I attempted it. And proved that a fool (like myself) can really mess it up. Instead of a silky, buttery, salty-sweet sauce for dipping apples into I ended up with vinyl. Like cheap Halloween costume vinyl. I could have sooner been making a bustier than a dessert... (Note to self: Whole milk does NOT equal cream when it comes to candy making and is not an appropriate substitute. Buy the blasted cream! Get off the couch! It's worth it.) And then there was the question of how to remove the vinyl I created from the utensils I used to create it. That, it turns out, is not so difficult. Just boil it all in water until the sugar dissolves and you can have your utensils back, vinyl-less.

Another episode of my kitchen catastrophes occurred while working on my raspberry bran muffins. I was low on baking powder so I thought, why not use the same amount in some extra baking soda??? BAD IDEA. I ended up with muffins that tasted like pennies. Copper pennies. METAL pennies. Not so tasty. Professor hubs was kind enough to force one down for solidarity's sake, poor fellow... Since then I have been particularly weary of baking soda in food...

New Year

Last Friday was a particularly exciting day as it was the first paycheck Prof. Hubs received from the institution that employs him. You see, he hadn't been paid since JUNE so July, August, and September were all somewhat tight but we did it by combining the moneys from my various incomes, some wedding gifts, and to quote Somerset Maugham: "an iron will and the grace of God." As one can imagine, a paycheck was a WONDERFUL way to begin the weekend.

On Saturday, Prof. Hubs and I made one of our great exodi to a nearby city in order to purchase vittels from Trader joe's and a few clothing items as the cold weather makes its way to Midwestia. I awoke that day with a strange anticipation for the shopping. After a leisurely breakfast which included some coffee brewed with cinnamon, we began our excursion. (Note: I am not a coffee drinker anymore. I quit coffee after an intense relationship with it during my time in Paris where I consumed around 8 espresso shots a day and wondered why I had insomnia and jitters.) About a half hour after I ingested the coffee I felt like I was on drugs. Seriously scary drugs. I had a meltdown during the shopping. It was a really UN fun time. No more coffee for me...which is too bad. It's so tasty. Especially when brewed with a bit of cinnamon...

In spite of my bad coffee 'trip' we picked up some excellent treats at Trader Joe's. And from these treats I whipped up this comforting and delicious Arroz con Pollo (chicken with rice) which you can make extra healthy using brown rice.

(NOTE: if using brown rice, do NOT try to cook it in the chicken stew as with white rice. Cook it in a separate pot with some chicken broth and then add it to the chicken stew about 15 minutes before serving. Brown rice will not cook up properly in this recipe if used like white rice.)

ARROZ CON POLLO

based on a recipe from Food and Wine

INGREDIENTS

1. 1 tablespoon olive oil
2. 4 chicken thighs
3. 4 chicken drumsticks
4. 2 tsp paprika mixed into 1 cup of flour for dredging
5. 1 tsp oregano
6. a few shakes tabasco
7. 2 teaspoons salt
8. 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
9. 1 small onion, chopped
10. 3 cloves garlic, minced
11. 1 red bell pepper, chopped
12. 1 green bell pepper, chopped
13. 1 3/4 cups canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
14. 1 tablespoon tomato paste
15. 2 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
16. 1 cup white rice, (I like basmati)
17. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

18. DIRECTIONS

    1. In a large, deep frying pan, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and season with 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Cook the chicken, turning, until well browned, about 8 minutes in all. Remove. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan.
    2. Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the onion, oregano, and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften, about 3 minutes longer.
    3. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, tabasco, broth, and the remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in the rice and add the chicken in an even layer. Simmer, partially covered, over moderately low heat until the chicken and rice are just done, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

In the works

I have 2 recipes I've been working on that I am very excited to share. Alas, both of them are in the final stages of development but they're not *quite* ready yet. The first is the most perfect of raspberry bran muffins, the second is a fabulous arroz con pollo... Both of them are yummy, easy, healthy, and quick to prepare. If only they were ready!!! In a day or two...

In the meantime, I am pleased to share with you my version of the French classic, Cassoulet. What is traditionally a heavy, porky, duck-fatty stew of white beans, meats, veggies and herbs becomes a satisfying, heart warming (and surprisingly heart-healthy) and quick dinner for a cold fall or winter night... Or in our case, a very early fall, somewhat cool evening in late September...

photo by A.D. photography

DESPERATE HOUSEDIVA'S 'CASSOULET'

(based on a recipe from Gourmet)

4-5 (fully cooked) chicken sausage links, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium onions, cut into thin rings
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3/4 teaspoon mixed dried herbs, crumbled (I use rosemary, oregano, red pepper flakes)
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup chopped scallion greens
a 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes including juice
19-ounce can white beans such as cannellini, navy, or Great Northern, drained and rinsed
Splash of dry white wine

For topping
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 small garlic clove, chopped fine
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves (wash and dry before chopping)


In skillet cook sausage pieces, onions and garlic, stirring, until golden, and stir in herbs (including bay leaf), scallions or parsley, tomatoes with juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Boil mixture, stirring, 5 minutes. Add wine, stir until alcohol has cooked away. Add beans to mixture and cook, stirring, until heated through. Discard bay leaf and keep "cassoulet" warm, covered.

Make topping:
In a small skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté bread until pale golden. Stir in garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste and sauté, stirring, 1 minute.

Transfer "cassoulet" to a 1-quart serving dish and cover evenly with topping.

Serve with some crusty European country style bread and some dry red wine...

Here's to the ladies who lunch...

I have always been somewhat confounded by lunch-I'm never quite hungry enough for a big meal so soon after breakfast but if I have a light lunch I'm often starving by 4pm. I think the solution for me is probably to do 2 mini meals-a smoothie at 1 and half a sandwich at 4 or something... In other words, more effective 'meal planning' which is yet another concept that leaves me confounded.

And then a whole other slew of meal shenanigans ensue: As a rule I don't like sandwiches. Now, like many rules, there are a few exceptions. One of the most delicious of which being my husband's incredible toasted turkey avocado sandwich. It's just perfection. In addition to my rule about sandwiches I also have a rule about not liking mayonnaise and yet again this turkey sandwich breaks that one as well...

PROFESSOR HUBS' TOASTED TURKEY AVOCADO SANDWICH

2 slices crusty bread (I like a sourdough whole wheat)

2 tsp mayonnaise

1/4 avocado

2 slices sharp cheddar cheese

5 slices deli style turkey breast

Spread both slices of bread with a very, very thin layer of mayo. On one of the slices lay out the cheese slices. Put the decorated slices in the toaster oven or real oven (375) until the cheese gets melt-y. Remove slices from oven, spread the slice of toast without the cheese with the avocado. Arrange the turkey as you like on the cheese slice. Put them together and enjoy!!!

Note: this is even better when sliced on the diagonal

Variation 1: add sliced tomato and lettuce

Variation 2: add tomato, lettuce, bacon

Variation 3: add sliced green apple and an application of honey mustard on one slice bread in place of the mayonnaise

Flavors of Fall

Did you know that the first official day of Fall in 2009 is Sept. 22nd? That's just three days away! It certainly won't be taking me be surprise-I have felt that Autumn chill in the air for several days now. Yesterday, for the first time this season I noticed a few trees losing their leaves and others beginning to show off their finest fall fashions (in the form of red, yellow and brown leaves.) Lovely.

Some of my favorite flavors are traditional Fall flavors like pumpkin, butternut squash, sage, apples, etc. and I will be featuring all of them in the coming weeks. I just love Autumn comfort foods!

This week I had the opportunity to do a presentation on opera and singing for the members of the local high school choir. It was really a blast (although it WAS at 7:20AM!!!! Who DOES that???) and I was quite charmed by some of the questions the kids asked. I think my favorite question was "Which famous people do you know-Do you know Beyoncé?" Very few things can make one feel LESS successful than thinking about how much MORE successful other people are. Like Beyoncé. (BTW-I wonder how many opera singers actually know Beyoncé?)

In the spirit of Autumn I give you a most delicious Butternut Squash soup recipe I've been playing around with-it's so satisfying and yet so light and healthy (no dairy and barely any fat added!)

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

(based on a recipe from Whole Foods Market)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup diced carrot (about 1 (8-inch) large carrot)
1/2 cup diced celery (about 1 (11-inch) large stalk)
2/3 cup diced onion (about 1 medium onion)

2/3 cup diced apple
4 cups cubed butternut squash (about 1 medium squash)
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
4 to 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add carrot, celery, ginger and onion. Cook until vegetables have begun to soften and onion turns translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add butternut squash and apple. Stir to combine with vegetables. Stir in chicken broth and season with salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until squash is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree soup. Alternatively, let the soup cool slightly and carefully puree in batches in a traditional blender.

enjoy! (I like it with a generous dollop of sour cream, crème fraîche, or heavy cream...)

Steak wisdom

If you're of the carnivorous persuasion (like yours truly, here) you probably enjoy the occasional steak. I have long been a fan of the beef and that's putting it lightly. I just wanted to write a mini-post sharing the wisdom I garnered from Alton Brown, chef/scientist and foodtv personality... It's ALL about the ribeye, people. It is so tender and so flavorful (and so expensive- so get it on sale or for a special occasion...) When it comes to preparing a delicious steak at home this method is foolproof. I now make a mean steak prepared various ways (marinades, sauces, rubs...) but this method of cooking keeps me from getting into too much trouble.

Ribeye + this method of cooking=perfect steak!

ALTON BROWN'S PERFECT RIBEYE

Ribeye steak

canola oil and s&p unless you're using your own marinade

Place 10 to 12-inch cast iron skillet in oven and heat oven to 500 degrees. Bring steak(s) to room temperature.

When oven reaches temperature, remove pan and place on range over high heat. Either Coat steak lightly with oil and season both sides with a generous pinch of salt, or just remove from marinade. Grind on black pepper to taste.

Immediately place steak in the middle of hot, dry pan. Cook 30 seconds without moving. Turn with tongs and cook another 30 seconds, then put the pan straight into the oven for 2 minutes. Flip steak and cook for another 2 minutes. (This time is for medium rare steaks. If you prefer medium, add a minute to both of the oven turns.)

Remove steak from pan, cover loosely with foil, and rest for 2 minutes. Serve whole or slice thin and fan onto plate.

Birthday Feast

I have always loved other people's birthdays. It's wonderful to focus on celebrating a friend and helping them feel special on the commemoration of their birth. Other people's birthdays possess none of the bittersweet undertones of one's own birthday and I just love giving presents to the people I love.

Today is Prof. Hubs' birthday and one of my gifts to him is a birthday feast. I am planning on preparing the chard tart as an appetizer, a green salad with lemon vinaigrette, a beet and goat cheese salad, sweet potatoes, steak, and for dessert a family favorite: the famous Chocolate Chip Mint cake!

Note: This is about as close to 'semi-homemade' as I get... But it's just so delicious and cheap, why not use these shortcuts?

Mom's famous Chocolate Chip Mint cake

1 package devil's food cake mix (Duncan Hines is my preference)

1 package instant Jell-o chocolate pudding

3/4 tsp mint extract

4 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 1/4 cup water

1 package chocolate chips (I prefer dark)

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a bundt pan.

Mix all ingredients until well combined (about 2 minutes with an electric mixer)

Pour into bundt pan, bake for 50-60 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. When cooled, invert pan and cover with a dusting of cocoa powder or powdered sugar if you'd like...

Big Apples

Let me give out a tip: If you try one new food this Autumn let it be a Mutsu apple (also known as a Crispin apple this side of Japan.) They are the crispest, sweetest with a bit-of-tart green apples in the world. I believe they are technically a kind of hybrid between Granny Smith and Golden Delcious but they possess only the deliciousness of those breeds with none of the negatives. They are also enormous and have often served as a light lunch to this Desperate Housediva with a a few pieces of the King of Cheddars: Montgomery's cheddar (a sharp, grassy, raw milk English cheddar with a cult following.)

I spent all of last week back in the Big Apple for an intense seven days of lessons, photoshoots, friends, and foods. The first whispers of Autumn were in the New York air and it made me nostalgic for the Green Market (NYC farmer's markets) of Fall. Specifically, the Mutsu/Crispin apples. I am very excited to take a day trip to one of Midwestia's local orchards to pick my own! And when I do, I will share with you the most wonderful of apple cake recipes.

Алфавит

You can stop rubbing your eyes as you read the title of this posting, your vision is perfectly fine. You see, I'm learning Russian. I feel like it's my own secret code language of strange imaginary symbols and rearranged letters that give the reader a false confidence when recognizing certain latin letters-but HAHA! It's my secret language! My secret language which also happens to be spoken by at least 278 million people. It took me a couple of days to get the alphabet down. I felt quite impressed with myself at first until I learned about the CURSIVE cyrillic alphabet in which 1/3 of the letters are completely different and frustrating... Yes, that was not a good day for my romance with Russian nor for my hubris... But that was a week ago and now I can read both alphabets, (barely) talk about living, studying and getting acquainted; thus the love is back on.

I am a voracious student of foreign language. I am so obnoxious about it that in restaurants I yearn to pronounce the foreign food words properly: Words like "champagne," "Blini," and "bruschetta" have so much more music to them when pronounced with a narcissistic intonation, non? I think it's partly an opera singer's job hazard and partly a personality flaw. In both cases it's quite annoying to everyone else at the table which is why I am really trying to keep it to a minimum.

Prof. Hubs and I are going to Russia next Spring and I want to make sure that my ability to communicate independently is up to snuff. I also want to do a recital of Russian music. So, between now and then I will be studying copious amounts of Русский.

The recipe I am sharing today is not a Russian one. It is the desperate housediva version of the delicious Korean steak marinade, Kolbi. In NYC I love to visit the Korean BBQs on 32nd st whenever I'm feeling anemic and though my marinade is not as delicious as those I find in K-town it's certainly reminiscent and also a lot faster. I rarely have the foresight to marinate a steak a day before I'm going to eat it though this is something I aspire to...someday.

DESPERATE HOUSEDIVA'S KOLBI STEAK MARINADE

made up of stuff you definitely have in your house already :)

2 Steaks (I usually use whatever I get the best deal on that day-of late it's been NY strip or top sirloin)

1/2 cup Soy Sauce

1/2 cup white wine or rice wine

1/4 cup Green onion, chopped (if you don't have it, you can use white onions...it's still good!)

3 heaping TBSP brown sugar

2 TBSP agave nectar (you could use honey or just another TBSP brown sugar instead)

a few shakes of tabasco

1 tsp powdered ginger (fresh would be better if you have it...just use a bit more if you do)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 TBSP sesame oil

Mix together the marinade ingredients. Toss the steaks in there to coat. Let marinate at least an hour-overnight is best. Then cook your favorite way-I like to use the beloved grill pan on the stove (med-high heat) and then finish in the oven for a few minutes (400) but use your best steak judgment.

Bon Appetit! (make sure to pronouce with a really obnoxious accent for me)